In the past one decade,some of the best schools in Gurgaon andDelhi have adopted the globally recognized International Baccalaureate (IB)programmes to provide their students the education that suits the needs of ourchanging world.
After the pre-nurseryclass where teachers use play-way methods to teach the new learners, the academicsections of an IB school are:
- Primary Years Programme (PYP)for students in 3 to 10 years’ age group (Nursery to Grade 5)
- Cambridge Lower Secondarycurriculum for students in 11 to 14 years’ age group (Grade 6 to Grade 8)
- Cambridge IGCSE curriculumfor students in 14 to 16 years’ age group (Grade 9 and Grade 10)
- IB Diploma Programme forstudents in 17 to 19 years’ age group (Grade 11 and Grade 12)
As the first key curriculumframework for IB schools, the PYP aims to develop the intellectual, emotionaland physical potential of each child, in a secure and stimulating environment.
A driving force behind theprogramme is its philosophy of global mindedness. In its mission statement, theIB strives to nurture children while helping them understand that they areinternational citizens who must get prepared to make changes for a betterworld.
In this integrated course,the subject areas of language, maths, science, social studies, computers, artsand physical education are taught via IB trans-disciplinary themes so thatchildren can make connections between the subjects. This facilitates moreeffective learning.
With a differentiatedapproach for teaching and learning students also learn to make connectionsbetween their school life, the life at home and life in the world at large. Suchconnections also contribute to the development of the attitudes that reflectinternational mindedness.
One of the aspects thatdifferentiate the IB PYP from academic courses followed for the same age group underseveral other boards of education is its emphasis on the inquiry-based approachfor teaching and learning.
Inquiry-based methods areunderpinned by individual understandings, knowledge and interests. They enablechildren to delve deeper into concepts and develop critical thinking skillswhile learning something new.
The units of inquiry aredeveloped under the trans-disciplinary themes and help students to understanddifferent concepts more effectively, with details such as:
- Form
- Function
- Causation
- Change
- Connection
- Perspective
- Responsibility
- Reflection
Students of an IB schoolin NCR may be learning online or in the usual classrooms, setting the scene ofinquiry requires igniting curiosity. It triggers students’ background knowledgeand builds wonder. This is where student-led inquiries start.
In delivering the lessonsbased on inquiry, teachers too have a special role. They need to:
- Proactively teacheffective skills that help students to develop higher levels of thinking andask more of open-ended questions.
- Help students buildquestions that can change the direction of an inquiry.
- Challenge them to ask bigquestions that perplex and cannot be answered easily
- Also help them developquestions that can have multiple answers or solutions.
Each teacher at an IBschool has to consistently ensure that the learning within their classroom isengaging, significant and relevant. A PYP classroom does not involve anytime-filling worksheets. Teachers are facilitators and not the ‘distributors’of knowledge.
Another interesting facetof a PYP classroom is that all learning outcomes are transparent and can beaccessed by the entire learning community including students, their parents andother teachers. The programme builds learning in ways that are differentiatedand also specific to the needs of each learner within a class.
Teachers of IB schoolsalso work collaboratively with their colleagues and the IB community toreflect, review and revise the programme contents for making constantimprovements in it.
Authorbio - The Gurgaonbased campus of Amity Global School enrolled its first batch of students in2008 and has been helping young scholars imbibe the virtues of education yearafter year. A tailored approach to academics, sports and extra-curricularactivities is the hallmark of the institution.
