Domuschola International School aims to help students develop into well-rounded individuals who are competent to address the manifold challenges of an interconnected world. A major part of the school’s endeavours in this aspect is reflected in its delivery of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) that is designed to support the learning needs of children between 3 and 12 years of age. The primary goal of the IB PYP is to encourage students to become active, lifelong learners who respect the differences in others and understand cultural uniqueness. We, at Domuschola, have developed inquiry-based programmes that motivate students to ask questions, enquire about their environment and seek answers to their queries through their own efforts. This contributes to the development of students into well-rounded individuals who have the competence to solve real-world problems.
The IB PYP is recognised by leading universities around the world and it finally culminates in the IB Diploma certification after a student attains 19 years of age and passes the IB Diploma programme. At Domuschola, we uphold the true spirit of the IB PYP and focus on addressing the physical, social, cultural and emotional needs of our students besides helping them develop their academic skills including their abilities to acquire knowledge and to give them the opportunities for action and positive outcomes.
An Overview of the IB PYP
We promote inquiry-based learning at Domuschola. As the best K-12 international school in Manila, our aim is to promote our students’ natural thinking ability and to build their character so as to prepare them well for a challenging world ahead. Our teachers put efforts to teach students how and why they should learn rather than just what they should learn. Our students are guided on how they can apply their knowledge in real-life situations while enhancing their information processing and problem-solving skills.
Agency: A Key Influencer of the IB PYP Learning Outcome
Students pursuing the IB PYP are considered as the agents for their own learning. IB learners have a strong sense of identity and self-belief and they can collaborate with others to build communities of people who respect the values and opinions of each other.
Action: A Major Contributor to the Development of International Mindedness
Students are encouraged to take both individual and collective action in order to be able to understand what it means to be internationally-minded and what their key responsibilities are. Students also learn the importance of working with others for the fulfilment of a common purpose.
In the IB PYP framework, students are considered active partners in their learning journey. The programme is designed to foster strong relationships and create a vibrant learning community. Students are required to take charge of their own learning journey, learn through inquiry and reflect on their acquired knowledge.
The IB PYP curriculum framework is based on three pillars: The Learner, Learning and Teaching, and the Learning Community.
- The learner: It describes what learning is and the specific outcomes that students seek.
- Learning and Teaching: This pillar describes how learners can be supported and discusses the distinguishing characteristics of teaching and learning.
- The Learning Community: It focuses on the significance of the social outcomes of learning and highlights the part that IB communities need to play to achieve these outcomes.
The IB PYP Curriculum Framework
The specialty of the IB PYP curriculum framework lies in its ability to go beyond the limits of subjects. At Domuschola, our teachers create Units of Inquiry based on the Common Core standards, and they encourage students to actively engage in their learning journey. The IB PYP gives students, seven years and above, the opportunity to learn multiple languages. The six subject areas covered in the PYP are: Language, Mathematics, Personal, Social and Physical Education, Social Studies, Arts and Science.
The programme is based on six transdisciplinary themes:
- Who We Are: This theme is incorporated in our programmes to encourage students to inquire into their own values and beliefs, their relationships with others and their mental, physical, spiritual and social health.
- Where We Are in Place and Time: This unit of inquiry is about letting learners become aware of their orientation in time and place, civilisations and their interconnectedness with individuals.
- How We Express Ourselves: This is an inquiry into how we find out and communicate our ideas and beliefs to others , how we reflect on our feelings and express our creativity.
- How The World Works: This involves an inquiry into the natural environment and its interactions with human societies; scientific developments and their impact on the environment.
- How We Organise Ourselves: This includes an investigation into the interconnectedness between communities and man-made systems; the impact of economic activities on the environment.
- Sharing the Planet: This unit of inquiry focuses on the rights and responsibilities of every individual in their battle over their share of the earth’s finite resources with other humans and living beings. This theme also includes an inquiry into peace and conflict resolution.
Every theme gets addressed by students every year. Using these transdisciplinary themes, our teachers design programmes of inquiries, which encourage students to understand their responsibilities during their learning journey. Learners need to explore ideas in detail and they collaborate with teachers to document and to prove their level of understanding. Learners are expected to learn in diverse ways, both individually and as part of groups.
Should you need more information about the IB PYP offered at Domuschola, please feel free to get in touch with our admissions counsellor by dropping an email at: admissions@domuschola.edu.ph