The International Schools Review Forum

Hi

Am just approaching the end of my first year in PYP and just as a general comment, I get the impression it over complicates things for young students.

My preference would be to teach stand alone subjects and relate them to the world when there is a natural fit, rather than the other way around.

While I'm not really looking to be convinced that PYP is fantastic, I'd like to know what other types of curricula may suit me better in international teaching?

Thanks in advance

OG

All the other ones with the exception of IPC and IMYC, which are IB rips of IB. The UKNC (IGCSE, A*), USNC (AP, CC), the EB (Euro Baccalaureate) and the other EU (German, Swiss, French) Curriculum are all very stranded and traditionally organized. Montessori is a toss up, it can be very inclusive or exclusive of curriculum depending on the IS. You may also consider looking at the IB MYP as a possible option.

That's good to hear, thanks for the reply!

OG

How young do you mean by young? I've worked with English curriculum, IPC and PYP, mainly with children aged 7 and under. From your post, it sounds that you want to focus on learning objectives for specific curriculum areas separately. Have I got that right? In that case, you want to avoid PYP and IPC. Both take a topic-based approach to these objectives (though PYP purists will disembowel me for saying PYP is a topic-based curriculum - I know it's concept-based, but you do tend to be given an overarching 'topic' to work within). Personally, I think IPC is great for younger children as it deals in more concrete than abstract thought. The strong focus is on teaching skills. I do enjoy teaching PYP, but with a focus more on the learner profile and attitudes rather than the concepts. The English curriculum used to be very separate subjects, but I don't know if it is now.

My experience has been in upper primary.

The glaring example is that maths does not particularly fit with many of the units of inquiry.

OG

OzGrad wrote:
> My experience has been in upper primary.
>
> The glaring example is that maths does not particularly fit with many of
> the units of inquiry.
>
> OG

it sort of depends on what unit you're teaching in mathematics - some lend themselves easier than others - but i think you've got it backwards...you;ll be hard-pressed to find a tailored math program for the PYP. rather, you can introduce some concepts from the PYP into math - e.. express yourself - 3d shapes collages; how we organize - data management, etc...your coordinator should have given you a login for the PYP/IB forum/site you can find some good ideas there...the onus is definitely on you to cross-curricularize (is that a word?) your core subjects. in my experience, 'british' teachers seem to have a more difficult time with the PYP than others. that's a generalization and probably not fair but there it is!

best of luck!

v.

@OzGrad

Thats a generally shared sentiment among ITs. Maths is usually just a "touch" when integrated into a UI. @vandsmith isnt wrong, but there are many coordinators and leadership that want maths to be represented in the UI and the planner as any subject like social studies or language. Where I disagree with @vandsmith is the inference that IB and the PYP are absent or underutilized in discreet subjects, you should be using those examples presented when the opportunity affords itself as part of strong PYP practice, regardless of the theme, which doesnt necessitate and is separate from inclusion in any one UI.

@vandsmith

If you wrote it, its a word.

Our maths is done discreetly but with it's own bubble planner. It will have it's own central idea and then three focus concepts (usually form, function, and one other). We make links where relevant but would never force links where they don't exist.

The IB itself used to "encourage" schools to teach all their maths within the PoI, or at least most of it. But in more recent years they changed their tune, and now recognize that much of maths will need to be taught through stand-alone units.
So we use/teach maths within the UoI where reasonable, and address the rest separately.
Contrast with Science and Social Studies, which the PYP requires be taught entirely within the PoI.

vandsmith wrote:
in my experience,
> 'british' teachers seem to have a more difficult time with the PYP than others.
> that's a generalization and probably not fair but there it is!

It is a bit - it's actually ENGLISH teachers who have more of a problem with it. Teachers trained in Scotland are used to a more topic-based curriculum, and IPC and PYP are very similar to the Scottish Curriculum (Scotland took some ideas from both, and then PYP certainly took some back from Scotland.)

I agree with @expatscot, it really isnt accurate in this case to group Scotland with the rest of the UK, and with that its not accurate to dump Ireland in there either, it really is English and Welsh DTs that have the opposed dichotomy with IB and similar meds/peds programs.