We strive for a balance between the search for understanding, the acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, the development of positive attitudes and the opportunity for positive action.
The body of significant and relevant subject matter students explore and know about is referred to as knowledge. This knowledge is represented through 6 subject areas: Languages, Social Studies, Science and Technology, Mathematics, Arts, and Personal, Social and Physical Education.
Knowledge
Key concepts are expressed as questions:
- Form (What is it like?)
- Function (How does it work?)
- Causation (Why is it like it is?)
- Change (How is it changing?)
- Connection (How is it connected to other things?)
- Perspective (What are the points of view?)
- Responsibility (What is our responsibility?)
- Reflection (How do we know?).
Skills
The PYP identifies sets of disciplinary and cross-curricular skills, outlined below, that are acquired in the process of structured inquiry.
- Thinking skills: the acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, dialectical thought, and metacognition.
- Research skills: formulating questions, observing, planning, collecting and recording data, organising and interpreting data, and presenting research findings.
- Communication skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and non-verbal communication.
- Self-management skills: gross and fine motor skills, spatial awareness, organisation, time management, safety, a healthy lifestyle, codes of behaviour and making informed choices.
- Social skills: accepting responsibility, respecting others, cooperating, resolving conflict, group decision making, and adopting a variety of group roles.
Actions
Students are encouraged to reflect, choose wisely and to act responsibly with their peers, school staff and in the wider community. Through such service, students are able to grow socially and personally, developing skills such as cooperation, problem solving, conflict resolution and creative and critical thinking.
At the heart of the PYP’s philosophy is a commitment to structured inquiry as an ideal vehicle for learning. Teachers and students are guided by 6 transdisciplinary themes of global significance, explored using knowledge and skills derived from the 6 subject areas, with a powerful emphasis on inquiry-based learning:
- Who we are
- Where we are in place and time
- How we express ourselves
- How the world works
- How we organise ourselves
- Sharing the planet