PYP K-5th

Welcome to Pulaski International School of Chicago, this year is a very exciting time for us at Pulaski as we have been granted candidacy status on our PYP journey ­to becoming an authorized school of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). The candidacy phase: which is the trail implementation period represents a significant period of change for our school as it involves re-envisioning a shared philosophy and ensuring that everyday teaching practices meets the high expectations set by Pulaski administration as well as by the International Baccalaureate Programme. At Pulaski, teams of teachers collaboratively planned units of inquiry and developed learning experiences that encourage students to be independent inquirers. Students in each grade level will study central ideas in 4-6 week units of inquiry. The teachers will receive ongoing training in the PYP framework including the role of the Single Subject teachers in the PYP.  The curriculum will empower students to become responsible world citizens and reflective, lifelong learners.

What is Primary Years Program?

The IB Primary Years Program is for all students in grades K-5.  It focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, touching hearts as well as minds and addressing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs as well as academic ones. The PYP draws on research and best practice from a range of national systems with a wealth of knowledge and experience from international schools to create a relevant engaging, challenging and significant educational framework for all children. (http://www.ibo.org/)

The Curriculum

The IB Primary Years Program focuses on 6 transdisciplinary themes that help teachers and students explore knowledge in the broadest sense of the word and to step out beyond the confines of learning within subject areas. Teachers and students use key questions that are concept based to structure the units of inquiry. They acquire and apply transdisciplinary skills while developing an understanding of these important concepts. The development of explicit attitudes and the expectation of socially responsible behavior are also essential elements of the program.

Developing the International Student

A PYP school regardless of location, size or constitution strives towards developing an internationally minded person who, recognizes their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet.  As well as, helps create a better and more peaceful world with attributes and dispositions described in the Learner Profile. These are the ten most important attributes of an international person and answers the question: What kind of person do we want our students to be? At Pulaski we want the students to learn to become inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and reflective. The learner profile helps teachers and students establish goals, plan units of inquiry, and assess performance.

The Five Essential Elements of the Primary Years Programme

To achieve a balance in learning, the PYP emphasizes the five parts of the curriculum which are called the Essential Elements. Students are given the opportunity to: gain knowledge that is relevant and of global significance, develop an understanding of concepts, make connections throughout his or her learning, acquire transdisciplinary and disciplinary skills, develop attitudes that will lead to internationally-mindedness, and take action as a consequence of his or her learning. The five essential elements are:

  • Knowledge  (What we want the students to know about)
  • Concepts (What we want the students to understand)
  • Skills (What we want the students to be able to do)
  • Attitudes (What we want the students to feel)
  • Action (How we want the students to act)

 

The knowledge component of the PYP is taught through six transdisciplinary themes of global significance that provide the framework for exploration and study.

The PYP Transdisciplinary themes:

  1. Who we are
  2. Where we are in place and time
  3. How we express ourselves
  4. How the world works
  5. How we organize ourselves
  6. Sharing the planet

The six transdisciplinary themes help teachers to develop a program of inquiries–in-depth investigations into important ideas, identified by the teachers, and requiring a high level of involvement on the part of the students. These inquiries are substantial, in-depth and usually lasts for several weeks. The six themes are integrated into 6 subject areas.

  1. Language
  2. Social Studies
  3. Mathematics
  4. Arts
  5. Science
  6. Personal, social, and physical education

The teaching learning cycle continually answers 3 critical questions:

  1. What do we want to learn?
  2. How best will we learn?
  3. How will we know what we have learned?

Assessment

Assessment is an important part of each unit of inquiry as it both enhances learning and provides opportunities for students to reflect on what they know, understand and can do. The teacher’s feedback to the students provides the guidance, the tools and the incentive for the students to become more competent, more skillful and better at understanding how to learn.

(information adapted from ibo.org)

For more information about the PYP visit the IB Website at http:// www.ibo.org or contact the IB PYP Coordinator Diana Racasi (773) 534-4395 dtracasi@cps.edu