A similar question to the one below. My own children are PYP age and we are probably looking to go to Asia. Any recommendations for ones with a great atmosphere, a strong PYP program, a good racial mix and small class sizes?
Thanks a lot....
Best PYP schools in Asia?
PYP SCHOOLS IN ASIA
Not quite sure about this advice. The top three schools in Singapore are probably SAS, UWC and Tanglin Trust. SAS and Tanglin don't do PYP and UWC are dropping it. Shanghai American is the top school in Shanghai and they don't do PYP and neither do Concordia or Dulwich. In Hong Kong, Chinese International School and HKIS and the ESF schools don't do PYP. As a general rule, the best schools in Asia stay away from it. If you want PYP, you need to come to Europe. But why do you want it anyway?
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Snowbeavers
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Re: PYP SCHOOLS IN ASIA
[quote="Walter"]Not quite sure about this advice. The top three schools in Singapore are probably SAS, UWC and Tanglin Trust. SAS and Tanglin don't do PYP and UWC are dropping it. Shanghai American is the top school in Shanghai and they don't do PYP and neither do Concordia or Dulwich. In Hong Kong, Chinese International School and HKIS and the ESF schools don't do PYP. As a general rule, the best schools in Asia stay away from it. If you want PYP, you need to come to Europe. But why do you want it anyway?[/quote]
Except for: WAB, NIST, Yokohama, Canadian Int School of HK, Tokyo Int School, ISPP, Nanjing Int School...
The list goes on and on. Most of these are fantastic schools.
Why would you want it anyway? Inquiry-based learning, constructivist pedagogy, collaborative teaching and learning, exhibition, a common framework, language and attitudes, just to name a few.
It is by no means perfect but is a nice philosophy for elementary students and personally would prefer it to non-PYP schools.
Except for: WAB, NIST, Yokohama, Canadian Int School of HK, Tokyo Int School, ISPP, Nanjing Int School...
The list goes on and on. Most of these are fantastic schools.
Why would you want it anyway? Inquiry-based learning, constructivist pedagogy, collaborative teaching and learning, exhibition, a common framework, language and attitudes, just to name a few.
It is by no means perfect but is a nice philosophy for elementary students and personally would prefer it to non-PYP schools.
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Snowbeavers
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:56 pm
Re: PYP SCHOOLS IN ASIA
[quote="Snowbeavers"][quote="Walter"]Not quite sure about this advice. The top three schools in Singapore are probably SAS, UWC and Tanglin Trust. SAS and Tanglin don't do PYP and UWC are dropping it. Shanghai American is the top school in Shanghai and they don't do PYP and neither do Concordia or Dulwich. In Hong Kong, Chinese International School and HKIS and the ESF schools don't do PYP. As a general rule, the best schools in Asia stay away from it. If you want PYP, you need to come to Europe. But why do you want it anyway?[/quote]
Except for: WAB, NIST, Yokohama, Canadian Int School of HK, Tokyo Int School, ISPP, Nanjing Int School...
The list goes on and on. Most of these are fantastic schools.
Why would you want it anyway? Inquiry-based learning, constructivist pedagogy, collaborative teaching and learning, exhibition, a common framework, language and attitudes, just to name a few. Obviously this can be done in non-PYP curriculums but it is nice when the whole school adopts it and has a common language. I've taught in both and it is not the same.
It is by no means perfect but is a nice philosophy for elementary students and personally would prefer it to non-PYP schools.[/quote]
Except for: WAB, NIST, Yokohama, Canadian Int School of HK, Tokyo Int School, ISPP, Nanjing Int School...
The list goes on and on. Most of these are fantastic schools.
Why would you want it anyway? Inquiry-based learning, constructivist pedagogy, collaborative teaching and learning, exhibition, a common framework, language and attitudes, just to name a few. Obviously this can be done in non-PYP curriculums but it is nice when the whole school adopts it and has a common language. I've taught in both and it is not the same.
It is by no means perfect but is a nice philosophy for elementary students and personally would prefer it to non-PYP schools.[/quote]
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vincentchase
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Walter said "the ESF schools don't do PYP."
Apart from all ESF schools, Walter is correct.
http://www.esf.edu.hk/curriculum/primary
Apart from all ESF schools, Walter is correct.
http://www.esf.edu.hk/curriculum/primary
Beg pardon, Vincent
It's been a while since I visited, and the discussion at the time was just about bringing in DP.
In the meantime, I like your list, Snowbeavers. Here's another one of schools in Asia that choose not to do PYP: IS Bangkok; ISKL; Taipei American; ASIJ; IS Beijing; Singapore American; IS Manila; Jakarta IS. Meantime, when people try to come up with a list of the best schools in Europe, two that always feature are AS London and IS Brussels, neither of which do PYP. No one could convince me that these schools aren't top performers and that their ES programs are somehow inferior to those you named.
But I don't want to get into a list fight. I accept that PYP is a way of providing a framework for ES education, but that's all it is: a way. Sadly, its disciples often claim that it is the way, the truth and the life, and that is nonsense.
The OP should focus on getting a job at a really good school, and not be so bothered about the ES curriculum framework.
In the meantime, I like your list, Snowbeavers. Here's another one of schools in Asia that choose not to do PYP: IS Bangkok; ISKL; Taipei American; ASIJ; IS Beijing; Singapore American; IS Manila; Jakarta IS. Meantime, when people try to come up with a list of the best schools in Europe, two that always feature are AS London and IS Brussels, neither of which do PYP. No one could convince me that these schools aren't top performers and that their ES programs are somehow inferior to those you named.
But I don't want to get into a list fight. I accept that PYP is a way of providing a framework for ES education, but that's all it is: a way. Sadly, its disciples often claim that it is the way, the truth and the life, and that is nonsense.
The OP should focus on getting a job at a really good school, and not be so bothered about the ES curriculum framework.
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Snowbeavers
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- Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:56 pm
Re: Beg pardon, Vincent
[quote="Walter"]It's been a while since I visited, and the discussion at the time was just about bringing in DP.
In the meantime, I like your list, Snowbeavers. Here's another one of schools in Asia that choose not to do PYP: IS Bangkok; ISKL; Taipei American; ASIJ; IS Beijing; Singapore American; IS Manila; Jakarta IS. Meantime, when people try to come up with a list of the best schools in Europe, two that always feature are AS London and IS Brussels, neither of which do PYP. No one could convince me that these schools aren't top performers and that their ES programs are somehow inferior to those you named.
But I don't want to get into a list fight. I accept that PYP is a way of providing a framework for ES education, but that's all it is: a way. Sadly, its disciples often claim that it is the way, the truth and the life, and that is nonsense.
The OP should focus on getting a job at a really good school, and not be so bothered about the ES curriculum framework.[/quote]
Not be bothered about the curriculum framework? Not be bothered by how the curriculum is taught and how you will be a delivering the single most important aspect of your job-teaching and learning?
Personally, I put more value into teaching, learning and philosophy of the school then I guess you do rather than just getting into a good school and collecting a big paycheck. If I wanted that, I would have gone into a different career.
I've worked at a couple of these so called good schools and the reality is very much different than the perception. I have many good friends who work at them as well. They are struggling with many issues, including curriculum (some of those schools don't even have one). In the end, classifying a good school comes done to what you value as a professional and personally.
I know you don't want to get into list wars but you mentioned 2 schools in Europe that don't but I could list 10 top schools that do.
In the meantime, I like your list, Snowbeavers. Here's another one of schools in Asia that choose not to do PYP: IS Bangkok; ISKL; Taipei American; ASIJ; IS Beijing; Singapore American; IS Manila; Jakarta IS. Meantime, when people try to come up with a list of the best schools in Europe, two that always feature are AS London and IS Brussels, neither of which do PYP. No one could convince me that these schools aren't top performers and that their ES programs are somehow inferior to those you named.
But I don't want to get into a list fight. I accept that PYP is a way of providing a framework for ES education, but that's all it is: a way. Sadly, its disciples often claim that it is the way, the truth and the life, and that is nonsense.
The OP should focus on getting a job at a really good school, and not be so bothered about the ES curriculum framework.[/quote]
Not be bothered about the curriculum framework? Not be bothered by how the curriculum is taught and how you will be a delivering the single most important aspect of your job-teaching and learning?
Personally, I put more value into teaching, learning and philosophy of the school then I guess you do rather than just getting into a good school and collecting a big paycheck. If I wanted that, I would have gone into a different career.
I've worked at a couple of these so called good schools and the reality is very much different than the perception. I have many good friends who work at them as well. They are struggling with many issues, including curriculum (some of those schools don't even have one). In the end, classifying a good school comes done to what you value as a professional and personally.
I know you don't want to get into list wars but you mentioned 2 schools in Europe that don't but I could list 10 top schools that do.
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Snowbeavers
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- Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:56 pm
[quote="christyn2"]I just don't understand how reading and writing are actually TAUGHT in PYP schools? Can someone explain this to me? I obviously have not worked at one.[/quote]
The same way that it is taught in other schools through reading/writing workshops, mini-lessons, independent and shared reading.
The only difference is that reading and writing is also integrated into units of inquiry (which is how it should happen anyway in good teaching models). For example, students doing an ecosystem research project are taught context cues, reading comprehension strategies, note-taking and report writing. So the Unit of Inquiry becomes the backbone for all learning (reading/writing/math,IT, etc).
Hope that makes sense.
The same way that it is taught in other schools through reading/writing workshops, mini-lessons, independent and shared reading.
The only difference is that reading and writing is also integrated into units of inquiry (which is how it should happen anyway in good teaching models). For example, students doing an ecosystem research project are taught context cues, reading comprehension strategies, note-taking and report writing. So the Unit of Inquiry becomes the backbone for all learning (reading/writing/math,IT, etc).
Hope that makes sense.
You are
Beginning to sound like a disciple to me, Snowbeavers. You seem to conflate "good school" with "big paycheck". I don't. For me a good school is first and foremost about high quality teaching and learning. The kind of stuff you find in schools like IS Brussels or IS Bangkok or IS Beijing. I've worked at a couple of those supposed top PYP schools in Europe, and believe me the reality there was very different to the perception they - and the PYP - worked so hard to create. They struggle with curriculum issues like the rest of us. (Not that struggle is a bad thing in itself. Self-questioning, challenging, working and re-working all lead to a better educational programme.)
The fact is that you can have good schools that use the PYP, and you can have just as good - or better - schools that don't. I don't buy into this fundamentalist view that there is only one pathway to elementary heaven.
The fact is that you can have good schools that use the PYP, and you can have just as good - or better - schools that don't. I don't buy into this fundamentalist view that there is only one pathway to elementary heaven.
Thanks
Thanks very much for all the replies. Everyone makes good points. I myself am a secondary teacher so it is a question of finding a balance between the school-both for teaching and my children's learning and country/standard of living etc but of course my own children's education and well-being comes first. They are currently in a PYP school and it suits my elder child in particular so one reason to find a PYP school is to have some familiarity in a very different environment for them. But of course I am very open to other, excellent schools and systems as well....
Thanks again everyone...
Thanks again everyone...
It is a legit question to raise... When and how do you teach the basic skills and still stay committed to the Unit of Inquiry? I think that the answer is that you work hard. I too like the PYP philosophy and I am committed to its practice. You certainly do not need to go to Europe to find top international schools that use the PYP program.
Thanks for the explanation.
I think it is fair to say that Units of Inquiry and Units of Study are both very good teaching models. I myself am very loyal to certain methodologies, but will be careful in saying what is good or better. Until I am experienced in a variety, I am going to just listen and learn.
I think it is fair to say that Units of Inquiry and Units of Study are both very good teaching models. I myself am very loyal to certain methodologies, but will be careful in saying what is good or better. Until I am experienced in a variety, I am going to just listen and learn.