Elementary School (pyp)
Elementary School (pyp)
We follow IB PYP programs across Grades Kindergarten to 6. IB programs aim to provide an education that enables students to make sense of the complexities of the world around them, as well as equipping them with the skills and dispositions needed for taking responsible action for the future. They provide an education that crosses disciplinary, cultural, national and geographical boundaries, and that champions critical engagement, stimulating ideas and meaningful relationships. This helps our students to ask challenging questions, think critically, learn across disciplines, and develop research skills.
We have developed Schoolwide Learner Outcomes which are the attributes of IB Learner Profile that all teachers help their students strive toward. We follow the AERO standards, which are approved by the U.S. State Department’s Office of Overseas Schools, and provide a framework for us to work from. We utilize internationally-recognized summative and formative assessments. And we get to know each student as an individual so that our curriculum and instruction can help guide them to think deeply, question thoughtfully, and reach their goals.
The IB PYP programme is inquiry-based and concept-driven. Students develop knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and the attributes of the IB learner profile to make a positive difference in their own lives, their communities, and beyond.
Students demonstrate agility and imagination to respond to new and unexpected challenges and opportunities and take action for a better and more peaceful world.
We focus on developing students’ academic, social and emotional wellbeing, focusing on international-mindedness. We aim to have independent and collaborative learners, who have voice, choice and ownership in their own learning.
With student agency, the learning community collaborates to uncover conceptual understandings and achieve academic excellence. This practice produces critical and creative thinkers, problem-posers and solvers, and makes for effective communicators and happy inquirers.
The students inquire into 6 units of inquiry under the IB PYP transdisciplinary themes that will provide students with authentic learning experiences that are not confined to the boundaries of traditional subjects. These inquiries are in-depth and usually last for 6 weeks. They make transdisciplinary connections to Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies through these units.
Students also get an opportunity to participate in the PHE program (Physical and Health Education), Music, Visual Arts, Foreign Language (Spanish & French) and Entrepreneurship Program.
Unit of Inquiry
The students inquire into a central idea guided by lines of inquiry and it usually lasts for 6 weeks. They explore concepts which are broad, abstract, timeless and universal. The units are based on social and science concepts.
Each unit has a central idea which is connected to the transdisciplinary themes.The central idea is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant. Each unit has three or four lines of inquiry. The lines of inquiry help unpack the central idea and guide students deep dive into the inquiry. The 7 Key concepts (form, function, change, causation, connection, perspective & responsibility) facilitate planning and promote student-constructed inquiries. Related concepts are subject focused and extend learning, develop deeper understanding, and create different perspectives.