Shannon, this is inspirational..It makes me wonder when I taught the O’dwyer girls I came even close to this wonderful of teachers but I DID enjoy what I did.

Hi Sharron,

Thank you very much for the comment. Indeed, the message, “Live it, don’t laminate it” is so important and I certainly endorse making the PYP elements visible in learning spaces. Thank you for pointing out that the opening statements are emotive and even misleading. I apologise if I’ve misrepresented the IB. It’s true that I was disappointed with one workshop, as I heard conceptual learning being limited to recalling or defining a set of words. However, this was just one experience. I know this is not the standpoint of the IB and I’m a passionate advocate of the concept-based curriculum of the PYP. In hindsight, it was good to hear someone present an opposing opinion, in order to clarify what I really do understand about conceptual teaching & learning. I was so glad that the IB included only an excerpt of this post in their blog – not my opening ramble! Thanks for your wise comment about using the conceptual questions, as the drivers for inquiry, both for teachers and students. I agree wholeheartedly and didn’t make this clear in my post. I aimed to discuss the importance of questions; however, I did not specifically link the key concept words, with their accompanying conceptual questions – so thank you for adding this clarification. Certainly, this strengthens the explanation and I do appreciate your feedback.

Shannon

I, too, agree with many of the concepts (pun unavoidable) in your post, particularly regarding developing conceptual understanding, but I think your statements about the PYP key concepts misrepresent, and perhaps misunderstand, their intended role in the inquiry process. l am shocked by your claim that an IB workshop leader would actually suggest that students must be taught the 8 key PYP concept “words and their meanings explicitly (& in isolation)”. I am a PYP Coordinator and IB workshop leader. I have facilitated the Concept Based Learning workshop many times and can assure you that any practice involving “remembering” or “reciting” key concept words would not be condoned by the IB or anyone with a genuine understanding of concept based learning.

It’s important to remember that the 8 key concept words are actually presented in conjunction with key conceptual questions. I have found from experience, that unless you focus on those questions, both in planning with teachers and inquiring with students, the words themselves can remain just words. It is the questions that give the words context and application, and as a consequence, meaning. The role of the key concepts and questions in any unit of inquiry is to provide depth and direction; without them, students and teachers may be more inclined to want to cover all aspects of a central idea, resulting in superficiality rather than deep understanding. The exploration and re-exploration of the key concepts throughout the programme of inquiry also helps students make transdisciplinary connections, as well as connections within particular subject domains.

You refer a few times to “laminated” words and posters, and started your post with very emotive words describing your feelings towards them. Let me reassure you that the IB in no way prescribes any such thing, although it is important to have the PYP and and UOI elements displayed for the benefit of everyone in your learning community. There is, in fact, a phrase that has been in PYP circles for many years now, which has become a bit of a cliché, “Live it, don’t laminate it”! If you haven’t come across it yet, it might come in handy!

I hope this helps you continue to clarify the role of concepts in the PYP.

Sharron Bailey