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Hi everyone!

My name is Corita Silapan, but please feel free to call me Corita.

I am currently based in Jakarta, Indonesia, and I’ve had the privilege of living in this beautiful country for 20 years.

Before being introduced to the PYP, I was a preschool teacher at a Montessori school and later taught primary students at a Singapore school. My journey with the PYP began in 2007, and for the past 17 years, I have been fully immersed in this educational framework. I also serve as a face-to-face workshop leader, a member of site visit teams, and have facilitated online workshops since 2013. Working with talented educators like you from across the world is something I truly enjoy.

Outside of my professional life, I am a devoted mother to two wonderful daughters and cherish spending quality time with my family, especially on weekends, with my husband and kids.

I’m excited about facilitating this workshop, as it provides a unique opportunity to learn alongside incredible educators. I’m really looking forward to embarking on this learning journey with all of you.

I can’t wait to meet you on December 7!

Warm regards,
Corita

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Kindly post your name, current school role, your story as an educator, your expertise, professional passions and the general contributions you can make to your team.

If you are a new PYP teacher, please reflect on your understanding so far - how this school experience differs from others you may have had.

Engage by writing a post, uploading photos or drawings or adding a video.

Looking forward to meeting you all here (initially :-)).

Best Regards,
Corita

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https://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2015/12/19/a-room-with-a-view-to-learning/

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Classroom design is about more than colourful walls, polished desks and stylish furniture. A University of Salford study of more than 3,000 students discovered that a "well-designed classroom" has a substantial impact on learning. The effect may be most profound among PYP and MYP-age students, though the principles of good design are applicable across all ages.

In addition to good lighting, air quality, temperature and sound, researchers found that outdoor space can stimulate a range of different developmental areas: as well as encouraging social skills including empathy, it may positively affect cognitive and physical development.

Student input is important, too. The study identified a sense of ownership as one of the top three influencing factors of classroom design. When students feel ownership of the classroom, through displays of their work, this can lead to greater participation and involvement in the learning process.

Colourful environments have significant effects on learning and wellbeing, according to the study. Plain surroundings tend to under-stimulate students, which can lead to restlessness and difficulty concentrating. Over-use of very bright colours, however, can also negatively impact learning, so it's important to strike a balance in terms of visual complexity.

Goodbye, rows of desks!

Three years ago, a professional development conference inspired Adam Turner, a PYP teacher at Prairie Waters Elementary School, Canada, to transform his classroom. Where previously students sat at rows of desks, they now sit in groups at large tables, or on a carpeted area with cushions and two comfortable chairs, depending on discussions. "Our discussions are much more enriching," says Turner. "More often, students don't sit at their desks."

Meanwhile, Ben Toettcher, Director of educational company Skola Group, based the classroom design of Newland College, UK, on a Harkness-inspired round-table set-up. Desks with seating for 14 MYP students are arranged in an ellipse - or oval shape - with a console in the middle, similar to a boardroom. Teachers can switch between direct instruction, using the console, and whole class discussions.

"The main feedback we get from students is that they feel they are heard," says Toettcher. "Since we opened the school at the start of September this year, certain students have become visibly more confident. Parents are especially happy that, with this set-up, it is impossible for their children to feel lost in a class and disengaged."

Asking the students

Harnoop Bhogal, PYP Coordinator, and Olivia Shilvock, PYP teacher, both at the International School of Siena in Italy, have asked their grade 5 class to redesign their classroom for a unit on identity and learning styles.

To see how they learn best for different activities, the room has been sectioned into different zones, including a daylight area; a comfortable seating area with clipboards; a personal display space where the students can add objects throughout the unit; a music station with headphones; and a mathematics area, which is sometimes split to include a science area.

"The students have shown a very sensible approach to the new space," says Shilvock. "I did think that they would all want to sit on the cushions and fight over the headphones but they are already showing different preferences and making suggestions. Some went straight for the mathematics area and started to 'play' with the items there, some went straight to the light area and said they loved it, some went for the music. It was a lovely reaction."

But careful consideration has to be given to the display of certain objects. A study led by the University of Washington discovered that symbolic objects can reinforce gender stereotypes and can cause diversity and inclusivity difficulties. For example, researchers suggested that prominently displaying pictures of past US presidents - who are uniformly white and male - represented a negative stereotype for females and minorities.

Resisting change

Although change is exciting, it isn't always easy.

There is an adjustment period at the beginning of each year, says Turner. Not having a designated storage spot at their desk or a set seat each day is a shock for many new students.

But, as they become accustomed to their environment, students question how they learn best. "Most students gain a better understanding of when is a good time to sit in groups and work or when they need to focus on their own and find a quiet spot," says Turner. "We reflect on which subjects and learning times are best in big groups at a table, and which are best in their own individual realm."

Flexibility must be a key design requirement within school builds, according to the University of Salford study. Classrooms with clear breakout zones were found to have a positive impact on learning. But separate zones, away from the classroom, appear to be ineffective.

Turner rearranges his classroom depending on the lesson. "The large tables allow students to work in groups with ample room, as well as act as good 'staging areas' for sharing work. If we need a large space to convene for class discussions and activities, the tables are easy to move," he explains.

"When students recently shared their mid-unit assessment, we made a 'circle' of the tables - presenters on the inside, observers around the outside."

Teachers no longer feel they are tied to a one-size-fits-all classroom. For many, the traditional row of tables facing a chalkboard is no longer fit for purpose. As well as looking creative, comfy seats on a colourful carpet might be the beginning of a more collaborative way of working.
Tell us how you've changed your classroom and how this has impacted your students' learning: email editor@ibo.org

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Classroom design is about more than colourful walls, polished desks and stylish furniture. A University of Salford study of more than 3,000 students discovered that a "well-designed classroom" has a substantial impact on learning. The effect may be most profound among PYP and MYP-age students, though the principles of good design are applicable across all ages.

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https://blogs.ibo.org/sharingpyp/?s=Revising+central+ideas:+Adopting+a+transdisciplinary+perspective&submit=Search

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Day 2 reflection: I used to think but now I think...

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Day 2 reflection: I used to think but now I think...

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https://blogs.ibo.org/sharingpyp/?s=Developing+approaches+to+learning+(ATL)&submit=Search

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For example: "What do you think inspired the writer to come up with such designs? (perspective)

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Please post your photograph(s) below. In the comment section, type a question and classify your question into one of the seven key concepts.

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Please post your photograph(s) below. In the comment section, type a question and classify your question into one of the seven key concepts.

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Ladder activity: use this template. Upload your work below

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Ladder activity: use this template. Upload your work below

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Individual activity: Design an inclusive learning space: Upload your work below

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Individual activity: Design an inclusive learning space: Upload your work below

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Clock Partners Instructional Strategy - Tales from Outside the Classroom

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Clock partners is a valuable classroom engagement strategy that helps you create differentiated partnerships quickly and easily.

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What Is a Venn Diagram?

A Venn diagram is an illustration that uses circles to show the relationships among things or finite groups of things. Circles that overlap have a commonality while circles that do not overlap do not share those traits.

Venn diagrams help to visually represent the similarities and differences between two concepts. They have long been recognized for their usefulness as educational tools. Since the mid-20th century, Venn diagrams have been used as part of the introductory logic curriculum and in elementary-level educational plans around the world.

Key Takeaways

Understanding Venn Diagrams

Venn diagrams are useful for illustrating how different concepts or factors intersect with one another. They can show, at a glance, how things are similar or different and where and how they overlap. Often, the center of a Venn diagram (the intersection of two or more circles) represents some nexus or main idea that can be decomposed into the various other circles, with labels on the outer portions more general and distinct ideas than those toward the center.

The overlapping areas can also be used to show where two otherwise disparate contexts share commonalities. For instance, in the example diagram below we see that while the urban and rural contexts are distinct with their own set of acivities, they also do share sporting events.

Venn Diagram Components

While there are many ways to organize a Venn diagram, they most often consist of overlapping circles. Each circle by itself represents a set, which may include ideas, concepts, numbers, or objects.

When circles overlap or intersect, those sub-sets that are shared are known as a union or intersection. Areas that don't overlap show differences between sets, and a complement set refers to everything not shared by a particular set or sub-set.

The History and Origin of Venn Diagrams

The English logician John Venn popularized the diagram in the 1880s. He called them Eulerian circles after the Swiss mathematician Leonard Euler, who created similar diagrams in the 1700s.

The term Venn diagram did not appear until 1918 when Clarence Lewis, an American academic philosopher and the eventual founder of conceptual pragmatism, referred to the circular depiction as the Venn diagram in his book A Survey of Symbolic Logic.

Venn studied and taught logic and probability theory at Cambridge University, where he developed his method of using diagrams to illustrate the branch of mathematics known as set theory. He published a precedent-setting work, The Logic of Chance, which explained the frequency theory of probability. In it, he argued that probability, contrary to popular assumption, should be established based on the regularity with which something is predicted to occur. In another book, Symbolic Logic, Vennbuilt on and developed mathematician George Boole's theories on algebra. This work helped him develop the Venn diagram.

Applications for Venn Diagrams

Venn diagrams are used to depict how items relate to each other against an overall backdrop, universe, data set, or environment. A Venn diagram could be used, for example, to compare two companies within the same industry by illustrating the products both companies offer (where circles overlap) and the products that are exclusive to each company (outer circles).

Venn diagrams are, at a basic level, simple pictorial representations of the relationship that exists between two sets of things. However, they can be much more complex. Still, the streamlined purpose of the Venn diagram to illustrate concepts and groups has led to their popularized use in many fields, including statistics, linguistics, logic, education, computer science, and business.

Examples of Venn Diagrams

A Venn diagram could be drawn to illustrate fruits that come in red or orange colors. Below, we can see that there are orange fruits (circle B) such as persimmons and tangerines while apples and cherries (circle A) come in red colors. Peppers and tomatoes come in both red and orange colors, as represented by the overlapping area of the two circles.

You might also draw a Venn diagram to help decide which of two cars to purchase. The Venn diagram shows the features that are exclusive to each car and the features that both cars have.

Below, we see that Car A is a sedan that's powered by gasoline and gets 20 miles per gallon, while Car B is a hybrid, gets 40 miles-per-gallon for mileage, and is a hatchback.

The shaded region where the two circles overlap shows the features that both cars have in common, which include a radio, four doors, Bluetooth capability, and airbags.

The Venn diagram graphically conveys the similarities and differences between the two cars to help decide which to purchase.

What Is a Venn Diagram in Math?

A Venn diagram in math is used in logic theory and set theory to show various sets or data and their relationship with each other.

How Do You Read a Venn Diagram?

A Venn diagram is read by observing all of the circles that make up the entire diagram. Each circle is its own item or data set. The portions of the circles that overlap indicate the areas that are in common amongst the different items whereas the parts that do not overlap indicate unique traits among the item or data set represented by the circle.

Why Are They Called Venn Diagrams?

They are called Venn diagrams because the diagram was developed by John Venn, an English logician.

What Is the Middle of a Venn Diagram Called?

The middle of a Venn diagram where two or more sets overlap is known as the intersection.

Does a Venn Diagram Always Use 2 or 3 Circles?

While often employing a pair or triplet of circles, Venn diagram can use any number of circles (or any other shape) to show the differences and intersections of different sets.

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What Is a Venn Diagram? Components, Examples, and Applications

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A Venn diagram is an illustration that uses circles to show the commonalities and differences between things or groups of things.

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Learn what a visual metaphor is and how they are used. Review the definition, their effectiveness, and examples of visual metaphors in art and advertising.

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The Frayer Model was developed by Dorothy Frayer, Wayne Fredrick, and Herbert Klausmeier back in 1969. I believe I first heard of this model through my pal David Chung. Here's how The Frayer Model works.

Concepts

First, the Frayer Model is for teaching a concept. A theme I've noticed in the work of education researchers in the 1960s was moving students toward thinking about concepts, not just facts. I find it amazing that, in the 21st century, we're still struggling to move away from isolated facts and towards bigger, abstract thinking - despite all of the work done 50-60+ years ago. I think, as a rookie teacher, I would have struggled to even explain the difference between a "concept" and a "fact."

Facts are isolated details. They're easy to test on a multiple-choice exam!

Earth is the 3rd planet from the sun.

A triangle has three sides.

Noble Gasses have a full outer shell of valence electrons.

Concepts are more abstract. They will contain facts and examples. Because they're abstract, they're difficult to define. You can't directly draw a concept, but you could create a symbol.

(Update: Ok, I've had emails. Yes, you can draw a specific planet, but then you're not drawing the concept of "planet." You're drawing the concrete idea of Jupiter. You can draw Asia, but you can't draw "continent.")

Here's how The Frayer Model helps to fully explain a concept to students - and helps me, as the teacher, better understand a concept!

Four Pieces

There are four pieces to the Frayer Model. When we introduce a concept to students, we will include:

Definition - This is (hopefully) self-explanatory, but it's worth noting that a mere definition is just the starting point. On its own, a definition is insufficient. That's why we have three more pieces. If you use Depth and Complexity, this might be the concept's 🏠 Big Idea.

Essential Characteristics - What are some specific 🌻 Details that will refine the possibly vague definition?

Examples. Give a few specific examples of this concept. I've seen folks use the ⏸️ Parallels content imperative as a symbol here.

Non-Examples are things that this term or concept do not apply to. I love non-examples and they're such an underutilized way to clear up a definition! You could use the ↔️ Paradox content imperative for this section.

It works for any concept, no matter the sophistication or content area. Here are three samples: "hero," "lake," and "prime number." But you could use the Frayer Model to deeply understand concepts as wide-ranging as "quadratic equation" and "Shakespearean sonnet."

Example for "Hero"

Definition: the chief character in a story who typically possesses courage and other noble qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize.

Essential Characteristics

Begins the story in a humble state

Often encounters a problem too big for them

Learns and grows during the journey to solve the problem

Meets a mentor along their journey

Finds friends to support them

Successfully solves the problem

Returns home as a new person

Examples

Dorothy Gale (Wizard of Oz)

Harry Potter (um, Harry Potter)

Frodo Baggins (Lord of the Rings)

Rey (Star Wars)

Marlin (Finding Nemo)

Non-Examples

The Tin Man (Wizard of Oz)

Dobby the House Elf (Harry Potter)

Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)

BB-8 (Star Wars)

Crush the Turtle (Finding Nemo)

Example for "Lake"

Definition: a large body of water surrounded by land

Example for "Prime Number"

Definition: a natural number greater than 1 that cannot be formed by multiplying two smaller natural numbers

Non-Examples

Other Uses

Now, the examples above were all typical school subjects, but you could use the Frayer Model to explain meta-topics. Create a Frayer Model for each of the prompts of Depth and Complexity.

Depth and Complexity tool of 🚦 Rules

Definition: the laws, expectations, or hierarchies in a topic that need to be obeyed.

Characteristics: if broken, there will be consequences; not always written down; can be changed; often created by people in charge;

Examples: "No running on the blacktop," "triangles must have three sides," "(unwritten) no climbing Mr. Byrd's bookshelf and jumping onto his desk"

Non-Examples: "Bring in a tissue box if you have extras," "some rectangles have congruent sides and some don't," "I weigh 155lbs"

Are you using a Universal Theme? The Frayer Model would be great for introducing Power, for example:
Universal Theme of 🏠 Power

Definition: the capacity to influence other people or things (this is so tricky to create!)

Characteristics: may be physical, emotional, or intellectual; can be natural or learned;

Examples: tsunami, money, a queen, language, electricity, etc.

Non-Examples: a speck of dust, a baby, a broken windmill (yes, you could argue against all of these! 😆)

When I first learned of the Frayer Model, I saw David Chung use it to define disciplines in the "Think Like A..." framework. You can see his work here under the Historian, Linguist, etc. links. Summarizing one of his examples:
Think Like a 👓 Linguist

Definition: Linguists study sounds, words, and phrases as well as the history and culture of languages.

Characteristics: Consider the cause and effect of history, culture, and etymology on a language.

Example Task: Consider the way modern languages change and are influenced by cultural trends (David lists more example tasks).

Non-Example Statements: (David doesn't have this category, so I made this up) "Old words are not worth using"; "Big words are too hard"; "I'm more of a math person";

You could create a Frayer Model to explain class expectations ("courtesy," "service," or "conscientiousness" might be great concepts to define) or to define what, exactly, a "teacher" is - and what's a "student"?

Wrap Up

Compare a complete Frayer Model to a mere definition and I'm sure you'll see how powerful it is to offer essential characteristics, examples, and non-examples. Sometimes it even pushes me as the teacher to clarify what the concept really means!

Oh, and here's a commonly used graphic organizer to represent the Frayer Model (PDF).

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Fully Explain Concepts with The Frayer Model

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The Frayer Model was developed by Dorothy Frayer, Wayne Fredrick, and Herbert Klausmeier back in 1969. I believe I first heard of this model through my pal David Chung. Here's how The Frayer Model works. First, the Frayer Model is for teaching a concept.

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Colour-Symbol-Image: Upload your work below

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Colour-Symbol-Image: Upload your work below

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​The Colour Symbol Image routine asks learners to:

read, watch or listen carefully to a stimulus

identify and distill the essence of ideas

represent big ideas using a colour, symbol and image

justify and explain reasons for their choices

Documenting Thinking In this routine, students are generally sharing their thinking at each step along the way before moving on to the next one. This allows the class to build on the group's thinking and often results in richer discussions.
It can be very useful to document the thinking at each stage. If you are wanting to document thinking as your students engage with the routine Colour Symbol Image then this template may be useful.

THE ROUTINE IN ACTION

Here are some examples of how this routine can be integrated into the curriculum:

English: exploring characters and the impact they have on a text

Mathematics: connecting to a mathematical concept

Science: connecting to a scientific concept

4th Grade Color-Symbol-Image in Action from Bemis Elementary School on Vimeo.

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​The Colour Symbol Image routine asks learners to: read, watch or listen carefully to a stimulus identify and distill the essence of ideas represent big ideas using a colour, symbol and image...

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You and your team members can learn how to separate thinking into six clear functions and roles. Each thinking role is identified with a colored symbolic "thinking hat." By mentally wearing and switching "hats," you can easily focus or redirect thoughts, the conversation, or the meeting.

Using Six Thinking Hats®, you and your team will learn how to use a disciplined process which will...

Maximize productive collaboration and minimize counterproductive interaction/behavior

Consider issues, problems, decisions, and opportunities systematically

Use Parallel Thinking as a group or team to generate more, better ideas and solutions

Make meetings much shorter and more productive

Reduce conflict among team members or meeting participants

Stimulate innovation by generating more and better ideas quickly

Create dynamic, results oriented meetings that make people want to participate

Go beyond the obvious to discover effective alternate solutions

Spot opportunities where others see only problems

Think clearly and objectively

View problems from new and unusual angles

Make thorough evaluations

See all sides of a situation

Keep egos and "turf protection" in check

Achieve significant and meaningful results in a less time

Significant Applications for the Parallel Thinking Process of Six Thinking Hats

Leadership Development

Team Productivity, Alignment and Communication

Creative and innovative thinking

Meeting leadership and decision making

Product and Process Improvement, and Project Management

Critical, Analytical Thinking and Problem-Solving

Organizational Change/Performance

Wherever High Performance Thinking and Action is needed

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You and your team members can learn how to separate thinking into six clear functions and roles. Each thinking role is identified with a colored symbolic "thinking hat." By mentally wearing and switching "hats," you can easily focus or redirect thoughts, the conversation, or the meeting.

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Hi, my name is Colten Schmidt and this is my 3rd year as a full time teacher. I have taught general education at a Waldorf school for 2 years, volunteered teaching English and UN SDG's in Nepal, Brazil, and Spain, as well as other informal/after school/outdoor education programs.

I currently teach English and IB classes at HKHQ school here. One of the reasons I came to China was to get involved in a new IB candidate school and to travel :)

My background is in social and cultural psychology and I have my masters in psychology of intercultural relations from University Institute of Lisbon. I also have a teaching license and plan to pursue further continuing education.

I really like the lofty goals and inquiry/critical thinking based model of IB education to educate global citizens that help make the world a better, more peaceful place. So yeah, that's why I'm here. Looking forward to the training :)

Colten

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Hey guys, Cristina here and I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining this workshop! I'm Filipino, born and raised in Macau, so I consider Macau as my home.

I knew at a very early age that teaching wasn't for me. I went to a traditional Catholic school from primary to college; I was done with the ridiculous rules and just couldn't wait to get out.

That changed when I became a mother. I witnessed so many milestones and each time, I felt a sense of fulfillment. I eventually decided to quit my stagnant job at the airport and pursue a career in education.

I took up a Post-Graduate Certificate in Infant Education and a TEFL certificate, and got a part time job teaching English in a learning center. I worked during the day, and took classes at night. It was extremely exhausting juggling school, work, and being a mom, but hey, for the first time in a long while, I was happy.

Fast forward to today, I'm now one of the English teachers at Hengqin School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School.

We've attended IB workshops before but back then I didn't really know what to expect so I'm particularly excited about this one because I now have questions I want to ask after a few months of trying to do inquiry with the learners.

Btw, my gallery is filled with my kids' photos now so the photo I attached is from one of my last few travels pre-pandemic/kids.

See you all tomorrow!

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Hi! My name is Andreina and I currently work as a Kingeraten One teacher. I began teaching by helping at my families' daycares during my summer vacations. I really enjoyed working as an after-school teacher after I graduated High School and took some Child Development courses in college, which motivated me to choose a career in teaching. I also wanted to become a teacher because in California, where I grew up, most teachers were American and nobody looked like me. I wanted to represent my Latino community and make a difference in children's lives.

I am a new PYP teacher and have been working hard to implement inquiry based learning in my teaching. As of now, I think using this method is difficult with very young learners who do not speak English, however I am sure I will be able to improve with time. I love to make learning fun and exciting for students.

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Hello everyone, my name is Ema. I am currently the librarian in the school.

I am from Macao And spent Six years in Beijing for university. When I was in Beijing, I had some experiences In teaching kids in church and cooperate with some teachers from international school. At that time I found out that I am interesting in education. Therefore, After I got my master degree, I took another teaching course and applied for the school. I knew about IB and PYP Before, but it’s my first time to dive into it.

I consider myself as a creative and risk-taken person. Since I love to try new stuff, especially in art or music area, like I love to do oil painting , ceramic In my spare time, and also I love to play piano and some other instruments like guitar. I wish I can have a chance to combine what I enjoy with teaching to the kids.

Hope I can Have a clear concept on PYP and more details on how to do it with students on Saturday. Can’t wait to have this training, thank you very much.

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Hello everyone, my name’s Dmitrii Fomin but everyone here in Zhuhai calls me Tim, which is a derivative from the original Russian name.

My background is in English translation for electric and oil industry and teaching English to corporate management back home in Yekaterinburg and Moscow.

I have a masters degree in translation and a bachelor’s degree in teaching from universities in Russia and the US.

I started teaching in 2013 but moving to China in 2016 has set me on an entirely different career path in early education. It was rough at first, I did not speak any Chinese nor was I acquainted with local culture in any way. Since then, I never spent a day without teaching young learners.

8 years later, here I am, signed up for a teacher training course and I’m excited!

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Inquirers in Library-Ema

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A net

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Color - green, symbolizing growth and health. Symbol - arrow, symbolizing a process, a movement forward. An image - our planet in a continuous cycle of growth and change, same as the humanity on it.