Introduction to the MYP Monday September 26, 2016 6:30pm – 7:00pm GWA Auditorium

Objectives: To understand how your child learns in each subject area at GWA: IB Learner Profile, Approaches to Teaching and Learning, and Criterion-Based assessment. To understand our academic goals at GWA in regards to the Middle Years Programme (MYP).

What is the IB? 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. 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.

The IB Learner Profile

IB MYP Programme Model

The MYP Journey Grades 6-10 (Years 1-5) Approaches to Learning (ATL) Learning how to learn, explicit teaching and learning in the development 21st Century Skills Approach to Teaching (Global Contexts, Concepts) Teaching and learning to ensure meaningful life long learning Understanding how to apply and transfer knowledge in real-world situations Teaching beyond facts to develop creative and critical thinkers Service as Action (Elena Aldridge) Grade 10 Personal Project (Melodee Peters)

Teaching and Learning in the IB Inquiry uses knowledge and experience along with student curiosity to find what is relevant, engaging, challenging and significant. Developing purpose through questioning. Action represents the IB’s commitment to teaching and learning through real-life experiences. Learning experiences develop understandings, which are reflected through purposeful and meaningful formative and summative assessments. Reflection is required to identify the impact of learning. It supports students in becoming critical thinkers, and creative problem solvers, in a way to support their own self-management and development of the ATL skills.

Assessment is… Formative and Summative Criterion-related Different criteria for each subject IB assessment criteria are used to assess both formative and summative work and must address all objectives within the criterion. Level of Achievement (not a percentage) Ongoing and process-oriented (part of the learning experience).

A B C D Subject Groups Criterion Language and Literature (Language A: English and Arabic) Analysing Organizing Producing Text Using Language Language Acquisition (Language B – French, Spanish and Arabic Comprehending spoken and visual text Comprehending written and visual text Communicating Using language Individuals and Societies (Humanities) Knowing and Understanding Investigating Thinking critically Sciences Inquiring and Designing Processing and evaluating Reflecting on the impacts of science Mathematics Investigating Patterns Applying mathematics in real-world contexts Arts Developing skills Thinking Creatively Responding Physical and Health Education Planning for performance Applying and Performing Reflecting and improving performance Design Inquiring and Analysing Developing ideas Creating the solution Evaluating MYP Projects Planning Taking action Reflecting

Rubrics are… A communication/teaching tool with students Used in every subject, for summative and formative tasks Contain criteria, descriptors, levels of achievement

Assessment tasks should: Assess the application of knowledge, rather than the recall of facts. Be varied in the type of activities in order to address different objectives Inform student, parent and teacher about the student’s achievement against the criteria Allow students the opportunity to reach the highest band of the rubric Support the students in demonstrating his/her abilities and achievement level

MYP GRADES 1-7 Grade Boundary Guidelines Descriptor   1 1-5 Produces work of very limited quality. Conveys many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding of most concepts and contexts. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills. 2 6-9 Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts. Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills. 3 10-14 Produces work of an acceptable quality. Communicates basic understanding of many concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations. 4 15-18 Produces good-quality work. Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations, but requires support in unfamiliar situations. 5 19-23 Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations and, with support, some unfamiliar real-world situations. 6 24-27 Produces high-quality, occasionally innovative work. Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real-world situations, often with independence. 7 28-32 Produces high-quality, frequently innovative work. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real-world situations.

How do I support my child through the IB journey? Develop the IB Learner Profile attributes: Balanced, Open-minded, Reflective, Inquirers, Thinkers, Knowledgeable, Communicators, Principled, Caring, Risk-takers. Encourage Inquiry both in and out of the classroom. Engage in meaningful action to promote lifelong learning and become active and responsible members of the communities in which they live.

Thank you for coming! (Education for a Better World – 2015) “The IB Experience is not just a way to learn, it’s a way of life and, for more than 1,250,000 students each year, the way to a better, more peaceful world.” (Education for a Better World – 2015) Contact details: Rhonda Wiens Zaharko (MYP Coordinator) r.wiens_gwa@gemsedu.com