MYP

The IB Middle Years Programme:

• addresses holistically students’ intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being
• provides students opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need in order to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future
• ensures breadth and depth of understanding through study in eight subject groups
• requires the study of at least two languages (language of instruction and additional language of choice) to support students in understanding their own cultures and those of others
• empowers students to participate in service within the community
• helps to prepare students for further education, the workplace and a lifetime of learning.

THE MYP CURRICULUM

The MYP consists of eight subject groups: language acquisition, language and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health education, and design.

Student study is supported by a minimum of 50 hours of instruction per subject group in each academic year. In years 4 and 5, students have the option to take courses from six of the eight subject groups, which provides greater flexibility.

The MYP: a unique approach, relevant for a global society The MYP aims to help students develop their personal understanding, their emerging sense of self and responsibility in their community.

MYP teachers organize the curriculum with appropriate attention to:

• Teaching and learning in context.
• Conceptual understanding.
• Approaches to learning (ATL).
• Service as action (community service).
• Language and identity – MYP students are required to learn at least two languages.

WHY STUDY IN MYP

10 reasons why the MYP encourages you to become a creative, critical and reflective learner:

1. Becomes a life-long learner. Learn ‘how to learn’ using communication, research, self-management, collaboration and critical thinking skills.
2. Learn by doing and experiencing. Through the MYP community project you learn to service the community and connect what you learn in the classroom to “real life”.
3. The MYP encourages critical thinking. It teaches you to analyse and evaluate issues, generate novel idea and consider new perspectives.
4. Explore global challenges. The MYP helps you increase your understanding of the world by exploring globally significant ideas and issues.
5. Learn for understanding. Not just to memorize facts or topics and prepare for exams.
6. Train yourself to:
   • Organize and plan your work
   • Meet deadlines
   • Concentrate
   • Bounce back
   • Persist
   • Think positively
7. Subjects are not taught in isolation. You are encouraged to make connection between subjects.
8. It empowers you to develop your talents. Feel empowered to prove what you know and earn the MYP certificate or MYP course results.
9. It prepares you for future education. Prepare yourself for the IB Diploma Programme or IB Career-related Programme delivered by IB World Schools globally.
10. It encourages international-mindedness. The MYP helps you critically appreciate your own culture and personal history, as well as the values and traditions of others.

SERVICE AND ACTION

Action in the MYP builds upon the action initiated in the PYP and continues as an essential component of the learning process, both as part of the programme’s educational philosophy and as a practical outcome of students’ learning. The MYP aims to help students develop their personal understanding, their emerging sense of self and their developmentally appropriate responsibility in their community. In the IB continuum, this continues with the service component of the DP’s creativity, activity, service (CAS) requirements, in which students continue to increase their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth, undertake new challenges, plan and initiate activities, work collaboratively with others, show perseverance and commitment, engage with locally and globally significant challenges and consider the ethical implications of their actions.

SOCIAL PROJECTS

The community project focuses on community and service, encouraging students to explore their right and responsibility to implement service as action in the community. The community project gives students an opportunity to develop awareness of needs in various communities and address those needs through service learning. As a consolidation of learning, the community project engages in a sustained, in-depth inquiry leading to service as action in the community. The community project may be completed individually or by groups of a maximum of three students.

PERSONAL PROJECTS

The personal project encourages students to practise and strengthen their approaches to learning (ATL) skills, to consolidate prior and subject-specific learning, and to develop an area of personal interest. The personal project provides an excellent opportunity for students to produce a truly personal and often creative product/outcome and to demonstrate a consolidation of their learning in the MYP. The project offers many opportunities for differentiation of learning and expression according to students’ individual needs. The personal nature of the project is important; the project should revolve around a challenge that motivates and interests the individual student. Each student develops a personal project independently.

* Taken from ibo.org