As announced by Dr. Kimball in December, ISP started the process to become a full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum school. This means that in addition to the DP (Diploma Programme) that has been in place for over 25 years, ISP will adopt and implement the PYP (Primary Years Programme) in our elementary school, the MYP (Middle Years Programme) in grades 6-10, and we will add the CP (Career Related Programme) as an option for students in grades 11 -12. During the winter break, we received official notification that we have been accepted as a candidate school for the IB PYP and MYP programmes.
While our ISP and IB mission and pedagogical practices are very well aligned, there are a number of training and systems adjustments required for us to become fully authorized (goal is by Dec 2023.) We are excited to further our collective capacity by learning from our internal expertise of current Diploma Programme teachers and those who have taught PYP and MYP in the past. In addition, we are already learning from the candidate process through online courses, consultants, networks and shared resources.
On Monday 10 January 2022, during our Professional Learning Day, faculty worked in cross-sectional groups making sense of the most updated IB Standards & Practices and by looking at implementation ideas from IB schools around the world. A common theme we heard across the school was a reassurance that this shift is very in line with who we are and what we are already doing. As an end of day reflection faculty used the thinking routine ‘I used to think, now I think’:
- “I used to think this would be mostly bureaucratic, but now I think there are creative ways to try new things.”
- “I used to think we had a far way to go, now I think we have done many things and we have an opportunity to make them better.”
- “I used to think IB schools all had to look exactly the same, but now I think this is a framework and we can be innovative within that framework.”
We highlight the following four key components of the IB learning framework, how they connect to our Learning@ISP and some current pictures of those happening at ISP.
Inquiry & Curiosity
IB Standards & Practices:
- Students exercise the flexibility, perseverance and confidence they need to bring about positive change in the wider community and beyond.
- Teachers use inquiry, action and reflection to develop natural curiosity in students.
ISP Profile & Principles: Changemakers
- Learners’ Curiosity drives what and how they learn.
- Learners persist with relevant and rich challenges.
Communicators, Thinkers, Team Players
IB Standards & Practices:
- Students identify and foster healthy relationships, an understanding of shared responsbility, and the ability to collaborate effectively.
- Teachers promote effective relationships and purposeful collaboration to create a positive and dynamic learning community
ISP Profile & Learning Principles: Competent, Compassionate
- Learners feel a sense of safety and belonging.
- Learners know where they are as learners and how to go further.
Lifelong Skills and Concepts
IB Standards & Practices:
- Students actively develop thinking, research, communication, social and self-management skills.
- Teachers focus on conceptual understanding to support students in developing their ideas.
ISP Profile & Learning Principles: Competent Changemakers
- Learners apply their learning in diverse and challenging contexts.
- Learners know where they are as learners and how to go further.
We look forward to parents joining us on this journey of making sense of the PYP and MYP programmes as we continue to enhance the learning for all learners, young and old.
