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Welcome to this My IB tutorial, in this video we will show you how to create your new My IB account as well as how to access the Programme Resource Centre.

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Principles into Practice (PiP)
PYP Enhancements, from myIB

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Principles into Practice (PiP)
PYP Enhancements, from myIB

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Principles into Practice (PiP)
PYP Enhancements, from myIB

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Transdisciplinary Themes broken down into parts. 

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Transdisciplinary Themes broken down into parts. 

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Strategies for creating groups and partners

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Strategies for creating groups and partners

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Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers from Scholastic

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Resource, Blog, Making Good Humans: What Agency could look like on the first day

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Resource, Blog, Making Good Humans: What Agency could look like on the first day

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Resource, Blog, IB Sharing PYP, Developing ATLS

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Resource, Blog, IB Sharing PYP, Developing ATLS

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This article summarizes how reflections help learners choose how they want to act. It shares a real-time example and utilizes an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the PYP and how implementing it ties together all the elements!
As a committed PYP practitioner for five years, I keep appreciating the uniqueness of the programme. However, moving from theory to practice is not always an easy journey. The PYP stresses achieving a balance between acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, development of conceptual understandings, demonstrations of positive attitudes, and taking of responsible action. Making this a realty in a classroom and making it meaningful for learners will bring the outcomes of the programme to fruition.

The IB approaches to learning are unarguably the most important to acquire not only in the units of inquiry, but also for any learning and teaching that occurs within the classroom and in life outside the school. The five categories and their respective sub-skills encompass what is needed for a learner in the 21st century. In this dynamic, fast evolving world we need people who are not just knowledgeable but are critical thinkers and problem solvers.

Year after year I work with a new set of learners, each of them unique in their own way. This year I am working with learners who are highly energetic, curious and incredibly open-minded. We often engage in reflection sessions during which we discuss how we are learning in classroom, what is going well and what is not. Learners come up with sincere reflections including that we often fall short at displaying our skills.

Learners reflected that if they could work consciously towards displaying all the sub-skills, they would resolve most of the problems they face in and out of the classroom. In tandem with this thought process we as a class managed to develop a means to help assess our commitment to display these skills in classroom - The skills wheel.

This assessment model is based on Carol Dweck's theory of Growth Mindset and the idea of "NOT YET" (Dweck, 2014).

Learners set up a skills goal for a period of 2 weeks. We display all the sub-skills of that category in an accessible area so that students know what they will be assessed on. After the observation period, the class meets up to discuss how they displayed each sub-skill. Learners provide each other feedback and those learners who have consistently made efforts to display the particular skill will be placed in the pink circle and those learners who have "not reached there yet" will be placed in the yellow part. Gradually, learners who try to work on their goal areas will be moved to the pink area too.

I have experienced a positive change in learners' thinking and learning behaviour in the classroom while utilizing this tool. Learners evidently show more ownership to their actions as they are a part of this solution. It also encouraged learners to show commitment to their choice and be more open minded to feedback.

Although small, I feel this model acted as an effective means for me to make approaches to learning categories and sub-skills more meaningful for my learners. It gave our learners the opportunity to choose to act; to reflect and decide the course of their actions. That, I believe, is responsible action.

References:
https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve

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Rachana Kothapally is a PYP facilitator at Silver Oaks School Bangalore, India. She has been an IB practitioner for 5 years and is passionate about developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities of learners.

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This article summarizes how reflections help learners choose how they want to act. It shares a real-time example and utilizes an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the PYP and how implementing it ties together all the elements! As a committed PYP practitioner for five years, I keep appreciating the uniqueness of the programme.

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The enhanced KWL can be used as an inquiry cycle

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Resources and Strategies, Agency by Design

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Resources and Strategies, Agency by Design

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Welcome to Agency by Design | Agency by Design

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Educational initiatives that emphasize making, design, engineering, and tinkering have been gaining traction in schools and organizations across the country. While maker-centered learning is not a new concept, recent and emerging trends suggest a new kind of hands-on pedagogy—a responsive and flexib…

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Podcast: Download (113.6MB)

In Oct 2018 the International Baccalaureate will release the long-awaited Primary Years Programme (PYP) Principles into Practice. Elements of this new curriculum framework have slowly been released over the last year and it has ignited a buzz of critical conversations across the PYP community. In anticipation of the release of these Enhancements, a number of leading PYP educators from around the world have been interviewed about their thoughts, hopes, expectations and developing understanding of the upcoming enhancements.

In this episode, Angeline Aow interview Sonya terBorg about the Approaches to Learning (ATLs). Sonya has been a PYP educator since 2003 when she began working with 2nd Grade students at Bonn International Schooland has since worked as an art teacher, homeroom teacher, and technology integrator. Sonya is currently in her 2nd year at Nanjing International School, now teaching MYP Design. Sonya is a PYP workshop leader and has worked with the IB on developing the PYP Blog and on several projects in relation to the PYP Enhancements. Her interest lies in challenging ideas and seeking understanding in how we can best "do school". To find out more about Sonya and her work, you can follow her on or check out her .

Professional Learning International would like to note that these podcasts have been developed independently from the IB and were created with the intent to promote understanding, implementation and in support of educators around the globe. All content are the individuals' perspectives and are interpretations of programme documentation that these IB Educators have access to through their IB schools and IB Educator Network roles.

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PYP Enhancements: Learning & Teaching - Approaches to Learning - Sonya terBorg

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Podcast: Download (113.6MB) In Oct 2018 the International Baccalaureate will release the long-awaited Primary Years Programme (PYP) Principles into Practice. Elements of this new curriculum framework have slowly been released over the last year and it has ignited a buzz of critical conversations across the PYP community.

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Overview of the essential elements of PYP considering the enhancements

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Video, What does it mean to be an INQUIRY teacher? Kath Murdoch

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Video, What does it mean to be an INQUIRY teacher? Kath Murdoch

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What does it mean to be an inquiry teacher?

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Resources, INQUIRY Blogs compiled by Kath Murdoch

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Resources, INQUIRY Blogs compiled by Kath Murdoch

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Inquiry into inquiry

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Video, ATLS Explicitly teaching thinking skills

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Video, ATLS Explicitly teaching thinking skills

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Find the tools and videos about this versatile way of supporting students in making better questions

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The skill of question asking is far too rarely deliberately taught in school. We have worked with and learned from educators to develop a teaching strategy, the Question Formulation Technique (QFT), which provides a simple yet powerful way to teach students how to formulate, work with, and use their own questions.

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Teaching + Learning - Right Question Institute

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. [...]

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Article, Asking students to ask their own questions

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Article, Asking students to ask their own questions

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Question Formulation Technique

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This award-winning book outlines a powerful framework for science teaching to ensure that instruction is rigorous and equitable for students from all backgrounds.

Introducing our new website

Enjoy 25% off all HEP books

Use code HPWB23

A practical guide to cultivating expansive understandings of climate change and environmental regeneration in K-12 students through classroom instructional practices and curricula.

Harvard Educational Review

In the summer issue, explore innovative thinking and research in education.

STEM Education Reform in Urban High Schools gives a nuanced view of the obstacles marginalized students face in STEM education-and explores how schools can better support STEM learners.

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Harvard Education Press publishes the best books on education research, practice, and policy for leaders, practitioners, and policymakers.

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In this article you will read about how the Teaching for Artistic Behavior framework has enabled an art teacher to authentically encourage and support student-led inquiry every minute of every day in the art room. Students worked independently and in small groups to discover how art was connected to every other aspect of their lives.
Two years ago, I was reflecting on my practices as an IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) art specialist. I was a well-oiled machine: introducing and directing art projects, and making connections to every single grade level planner. In a way, I was comforted because I knew the connection was there; I was at the very least exposing students to these connections while they improved their skills. However, I found myself mostly disappointed, because I found it difficult to get the students to care about those connections with me. I started admitting to myself that those were my connections, they only made the most sense to me, and that forcing those connections onto the students was not helping their own inquiry process.

At about the same time, I began hearing about Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) from other art teachers on social media. Like any lifelong learner, I was curious. I started asking questions, reading books and visiting TAB classrooms nearby. I learned that through this philosophy the teacher facilitates the art room as a studio space while the students drive the inquiry and the learning.

The TAB approach consists of three essential statements:

What do artists do?

The child is the artist.

The art room is the child's studio.

Practitioners of TAB employ the framework Studio Habits of Mind, designed by Project Zero of Harvard. The Studio Habits are a structure that reminds me of the scientific method as it is a natural process a growing artist lives and breathes. The habits are:

Develop craft

Engage and persist

Envision

Express

Observe

Reflect

Stretch and explore

Understanding art worlds.

The results of my inquiry encouraged me to make the biggest, most meaningful change I have ever made professionally. I flipped my art room to reflect studio practices and relinquished control of the projects.

Now when students come to class the only first five or ten minutes are mine. I may do a quick demo on a skill or technique. I may introduce an artist, movement or cultural tradition. I may set out their current projects and have students constructively critique with each other. Anything I choose to do is in reaction to observed student needs or a connection to the unit of inquiry. After that, students have the rest of class to be artists.

The older students write plans with art-making goals and sketches in their sketchbooks. When their plan is approved by me, they work on that project until it is complete. Once it is completed, they write an artist statement and reflect on their initial art-making goal.

The younger students are in centers where they practice art making skills, expose themselves to different materials, and learn about art from other places and times. This center structure has positively impacted engagement and behavior.

For each unit of inquiry in each grade, I will write a challenge on the board to help students make a connection. If kindergarten is learning "People celebrate who they are" under the transdisciplinary theme of "who we are", I will challenge them to make an artwork celebrating their individuality or their culture. We will read books about the importance of celebrating yourself. I will introduce them to self-portraits.

If fourth grade is learning "The distribution of resources presents challenges and opportunities" under "sharing the planet", I will challenge them to create an artwork bringing awareness to an issue. We will look at art with a voice, analyzing the artist's choices and message. I will introduce the importance of graphic design if employing lettering within an artwork. Students are introduced to art connections but are not limited to my connections, they have the freedom to create their own.

Every day is wonderful chaos. Every class surprises me with variety, creativity and capabilities. The amount of joy, curiosity and expression coming from each student has rejuvenated my own wonder. Making this monumental shift was not at all terrifying, because I knew it was what needed to be done to provide the students an authentic art experience.

If you are interested in learning more, please check out "Engaging Learners Through Artmaking: Choice-Based Art Education in the Classroom" (2018, second edition) by Katherine M. Douglas and Diane B. Jaquith and "Studio Thinking from the Start: The K-8 Art Educator's Handbook" (2018) by Jillian Hogan, Lois Hetland, Diane B. Jaquith, and Ellen Winner.
Julia VanOudenhoven has been the PYP Art Specialist at Jefferson Lighthouse School, USA since 2007. She enjoys helping students find joy in art, self-expression and making transdisciplinary connections. You can follow her art room on Instagram @jls.art.

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How to support student-led inquiry through "Teaching for Artistic Behavior"

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In this article you will read about how the Teaching for Artistic Behavior framework has enabled an art teacher to authentically encourage and support student-led inquiry every minute of every day in the art room. Students worked independently and in small groups to discover how art was connected to every other aspect of their lives.

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More amazing webinars that we could ever get through

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ASCD empowers educators to achieve excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

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http://ib_matters.buzzsprout.com/ AGENCY podcast out of Minnesota

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Drama! It brings out the risk taker in many and inspires Oscar-worthy acting in others. It really is one of my favourite activities in the classroom that incorporates so many skills, which is why I wanted to share some ideas with you regarding using drama with your class. Perfect for any IB PYP theme, especially How We Express Ourselves, it can be incorporated into all subject areas quite seamlessly, not to mention a fabulous way to enhance an Exhibition presentation.

The IB PYP Approaches to Learning Skills ( formerly known as the transdisciplinary skills) are grouped into five areas of skills that we use in our daily journey of learning - Thinking, Communication, Social, Self Management and Research. You can link to a separate post that focuses on developing the children's awareness of these skills here. I have found that when I throw some drama into the mix of my plans, things really start to spice up when it comes to those skills.

How The Skills Link With Drama

If you think about what is required within drama, particularly with some form of script, you'll find that all of the Approaches to Learning Skills are touched upon to some extent.
THINKING - understanding the text, inferring what the part of the tale before your part may be, thinking how best to communicate your role and act out your part before it comes to your turn, predicting the sequencing of events, knowing when to read your part etc.
SOCIAL - collaborating with the rest of the actors in order to keep the plot going smoothly, moving into and out of place on the stage seamlessly, working with a team in order to create props or costumes
COMMUNICATION - listening closely to each actor and watching and listening for verbal and visual clues to prompt your turn, fluency with reading the text on the card or script and acting it out appropriately so that your audience can clearly hear and understand your role and character, discussing ideas with your group etc.
SELF MANAGEMENT - Very similarly to social skills, the students must know when to enter and exit the play; reading their part of the script, recognise timing and clues that prompt them when to play their part, cooperate with the rest of the team
RESEARCH - with some scripts, it is often a good idea to do some development of background knowledge in order to gain a more thorough understanding of the plot, its setting, characters and so on. For example- if your script was about the Greek Gods, having the children research some of the characteristics of those Gods and the stories behind them would help tremendously with clarity of the plot, visualising the charatcers and thus helping them to better play their part in the play.

Adding Drama to Your Plans

I have found, over the years, that it is really quite easy to add drama into any curricular area. Some ideas to easily integrate drama into your planning include the following:

1.DRAMA CIRCLES One of my favourite activities that kids LOVE! If you're not familiar, this is an hilarious class activity that involves the children sitting in a circle, facing in. There is a pack of cards with text on each card. The cards are printed with a small part of the plot of a play and read in order, so that the story unfolds with each child reading a part of the "script" and acting out what the card tells them. For example: "When you hear the old lady has swallowed the frog, you will jump

up and hop around the circle acting like a distressed frog, crying, " Oh no, she swallowed the frog!" "

Each child will have one or two cards handed to them. Most resources do come differentiated, therefore you can ensure each child has an opportunity to read text that is suitable for them. The cards usually come with numbers on them too, so that you know the order in which they must be read. The tricky part is that the cards are handed to each child OUT OF ORDER, so that they must really listen to each card being read, listen for the clues and watch the actors carefully, prompting them to know that their part is up next. Besides the obvious reading skills, ( fluency, comprehension, inferring and sequencing) it is really more about the skills that fall under the title of Approaches to Learning- Communication, cooperation, self management & t1.hinking.
2. Reader's Theatre
What's not to love about Reader's Theatre? It's engaging, can be differentiated, used in guided reading as well as literacy centres, so easy to integrate into your plans and kids LOVE getting into character. There are so many, many Reader's

Theatre type of scripts available online that you can just about find any genre or tale that you are seeking. A simple Google search provides a ton of ideas.

When it comes the ATL skills, the Reader's Theatre direction brings us more to Social Skills than any other, I have found. Following a script is all well and good, but actually independently deciding who will play which parts can be a whole other story in itself. You know what I mean? When you have one kiddo who stands out as the leader in a group, it's not such a problem but when you have too many leaders??? Yup, I'm pretty certain I am not the only teacher ever to have this little issue pop up. 🙂 Too many directors in a Reader's Theatre group doesn't always work well BUT it is the PERFECT learning opportunity for self management and social skills, not to mention the attitude of TOLERANCE. ( for students and teachers, I hasten to add. Hee, hee! )

Such situations brings me to this book which I am unashamedly plugging! 3 "Just Deal With It", is 239 pages of sheer brilliance, perfectly suited for bringing humour to life lessons that require the children to not only think, but cooperate and act out the scenarios with script after script of funny Reader's Theatre type of stories. I highly recommend this for any 3rd-6th grade classroom drama collection. And I dare you NOT to laugh out loud as the kids perform such titles as Boss of the World and Alcatraz Junior High.

For younger grades ( 2-4), I'd recommend "Fabulously Funny Fairy Tale Plays" . It has well known fairy tales that have been adapted for read aloud theatre and is better suited for lower level readers.

3. MIME
Acting without words can be integrated into a lot of curricular areas. It utilises the skills of thinking in particular as, without speech, the children have to really think creatively how to communicate their message to their audience. Of course, cooperation and communication come into play too and depending on the tasks asked of the children, there may be some research required as well. I have created a list below of some ideas that you may find useful when planning how to implement mime into your day with lots of opportunity for thinking skills, communication, self management and social skills.

1. Key Concepts: I have found mime to be a fun formative assessment tool, as the children are asked to mime a particular concept and others have to guess what they are portraying. The picture you can see above is of my fifth graders working collaboratively to demonstrate the form & function of the human digestive system. This example can be used with any concept that you are studying. For example; the human body systems, the rock cycle, simple machines and so on. Easy to implement, simply write 1 or 2 key concepts on an index card, along with a sentence describing what they children have to mime, remind each group NOT to tell the other groups what their task will be, and then give them time to discuss their ideas, plan their skit and practice their mime. Each group will then perform for the class and afterwards, give the children time to try to guess what it was that was being acted.

2. Vocabulary words: Along the lines of number 1 above, write a new vocabulary word or phrase on a card for each group and have them think, plan and practice before they mime. This is one that can be done in math especially, getting them up and out of their seats. For example: Order of operations, polygons, multiples etc. Or with Language arts; cause and effect, onomatopoeia, fiction etc. You'll be in awe at just how creative kids can be!

3. Summarising a story or paragraph: This takes a bit more prep but is a wonderful way to work on reading strategies. I will have copies of various excerpts from a story that we are working on that the whole class will know. Or, it could be an excerpt from well known fairy tales, that you'd expect every child to know. ( Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood etc) One excerpt will be given to each group and together they will read over it, plan and discuss how to summarise their act and then mime it to the class. The audience will then have to infer what they see and guess which part of the story they just watched. Its so much fun!.

I hope that you can find some use from the ideas above. Once you dial into the Approaches to Learning, you really can see how they just pop up constantly in every part of our daily learning. Drama is truly one of my favourite things to have fun with the kids and it never fails to bring heaps of hilarity!

You might like to explore some of these resources that I have created and used with my kiddos. They're found in my Teachers Pay Teachers store and you can keep up to date with my IB PYP resources simply by clicking here and following me.

As always, I am open to your own ideas and would love to have you share them.

Enjoy!

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Drama! It brings out the risk taker in many and inspires Oscar-worthy acting in others. It really is one of my favourite activities in the classroom that incorporates so many skills, which is why I wanted to share some ideas with you regarding using drama with your class.

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Support, find, and share resources for universal design for learning

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What is CAST UDL Exchange?

It is a place to browse and build resources, lessons and collections. You can use and share these materials to support instruction guided by the UDL principles.

UDL Exchange includes

UDL Resources

Materials such as websites, documents, images, presentations, audio, video, etc. that support implementation of UDL.

UDL Lessons

Lesson plans that address the variability of all learners through the application of UDL.

UDL Collections

Sets of resources/lessons organized around a theme to support UDL practices.

UDL Exchange Tools

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It is a place to browse and build resources, lessons and collections. You can use and share these materials to support instruction guided by the UDL principles. Materials such as websites, documents, images, presentations, audio, video, etc. that support implementation of UDL. Lesson plans that address the variability of all learners through the application of UDL.

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Article, Concept Based Learning Curriculum

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Article, Concept Based Learning Curriculum

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1 sheet synthesis

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Your school can create its own, but this one is pretty good.

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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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Resource - UDL Universal Design for Learning

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Resource - UDL Universal Design for Learning

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Tons of resources supporting inclusive learning environments

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1. Home

2. Our Impact

3. About Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.

UDL at a Glance

Find out how the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.

UDL to Change the World

CAST created the Universal Design for Learning framework, and it remains one of our core levers of change to help make learning inclusive and transformative for everyone.

Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Visit the UDL Guidelines

Engagement

For purposeful, motivated learners, stimulate interest and motivation for learning.

Explore Engagement

Representation

For resourceful, knowledgeable learners, present information and content in different ways.

Explore Representation

Action & Expression

For strategic, goal-directed learners, differentiate the ways that students can express what they know.

Explore Action & Expression

Top of Page

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About Universal Design for Learning - CAST

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Home Our Impact About Universal Design for Learning Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Find out how the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.

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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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IB Presentation, The Concept of Concepts

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IB Presentation, The Concept of Concepts

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And visit https://ibo.org/professional-development/

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ClassDojo and Stanford's PERTS Research Center teamed up to create the the first season of The Mojo Show. The five-episode video series (along with a few incredible activities) highlight the power of having a growth mindset, and how any student can learn this skill!

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ClassDojo and Stanford's PERTS Research Center teamed up to create the the first season of The Mojo Show. The five-episode video series (along with a few incredible activities) highlight the power of having a growth mindset, and how any student can learn this skill!

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PYP and Librarian

And look for more at https://blogs.ibo.org/sharingpyp/tag/pe/

http://pyplibrarian.com/

SPED BLOG https://blogs.ibo.org/sharingpyp/2014/07/03/inclusion-in-the-classroom/

Five Moore Minutes https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU-GCW3-EwNxcbJEFKKaABw

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Super motivating way to get inquiring and collaborating. Great for orientation

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Book, Understanding by Design by Wiggins and McTyghe

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Book, Understanding by Design by Wiggins and McTyghe

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Get the book. More at ASCD

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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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What is Understanding by Design? Author Jay McTighe explains.

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Video, CONCEPTS and Understanding by Julie Stern

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Video, CONCEPTS and Understanding by Julie Stern

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Curriculum for TRANSFER

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CBL expert Julie Harris Stern (author of Tools for Teaching Conceptual Understanding) speaks about the importance of fostering deep conceptual understanding in the 21st century.

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​The Connect Extend Challenge routine helps learners to: make connections between new ideas and prior knowledge recognise ongoing questions, puzzles and difficulties reflect on learning

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Visual Guide to the PYP and more!  Explore their resources, blogs and talks to keep growing in PYP.

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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

The all-in-one collaboration platform for educators.

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

Book a free demo

Disclaimer - This resource has been produced independently of and not endorsed by the IB. Toddle's resources seek to encourage sharing of perspectives and innovative ideas for classroom teaching & learning. They are not intended to be replacements for official IB guides and publications. Views and opinions expressed by the authors of these resources are personal and should not be construed as official guidance by the IB. Please seek assistance from your school's IB coordinator and/or refer to official IB documents before implementing ideas and strategies shared within these resources in your classroom.

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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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This was a wonderful affirmation to wake up to this morning. When you are venturing into the wild unknown without a handbook, it helps when someone you respect validates that you are on the right track. It's not for praise or likes on social media. It's an internal check mark that your journey is resonating and to keep following your path.

I hope you are taking the steps to mark out your own path. It requires a lot of bravery to walk into the unknown, especially if others around you are used to the status quo. Do something little everyday to bring you closer to what you want.​

I think most people concur that life is a journey full of memorable moments, some overwhelmingly happy while some left us in tears. These moments have defined who we are today and we will continuously evolve to become better tomorrow. Kath connects this journey metaphor to learning about inquiry. "Journeys suggest connection, flow, sequence, and continuity rather than scattered, one-off, fragmented activities. While a journey may be a meandering one, it is still, for the most part, working towards a destination. Some journeys are short, others long; some go according to plan while others are beset with unexpected challenges. Most destinations have multiple pathways or routes to reach them so decisions must be made about the best route under the circumstances." I connect to the notion that our journey is not a one-off, rather sustainable over time, so we create a disposition of taking meaningful action.

​Kath provides some amazing questions to consider before, during, and after our personal inquiries on page 85. In my breakout room discussion, we all took this differently. My partner looked at these questions to guide the planning of the shared inquiries and modeling for personal inquiries. Meanwhile, I saw these question prompts to model with our learners, so they can answer them on their own. You must check them out, because they really get you thinking. Here are some questions from each section.

Where do I want to go? Why?

What other journeys have I been on that are like this and what can I learn from them?

How am I feeling about this?

Is this what I was expecting?

What's the best thing about where I have 'arrived'?

Is this what I expected?

Kath reflects on our process as educators, "Challenging yourself to open up opportunities for personal inquiry is undoubtedly a professional learning journey for you...Going into the unknown means being courageous, trusting yourself, and harnessing a spirit of adventure." This is my new mantra that I'm going to print and post up on my vision board. We are all facing an uphill battle with something in our practice. Take one small step each day to walk around that obstacle, so we can get to the other side. ​

​By reading this book, you are lighting your own spark. Don't forget this as you progress through this school year. There will be obstacles, this is the only thing we can count on. Even still, remember this book club and how it has lit your love of personal inquiry.

What about our learners? For some of them, they might struggle to identify their passion and spark. How can we help them? Kath provides some invaluable suggestions, "There are numerous reasons why some learners might find it challenging to locate a focus for personal inquiry. The important thing to remind ourselves i s that learners may well have interests even when they are unable or choose not to articulate them. It is our job to gently provoke, nurture, and question, and to observe, listen, and trust that we will find a way to help each learner get in touch with their own curiosity. Or, should I say, to get back in touch with their curiosity."

​
​If we spark our learners, why do many learners fail to move forward with their personal inquiry? It probably has to do with the systems you have or have not established for them to be independent. Kath reminds us, " Simply opening the door to personal inquiry ang expecting all learners to confidently walk through is both naïve and ineffective." If you are learning in a traditional setting for most of the day, learners will greatly struggle to pivot towards agentic thinking. Yet, many of us do this throughout the week and wonder why learners act out during personal inquiry time.

The shared inquiry or unit of inquiry can be a wonderful time to spark personal inquiries. This is a highly collaborative time where peers and educators can engage to share ideas that may spark curiosities and wonderings. Kath suggests, "Whether planned or spontaneous, shared inquiries are designed to build the knowledge bank for our learners and help them develop conceptual understandings about the way the world works...As educators bring big questions to learners in the form of a shared inquiry, they are also broadening the scope of possibility for personal inquiries to follow."

As a result of the shared inquiry, we can prompt learners to spark their thinking. Here are some suggested by the text:

"That could be a great thing to inquire into"

"Sounds like something that would work really well for a personal inquiry"

"Maybe you could look into that in our discovery workshop"

This section has many ideas on how to spark the curiosity on pages 88-89, including a heart map and a museum of us. They are wonderful, but it comes from a place of authenticity as you guide the process. Kath states, "One of the most powerful ways to light the spark in learners is to provide authentic, living examples of what personal inquiry looks like." How can we be authentic? We share our personal inquiry that we are exploring at the moment and our process.

As we have previously discussed, the learning space design greatly supports personal inquiry. On pages 92-93, Kath provides some learning spaces that will set the stage for discovery workshop. She has a list of materials that we use each time to transition learners towards the workshop experience. This reminds me of a conversation with a colleague in my break out room. In her early years room, they eat their meals, so they set the stage for the experience by putting out wipeable placemats. This helps her learners to switch gears from learning to eating. Similarly, we can set the stage for discovery workshop. Check out the different ideas and concepts that can be explored and the ways to arrange materials. So amazing!

​Idea or concept: exploring materials, patterns, and textures

Sample items to arrange: loose parts - glass bead, buttons, wooden slices of a small branch, shells, seeds, stones, toothpicks, colored matchsticks, pegs, corks.

Connection time
When I see these concepts and materials, I naturally connect to Misty Paterson's CME (Concepts, Materials, Experiences) model. You ask learners to express themselves through playful interactions to demonstrate the concept through the use of thoughtful materials and learning experiences.

To spark your learners further, Kath has provided wonderful visuals to identify big ideas (concepts), determine if the focus is worthwhile, connect with other personal inquiries, trigger our personal interests, sentence stems, and sample ideas. Please check them out on pages 96-101. You will be tempted to use all of them in your practice straightaway!

I was so excited to see copies of Pop-Up Studio: Responsive Teaching for Today's Learners at Creation Village. They are adopting so many best practices and this will only add to their toolkit. Here's how Gemma, the coordinator, feels about her copy.

I just registered for Crafting Inquiry with these amazing educators. I can't wait to learn, be inspired, and apply new ideas to my practice. Who will join me?
​ Click here for more information.

​This week, we are going to look at various scaffolds that will support and assess our use of inquiry within our practice. For newer teachers, we will explore some systems that may help you get started. For others, we will examine ways to deepen our practice so learners take more agency.
​

​A big thanks to our guest host, Katie Poulsen, for leading our book club this week. She had to battle break out room issues, expiring Zoom links, and time constraints. We were able to really unpack this section and I know it was due to her passion for this work.

​
One of my favorite items in this section is a self-assessment tool to measure our current pedagogy and identify areas for our own personal inquiry. It can be found on pages 58-59. As you know, I am a big fan of success criteria, because they scaffold goal setting so well. Through our group discussion, my viewpoint of this self-assessment turned towards using it as a whole-school success criteria.

From a teacher perspective, I would complete the self-assessment tool and identify my growth areas to create a goal. Next, we need to identify the point when we feel we have met our goal. For me, it's "proficient" on this tool, because it means I have a strong grasp and the necessary skills to move towards mastery. Afterwards, I need to re-read the goal descriptor and highlight the areas that are still a struggle, so I can construct a solid plan on how I might achieve it.

From a school leader perspective. I would have teachers and school leadership identify areas of strength and growth for each indicator and highlight the parts of the descriptor that summarizes their experience. In the shared spaces within the office area, I would have the descriptors posted with pictures of teachers that are "leading" in that area, but provide specific examples from the descriptor. This will highlight them as experts. This provides peers who are still developing in the same area a person they can go to ask for strategies, clarification, and support. What a wonderful way to build school culture and relationships.

Can you tell that this is my favorite new tool?

​You know inquiry is happening in a classroom when learners are able to speak of it freely without teacher support. In a recent school visit, Kath engaged with learners who were just learning how to inquire on their own. One of the learners' reflections was priceless. "Well, you have to start by thinking about what you already know, that's kind of like tuning into what's in your brain already. Then you might have more questions and then you need to do some finding out and you can find out in lots of different ways. It depends on what you are investigating. You have to think about it all and kind of sort it out in your head and show what you are thinking because your thinking changes. You take action when you do something with what you have learned."

This is the language that we want from our learners as they develop into their roles of inquirers. They should grapple with the process, since inquiry is messy, fluid, and multifaceted. We can begin this process through shared inquiries, such as a PYP unit of inquiry. "Shared inquiries that involve a class or cohort of learners inquiring together can be a helpful way to build this collective language and understanding - particularly beyond the early years."

To assist with shared and personal inquiries, Kath shares her revised inquiry cycle. Now, it's considered a journey where different entry points are flexible. In our break out room, we had a discussion about moving away from inquiry cycles, since many of them are quite rigid in stages. One of my teammates reminded me that for new teachers to the PYP, an inquiry cycle provides security until the teacher is able to wield it on their own.

Kath added to this idea, "There is an enormous variety in the way people go about investigating questions and issues of interest and significance to them. However, models and frameworks such as the one depicted here can help learners talk about the process they are using and can provide a useful common anchor for dialogue about the design of a personal project."

​Manion and McAllister state, "As well as building subject knowledge, education is a process of self-actualization, helping every young person find their feet, find their voice, and work towards becoming the best version of themselves that they can be." This quote sums up why I became a teacher. I wanted to help my learners to see their potential and provide them tangible skills that they can re-use in the future.

In the PYP, we call these skills Approaches to Learning or AtLs. They are skills that learners take on themselves to become independent thinkers and inquirers. We have five categories of AtL skills: thinking, research, communication, self-management, and social. In her book, Kath adds a sixth category called contributor. Listen to this description!

"I am a Contributor. I am courageous and responsible. I try to use my learning to make a positive difference to my life and the lives of others. I am aware of these skills, talents, and perspectives I have and how I can bring these to a group. I think about how I can be helpful to others both in my local and global contexts and take action where I can. I try to make ethically responsible decisions."

When I read this for the first time, my heart melted a little more. This is my mission as an educator. I want to support my young learners to develop into even better humans. Can you imagine if all learners knew their talents and were able to contribute them to the world? This is why we work as hard as we do to make it happen in our corner of the world. This is the pay off when the work becomes insurmountable.

As an adult, I am still growing my learning assets. At times, I doubt my capabilities and my touch in the world. I want to do so many things, but wonder if I'm doing it right or good enough. When I listen to descriptors above, it helps me to reset and know that I'm on the right pathway.

As my friend Joe Amabile says, "Teaching is a 30 year journey of self-discovery." Every time I read, engage with others, and reflect, I am continuing on the journey that was outlined for me. The same is for you. Keep it up! You are creating an impact by listening to this podcast and engaging with Kath's work.

​This question is the first thing we need to think about when preparing for personal inquiry. It's not something we run into, but, "it is the result of thoughtful conversation, careful decisions and the creation of systems that give the approach solid moorage." according to Kath Murdoch. She continues by stating, "With the right intention and the right culture, a degree of 'diving into the deep end' can reveal so much about what our learners are capable of, and the process of learning through personal inquiry becomes an inquiry in itself."

​The pandemic has highlighted even more the importance of strong school culture to shape the identity of all learners within the community. School culture does not develop overnight, so making changes will also take time. For existing cultures, it will take time to dismantle fears and misconceptions. More than ever, we need a culture that fosters creativity, individuality, and agency. As a teacher, I want to work in this type of environment where I can express my authentic self to the community.

Kath provides some excellent points to consider when trying to establish a whole school culture. "Personal inquiry does not happen simply because we provide the time and opportunity for learners. It is not a set program nor a set of tips and tricks that can be quickly grafted onto a classroom schedule. Inserting In a personal inquiry workshop into an existing traditional environment in which learners are, for the rest of the week, positioned as passive learners with little choice is bound to fail."

If we are ready, you might want to consider the following:
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Pedagogy is inquiry based

There is a shared language and framework to support inquiry

Educators are inquirers

Learning is situated in authentic contexts

All members of the community have a voice

There is visible evidence of inquiry

Planning and teaching are collaborative and responsive

The schools has clearly articulated values and principles to support inquiry practice

Relationships are positive, warm, and respectful

Educators have high expectations of all learners

When I read this list of criteria for school culture, I instantly picture a school full of confident learners of all ages. Everyone clearly embraces the vision, has the necessary tools to make it successful, and relationships guide the learning process. This is the type of school I want to be part of.

Kath Murdoch reminds us, "Our beliefs shape our practice. How we perceive our role as teachers has a profound influence on the language we use with students, the way we organize for learning, the design of learning tasks and what we look and listen for as we assess."

Kath asks some provoking questions that made me reflect on my own beliefs about inquiry.
​

What do I really believe about my role as an educator?

How do I see my learners?

What relationship do I have with the curriculum?

What do I really understand about how learning happens?

What do I think school is for?

Have my beliefs changed over time? Why/why not?

Is what I believe in my heart really manifested in my teaching?

Where have my beliefs come from?

This really made me pause for a moment. Not only did I reflect on my practice, but I thought of educators that have shaped and challenged my beliefs and values about learning,
Mondrea is my friend who is wise beyond her years. She is passionate about educational equity, particularly amongst children within at-risk communities. She is striving to create a school that offers inquiry-driven education to those who rarely have access. This warms my heart, because her passion for the PYP program is infectious. We can speak for hours about aspects of inquiry and how it applies to our real lives. The thing I appreciate the most is when she challenges my thinking to stretch beyond my current understanding.

Vidhya is well-read. No book or professional development opportunity is safe from her grasp. She took time from teaching within a PYP setting to learn more about the program through her personalized inquiry learning. She engages in webinars, courses, personal reading and research, book clubs, and more. What fascinates me about her the most is her resiliency against the unknown. She has faced many uncertain situations in her professional and personal life, but she keeps shining. This is rooted in a deep belief that we are all inquirers and deserve the most out of our learning experiences.

Being surrounded by people who share our similar beliefs about inquiry helps to strengthen our practice. This especially helps us when our school culture misunderstands the role of inquiry in our learning and teaching.

This summer has been a roller coaster of travel and workshops. I had a brief respite at my sister's house when a return flight home was delayed by five hours. What can you do in a regional airport? You delve into Getting Personal with Inquiry Learning by Kath Murdoch. Magically, all of that time that you had melts away. I had a fun time writing some podcast episodes as a reflection tool of our workshop. So fun!

​This week, I had the best time leading a workshop for teachers in Nashville, Tennessee. They were so open-minded to new ideas and ways of learning. This summer, more than ever, rebooted our thinking and our passion of education.

Here I am enjoying the fruits of my labor with fellow IB educators around the United States at a Dolly Parton inspired rooftop bar and restaurant. I lived out my pink dreams at White Limozeen.

​Just a reminder my friends, this new series will take an intense dive into the book, "Getting Personal with Inquiry Learning" by Kath Murdoch. This episode will focus on sections 1.4 - 1.6 of the book, so stay tuned to be inspired by Kath!

There will always be a group of educators who resist best practice out of fear, uncertainty, and frustration. I totally understand their uncertainty about inquiry, because it requires a mindshift in how we look at our learner, our curriculum, and our end goal.

Kath reminds us, "an inquiry stance means being intentionally open-minded. It means listening to alternative voices and avoiding the temptation to dwell inside one's own echo chamber. It means being willing to listen to a range of perspectives and being prepared to acknowledge the pitfalls as well as the successes."

With this notion in mind, Kath addresses the most common arguments against inquiry-based learning. Here are some that resonated with me.

Argument: "Inquiry is great in principle, but the reality is that it can't possibly work with one educator and a large class of learners. It is just not practical."

Kath's response: "Joyful as the experience can be, this is a sophisticated and demanding pedagogy that requires a strong repertoire of strategies and, ideally, a team and wider school culture to support it."

Having served in at-risk communities for the past few years. I often heard a similar argument that the PYP is only successful in affluent schools where there are additional resources, less teaching gaps, and more parental support. Although these elements do benefit children, it's more about the mindset of the school community. If the community believes the program will thrive, then it will happen. If they decide the learners are "less", they will be treated as such.

Argument: "Following learners' interests makes it too hard to meet curriculum standards."

Kath's response: "Not only do I consider curricula quite compatible with inquiry, but I would also argue that educators do a far better job of inquiry teaching when they choose to really get to know their curriculum - to know it so well that they can let it go and see the opportunities for connection as they arise."

This reminds me of Kath's video, "What it means to be an inquiry teacher." She speaks about the misconceptions of the teacher being laissez-faire and quite hands-off. In fact, the opposite is quite true of an inquiry teacher. They know their curriculum so well that they are able to wield it, so learning is within the context of the learning, which leads to learning transfer.
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There will never be a perfect time to engage within inquiry. We have to make space for it to happen naturally and within the context of the learning.

Argument: "Why was there such a gap between the way we would prefer to use our time and the way we do use our time?"

Kath's Response: "We have a curriculum we are required to attend to and so many educators felt that offering choice meant that the curriculum expectations would not be met."

"We need to reconsider our relationship with time as something we control rather than something that controls us...It is the educators who know their curriculum best that have the most confidence to let it go, knowing they will see the opportunities to connect with it as they observe and listen to their learners."

​This week I focused on being The Summarizer as part of my book club role alongside my friend Ragini. It was a challenge to take on this role to succinctly summarize so many wonderful ideas.

We determined that people resist inquiry due to fear. This is common in schools where the culture is not defined. Some teachers dive into inquiry, others will dip their toes, while the remainder hide under their umbrella. All we can do is move closer to our goals and be a positive example of inquiry in action.

We don't know what we don't know. Our inquiry journey is not the same year to year. In the beginning, we may have relied on scaffolded systems like Genius Hour, which is okay. If you are still using the system with your learners, it's okay. Our goal is to free up the personal inquiry, so the learners are exploring regularly, instead of on Fun Fridays.

We manage the time, not the other way around. We can maximize the experiences within our classrooms by knowing our curriculum well, so we can leverage it as a tool for deeper learning.

I had the absolute pleasure to work with UWC-USA this year for the first time and lead the IB workshop, Creating a Curriculum for Transdisciplinary Learning. This online workshop experience pushed my capacity once again as I had to return to the digital space to learn and share. It's amazing how quickly we lose skills if they are not nurtured and reflected upon.

One of the hallmarks of this workshop is its structure based on the Design Thinking Process. You can learn more here from Tim Brown, the design thinking guru. Educators took these principles and applied them to education.

When I consider making big curricular changes in a school, I use the design thinking process to guide my way.
​

​If you are struggling with understanding how to make transdisciplinary connections, consider taking this workshop.

​I am excited to co-lead with Aga Chojnacka-Al Atat and Kirti Kale a book club for Kath Murdoch's latest title, Getting Personal with Inquiry Learning. I am already several sections into the book and I've found a treasure trove of little gems that resonate deeply to my teaching philosophy.

​Besides educators, parents, leaders, and policymakers, this book has been written for our young people, so they can "experience a stronger personal connection between what they care about and what they are learning at school." Wouldn't it be magical if all educators thought through this lens? Imagine how dynamic school and life would be in the future.

How do we create personal inquiry? First, we must understand what inquiry is and what it means to be personal in order to put them together to create something unique.

"An inquiry is generally driven by questions and these questions may arise from a need, a problem, a puzzle, or an interest." How many of us are truly teaching this to our learners?

"There are numerous contexts and approaches that lend themselves to learning through inquiry. While these may differ in emphasis, they all position learning as an act of exploration and construction." Some of approaches are:
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Play-based learning

Problem-based learning

Project-based learning

Design thinking

Place-based learning

Units of inquiry

There are many more that Kath references, but they are equally fabulous in their own way. It's about our intention and our focus on what and how students learn.

There are so many reasons why we should honor personal inquiry in our practice. Here are some ideas that Kath presented that really stood out at me.

"Curiosity is at the heart of the inquiry classroom. Inquiry both activates and is activated by curiosity."

"Inquiry strengthens transferable skills and dispositions needed throughout our lives."

"The most powerful inquiry is concept-based."

"When learners are engaged in learning with real purpose and real audiences, and are taking real action, they see the relevance and meaning in their learning."

All of these ideas resonated with me, because it reminded me of my learning journey. I can remember a handful of teachers, ironically all strong, independent women, who shaped my identity as a learner. The commonality between all of them is that they asked more than they told, they saw my potential and shared their observations with me, and they gave me time and space to figure things out on my own.

All of the other educators labeled me as an English language learner, shy, Asian, and compliant. They didn't see "me" as a learner, but as a label. Thus, they didn't see my potential.

The last paragraph in this section touched me the most, because you can feel Kath's heart come onto the page. It's what I will leave you with as we close this episode.

"When I sit with a young learner engaged in an exploration of something they really care about and when I can show them that I am there to support that passion, that I am truly with them, listening and learning with them - I feel I am my most authentic self as an educator. These are the moments when I feel my head and heart are working together and when my teaching 'soul' is nurtured. It is an incredibly powerful experience."

​Are you ready to get personal with inquiry learning? I am so honored to be part of this book club where we are delving into Kath Murdoch's new book, Getting Personal with Inquiry Learning. It's a great way to get the mind moving and planning for the next school year during the summer break.

We will be using the book club roles by Misty Paterson, the author of Pop-Up Studio: Responsive Teaching for Today's Learners. I'm excited to take a deeper look at Kath's book through these roles, because it will help us to make more conceptual connections. ​

​As we look at playing with the ATLs, I'm reminded of my friend Vidhya. She is a passionate PYP educator from India. If you are on Twitter in the education community, you have probably run across her many tweets. Ever since last summer, she has opened my eyes to so many possibilities in seeing learning and teaching.

In a recent chat, Vidhya and I were discussing this challenge and the role of the ATLs. She posed an amazing question that got my mind thinking.

What skills do we learn naturally within a purposeful learning space that is designed for play? Not just materials, but play with ideas.

This sparked my curiosity and I had to know more about this idea. Here's where my mind meandered to. When we consider our learning space design, we need to think about the big purpose. Is it to inspire play? Bring about inquiry? Control the learning? Evidence of learning and growth?

All of these considerations greatly impact how the approaches to learning (ATLs) are exhibited to the school community. With purposeful learning spaces focused on play, the learner is able to self-direct their learning pathway by manipulating materials and ideas in their own way.

Why does this matter? More than ever, our learners need to learn how to create their learning identity by mastering and applying a variety of skills in different contexts. These skills will help them to navigate uncertain times and hone problem-solving skills that they will need in the future.

​To bring context to this process, Vidhya shared with me how she encourages her learners to make a personal connection to the ATLS. As part of a unit of inquiry, Vidhya asked her learners to go beyond "learning" the ATLs, but rather applying them to real-life context. Here are some connections that her learners made.

Homework Connections: when beginning any assignment, we have to think about what thinking skills that we will focus on for the task. This helps us to decide which skills we will use from prior learning. Then, we are able to connect to the other ATL skills.

Relationship Connections: we communicate to different people within our community based on their role and age. When we talk with our family members or elders, we speak to them differently than we do with our friends at school. Each relationship is different and we need to have certain skills to know how to interact appropriately.

​
Procedure Connections: we use all categories of the ATLs to create a procedure for an inquiry. We use thinking skills to help us know what type of thinking we will explore: creative or critical. We look at what strategies we want to research and how we will communicate it with the world. Then, we look at how we will become better during the process through self-management and social skills.

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This was a wonderful affirmation to wake up to this morning. When you are venturing into the wild unknown without a handbook, it helps when someone you respect validates that you are on the right track. It's not for praise or likes on social media.

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Videos, Growth Mindset and Math, Jo Boaler's youcubed

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Videos, Growth Mindset and Math, Jo Boaler's youcubed

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Mindset Boosting Videos Archives - YouCubed

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Inspire ALL Students with Open, Creative Mindset Mathematics

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Julie Stern's podcast takes you deeper into concepts

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This podcast is all about helping educators and students become better sensemakers and innovators. Each week, we interview experts to uncover the concepts and patterns that help us organize our world. We hope this podcast will inspire our listeners to design creative solutions to complex problems and accelerate innovation in today's schools.

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This podcast is all about helping educators and students become better sensemakers and innovators. Each week, we interview experts to uncover the concepts and patterns that help us organize our world. We hope this podcast will inspire our listeners to design creative solutions to complex problems...

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Resources to support a deeper focus on transfer and concepts

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PYP planning from around the world. Join free to get inspired by PYP educators. Unit planners and Learning Experiences made by PYP educators.

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Toddle Community Welcome home, PYP educators!

Built by PYPers from around the world, Toddle community is your very own space to learn, share, connect, collaborate, and simply belong!

*Only available for IB PYP educators

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Toddle Community - Where PYP Educators Learn, Share, Connect & Create | Toddleapp.com

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Toddle Community Welcome home, PYP educators! Built by PYPers from around the world, Toddle community is your very own space to learn, share, connect, collaborate, and simply belong! *Only available for IB PYP educators

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Learn more about PYP from IB

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Nano PD to support candidacy and authorization, FREE IB Training

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Nano PD to support candidacy and authorization, FREE IB Training

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Learn more about becoming an authorized IB school

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Video, The Structure of Knowledge and Process

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Video, The Structure of Knowledge and Process

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Connecting CONCEPTS to the curriculum

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Putting it all together