The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

Transcription

1 The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme AES Briefing No.3 September 2012

2 AES Briefing Paper No.3 The Anglo European School has been an IB World School with the Diploma Programme in the Sixth Form since It is now developing its curriculum for pupils aged with the IB Middle Years Programme. The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a natural progression in the development of the curriculum. It will enhance and build on the existing ethos and curriculum of the school, its internationalist outlook, its strength in active citizenship and its mission to prepare young people to be confident, broad-minded individuals, equipped for lifelong learning and for adulthood in the global community. The MYP will also add value to the continuing provision of full National Curriculum and GCSE courses. It also provides a framework for the provision of the English Baccalaureate. This Briefing Paper has three parts, an introduction to the IB, an introduction to the MYP and a section of questions and answers. The International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD) was launched in 1968 in Geneva. It was designed to provide an academic, pre-university education for the children of internationallymobile parents. It would ensure that they could access a high quality education wherever they found themselves in the world. One group of people who benefited from it were staff at the United Nations who could find themselves and their families relocated anywhere in the world, often at short notice. The Anglo European School became the first state school in the United Kingdom to offer the Diploma in The school continues to offer it alongside A-levels and, more recently, the IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC). The IBCC is an IB programme which caters for students who want a more applied, vocational pre-university education. The school helped pilot the programme and, again, were the first state school to offer the IBCC in the UK in The IBD and IBCC are explained in AES Briefing Papers No.1 and No.2. The principles and philosophy of the IB permeate the school and impact on students at every level whether or not they are following an IB programme. The school s mission statement (Appendix 1) is inspired by the IB. Breadth is a key principle behind our curriculum design. For instance, students must follow two languages, a humanity, a technology and an arts subject as well as citizenship through to Year 11. In the Sixth Form, all students are required to study a language and to participate in the IB s Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) programme. A-level students also follow a baccalaureate-style programme with 4 A-levels and CAS with a language being compulsory. A baccalaureate-style education is not just broad (see definition of baccalaureate on back cover). It is an education that has coherence and adds up to something more than the sum of its parts. At the heart of the IBD and the IBCC is a core, a beating heart, which impacts on the individual subjects. In the IBD this is defined by CAS, an Extended Essay of 4000 words and a study of the Theory of Knowledge. The International Baccalaureate Organisation also runs programmes for pupils aged 5-11, the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), and aged 11-16, the Middle Years Programme (MYP). In 2011, the Anglo European Trust was formed with partners including local primary schools.

3 An aspiration of the Trust is to develop a full, coherent educational continuum from ages five to eighteen for local children. The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme In common with IB programmes for other age groups, the MYP is outward looking, with an international ethos. Developed in the 1990s, it provides a framework of academic challenge for pupils in Years 7 to 11, encouraging them to understand their subject learning in the context of genuine problems drawn from local to global settings. The MYP promotes the Learner Profile (see Appendix 1). That is, it highlights specific values and seeks to develop self-reliant, capable young people who understand for themselves how to learn. There is a particular focus in the MYP on communication skills. The programme also emphasises an understanding of how all parts of the curriculum contribute to personal development ( more than the sum of its parts ) and demonstrates interdisciplinary learning where opportunities arise. The MYP began as an initiative of groups of practising teachers in international education who wanted to develop a curriculum for the middle years of schooling. Its evolution since becoming a full-fledged IB programme has been influenced not only by practitioners, but also by academic experts, such as Veronica Boix Mansilla, Chair of the Future of Learning Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, who wrote: The quality of an educational program is to be judged by the deep understanding it instils in its students and, by the relevance of what students learn The MYP curricular model articulates a much needed bridge between what is typically learned in schools and the most pressing questions that concern our societies. The IB illustrates the MYP as an octagon of subjects. Pupils are at the centre. The MYP aims to develop the Learner Profile. There is an inner ring of Areas of Interaction, a distinctive feature that provides Boix Mansilla s bridge, and an outer ring of eight subject areas. Finally, there is a Personal Project which all pupils work on towards the end of the programme. The MYP differs from the National Curriculum and from GCSE not only in philosophy and coherence, but also in requirements. It sets out broad objectives in each subject and assessment criteria for school use, but there are no MYP examinations. Personal Project The Anglo European introduced the programme with Year 7 in September 2012, building on a curriculum that already paralleled the MYP. The core Areas of Interaction are lead by the Citizenship department.

4 Questions and Answers Why has the Anglo European School adopted the MYP now? The school has examined and adopted the MYP in the firm belief that it will enhance and develop the strengths of the existing curriculum, offering pupils a more coherent education and allowing teachers to refresh their approach and inspire pupils. The time is right because the MYP is now well established. Schools in England have been encouraged recently to exercise more freedom in developing curriculum relevant to their pupils. The MYP gives a national and international quality mark to the school s unique and well-established approach. Is the Anglo European alone in this venture? Nearly one thousand schools across the world use the MYP. About one-sixth are in Europe. In the UK, eleven schools offer the full MYP, including just two state comprehensive schools. As well as the Anglo European, several other state schools are currently developing their offer of the MYP. About twenty times as many UK schools offer the IB Diploma programme. Does MYP mean the curriculum will be different for the Year 7 pupils starting in September 2012? Yes and no. The content of the curriculum in Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9) will be much the same as before. The content of many lessons will continue to be based on the National Curriculum, because it provides sound content. However, the MYP has given us an opportunity to refresh our approach. It also supports features that had a lower priority in the National Curriculum or were simply missing. For example, the MYP reinforces the strongly international flavour of the Anglo European School s curriculum. It genuinely creates a curriculum which is more than the sum of its parts and adds value to our existing curriculum. Will all pupils participate in the MYP programme? Yes. That is to say, it is for all pupils who join Year 7 in and after. Our programme will move ahead one year at a time, the standard approach in an established school. The MYP is designed to challenge pupils at all levels of ability. Will my child be put at a disadvantage by not doing the IB Primary Years Programme? Not at all. Although the MYP builds on the PYP, it is also makes sense as a programme starting in Year 7, which is how the majority of our pupils will experience it. What are Areas of Interaction? Areas of Interaction are five key non-subject features of the programme. Every MYP lesson will be linked to one of the five areas, Approaches to Learning, Human Ingenuity, Community and Service, Environments and Health & Social Education. Pupil can expect to know which area the lesson is linked to. Areas of Interaction, each having a broad set of requirements, act as the bridge between the traditional subjects and the world outside. Each has a broad set of requirements. An example developed in Year 7 Citizenship is that individuals have rights and responsibilities (Community and Service). In History, pupils will examine the social impact of innovation in the British industrial revolution (Human Ingenuity). Another aspect of Human Ingenuity is addressed in Science under the heading Particle theory and how it explains the behaviour of stuff. In PE, netball and rugby skills will be developed through a variety of Approaches to Learning.

5 Will the MYP affect the choices made in Year 9? No. The options chosen in Year 9 for Years 10 and 11 in future years might differ from the current offer for various reasons. The MYP would contribute to this natural evolution. The Anglo European School is committed to a broad and balanced curriculum through to Year 11. The prospective abolition of GCSE and replacement with the English Baccalaureate appears to narrow the curriculum. The MYP will help safeguard breadth and provide an internationally recognised framework for the teaching of the English Baccalaureate. Will the MYP cause problems for school-leavers? No. In future, those pupils who leave us for Sixth Form or further education or training elsewhere will have had similar opportunities to their peers within the wider MYP programme. In other words, assuming policy is carried through as planned, they will have EBacc grades. The MYP will act as an enhancement of their c.v. and a talking point in interviews. The MYP, of course, has the advantage of being internationally recognised. Does the MYP steer pupils towards the IB Diploma or IBCC? What if my child wants to do A-levels? The MYP was originally developed with the Diploma Programme in mind and so provides excellent preparation for the Diploma. Locally, it could become possible for young people to have a full IB education from age 5 to age 18. However, the MYP also stands alone. We believe it helps pupils become stronger learners, with a broader understanding of their subjects. A-level students at the Anglo follow a broad baccalaureate-style programme, therefore the MYP is also a good starting point for A-level and other post-16 courses.

6 Appendix 1 The school aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. Our educational programmes encourage students from diverse backgrounds to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. Aims of the school Special quality: To provide the highest quality of education which is enriched by a strong International dimension. Intercultural worth: To respect individuals and their culture whilst developing a respect for, and an understanding of, the student s own culture and the cultures of others. L Avenir: To give students the academic and social skills which enable them to move freely and productively beyond the boundaries of their own community. Curriculum The school is committed to a broad and balanced curriculum. Within this breadth there are opportunities for students to choose subjects of their choice. The study of a language other than English at every stage of a child s career at the school is compulsory. This includes two such languages from age and one such language in the Sixth Form. The curriculum is designed to allow teachers to educate succeeding generations of young people and encourage them to think globally whilst learning locally. AES Mission Statement Learner Profile The Anglo European School will provide opportunities for students to become: Inquirers: To develop their natural curiosity; acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. To actively enjoy learning and this love of learning, which will be sustained throughout their lives. Knowledgeable: To explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines. Thinkers: To exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognise and approach complex problems and make reasoned, ethical decisions. Communicators: To understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. To work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others. Principled: To act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. To take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompanies them. Open-minded: To understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and to be open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. To be accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view and be willing to grow from the experience. Caring: To show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. To have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. Risk-takers: To approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. To be brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. Balanced: To understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal wellbeing for themselves and others. Reflective: To give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. To be able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

7 Appendix 2 Support for the MYP Alec Peterson, first Director-General of the IB What matters is not the absorption and regurgitation either of fact or of predigested interpretations of facts, but the development of powers of the mind or ways of thinking which can be applied to new situations and new presentations of facts as they arise. Gérard Renaud, second Director-General of the IB The responsibility of educators is no longer just to prepare good mathematicians, good biologists or good historians. The mission of schools is to prepare young people the decision makers of tomorrow to live in a complex multicultural society undergoing a process of rapid change and opening up a new world. Of course the cognitive component of an educational system is fundamental for the acquisition of intellectual and professional skills. Even more important is the acquisition of attitudes in the learning process in a context of cultural exchanges. Mike Nicholson, Director of Admissions at Oxford University, 2009 Candidates who wish to be stretched should, in my view, take the MYP. The rigour and work ethic it encourages will assist them strongly if they wish to progress to a degree that will require them to really engage with their subject discipline. Monischa Pongrujikorn, studying law at Bristol University The MYP definitely helped me prepare for the IB Diploma Programme like no other curriculum could. It made standard level courses much easier and offers a broad spectrum curriculum before you specialize by choosing higher levels during the Diploma. I really missed MYP. Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington School, in The Sunday Times, March 2009 The IB MYP is run by an independent international body renowned for its high standards and academic rigour all over the world... the IB MYP restores trust to teachers and schools, giving them the freedom to develop their own courses and to decide what is best for their pupils albeit according to the exacting standards of the IB. Dr P Fidczuk, Assistant Head Teacher at Dartford Grammar School, 2010 The skills students learn through the MYP, through approaches to learning and the upper levels of subject assessment criteria, enhance those developed by GCSE courses, as students are given opportunities to develop higher level thinking skills in authentic situations. Mr WJ Oakes, Headmaster at Dartford Grammar School, 2010 Our students are now so much more aware of their learning journey. They talk freely about taking risks and recovering from mistakes. They are confident, active and willing participants in the co-curriculum in school and across the wider community.

8 What is a baccalaureate education? There is no clear definition of the word baccalaureate, yet it is an increasingly important concept in educational philosophy and curriculum design. This definition is offered by the Anglo European School; A baccalaureate programme is an educational experience that is broad (involving all major subject disciplines); balanced (in that specialisation is deferred or avoided) and coherent (with clear values, learner outcomes and themes which add relevance to subject study). The programme adds up to more than the sum of its parts and provides for the rounded education of the student. Learning is concurrent to enable connections to be made and the programme is founded on a very clear set of values. A baccalaureate will also contain a core of learning common to all learners which would typically include individual research, work experience, an element of study skills and an opportunity to demonstrate service above self. The core provides an opportunity for learning to be applied as well as to deepen understanding, make connections between subjects and enrich learning itself. Where appropriate, assessment is rigorous and based on agreed criteria which are not subject to change other than as part of periodic systematic review. September 2012 Exemplars The International Baccalaureate Organization offers four programmes: the Diploma (16-19), the Career-related Certificate (16-19), the Middle Years Programme (11-16) and the Primary Years Programme (4-11). The Diploma is often cited as the global standard for baccalaureates. However, there are others. For example, the Welsh Baccalaureate, the French Baccalaureate, the AQA Baccalaureate. The English Baccalaureate comprises five subjects at Key Stage 4 Mathematics, English, Science, a language and geography or History. Schools in England are currently measured according to how many students obtain at least a grade C in each of these subjects. It is due to be introduced officially from September 2015.