International International BaccalaureateBaccalaureate

Middle Years ProgramMiddle Years Program

PhilosophyPhilosophy

The IB Middle Years Program is The IB Middle Years Program is focused on students making the focused on students making the transition through adolescence. transition through adolescence. Because they are at a crucial period of Because they are at a crucial period of personal, social, physical and personal, social, physical and intellectual development, the program intellectual development, the program is designed to help them find a sense is designed to help them find a sense of belonging and to foster a positive of belonging and to foster a positive attitude toward learning. attitude toward learning.

What is the MYP?What is the MYP?

The IB Middle Years Program provides The IB Middle Years Program provides a framework of academic challenge that a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective and become critical and reflective thinkers.thinkers.

Curriculum FrameworkCurriculum Framework

Interdisciplinary FocusInterdisciplinary Focus

MYP teachers are encouraged to MYP teachers are encouraged to support interdisciplinary teaching and support interdisciplinary teaching and learning.learning.

This focus may vary from small scale This focus may vary from small scale disciplinary extensions; to disciplinary extensions; to interdisciplinary “threads” in a course; interdisciplinary “threads” in a course; to large scale interdisciplinary units or to large scale interdisciplinary units or projects.projects.

ReflectionReflection

““Know thyself” ~PlatoKnow thyself” ~Plato

Student learning is improved by Student learning is improved by providing a structure for students to providing a structure for students to reflect systematically over time on the reflect systematically over time on the learning process and to develop the learning process and to develop the aptitudes, skills and habits that come aptitudes, skills and habits that come from critical reflection.from critical reflection.

Community and service starts in the Community and service starts in the classroom and extends beyond it, classroom and extends beyond it, requiring students to take an active part in requiring students to take an active part in the communities in which they live.the communities in which they live.

The emphasis is on developing community The emphasis is on developing community awareness and concern, and the skills awareness and concern, and the skills needed to make an effective contribution needed to make an effective contribution to society.to society.

In the final year of the program, In the final year of the program, students engage in a personal project, students engage in a personal project, which allows them to demonstrate the which allows them to demonstrate the understandings and skills they have understandings and skills they have developed throughout the program.developed throughout the program.

AssessmentAssessment

Assessment is criterion-related, so Assessment is criterion-related, so students around the world are measured students around the world are measured against pre-specified criteria for each against pre-specified criteria for each subject group. Teachers set assessment subject group. Teachers set assessment tasks that are assessed internally in the tasks that are assessed internally in the school. school. External checks are carried out on this External checks are carried out on this internal assessment to ensure worldwide internal assessment to ensure worldwide consistency of standards. consistency of standards.

Professional DevelopmentProfessional DevelopmentThis is a challenging program that demands This is a challenging program that demands the best from both motivated students and the best from both motivated students and teachers. Authorized schools must commit to teachers. Authorized schools must commit to ongoing professional development. ongoing professional development.

Teams from the organization visit IB World Teams from the organization visit IB World Schools from time to time in order to support Schools from time to time in order to support an ongoing process of review and an ongoing process of review and development, using standards and practices development, using standards and practices that apply to all IB World Schools. that apply to all IB World Schools.

The OCCThe OCC

The The OOnline nline CCurriculum urriculum CCenter provides support enter provides support and guidance to IB teachers.and guidance to IB teachers.Locating and accessing the curriculum guides, Locating and accessing the curriculum guides, teacher support material and teacher resource teacher support material and teacher resource exchange will be most valuable as you transition exchange will be most valuable as you transition from “traditional” to “IB” planning and teaching.from “traditional” to “IB” planning and teaching.http://occ.ibo.orgSchool Code: 3613School Code: 3613Username: classacUsername: classacPassword: flintPassword: flint