IB Notes from Amy Highsmith

Amy Highsmith, IB/PYP Coordinator
Brown International
(720) 424-9287 / amy_highsmith@dpsk12.org

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November 16, 2007

Why is Brown International Called an IB Candidate School?

The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) has a formal process and timeline for schools that want to become official IB World Schools. Brown International is currently about two-thirds through the candidacy phase. We began the process three years ago by examining the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) philosophy and curriculum to see if it would meet the needs of our school community.

Once the commitment to implement the IB PYP was made by school and district administrators, the Revitalization Committee, and the school community, the majority of the school staff attended Level 1 PYP training.  At this time, the formal application process began with Application A. After IBO’s acceptance of Application A, Brown was considered an IB candidate school.  For the last two years, Brown has worked toward putting the PYP into action.  This involves sending teachers to regional IB Workshops, planning collaboratively, and writing an entire programme of inquiry unique to our school. Last fall, Brown received support from an IB consultant who visited the school to provide feedback and advice about the implementation of the programme.

We are currently busily underway in the next step of the process. Application B will be submitted December 1, 2007. Included in this application are detailed documents supporting our implementation of the PYP philosophy and programme of inquiry. Sometime in the late spring or early fall of 2008, an IB authorization team will visit Brown to “ensure that the candidate school is genuinely committed to the pursuit of excellence in international education and, in particular, the philosophy of the PYP.” Approximately 6 weeks later, we will learn of our authorization status.  In some cases, there are concerns regarding implementation, and authorization is postponed until the necessary adjustments are made.

Once authorization is granted, Brown International will be considered an official IB World School. After authorization, schools are formally evaluated by the IBO in 3-5 year increments.

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November 2, 2007

Understanding the PYP: Transdisciplinary Skills

The essential elements of the PYP include: knowledge, concepts, attitudes, transdisciplinary skills, and action. This week we will look at transdisciplinary skills.

 “The search for understanding is central to the beliefs and practices of the PYP.  However, the emphasis on the development of conceptual understanding does not preclude a recognition of the importance of developing skills.”

-Making the PYP Happen, 2007

While working on units of inquiry, students are asked to do a variety of rigorous tasks in their quest for understanding.  Of course we have high expectations of our students when it comes to reading, writing, and math skills.  Without these core skills, it is difficult for students to access the content in their units of inquiry.

Across the grade levels, students will conduct research to answer questions and solve problems.  We teach students to think critically, and to take their understandings and apply them in new ways to all aspects of their life.  Students will find themselves working in a variety of roles, and in different situations; sometimes independently, sometimes in groups. 

Because social and emotional growth is also a focus with the PYP, we want students to be aware of their behaviors and be able to reflect and change as they grow. The PYP identifies specific skills in the following areas that teachers look to develop throughout their units of inquiry: Communication Skills, Thinking Skills, Self-management Skills, Social Skills and Research Skills.  From ECE to fifth grade, students will be exposed to wide range of skills within these areas, helping them create a toolbox that will help them to be successful both personally and academically as they move forward.

Many teachers use the suitcase graphic to remind students to pack up these skills and take them wherever they go!

October 12, 2007

Transdisciplinary Themes

Above is a graphic that provides a visual of the PYP and this illustrates how we organize instruction at Brown International.  Around the outside of the figure are the six transdisciplinary themes.  Teachers at Brown have planned six Units of inquiry per grade level within the context of these six themes (with the exception of ECE, which completes 4 units each year). 

Language, social studies, mathematics, arts, science, and personal, social and physical education represent the body of knowledge we are teaching through our units of inquiry.  Some content areas fit naturally within a specific theme. Who We Are focuses on the self and our beliefs and values. This theme often fits well with Language Arts. Where We Are in Place and Time has a history focus and inquires into personal histories, journeys, and discoveries from local and global perspectives. How We Express Ourselves allows for exploration in the arts. This theme invites expression of ideas, feelings, and values, extending our creativity, and appreciating the aesthetic. A unit of inquiry under How the World Works often is a natural fit for science-based instruction.  This theme supports inquiry into the natural world and its laws, scientific principles, and the impact of technological advances on society and the environment. How We Organize Ourselves is often interdisciplinary with a focus on person, social, and physical education.

Through this theme, students study the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities, economics, and the structure and function of organizations. Sharing the Planet focuses on the rights and responsibilities of a global citizen to share the Earth’s resources. Many content areas can be found through this theme. Even though a unit may be focused on a particular content area, all content areas are interwoven into all units of inquiry. The Colorado State Standards and the Denver Public Schools curriculum, taught daily, fit into this body of knowledge. Teachers use the PYP framework to align content area knowledge into a system that guides students and helps them make sense of their learning.

The inner hexagon represents the essential elements of the PYP: concepts, skills, attitudes, and action.  As you can see, learners constructing meaning is at the center of everything. The PYP firmly believes in a holistic approach that combines all of these essential elements within the learning process.  Look for upcoming newsletters for a more in-depth explanation of each of the essential elements.

If you have any questions about the PYP at Brown International, please contact me!

Thank you for your partnership in your child’s education.

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September 28, 2007

Inquiry

You have probably heard a lot about inquiry and inquiry based teaching when learning about the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP).  The PYP places a lot of importance on its students being inquirers. Teachers are constantly trying to encourage students’ curiosity.  They develop lessons that allow students to wonder, to ask questions, and to identify problems.  Teachers support and guide their students through the process of finding answers. This may involve research, experiments, field trips, or discoveries made through reading or classroom engagements.

Inquiry can be considered an act of students making sense of the world around them; moving from the unknown to the known based on the experiences they encounter every day.  You, as parents and guardians, can encourage your kids to be better inquirers by simply sharing your curiosity of the world with them.  Posing thoughts as questions is an excellent way to get kids thinking and asking their own questions about the world:  Why are the leaves changing colors and beginning to fall from the trees?  Why do you think our dog pants when he is hot?  You can make asking questions and inquiring about the world a part of your family routine. Taking the time to look for answers and to discuss those wonderings together will help kids make sense of the world around them.

I would love to answer any questions you may have about the PYP at Brown International School. We will be hosting an IB Open House Night on November 8, 2007 from 6:30-7:30. Current and prospective parents are welcome to attend!

Thank you for your partnership in your child’s education.

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Sept. 14, 2007

I hear these questions a lot and these are very valid ones to ask! The PYP is the part of IB that includes children from the ages of 3-12. You may have heard of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP) designed for middle and high school students. Each programme has unique aspects but all have common threads under the guidelines of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

You will hear teachers and children using the term unit of inquiry to describe what they are doing in school for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme.  Each grade level team has written six units of inquiry. Each of the six PYP transdisciplinary themes is studied through one of the units of inquiry each year. All six units are taught over the course of a school year (with the exception of ECE which completes four units of inquiry each year).

Each unit of inquiry is based on a central idea that corresponds to one of the transdisciplinary themes. When deciding on a central idea for a unit of inquiry, teachers have to ask themselves, “What big idea and enduring understanding do we want students to come away with at the end of this unit of inquiry?” 

Here’s an example based on a common socials studies topic. Many teachers at traditional schools will have their students study exploration within reference to where the explorers came from, time period, and “discoveries” by the explorers. Teachers looking at the same topic (exploration) through a PYP lens approach the unit in a different way. We ask ourselves, “What is the most important concept we want students to walk away with regarding exploration?” 

As a result, the central idea is: Humans have the desire to explore. This central idea allows students their study of exploration, but it also encourages the inquiry to go much deeper into an understanding of exploration and its effects in all its forms. Another essential component to a unit of inquiry is the inquiries into piece. This provides a scaffold for the central idea. Inquiries into for our fifth grade exploration unit include: motivating factors influencing exploration, impact of exploration on native populations, and the resulting effects on the world community. This leads to an inquiry-based approach to learning and an enduring understanding of exploration at a global level. You may also notice some catchy unit titles that reflect the central ideas of each unit. Our exploration unit is called, “Into the Great Wide Open.” Outside your child’s classroom you will find these key elements for their current unit of inquiry.

Would you like to know what your child did at school today? Ask about the central idea of their first unit of inquiry or an attitude or aspect of the Learner Profile they have learned about this week!

For those of you who do not know me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amy Highsmith and I have spent the last two years teaching fifth grade here at Brown. I have previous experience teaching in a PYP school as well. Prior to coming back to DPS, I taught at the American School Foundation in Mexico City, D.F., Mexico. I truly fell in love with PYP through my teaching experiences there and I am so excited to be the full-time IB coordinator this year. You can find me in Room 116, but I am often out and about throughout the school. Please feel free to contact me via email or leave me a note anytime.

Thank you for your partnership in your child’s education.

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