“Raising our young learners as TOMORROW’s LEADERS with the Right Choices, A Key to Successful and Purposeful Decision Making”

RES – Student Led Committee is a committee of our young leaders who will lead student teams in coordination with the school leadership and administration. They will represent their teams in the meetings with the school leaders and administrators by taking an active role in supporting and strengthening the learning environments.  The Committee consists of three students from classes grades 4, 5, and 6 including PYPC, Counselors, Schools Principals, and Academic Coordinators.

Student-Led Committee is designed to enhance and strengthen our students’ voice, choice, and ownership in their own learning. The committee aids to support our student community raise as global leaders in developing the attributes of inquiring, knowledgeable, confident and caring young people preparing them for GLOBAL CAREERS. The processes of Student-led Committees will aid in developing our students’ DECISION-MAKING LEADERSHIP skills.

Discovering Super Leaders: Unleashing the Power within Us!

Ignite Talk with Dr. Tayseer Students identified different leadership traits.  

Dr. Tayseer Al-Khunaizi, the CEO of Rand Schools for Education met with the student representatives of the student-led committees to share his thoughts on “What it means by a Good Leader”.

Students actively participated sharing their insights and understanding of what it means by a good leader to them. It was an awe-inspiring meeting where students reflected on Learner Profile attributes as the behavioral practices of the leaders. Some of the students went beyond thinking critically about leadership positions, management, and effective communication. The meeting room was filled with many thoughtful and meaningful discussions and reflections of Rand’s ‘Tommorrow’s Leaders’.

Few questions of students as quoted below:

1. How to be a good leader and how should a leader behave?
2. How do organizations hold good management?
3. What will happen if the management not good? What will happen to organization?
4. What if any misunderstanding happens and how to handle it?
5. What shall a good leader possess to success in business?
6. What makes an organization/company successful?
7. What are communication skills that a leader possesses?
8. Why are communication skills necessary for good leadership?

The ignite meeting opened up to explore much more about the leadership and its traits which they reflected in their collaborations during the weekly meetings.

The collaborations held with plenty of discussions where students shared their insights of leaders for how to be optimistic, accept different opinions, accept everyone, respect others, think critically, set clear goals, has a vision, support and encourage others.

‘Maker-Faire’ event hosted at school resulted in student-initiated actions – Saving the Environment – “Soil To Soul” campaign, derived by students as – ‘Soil is the outer landscape and the soul is the inner landscape, we need to take care of the soil as we take care of the soul and taking care of soil is connected with our soul. This led the student Committees involved in taking action. The committees developed the plans for Taking Care of Environment by initiating the action in the school environment. Students presented the budgetary plans for resource allocations to implement the campaign.

Student Committees took actions to take care of school environment tagging with Paper Donation, Keep Clean Playgrounds, and Food Grace for Saving Paper, Stop Litter and Save Food and Water.

It's a beginning! The journey of Soil-To-Soul will embark onan exciting sequel, carrying forward the torch of change and progress……..

Each year, going through the processes of improvisation for reviewing, revising, and refining our POIs, the following steps are applied as a process to refine and update our Programme of Inquiry for the AY 2023-2024.

End of the AY 2022-2023, each grade level team (from K-5) were given the rubrics to assess each grade level programme of Inquiry using the checklist for evaluating the programme of inquiry adapted from Developing a transdisciplinary programme of inquiry (2012). Teams of each grade level reflected on the criteria of the checklist using the ratings 0-10. This engagement allowed grade level teams to dive deep into the discussions of strengthening transdisciplinarity and conceptual understanding (reflecting on connections of UOIs and Themes for example connecting CIs, LOIs and Concepts ensuring that the learning and teaching is developed through the concepts going beyond the subjects).

All subject teachers are involved in horizontal collaborative meetings which include ongoing reflections done by grade level teams (HRTs) during weekly PLCs, during horizontal collaborative PLCs at the beginning of each theme, by all teachers including single subject teachers, and librarian along with HRTs. These horizontal collaborative PLCs are conducted either within each section or among both sections based on the themes if/not fall at the same in both sections. Reflections for are recorded in Horizontal collaborative PLC minutes.

Horizontal review is done at the end of AY 2022-2023 by each grade level of K and 1-5 of both sections at the end of each year on UOI continuum, writing the reflections for improving the learning in the units. These reflections are made with respect to the ongoing reflections done during weekly UOI PLCs and horizontal collaborative meetings.                                

Horizontal alignment is made at the beginning of the year through K-5, having each grade level of both sections (Ahliya and International) paired up to review descriptors of the themes ensuring that they match with the big ideas (units), and accordingly to review Central Ideas, Lines of Inquiries and Conceptual understandings. Grade level teams reflected on these elements mapping on charts and revising on UOI Continuum for the new AY 2023-2024. Balancing of KCs and LPs is also done horizontally across the grade levels to ensure the all KCs and LPs are covered across the grade level. This horizontal alignment allowed teachers to revise the Assessment Plans ensuring progression of Assessment Criteria which is carried out using Solo taxanomy (referred from PRC solo taxanomy)  https://resources.ibo.org/pyp/subject-group/Teacher-support-/works/pyp_11162-51664?lang=en

During Horizontal alignment, few grade level teams noticed a very few mismatches of the descriptors with the units and some gaps in the learning progression of the concepts that reflect the central idea and that was revised during the horizontal alignment. Grade level teams of both sections made the best possibilities of framing similar learning through the themes.

Vertical Review is done at the BOY AY 2023-2024 through grades K-5 by focused groups of each grade level reflecting on the elements as done in horizontal alignment, descriptors, big ideas, learning progression of Central Ideas, Lines of Inquiries, Conceptual Understandings, balance of KCs, and ATL practices from the ATL continuum.

 Vertical Alignment is made vertically through K-5, ensuring the progression of learning in KCs, RCs, CIs, Lines of Inquiries, Conceptual Understanding across all Transdisciplinary themes. Vertical Alignment reflections updates are made on UOI Continuum and thus POI is revised and updated based on the vertical alignment.

 During Vertical alignment, grade level teams noticed some descriptors of few themes are not covered through K-5 and some bridging gaps in the learning progression of the concepts through grade levels K-5. The vertical alignment allowed to fix the gaps and build the bridges of learning progression across the themes and units (big ideas).

Gradelevel HRTs revise and update the POI based on the reflections made during horizontal and vertical alignment revising the central ideas, related concepts and lines of inquiries. Key Concepts are thoughtfully selected in relevance to the learning of the concepts through the related concepts while ensuring the concepts and conceptual understanding through the flow of the lines of inquiry reflect the central idea. Head of the Departments (English, Math, Specials and Arabic) are involved to plan with HRTs for the resources and content of the curricular areas for the integrations and connections to support the units of POI. The HODs also planned for subject specific planners for the outcomes in the subjects that sit outside the POI. HRTs plan cocurricular engagements (example field trips, school events, interviewing experts, hosting community members, etc) to support the inquiries of the units of POI in cocurricular engagements calendar.

Now, the POI is ready for next year, accordingly teachers revise the planners and are ready for the with the learning engagements and experiences for the new academic year which will be revisited through the year during the weekly PLCs to reflect on which will eventually help to revise and refine the Programme of Inquiry for the next academic year.

Towards improvising the review and refine process of Programme of Inquiry, with reference to some resources and blogs, below are the steps that are set with clear details of the processes for refining our Programme of Inquiry each year.

 Ongoing Reflections

1. Reflections during weekly grade level PLCs (will be recorded in weekly PLC forms) – done in each section separately
2. Reflections during collaborative PLCs (will be recorded in collaborative PLC forms) – done either in each section or both sections before the start of the new unit involving all HRTs, single subject teachers, HODs, librarians, academic coordinators, and PYPC.
3. Reflections done on UOI Continnum after each planner by grade level teams (HRTs) for the revisions and improvements to be made for the next academic year (These reflections will be based on the weekly PLC reflections and collaborative PLCs). Reflections might include reviewing the concepts (related concepts), connections and/or integrations across the subjects, learning progressions, summative assessments, rubrics, assessment plans, etc.

 EOY & BOY Reflections

Step 1: Reflect on Current POI (EOY) (Using evaluating the POI from Developing a transdisciplinary programme of inquiry) (2012). 

 Step 2: Horizontal Evaluation (EOY) Based on the reflections made on UOI Continuum of the current year, each grade level team of both sections to be paired up and revisit the units of the themes (POI) ensuring the balance curriculum (knowledge, concepts and skills) in each grade level by reviewing and reflecting on

• The units (big ideas) match well with the Transdisciplinary Themes
• Balance the units (big ideas) across the year for each grade level. While ideas connect and build on each other, there should not be a significant repeat of conceptual understandings
• Most grade-level standards are integrated into the POI
• Concepts (Related Conceptss) identified on the POI are being addressed.
• All profiles, concepts, and skills are being addressed
• KCs are balanced
• Progression of knowledge/concepts (central Idea, conceptual understanding, key concepts), learning outcomes, skills, and dispositions (attributes) across the grade level through the units across each grade level (POI).

 Note: Revisions made after horizontal evaluation to be drafted on new year’s UOI continuum). 

 Step 3: Vertical Evaluation (EOY) Teachers of both sections (Ahliya and International) from K-5 will reflect on the continuum of the units ensuring the balance curriculum (knowledge, concepts and skills) through grades K-5 by reviewing and reflecting on

• TDT descriptors are covered through K-5
• Central Ideas offer progression with complex competencies through conceptual understandings
• KCs are balanced
• ATL practices from the ATL Continuum are covered across grades K-5
• Summative Assessment rubrics articulate developmental outcomes across the grade levels

 Note: Revisions made after horizontal evaluation to be drafted on new year’s UOI continuum). 

 Step 4: Update Programme of Inquiry for new academic year (EOY)

Each grade level teams will refine the POI updating for the next academic year.

• Revise and update planners based on reflections made on UOI Outcomes Continuum (BOY)
• Revise Assessment Plan (BOY)
• Revise Summative Assessment Rubrics on Report Cards (BOY)

We embrace ongoing reflections for continuous improvement……………..

© 2023 INDUCTION – MTPYPH Part 2.

PUBLISHED BY SHABANA JABBAR ACADEMIC DIRECTOR / PYP COORDINATOR RES                                                                                    MARCH 8TH, 2023

INDUCTION for New Teachers: An Orientation for lifelong learning journey!

Making The PYP Happen – I (AY 2022 – 2023)

Published on February 28, 2023

“As Leaders, we are not Mechanics! We are Gardeners creating Conditions for people to Grow” -Steven Covey.

Our Induction

begins with the ‘Transmission Stage’ for the new staff joining for the academic year. The induction begins with the introductory part, by the management team and the pedagogical leadership team beginning with a warm welcome and shared experiences forming a trusting relationship and creating a sense of belonging among the new staff members.

Inspired by the PYP Theme – Who We Are,

We had the new staff get to know each other through active engagements in team building while knowing about our school profile.

Our induction takes place for a week for the individual staff training getting them to know the essential elements of the school community and environment by interacting with school staff, exploring the policies, handbooks, and written and taught curriculum. Induction continues with the next stage of CPD (Continuous Professional Development Plan): Mentoring and Coaching which is done through the rest of the year for almost 9 months, once the new teachers get through the probationary period.

CPD-SOP Document Link (insert).

Next to, the first week’s Induction-individual training, the new teachers get into learning the MTPYPH as a group.

INDUCTION – MAKING THE PYP HAPPEN – I

We chose the flow of the session for the new staff orientation to explore the MTPYPH in form of the inquiry …………

As part of the extended induction, our new staff inquired into learning about the

• Essential Elements of IB,
• ATT (Approaches to Teaching), and
• ATL (Approaches to Learning).

We began modeling learners’ voice-choice and agency by incorporating them in making the session agreements collaboratively. This activity is done on a purpose for the new teachers to understand how students’ voice results in cultivating a positive culture in the classroom. We applied Kath Mudoch’s inquiry through the learnings of the session so teachers can develop a clear understanding of ‘what it means by inquiry’ while practicing the shared language for instructional practices.

Since all teachers have no teaching background and experience, we did Pre-assessment using the blob tree to reflect on what it means by ‘Good Teaching and Learning’ to them.

As a provocation, teachers chose grade-level teaching mission statements that were developed by our grade-level teams during the self-study process. They practiced group work, agency, and visible thinking strategies using PIE Chart reflecting on their own KUD (Knowledge, Understanding, and Skill) to make happen the teaching mission statement in the classes.

Teachers explored practicing ATLs while working on the PIE chart as shared on the table.

Making Conclusions & Taking Action

Teachers were asked to make reflections on the following as an online PD for the week of Oct. 24 – 28.

“What do we want our students to learn?”

• What is the Theme?
• What is the Central Idea?
• What is the Line of Inquiry for the week?
• What Key Concepts are you doing for the week?
• What is the Conceptual understanding for the week?
• What stage of inquiry is it?
• What thinking routines have you employed in the classroom?

We continued further learning of MTPYPH after the 1st semester for how to develop Central Ideas, Lines of Inquiries and Key Concepts.

Ibo.org. (2020). Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education. Retrieved from: https://resources.ibo.org/data/p_0_pypxx_mph_0912_2_e.pdf

© 2023 INDUCTION – MTPYPH Part 1.