The Importance of Developing Student Voice

One of the most distinguishable features of the IB program is the image of the student at the centre of all of its programming. Although the program changes significantly throughout each stage, the student image is the same for the Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and the Diploma Program (DP). Placing the student at the centre makes a bold statement- the IB is a student-centered program at all stages of development. The image is linked closely to the Learner Profile which also runs throughout each stage of the IB. One of the traits of the Learner Profile is that of communicator.

We all know that communication takes a variety of forms in the modern world, much of it digital like this blogpost. However, a key aspect of communication that is sometimes underemphasized is student voice. I have had the great privilege of working with students in the areas of debate and public speaking since the start of my career. I can vividly remember the opportunity that was offered to me as a young teacher when I was asked to take on the debate and public speaking responsibilities at my school. It has remained an important part of what I do today as a teacher and administrator.

It would be too easy- and also untrue- to say that today's students do not engage in the speaking arts as readily due to the proliferation of digital media as a primary form of communication. Yes, the rise of social media has led to a massive shift in the way that we communicate, regardless of generational differences. But it is also true that the spoken word- debate, public speaking, and other forms of oral communication such as model United Nations- is as important today as it ever was. In fact, a case can be made that the need for well-organized, well-articulated thoughts will always be a key feature of healthy societies.

Developing Resiliency and Bouncing Back

Recently I had the opportunity of sharing some thoughts on the importance of developing resiliency. It was the start of term and the first week back to school after an 18 day lay-off. Second term reports had been issued, examined, digested, and perhaps even forgotten by the time school resumed. But the question in my mind was how should students, and teachers, and parents approach the notion of "failure"? In our quest for perfection there seems to be little room for error, mistakes are masked, and failure is often avoided at all costs. Yet, it is undeniable that making mistakes is a necessary part of growth, and in order to succeed you must fail, sometimes.

Having attended an excellent session on Approaches to Learning as part of our school's ongoing understanding of the IB program, I felt that there could be a clear connection to what I learned from the workshop coordinator (Lance King) and the start to the new term which always requires resiliency and "bouncing back."

A link to Lance King's work on this subject is found here:

http://lancegking.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/the-importance-of-failing-well/

Now, it must be remembered that our school chapel consists of students in junior kindergarten-grade eight, aged 4 through 14. Quite a range, and quite a difference in terms of both accepting and understanding the role of mistakes in the learning process. Suffice to say that the message needed to be tailored to all students, as well as the adults (parents, teachers, visitors) assembled.

What better way than to show it first? So, with the help of three volunteers we showcased three ways in which you must make mistakes in order to improve. The first was a demonstration of juggling. A simple three ball demonstration took place as a grade 8 student entertained the group with his proficiency and enthusiasm for juggling. Along with a student who enjoys the sport of soccer just as much as I do, a challenge of keeping the ball in the air through heading was attempted. Finally, a third student with a love and aptitude for music performed an upbeat and bouncy piece entitled "Summer".

The twist was that at the outset of each demonstration mistakes were made, balls were dropped, and keys were missed in order to represent the notion that improvement can only take place when you learn from your mistakes. You cannot be an entertainer (juggler) without dropping a few balls, a skilled athlete (soccer) without repetition, nor an adept performer (musician) without working through the process of learning a new skill, and learning from your mistakes.

The same can be said of education, and life in general. A growth mindset (Carol Dweck:http://mindsetonline.com/) demands it, and experimentation is an important consideration too. When we learn from our mistakes, take responsibility for improvement, reflect on what we did and how we can make changes, the opportunities for success grow exponentially. We can all take heart from these lessons in resiliency and bounce back with enthusiasm.

MYP- What's In It For Me?- A Student Guide

As I continue to work through, think about, and blog the changes at our school relative to the eventual implementation of the IB MYP program, I am mindful that there are broad implications to this major shift. Teachers, students, staff, parents, and others will be impacted by the adoption of this program.

Recently, it was brought to my attention by a mentor, that I need to start thinking about these changes from the perspective of the people who will be affected most by the changes, and not just the people who are driving the process. Fair enough, and thanks, George. This blog post will focus on the impact of IB on those it affects the most immediately- the students.

There is no question that the IB Middle Years Program comes attached with both challenges and opportunities. Perhaps a good way to consider the broader implications, and to avoid the tendency to focus on teacher talk, is to look through the lens of: What's in it for me?

So, if I am a student about to face the introduction of a program that will impact my experience in the formative adolescent years (grades 7 and 8) and the first two years of high school (grades 9 and 10), what does this new program mean to me? Well, for a start, the IB is an internationally recognised program that prepares students well for academic success at college and university. Given that a primary motivation for attending our school often involves a future of post-secondary education, this is a pretty good place to start. Drilling deeper, given that there is a great emphasis on collaborative planning amongst teachers in IB, it is re-assuring to note that as a student I will be taught a common curriculum, with a common approach, and that I will be taught the same material as that of my friends.

It avoids the potential for taking sections of the same courses that are widely disparate. You know the familiar refrain: "My friend took the same course in the same year with Teacher A, who covered x, y, and z, while we only ever watched videos and studied from the text with Teacher B." Students- and they aren't the only ones- are very keen to notice differences in education, and the perceived fairness or unfairness that accompanies those differences.

Similarly, with an emphasis on clearly identified standards of assessment that is criterion-based, IB benefits students who want to know that they have been evaluated in the same manner as their friends. Although they may not reference it in the same way, they will benefit tremendously from grades that are accurate, consistent, meaningful, and supportive of learning (Ken O'Connor and Rick Wormeli, "Reporting Student Learning", ASCD, Educational Leadership, November 2011).

See, it didn't take long for me to slip back into teacher-talk, but I think that you see the point; students will be reassured in knowing that they are being assessed in the same way, by the same standards, by teachers who are, for the most part, teaching the same material in a consistent and pre-planned fashion. Students will also appreciate receiving grades that reflect what they have learnt, and moreover, that they are being assessed fairly relative to their peers.

What's in it for me? Plenty. These benefits may appear to be self-evident, but by stressing the underlying principles of fairness and consistency, students will be keen to grasp a program that addresses these two fundamentals of learning.

It Takes Time

One of the things that I have discovered about the process of implementing change on a large scale is that it takes time. This statement may seem obvious and something of a no-brainer, but the implications are far-reaching. I am finding that this change project- introducing the MYP at our school- impacts different people in different ways. I should say that it impacts different people at different speeds. Personally, I am keen to move forward with the implementation process, and I believe in the capacity of our school to adopt the MYP. In my haste, though, I have noticed that colleagues are sometimes a bit more reticent. It isn't a lack of enthusiasm or lack of ability that holds people back, it is simply a matter of time. Without doubt, the change that we are embarking upon is significant, and it will impact how our teachers teach, and how our students learn. All for the better, mind you. How can you argue with a concept-based approach to teaching and learning that leads to greater student-directed learning, inquiry, and ownership? At the same time, teachers will benefit from a program of collaborative planning, curriculum mapping, and common unit planning that will increase collegiality and professionalism.

Why wouldn't we rush forward with such a program? Enter the finite resource of time. As a program coordinator, the challenge for me has been firstly finding a common time for collaborative planning, and secondly, deciding on a common platform for unit planning. I believed (and still do) that I had discovered a solution to the second problem. Selecting a program known as Managebac (see my previous blog entry) has provided our teachers with a comprehensive and powerful planning tool. It lays out the main aspects of IB planning very well, including the anticipated changes to the MYP Next Chapter that will be unfolded in the coming year. Built by former IB teachers, Managebac is a very good tool for planning, and a helpful resource for myself and the team of teachers in our intermediate (grades 7-10) division. It does not, however, solve the first problem, that of time. In some respects it adds another layer of time to an already busy staff.

So, when I tried to schedule November and early December group sessions, I was met with a series of obstacles, that can each be boiled down to a lack of time. So, it was back to the drawing board to see what can be done by way of implementation. The first consideration, as you can by now imagine, is time. A closer examination of the meeting schedule was called for, and thanks to the input of colleagues, and the willingness to accommodate, the planned sessions will now roll out over a period of previously scheduled meetings that will hopefully be easier on the staff, and the administrators who are responsible for developing the program.

So, it is a few steps forward, and at least one back, as far as program delivery is concerned. The hope is that the postponement will lead to a greater acceleration down the road when the really important timelines come into full view.

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

One of the positive outcomes of pursuing the IB MYP program has been the increased collegiality that has transpired amongst colleagues. I have noticed an increase in the amount of professional dialogue that has occurred since we have embarked upon this journey. Sure, teachers have always talked amongst themselves about their craft, and the day-to-day challenges that come with the job. Yet, in part because IB insists upon it, the level of discourse that occurs when collaborative planning is deliberate, is truly impressive. Teachers get together in groups of varying sizes to plan units using a common approach, shared resources, and an assessment standard that is known to all. In short, it is an approach that demands best practices and collaborative planning that is genuine, not forced. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, teachers of different subject areas can get together to plan units that cover the same topic from a variety of subject perspectives.

An unexpected outcome of this process for me has been that I am now interacting with more colleagues from different departments, subject areas, and parts of the school. Recently, I sat down with an Arts teacher and we were looking at the assessment requirements for her subject area. It was an interesting process, and I learned quite a bit more about a subject area that I do not teach in. I was also able to get to know a colleague in a manner that was both professional and friendly. We each learned a few things about one another, and most importantly, learned from one another.

Anyone who has worked with IB recognizes that the program takes a while to unpack. There are many dimensions to it, and understanding it requires a team approach. Prior to entering a long weekend break, the lead teachers (those with IB certified subject training), and the Heads of Department (divided by subjects) took part in a mini workshop that examined curriculum planning using a system known as Managebac (http://managebac.com/).

Now, several of our teachers have a background using Managebac at the DP (Diploma Program- grades 11,12) level, and others have MYP unit planning experience, but none of us had MYP unit planning experience using Managebac. Fortunately, the IB network that I belong to (Southern Ontario) has a number of terrific professionals who are willing to share their time and experience. A colleague, experienced in the IB program with a background using Managebac, travelled from Toronto to share his expertise on curriculum planning. It was a productive session and helpful to a staff that is still very much learning about how the MYP program differs from past practice.

Each of these instances demonstrate that there is great value in professional sharing, collaborative planning, and working with colleagues whose paths wouldn't ordinarily cross.

The MYP Framework- Cutting the Cloth

Working towards the implementation of the MYP is a process. At times the process seems slow and deliberate, and then there are moments of high activity. It is a learning curve for all concerned. The challenges of adopting the program at our school are twofold. Firstly, the MYP spans two schools, and secondly, the two schools are on different timetables. This makes for some difficulty in collaborative planning- a key element of the MYP program. There never seems to be adequate time to get together with teachers in the two schools, save for the useful and deliberate times when we do so at the designated days for professional development. Once term starts, it becomes a very difficult process.

That said, it was all the more rewarding that we were able to set aside important planning time for all teachers in grades 7-10 at the start of the current year. It was good to be able to exchange ideas with colleagues across the school divide (Lower and Upper). Fresh ideas were circulated, challenges identified, and teachers in each school were able to work professionally together for perhaps the first time on a common exercise.

A simple curriculum planning exercise was undertaken in which teachers from grades 7-10 identified in broad terms the content of their courses throughout the MYP continuum- in our case, grades 7,8,9,10. They were then asked to examine the main concepts that lay underneath the course content. Mathematics teachers identified concepts such as connections, Humanities teachers change and conflict, Physical and Health Education balance and so on. While not an easy task, the exercise generated a great deal of discussion and allowed teachers to see the larger picture of both their subject area and the broader concepts being taught.

Finally, there was the opportunity to have some fun and show off the creative side of things. Subject teachers were given a blank sheet of paper, cut in the shape of a t-shirt or tunic depending on your perspective. While presenting the subject overview and concepts taught, they were asked to come up with a phrase or slogan that best describes their subject within the MYP. The results were both amusing and insightful.

Sciences: "Connections and Conundrums."
Mathematics: "Limitless Connections."
Design: "Where Science and Art Break Even."
Physical Education and Health: "Balance is the Key to Health and Well-being."
Humanities: "Where we are and How we Got Here."
Language A: "Communicating and Understanding Our World."
Language B: "Your passport to Global Citizenship."
Arts: "Creativity in Action."

These were obviously first steps, but steps made in the right direction. The MYP cloth was cut, and now the process of fitting it to size begins.

Collaborative Planning- Working Together for Student Success

As our grade 7-10 intermediate team begins the school year in late August and early September we will be embarking upon a fresh challenge. We will be unpacking the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) in preparation for our (hopefully) eventual accreditation to teach this program in our school. We began teaching the IB Diploma Programme (IB DP) for the first time last fall, and have applied for authorization to teach the IB Primary Years Program (IB PYP) next year. I know, there are a lot of acronyms associated with this program. But if you consider the chronology it has been the senior grades (11 and 12) first, the primary grades (JK-6) second, and lastly, the middle grades (7-10).

One of the challenges of implementing the MYP at our school is that it spans two separate parts of the campus in two distinct schools, that operate with two different schedules. This is not an insurmountable problem, it just requires some thinking. It will be imperative to be able to bring together all of the teachers in grades 7-10 who will be teaching the MYP, even though teachers in grades 7 and 8 belong to one school, while those in grade 9 and 10 belong to another. At the close of the 2012-13 school year we had a one day exercise that did just that. It was a very productive day, providing the forum for a healthy exchange of ideas between teachers, and giving positive energy and momentum to the implementation process. It also demonstrated that there is a fair bit of work ahead.

A recurring question is why is there so much planning involved in the MYP? The short answer to that is that IB places a strong emphasis on matching the written, taught, and assessed curriculum. That is, it expects that you teach what you planned on teaching, and that you assess what you taught. It is simple and sound pedagogy, but not easy to ensure. The MYP also places great stock in collaborative planning amongst teachers, and I believe that this a real strength to the program. So, we began that process in the spring to close the last school year, and we will start 2013-14 in the same fashion.

In fact, I believe that the role of collaborative planning is critical to the overall success of our adoption of the MYP that I have made it my own tagline for the foreseeable future: “ We become better professionals when we work together to improve student learning.”