the ib at thomas jefferson - baltimore city public … what are the pyp transdisciplinary themes?...

The IB at Thomas Jefferson

A unique experience within BCPS

Primary Years Programme School

Middle Years Programme Candidate School

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

IB: The Facts

www.ibo.org

3,291 schools

Over 962,000 students

141 countries

Diploma Programme, since 1969, ages 16-19

Middle Years Programme, since 1994 ages 11-16

Primary Years Programme, since 1997, ages 3-12


Organization: What is the IB mission?

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring,

knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better

and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and

respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and

international organizations to develop challenging programmes of

international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become

active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that

other people, with their differences, can also be right.


Programmes: What is the IB learner profile?

The learner profile is the IB mission

statement in action. It shapes the

culture of all IB schools and is the

synthesis of an education of the whole

person.

IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers

Knowledgeable

Thinkers

Communicators

Principled

Open-minded

Caring

Risk-takers

Balanced

Reflective

Primary Years Programme

(PYP)

for Pre-K through Fifth Grade

at Thomas Jefferson

The unique benefits of the PYP


Beliefs: What the PYP believes?

Education must focus on the whole child

Learning is relevant in school and the world outside

Inquiry-based learning provides rigor, engagement

and relevance for curriculum

Curriculum is meaningful when it is developed within a

framework of globally significant themes that include

multiple subject areas

A balanced elementary curriculum consists of five

essential elements: knowledge, conceptual

understanding, skills, attitudes and action

Language learning and international awareness are

key components of an elementary education


Essential elements: How are they described in the PYP

curriculum?

Knowledge

Concepts

Skills

Attitudes

Action


Knowledge: What are the PYP transdisciplinary themes?

Who we are

Where we are in place and time

How we express ourselves

How the world works

How we organize ourselves

Sharing the Planet


Concepts: What are the PYP concepts?

Form - What is it like?

Function - How does it work?

Causation - Why is it like it is?

Change - How is it changing?

Connection - How is it connected to other things?

Perspective – What are the point of view?

Responsibility – What is our responsibility?

Reflection – How do we know?


Skills: What are the PYP transdisciplinary skills?

Thinking

Social skills

Communication skills

Self – management skills

Research skills


Attitudes: What are the PYP attitudes?

Appreciation

Commitment

Confidence

Cooperation

Creativity

Curiosity

Empathy

Enthusiasm

Independence

Integrity

Respect

Tolerance


Action: How is action defined in the PYP ?


Sample unit of inquiry: ‘Sharing the planet’

Water is essential to life and is a

limited resource for many people

Sources of water and how water

is used

What happens to water after we

have used it

Distribution and availability of

usable water

Responsibilities regarding water.


Teaching & Learning in the PYP

A commitment to structured inquiry

A belief that learning is constructed and not just transmitted

Builds off of students prior knowledge and experiences

Can be engaging, interactive, cooperative, or independent

depending on the specific situation and need

State standards, resources and student questions inform the

curriculum


Assessment in the PYP

The prime objective of assessment in the PYP is to provide

feedback on the learning process.

It identifies what students know, understand, can do, and feel at

different stages in the learning process.

Teachers select assessment strategies to support how students

learn and perform.

Teachers design assessment instruments to reflect the particular

learning outcomes on which they intend to give feedback.

Students and teachers are actively involved in the assessment

process.


Overview of the PYP

Middle Years Programme

Candidate School

(MYP Candidate)

for Sixth Grade through Eighth

Grade at Thomas Jefferson

The unique benefits of the MYP


An MYP Candidate School

Thomas Jefferson is a candidate school* for the Middle Years

Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World

School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a

commitment to high quality, challenging, international education

that this school believes is important for our students.

*Only schools authorized by the IB organization can offer any of

its three academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme

(PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the Diploma

Programme. Candidate status gives no guarantee that

authorization will be granted.

Authorization will be approximately a three year process.


Definition: How is the Middle Years Programme defined?

The MYP is:

for students aged 11 to 16

a framework of academic challenge

8 subject groups, plus personal project in the final year

Includes additional languages, intercultural awareness and service

The MYP encourages students to:

understand the connections between subjects through interdisciplinary learning

understand the connections between subjects and the real world

become critical and reflective thinkers


Philosophy: What are the fundamental concepts of the MYP?

Holistic learning

Intercultural awareness

Communication


Philosophy: Programme model


What are the areas of interaction?

Approaches to learning

Community and service

Health and social education

Environments

Human ingenuity (Homo faber)


Areas of interaction: Approaches to learning

Through approaches to learning,

teachers provide students with tools

to:

Take responsibility for their own

learning

Develop awareness of how they

learn best

Develop problem solving and

decision making skills

Develop awareness of thought

processes and learning strategies

Develop critical, coherent and

independent thought


Areas of interaction: Community & service

This area of interaction extends learning

beyond the classroom and requires

students to:

Develop community awareness and

concern

Develop a sense of responsibility

Take an active part in the

communities in which they live,

thereby encouraging responsible

citizenship

Develop skills and attitudes that will

enable effective contributions to

society


Areas of interaction: Health & social education

Deals with a variety of human issues

including physical, social and emotional

health and intelligence. Students will:

be aware of the relationship

between the individual and society

take responsibility for their own

well-being and for that of others

take responsibility for their social

environment

be able to make informed choices

for themselves with consideration

for the wider society


Areas of interaction: Environments

Aims to develop awareness of

humanity’s interdependence with a

range of environments so that

students:

Understand issues within natural,

built and virtual environments

Take responsibility for maintaining

and improving environments that

are fit for the future

Take action on issues explored

through this area of interaction


Areas of interaction: Human ingenuity (Homo faber)

Students explore the ways that

human minds have influenced our

lives. Students will:

become aware of the nature of

ingenuity

reflect on the impact of innovations

and creations, ideologies and ways

of thinking,

appreciate the consequences of

actions


Teaching and Learning in the MYP

A commitment to structured

inquiry and rigor

Relevance of individual subject

concepts and skills

Relevance of connections across

subjects and with the world

Influenced by standards,

resources and student questions

Relevance of intercultural

awareness and service to

inquiries


Assessment: How do we assess student learning in the MYP?

Involves a range of task types

Assessment of knowledge,

concepts, skills and attitudes

Criterion referenced

Internally assessed (by teachers)

Externally moderated for global

standardization


Overview

The International Baccalaureate Programmes at Thomas Jefferson

Inclusive of all students in Pre-K through Eighth Grade

Student-centered programmes

Importance of all subjects and connections to the real world

Academically rigorous

Promotes additional language learning and responsible

citizenship

Flexible enough to be used with local requirements

Designed and reviewed by experienced & practicing educators

Prepares children for the best high schools and universities

Congratulations!

You’ve made a great choice for your child and their future!!!!

the ib at thomas jefferson - baltimore city public … what are the pyp transdisciplinary themes?...

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