Primary Years Programme
At the American International School Abu Dhabi, we are delighted to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP), an engaging and dynamic educational framework designed for young learners. The PYP nurtures students’ natural curiosity and fosters a love for learning through a transdisciplinary approach.
The core principles of the Primary years program (PYP) are:
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Student Agency: the PYP empowers students to take ownership of their learning
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Transdisciplinary Learning: the PYP integrates subjects such as language, mathematics, science, social studies, arts, and physical education into a cohesive learning experience
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Inquiry-Based Approach: the PYP is the inquiry-based learning model, where students ask questions, investigate, and reflect on their findings
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Holistic Development: the PYP focuses on the development of the whole child including their academic achievement along with their social, emotional, and physical well-being development
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Global Citizenship: the PYP curriculum encourages students to understand and appreciate different cultures and perspectives
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Collaborative Learning: through collaborative projects and group activities, students learn the value of teamwork and communication
Our students engage in six units of study a year (four units for KG). These units explore different facets of our six transdisciplinary themes:
Join us and discover how the IB Primary Years Program can inspire and empower your child. Their journey to becoming confident, knowledgeable, and caring individuals starts here!
Learner Profile
What does it mean to be part of an international community? At the heart of the International Baccalaureate is the Learner Profile, ten attributes that define an internationally-minded human being. The qualities originally conceived to teach for world peace are Caring, Principled, Balanced, Open-Minded, Reflective, Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Risk-Takers.
Knowledge
What is an inquirer? The AISA student profile is someone who has an unquenchable curiosity to know more. Knowledge is organized around six transdisciplinary themes: Who we are, Where we are in place and time, How we express ourselves, How the world works, How we organize ourselves and Sharing the planet. The aim of the program to create students who are independent in the cycle of learning
Skills
How do students prepare for lifeling learning? Just as the PYP uses transdisicplinary themes as an organizing principle for knowledge, skills are also taught across the disciplines. The five broad strands of skills are social, self-management, thinking, communication, and research. Acquisition of these skills results in a critical thinking, independent, life-long learner.
Action
How do students demonstrate their learning? Action is a key component of the PYP and so teachers and parents are looking for student demonstrations of knowledge, skills, and attributes. If a child sets learning goals independently or inquires outside of school into a topic or helps a classmate, these are actions taken as a result of the learning. This makes learning authentic.
Transdisciplinary Teaching and Learning
We aim to provide genuine, meaningful literacy and math instruction that is connected to our units of inquiry. Literacy is taught through the Teachers College Reading and Writing Workshop framework to support student agency. Mathematics is taught conceptually and teachers use Engage NY as a resource to support inquiry-based instruction.
