In this issue

 

IB Asia Pacific Newsletter

If you wish to subscribe to our newsletter, please email ibap@ibo.org.

Other issues

   Print this page
   Email this page








IB Asia Pacific Newsletter

Quarter Three, 2008

Primary Years Programme

The PYP Team

Greetings from the PYP team in the Regional Office and a special warm welcome to our new PYP Associate Regional Manager, Kathy Derrick who is joining our PYP team of Rajeevani Constantine (PA to the PYP managers), Mario Gauci, PYP Associate Regional Manager, Tania Lattanzio, PYP Professional Development Associate Regional Manager and Mignon Weckert, PYP Regional Manager.

We bid farewell to Bill Fenton from our office in Singapore as he returns home to New Zealand. Bill has worked tirelessly during the past twelve months supporting PYP schools. Bill will however continue to work with us on a part time basis. We sincerely thank Bill for his contribution to the PYP team.

PYP Activities for 2008

PYP activities from January to June 2008 have included:

  • 16 evaluation visits
  • 25 pre-authorization visits
  • 12 authorization visits
  • 26 preliminary visits
  • 5 consultation visits
  • 62 inschool workshops
  • 38 regional workshops

And for the next 6 months we are planning to facilitate:

  • 10 evaluation visits
  • 14 pre-authorization visits
  • 12 authorization visits
  • 19++preliminary visits
  • 3 consultation visits
  • 69 inschool workshops
  • 22 regional workshops

The PYP Network

Our last newsletter focused on the important support provided by PYP Networks within our region. All PYP schools are also part of a larger network of PYP schools in IBAP.  A great example of this occurred recently when we received an email from a coordinator who had returned from a regional workshop and visits to PYP schools in the same city. She was overwhelmed by the support provided by the coordinators at these schools and commented:

“It made me really pleased that we are part of the IB network with international colleagues and the international collegiality shown by (the coordinators) was wonderful! “

 

New Curriculum documents and support

During the past months important curriculum and support documents have been posted on the OCC. Schools are encouraged to ensure that they have copies of these documents and that staff are familiar with them.

These include:

  • Learning in a language other than mother tongue in IB programmes
  • Guidelines to developing a school language policy
  • June 2008 Coordinator’s notes
  • PYP Coordinator’s Handbook 2008-2009
  • Exhibition Guidelines 2008 which includes new samples submitted by schools
  • Scope and Sequence documents for Social Studies and Science.

We would like to highlight the following:

From June 2008 Coordinator’s notes:

  • PYP certificate of participation is available for purchase from the PYP section of the IB store shortly
  • A new PYP sample has been added to the musical journey project on the OCC
  • All schools that became candidate schools after 1 May 2008 will be expected to submit their language policy along with Application Part B.

From the PYP Coordinator’s Handbook 2008-09:

  • Learning Needs in the PYP with particular reference to the PYP perspective on the use of streaming or setting. “ Streaming or setting, most often in a subject area such as mathematics, is a practice not supported by the PYP understanding of inclusion that is referred to in General regulations: Primary Years Programme, Article 3.1, “A primary school...must offer the PYP as an inclusive programme for all students.” However, it is understood that students periodically may be ability-grouped or interest-grouped within what may be a mixed ability class.”
  • Frequently asked questions including:
    • Can a school have a PYP coordinator and a curriculum coordinator?
    • Can the PYP planner by altered?
    • Who should be using the PYP planner?
    • How are schools meant to report on the IB learner profile in written reports to parents?

…any many more!!

Translation

At last, official translation of the PYP Glossary in Chinese will commence in November this year with a team of four PYP practitioners working together with support from Andrea Muller. We are currently working with global IB staff to ensure that this initial translation will lead onto further translation of the essential PYP documents including “Making the PYP Happen”.

We have also been given the ‘all clear’ to commence a similar project with Bahasa Indonesia translation. We will provide you with further details of these significant projects in future newsletters.

Mignon Weckert, PYP Regional Manager

Tania Lattanzio, PYP Professional Development Associate Regional Manager

Mario Gauci, PYP Associate Regional Manager

Kathy Derrick, PYP Associate Regional Manager

Rajeevani Constantine, Personal Assistant

Email: ibappyp@ibo.org