The International Schools Review Forum

[quote="Snowbeavers"][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.[/quote]

Couldn't have said it better : Basically, in the PYP, the writing and reading are not taught as separate categories from each other ( this is how it was during " old school " days ). Everything is integrated so you have a natural way of actually applying the skills. Now of course, there has to be some time set aside to explicit teaching of writing, reading and representing.

I agree with the list from Snowbeavers of WAB, NIST, Yokohama, Canadian Int School of HK, Tokyo Int School, ISPP, Nanjing Int School.

Western Academy Beijing (WAB) and Yokohama are the top of that bunch in my opinion, but it's hard to rule out Nanjing as far as quality administration and teaching and learning goes. Nanjing (the city) itself doesn't interest me at all, but I'd love to work at the school. If you look at the way the school present themselves and then speak to anyone who works there then you'll see that they really are progressive. All the stuff that they say on their website (which always seems a bit too good to be true) is apparently a very true reflection.

There are some interesting other schools worth keeping an eye on too. The UN school in Hanoi is supposed to be quite good, but I'm only passing on second hand information there. I don't know anyone drectly that worked there, more friend of a friend type information. The Prem Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand used to have a really good name but not sure about nowadays. The Phuket International Academy is also supposed to be very nice and very enjoyable to work at, but NIST is certainly the best PYP school in Thailand. The new Dwight School in Seoul seems to have a lot of backing, as does the Busan International Foreign School, so they're worh watching over the next year or 2. The advantage for those 2 in Korea is that there are only a couple of other decent international schools there so there's very little competition for them. Bali used to have a really good school but again, not sure what they're like nowadays. It's amazing how much schools change in just a few years. If they can stay top for 10 or more years then they have to be pretty special in my opinion.