T.R.A.C.

How does TRAC @ Ocean Knoll align with the International Baccalaureate Program?

Ocean Knoll is proud to be an IB school and when designing lessons for TRAC I incorporate several components of the IB program. First and foremost, TRAC utilizes the set of 21st century skills delineated by the IB program in their approaches to learning. A key belief of the IB program is that it's important for students to learn how to learn. Through explicit instruction of thinking, communication, social, research, and self-management skills students learn to become self-regulated learners who ask questions and set goals. Not only are these important components of the IB program, but they are fundamental to TRAC as well (see 5 components of CASEL above). In TRAC we start by looking inward (Self-management and self-awareness) and then move towards learning how our actions affect others (social-awareness and relationship skills). Responsible decision making and the concept of reflection are woven throughout the entire program as a means to assess strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately foster growth in all students. Whenever possible, I incorporate the six transdisciplinary units of inquiry. Within these units, I use questions from the seven fundamental concepts to encourage the inquiry process. Lastly, the ten IB Learner Profile Attributes are tied into TRAC to help students become more internationally minded members of the local, national, and global community. IB defines an internationally minded learner as someone who is a competent communicator, open-minded and knowledgeable, a principled thinker, uses curiosity to inquire about the world, thinks and reflects about opportunities and challenges, takes action for positive changes, and takes risks to further self-development and the understanding of others. These components of an internationally minded thinker are at the heart of Social Emotional Learning, which is the foundation for TRAC. I believe that Teamwork, Regulation, Awareness, and Community are achieved when we all come together to think and act mindfully and globally. What better pairing than IB and TRAC?!