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Timeline and what to look for in a PYP classroom

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Timeline and what to look for in a PYP classroom

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Transdisciplinary Themes broken down into parts. 

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Transdisciplinary Themes broken down into parts. 

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Overview of the essential elements of PYP considering the enhancements

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We are West (the best!).  We are knowledgeable, we understand context and are very thorough; but also our process takes time.  We struggle with those who jump right into a project, as they may not know all the facts but know that we have to have some of the risk-takers from the North to dive deep into projects. We need South thinkers to take the time to ensure a positive outcome for all, and East thinkers to explore all the possibilities. To work best with us this weekend please remember we need details, as vagueness causes us unease. Our mascot would be an Slowl (A Sloth Mixed with an Owl), as we are slow, meticulous thinkers with great deals of knowledge.

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We are south/caring.  We are caring, good listeners, empathetic, selfless, diplomatic but also overwhelmed trying to please everyone and passive.  We struggle with trying to please everyone and making quick decisions but know that we have to have some of “west’s” qualities, knowing the “who, what, why” details of decision.  To work best with us this weekend please remember we can take things personally so be compassionate.

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We are North.  We are good at taking the first step, taking risks that are not always perfect, and learn by doing. We are capable of trying something and adapting it the next time. We are iterative and enjoy process. Sometimes we act without knowing all the information and at times our approach might make others feel like they are not heard. We struggle with slowing down enough to do the step by step details; however we do know at times the devil is in the details. To work best with us this weekend please remember we want to support and encourage everyone to be honest about their needs.

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We are East.  We are leaders who see the big picture. We are goal-oriented, but also can come off as cold or uncaring by some.  We struggle with North who like to act without much planning, and South who prioritize considering people’s feelings, but know that we have to have some of South’s relationships with others, West’s attention to detail, and North’s ability to get things done.  To work best with us this weekend please remember we have our organization’s best interests in mind. We are eagles who can see the big picture.

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Connect -
Extend
Challenges

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Connect - I made a connection to community involvement to the programme as it has been a large focus for me this year - getting parents on board
Extend - I knew about many of the policies, but did not know about the inclusion policy.
Challenge - How to review programme implementation and policies when we are starting from nothing - there is currently nothing to review!

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Connect - I am familiar with the IB philosophy from being a classroom teacher, so reading through the PSP helped me see the breakdown of that philosophy. I also connected with Mandy about following district mandates while still implementing our IB program.
Extend - Looking at the PSP got me thinking about how I can best support my staff with aligning district curriculum with our transdisciplinary units.
Challenge - My main challenge with this is time and common prep time. I will need to work with admin to create more time in our schedule for vertical planning and progression.

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Connect - I made connections with Erin about the challenges we have faced with the district mandates and teaching district curriculum with fidelity while also incorporating the IB practices.
Extend - New ideas that were brought to my attention were ways to have more collaboration between teachers/specialist teachers.  Using tools such as padlet or jamboard are great tools to try increasing the collaborative ideas between staff.
Challenge - Challenges are again, collaboration between all subject teachers (time and access to unit planners), as well as communication with parents about the IB programme (translating items in different languages).

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Karin Johnson Connect, Extend, Challenge

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Karin Johnson Connect, Extend, Challenge

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Connect- connected standards expectations to our POI in its current state
Extend- need to extend my knowledge of enhanced standards
Challenge-integrating standards across curricula and content to achieve transdisciplinary units of inquiry

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connect - I made a connection to building relationships with the wider community because we want to work with the MYP school we feed into to create community events.
Extend - In our self study we have to create a parent survey about IB. I'm wondering what questions to include.
Challenge - I'm not sure how many families are aware of/familiar with IB, planning events when everything has to be outside as the weather gets colder will be a challenge

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Connect--Most of the information in the PSP was familiar.
Extend--It was helpful to hear how another school has tackled the demands of transdisciplinarity while using a purchased literacy curriculum. It gives me hope that I will be able to support my school with this area.
Challenge--I'm still unclear about the assessment policy. I've been reading a book about assessment embedded in inquiry units, but I don't know how to address this at my school.

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Connect- I discovered that other schools are challenged with curriculum issues balancing IB and state mandates.

Extend- I learned that with the new IB standards and practices there is more grace within the programme to balance the necessary mandates with the IB philosophies. It is imperative to show evidence that every child/teacher is making those connections.

Challenge
Finding time to work with specialists/stand alone teachers (GT, math/reading title, etc.) to make sure they are utilizing the IB grade level planners and documenting/evidencing.

***I would love to do a vertical alignment of the POI with the entire staff and would appreciate any suggestions how to start this process...

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Connect - With the idea that we must have an inclusion policy for all students.
Extend -
Challenge - ( Unrelated) My challenge with the standards is understanding how each is to be measured. When a standard says regularly, what does that mean? When it says students "grow into their ability to make informed. reasonable judgements", etc. How is that assessed?

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Connect - The IB Program at my school has been developing over the past six years and as I looked at the Purpose standard I made many connections to what we did early on in the program development. I also made connections to the transdisciplinary work that was happening at another site. It is one of our areas of focus this year.

Extend - Reading about assessment helped me to better understand my role in monitoring and supporting the administration of assessments in my school.

Challenge - The social and emotional well-being of teachers as we continue to develop our IB program is a challenge this year, as there are so many variables to consider.

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POI for Gateway International School in Sacramento, CA

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POI for Gateway International School in Sacramento, CA

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This is an example of a spreadsheet we created to organize our units. We have since created a version that is more usable and transdisciplinary, but this does give a good overview.

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Sample Year Long Team Planning Agenda and Notes

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Sample Year Long Team Planning Agenda and Notes

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Sign up | Miro | Online Whiteboard for Visual Collaboration

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Scalable, secure, cross-device and enterprise-ready team collaboration whiteboard for distributed teams. Join 10M+ users from around the world

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Universal Design for Learning.  Also see, https://resources.ibo.org/ib/topic/Studies-related-to-curriculum/resource/11162-39450/?c=88447c9b&lang=en&pdf=g_0_ibres_sup-dr_1607_1a_e.pdf

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Understanding the PYP is like learning a new language! Like any language, it may seem challenging to grasp and implement at first. We love helping teams to better understand the PYP! For this, we partnered with experienced educator, Cindy Blackburn to create a Visual Guide to the PYP. This visual guide provides actionable tools and resources that you can use in your classroom and with your collaborative teaching teams.

You'll learn:

How to simplify and plan for transdisciplinary learning

How to use the approaches to learning while designing units of inquiry and learning experiences

How to follow a simplified inquiry process

What are the go-to strategies that support inquiry in any unit

How to make the PYP happen in your classroom.

How to recognize and facilitate meaningful action

Toddle your all-in-one collaboration platform for the IB PYP & MYP

Toddle streamlines planning, assessments, reports, projects, portfolios, and family communication - all from one place!

Book a free demo

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Understanding the PYP is like learning a new language! Like any language, it may seem challenging to grasp and implement at first. We love helping teams to better understand the PYP! For this, we partnered with experienced educator, Cindy Blackburn to create a Visual Guide to the PYP.

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Search for topics you are interested in at the IB Community Blog and subscribe

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Inclusion is an ongoing process that aims to increase access and engagement in learning for all students by identifying and removing barriers to learning. It involves change and is facilitated in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support and problem solving and, according to the IB, it's a "whole-school educational approach to which all schools should aspire."

However, there are many misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding what inclusion is, and what it is not. Dr Jayne Pletser, IB Curriculum Manager for Inclusive Education, and Dr Kala Parasuram, IB Assessment Access and Inclusion Manager, speak to IB World magazine to dispel myths and explain how schools can ensure they are meeting the needs of all students.

Myth #1
"The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is not suited to students with identified learning challenges"
This is a common misconception. Every year, thousands of students with learning challenges successfully go through the DP and are appropriately supported where needed.

Myth #2

"It's the student and their parents' responsibility to remove barriers to learning"

It's the responsibility of the senior leadership team and school board, in consultation with educators, learning support professionals, parents, students and all stakeholders, to put processes in place to remove barriers to learning. Also, every teacher should ensure that each student is exposed to teaching and learning that suits them as individuals.

Myth #3
"Inclusion is only appropriate when students have identified learning challenges"
It's not just about learning challenges. Inclusion addresses barriers to learning and the IB lists the following five: School organization and resources; cultures and policies; approaches to teaching and learning (ATL); buildings and physical obstacles; and relationships among the community.

For more information, please visit the OCC > Support areas > Inclusive education/Special educational needs > SEN publications > Learning diversity and inclusion in IB programmes.

Myth #4
"Inclusion strategies are based solely on differentiating the curriculum"
The IB identifies six ways to extend learning for all students. These are:

1. Create optimal learning environments that celebrate and embrace the diversity of all learners

2. Use technology that is accessible to all learners

3. Develop collaborative learning activities that include initiatives with shared goals and involve all members of the school community

4. Promote ATLs that develop affective and metacognitive skills, and encourage students to view learning as something that they do for themselves in a proactive way

5. Create accessible assessments in terms of design, content and medium

6. Teach to variability, which includes differentiation and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) - a framework for curriculum development that provides all students with equal opportunities to learn.

For more information, please visit the OCC > Support areas > Inclusive education/Special educational needs > SEN publications > Learning diversity and inclusion in IB programmes.

Myth #5
"Modifying assessment is the only way of meeting learning challenges"
There are many ways to meet different learning challenges. Using UDL to develop standard assessments would reduce barriers and make them more accessible.

For example, using simple rather than complex language makes the assessment more accessible, as does removing visual clutter and other irrelevant elements that do not pertain to what is being tested.

Schools can also support students with inclusive arrangements, such as extra time or the use of a reader, scribe, prompter or speech recognition software. It's important that arrangements are planned according to individual student needs. Requests for authorization of these arrangements for the examinations can be sent to the IB.

Reasonable adjustments, which are unique to a particular student, are another way to meet learning challenges. For example, in the past, the IB has addressed social phobias and anxiety by authorizing oral assessment over telephone and Skype. The IB works with schools to devise the best way to support students.

Myth #6
"Inclusion looks the same in all schools"
Every school is different. Inclusion policies are contextual, and may depend on national legislation.

Myth #7
"The IB specifies models of inclusion that schools are required to follow"
The IB does not specify the content or format of a policy, but suggests that an effective inclusion policy will articulate practices and procedures developed to remove barriers to learning and address the following:

* Reflect the school's mission and values.
* Articulate the school's vision on inclusion.
* Explain practices and procedures developed to remove barriers to learning.
* Be in accordance with local legislation and school policy, and consistent with the organization's expectations as stated in the IB standards and practices.
* Be accessible to the whole school community.
* Link with the school's policies
* Be regularly reviewed at designated intervals in the school development cycle.
* Be clear about limitations to inclusion and how future school development addresses this.

Myth #8
"Only schools that admit students with learning challenges need inclusion policies"
Schools that offer the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and DP are required to write an inclusion policy. However, it is good practice for all schools and all IB programmes to create an inclusion policy.
For more information, please visit the OCC website or contact inclusion@ibo.org

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Inclusion is an ongoing process that aims to increase access and engagement in learning for all students by identifying and removing barriers to learning. It involves change and is facilitated in a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, support and problem solving and, according to the IB, it's a "whole-school educational approach to which all schools should aspire."

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Putting it all together

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Resource - PYP Resources Site (unofficial)

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Resource - PYP Resources Site (unofficial)

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A collection of inquiry resources at your fingertips

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Oberlin Elementary School: Facilities Tour

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Oberlin Elementary School: Facilities Tour

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https://www.oberlinschools.net/our-district/building-our-future

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https://startsole.org/

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StartSOLE - Self Organized Learning Environments in your Classroom

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StartSOLE is a free iOS app & website for teachers to implement Self Organized Learning Environments in their classrooms.

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A:  Ask good questions, pursue Aspirations, Achieve Aspirations, support sense of Agency, learning as an Active, dynamic process, informed Assessment

T: critical, creative and ethical Thinking, Teaching uses real-life contexts, focused on Teamwork, relationships between Teachers and students

L: Learning how to Learn, self-regulated Learners, effective Listening and Life Long Learning!

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A: Approaches to learning teach us how to learn and Assessment helps guide instruction.

T: Teaching is inclusive, diverse, and involves Teamwork.

L: Learning opportunities for all to become Lifelong Learners.

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A- Activating
T-Transformative
L-Life Changing

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A- Agency develops and
T- transforms (a)
L-Life-long Love for Learning

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A =  Activate the components that one would need to make a student successful in school and in life

T = Tools that will get you to your goals – research, critical thinking, communication, social and self management

L – Life will open doors to you once you have managed to successfully implement the IB Tools.

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Approaches to learning and teaching in the IB are designed

To give teachers the flexibility to choose specific strategies that will best support student

Learning and understanding of concepts, contexts, and how to work towards different goals

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Agency in students
Translates to
Life-long learning

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Active
Transferable
Life-long

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A - Agency, Assessment, Adaptation
T - Talking, Taking Time, Thinking
L - Learner Profile, Listening, Literate

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What are three things you learned?
What are two questions you have?
What is a challenge I face?

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I learned that
I need to have a plan -at least one-started this year.
I can choose something that I want to develop in the school.
The leadership team can look at the big picture in choosing what do develop.
Questions I have:
How do I involve the whole staff?
How do I make this seem like not just "one more thing?"
Challenges
TIME!

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1) You can have more than one PDP, they can be 1-4 years long, they can align with your SDP
2) who should I involve in the PDP, How often should we check in and reflect on it
3) Creating a PDP without overwhelming staff with another thing to do

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Three things I learned: I can choose something to develop, Can start with just having one. There is a template to utlize.
Two questions I have: How can I involve the learning community in development? Will I need this for authorization?
One challenge I face: With my whole staff being new to IB, and the IB program just beginning, it feels like there are 100 different priorities, and narrowing down my focus for the year may be difficult.

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3 things I learned:
- There are 5 main sections of a school development plan: Planning, reflection, implementation and analysis, reflection on implementation, and understanding and application.
- the school needs to have a question that they want to answer
-takes a lot of communication with the school to complete the development plan.
2 questions that I have:
- what is the timeframe for creating a development plan?
-how often should we be modifying a development plan?
1 challenge I face:
- finding ways to involve new teachers in the development plan that we've just created.

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3 Things I learned: Programme development encourages to focus on two practices, it's all about the process, not necessarily accomplishing everything in one year, having a plan will help determine meeting focus and goals for the year

2 Questions I have: How do I get more staff input in an efficient way? How do I make this engaging so the staff doesn't feel like it's something else I'm adding onto their plate?

1 challenge I face is how to schedule time to get the whole staff together, while working on individual PYP and MYP focuses. Ideally our MYP would be involved with these PYP discussions; however, we also have our own areas to work on given feedback on our authorization report.

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School Development Thoughts --Annie and Karin

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School Development Thoughts --Annie and Karin

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We learned that it's good to think about a single element of the PSP with a 4-year time frame.
We wonder what the highest-leverage focii might be (based on other schools experience)
We wonder how to incorporate IB year-long planning into district and state mandated UIP (unified improvement plans).
We wonder how to incorporate the verticle planning and alignment.

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I learned that programme development plans can be used any time a school identifies a shift in priorities.
I learned that it is good to have a plan that spans all of the programs offered at a school.
I learned that it is good to have several programme development plans to choose from when re-authorization comes around

Question 1: How can a programme development plan be supported by the action plan?
Question 2: Is it okay to focus on one area for improvement over several cycles of programme development?

The biggest challenge I anticipate is communicating the importance of a programme development plan to all staff.

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3 Learned
*Program Development Plan is to help schools show evidence of growth through the evaluation process
*It is evidence/researched based and data driven
*It will allow the school to reflect and take action according to it's needs
2 Questions
* I wonder how this connects to the Preliminary Review
*I wonder how I can tie this with my required "teacher" evaluation process that needs to be completed for state licensure
1 Challenge
I wonder how to get consensus on our focus area

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3 things I learned:
1. A way to provide evidence of an area that was under development during time of review
2. You  (your school) determines the one focus area
3. you/team provide reflection on how it has been implemented.
Questions:
How to incorporate the entire team?
When should we begin the plan?
Challenges:
Time

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anne_witwer@dpsk12.org

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kaufmanm@gee-edu.com

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erin.myres@smusd.org

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kjohns8@dpsk12.net

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labryant@cps.edu

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Adrian.Peer@gccccharters

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https://learn.toddleapp.com/talk_post/crafting-strong-central-ideas-an-interactive-walkthrough/
Document:
file:///home/chronos/u-6853a892ddc3792c26cd9c7d80c82d6a91944679/MyFiles/Downloads/Crafting-a-central-idea_Templates.pdf

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Central ideas can unify teams around the big ideas and goals of a unit of inquiry. In this interactive webinar, Cindy will walk you through a 5 step collaborative process for designing central ideas and co-create one with you! Take a deep dive into Cindy's strategy that sets the stage for meaningful transdisciplinary learning and collaboration, and come away with tools you can use with your teams to plan powerful units of inquiry!

In this session you will

Explore the role of central ideas in collaborative planning

Engage with a 5 step process to co-create a strong central idea

Access tools to evaluate and modify central ideas

Toddle your all-in-one collaboration platform for the IB PYP & MYP

Toddle streamlines planning, assessments, reports, projects, portfolios, and family communication - all from one place!

Book a free demo

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Strong PYP central idea | An interactive walkthrough - Toddle Learn

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Central ideas can unify teams around the big ideas and goals of a unit of inquiry. In this interactive webinar, Cindy will walk you through a 5 step collaborative process for designing central ideas and co-create one with you!

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mfreda@oberlincityschools.net

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erin.mcguire@pgcps.org

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carie_hartman@dpsk12.org