Innovation in the PYP at

We take pride in being a school that is innovative and pushing the boundaries of
pedagogy and what is made possible by the PYP framework. We have a Head of
School - Adrian Watts - who demands that we break moulds and consistently
pursue ways to make learning more interesting, more meaningful and more
empowering for our students and we are loving that challenge!
In this document, we are sharing five of the ways that we are innovating here at
ISHCMC. These are all works in progress and we are definitely not trying to tell
you how great we think we are. We are simply sharing some of the things we are
experimenting with and welcome your ideas, your suggestions and your feedback.

Kurtis

The Number Programme of Inquiry

Why?

Number is one area that we believe can be taught increasingly through inquiry - it
is an area of curriculum that often falls into being taught through programmes,
worksheets and teacher-centred pedagogy. Through an ongoing relationship with
the wonderful Lana Fleiszig from Mt. Scopus College in Melbourne, we are moving
towards teaching number through big ideas, provocations and student ownership
of learning.

Sam

Add snip of number POI here -- then zoom into

one grades unit (Suzanne to figure out)

Our in-school professional development challenged and inspired us to re-think

HOW we teach number and HOW to make math more meaningful for our students.
Each grade level developed 4-6 number units of inquiry to guide students to
think about mathematics conceptually. While these units are stand alone they
are taught through inquiry and are intended to push our students to make
connections between math and the real world.
First we grouped our school number standards. Next we developed big ideas, key
concepts and lines of inquiry which we use to drive the teaching and learning in
each classroom. While we now have a concrete number programme of inquiry
these units are guided by the data we gather about our students during
provocations and the inquiries students are empowered to pursue.

Tiffany

In all honesty, the development of each number unit was a time consuming process
but well worth the effort, as it significantly extended our teachers understanding
of what, how and why we teach each mathematical concept.
While our units were developed in grade levels with the support of the maths
coordinators, several common planning sessions were devoted to carefully giving
specific and meaningful feedback to one another. These common planning sessions
constantly pushed us to discuss maths concepts versus maths activities,
focusing on, not only what we want students to know but also the understandings
we hope they will gain.
We intentionally mixed the feedback groups to build collective responsibility for the
Number PoI. This allowed us to view the mathematical concepts and skill
development on a continuum, as opposed to focusing on meeting isolated grade
level expectations.
Suzanne

Each unit is kicked off with a shared mathematical provocation within the grade
level. Here at ISHCMC, these provocations have included drama scenarios, picture
books, songs, Agree/disagree statements, games, role play, building challenges,
quotes, facts, comics, manipulatives, and see think wonders.
Although each unit starts differently, all provocations are intended to be real life
examples of math and to provoke mathematical discussions and thinking. Our motto
has been plan the provocation and nothing more. During the provocations,
teachers collect data on their students knowledge and understandings. This then
allows teams to craft units based on needs and misconceptions.
We know our work is not complete and our hope is for these units to become
increasingly student driven where they feel empowered to take action through a
mathematical lens.
Tamarisk

Year-long PYPx and Entrepreneurialism

Why?

It is important for the PYP Exhibition to keep evolving and growing in order to be
the most powerful experience it can be. This year, we have allowed the process to
take shape throughout the year, alongside and being fed by the other 5 units of
inquiry. We have found that this extra time and space has given the students a
more realistic timeframe to formulate their ideas and develop a focus that is true to
who they are. The context of the PYP Exhibition is entrepreneurialism and each
student has been given the year to become an entrepreneur.

Sam

Central idea:

Entrepreneurship depends on strong ideas,

determination and an understanding of how
business works.

Weve created a business venture that generates value through a product, process
or service. We listened to stories about entrepreneurs that inspired us to help get
our wheels turning. We developed our ideas and be sure about what we wanted to
achieve. Throughout this process we have been constantly gauging and monitoring
our determination by looking at our attitude and effort to motivate ourselves.
We all chose the entrepreneur we wanted to be between a serial entrepreneur, a
lifestyle entrepreneur, a business entrepreneur or a social entrepreneur.
We all have a story to tell at the staging of the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition.

George

We are entrepreneurs. We feel like entrepreneurs. We think like entrepreneurs. We

act like entrepreneurs. We are making a profit.
Learning how to manage, budget and invest money has allowed us to understand
the value and importance of money. Every decision we make has consequences. We
have failed, made mistakes and through this we have been able to learn, change and
rethink things over.
We are authors, gardeners, bag designers, jewelers, artists, toy makers, card
designers, chefs, DJs, Carpenters, and many more professions. We all do our own
advertising and marketing too. We own our learning. We are in charge of our
outcomes. We are our own boss.
Clara

The Increase of Authenticity

We have had the time to reflect, choose and act which has strengthened our
learning. We have had real-world experiences and each time we do things we get
better at running a business and being an entrepreneur.
At first teachers would organize things, then slowly over time they have stepped
back and we have had to step up. This is the increase of authenticity. We first start
selling to each other, then our school community. These experiences were all in
preparation for selling our products and services beyond the school walls and reach
different markets.
Our learning is Authentic. Our experiences have been real. And we are legitimate
entrepreneurs.
Cian

Mini-PYPx and student/parent authored reports

Why?

In order to empower our students each year as they move towards the PYP
Exhibition - and to affect pedagogy throughout the school - we are now running a
Mini-PYP Exhibition in each grade level each year. To continue promoting active
parental involvement in student learning, parents are encouraged to be part of the
process for each of these Mini-PYP Exhibition units. We have taken this one step
further by having the reports for these units co-authored by parents and students.

Sam

Parents from KG to G4 were actively engaged in their childrens learning

throughout the mini-PYP Exhibition units. Parental involvement looked different in
each grade. In G1, the parents were introduced to the design cycle in a Maker
Challenge created for them by their child. In Grade 2 the parents were a part of the
provocation and they worked with their children in their artist studios, evaluated
their progress and gave feedback using the rubric you see on screen. In G3, the
students presented the scripts they had written collaboratively and guided their
parents as they experienced the reader's theatre for themselves.
Involving parents at different stages of an inquiry allows them to see the depth of
thinking and the progress their child is making.

Cathy

Grade 1: Sharing understanding at the mini X

Grade 3: Parents and their child filling in the online form

after their performances at the mini X.

Having seen what the students were doing over the course of the unit, the next
steps were for parents to fill in their own reflection upon their childs learning. In
G3 time was given to this during the exhibition and sent out as a Google Form.
We felt it important to allow time during the process, having conferred with the
other grades about parent uptake when responses were requested after the
exhibition.
Children were familiar with the content of the form and encouraged to act as
translators where needed. Through discussion with their children parents were to
fill in their responses into the form. Using home languages was an option for those
less confident in English as seen in the Korean report example.

Vanessa

Grade 2 Mini-PYPx

Grade 1 Maker Challenge

Teachers are learning the best ways to share the depth of learning, and how far
children have come, with parents.
For collecting parent responses for the Evaluations of Learning, we trialed emails, a
paper questionnaire, and a Google Form. The Google Form was the most successful.
For our next steps, we would recommend incorporating parent feedback into all
mid-unit events using a rubric, and giving parents time at school to do this with
their children. Wed also have iPads available to facilitate the collection of this data.

Robyn

Emergent Curriculum and the Early Years

Planning Cycle

Why?

For several years, we have been looking for ways to make learning in the Early
Years non-linear, more responsive to student-initiated ideas and interests and
with a more emergent approach to the curriculum. We wanted to merge the
pedagogies of reggio emilia, te whariki and other early years philosophies and
underpin them with the language of the 5 essential elements of the PYP. We have
developed an approach towards planning in which four units run throughout the
year and with which connections are made as the year progresses. These units sit in
the sky, like clouds and connections are made with them through a responsive
approach to teaching.

Sam

This year the EE3/4 teachers have been following and carefully considering the
needs and interests of our students. Due to the open nature of our 4 units, all
transdisciplinary themes are seamlessly integrated very naturally, and often more
than one at the same time. By discussing and documenting what students are doing
and saying, as teachers we can see clearly the connections that have been made to
the 5 essential elements of the PYP. During planning sessions we discuss the
different types of play occurring, students voice, ideas, environment, stimulus and
possible next steps for the students. The students individual inquiries have
emerged and progressed over a period of many months allowing each student to
have agency over their learning.

Casey

Early Explorers 3
Ideas to continue the flow of learning

When we designed our units of inquiry we put a lot of thought into what children of
this age would naturally be exploring. We made sure that the central ideas were as
broad as possible so that we could document authentic learning. It is our belief that
authentic learning occurs through play, and we set up the environment
accordingly. In the image, you can see a sample of how a number of different unit of
inquiry areas have been explored over a week in Early Explorers 3.
This approach results in children that feel a strong sense of belonging and
ownership of the environment. Children who feel acknowledged and free to explore.
Most importantly it facilitates a love of learning.

Jenna

Who we are

Sharing the planet

How the world works

Where we are in place and time

How we organise ourselves

How we express ourselves

Our next steps are:

1.
2.

Casey

Making sure all planning conversations use documentation as the starting

point.
Experimenting without predetermined central ideas, but instead allow
multiple ways for students to engage with the transdisciplinary themes.
Opening up the whole transdisciplinary theme means that connections happen
that could never be planned for.

The Maker
Culture
Why?

Our school saw a need to build a MakerSpace in a spare classroom in our primary
wing. It is a place where students are encouraged to expand on their inquiries. It is
also a place where students can come in and just make, build or deconstruct
something. There are no set boundaries or limitations. Whatever the students want
to do, they can pursue what their interests are. We encourage students to learn
authentic skills like, drilling, soldering, sewing, cooking and the list goes on. Digital
skills are also taught like coding, graphic design, videography, Minecraft
construction just to name a few. The MakerSpace has been a welcomed addition in
the PYP. The Maker culture has permeated into the rest of the school.

Frank

In Kindergarten, one of our units is about invention and innovation.

Using the Design Cycle, the children investigated a problem from their daily lives,
either within school or at home. They used their Design Books to plan and design an
invention or innovation to help solve their problem. Next, they got busy creating.
Students used recycled materials to build
and parents were involved in the
classroom to support the learning. Students reflected on the design process during
an Invention Convention and evaluated their learning with their parents and other
members of the school community.

Ainsley

The maker culture in Grade 1 was most evident when students turned the classroom
into their own community. Students were given choice and control in order to
create, negotiate, and take initiative, in the context of their community.
Opportunities for students to enhance meaning through play, allowed for an
enormous amount of trans-disciplinary skills to be developed. This type of learning
also meant that everything proved to be formative assessment. The concept of just
in time teaching was used to provide students with the knowledge and skills
needed to further develop their role within the community.

Kellie

original

The Maker Culture - Think Tank Thursday

realistic

value

Grade 4 students were asked if they would like to be in charge of their own learning
for one day each week in the form of Think Tank Thursday. Students are expected
to create something that is original, realistic and adds value.
As students have started making their creations, people in the community have
become interested and involved, making their projects come alive. Some of their
projects include websites, apps, music, solar chargers, calendars, blankets,
handbags and food.
This experience is proving to be an authentic measure of transdisciplinary skills as
students showcase their ability to research effectively, think critically and solve
problems to produce a predefined goal.
Claire

Innovation in the PYP at

So, there you go five ways we are innovating in the PYP here at ISHCMC. Please
feel free to contact us. We love to communicate and collaborate with other schools
through email, using social media and by visiting each others schools - in fact we
take that very seriously!

Sam

Kurtis Peterson (Primary Principal) - kurtispeterson@ishcmc.edu.vn - @peterson_kurtis

Sam Sherratt (PYP Coordinator) - samsherratt@ishcmc.edu.vn - @sherrattsam
Tiffany Eaton (currently on maternity leave) - @votefortiff
Suzanne Kitto (Maths Coordinator) - suzannekitto@ishcmc.edu.vn - @OrenjiButa
Tamarisk Low (Maths Coordinator) - tamarisklow@ishcmc.edu.vn - @tamariskNZ
Chad Walsh (G5 Coordinator) - chadwalsh@ishcmc.edu.vn - @cjw289
Catherine Brown (G2 Coordinator) - catherinebrown@ishcmc.edu.vn - @browncathybrown
Vanessa Brett (G3 Coordinator) - vanessabrett@ishcmc.edu.vn - @saigonv
Robyn Gibson (G1 Coordinator) - robyngibson@ishcmc.edu.vn
Casey Bucheler (Early Explorers Coordinator) - caseybucheler@ishcmc.edu.vn - @casey_bucheler
Jenna Clarke (Early Explorers Teacher) - jenniferclarke@ishcmc.edu.vn - @Jennacl63600055
Frank Hua (Technology Integrator) - frankhua@ishcmc.edu.vn - @PhuHua
Ainsley Cameron (KG Coordinator) - ainsleycameron@ishcmc.edu.vn - @ishcmcKGA
Kellie Oxlade (G1 Teacher) - kellieoxlade@ishcmc.edu.vn
Claire Simms (G4 Coordinator) - clairesimms@ishcmc.edu.vn - @crowley_simms

Images from other sources:

https://gilberthcardenas.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/dsc05461.jpg
https://apprenda.com/press/feature/how-ciscos-intercloud-links-all-the-clouds/
http://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthrain.html
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/media/4631499/churchgrowth.jpg