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Learner agency

The early learner

Learner profile

Action

The exhibition

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Transdisciplinary learning

Approaches to learning

Inquiry

Concepts

A transdisciplinary programme of inquiry

Assessment

Language

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A community of learners

International-mindedness

Leadership

Collaboration

Learning environments

Technology in the PYP

Glossary

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This publication has been withdrawn in HTML, a PDF version is still available from the programme resource centre. You'll be redirected there shortly. Esta publicación ya no está disponible en formato HTML, pero puede consultar la versión en PDF en el Centro de recursos para los programas. Se le redirigirá en breve.

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K-4 Social action projects

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Article interview with teacher

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Kindergarten blog

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Project/Inquiry Based Learning has been a passion of mine ever since I discovered it about 5 years ago. Since then, I have stepped out of my comfort zone and transformed the way I teach from a typical Thematic Based style through baby steps taken each year and with the help of an amazing on-line community of teachers with the same passion (you all know who you are!). My first baby step was taking themes and science/social studies standards and making them more student lead and project based. I got rid of the two week time limit each theme had in the past and allowed more time for students to dig deeper. I found that students would take my broad theme (oceans) and desire to dig deeper into more specific parts of the theme (sharks, jellyfish, ect.). As time went on, I was able to take the biggest step and totally let go of my themes and allowed the children's interests drive my instruction, incorporating the standards through those interests.

I am blessed enough to also teach in a district that does not mandate the curriculum I use. Curriculum programs are purchased to use as tools for our toolbox but not required. Us teachers are trusted and encouraged by our superintendent to write our own curriculum as long as the standards are met. My building principle also has that kind of faith in us as professionals! They know that when it comes to children learning what they need to learn, we are the experts! Project/Inquiry Based Learning is highly encouraged in all grades Pre-K through 12.

Some wonder how I plan for this style of teaching and how it flows. Here are some of the tools that I use.

Once I notice an interest from the students (usually found out through experiences set up for them to explore during play) , I find out what their knowledge and misconceptions are about the subject. Kind of like a KWL chart! I list all that they know about the subject we will dive into. Then I ask what they wonder. I list all of their questions. NOW I can plan!

I take their wonderings and create a web map showing the different directions they want to take the inquiry and possible experiences that will help them find answers to their wonderings. I got this web map from the amazing Joanne Babalis and her amazing blog http://myclassroomtransformation.blogspot.com. On the back I have all of the Literacy and Math Standards listed so that I can highlight the ones we will focus on through the inquiry and project. I add any Science and Social Studies Standards to the bottom of the web map. Here is the link to the web map if you would like it: Web Organizer

Once I organize my thoughts, I create my inquiry plan using a template I created based on one I found from a Texas school district. It was so long ago I have no memory of which district but if I find out I will add them to give them credit. Their form was 3 pages long. I tweaked it to fit it all on one page. I use this to show the objectives and vocabulary, plan the investigations and materials I will need, show how they will organize the data about what they have learned, possible projects that could result from the inquiry and how we will present the project to the community.

The next step is to start the investigation phase. In early childhood I set out experiences for them to explore and document what they notice. We also do whole group and small group investigations through books, videos and hands-on experiences. As we answer questions, we add the answers to our wonder chart to show our new learning. We organize this data in a web map format for all to see.

Once we have investigated we use organizational maps to show what we learn. In kindergarten it usually consists of web maps, circle maps, tree charts (can/have/are maps), and brace maps (to show part to whole). We will chose one or two to organize our data.

The next step is the project. We take what we learn and create something to show it! The projects can be individual, small group, or whole group.
Some examples of projects in our room have been turning an area of our room into an ocean, forest and sky to show how animals adapt in the winter. The kids signed up to be on the migration team, adaption team or hibernation team. They each became experts on their part during the investigation and worked on their part of the project.

Another project was our The Sound Exploration Area created for our school. They saw a need (an area to explore sound) investigated different ways of creating sound, organized the data and designed a Sound Exploration Area!

They have also turned the inside of our room into a great hall and medeival kitchen and the outside of our room into a castle wall complete with moat and drawbridge after investigating castles!

They have created murals and big books to show their learning also.

The last step is the presentation to show what they had learned. The kids LOVE this part and I've never had a child refuse to present! They are so confident of what they have learned and proud of what they have done that they cannot wait to share it! I am always so impress with their speaking and listening skills during these presentations! Sometimes small groups go to other classrooms and present what they learned, sometimes we invite parents or other classes to our room to see our presentation, and sometimes we create a video to share with others. They create maps, big books, and, get to show off the projects created at this time! Showing what they have learned through these projects gives the projects an even bigger sense of purpose! They can't wait to show others what they have learned and done!

I have never had so much fun teaching in my 22 years as I have he past four years! I could never go back to the way I had done it I the past. The benefits of this way of teaching are not only meeting the standards (the old way did that too) but the 21st Century Skills they are forced to develope when they learn in this type of environment. When inquiring, investigating and creating within thier own interest, they are motivated to collaborate, problem solve, handle frustration, persist if things don't work the first time, and learn from their mistakes. They have to use critical thinking skills and develope research skills. When kids develop these skills, they can learn ANYTHING!

My new passion that I am learning to incorporate in my classroom is Playbased Learning! I have been amazed by the learning taking place in this way also....but that's another post!

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How I Plan and Implement Project/Inquiry Based Learning In My Class

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Project/Inquiry Based Learning has been a passion of mine ever since I discovered it about 5 years ago. Since then, I have stepped out of my comfort zone and transformed the way I teach from a typical Thematic Based style through baby steps taken each year and with the help of an amazing on-line community of teachers with the same passion (you all know who you are!).

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Key concepts and related concepts

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Student input on room set up blog

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What happens if a student asks to re-arrange the tables in a classroom? This article talks about a PYP teacher relinquishing control, standing back and allowing students to change everything.
Last year I reflected a lot on building our classroom community. It was a journey of trial and error and constant reflections with my students to see what was working well for us, and what needed changing. A moment that really stuck with me was when one of my students asked if we could move the tables, and when I relinquished control and dropped my plans for the afternoon, the results were magical.

After this past year's experience, I knew that I wanted my next year's class to start the year in this way, making the big decisions about how the room is organized and structured.

The students were confused and excited to enter a classroom where nothing was unpacked or arranged. We began by discussing what we wanted from our space and how we could best begin making changes. One member of our classroom community suggested splitting into groups and drawing plans, and everybody was on board. Taking a step back to watch them collaborate as they discussed and sketched their ideas was wonderful! It was the most collaborative spirit I had ever seen in them.

I loved how much they were valuing and respecting each other's opinions as they made informal presentations explaining their bird's eye drawings in detail. The ideas they came up with were much more creative than what I would have planned for the space and they carefully thought about all the areas that they thought were important, and justified why they thought this. As an example, I chose to get rid of my big teacher's desk but many of the groups felt passionate that there should be a small desk designated as the teacher's space and explained the reasons they thought the desk was important. Another group creatively decided that we should have one silent library area and another 'chatty library' where one could read with a partner.

Once we heard everybody's ideas, I left it to them to decide what to do next. Somebody suggested choosing different parts of the plans they all seemed to like, so they voted on each section of the classroom to see which plan was best for that section (for example, library, tables, carpet area, big plant, etc.). I gently guided and mostly watched as they stitched together a 'Frankenstein' plan using different parts of different groups until they had all the spaces they wanted planned out. I noticed what I thought would be a couple of potential issues with their plan, but kept quiet to see what would happen.

They then worked as teams to set up the space following the plan. They designated leaders of each team and had people responsible for carrying out different parts of the classroom, from organizing the library into genres, arranging the tables and chairs, to deciding what information the wall spaces should contain.

Over the next couple of weeks they continued to reflect, identify issues and modify their designs; identifying for example, that the interesting table structure they originally planned did not quite work out. They nurtured, cared for and maintained the space in a way that they would not have done if they were not part of the process. It was an invaluable start to building our classroom community and not only were they setting the space up, but it also gave me a chance to take a step back and observe some of their skills: collaboration, problem solving, organization and measuring skills are a few. Having the students take charge of this process was so powerful and although the space was not automatically perfect, it was theirs.

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Liz Evans is a British teacher working in a multi-lingual language immersion school in California which is an IB candidate school. Currently working in 5th grade and coordinating math and design, she has a keen interest in promoting learner agency in and outside the classroom. She records her reflections on her blog and tweets from the classroom @_lizevans.

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What happens if a student asks to re-arrange the tables in a classroom? This article talks about a PYP teacher relinquishing control, standing back and allowing students to change everything. Last year I reflected a lot on building our classroom community.

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Article on a student's perspective
(Kuwait)

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Educators' Perspective

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This publication has been withdrawn in HTML, a PDF version is still available from the programme resource centre. You'll be redirected there shortly. Esta publicación ya no está disponible en formato HTML, pero puede consultar la versión en PDF en el Centro de recursos para los programas. Se le redirigirá en breve.