PYP Parent Resources Page updated in May of 2024

What is the Primary Years Programme?

The International Baccalaureate® Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a curriculum framework for learners aged 3–12 and is designed by the International Baccalaureate (IB). Founded on a philosophy that recognizes a child’s natural curiosity, creativity, and ability to reflect, the PYP generates a stimulating, challenging learning environment to nurture those assets and foster a lifelong love of learning. In the PYP, students learn about significant concepts through units of inquiry. The six transdisciplinary themes that guide units of inquiry and compose a year of study are: Who We Are, Where We Are in Place and Time, How We Express Ourselves, How the World Works, How We Organize Ourselves, and Sharing the Planet. Each grade level at Rountree interweaves subject areas such as mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies into their six unique units of inquiry. This approach encourages students to connect what they learn in core subject areas to the world around them.

What is the IB Learner Profile?

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) learner profile describes a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success. The IB Learner Profile is a set of ten attributes that reflect the holistic nature of and IB education. These attributes highlight the importance of nurturing dispositions such as curiosity and compassion as well as developing knowledge and skills. Rountree educators focus on each students’ social, emotional, and physical well-being and with ensuring students learn to respect themselves, others, and the world around them. Students work to develop learner profile attributes during the course of their time at Rountree. The development of these attributes is the foundation of developing internationally-minded students who can help to build a better world.

Click on the arrow in the upper-right corner of the image below to view all 10 the these attributes.

learner-profile-1.pdf

How is the learning at an SPS PYP school different from a traditional school setting?

SPS PYP Learning is:

Based on inquiry - SPS PYP learners are encouraged to explore, ask questions, and share their ideas as they take an active role in the learning process.

Focused on conceptual understanding - SPS PYP learners will explore a wide range of concepts and ideas in order deepen understanding, make connections, and transfer learning to new contexts.

Developed through local and global contexts - SPS PYP learners explore concepts through real life examples and are encouraged to process new information by connecting it to their own experiences and to the world around them.

Focused on teamwork and collaboration - SPS PYP learners are encouraged to work collaboratively with their peers and their teachers to help support their development of fundamental learning skills.
Designed to remove barriers to learning - SPS PYP learners are supported at their developmental level through differentiation and are offered equal learning opportunities.
Inclusive and values diversity - SPS PYP learners are encouraged to embrace their own identities, speak their mother-tongue language, and share their culture and traditions.
Informed by assessment - SPS PYP staff use frequent, ongoing assessment to inform, support, and measure student learning. They routinely provide students with effective feedback and feedforward.
Includes additional language instruction - All SPS PYP learners in grades kindergarten through fifth receive one hour of Spanish instruction each week in addition to other specialty classes including P.E., Art, Music, Library, I.T., and Counseling.