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PYP
Recent ActivityInstructor: Kevin Fahy
International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme
Ellis Elementary is an IBPYP World School.
From the International Baccalaureate website (www.ibo.org):
What is the Primary Years Programme?
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.
The written curriculum
The most significant and distinctive feature of the IB Primary Years Programme is the six transdisciplinary themes.
These themes are about issues that have meaning for, and are important to, all of us. The programme offers a balance between learning about or through the subject areas, and learning beyond them. The six themes of global significance create a transdisciplinary framework that allows students to "step up" beyond the confines of learning within subject areas.
· 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
The taught curriculum
The six transdisciplinary themes help teachers to develop a programme of inquiries–in-depth investigations into important ideas, identified by the teachers, and requiring a high level of involvement on the part of the students. These inquiries are substantial, in-depth and usually last for several weeks.
Primary Years Programme
Curriculum framework
Curriculum framework
At the heart of the programme's philosophy is a commitment to structured, purposeful inquiry as the leading vehicle for learning.
Six transdisciplinary themes
Six transdisciplinary themes of global significance provide the framework for exploration and study:
· 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.
Teachers are guided by these six transdisciplinary themes as they design units of inquiry that both transcend and articulate conventional subject boundaries.
Five essential elements
The five essential elements—concepts, knowledge, skills, attitudes, action—are incorporated into this framework, so that students are given the opportunity to:
· gain knowledge that is relevant and of global significance
· develop an understanding of concepts, which allows them to make connections throughout their learning
· acquire transdisciplinary and disciplinary skills
· develop attitudes that will lead to international-mindedness
· take action as a consequence of their learning.
Learner profile
The learner profile describes a list of attributes that promote academic rigor and the establishing of a personal value system leading to international-mindedness. It is expected that PYP teachers will assess and report on individual student development regarding each of these attributes.
The programme encourages students to become:
· inquirers—their natural curiosity has been nurtured and they actively enjoy learning
· thinkers—they exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to solving complex problems
· communicators—they receive and express ideas and information confidently in more than one language
· risk-takers—they approach unfamiliar situations without anxiety and have the confidence to explore new ideas
· knowledgeable—they have explored themes that have global significance and have acquired a critical mass of knowledge
· principled—they have a sound grasp of the principles of moral reasoning and have acquired integrity, honesty and a sense of justice
· caring—they show sensitivity towards the needs and feelings of others, and have a sense of personal commitment to helping others
· open-minded—they respect the values of other individuals and cultures and seek to consider a range of points of view
· well-balanced—they understand the importance of physical and mental balance and personal well-being
· reflective—they give thoughtful consideration to their own learning by constructively analyzing their personal strengths and weaknesses.
Quality assurance and professional development
Any school wishing to offer the Primary Years Programme and attain IB World School status must first go through the authorization process. The requirements for authorization are the same for all schools, even though the process is administered slightly differently in each IB region. The process is designed to ensure schools are well prepared to implement the programme successfully.
This is a challenging programme that demands the best from both motivated students and teachers. Schools can access an extensive package of IB professional development for teachers and administrators and commit to ongoing professional development. Teams from the organization visit IB World Schools from time to time in order to support an ongoing process of review and development, using standards and practices that apply to all IB World Schools.
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Ellis Elementary began the Consideration Phase when it opened its doors in Fall of 2004. We entered the Candidate Phase when our Application for Candidacy was accepted by IB in the Spring of 2009. Teachers engaged in rigorous IB-sponsored staff development while implementing the PYP at Ellis, working toward Authorization, which we achieved in October 2012.
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