IB Primary Years Program: 1st- 6th grade
hours: 8.30 a.m. - 3.15 p.m.
Our Primary Years Program caters, where possible, to the different learning styles and abilities of young students. In these developing years, some students may need extra time to improve skills in particular subject areas, while other students may be ready for higher-level learning. We have created a relaxed environment, rich in unique learning opportunities, with the goal ofchallenging students – not pushing them beyond their readiness and ability.
We also recognize that our young students need time just to be kids. Too often today, we focus on the pure academic and intellectual components of early and continuing education, when in fact other areas of learning play a pivotal role to that advancement. For example, our school’s natural surroundings lends itself to hands-on learning opportunities through ecological programs, outdoor design programs, and even the simple pleasure of reading under a tree. Adequate outdoor and social time is important. Being active supports both personal growth and academic success, and therefore is a significant aspect of our program.
Highlights of our primary programme include:
Theme based inquiry programme of instruction.
Development of personal skills, attitudes and values.
Development of core skills and introduction to critical thinking.
Introduction to communication skills, entrepreneurship, and community service.
Opportunity to choose and engage in projects of choice.
Socratic dialogue and discussion between student, teacher and peers.
Outdoor playtime and class related activities.
Numerous subject related field trips.
Two additional languages: French and Spanish.
Signature subject: the study of 'cultures'.
All of this occurs within the philosophical framework of the International Baccalaureate. Click on the following links to learn a little more.
IB PYP Overview
Video 1 - International Baccalaureate overview
Video 2 - What is an IB Education?
the ib pyp curriculum
So what is the IB PYP? Well let's start here. Click on the following links to learn a little more.
Learner Profile
At the heart of the PYP is the Learner Profile. Through the programme, students strive to develop these characteristics, in addition to developing IB attitudes.
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) is underpinned by six transdisciplinary themes around which learning is planned. These are:
Who we are.
Where we are in place and time.
How we express ourselves.
How the world works.
How we organize ourselves.
Sharing the planet.
IB Attitudes
(Source: Laura Wright - http://wrightstuffinteractive.com/)
These themes are selected for their relevance to the real world. They are described as transdisciplinary because they focus on issues that go across subject areas. That means, where possible, when students are studying a particular theme for inquiry, they will also touch on that theme in their other subject areas. For example, if students are studying ecosystems under 'Sharing the planet', they will not just be exploring it in science, but they may be reading about it in language arts, or undertaking math projects that teach math skill sets but using ecosystems as their point of interest; or doing some sort of art project around this theme.
The transdisciplinary themes help teachers to develop a programme of inquiry. Teachers work together to develop investigations into important ideas, which require a high level of involvement on the part of students. Guiding the inquiry are the Key Concepts. These provide a platform for the Socratic dialogue with students, and a direction in which they learn about the inquiry at a deep level.
At the end of each inquiry unit our students engage in presentations to showcase to the parents what they have learned over the duration of the inquiry.
To take a closer look at a sample of our inquiry programme, click on the following links.
Key Concepts
(Source: Laura Wright - http://wrightstuffinteractive.com/)
More about our general curriculum can be found here. Please note that this is currently being updated.