What is it like? I have read and heard that it's inquiry based, very holistic, but I would love to hear from current/past IB teachers about what it is like compared to "regular" teaching. Is it so different? Is it hard to learn?
Reading IBO website and other blogs so far has only given me a superficial idea of what this program looks like on the inside.
Really curious.
Thanks in advance!
Trojan
IB Teaching: Day to Day, Unit to Unit
Re: IB Teaching: Day to Day, Unit to Unit
Which program are you referring to? DP/MYP/PYP?
-
2468teacher
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2015 5:33 am
Re: IB Teaching: Day to Day, Unit to Unit
Great question!
I would also love an answer to this. It seems curriculums all vary and some are painful, others effective.
I get the impression the British system is just endless paperwork that takes up all the teachers time.
I hear the PYP program is great. But what makes it so wonderful. Wonderful for the teacher, the student or both?
I would also love an answer to this. It seems curriculums all vary and some are painful, others effective.
I get the impression the British system is just endless paperwork that takes up all the teachers time.
I hear the PYP program is great. But what makes it so wonderful. Wonderful for the teacher, the student or both?
-
chilagringa
- Posts: 335
- Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 7:19 pm
Re: IB Teaching: Day to Day, Unit to Unit
Honestly, MYP is just good teaching. It doesn't really change what I would do anyways, in terms of planning units and assessment. The only thing that it really affects is some of the language that I use in planning units, and the rubrics I use.
Re: IB Teaching: Day to Day, Unit to Unit
I teach secondary, so I am curious about MYP and DP.
I have gone to the sites and read various student and teacher blogs and forums, so I do understand the basics: Extended Essay, CAS, and so on.
I just was wondering what it would be like, in the trenches, of actually doing it, since I've taught AP, Common Core, American style curriculums, but not IB. Backwards Design (UbD) and all that.
I presume there are differences, like outside exams.
What does a typical day or unit look like, in terms of planning, classroom environment, etc.
Any comments are appreciated. I know this could become a pretty long answer, so I appreciate whatever you can add.
Thanks!
Trojan
I have gone to the sites and read various student and teacher blogs and forums, so I do understand the basics: Extended Essay, CAS, and so on.
I just was wondering what it would be like, in the trenches, of actually doing it, since I've taught AP, Common Core, American style curriculums, but not IB. Backwards Design (UbD) and all that.
I presume there are differences, like outside exams.
What does a typical day or unit look like, in terms of planning, classroom environment, etc.
Any comments are appreciated. I know this could become a pretty long answer, so I appreciate whatever you can add.
Thanks!
Trojan
Response
It depends on two factors, which level of IB and whether the IS is a classical IB "World School" or if IB is just an element/option of a much larger NC program.
In the past an IB World School was an IB school that had all three programs in K-12 PYP, MYP, and DIP. Such ISs really embraced IB philosophy and meds/peds, while many of them had NC programs as well, it was really just an option for students who werent likely to be successful in getting an IB Diploma and really only effected the last 2 years. Most of those students got the same classroom IB experience, but they werent registered for exams and so got a local diploma.
DIP (DP/Diploma) program is a 2 year school leaving program culminating in the International Baccalaureate Diploma, while the program includes such components as TOK, Essay, and CAS from a classroom curriculum perspective its congruent to any other similar NC curriculum such as A levels or AP. Biology, calculus, art, history, are going to be VERY similar across different curriculum and while some of the documentation aspects are different its the easiest to adapt to. How "IBness" it is really depends on the IS and its philosophy and ethos. Take a course like ESS (Environmental Systems and Society) which is both a Science course and Social Studies (Individuals and Societies) course, its really a hallmark course of global approach to environmental issues and embraces a lot of the ethos that the IBO markets and pitches. I have seen it taught as a pure Environmental Science Course and as a Global/Contemporary issues/Current Events course with very little IB ethos and philosophy. That and every other IB DIP program can vary drastically in how much emphasis is placed on IB ethos and philosophy. DIP has at its core externally examinations. Students take there in their final year and they are marked by examiners not affiliated with the IS. Students need 24 points out of a possible 45 to receive an IB Diploma, though they can still earn subject certificates if they do not qualify for the Diploma. There are 6 subject fields (in addition to the core of TOK, Essay, and CAS) students study 3-4 subjects at HL (Higher level) which is 240 hours of instruction and the remaining at SL (Standard Level) which is 150 hours of instruction (some subjects are ONLY offered at Standard Level). Their is little from keeping a student from studying more subjects at HL though they can only test up to 4 of them externally. Students who demonstrate foreign language proficiency may receive a bilingual diploma.
"Portfolio" is a concept across all facets of the IB, in DIP it is a required component and culminates in "Extended Essay", which is essentially an honors paper.
MYP used to be a filler program that was whatever an IS wanted it to be, and many ISs just used a NC program. about the only requirement was portfolio making MYP a little more project orientated. That recently changed when MYP became more prescribed, now the requirement is 50 hours of instruction per each of 8 subjects. In addition there were more requirements (and options) for various projects and portfolio. MYP has an option for externally assessment called moderation, if your IS participates then students are eligible for an IB graded transcript and the MYP certificate. There is also a service aspect that ties in the community project, and there is an interdisciplinary requirement between subjects in each year.
The culmination of portfolio in MYP is the "project". Personal project and moderation in year 5 MYP programs and community project in years 3 and 4 MYP programs. This allows an IS to meet specific upper secondary requirements that conflict with IB programs in terms of resources and curriculum objectives. Unless you are the MYP coordinator or an IT responsible for such projects etc, it dosnt effect MYP delivery from the classroom perspective.
There are of course some planing and documentation differences, but they are minor, and more an issue of time then conceptual difficulty or understanding. Practice will again depend a great deal on how much your IS embraces IB ethos. Many ISs dropped MYP when the new iteration was rolled out. It imposed more restrictions and structure and had training/PD requirements, and many ISs only adapted MYP so they could have the "World School" designation. From a classroom perspective at least delivery, you may find an IB MYP classroom no different from any other classroom. 50 hours isnt a lot, many ISs accomplish that in about 2-3 months in a year. The difficulty is with electives that are on a quarter system (or less than a semester term) where 50 hours is the entire course length.
PYP is the most different. Many ITs to PYP who came from traditional HRT NC curriculum have difficulty in planing and implementing. In traditional primary classrooms you have stranded subjects that are taught independently and distinct of one another with a focus on numeracy and literacy. In PYP you have Unit of Inquiry (UI) that integrates the subject strands into unified themes, such as the common first one "Who we are" so "Who we are" is a theme and a particular IS may include Language, social studies and PSPE as "knowledge" within that theme, meaning the IT has to construct a 4-6 week lesson plan with this theme that will be integrated into a project that includes the students language, social studies and PSPE time, which may include collaboration with other teachers (and PYP is ALL about collaboration). If youve heard of the concept such as "writing across the curriculum" or similar, well PYP is the curriculum across the curriculum. Some ISs integrate only a few strand subjects within their themes (science/math, language/social studies) and some ISs integrate them (or try too). In addition each UI has corresponding concepts, attitudes, and skills that are to be embraced and observed in action. This can be an immense amount of new planing, and innovative creation. Many young PYP ITs reach a point where they just say "forget it, were opening a book and getting a worksheet and doing maths problems, the traditional way". PYP has no external assessments or moderation, the culminating portfolio activity is exhibition which is done in the last year (either year 5 or year 6).
PYP is the most different when seeing it in a classroom, especially if its a UI period. A stranded maths class might look like any other maths class, but a very small UI thematic lesson involving social studies and art in the Who we are theme may involve students creating a family tree using their family members hand prints in paint as leaves.
Your first year in PYP is mostly a planing year, many PYP ITs dont obtain competency until their third year.
In the past an IB World School was an IB school that had all three programs in K-12 PYP, MYP, and DIP. Such ISs really embraced IB philosophy and meds/peds, while many of them had NC programs as well, it was really just an option for students who werent likely to be successful in getting an IB Diploma and really only effected the last 2 years. Most of those students got the same classroom IB experience, but they werent registered for exams and so got a local diploma.
DIP (DP/Diploma) program is a 2 year school leaving program culminating in the International Baccalaureate Diploma, while the program includes such components as TOK, Essay, and CAS from a classroom curriculum perspective its congruent to any other similar NC curriculum such as A levels or AP. Biology, calculus, art, history, are going to be VERY similar across different curriculum and while some of the documentation aspects are different its the easiest to adapt to. How "IBness" it is really depends on the IS and its philosophy and ethos. Take a course like ESS (Environmental Systems and Society) which is both a Science course and Social Studies (Individuals and Societies) course, its really a hallmark course of global approach to environmental issues and embraces a lot of the ethos that the IBO markets and pitches. I have seen it taught as a pure Environmental Science Course and as a Global/Contemporary issues/Current Events course with very little IB ethos and philosophy. That and every other IB DIP program can vary drastically in how much emphasis is placed on IB ethos and philosophy. DIP has at its core externally examinations. Students take there in their final year and they are marked by examiners not affiliated with the IS. Students need 24 points out of a possible 45 to receive an IB Diploma, though they can still earn subject certificates if they do not qualify for the Diploma. There are 6 subject fields (in addition to the core of TOK, Essay, and CAS) students study 3-4 subjects at HL (Higher level) which is 240 hours of instruction and the remaining at SL (Standard Level) which is 150 hours of instruction (some subjects are ONLY offered at Standard Level). Their is little from keeping a student from studying more subjects at HL though they can only test up to 4 of them externally. Students who demonstrate foreign language proficiency may receive a bilingual diploma.
"Portfolio" is a concept across all facets of the IB, in DIP it is a required component and culminates in "Extended Essay", which is essentially an honors paper.
MYP used to be a filler program that was whatever an IS wanted it to be, and many ISs just used a NC program. about the only requirement was portfolio making MYP a little more project orientated. That recently changed when MYP became more prescribed, now the requirement is 50 hours of instruction per each of 8 subjects. In addition there were more requirements (and options) for various projects and portfolio. MYP has an option for externally assessment called moderation, if your IS participates then students are eligible for an IB graded transcript and the MYP certificate. There is also a service aspect that ties in the community project, and there is an interdisciplinary requirement between subjects in each year.
The culmination of portfolio in MYP is the "project". Personal project and moderation in year 5 MYP programs and community project in years 3 and 4 MYP programs. This allows an IS to meet specific upper secondary requirements that conflict with IB programs in terms of resources and curriculum objectives. Unless you are the MYP coordinator or an IT responsible for such projects etc, it dosnt effect MYP delivery from the classroom perspective.
There are of course some planing and documentation differences, but they are minor, and more an issue of time then conceptual difficulty or understanding. Practice will again depend a great deal on how much your IS embraces IB ethos. Many ISs dropped MYP when the new iteration was rolled out. It imposed more restrictions and structure and had training/PD requirements, and many ISs only adapted MYP so they could have the "World School" designation. From a classroom perspective at least delivery, you may find an IB MYP classroom no different from any other classroom. 50 hours isnt a lot, many ISs accomplish that in about 2-3 months in a year. The difficulty is with electives that are on a quarter system (or less than a semester term) where 50 hours is the entire course length.
PYP is the most different. Many ITs to PYP who came from traditional HRT NC curriculum have difficulty in planing and implementing. In traditional primary classrooms you have stranded subjects that are taught independently and distinct of one another with a focus on numeracy and literacy. In PYP you have Unit of Inquiry (UI) that integrates the subject strands into unified themes, such as the common first one "Who we are" so "Who we are" is a theme and a particular IS may include Language, social studies and PSPE as "knowledge" within that theme, meaning the IT has to construct a 4-6 week lesson plan with this theme that will be integrated into a project that includes the students language, social studies and PSPE time, which may include collaboration with other teachers (and PYP is ALL about collaboration). If youve heard of the concept such as "writing across the curriculum" or similar, well PYP is the curriculum across the curriculum. Some ISs integrate only a few strand subjects within their themes (science/math, language/social studies) and some ISs integrate them (or try too). In addition each UI has corresponding concepts, attitudes, and skills that are to be embraced and observed in action. This can be an immense amount of new planing, and innovative creation. Many young PYP ITs reach a point where they just say "forget it, were opening a book and getting a worksheet and doing maths problems, the traditional way". PYP has no external assessments or moderation, the culminating portfolio activity is exhibition which is done in the last year (either year 5 or year 6).
PYP is the most different when seeing it in a classroom, especially if its a UI period. A stranded maths class might look like any other maths class, but a very small UI thematic lesson involving social studies and art in the Who we are theme may involve students creating a family tree using their family members hand prints in paint as leaves.
Your first year in PYP is mostly a planing year, many PYP ITs dont obtain competency until their third year.
Re: IB Teaching: Day to Day, Unit to Unit
Thanks for the tips. That was helpful.
Re: IB Teaching: Day to Day, Unit to Unit
MYP, by definition and practice, should be holistic, but it is moving towards a lot more structure in order to align with the DP. E-assessments mean that teachers will inevitably begin 'teaching to the test'. If you have, for instance, a Criterion D assessment to do for a science class- which is traditionally a research paper- it will be done in a timed situation instead. In fact, that shift is happening quite dramatically. I was told by a school that wasn't IB, that working in their standards based curriculum within an American system leaves teachers with a lot more 'freedom' and 'flexibility' than the MYP. I used to feel that MYP did a great job of encouraging that deeper thinking in students, and thus allowed for a more authentic learning experience. However, its moving in the direction of all pedagogical dinosaurs. Plug and chug. Test, test, test. Tick the boxes. Oh well.
Reply
@MamfeMan
Thee is nothing that mandates MYP not be holistic. First, the previous implementation of the MYP was woefully unstructured. It was a lot of conceptual ideas, without much guidance on what to actually "do". Many MYP ITs just kept doing what they were doing, since there wasnt much direction from IS leadership on what they "should" be doing differently. The only significant element was project. Many ISs (and DSs) just fit their local curriculum into MYP, and called it MYP.
50 hours is not much, its 2-3 months and that leaves a LOT of time to do whatever the IT or leadership wants you to do. Lets be honest MYP was "Jello" it could be anything or nothing that you wanted to, thats not a program or a curriculum, thats just marketing a trademark.
External moderation of the personal project will be required, but the rest of eAssessment is optional, ISs dont have to do it. MYP can still be deep, and authentic if an IS wants it to be, the benefit of eAssessment is an IB MYP certificate and transcript, but not having those isnt going to be the end of the world, or even a note of interest. MYP ends around year 10, and its not a school leaving year and the MYP certificate is not a school leaving qualification. ISs will still be able to issue a local certificate in those regions that have distinctive lower and upper secondary programs.
I do not disagree that eAssessment will likely have an impact as ITs/DTs focus their instructional efforts on meeting test based objectives. Thats DIP, and its not all bad. A lot of students came out of unstructured MYP programs unprepared for DIP.
Thee is nothing that mandates MYP not be holistic. First, the previous implementation of the MYP was woefully unstructured. It was a lot of conceptual ideas, without much guidance on what to actually "do". Many MYP ITs just kept doing what they were doing, since there wasnt much direction from IS leadership on what they "should" be doing differently. The only significant element was project. Many ISs (and DSs) just fit their local curriculum into MYP, and called it MYP.
50 hours is not much, its 2-3 months and that leaves a LOT of time to do whatever the IT or leadership wants you to do. Lets be honest MYP was "Jello" it could be anything or nothing that you wanted to, thats not a program or a curriculum, thats just marketing a trademark.
External moderation of the personal project will be required, but the rest of eAssessment is optional, ISs dont have to do it. MYP can still be deep, and authentic if an IS wants it to be, the benefit of eAssessment is an IB MYP certificate and transcript, but not having those isnt going to be the end of the world, or even a note of interest. MYP ends around year 10, and its not a school leaving year and the MYP certificate is not a school leaving qualification. ISs will still be able to issue a local certificate in those regions that have distinctive lower and upper secondary programs.
I do not disagree that eAssessment will likely have an impact as ITs/DTs focus their instructional efforts on meeting test based objectives. Thats DIP, and its not all bad. A lot of students came out of unstructured MYP programs unprepared for DIP.