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The transdisplinary
elements of the PYP
"Effective teaching, Albright (2016: 532) believes, “is implicitly transdisciplinary”, and, by design, multiple elements of the PYP bring to life transdisciplinary learning and teaching. These elements provide the foundation for students to develop transdisciplinary thinking, to explore real-life issues and to effect change. They support the development of “internationally minded people who recognize their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet” (IBO 2017: 2)."
Principles into Practice, Teaching and Learning, p. 10
What are the PYP essential elements?
Knowledge - what do we want our students to KNOW?
Key concepts - what do we want our students to UNDERSTAND?
Approaches to Learning (skills) - what do we want our students to USE/DO?
Action - what do we want our students to ACHIEVE?
Learning knowledge through the transdisciplinary themes - what do we want our students to KNOW?
These global significant themes mark the starting point for student inquiries. They are interconnected, can be covered in all subjects and can be applied to real life. Students will explore central ideas and gain knowledge. These six themes are:
Who We Are
Where We Are in Place and Time
How We Express Ourselves
How the World Works
How We Organise Ourselves
Sharing the Planet
Learning through key concepts - what do we want our students to UNDERSTAND?
Conceptual learning is life learning!
"A concept driven curriculum, which is the cornerstone of an PYP education, helps learners construct meaning through improved critical-thinking and the transfer of knowledge and understanding."
Principles into Practice, Teaching and Learning, p.12
In trandisciplinary learning, concepts are "linking operators" of knowledge (Klein 2004). The PYP has seven key concepts. These concepts create a structure for students to experience and explore authentic content.
Learning through the approaches to learning (ATL) - what do we want our students to USE and DO?
Approaches to learning (ATL) are integral part of PYP and complement the Learner Profile.
These learning skills are based on the belief that learning how to learn is essential for a student's education. Five categories of approaches to learning skills are weaved through units of inquiry to support students to become self-regulated learners, who ask questions, set learning goals, and inquire into their personal passions.
These learning skills also help to support student agency and encourage learners to see learning as an "active and dynamic process." Principles into Practice, Teaching and Learning, p. 26
Learning through action - what do we want our students to ACHIEVE?
Action, the foundation of student agency, is integral to the PYP learning process and the programme's all-embracing outcome of international-mindedness.
When students take individual and collective action, they begin to develop understanding associated with being a responsible internationally minded citizen. It is hoped that students begin to appreciate the advantages of working towards a shared purpose.
Tangible action allows students to see themselves as change makers and people can can make a difference to the world we live in.
The connection with taking action in the PYP reaches across all three IB programmes and lays the foundation for community service in the MYP and creativity, activity, service (CAS) in the DP.
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