|
In the PYP there is a
commitment to a concept-driven curriculum as a means of
supporting that inquiry The PYP provides a framework for the
curriculum, including eight key concepts as one of
the essential elements. It is accepted that these are not,
in any sense, the only concepts worth exploring. Together,
they form a powerful curriculum component that inspires the
teacher- and/or student-constructed inquiries that lie at
the heart of the PYP
Form:
What is it like?
Function:
How does it work?
Causation:
Why is it like it is?
Change:
How is it changing?
Connection:
How is it connected to other things?
Perspective:
What are the points of view?
Responsibility:
What is our
responsibility?
Reflection:
How do we
know?
Expressed as open-ended
questions, the eight key concepts provide the underlying
structure for the exploration of the content of the whole
programme. For example, asking “What are the points of
view?” is a common practice in IB World Schools offering the
PYP. It broadens the thinking of students as they take that
first essential step towards
international-mindedness—expressing a curiosity about and a
willingness to consider another’s perspective. Teachers
refer to these questions during the process of collaborative
planning; they focus the teachers’ thinking as they generate
key questions relevant to particular content, whether it is
subject-specific or related to transdisciplinary themes.
The transdisciplinary nature
of the programme
The PYP acknowledges the importance of
particular subject areas: language; mathematics; social
studies; science; arts; personal, social and physical
education. However, the PYP also recognizes that educating
students in a set of isolated subject areas, while
necessary, is not sufficient.
Of equal importance is the need to acquire
skills in context, and to explore content that is relevant
to students and transcends the boundaries of the traditional
subjects. “To be truly educated, a student must also make
connections across the disciplines, discover ways to
integrate the separate subjects, and ultimately relate what
they learn to life” (Boyer 1995: 82).
In the PYP, this idea of human commonalities
shapes the transdisciplinary themes.
The programme defines transdisciplinary
themes that identify areas of shared human experience and
have meaning for individuals from different cultures and
ethnicities. These themes are part of the common ground that
unifies the learning in all PYP schools. They provide the
opportunity to incorporate both local and global issues in
the knowledge component of the PYP written
curriculum—what we want students to know about.
There are six transdisciplinary themes.
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 School has developed a Programme of
Inquiry, organized around those six transdisciplinary
themes, and each will be revisited throughout the schooling
of the students, emphasizing those human commonalities and
making connections between the six units of inquiry studied
each and every year.
Click on the icon for
PowerPoint presentation
 |
