Primary Years Programme The unique benefits of the PYP

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Contents  IB mission statement  IB Learner profile  What are the IB programmes?  PYP definition  PYP curriculum definition  Essential elements – synthesis model  Written curriculum  Transdisciplinary themes  Concepts  Skills  Attitudes  Action  Overview Page 2

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Page 3 Mission Organization: What is the IB mission and legal status? The IB is a not-for-profit foundation, motivated by its educational mission, focused on the student. 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. The IB is a non-profit making Swiss Foundation registered in The activities of the organization are determined by an Act of Foundation approved by the Swiss authorities. Further resources: The Annual Review including accounts is available on Further resources: The Annual Review including accounts is available on Motivated by a mission We aim to create a better world through education Partnerships We achieve our goals by working together Quality We value our reputation for high standards Participation We actively involve our stakeholders International mindedness We embrace diversity Legal status Core values

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Page 4 Programmes: What is the learner profile? It’s the IB mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21 st century. The attributes of the learner profile express the values inherent to the IB continuum of international education: these are values that should infuse all elements of the three programmes and, therefore, the culture and ethos of all IB World Schools. IB programmes promote the education of the whole person, emphasizing intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth through all domains of knowledge. IB learners strive to be: Inquirers Knowledgeable Thinkers Communicators Principled Open-minded Caring Risk-takers Balanced Reflective

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Page 5 Programmes: What is the PYP programme? Primary Years Ages Curriculum & Assessment Professional development School authorization & programme evaluation

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Page 6 Definition: How is the PYP defined? Primary Years Programme summarized into a single paragraph  The IB Primary Years Programme, for students aged 3 to 12 focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. It is a framework guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, explored using knowledge and skills derived from six subjects areas, as well as transdisciplinary skills, with a powerful emphasis on inquiry- based learning.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Page 7 Learners constructing meaning: How is the PYP curriculum defined? Three interrelated components expressed in the form of three open-ended questions.  Written curriculum  Taught curriculum  Assessed curriculum This is a model whereby all three components inform each other.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 The PYP essential elements: What makes up the synthesis model? As represented in the IB learner profile Page 8

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Essential elements: How are they illustrated or described in the written curriculum? A balance is sought between the five essential elements below  Knowledge Significant, relevant content we wish the students to explore and know about, taking into consideration their prior experience and understanding  Concepts Powerful ideas that have relevance within the subject areas but also transcend them and that students must explore and re-explore in order to develop a coherent, in-depth understanding.  Skills Those capabilities the students need to demonstrate to succeed in a changing, challenging world, which may be disciplinary or transdisciplinary in nature. Page 9

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Essential elements: How are they implemented in the written curriculum?  Attitudes Dispositions that are expressions of fundamental values, beliefs and feelings about learning, the environment and people  Action Demonstrations of deeper learning in responsible behaviour through responsible action; a manifestation in practice of the other essential elements Page 10

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Themes: What are the PYP transdisciplinary themes? Transdisciplinary themes provide a basis for discussion & interpretation within a school  Who we are Inquiry into what it means to be human  Where we are in place and time Inquiry into orientation in place and time – local and global perspective  How we express ourselves Inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas Page 11

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Themes: What are the PYP transdisciplinary themes?  How the world works Inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between the natural world and human societies  How we organize ourselves Inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities.  Sharing the planet Inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things. Page 12

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Example 1: ‘Sharing the planet’ (for students aged 8-9) “Finite resources – infinite demands”. To understand better the central idea that: “Our planet has limited resources that are unevenly distributed”, water provides a good example. We would inquire into:  Where water comes from  How different people and countries use water  How much water we use and what happens after we have used it  Distribution of usable water around the world  How human activity has affected the availability of water  Our responsibility for water conservation. To support this inquiry students would develop knowledge and acquire skills derived from science and social studies, in addition to developing transdisciplinary skills such as critical thinking, communication and time management. Page 13

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Concepts: What are the PYP concepts? The PYP commits to a concept-driven curriculum, supporting all inquiry & framing the learning  Form - What is it like? The understanding that everything has a form with recognizable features that can be observed.  Function - How does it work? The understanding that everything has a purpose, a role or a way of behaving that can be investigated.  Causation - Why is it like it is? The understanding that things do not just happen, that there are causal relationships at work, and that actions have consequences. Page 14

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Concepts: What are the PYP concepts?  Change - How is it changing? The understanding that change is the process of movement from one state to another.  Connection - How is it connected to other things? The understanding that we live in a world of interacting systems in which the actions of any individual element affect others.  Perspective – What are the point of view? Responsibility – What is our responsibility? Reflection – How do we know? Page 15

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Skills: What are the PYP transdisciplinary skills? The construction of meaning & understanding, is complemented by the acquisition & application of skills  Thinking Comprehension – Grasping meaning from material learned; communicating & interpreting learning.  Social skills Resolving conflict – Listening carefully to others; compromising; reacting reasonably to the situation; accepting responsibility appropriately; being fair.  Communication skills Reading – Reading a variety of sources for information & pleasure; comprehending what has been read; making inferences & drawing conclusions Page 16

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Skills: What are the PYP transdisciplinary skills?  Self – management skills Time – Using time effectively and appropriately  Research skills Collecting data – Gathering information from a variety of first – and second-hand sources such as maps, surveys, direct observation, books, films, people, museums and ICT.  Communication skills Reading – Reading a variety of sources for information & pleasure; comprehending what has been read; making inferences & drawing conclusions Page 17

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Page 18 Attitudes: What are the PYP attitudes? Attitudes, as an essential element of the PYP, make a commitment to a values-laden curriculum  Appreciation  Commitment  Confidence  Cooperation  Creativity  Curiosity  Empathy  Enthusiasm  Independence  Integrity  Respect  Tolerance

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Page 19 Action: How is the PYP action defined? Through the action cycle the students are able to grow both personally & socially Action in the PYP can involve service. It is intended that the person taking the action will grow from the experience, and that the process of taking action or not will contribute to each student establishing a personal set of values.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 Overview of the PYP The holistic PYP visually represented Page 20