Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Building strength and knowledge
Student-oriented teaching methods offer the best way to nurture a child’s innate talents. The IB Diploma Programme is one such. Natasha Fernandopulle has more on the subject
In the December issue of Choices we explored the IB Diploma Programme, which as the name suggests, is for senior students. However, through the Middle and Primary Years Programmes, IB also caters to younger students. Laurie McLellan, Head, The Overseas School of Colombo, emphasised that this is the ‘building block’ stage in the education of the child. The approach is also student-centred, which is one of the significant positives in introducing IB to the child at a young age.

Middle Years Programme (MYP)
Students in this age group are particularly sensitive and are struggling to define themselves and their relations to others. Thus, they need an educational programme, which provides them with discipline, skills and challenging standards along with creativity and flexibility.

Five perspectives, known as the areas of interaction, are the core of the MYP. These five areas are as follows:
1. Approaches to learning
Teaches students how to learn and analyse information, how to develop, organise and present their ideas and how to access information from different sources. It basically helps the student to work independently, to collaborate with others, as well as problem solving. Students explore different styles of learning and develop effective learning strategies.

2. Community service
Encourages students to use their skills and awareness of public issues gained in the classroom to help their communities. They are able to reflect upon their experiences, which would aid them to make a difference in society.

3. Health and social education
Deals with physical and mental health, consumer awareness, sex education, interpersonal relations and life in society. It is also concerned with the social climate of the school and relations between students and teachers.

4. Environment
Promotes the student’s awareness of the environment in his or her immediate surroundings and globally as well.

5. Homo faber (‘Man the maker’)
Involves studying the creative and inventive genius of people and the impact this genius can have on society and the human mind.
The compulsory subject groups include,

1. Language A – the student’s best language, usually the school’s language of instruction

2. Language B – a modern foreign language learned at school

3. Humanities – history and geography

4. Sciences – general science, biology, chemistry, physics

5. Mathematics – includes five branches of mathematics: number, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, probability and statistics, and discrete mathematics

6. Arts – art/ design, music and drama

7. Physical education – health and fitness, individual and team sport

8. Technology – computer and design technology

Teams, appointed by the IBO carry out on-site evaluations. The process of evaluation does not assess individual teachers or students. It follows a process of self-study at the school, guided by the regional office of the IBO. The schools are responsible for organising their own assessment and reporting procedures according to the objectives of the programme.

The teachers assess the students with guidance from the IBO, according to prescribed, published criteria, which state the final levels of achievement in each discipline. Special emphasis is based on formative assessment, used in different stages of the learning process to measure the process of the student and to make necessary adjustments to teaching plans. The students are involved in formative self-assessment and they reflect on their own approaches to learning.

The accomplishments of the students are measured through the school’s assessment process. They are then recorded in a portfolio of achievement, which is provided by the IBO for each student who completes the MYP. Most often schools opt for an MYP certificate and a record of achievement. These are formal documents limited to schools that elect to have their own assessment of their students validated by the IBO through a process of external moderation.

Primary Years Programme (PYP)
This programme focuses on the development of the whole child in the classroom as well as in the world outside, through the environment in which the children learn. A framework, which meets several needs of the child is offered, considering academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs.

There are six organising themes, which help teachers and children explore knowledge in a broad sense. Five essential elements are centred in the PYP curriculum, namely, Knowledge, Concepts, Skills, Attitudes and Action.

The aim is to assist students in acquiring a holistic understanding of the six main themes, through the inter-relatedness of these elements. There are six subject areas, namely: Languages, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Arts and Personal, Social and Physical Education.
The essential elements are developed and applied in a context defined by the six trans-disciplinary themes, namely:

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 organise ourselves
6. Sharing the planet

Teachers and students assess the work of the students. There are no examinations or external moderation of student work by the IBO. There are two types of assessment:

1. Formative – which is interwoven with daily learning and helps teachers and students find out what the students already know in order to plan the next stage of learning.

2. Summative – this happens at the end of the teaching and learning process and gives the students an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

Mr. McLellan stated that, “everything revolves around the student” and in the case of the PYP, “it takes the natural curiosity of the child and builds on it.”

The IB Diploma, Middle Years and Primary Years programmes are all centred on the student. “The teacher encourages the child to think and does not tell the child what to think.” This was the common opinion of the Principals of the Overseas School of Colombo and the British School in Colombo. In addition, Sarvesh Naidu, Principal, The Winchester School, Dubai, stated that IB is “the global currency to education.” Mr. Naidu has been involved with the IBO for 21 years.

The Diploma programme has been available to Sri Lankans for the past 21 years, at the Overseas School of Colombo. The Overseas School specialises in the IB system. Apart from the Diploma they also offer the Middle Years and the Primary Years programme. The British School in Colombo opened its doors to those interested in the IB Diploma Programme, two years ago. Here it is done alongside the London Advanced Level examination.

Thus, this is certainly an education system that, as Mr. McLellan holds, “strengthens the child in every way.”

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