Introduction to International Baccalaureate Primary Years

Programme(PYP)Objective: Gain an understanding of the basic philosophy and curricular model of the International Baccalaureate

programme.

Pulaski International School of Chicago

Diana Racasi IB Coordinator August 2011

Concepts

FormFunction

CausationChange

ConnectionPerspective

ResponsibilityReflection

Knowledge

Who We AreWhere We Are in Place

and TimeHow We Express

OurselvesHow the World Works

How We OrganizeOurselves

Sharing the Planet

Subject disciplines

Language Math ArtsSocial Studies

Science and Tech.Pers. Soc. And Phys. Ed.

Effective TeachingPractices

Inquiry

Constructivism

CollaborativePlanning

CollaborativeReflection

Action

Choose

Act

Reflect

Attitudes

AppreciationCommitmentConfidence

Co-operationCreativityCuriosityEmpathy

EnthusiasmIndependenc

eIntegrityRespect

Tolerance

TransdisciplinarySkills

SocialCommunication

ResearchThinking

Self-Management

Assessmentby

SelfPeers

Teachers

FormativeSummative

FormalInformalPublic

Criteria

Curriculum: Everything for which the school takes responsibility

International School: culture, climate, students example of adults, curriculum, resources, staffing, language, special needs, reflection, extension

Learners Constructing Meaning

Learner Profile

Caring Thinker

Reflective

Open-Minded

Principled

Knowledgeable

Balanced

Risk-Taker

CommunicatorInquirer

Taught Curriculum

Assessed Curriculum

The Written Curriculum

IB HISTORY• Was established in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland.• The IBO offers three programs of international education for

students aged 3-19 years old:*The Diploma Program at the high school level (grades

9-12).*The Middle Years Program (MYP) (students 11-16 years

old).*The Primary Years Program (PYP) (for students 3-12

years old).• There are 2,390 authorized IB schools in 129 countries.

Pulaski’s IB Mission:• Pulaski International School of Chicago aims to

develop inquiring and compassionate lifelong learners who strive for their personal best in academics, civic consciousness, individual responsibility and personal skills. The entire school community provides a culture of high expectations through the rigor of the International Baccalaureate Programme. We encourage all of our students, including our special education students, English language learners and gifted students to become proactive learners of the world through language studies and intercultural instruction.

The aim of the PYP is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. The heart of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the Learner Profile. We use these ten attributes to define and develop an internationally minded person. These are values that should infuse all elements of the three programmes and, therefore, the culture and ethos of all IB World Schools.

IB Learner Profile Attributes

AttitudesAttitudes

How is a PYP School Different?

• Explicit international-mindedness

• Student centered

• Pulls together best practice from around the world

• An expectation to collaborate

• Understandings of Inquiry

• Concept vs theme driven programme

• The IB planners

An aim of the PYP is to create a transdisciplinary curriculum that is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant for learners in the 3-12 age range.

The PYP definition of curriculum consists of three interrelated components that are expressed in the form of the following three open-ended questions which compel teachers to think deeply about their own practices with regard to student learning.

What do we want to learn? The Written Curriculumthe expression of ideas, issues, and concepts on paper

How best will we learn?The Taught Curriculumapplication of best classroom practices

How will we know what we have learned?The Assessed Curriculumapplication of effective assessments

I. What do we want to learn?

Kn

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C

on

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Sk

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Att

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Ac

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In the PYP a balance is sought between• Acquisition of essential knowledge and skills• Development of conceptual understanding• Demonstration of positive attitudes• Taking responsible action

Five Essential Elementsof the Written Curriculum

These elements resonate throughout the entire PYP curriculum model

Knowledge:What do we want students to know about?Students inquire into, andlearn about globallysignificant issues in thecontext of units of

inquiry,each of which addressesa central idea relevant to one of six

transdisciplinary themes which are:

1

2

3

45

66

The Programme of Inquiry is a guiding document written and revised collaboratively by Pulaski grade level teams. It is organized into six themed units by age level, to frame the curriculum of the school year. Each Unit of Inquiry will include a Central Idea and Lines of Inquiry, Key Concepts, Attitudes, Learner Profile Attributes, and Trans-disciplinary Skills to be developed during the inquiry. In addition, each classroom will display the current unit of inquiry along with student questions and work.

Programme of Inquiry

Concepts:What do want students to understand?The eight key concepts, also expressed as key questions, helpteachers and students consider ways of thinking and learningabout the world, and act as a provocation to extend and deepenstudent inquiries.

A concept driven curriculum helps the learner construct meaning through improved critical thinking and the transfer of knowledge

curriculum

TRANSDISCIPLINARY SKILLS

SOCIAL SKILLS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

THINKING SKILLS

RESEARCH SKILLS

SELF-MANAGEMENT

SKILLS

Accepting

Responsibility

Respecting Others

Cooperating

Resolving Conflict

Group Decision

Making

Adopting a Variety of

Roles

Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

Non-Verbal

Communication

Acquisition of

Knowledge

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

Dialectical Thought

Metacognition

Formulating

Questions

Observing

Planning

Collecting Data

Recording Data

Organizing Data

Interpreting

Data

Presenting Research

Gross Motor Skills

Fine Motor Skills

Spatial Awareness

Organization

Time

Management

Safety

Healthy Lifestyle

Codes of Behaviour

Informed Choices

Skills: What do we want students to be able to do?There are 5 sets of transdisciplinary skills acquiredin the process of structured inquiry.

The construction of meaning is complemented by the students acquiring a range of skills that are valuable in the units of inquiry and any teaching and learning that goes on in and outside of the classroom.

Attitudes: What do we want students to feel, value and demonstrate?

The twelve “Attitudes” are the daily expressions of the “Learner Profile” used by teachers in teachingand by students in their learning.

It is vital to also focus on the development of personal attitudes toward people, environment and towards learning attitudes that contribute to the well-being of the individual and the group.

Action: How do we want students to act? An explicit expectation of the PYP is that successful inquiry will lead to Responsible action, initiated by the student as a result of the learning process.

• The action cycle is a working

model to guide learning experiences, research,

inquiry and social interactions. This never ending cycle includes

reflection, choice and action.

• Students are encouraged to

reflect, to make informed choices and to take action that will help their peers, school staff, and the

wider community. This is how

students demonstrate a deeper sense of learning, by applying their knowledge to service and positive action.

II. Taught Curriculum How best will we learn?

-application of best classroom practices-

• The 6 transdisciplinary themes help teachers develop a Programme of Inquiries: in-depth investigations into important ideas, identified by teachers, which are substantial and require a high level of involvement on the part of the students

• These ideas require students to construct meaning from the world around them by drawing on their prior knowledge, by providing provocation through new experiences and by providing time and opportunity for reflection.

• Teachers plan for this type of learning using the PYP planner which is designed to be used collaboratively and structured around a central idea and lines of inquiry.

Inquiry-based Teaching and Learning

What does it look like?• The act of inquiring,

seeking information by asking questions

• Searching for truth, or knowledge

• Examination into facts or principles

• Research investigation

Understanding is built on

what the learner already

knows and believes, moving

from current level ofunderstanding to a

deeperlevel of understanding

• Student-centered creates a learner-centered environment

• Can be structured, guided or open

• Uses multiple sources of information

• Addresses multiple intelligences

• Engages the learner, is interesting, provokes curiosity

• Engages the learner with the social and physical environment to make sense of the world

• Collecting data and reporting findings

• Solving problems in a variety of ways

III. The Assessed Curriculum How will we know what we have learned? -application of effective assessments-

• Assessment is central to the PYP goal of thoughtfully and effectively guiding students through the five essential elements of learning: the acquisition of knowledge, the understanding of concepts, the mastering of skills, the development of attitudes and the decision to take action.

• formative assessment which aims to promote learning by giving regular and frequent feedback

• summative assessment which is the culmination of the teaching and learning process which aims to give teachers and students a clear insight into students’ understanding of the central idea

Concepts

FormFunction

CausationChange

ConnectionPerspective

ResponsibilityReflection

Knowledge

Who We AreWhere We Are in Place

and TimeHow We Express

OurselvesHow the World Works

How We OrganizeOurselves

Sharing the Planet

Subject disciplines

Language Math ArtsSocial Studies

Science and Tech.Pers. Soc. And Phys. Ed.

Effective TeachingPractices

Inquiry

Constructivism

CollaborativePlanning

CollaborativeReflection

Action

Choose

Act

Reflect

Attitudes

AppreciationCommitmentConfidence

Co-operationCreativityCuriosityEmpathy

EnthusiasmIndependenc

eIntegrityRespect

Tolerance

TransdisciplinarySkills

SocialCommunication

ResearchThinking

Self-Management

Assessmentby

SelfPeers

Teachers

FormativeSummative

FormalInformalPublic

Criteria

Curriculum: Everything for which the school takes responsibility

International School: culture, climate, students example of adults, curriculum, resources, staffing, language, special needs, reflection, extension

Learners Constructing Meaning

Learner Profile

Caring Thinker

Reflective

Open-Minded

Principled

Knowledgeable

Balanced

Risk-Taker

CommunicatorInquirer

Taught Curriculum

Assessed Curriculum

The Written Curriculum

IB Learner Profile

IB IB –PYP Attitudes and Learner Profile

The Learner Profile

Learner Profile

References & Resources

Information adapted from the InternationalBaccalaureate cite Retrieved August 15, 2011

from http://www.ibo.org/ and Making the PYP Happen

Coming soon access to IBO’s Online Curriculum Centre

(OCC)

Awesome IB video clips Opening Classroom Doors

http://professionaldevelopment.ibo.org/