BDM IB News 

November 2019  

PYP Coordinator - Ms. Christina Panizzon  MYP Coordinator - Mrs. Lyndsy Panizzon 

LEARNER PROFILE OF THE MONTH  Principled – A Month of Remembrance Our IB profile this month is Principled. During the month of November let us take time to think about the many men and women who gave their lives during past and current wartimes and how they were acting on the basis of high ideals for a just world. The Poppy Story: through a Scottish perspective https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8Jv0T9eFUY Developing the Learner Profile Attribute – Principled Posted below are some resources that will help promote the attribute of principled. Kindergarten through Grade 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_nv-ecBmcE&list=UUUqTWOeONQAnRnTHxojsyVQ https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/pause-think-online-psa Grades 6 - 9 https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/teen-voices-sexting-relationships-and-risks http://www.ted.com/talks/kathryn_schulz_don_t_regret_regret#t-90535 http://www.letitripple.org/honesty

How can parents help to develop the Principled Profile at home? 1. Involve your child in deciding on the rules for a game or activity and then ensure that

they stick to the ones that have been decided upon.

2. Encourage your child to play games that involve teams. Discuss with your child the qualities of a team player. What sort of person would they want on their team?

3. When your child wins a game insist that he or she is a well-mannered winner. They might thank their opponent or shake hands with them if it’s appropriate.

4. When playing a game, don’t change the rules or let your child win. Being a gracious loser is just as important as being a good winner.

5. Talk with your child about why they think they are a person who is principled using, “I think I am/am not a person of principles because…”

6. For older students, have your child make a list of their principles, or your most basic beliefs, that would not be compromised no matter what. Now have them select one; write about a time where they did something courageous by standing up for this principle.

7. For older students, have your child identify someone in public life they think has demonstrated a lack of principles. Talk about what they think of his/her behavior and what he/she should do to shape up.

8. For older students, write a letter to someone in the news whose principles have impressed you.

9. Talk about what it means to “compromise your principles.” Give examples. Talk about what the phrase “Let your life speak” means

10. Talk about what it means to “walk your talk.” Brainstorm people who are positive and negative examples of this phrase.

11. Catch your child being principled. Make sure your child knows he/she has done something good. Expressing your approval is a powerful way to reinforce the profiles.

12. Allowing children to reflect on their own experiences is probably the best step toward creating principled children. Talk about the decisions they make throughout their day that relate to the idea of being a principled person—at recess, their learning, during specials, with friends and teachers, at lunch, and so on.

13. When a child is reading, ask, “What does this story tell us about ourselves? What does it tell us about others? How will this knowledge change our thinking and actions?”

14. When a child makes a poor choice, allow them to understand why the choice wasn’t the best one. Ask them whether other people in their environment are impacted by their actions, decisions, and choices. Discuss alternative choices for future situations. Discussions like this will allow your child to gradually learn what is fair, honest, just, and socially acceptable.

 

Principled Book List 

MYP Years  

Year 2 Students are Open-minded! 

Mrs. Panizzon 7C Throughout the first few Health classes of the month, students in year 2 inquired into what it means to be open-minded. In a collaborative setting, they each chose an individual who they felt exhibited the open-minded learner profile trait fully. Some of the individuals were: Malala, Pope Francis, Bill Gates, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Father Gregory Boyle and many more. Students

then shared their demonstration of understanding with class members in a gallery walk presentation. After seeing examples of open-mindedness in action, students then set goals for how they can be more open-minded that they will revisit at the end of the month.

MYP Year 1 Language Acquisition Inquires into strategies to 

develop open-mindedness  

Mrs. Seibel 

 

This month our MYP year 1 students "prennent des risques". Our students are demonstrating

the IB profile of being risk takers and being open-minded in their language acquisition class

French As A Second language. During class the students are asked to play game-like activities

to practice their effective communication through interaction. They are often heard and

encouraged in class to take the risk to try pronouncing and writing in French. The students are

gaining confidence in French and they are approaching the uncertainty of a second language

with determination and resilience. They

are brave and courageous in exploring

this new world of the French language.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PYP Years 

Learning About Cultures Around the World  Ms. Kluthe 3B, Ms.Caramia 3C, and Ms. Szaszkiewicz 3D

IB Classrooms vs. Traditional Classrooms 

How is the IB PYP different than traditional learning?

In a world of rapid change, we prepare our students to be creative, think critically and work

effectively in groups. Students take charge of their own learning, with each child working on their

own learning goals. The traditional model of students in rows, listening carefully to the teacher for

the correct answer will not give our students what they need to flourish.

http://www.scotsalbury.nsw.edu.au/ib-pyp-vs-traditional/

How is the IB MYP different than traditional learning?

 

1. There are lots of teachers The first thing students often notice in Year 1 of the MYP is that there are many more teachers than

in most primary or lower schools. This is often a big change for students and parents. Each teacher

is likely to apply a wide range of teaching strategies and learning engagements.

Behind the scenes, lots of teachers also means the need for collaboration among educators

themselves. This is built into the MYP framework. Teachers in the MYP work together to help

students make connections across subject groups, placing an equal emphasis on eight equally

important areas of knowledge.

2. Students are increasingly responsible for their own learning

Almost every MYP student will have homework, projects, papers, and (usually) extra-curricular

activities. Learning how to manage a more complex academic landscape is a big responsibility. The

MYP encourages students to learn about themselves and make important decisions as reflective,

independent, self-aware, internally-motivated learners.

Your student will have more choice in how to complete their work (for example, making a personal

reading schedule, choosing among assignments or topics for research, selecting activities, and

collaborating with others). MYP students build personalized tool-kits of learning skills that they can

use in school and in life beyond the classroom.

3. MYP classrooms are often noisy, busy places

In MYP schools, students are likely experience a mix of lecture (direct instruction), individual and

group learning activities, class discussions, hands-on investigations, individual practice, and

highly-participatory learning environments in which they interact with other students extensively.

The MYP includes purposeful student collaboration in all subjects. Parents who visit an MYP

classroom at any given moment may wonder, Why isn’t the teacher talking? In the MYP, students

are often learning with and from each other, working in pairs or small groups. Many MYP classrooms

are arranged to help facilitate this interaction throughout the day. Students learn to share their ideas,

provide each other with feedback, and work together.

4. Asking good questions is as important as learning the right answers

All IB programmes are inquiry-based. MYP students will be encouraged to ask many questions, and

to ask how they can connect their learning to their personal experience and the wider world they are

discovering in the middle years. For example, while exploring acidity in science class, students may

examine local streams and investigate human impact on water quality—or even organize a

campaign to challenge the community’s ideas about environmental justice. It’s all a part of learning

in the MYP! A simple question like, “Who decides where crosswalks are installed in our town?”

opens the door to broader discussions about human behaviour, civic engagement and local

government. Through the MYP students are asked to begin reimagining themselves – as curious,

engaged and responsible young adults who play an important roles in both local and global

communities.

by Sky Brandt and Ocie Grimsley

https://blogs.ibo.org/blog/2018/01/10/the-first-week-in-the-myp/

Grading in the Middle School Programme As you have noticed in powerschool some of your children have been receiving assessments using IB rubrics. As we are a candidate IB school, not all teachers are assessing using these rubrics, but some are. Here is what assessment in the MYP looks like. Assessment in the MYP is criterion related, which means that teachers measure student achievement against specified subject criteria rather than against other individuals in the class. For each criterion there is a range of points awarded, based on student performance at the time of assessment. Each criterion has a descriptor that explains as clearly as possible what each student has been able to achieve. The criterion rubrics are posted in classrooms, online environments and attached to course outlines for reference.

Teachers structure varied and valid assessment tasks that allow students to demonstrate

achievement according to the required objectives within each subject group. These may

include:

● open-ended, problem-solving activities and investigations

● organized debates

● hands-on experimentation

● analysis

● reflection

Assessment strategies, both quantitative (producing grade level appropriate work) and qualitative (percentage grades), provide feedback on the thinking processes as well as the finished piece of work. There is also an emphasis on self-assessment and peer-assessment within the programme.

Teachers assess student work with the subject criterion at least 2 times in the year. Parents can view the MYP Grades on PowerSchool. The MYP grades are not weighted in the student’s final mark.

MYP grading in PowerSchool

In the MYP, subject group objectives correspond to assessment criteria. Each criterion has eight possible achievement levels (1–8), divided into four bands that generally represent limited (1–2); adequate (3–4); substantial (5–6); and excellent (7–8) performance. Each band has its own unique descriptor that teachers use to make “best-fit” judgments about students progress and achievement. The levels that you see in PowerSchool do not equate to a percentage. Teachers use conversion scales in their classrooms to convert the levels into percentages to align with our district reporting policies. For more information on grading in the Middle Years Programme please see your child’s course outline which will have the rubrics attached. As always we welcome questions about the IB programme in our school. Christina Panizzon is the coordinator for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Lyndsy Panizzon is the coordinator for the Middle Years Programme (MYP). They can be reached at Christina.Panizzon@ecsd.net and Lyndsy.Panizzon@ecsd.net