Afleveringen
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In this episode of MYP Decoded, we dive into the essential topic of literacy development and its role in empowering students in today’s world. With over 80 nationalities and a wealth of mother tongues represented in our school, weexplore how literacy goes beyond reading and writing - it’s about equipping students with the skills to communicate, think critically, and thrive in a global context.
Joined by three expert guests, we unpack literacy through five engaging segments:
3:55 Science-based learning strategies to develop Literacy (first of three segments with Aoife Abushaqra)
13:23 Using data to inform practice (with Andy Turner)
20:29 Practical strategies & deep dive into some good classroom practice (second segment with Aoife)
37:09 Head of Inclusion (Ben Crosby) breaking down the effective support mechanisms employed, and explaining what learning and using language for, through and about learning entail.
44:59 Oracy, and also a look at Digital Literacy (final segment with Aoife)
Throughout the episode, we also provide tangible tips and ideas for parents, while making connections to the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills that drive literacy across all MYP subjects.
References to:
https://teachmiddleeastmag.com/
https://membean.com/
https://web.toddleapp.com/?type=loginHome
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In this episode we hear from numerous MYP students as well as two G11 students about the rewards of getting involved with substantial service learning initiatives. They provide a bunch a great ideas for current MYP students and parents to draw from.
IB learners strive to be caring members of the community who demonstrate a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. IB World Schools value service with others as an important way to engage in principled action across a range of overlapping local and global communities (MYP From Principles into Practice, 2022).
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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In this episode of MYP Decoded, we chat with four new Individuals & Societies teachers as they share their experiences transitioning into the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). They offer insights into how the MYP differs from other curriculums, the exciting ways students engage with inquiry-based learning, and how key MYP concepts and skills are shaping classroom dynamics. Whether you're a parent curious about your child’s education or an educator looking to learn more about the MYP, this episode provides a firsthand look at the teaching and learning experience in the MYP classroom.
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In this conversation we dive into the world ofhistory competitions. These young historians recently showcased their knowledge at the History Bee & Bowl in Dubai and have qualified for the European History Championships in London.
Alongside their passionate History teacher, Mr. Luke Clarke, they share their experiences, preparation strategies, and therole the MYP has played in their journey. Discover how our Individuals & Societies scope & sequence develops a love for History, and how it complements the students’ involvement in these international competitions.
For additional info about the European Championships: https://www.ihbbeurope.com/regional-bowl-sites/
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We wrap up our exploration into the lives of dedicated student-athletes by...
- Discovering what drives them;
- Seeing what the research into young elite athletes tells us;
- Investigating links between IB aspects such as ATL Skills and International Mindedness with the students' approaches to training and competing;
- Finding out what their training schedules look like;
- Hearing about inevitable sacrifices;
- Listening to advice for their peers;
- Getting a picture of what their goals look like for the next year, two, and more.
Articles/Books referenced:
https://www.fasttalklabs.com/byline/trevor-connor/#show
https://swimswam.com/elite-swimmers-are-getting-older-and-peaking-later-or-are-they/#:~:text=In%202001%2C%20the%20average%20age,swimmers%20by%20event%20in%202022.
https://beneast.com/2015/03/17/faster-by-michael-hutchinson/
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Welcome back to the podcast! It's been a little while, but hopefully we're back on track and there are a few great episodes lined up for the next few months.
In this episode, as well as the next, I am speaking with six young people who are at the top of their game in their chosen sport(s). How do they juggle their commitments, knowing what riches (literally in some cases) reaching the ultimate goal may potentially bring?The MYP emphasizes the development of thelearner profile traits, such as being balanced and reflective. How are these traits reflected in the daily lives of dedicated, focused, high-achieving student-athletes?We explore these and other questions over the next two episodes, whilst learning more about what makes these individuals 'tick' - as well as incorporating some research findings in Episode 16.
Enjoy!
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The World Scholars Cup is a truly unique experience, and an incredible opportunity for the students who commit their time, energy and brainpower to developing and refining the multitude of skills required to be as successful as the students who represented Raha International School.
This episode explores the details of this opportunity from a variety of angles, and I was certainly a lot more educated about it by the time I finished this most enlightening conversation with six students and a parent (with a couple of anecdotes from the teacher-coordinator thrown in) - enjoy!
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In this short episode, conversations with students and teachers both new to the MYP as well as 'experts', reveal an authentic appreciation for this wonderful program.
Sometimes it's worth pausing and reflecting on how well we do things, even though we never stop improving.
Enjoy!
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With Grade 5 students closing the chapter of their PYP journey, a new and exciting time of their lives awaits. This episode is a highly recommended listen for parents of PYP students (and perhaps listen with your child) - not necessarily G5 only, as it paints quite a comprehensive picture (with advice, challenges, surprises, highlights) for these young people who will be embarking on their new adventure very shortly.
Some of the main parts, for quick access:
2:17 Arts
6:52 Science and PHE
9:53 Advice for Grade 5 students (from G6 students)
15:17 Individuals & Societies
18:37 Mathematics
20:25 Design
24:27 English
24:41 Arabic B, Spanish, French
27:39 Moral Education and Social Studies
As always, connect with me at linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
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Articles referred to in this episode: (Same as in Ep 10)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/ulterior-motives/202104/is-math-anxiety-real
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/finding-the-next-einstein/201511/why-some-math-anxiety-might-actually-be-good-thing
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/MTT_Mathematics_Anxiety.pdf
In the last part of the episode, reference was made to Prof Jo Boaler at Stanford University, and this course: https://www.edx.org/course/how-to-learn-math-for-students-2
Her main website is YouCubed.org
Of course, some kids do have clinical learning disabilities that are not caused by anxiety, cultural myths, or poor teaching. Developmental dyscalculia, a clinical term for someone who has a math-related learning disability, affects about 3 to 7 percent of the population. This is the lesser-known analog of dyslexia, a learning disability related to reading, and the two conditions often occur together.
The paragraph above appears in this article by Elizabeth Landau from August 2022:
I'd recommend this article: https://nautil.us/are-all-brains-good-at-math-238539/
Find me at linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
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"Many people think of mathematics as one of the most logical, most impersonal branches of knowledge, yet it inspires more emotion than any other school subject" - the opening to this episode, read by Kaitlyn Byrne (a maths teacher here at Raha International School), sums the situation up rather well, if that is possible.
This episode has been on the horizon for quite some time. Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the progress made in Mathematics across the Primary and Secondary grades, the conversations about maths gaps, maths progress, and of course maths anxiety, have been happening up and down the grade levels with teachers students and parents.
Thank you to Mellissa Jayawickrema and the 11 students who provided incredibly valuable insights during our recorded conversations.
Articles referred to in this episode:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/ulterior-motives/202104/is-math-anxiety-real
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/finding-the-next-einstein/201511/why-some-math-anxiety-might-actually-be-good-thing
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/MTT_Mathematics_Anxiety.pdf
Episode 11, which follows in a few days, focuses more on strategies and interventions. Don't miss it!
linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
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After the fun and flavours of our incredibly popular and successful International Day, it was time to turn to the curriculum to dig a little deeper with our International Mindedness conversation.
Thank you to all the teachers who participated in mini interviews, mostly given little to no time to come up with something sensible to say! You all passed with flying colours :)
Once again, reference was made to a research project by faculty from the University of Bath: https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publications/the-international-mindedness-journey-school-practices-for-develop
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Our International Day was experienced in all its glory again, for the first time in three years. This prompted some conversations about what it means to be internationally minded - in general, as well as in our local context.
This episode included mini interviews with more than a dozen students, parents and teachers, the aim of which was to paint a picture of what an internationally minded community could potentially look like if all the right ingredients come together.
A massive thank you to Yuliia Korkishko for providing a soundbyte which ended up being just perfect for the intro to this episode!
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A deep dive into the world of Physical and Health Education in the IB. In my chat with two experienced MYP PHE teachers, we explore, amongst other things...
- The importance of learning about and learning through physical activity.
- How are students assessed, and what type of thinking and action is required in order to score top grades?
- What are some of the creative ways in which scheduling and adverse climate concerns are addressed?
- The benefits of regular physical exercise to teenagers - sometimes obvious, but not always!
- The wonderfully creative ways that learning and assessing happened during the months of online learning.
Reference is made to the following article: https://educationandbehavior.com/is-physical-education-important-in-schools/
Contact me at [email protected] or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson/
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Service as Action is a valuable component of the MYP. However, sometimes it can seem daunting, especially to new students, or to those who struggle to settle on an idea!
In this episode, we hear the ideas of three Grade 11 students as they reflect on the successes and challenges during their Service as Action initiatives when they were in the Middle Years Programme. Also joining me was our Service as Action Coordinator of the past 7 years, Mr Steven Buchanan, with some valuable insights and suggestions.
For additional clarification on how Service as Action works, watch this video by a well-known MYP educator and Educational Consultant, Rafael Angel Mendoza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lKu4mYoaKM or an overview for students by Diane Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1uK2a5-kVA
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This conversation with Team: Operation Raptor explores aspects of the hugely successful F1 in Schools program, including:
- The process of car development and competing successfully as a team
- Essential skills developed throughout the process
- Incorporating Service as Action
- Development as an IB learner
Also: why Digital Design and Product Design are the coolest subjects!
Visit f1inschools.com to discover a lot more -
In today’s episode I had the pleasure of chatting with some amazing young people (from Grade 10) to get their take on what the MYP has meant to them. Many take-aways for current and future MYP students, and Grade 5s who are almost ready to start their MYP journey!
Topics discussed:
- Comparisons between MYP and non-MYP experiences
- Analysing student survey data, looking at Global Contexts, ATL skills, Assessment
- Reflection on the Personal Project
- Experiences in the PYP and transitioning into the MYP
- Service as Action experiences
- Looking ahead to the Diploma Programme
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In Episode 3 (recorded on 17th of June), which is the second half of a two-parter, I'm again joined by Aoife Abushaqra. Aoife is a leading MYP and DP English teacher and our school’s Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Coordinator. We’ll be continuing our discussion about metacognition and self-regulated learners. Among the topics addressed are epistemological links, standardised testing, different national approaches, a few misconceptions about metacognition, a brief look at some IB guiding documentation, and finally some examples to explain how and why the MYP and metacognition work so well together.
The two articles referred to during this episode are:
1. Making the Abstract Explicit: The Role Of Metacognition In Teaching And Learning (August 2020)
Policy Paper
https://ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/policy/metacognition-policy-paper.pdf
and
2. Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning – Guidance Report (2018)
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)
https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/31617/1/EEF_Metacognition_and_self-regulated_learning.pdf
For a short but useful introduction to metacognition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZrUWvfU6VU&t=62s -
Welcome to MYP Decoded! I’m Vaughan Kitson, the MYP Coordinator and Deputy Head at Raha International School in Abu Dhabi.
Contact me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
Or email: [email protected]
In Episode 2, which is the first half of a two-parter, I’m joined by Aoife Abushaqra. Aoife is a leading MYP and DP English teacher and our school’s Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Coordinator. Together we’ll be aiming to articulate in plain English what metacognition is, why it is essential, and with any luck it should become apparent that the Middle Years Programme is in fact extremely well designed to embrace the concept of metacognition and develop self-regulated learners.
The two articles referred to during this episode are:
1. Making the Abstract Explicit: The Role Of Metacognition In Teaching And Learning (August 2020)
Policy Paper
https://ibo.org/globalassets/publications/ib-research/policy/metacognition-policy-paper.pdf
and
2. Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning – Guidance Report (2018)
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)
https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/31617/1/EEF_Metacognition_and_self-regulated_learning.pdf
For a short but useful introduction to metacognition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZrUWvfU6VU&t=62s
The release of this episode coincides with the recent passing of Edward De Bono, the pioneer of ‘thinking about thinking’. www.debono.com
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Welcome to MYP Decoded! I’m Vaughan Kitson, the MYP Coordinator and Deputy Head at Raha International School in Abu Dhabi.
Contact me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/vaughan-kitson
Or email: [email protected]
In this first episode I’m joined by Teejay Button, a librarian extraordinaire! We discuss why research skills are so essential these days and how the International Baccalaureate’s skills framework provides teachers with a platform to develop the requisite skills in our Middle Years Programme students.
Reference is made (multiple times!) to the Raha International School Library homepage: https://libraries.taaleem.ae/ (Select the option: Raha International Gardens Campus Secondary School - MYP/DP)
Other mentions in this episode:
Lance King - https://www.taolearn.com/
Lenny Dutton - https://www.excitededucator.com/
Alison Ya-Wen Yang - https://alisonyang.weebly.com/blog
