-         I also think agency is supported by allowing for the use of graphic organizer of choice in response to learning engagement

-         Agency is also supported in the flexibility to learn. Allowing participants to engage in each activity at their own speed. 
- The opportunity to collaborate gives participants the freedom to express themselves (VOICE)
- Participants have ownership of their on-going reflection and how this is used to improve their practice (OWNERSHIP)

 

I am understanding that learning is organized around transdisciplinary themes in order to form authentic and meaningful connections.

I am also understanding that Students experience deeper learning and start thinking outside the box when presented with different aspects of the same subject across various disciplines.

-         I also think agency is supported by allowing for the use of graphic organizer of choice in response to learning engagement

-         Agency is also supported in the flexibility to learn. Allowing participants to engage in each activity at their own speed. 
- The opportunity to collaborate gives participants the freedom to express themselves (VOICE)
- Participants have ownership of their on-going reflection and how this is used to improve their practice (OWNERSHIP)

There are six transdisciplinary themes that are developed through collaborative planning process that defines the starting point for student inquiries. The program of inquiry is dynamic and takes into account student interests

How are you applying your learning about transdisciplinarity in your school?

To introduce a new unit, we begin by scaffold students’ prior knowledge with a KWL chart, or a mind map. This helps to identify what the students' base knowledge is, what they want to learn, and something new they are learning. Through these graphic organizers, we are able to make connections between individual subject area.

 How are you using concepts to help students make meanings and connections in their learning?

With our unit on the body, the central idea was "Knowing about how our body works helps us to take steps to keep healthy". The students made connections to this broad concept in art, when they needed to properly move to safely and purposefully use different materials, in P.E., when they saw how focusing on patiently exercising their bodies built up their balance and stamina, in music, when they had to focus on moving their bodies precisely to make music, etc.

 

 

 

 

 With our ‘Sharing the Planet’ unit, we explore how people make choices that can change the environment using the Earth's resources. One of the lines of inquiry is ‘the impact of people's choices on the environment’ and the focus is on ‘Recycling and pollution’. A quick topic and one that children could relate to was ‘paper waste’. 

Students were able to make connections when they started thinking about reducing paper waste. In Math, they did data handling by collecting and counting how many papers we used during the week, and this included drawing paper, toilet paper, and pages of our notebooks. they drew a chart of paper usage and determined the percentage. In English, they wrote about the different ways they could reduce paper waste in the classroom, and they made posters on how they can reduce, reuse and recycle which was posted across the grade level. In art they made their own paper using recycled paper waste they had collected.
 
 students also began taking action. For example, during this topic, children were able to identify a common problem of paper waste which was a real-life situation that they are part of. They developed their critical thinking and understood that there is more than one way of solving a problem which in this case was to either reduce, recycle or reuse. They then took action by creating a poster which was posted around the school.
 
 
 

How are the ATL developing students’ skills to think, research, communicate, socialize and manage themselves effectively?

Throughout the units of inquiry, at least two ATL skills are chosen and taught explicitly to the students. At every center in the classroom, children are prompted to consider which skills they are applying and how these skills are growing.

Reading through the PYP principles and practice and collaborating with fellow participants, my understanding and critical thinking has evolved, and I have gained more insight on how to implement the PYP in my practice. Before now, I have been learning on the Job as an IA and right now I can confidently say that I have gained a sound understanding of how to effectively implement the PYP as a homeroom teacher. 

 

It has been exciting to learn about developing global citizens through the IBO learner profile and how to embed international mindedness in learning and teaching.  I have also gained insights on how to approach the planning of UOI. As well as understanding the Diverse ways of knowing, doing, and thinking are supported by a well-designed learning environment.

 

 In what ways can I apply learning from this workshop in my own learning and teaching?

 

This workshop has offered practical ideas that I can use in the classroom. My major takeaway is creating an inclusive learning environment that promotes learner agency. I am also looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues, share ideas and understand what they are doing in their classrooms, inquire how collaboration is taking place amongst their students, the challenges they encounter and how they tackle these challenges. 

 

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 How has agency been supported and nurtured through this workshop?

      I think agency is supported through the use of different activities and giving the participants the freedom to choose a persona of choice to assist in response to the learning engagement. (CHOICE)

-         I also think agency is supported by allowing for the use of graphic organizers of choice in response to learning engagement

-         Agency is also supported in the flexibility to learn. Allowing participants to engage in each activity at their own speed. 
 - The opportunity to collaborate gives participants the freedom to express themselves (VOICE)
 - Participants have ownership of their on-going reflection and how this is used to improve their practice (OWNERSHIP)