Implementing MYP

Aah, such a simple title, yet those two words contain a whole universe of possibility, challenge, frustration and ultimately, improvement.

First off, a definition: MYP = the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. It fits in between the PYP (Primary Years Programme) and the DP (Diploma Programme). The MYP is for Middle School students, it’s a framework, not a prescribed curriculum. It focuses on developing the whole student, it emphasises concept based learning, inquiry based learning and cross disciplinary skills and thinking. For more general info on the IB and MYP, please go here:

http://www.ibo.org/myp/

I have been to an MYP Humanities and an IB DP History Workshop. I have been to more meetings I can shake a stick at. My copy of the Humanities Subject guide is thumbed and full of post-it notes, scribbles and highlighted sections. Slowly I am wrapping my head around Concepts, Key Concepts, Approaches to learning and Concept based learning.

Thanks to my Twitter network, I feel part of a wider group of MYP educators; check out #MYP and #IBmyp. There is a fabulous #MYPchat on Twitter, moderated by Stephen Taylor (@iBiologyStephen).

The monthly topics so far have been:

• Sept 2012: Concept-based Curriculum
• Oct 2012: Transitions
• Nov 2012: Differentiation

As part of our MYP implementation, our staff is expected to read the MYP documentation and be fully conversant with ideas and concepts like: 

• criterion based assessment,
• inquiry,
• the learner profile,
• concept based learning,
• the key concepts in MYP Humanities

Responses: The MYP is….

• Holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication.
• An internationally recognised educational framework that encourages inquiry, broader thinking and international-mindedness.
• is a framework that allows for student to look to develop skills as life long learners in and moves away from content heavy curriculum. It is a large organisation that offers support, resources and opportunities for student and teachers to move to other schools that would offer similar programs and skill sets.
• An internationally recognised educational framework that encourages inquiry, broader thinking and international-mindedness.
• The MYP framework is meant to cater to a wide range of learning styles and gives the students a standard, internationally accepted foundation of knowledge. The MYP tries to offer a comprehensive program of academic challenge and life skills.

Assessment in MYP Humanities is….

• Exciting, challenging, not externally assessed, challenging, based on criterion that the students will have prior knowledge of, an aid to the learning process, not based on a pass/ fail system uses the 7 point scale,  do not have to fit the bell shape curve. It will mean our assessment criteria on the report will need reviewing.
• Humanities is criterion based and that gives student more specific direction as to what they need to achieve within assessment tasks to reach their full potential. It is moderated to ensure consistency across learning areas and focus’ on 4 main criteria – knowing and understanding, investigating, thinking critically, communication.
• Based on criteria. Teachers choose a criterion that fits the students’ work best.
• Assessment in MYP is:
  • Criteria-based
  • Follows a best-fit approach
  • Adaptable, as long as the criteria descriptors are adhered to in essence.
  • Year 5 – must follow MYP criteria.
• Assessment in MYP is continuous and is based on a variety of suitable assessment tasks. Students’ work is assessed against defined assessment criteria and not against the work of other students. In years 7, 8 and 9 teachers apply adapted criteria and the prescribed IBO final MYP criteria in years 10 and 11. Some adaptations may be made to the criteria in year 10, however in year 11 the prescribed criteria for final assessment must be used.
• tiny.cc/mypassessment

Concept based learning in MYP Humanities is…

• based on the 4 concepts of Change , time/place/space, global interaction and systems.  Each concept needs to be targeted at least one per year. The students should develop a deeper understanding of the concepts as they progress. They are ideas that have relevance within our subject but also transcend it.
• Concept based learning in MYP Humanities is effective in that it allows for interdisciplinary learning more readily. It give teachers and students a guide to what is the central concept to be taken away from the taught unit and give it a focus and direction. It emphasis is not just on breadth but more significantly depth and if taught well enables student to use and apply gained K and U and different situations and subjects.
• Concept based learning in MYP Humanities goes beyond just content and facts. It moves to broader ideas and concepts that encompass several disciplines. It encourages students to solve problems, follow their own lines of enquiry. It is about fostering critical thinking and creating 21st century skills.
• Concept based learning in MYP Humanities is….
  • Interdisciplinary – transcends traditional subject boundaries.
  • Based around key concepts (change, time/space/place, systems, global interactions) and significant concepts (more specific foci that allow you to develop a more in-depth understanding of a particular topic).
• http://mypchat.wikispaces.com/Sept+2012+-+Concept-based+Curriculum
• http://www.scoop.it/t/myp

Inquiry in MYP is…..

• Designed to provide students with a conceptual framework through which they can explore the world
• It is designed to give the a real experience as a geographer, historian, political scientist, etc and to develop appropriate skills, critical mindedness, methodology, and knowledge.
  Areas of interaction – framework for inquiry – meaningful exploration of global challenges – focuses the direction of inquiry (cross-disciplinary?)
• Inquiry in MYP is central to the MYP pedagogy. Students are to create their own lines of inquiry, create their own research questions.
• Inquiry in MYP is not just open ended tasks that take weeks to complete. It allows for a greater emphasis on the development of the ‘Approaches to Learning’ skills that are central to the MYP program. It has the potential to develop and improve skills of critical thinking which is a vital skill particularly in the area of Humanities
• Inquiry in MYP is central to the IB pedagogy. Initiated by the student or teacher that moves the student from their current level of understanding to a new and deeper level of understanding. It has a clear purpose, solves a problem, explains a phenomenon and identifies and answerable question.

The learner profile is…

• a 10 point  profile designed to develop internally minded people: Thinkers, Knowledgeable. Inquirers, Communicators, Principled, Open minded, Caring, Risk takers, Balanced and Reflective
• The learner profile is a broad and set of attributes that we should value and incorporate into our programs to allow for student to develop attitudes and values across all disciplines and set them up for life after school.
• The IB learner profile is the IB mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21st century. The attributes should form part of the curriculum. They are attitudes that are promoted as part of the school culture. Note: It does not seem to be used in our IBDP at all, our PYP seems to do it better.
• The ideal set out by the IB – ie. the trans-disciplinary attributes a student will walk away with having developed them sufficiently during their undertaking of the PYP/MYP/IBDP
• The learner profile are values which should be cultivated by the curriculum and the school.