When IB was introduced in 1968, only one programme was introduced. It was the Diploma Programme that aimed at preparing students for higher studies that is the universities, and it had a curriculum which was very similar to a university’s programme. But, as time passed IB realized the need for new programmes in its curriculum which is when they launched the IB middle years programme in 1994.
IB’s middle years’ programme stood out amongst all the other education curriculums as it had an entirely different structure. MYP is for students from the ages of 11 to 16, and it has a more practical curriculum rather than theory one, it connects its studies with the outer world to make it more exciting and realistic. There are many international baccalaureate schools in Mumbai which offer the IB Middle years Programme because of the benefits it provides.
One of the benefits that the student derives from this is world-class infrastructure and well-trained professors. Apart from this, the concept of education is a lot different in the IB school curriculum. The major focus is on three major learning principles. Following are the principles that differentiate the knowledge imparted by IB school from the regular schools:http://mlsi.in/contact/
The first principle focuses on developing the disciplinary and interdisciplinary understanding of the program and its features. The program keeps the student or child in focus and builds the foundation around them. Following are the aspects of the first principle:
- Approaches to Learning (ATL)– The idea behind this approach is that learning is the key component of the MYP for developing skills for learning. The child should always be a keen learner to have an overall understanding of the subject.
- Approaches to Teaching– The teaching shall not be one-sided. Actual learning occurs when there are interaction and inquiry. It follows the concept of collaborative learning wherein the child and the teacher work together for a better learning environment.
- Concepts– highlights a concept-driven curriculum that trains the students for further studies
- Global Contexts– shows how learning best takes place globally with a touch of national and global exposure.
The second aspect describes some important outcomes of the programme.
- Inquiry-based learning model makes the students more involved in the learning and the discussions. This results in student-initiated action that involves service within the community.
- It is mandatory for the students in the MYP to work on a personal project (for students in MYP year 5) and a community project (for students in MYP years 3 or 4).
The third aspect focuses on the widely distributed balanced curriculum.
- The subject learning is divided into eight major categories being – language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health education, and design.
- In some of the subject groups, discrete or integrated disciplines may be taught and assessed
- The distinction between subject groups blurs to indicate the interdisciplinary nature of the MYP. The subject groups are connected through global contexts and key concepts that are a lot different from the regular study curriculum.
