Authentic integration and single subjects
I remember years ago when I taught at a newly authorized PYP school, I attended a grade level planning meeting for an upcoming unit. The Grade 3's were doing a unit on Migration, and the previous art teacher always made paper mache Canada geese with the students for the unit. The team looked at my expectantly, could I make the geese with the students this year?
At the beginning of my PYP journey back in 2002, I happily made the solar system models to go along with the How the World Works unit and the Greek vases along with the Where We Are in Place in Time Unit. But the question remains, does linking to the content over the concepts result in deep learning? When we, with the best intentions, dictate the cave paintings, the "Picasso inspired" portraits, who is doing the heavy cognitive lifting, the student or the teacher?
This is old hat for many of us at well established PYP schools, but in the schools that aren't, art teachers making the case for conceptual integration can be more of a challenge, especially for teachers who might be new to the PYP themselves and are worried about ticking all the boxes.
The fact is, there are many authentic ways that single subject teachers can integrate with homerooms Units of Inquiry without sacrificing the opportunity for deeper, conceptual learning. What are the big, transferable ideas in the unit and how can we support the students as they choose the best way to demonstrate their understanding?
At my current school, one of our fab Pedagogical Coordinators named Andy Vasily (follow him on twitter at @andyvasily) created "Levels of Integration" so that there is clarity about all the ways single subject teachers can integrate. So even if a single subject is doing a stand alone unit, there is always room for linking to whatever ATL or Learner Profile attribute they are focusing on in the homeroom.
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| That's me on the right, yelling for help! |
This is old hat for many of us at well established PYP schools, but in the schools that aren't, art teachers making the case for conceptual integration can be more of a challenge, especially for teachers who might be new to the PYP themselves and are worried about ticking all the boxes.
The fact is, there are many authentic ways that single subject teachers can integrate with homerooms Units of Inquiry without sacrificing the opportunity for deeper, conceptual learning. What are the big, transferable ideas in the unit and how can we support the students as they choose the best way to demonstrate their understanding?
At my current school, one of our fab Pedagogical Coordinators named Andy Vasily (follow him on twitter at @andyvasily) created "Levels of Integration" so that there is clarity about all the ways single subject teachers can integrate. So even if a single subject is doing a stand alone unit, there is always room for linking to whatever ATL or Learner Profile attribute they are focusing on in the homeroom.
How do single subjects at your school integrate with Units of Inquiry?
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