GUIDE FOR PARENTS

This guide is designed to help parents gain a better understanding of the International Baccalaure-ate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) being implemented for students from grades PPK through 6th at Robinson School. It explains the philosophy, aims and framework of the IB PYP.

What is International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)?

The IBO is a non-profit educational and non–governmental (NGO) organization of UNESCO. The IB’s alliance

with UNESCO encourages the integration of its educational goals into the IB curriculum. It was established in

1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. Currently there are over 3,000 schools world-wide offering IB programs.

The IBO offers three programs of international education for students aged 3-19 years old:

The Diploma Program at high school level grades 10th -12th

The Middle Years Program (MYP) grades 7th - 9th

The Primary Years Program (PYP) grades PPK - 6th

What is the story behind the IBO? Marie Therese Maurette created the framework for what would eventually become the IB Diploma Program in

1948 when she wrote “Is There a Way of Teaching for Peace?” a handbook for UNESCO. In the mid-1960s, a

group of teachers from the International School of Geneva (Ecolint) created the International Schools Examina-

tions Syndicate (ISES), which would later become the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). The

IBO’s headquarters were officially established in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 for the development and mainte-

nance of the Diploma Program (DP), which provided an internationally-acceptable university admissions quali-

fication for young people whose parents worked as diplomats or with international and multi-national compa-

nies. The IB Middle Years Program (MYP), piloted in the mid-1990s, adheres to the study of eight subject areas.

Within five years, 51 countries had MYP schools. The IB Primary Years Program (PYP) was piloted in 1996 in 30

primary schools on different continents, with the first PYP school authorized in 1997, growing to 87 authorized

schools in 43 countries within five years. The newest offering from the IB, the IB Career-Related Certificate, is

specially-designed for students 16 to 19 who wish to engage in career-related learning.

The IB is introducing its newly revised MYP for first teaching in September, 2014.

What is an IB PYP School? An IB PYP school strives to develop an internationally-minded person. It focuses on the development of the

whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. At the heart of the program's phi-

losophy is a commitment to structured, purposeful inquiry as the leading vehicle for learning.

The Mission of the International Baccalaureate Organization is:

To develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people.

To create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To work with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programs

of international education and rigorous assessment.

To encourage students worldwide to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners who under

stand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

What makes IB different?

An IB classroom differs greatly in both appearance and function when compared to what we remember

from our own school days. Students are not sitting rows, but in cooperative, constructivist groups.

Collaborative learning is common, as it is in our own lives. After all, when was the last time you made

an important decision in your life, personal or professional, without consulting with someone first? IB

does not emphasize the use of textbooks, but fosters creation and innovation as well.

Traditional education primarily focuses on content (the memorization of facts and processes), develops

some skills and uses direct teacher instruction. Keeping in mind the best practices of other successful

national education systems, the IB uses inquiry to engage students in their learning. This method

teaches your child how to ask questions that support their investigations and is taught in a student-

centered manner. Content and the pre-existing curriculum will always be an important factor, how-

ever with IB we will see the blossoming of meaningful skills, such as the ability to reason deeply and

with complexity (critical thinking), the ability to see more than one solution to a problem or to frame a

question in more than one way (divergent thinking).

The IB emphasizes learning concepts rather than topics and aids the student in learning how they apply

across all humanity in various ways. For example, with IB it is not enough to learn about specific events

(such as the Oregon Trail or the Trail of Tears), but even more important to explore the concepts of

migration or oppression and its implications on humanity across history and today. Information and

facts will always be readily available to those who need them. However, learning how to learn is a skill

that requires nourishment.

What is the IB “Learner Profile” ?

The philosophy of the PYP (as it directly affects the child) is expressed in a series of desired attitudes and traits

that characterize students with an international perspective. Taken together, they create a profile of PYP stu-

dents known as the IB Learner Profile. The attributes of the Learner Profile are deliberately taught throughout

the year within each Unit of Inquiry, and are reinforced in practice through all subject areas.

Inquirers— Students develop their natural curiosity: I am curious

and know how to discover answers to many of my questions. Thinkers— Students exercise initiative in applying thinking skills

critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions: I use my thinking skills to make good choices and solve problems.

Communicators— Students understand and express ideas and

information confidently and creatively in more than one lan-guage and in a variety of modes of communication: I under-stand and share ideas in more than one language.

Risk Takers— Students approach unfamiliar situations and un-

certainty with courage and forethought: I try new things, love to explore, and confidently share my experiences.

Knowledgeable— Students explore concepts, ideas, and issues

that have local and global significance: I explore big ideas that are important. I know and can do a lot of important things.

Principled—Students act with integrity and honestly, with a

strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups, and communities: I am fair and hon-est. I can make good decisions about what is right and wrong for me.

Caring— Students show empathy, compassion and respect to-

wards the needs and feelings of others: I am concerned about other people’s needs and feelings. I believe it is im-portant to help others.

Open-Minded— Students understand and appreciate their own

cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspec-tives, values and traditions of other individuals and commu-nities: I am comfortable with differences. I welcome and respect other people’s points of views and ways of doing things.

Balanced— Students understand the importance of intellectual,

physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others: To be healthy, it is im-portant for me to balance the needs of my mind and body.

Reflective— Students give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experi-

ence: I think about and discuss my learning, skills, and products.

What are “International-Mindedness” and the IB Learner Profile?

Two major elements of the IB are “International-Mindedness” and the Learner Profile. Each of these

elements transmits a core set of values that are the basis for character development. International-

Mindedness is not about learning other cultures and languages. Rather, it is a way of thinking that

allows people to understand and work with each other in a more humane way, without prejudice. It

fosters the growth of traits critical to working in a global community, or even in a local one such as:

empathy, stewardship, and genuine expressions of compassion for others. Students will learn that

we can still work together to resolve and solve important issues in our community and beyond,

regardless of our cultural backgrounds and ways of life... while still honoring our shared humanity.

The Learner Profile is a collection of key traits that support intellectual and personal growth: em-

pathy, open-mindedness, reflection, and communication just to name a few. These traits support

the growth of International-Mindedness and are actively cultivated in the curriculum and in the

classroom.

What are the IB “Attitudes?”

The Attitudes are the daily expressions of the “Learner Profile,” used by teachers in their teaching

and by students in their learning.

Appreciation—Seeing and being thankful for the wonder and beauty of our world.

Commitment—Being responsible for my learning, showing self-discipline and perseverance. Sticking

with a difficult task until it is completed.

Confidence—Knowing I can do it! Having courage to take risks, using what I have learned, and making

good choices.

Cooperation—Working with others and being willing to lead or follow as needed.

Creativity—Using my imagination while thinking and doing things.

Empathy—Being able to put myself in someone else’s place in order to understand her or him.

Enthusiasm—Being excited about learning and life.

Independence—Thinking and acting on my own.

Integrity—Being fair and honest.

Respect—Showing that I care for others, our world, and myself.

Tolerance—Understanding, appreciating, and celebrating differences in each other.

So, what will my child be learning?

With the IB PYP, we are committed to structured inquiry as the vehicle for learning. Six transdisciplinary

themes provide the framework for exploration and construction of knowledge. Teachers and students are

guided by these transdisiplinary themes as they design “units of inquiry” for exploration and study. Through

this process, students develop an understanding of important concepts, acquire essential skills and knowledge,

develop particular attitudes and learn to take socially responsible actions.

OK. But what does “Transdisciplinary” mean?

Transdisciplinary is the word that IB uses to describe a concept that applies across all disciplines—it is

interconnected and can be applied across all subjects and applied to real life. A transdisciplinary con-

cept stretches across Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Spanish and ties it all together; it is not

isolated to one subject.

And what is a “Program of Inquiry (POI)” ? A Program of Inquiry here at Robinson School would be the result of collaborative work from both the

Regular and Pathways Teachers. A POI is a framework for the development of inquiry-based units.

Each grade level explores six Transdisciplinary Units of inquiry that last about 4-6 weeks. These units

provide the opportunity to incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum and effectively al-

low students to extend learning within subject areas.

The six Transdisciplinary Units:

1. Who we are An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; person, physical, mental,

social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cul-

tures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.

2. Where we are in place and time An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories;

homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationship

between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global per-

spectives.

3. How we express ourselves An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feel-

ings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our

creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.

4. How the world works An inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between the

natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding

of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the

environment

5. How we organize ourselves An inquiry into the structure and function of organizations; societal

decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

6. Sharing the planet An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite re-

sources with other people and other living things; communities and the relationship within and

between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Will students still get through everything in the textbooks?

Textbooks are used in IB Programs, although not in the traditional manner. Teachers will no longer

follow the textbook page-by-page. In inquiry-based programs, IB or otherwise, textbooks are one of

many resources used to support student’s understanding of a subject area or concept. Technology also

plays a major role in the learning process by providing another engaging means to growth. This allows

for more purity and authenticity in the students learning process, rather than have them become just

passive receptors of factual knowledge. The IB’s PYP recognizes that it is not knowledge alone that

makes a learner successful, but the skills and attitudes they develop along the way.

How will students be assessed?

Assessment needs to be authentic , essential, rich, engaging and feasible, and incorporates students in

the evaluative process. It provides us a guide to our planning and instruction so that we can support

and enhance student learning. Teachers will employ a wide variety of assessment strategies that are

both formative and summative.

Formative assessment aims to promote learning by providing regular and frequent feedback

throughout the learning process. It facilitates teachers and students the process of learning by allow-

ing them to tap on previous knowledge and build a bridge to further learning. Formative assessment

and teaching go hand in hand and work purposefully together. Formative assessment promotes learn-

ing by consistently providing feedback to students. As a result, learners’ enthusiasm for learning grows

as they develop their capacity for self-assessment, become more reflective and engage in meaningful

learning.

Summative assessment takes place at the end of the teaching and learning process. It periodically

provides information on what students know, and allows for differentiation. It asses various learning

elements simultaneously allowing teachers to determine effectiveness of instruction. Summative as-

sessment relates directly to the central idea and prompts students towards action.

Educator Paul Black expresses this idea in simpler terms: "When a cook tastes the soup, that's forma-

tive assessment. When the customer tastes the soup, that's summative assessment."

Generally speaking, if our focus is on learning, most of our assessments should be formative. This is

what IB stresses... and on our way to becoming an IB school we will focus more on implementing these

types of assessments. We want to coach our students towards competency in key skills and content.

Even more, we want to be sure that our assessments provide both a clear picture of a student's

strengths and challenges, as well as direct, critical feedback to the student that will allow them to im-

prove over time.

How do teachers record progress? Teachers use a variety of assessment tools to record student progress these includes, but are not limited to:

rubrics, checklists, benchmarks, reports and narrative records

How can parents get involved in the PYP? 1. Children get a kick out of interviewing people they know, especially friends and family. Let us know about

your hobbies or careers. We might be able to use you as another valuable resource during one of our units of inquiry.

2. Ask children about the theme, central idea, and concepts into which they are inquiring… show interest in their units of inquiry and plan activities around them whenever you can.

3. Encourage your children to “find out” rather than telling them answers. Conducting research online, in a newspaper, educational TV, at home experiments will not only reinforce the skills being developed at school, but also show children that “school skills” are really “world skills.”

4. Ask your child about the IB’s Learner Profile attributes – point them out in other people, in yourself, in your children’s actions and speech. We’ve even put them on the cover of our Student Planners this year!

Where can I look for further information?

The IB coordinators at Robinson are:

PYP Coordinator-Cindy Ogg

PYP Department Heads:

Preschool - Lorimar Ramirez

Grades 1st - 3rd - Camill Sotomayor

Grades 4th - 6th - Nancy Galichet

You can also find additional information (in both English and Spanish) on the Robinson School website, www.robinsonschool.org and the IBO official website, www.ibo.org, as well as the following:

www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/

http://www.pz.harvard.edu/

http://vimeo.com/96762490