The Aims and Objectives

IB divides the MYP program into eight subject areas: Arts, Humanities (Social Studies), Language A (Language Arts), Language B (World/Foreign Languages), Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, and Technology. Unlike the high school Diploma Program, the content and curriculum is dictated by the local school district. In every case, the curricular framework allows school-specific requirements to be met while maintaining the mission and philosophy of IB. Thus, just like LPS, the aims and objectives expect a varied approach to teaching and learning.

The aims and objectives of every subject area include:

Knowledge: the facts that the student should be able to recall to ensure competence in the subject
Understanding: how the student will be able to interpret, apply or predict aspects of the subject
Skills: shown through tasks that allow the student to apply what has been learned to new situations
Attitudes: the ways in which the student is changed by the learning experience



Fundamental Concepts and the Areas of Interaction (AoI)

At the core of the IB MYP program are three fundamental concepts:
Communication
Intercultural Awareness
Holistic Learning.

These three basic principles reflect the core of the IB philosophy. They form the basis of the curriculum framework and are shared by all IB schools throughout the world.
Communication is fundamental to learning and IB encourages a variety of methods for students to share their learning. These approaches can include writing, speaking, visual or musical expression and more. The MYP places particular emphasis on language acquisition and Newton’s universal requirement that all students have world language opportunities is a result of this focus.
Intercultural Awareness is concerned with the development of student awareness, attitudes, and knowledge about their own culture as well as the social and national cultures in other parts of the world. It encourages students to consider multiple perspectives with the result being students who are tolerant, respectful, and understanding of cultural differences.
Holistic Learning emphasizes the link between disciplines. Interdisciplinary learning looks for connections between subject areas. As Newton grows in its implementation of IB, this emphasis will allow students to see common themes and issues throughout their learning experience. They should become more aware of the relevance of their learning as it applies to real-world issues and gain an understanding that knowledge and learning are not done in isolation, but rather are connected to their roles in society.

There are five Areas of Interaction (AoI) that give the MYP program its distinctive core. The AoI help teachers and students to focus their learning so that the subject content becomes “real” to the student. Through emphasis on at least one of these areas, teachers are able to provide the framework for students to understand the fundamental concepts. They help to integrate, but do not change the LPS curriculum. The AOI is not the content of the class, but is a lens that helps teachers and students approach the LPS curriculum in a meaningful way. The five AoIs are:


Approaches to Learning
Community & Service
Human Ingenuity
Environments
Health & Social Education


Each of these AoIs will be featured in a future IB lesson.


Inquiry and Unit/Guiding Questions

As you look at the picture above, you might ask: What is Donald doing? Is he trying to get on the train or did he fall off? What are Chip and Dale doing? Why don’t they help Donald?

If you asked yourself any questions about this picture, then you are practicing inquiry. The IB philosophy promotes inquiry as a highly effective strategy for engaging students and teachers in learning. Actually, there are three kinds of inquiry.
In asking questions about the picture above, you were practicing open inquiry. In this case you were provided a prompt and were free to ask questions from all different points of view. Brainstorming is a good example of open inquiry.
If you were asked, How many different hues on the color wheel can you find in this picture?, then you’re practicing closed inquiry. In this case there is an engaging question, but there is also a specific answer or process that is expected in the response. In the science classroom, science labs are an excellent example of closed inquiry. The teacher lays the foundation, guides the student in questioning, and has a specific plan or way that the student will seek to answer the question.
If you were asked to describe the relationships among Chip, Dale, and Donald, then the groundwork has been laid for guided inquiry. In this case, there is no right or wrong answer, but there are clearly some answers that are not correct and may be some ideas that are better than others. The teacher as facilitator guides the discussion, highlighting relevant points and emphasizing skills and attitudes that the students should demonstrate. Socratic Seminar is a superb example of guided inquiry.

So questions are a fundamental part of an IB program. IB units each start with a guiding question that “frames” the unit and the thinking for instruction and learning. Guiding questions are the reason we teach the topic. They can be as specific as How do I use fractions in every day life?, or as broad as In what ways to we use ratios to make sense of our world? The guiding question engages both teacher and learner and spirals through all aspects of the unit. In the second semester you should be able to ask your student about the guiding question in each of his/her classes. Maybe some questions will become good discussion topics at your dinner table.




AoI #1 – Approaches to Learning

Creating an IB unit is a craft. Teachers start with their aims and objectives. They look at the curriculum, evaluate what needs to be taught, and seek out essential knowledge and concepts. This process often results in engaging guiding questions, that really reflect the value on the content that is covered in the classroom. As the teacher considers which instructional strategies will be employed in the classroom, the next phase of the IB unit enters in – the Area of Interaction (AOI). Since teachers love to teach, often the most natural fit is Approaches to Learning (ATL).

ATL really focuses on the learning process. With guiding questions
How do I learn best?
How do I know?
How do I communicate my understanding?
the teacher and student have the opportunity to truly engage in understanding and reflecting on the learning process. ATL goes beyond study skills. It also includes:


Organizational skills, study practices and attitudes towards work
Collaborative skills
Communication
Information literacy
Reflection

Problem solving and thinking skills
Subject-specific and interdisciplinary conceptual understanding

In a given unit, a teacher may choose one or two of these specific topics to focus on. He/she will take the time to connect specific classroom instruction in a way that the learner gains understanding and can apply these strategies to improve academic success. Because of the deliberate focus on the teaching/learning process, teachers often take time to engage in varied methods on instructional delivery, thus honing their craft and capitalizing on the best practices in education. So the lens for instruction with this AOI is the process of learning. This is exciting stuff!


AOI #2 - Community and Service

The picture above describes the heart of the IB philosophy. By developing a climate of inquiry, where the student’s own questions drive the learning, students will engage in a higher, more complex level of thinking. As a result, the IB student of the 21st century will care about the world around him/her and will act in recognition of the needs of others and/or the environment. This action as a result of concern that develops from the school experience epitomizes the goal of the community and service AOI. When the classroom teacher chooses this “lens”, he/she uses the content of the curriculum to help students gain a deeper understanding of these guiding questions:
How do we live in relation to each other?
How can I contribute to the community?
How can I help others?

Starting in the fall of 2007, Newton will begin to implement a school wide community service plan. All Newton students will be expected to give of their time and resources in order to help others in the community. Current plans call for students to document their volunteer efforts and also to reflect on the value and impact of the activity. This information will be kept in a log that will remain with the student throughout their years at Newton. We will continue to provide some service learning opportunities here at Newton and also seek to recognize actions and organizations outside of the school community as well.
This new program is still in the planning stages and parent input (and volunteer hours!) is needed! If you would like to volunteer to be a part of the Newton Community Service Program, please contact Mrs. Getzel at dgetzel@lps.k12.co.us or 303.734.6257.

AOI #3 – Health & Social Education (HSE)

The wellness triangle has long been a part of the Littleton Public Schools health curriculum. This model for healthy living states that there must be a balance between physical, social-emotional and mental health. It is not surprising that the IB AOI of Health and Social Education emphasizes these same attributes leading to a complete and healthy lifestyle. The goal is for students to become better informed about health issues and to develop a sense of responsibility for their own well-being and for their physical and social environment. As a result of their examination of this AOI in all subject areas students will be able to make choices using critical thinking based on a foundation of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values. Topics typically addressed through HSE can be grouped into four categories: Looking after Ourselves, Understanding Ourselves, Ourselves and Others, and Ourselves in the Wider Society.