The Areas of Interaction
Five unifying themes allow students to see connections between subject areas. Teachers collaboratively plan to further aid this holistic aspect of the programme.
The Personal Project
Students in Grade 9 embark on creating a personal and independent piece of work and develop it over the course of their last year in the MYP.
An exhibition is held to display students' work in the spring of the grade 10 year.
Criterion-Referenced Assessment
Student achievement is measured against standards set by the International Baccalaureate Organisation.
Teachers modify these standards (except for the final years of the MYP) for the tasks and present students with rubrics with which to complete the assignment, thereby promoting independent learning.
The Learner Profile
Students’ attitudes are addressed based on a set of ideals that the IBO used to describe a truly international student.
The Areas of Interaction
The Areas of Interaction (AoI) connect the subject areas through unifying themes, so that students learn to see knowledge as interrelated.
Each AoI addresses the following guiding questions within each subject area:
Approaches to Learning (ATL)
How do I learn best?
How do I know?
How do I communicate my understanding?
Community and Service
How do we live in relation to each other?
How can I contribute to the community?
How can I help others?
Environments
What are our environments?
What resources do we have or need?
What are my responsibilities?
Health and Social Education
How do I think and act?
How am I changing?
How can I look after myself and others?
Human Ingenuity
Why and how do we create?
What are the consequences?
(source: http://www.ibo.org/myp/curriculum/interaction/)
Advantages of the IB MYP for Strothoff International School
- Provides continuity with the PYP and DP
- Explicitly develops organisational and collaborative skills, attitudes towards work, information literacy, reflection, and problem-solving skills
- Focuses on the holistic development of students
- Encourages all students to be involved in community service
- Emphasises taking personal responsibility towards our environment
- Provides a framework for cultural understanding
- Encourages students to be physically and mentally healthy
- Provides a rigorous education in all standard subjects
