Student initiated concepts

Something I am implementing into my student’s Exhibition this year is a real ‘letting go’ in terms of the PYP Elements. I have been working up to this and the only prescribed element is knowledge – the Transdisciplinary Theme, which is ‘Who We Are’. The provocation is ‘health’ and the student groups are exploring a wide range of issues related to human wellbeing.

The most rewarding experience for me in this process was the students making their lines of inquiry and central ideas. These of course begin with the Concepts. These 8 ideas form the basis of PYP learning and I found it affirming to me (and the PYP teachers before me in these students’ lives) that a deep understanding of the concepts was evident. The students were able to select the concepts that related to their areas of inquiry and apply them appropriately, composing conceptual statements summarising the relevance of the concept to their topic.

My improvement on conceptual teaching this year appears to be paying off, and as my students follow through with their Exhibition journey, I’m excited to see where their independence takes them!