**More information about the Cedar Park Middle Years Programme (MYP) will be provided if the 2019-2020 Beaverton School District Budget approves the continuation of the MYP curriculum. **

CEDAR PARK MYP WEBSITE

 

 

 

Middle Years Program (MYP)

Fundamental Concepts

Adolescents are confronted with a vast and often bewildering array of choices. The MYP is designed to provide students with the values and opportunities that will enable them to develop sound judgment. Learning how to learn and how to evaluate information critically is as important as the content of the disciplines themselves. From its beginning, the MYP has been guided by three fundamental concepts that underpin its development, both internationally and in individual schools:

• holistic learning

• intercultural awareness

• communication.

These concepts form the basis for the MYP’s curriculum framework, which is shared by different types of schools in all parts of the world. The fundamental concepts of the MYP should be the guiding principles in designing the curriculum and school activities.

Holistic Learning

Holistic learning emphasizes the links between the disciplines, providing a global view of situations and issues. Students should become more aware of the relevance of their learning, and come to see knowledge as an interrelated whole. Students should see the cohesion and the complementarities of various fields of study, but this must not be done to the detriment of learning within each of the disciplines, which retain their own objectives and methodology.

Intercultural Awareness

Intercultural awareness is concerned with developing students’ attitudes, knowledge and skills as they learn about their own and others’ social and national cultures. By encouraging students to consider multiple perspectives, intercultural awareness not only fosters acceptance and respect, but may also foster empathy.

Communication

Communication is fundamental to learning, as it supports inquiry and understanding, and allows student reflection and expression. The MYP places particular emphasis on language acquisition and allows students to explore multiple forms of expression.

The Areas of Interaction

The areas of interaction provide the MYP with its unique core. Teaching subject areas 9 through these contexts allows teaching and learning to focus on attitudes, values and skills.

Approaches to learning (ATL) represents general and subject-specific learning skills that the student will develop and apply during the program and beyond. The focus of this area is on teaching students how to learn and on helping students find out about themselves as learners so that they can develop learning skills.

Community and service considers how a student engages with his or her immediate family, classmates and friends, as well as in the outside world as a member of these communities. Through effective planning and teaching, students can learn about their place within communities and be motivated to act in a new context.

Health and social education delves into the range of human issues that exist in human societies such as social structures, relationships and health. This helps students find out how these issues affect societies, communities and individuals, including the students themselves. Through the area of health and social education, students can identify and develop skills that will enable them to function as effective members of societies, as well as learning about how they are changing and how to make informed decisions that may relate to their welfare.

Environments considers how humans interact with the world at large and the parts we play in our environments. It extends into areas beyond human issues and asks students to examine the interrelationship of different environments. This area can lead students to consider both their immediate classroom environments and global environments.

Human ingenuity deals with the way in which human minds have influenced the world. For example, the way we behave, think, interact with each other, create, cause and find solutions to problems, transform ideas and rationalize thought. It also considers the consequences of human thought and action.

IB Learner Profile

The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Courageous They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.