The document summarizes an International Baccalaureate (IB) Parent Teacher Organization meeting about the school becoming an IB World School. It outlines the IB mission of developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring students. It also discusses the school's mission and emphasis on rigorous, inquiry-based learning and respect for diversity. The document then explains key aspects of the IB Primary Years Programme the school is adopting, including its inquiry-driven approach and focus on international-mindedness. It provides an overview of the curriculum changes being made to align with the IB programme, such as rewriting lessons to be more concept-based and connected.

1. On Our Way to
Becoming IB
PTO Meeting
September 20, 2012

2. International Baccalaureate Mission Statement
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring,
knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better
and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and
respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and
international organizations to develop challenging programmes of
international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to
become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who
understand that other people, with their differences, can also be
right.

3. School at St. George Mission Statement
The School at St. George Place empowers learners to become
principled, compassionate, reflective citizens who construct
meaning through rigorous, inquiry-based learning experiences.
With open minds and hearts we embrace and respect diversity of
culture, ways of learning and living in an international community
where building knowledge is a life-long process.

4. Emphasis in Primary Years Programme
Traditional Approach PYP Approach
•Factually driven •Inquiry driven
•“inch deep, mile wide” •Facts are seen as a foundation to
•New knowledge not transferable build new knowledge and
•Emphasis on covering material understand concepts
•Transdisciplinary-connections
made across disciplines and to real
world
•Emphasis on ideas and making
connections
•Develops international-
mindedness

5. Overview of the curriculum
• Unique to each school
• Built collaboratively by teachers and leadership to reflect scope
and sequence and student need/interest
• Developed in Program of Inquiry
• 6 units (planners) addressing themes
• Each unit relates to concepts and a central idea that will drive the unit
• Is transdisciplinary

6. Unit Composition
• Each unit contains 5 Essential Elements
• Attitudes
• Skills-Research, Thinking, Social, Communication, Self-Management
• Concepts-Questions that guide thinking
• Knowledge-Themes and disciplines
• Action-How do we respond once we have learned?
LEARNER PROFILE is umbrella of entire program
LEARNER PROFILE develops international-mindedness

7. Themes for Program of Inquiry
• Who We Are
• Where We Are in Time and Place
• How We Express Ourselves
• How the World Works
• How We Organize Ourselves
• Sharing the Planet

8. So…what are the implications for St. George?
• Teachers and leadership are actively rewriting curriculum
• Concept based
• Allow students to make deeper connections
• Teachers are currently teaching 1st planner
• On going staff development in areas of:
• Curriculum
• Inquiry
• Assessment
• Best Practice
• Commitment by teachers and administrators to deliver curriculum that is:
• Engaging
• Relevant
• Rigorous

9. Questions??
E-mail me:
LHERNA15@houstonisd.org
International Baccalaureate
www.ibo.org