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
Caring
Thinker
Form
Function
Causation
Change
Connection
Perspective
Responsibility
Reflection
Principled
International School:
culture, climate, students
example of adults,
curriculum, resources,
staffing, language, special
needs, reflection, extension
Learners
Constructing
Meaning
Curriculum: Everything for
which the school takes
responsibility
Knowledge
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
Transdisciplinary
Skills
Social
Communication
Research
Thinking
SelfManagement
Subject disciplines
Language Math Arts
Social Studies
Science and Tech.
Pers. Soc. And Phys. Ed.
The Written Curriculum
Knowledgeable
Communicator
Learner Profile
Reflective
Concepts
OpenMinded
Inquirer
Balanced
Risk-Taker
Attitudes
Action
Appreciation
Commitment
Confidence
Co-operation
Creativity
Curiosity
Empathy
Enthusiasm
Independence
Integrity
Respect
Tolerance
Choose
Act
Reflect
Effective
Teaching
Practices
Inquiry
Constructivism
Collaborative
Planning
Collaborative
Reflection
Taught
Curriculum
Assessment
by
Self
Peers
Teachers
Formative
Summative
Formal
Informal
Public
Criteria
Assessed
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
Attitudes
Attitudes
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 Curriculum
the expression of ideas, issues, and concepts on
paper
How best will we learn?
The Taught Curriculum
application of best classroom practices
How will we know what we have learned?
The Assessed Curriculum
application of effective assessments
I.
What do we want to learn?
Attitudes
Actions
Skills
Concepts
Knowledge
In the PYP a balance is sought between
•Acquisition of essential knowledge and skills
•Development of conceptual understanding
•Demonstration of positive attitudes
Five Essential Elements
•Taking responsible action
of the Written Curriculum
These elements resonate throughout the entire
PYP curriculum model
Knowledge:
What do we want students to
know about?
66
Students inquire into, and
learn about globally
significant issues in the
context of units of inquiry,
each of which addresses
a central idea relevant to
one of six transdisciplinary
themes which are:
1
3
5
4
2
Programme of Inquiry
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.
What do want students to understand?
The eight key concepts, also expressed as key questions, help
teachers and students consider ways of thinking and learning
about the world, and act as a provocation to extend and deepen
student inquiries.
curriculum
Concepts:
A concept
driven
curriculum
helps the
learner
construct
meaning
through
improved
critical thinking
and the
transfer of
knowledge
Skills:
What do we want students to be able to do?
There are 5 sets of transdisciplinary skills acquired
in the process of structured inquiry.
TRANSDISCIPLINARY SKILLS
SOCIAL
SKILLS
COMMUNICATION
SKILLS
THINKING
SKILLS
RESEARCH
SKILLS
SELFMANAGEMENT
SKILLS
Accepting
Responsibility
Listening
Acquisition of
Knowledge
Formulating
Questions
Gross Motor Skills
Speaking
Respecting
Others
Cooperating
Resolving
Conflict
Group Decision
Making
Adopting a
Variety of
Roles
Fine Motor Skills
Comprehension
Observing
Reading
Spatial Awareness
Application
Planning
Analysis
Collecting Data
Synthesis
Recording Data
Evaluation
Organizing
Data
Writing
Non-Verbal
Communication
Organization
Dialectical
Thought
Time
Management
Safety
Healthy Lifestyle
Interpreting
Data
Metacognition
Presenting
Research
Codes of
Behaviour
Informed Choices
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
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 teaching
and 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 practicesThe 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 of
understanding to a deeper
level 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
Caring
Thinker
Form
Function
Causation
Change
Connection
Perspective
Responsibility
Reflection
Principled
International School:
culture, climate, students
example of adults,
curriculum, resources,
staffing, language, special
needs, reflection, extension
Learners
Constructing
Meaning
Curriculum: Everything for
which the school takes
responsibility
Knowledge
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
Transdisciplinary
Skills
Social
Communication
Research
Thinking
SelfManagement
Subject disciplines
Language Math Arts
Social Studies
Science and Tech.
Pers. Soc. And Phys. Ed.
The Written Curriculum
Knowledgeable
Communicator
Learner Profile
Reflective
Concepts
OpenMinded
Inquirer
Balanced
Risk-Taker
Attitudes
Action
Appreciation
Commitment
Confidence
Co-operation
Creativity
Curiosity
Empathy
Enthusiasm
Independence
Integrity
Respect
Tolerance
Choose
Act
Reflect
Effective
Teaching
Practices
Inquiry
Constructivism
Collaborative
Planning
Collaborative
Reflection
Taught
Curriculum
Assessment
by
Self
Peers
Teachers
Formative
Summative
Formal
Informal
Public
Criteria
Assessed
Curriculum
IB Learner Profile
IB IB –PYP Attitudes and
Learner Profile
The Learner Profile
Learner Profile
References & Resources
Information adapted from the International
Baccalaureate 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/