PYP+Progress+Report-Recommendations

Although there were no "matters to be addressed" resulting from our latest PYP evaluation, the visiting team did make a number of recommendations. The first of which is stated in the following:

1. The school continues to deepen the understanding of inquiry.

The bullet list, below cites a number of responses we have made/intend to make in response to this recommendation.

PLEASE START/JOIN THE DISCUSSION TO COMMENT ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES - OR TO ADD ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR HOW WE MIGHT RESPOND TO THE RECOMMENDATION.
 * Provide a series of collaboration sessions, scaffolded to explore variety of approaches to inquiry and deepen understanding among faculty.
 * School wide initiatives to establish small professional learning groups - whereby teachers offer PD for each other. Develop focus on teaching and learning and deepening our collaborative understanding of inquiry.
 * Teachers taking part in curriculum review cycle each year, teachers in planning for inquiry based teaching / learning.
 * Beginning faculty meetings in classrooms - gives the visual of what practice looks like across the 3-11 year old age range - spacesand resources to promote inquiry.
 * Shared focussed reading/video (TED) and discussion groups - facilitated in collaboration with PYP Coordinator
 * Dedicate time for PYPC to work alongside single subject teachers to to deepen the understanding of inquiry and develop best practice.
 * Development of online discussion forum - teaching and learning showcase - resource sharing. PYP pages (here)
 * Curriculum Review Cycle asks teachers to evaluate teaching and learning within subjects in line with FIS curriculum framework /PYP standards and the school/IB Mission and beliefs statements- which includes inquiry specifically.
 * The academy and 'Teachers for Teachers' provides structures and offers potential for focused in-service to deepenunderstanding of inquiry.
 * Teacher Professional Growth and evaluation cycle will be used by the principal to engage teachers is discussing plans for and reflection on inquiry for lesson observations in pre and post-observation conferences.