Welcome to the PYP Exhibition for 2018/2019!
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) exhibition represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student, synthesizing the essential elements of the PYP and sharing them with the whole school community. As a culminating experience it is an opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes of the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile that they have been developing throughout their engagement with the PYP.
The exhibition unit can take place under any transdisciplinary theme (For 2019, the transdisciplinary theme lies under ‘how we express ourselves’). Students are required to engage in a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry process that involves them in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems.
In the past at AaIS, the PYP Exhibition was implemented differently than previous years, such as sharing the one central idea. This approach is evolving as the school continues to grow. In 2019 and as according to the IB Exhibition guidelines (2009), PYP 6 are sharing the same transdisciplinary theme: How we express ourselves. Students are individually grouped according to similar themes/topics. This year, each individual student has created their own central idea and lines of inquiry within their group theme/topic, along with the shared transdisciplinary theme for the entire class. In the Exhibition guidelines (2009, pp. 6) it states ‘The whole grade level/year group selects one exhibition issue or problem, with a different central idea for each class or cluster of students within the larger group.’ This is how the exhibition has been undertaken in 2019. Next year, the students will be formed into small groups and will then share a central idea within that group, with all groups focusing on one transdisciplinary theme for 2019/2020.
Prior to the beginning of the exhibition unit, the students and class teacher went through a process to develop their units collaboratively. In the Exhibitions guidelines (2009) it states that, ‘there should be regular sharing of work in progress and students should show a genuine sense of participation in a collaborative effort’.
The Purpose of the Exhibition
The PYP exhibition has a number of key purposes:
- for students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry.
- to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning.
- to provide students with an opportunity to explore multiple perspectives.
- for students to synthesise and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP.
- to provide an authentic process for assessing student understanding.
- to demonstrate how students can take action as a result of their learning.
- to unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP.
- demonstrate the application of the AaIS Academic Honesty policy.
This year, each individual student has created their own central idea and unit of inquiry that they will need to take action and present. Each student is not alone, they have already been collaborating and working together as each student has been grouped within a theme and mentor that can support them in their interests and abilities.
The Exhibition date is set for Friday 3rd May @ AaIS
It is super important for our PYP 6 parents to be completely aware of the expectations, requirements and intensity of work that your child will engage in for the next six weeks. Further information is always available via the Exhibition Mentors and via these email links to our PYP Coordinator and PYP 6 Teacher Mr Behailu . If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact any of us at AaIS.
References:
International Baccalaureate Organisation (2009) Exhibition Guidelines, Petersen House, Cardiff, U.K.
x
