Integrated Units of Inquiry

'The Transdisciplinary approach asks that specialist teachers in the PYP step out of their areas of expertise to think as a generalist. This is necessary both to acknowledge that knowledge in all fields is subjective and fluid, and to support students to make authentic connections to their personal and collective interests' (Elements of the PYP Framework).

With this in mind, it is firstly important to think outside the boundaries of being a PE teacher and into the shoes of a classroom teacher. Obviously, there is where ongoing collaboration comes in and regular meetings with homeroom teachers are vital. What is the language being used in the UOI? Can I regularly insert them into my specialist lessons so that the learning is reinforced? Can I make links to the core subjects of Maths, English, Science? It is important to note here that one should not try to make links that are forced or ambiguous - they should connect on many levels and be meaningful. At KIS, when planning, we take care to ensure that transdisciplinary links are not shoehorned into every UOI but when they are inserted, they are planned in depth and carry real purpose.