Exploring the Transdisciplinary Themes of the PYP

Connecting Curriculum to the Transdisciplinary Themes

At the PYP Category 1: An Introduction to the PYP Curriculum Model, in Philadelphia, I began learning about being a PYP teacher. The work in this session covered many parts of Primary Years Programme. One unforgettable part of this workshop was the exploration of the Transdisciplinary Themes. Our workshop leaders worked with the group to create of the grid pictured above. On the top horizontal axis, we listed the Transdisciplinary Themes, and on the left vertical axis we listed grade levels. Then the group, made up of specialists and classroom teachers, brainstormed the units we currently teach that might fit into the Transdiciplinary Themes for our specific grade level. The intent here was to help us think of our curriculum in the context of the Transdisciplinary Themes. This activity got me thinking about my own classroom: about the curriculum, the standards and the content for my 1st grade classroom in my school, and where they might connect to the Transdiciplinary Themes. 

After talking with the PYP instructors from our session, it became clear that as my colleagues and I embarked on the journey to being an IB school, we would continue to use our school’s curriculum, standards and content, but we would begin to teach in the context of the Transdisciplinary Themes. Upon my return to Ann Arbor, my thinking led to the creation of a similar grid, only this time the grid included the Transdisciplinary Themes on the top horizontal axis, and my content areas on the left vertical axis. 

This process led me to some answers, but also exposed some significant questions. The process helped me see that first graders in my classroom are exposed to lots of important ideas and content already, and this summary illuminated potential areas of integration. First graders also achieve the standards we set out to achieve, and there are many of them.  Now the questions: In what areas does the PYP Transdiciplinary Theme lend itself to exploring primarily Science, or Social Studies? Can Literacy objectives be enhanced in each Transdisciplinary Theme? Where does Mathematics fit in? Are the resources available in content areas so to allow for student inquiry? When does integration happen in my classroom now? How can integration of subject areas and specific content help students not just acquire knowledge but also help them learn how to learn?  As I explore the PYP Unit Planner, and the text Making the PYP Happen, I hope to find some answers. 

Learning to be an IB Teacher

Hello from Mary D. Mitchell Elementary in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the Ann Arbor Public Schools, we are beginning the journey to become a K-12 International Baccalaureate School.  A group of 11 passionate, dedicated teachers and administrators attended the Level 1 International Baccalaureate Training in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the summer of 2014. At this meeting, we began to see all the things that might be possible in the IB classroom. It was energizing and exciting. Being an IB Teacher will promote growth for all, as a teacher, a learner, an inquirer, and a colleague. It is a privilege to be a part of this change in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. The journey starts right here.