Sean Gibb—The British International School of Stavanger (Norway)
The purpose of this study was to investigate key strategies for coordinators implementing the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in smaller international schools. The study used four exploratory interviews and one case study to gain insight into the experiences of MYP coordinators working in international schools of 100 students or less in Norway. The qualitative data suggests that MYP coordination can be very challenging in smaller international schools, due to limited physical and human resources. The key findings provide evidence for the importance of creating opportunities for professional development and facilitating regular collaborative planning and reflection time, as key implementation priorities in these settings. The results also highlight successful implementation strategies as those which contribute to forming and strengthening the identity of the school. These results have important implications for heads and MYP coordinators of smaller international schools, as well as those implementing the Middle Years Programme for the first time; for budgeting and prioritizing opportunities for teacher professional development; timetabling and facilitating ample regular collaborative planning and reflection time; and considering ‘identity forming’ strategies as key implementation priorities.
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