MYP Decoded

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).

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.

In this conversation we dive into the world of

Alongside their passionate History teacher, Mr. Luke Clarke, they share their experiences, preparation strategies, and the

For additional info about the European Championships: https://www.ihbbeurope.com/regional-bowl-sites/

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/

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?

Enjoy!

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!

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!

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

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

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/⁠

"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