The big Exhibition Unit starts next week. Many of our kids are away on a rubgy tournament in Dubai this week so it’s been postponed. It’s called In Search of a Lifestyle with students choosing a sub-topic. It has to be from a child’s point of view and include an international case study.
The Exhibition is a big event in the life of the primary child in the Primary Years Program (PYP), in the IB system, as they have to verbally present their learning in front of their parents and peers at the end of the unit. As part of the presentation they also show the posters, powerpoints, models, booklets, dramas etc that they have created as part of their learning. A great element of this process is that each small group of 2 or three students are appointed a mentor from amongst teaching staff (mostly non-classroom based) who meet with them 2 or 3 times each week to help them in the research process.
They have around 5 weeks where we focus on research skills and then around 6 weeks to do all the research and final presentation. It sounds like a long time but for 10-11 year olds it’s a major challenge but also it provides a super boost to self-esteem at the end when they complete the process. We have a small number of children who have arrived since Christmas and who have not been in a PYP school before, so it’s going to be a challenge especially for them.
2 responses so far ↓
1
Jeremy Gaysek
// Mar 2, 2008 at 9:07 am
We’re starting our PYP Exhibition as well, check out our progress at http://www.isdhakapyp.edublogs.org
Let me know your progress. It would be great to see how another school goes through this process.
2
leighnewton
// Mar 2, 2008 at 9:21 am
Children In Search of a Lifestyle includes the big issues such as housing, health, nutrition, culture, art, children’s rights… Each student has to choose one of these and relate it to themselves, their community (through surveys and interviews) and a case study somewhere in the world. Case studies might include street children, child soldiers, child labour, a specific nationality, disable children, children caught up in war. Children are free to brainstorm extra big issues and case studies.
I’m keen to keep in touch to learn of your journey.
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