The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

In March 2007, Millard North High School became an authorized International Baccalaureate – Middle Years Programme School. T he Middle Years Programme (MYP) provides a framework of academic challenge for students aged 11-16 years. The program is devised to help students develop the knowledge, attitude and skills to participate actively and responsibly in a changing and increasingly interrelated world. It includes problem solving and analysis which leads to critical thinking. The MYP is designed to teach students to become independent learners who can recognize relationships between school subjects and the world outside.

MYP is a two-year program at the high school in which students must enter at the 9th grade level and continue through the 10th grade. It is not necessary for a student to participate in the middle school MYP program that was implemented at Millard North Middle School. Also, enrollment in MYP is not required in order to enroll in the 11 th and 12 th grade IB Diploma Program. The MYP is one of several paths to the IB Diploma Program or to Advanced Placement (AP) classes.

International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) - Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers - They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable - They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers - They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators - They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled - They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded - They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring - They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers - They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced - They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective - They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

Holistic Education

The Areas of Interaction focus on developing links between the disciplines, so that students will learn to see knowledge as an interrelated whole. Students will realize that most real-world problems require insights gained from a variety of disciplines.

• Organize events and activities that promote cross-curricular links through the Areas of Interaction
• Develop skills to view knowledge from varying points of view
• Develop Areas of Interaction within and across the disciplines
• Provide vertical and horizontal articulation within subject areas
  

Intercultural Awareness

The Middle Years Programme focuses on developing students’ attitudes, knowledge and skills as they learn about their own and others’ social, national and ethnic cultures. Through intercultural awareness, students will learn to foster tolerance and respect of others through empathy and understanding.

• Organize cultural activities
• Adopt school policies
• Incorporate a global perspective in curriculum
• Develop an understanding of one’s own culture

Communication

The Middle Years Programme supports student’s understanding by providing opportunities of reflection and expression. Language acquisition is crucial for maintaining cultural identity, personal development and intercultural understanding.

• Develop skills to view knowledge from varying points of view
• Facilitate mother tongue development
• Value multiple forms of expression
• Provide opportunities to learn a second language

IB – Middle Years Programme Classes

*Students may take Technology and Arts during their freshman or sophomore year.

Areas of Interaction

In order to awaken the intelligence of students and teach them to connect school subjects with the world outside, the Middle Years Programme is based upon five overarching themes. These themes are called the Areas of Interaction.

Approaches to Learning

Environment

Homo Faber/Human Ingenuity

Health and Social Education

Community and Service

These are not extra subjects. These themes are the central components used to connect all eight subjects of the Middle Years Programme.

Approaches to Learning

Students take increasing responsibility for their learning and will produce quality work, increase their self-discipline, develop the capacity for problem-solving and decision-making.

Environment

Students become aware of their interdependence with the world and are encouraged to develop responsible and positive attitudes towards the environment.

 Homo Faber/Human Ingenuity

Students examine, experience, and reflect on human creativity and initiation of change.

Health and Social Education

Students are encouraged to develop respect for body and mind, and personal, physical and societal issues are investigated and debated.

Community and Service

Students become aware of their roles and their responsibilities as members of communities.

Students will be required to complete 20 hours of community service hours during both their freshman and sophomore years.

Personal Project

The personal project is a significant body of work produced over an extended period of time. It is the student’s personal initiative and realization of a project which reflects the concerns of the Middle Years Programme.

The personal project holds a very important place in the student’s experience of the Middle Years Programme.

IBO places great importance on the appreciation of the student’s entire personality and potential is measured be means of a personal project. It is designed to assess his/her ability to organize and create. The Areas of Interaction are central to the experience of the personal project which is intended to be the culmination of the student’s involvement with the five areas.

Form of the Personal Project

The student is encouraged to select a topic to which he/she is committed and about which he/she is enthusiastic. It must not be a part of any assessed coursework.

The personal project may take the form of:

• an original work of art (visual, dramatic, performance, etc.)
• a written piece of work on a given topic (literary, social, psychological, anthropological, etc.)
• a piece of literary fiction (creative writing)
• an original science experiment
• the presentation of a developed business, management, or organizational plan
• an invention or specially designed object or system

The personal project should include a product and a personal statement in the form of a structured piece of writing.