Empowering MYP

teachers and

studentsManageBac as a training (and teaching) tool

in MYP and towards the DP

Giuseppe Redaelli

International School of Milan

Aims of this session

Explore ways in which ManageBac can be used:

As a training tool for teachers

As part of teachers’ continued professional development

To create continuum from MYP into DP

Explore how ManageBac can become a teaching

tool to:

Help students understand IB MYP key elements

Help students take charge of their learning

Help students start to familirize with basic ToK concepts

and thinking patterns.

Help students be prepared for CAS

Format of the session

Implicit reference to the IB Standards and Practices

document – sections C1 – C4

Focus on teacher training

Reference to adaptations to student training

In IB MYP

In preparation for IB DP

ManageBac as a training toolWhat are the tools that turn ManageBac into a

good teacher training tool?

Description of each

Key concept facilitates

planning and

coversion of content-

based curricula.

This works for both

teachers and students.

Conceptual understanding can:

1. strengthen the translation of a content-

based unit to the MYP framework

2. help teachers make better sense of

teaching concepts through content

3. Support the creation of interdisciplinary

teaching and learning

Global contexts’

descriptions,

instructions and

“possible areas of

exploration” can be

used to guide

teachers and students

to a deeper

understanding of

teaching and learning

through context.

Lines of inquiry can help teachers:

1. Understand how articulated inquiry can

move from the statement of Inquiry

towards content.

2. Build a stronger structure to scaffold

students’ inquiries toward independence.

The ATL page can be used to:

1. Clarify the role of objectives

and objective strands in

teaching and learning.

2. Align objective strands and ATL

skills

3. Create meaningful learning

experiences leading toward

the ATL-strand alignment

The Tasks tab can be

used to:

Design assessment

tasks

GRASPS

Aligning assessment

with objectives and

ATL skills

Task specific rubrics

Teaching & Learning

Learner profile

Service as Action

Guiding…

teachers’ and departmental reflections

departmental reviews

unit planning

Possible scenarios

A. Introduction to the IB MYP

B. Development of Approaches to Learning in the writtenand taught curriculum

Requires choice of Objectives/Obj. Strands for ATL alignment

Can be adapted for students

Can be used to introduce students to ToK

C. Developing assessment practices

Requires alignment of ATL skills

Can be adapted for improving student skills and understanding of IB assessment

D. ATL skills alignment and development

E. Service towards CAS for students

A. Introduction to the IB MYPTraining teachers in the basics of the IB MYP

Training teachers in basic unit planning on

ManageBac

Aims of this session

Restructuring teaching practice as conceptual

teaching and learning

Using contexts for focussed teaching and meaningful

connections to real-life situations

Structuring and strengthening student inquiry through:

Conceptual understanding

Statement of Inquiry

Lines of Inquiry

Inquiry questions

Structure of the mini-workshop

Follows the basic Cat. 1 workshop structure

Led by the IB MYP coordinator or HoD

Set in a conference room/PC lab

WSL works on a projector

Each teacher works 1:1 directly on ManageBac

Hands-on practice on MB is:

Preceded by discussion on IB philosophy and practice

Followed by presentations/positive feedback/Q&A

Length of session usually 2 hrs

Session can be broken down into multiple sessions depending on availability

These sessions follow the basic structure of the Cat. 1

workshop “Introduction to the MYP”, merging it with

ManageBac practice.

Cat. 1 IB MYP WSI. IB Standards and the

new millennium

II. Aims, objectives and a plan

III. Concepts

IV. Context

V. Summative Assessment

VI. Approaches To Learning

VII. Inquiry

VIII. Teaching and Learning

IX. Assessment practices

X. MYP Projects and eAssessment

MB session

1. Inquiry

2. Teaching concepts in

context

3. Inquiry

4. Assessment

1. Summative Assessment

2. Differentiation

3. Formative Assessment

5. Approaches to Learning

Instructions and explanations

Are short and to the point.

Move from teachers’ prior experience /

training.

Are immediately followed by practical,

hands-on application.

Housekeeping

At the beginning of the session, teachers are:

Given their access credentials to MB

Shown how to log into ManageBac

Quickly talked through the MB user interface

Asked to click on their class list

Starting the session

“Think of a topic – ANY topic – within your

subject that you would like to teach”.

“Pick a year / grade level to which you

would like to teach your topic”.

On MB, click on the class you have chosen.

Create your new unit.

Pick one!

1

2

1

2

Inquiry

ActionReflection

Structure of the Unit Planner

• What is the purpose of the unit

• How is teaching rooted in “real life”?Inquiry

• How do we teach and learn throughinquiry?

• How do we guide students to becomeindependent learners?

Action

• Metacognitive element to strengthencurrent and future inquiry.Reflection

1. Teaching concepts in contextTransforming traditional teaching into IB MYP

Conceptual learning

Concepts are powerful organizing ideas

relevant across subject areas

universal, timeless and enduring

Conceptual understanding is at the

root of MYP teaching and learning

IB MYP programme design uses two kinds of concepts:

A. Key concepts

B. Related concepts

Key concepts

The core element of the unit

Provide interdisciplinary breadth to the inquiry

Contributed from each subject group

* On ManageBac the key concepts

from your subject group are listed in

bold. Read through the explanation

for each concept on the list.

* Choose one key concept from the

list to form the core and the heart of

your Unit’s topic.

Related concepts

Key concepts

Re

late

dc

on

ce

pts

Related concepts…

...add depth to the inquiry

...are subject-specific

* From the list of Related Concepts on

ManageBac, choose the two conceptsthat will allow students to best explore

the topic in depth.

Conceptual understanding (1)

Combines the key concept and the related concepts

into a statement that:

Is meaningful

Defines the relationship between concepts at the root

of the inquiry

Represents a transferable idea

Conceptual understanding is not present in the MYP unit

planner, but it is a useful tool to give a more stable,

stronger structure to the conceptual element of the Unit.

* Your turn! Merge the Key and

Related concepts in your unit to

formulate conceptual understanding

Concepts in contextShaping inquiry in the IB MYP

1. Read the list of Global Contexts on ManageBac

2. Choose the context that best identifies the direction you

want to give to learning in your unit

3. Choose ONE from the “possible explorations to develop”

4. Add the exploration you have chosen to your

conceptual understanding.

Statement of Inquiry

a. Meaningful statement

b. Contextualizes conceptual understanding

c. Gives focus to student inquiry

2. Guiding student inquiryThe second part of the “Introductory” workshop

A standalone session

Lines of Inquiry

- a powerful tool from ManageBac, through the PYP

Dfferent directions the inquiry will take

Not on the “official” UP, but useful tool

Give order and clarity to inquiry

1. Think of how the concepts and context

can be unpacked in terms of the content

of the Unit;

2. Use (1) to define multiple directions /

paths inquiry can take;

3. Name a line of inquiry for each of the

“directions” / “Paths” and annotate it on

a separate sheet.

How to create lines of inquiryKC – Aesthetics

RC(1) – Context

RC (2) – Point of view

GC – Personal and cultural expression

1. Students will investigate the quest for physical beauty

in contemporary Italian society (Aesthetics).

2. Students will investigate beauty and its relation to

health and fitness in the context of sports (Context).

3. Students will investigate different cultural perspectives

on beauty in its relation to movement and physical

activities (Point of view).

Inquiry questions

Statement of inquiry

Factualquestions

Conceptualquestions

Debatablequestions

Shape and scope

a unit of study

Starting point for

inquiry

Deepen inquiry

and

understanding

Provide

scaffolding for

inquiry

How to design inquiry questions

Factual Can begin with “What…”

Open question on which a Google search

would yield many variations

e.g. What are the main rhetorical

devices?

Conceptual Begins with “How” or “Why”

Open-ended question addressing a

concept or a relationship between

concepts

e.g. How do rhetorical devices affect

communication?

Debatable Aimed at provoking debate and

discussion.

e.g. Can communication be effective

without recurring to rhetorical devices?

* Using the lines of inquiry you have designed…

...for each line of inquiry formulate...

1. A factual question

2. A conceptual question

3. A debatable question

12

3

Students’ inquiry into

concepts and contextsAdapting the session to teach students

Aims of the session

Give students an insight into the backstage to their

learning

Allow students to deepen their understanding of Key

concepts

Allow students to deepen their understanding of

subject-specific related concepts

Strengthen student-led inquiry through the scaffolding

offered by MB and the IB MYP

Guide students to appreciate multiple perspectives on

the same topic (the “infinity of learning”)

Preparation

Create a number of “fake” teacher accounts.

Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “fake” class

within a subject group.

Create a unit assigned solely to each “fake” account

Select a topic from the units students are currently

studying or have just finished studying.

Essential agreements with students regarding

behaviour and use of ManageBac as “fake” teachers.

Lesson plan Have students work in groups of 3-5

Assign a title/topic to the unit and ask studentsto:

Discuss the topic

Choose KC, RC and GC

Formulate CU and SoI

Formulate lines of inquiry and inquiry questions (1 per type per line)

Ask students to present their work and explaintheir choices to the class

Facilitate a whole-class discussion on the outcome of the exercise

NB: Remember NOT to disclose the fakeaccount passowords to students, or changethem after the lesson!

B. Assessment in the MYP• Continuing the “introduction to the MYP”

• Standalone session on backward planning and

assessment

Setting up the activity

Teachers work in Departments or Subject groups

Each group works on an existing Unit Planner

Each group will be using MB as a group

Each group will:

Discuss on Assessment practice and requirements

Design a Summative Assessment task

Design a series of Formative Assessment activities / tasks

connected to the “Teaching and Learning” section of

the UP.

Backward planning

Summative assessment

What do I want students

do:

Know?

Understand?

Do?

Planning for teaching and learning

Key concept

Related concepts

Global context

ATL Skills

Content

Summative assessment task

Relate to the Statement of Inquiry

Address (at least one of) the objectives

Create meaningful performances and understanding

Students will demonstrate knowledge

skills ATLSubject-specific

attitudes LP

…all developed through the unit!

Ensuring depth and complexity:

GRASPS

G = Goal (Statement of Inquiry)

R = Role Roots the task in real-life

A = Audience Roots the task in real-life

S = Situation Roots the task in real-life

P = Product (What students create)

S = Standards for success (Assessment criteria)

Sample Activity

Creating task-specific rubrics

Task Objective (Strands) ATL Skills

Task-specific clarifications

showing the concepts

Skills required to reach

the objective

Instructions

1. Start from the highest band and move downward

(backward planning)

2. Instructions open enough to encourage student

inquiry (avoid checklists within or next to the “value

statements”!)

3. Consider command terms (where applicable)

4. Consider using the 2nd person to make

communication more direct.

3

2

1

Be in control of your assessmentAdapting the session on Assessment for students

Preparation

Use the “fake” teacher accounts (or create new ones)

Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “training”

class within a subject group and to a training unit with

title, conceptual understanding, context and SoI.

Log each group in their accounts.

Talk students through GRASPS.

Essential agreements with students regarding

behaviour and use of ManageBac as “fake” teachers.

NB: Remember NOT to disclose the fake account

passwords to students, or change them after the lesson!

Lesson plan Have students work in groups of 3-5

Moving from an existing unit, ask students to:

Discuss how they would assess understanding of

content, concepts and skills

Choose Objectives and Assessment criteria

Choose ATL skills and LP attributes

Complete the GRASPS

Design a Summative Assessment Task

Ask students to present their work and explain their

choices to the class

Facilitate a whole-class discussion on the outcome of the

exercise

NB: ”GRASPS” is particularly useful for students preparing for the

Personal project, as it creates a distinction between Goal and

Product.

C. DifferentiationMYP as inclusive education

IB MYP requirements

Standard & practice Descriptors

A9(a) The school supports access for students to the IB

programmes and philosophy. (The school encourages

participation for all students)

B1.5b The school has developed and implemented an

inclusion/SEN policy.

B2.8 The school provides support with learning and/or SE

needs and support for their teachers.

C1.6 Collaborative planning and reflection incorporates

differentiation for students’ learning needs and styles.

C3.10 Teaching and learning differentiates instruction to

meet students’ learning needs and styles.

Four principles of differentiation(see FPIP p. 68)

1. Valuing prior

knowledge

2. Affirming identity

and building self-

esteem

3. Scaffolding

4. Extending learning

What can we differentiate?

• Written curriculum (C2)

• What do we teach?Content

• Teaching & Learning (C3)

• How do we teach?Process

• Assessment (C4)

• What do we assess?Product

Now you!

Add details for each of

the three components

of differentiation

In the UP, refer to:

The Inquiry section

The Assessment section

D. Formative assessmentGuiding students in their progress

IB Requirements:

Formative assessment should be:

Diagnostic – assessing prior learning

Aid the learning process

Meant for learning

Learning experiences

Teaching strategies

aligned to formative assessment

Learning experiences…

…are also aligned to

ATL skills!

Look on ManageBac

Formative assessment

Diagnostic assessment

* Answering the guiding

questions, define diagnostic

and formative assessment

practices.

*Don’t forget the learning

experiences for ATLs!

D. Approaches to LearningThe skills of the life-long learner

Setting up the activity

Teachers work in Departments or Subject groups

Each group works on an existing Unit Planner

Each group will be using MB as a group

Each group will:

Discuss which ATL skills students need to meet the

objectives

Design Learning experiences for practicing ATL skills

Planning for ATL

ATL Skills

Objectivestrands

Learning experiences

Summativetask

1. ATL skills are

developed through

learning experiences.

2. Learning experiences

are guided practice

of ATL skills to achieve

the objectives and

access learning

Aligning ATL skills and objective strands

The “official” IB MYP way

“In order for a student to (strand), students must (ATL skill)”

“In order for a student to show understanding of written

information, main ideas and supporting details, students

must collect, record and verify data from written texts.

Learning experience

ATL skill(s)

Objective strand

Backward planning

1. Choose one (or more) objective strands

2. Choose one (or more) ATL skills you need to reach the strand

3. Define a learning experience to practice the skill

1. Select objective strand(s)

2. Scroll down, select ATL

skill(s) and define the learning

experience(s)

From ATL to Theory of Knowledge

A task for students

Aims of the session

Allow students to:

unpack critical thinking skills

apply critical thinking skills to inquiry

define multiple perspectives in which critical thinking

skills may be viewed

Introduce ToK’s “Ways of Knowing”

Preparation

Use the “fake” teacher accounts (or create new ones)

Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “training” classwithin a subject group and to a training MYP unit.

Log each group in their accounts.

Prepare a Unit Planner on ManageBac (you can use an existing one or create one for this session). The plan shouldinclude only:

Concepts in context

One line of inquiry + 3 Inquiry questions for that line

Summative Assessment

Split screen on display:

On the right side Unit planner (inquiry section)

On the left side The ATL planning screen on ManageBac

Click on Add ATL connection

Click on the ”Critical thinking skills” tab

Lesson plan

Assign to each group 3-5 critical thinking skills

Each group discusses the following:

What each skill entails

What activities can help develop it

How the skill can be understood from the point of view of:

Emotion Reason Memory Faith

Language Sense perception Intuition Imagination

Each group develops an activity for each assigned skill

involving two ways of knowing and write these in the

“Learning experiences” box.

Groups share their ideas with the class and discuss the

outcomes of the session.

From MYP Service to CASA ManageBac session for students

Preparation

Use the “fake” teacher accounts (or create new ones)

Assign each “fake” teacher account to a “training”

class within a subject group and to a training MYP unit.

Log each group in their accounts.

Show students a MB Unit Planner (Inquiry section)

Essential agreements with students regarding

behaviour and use of ManageBac as “fake” teachers.

NB: Remember NOT to disclose the fake account

passowords to students, or change them after the lesson!

Lesson plan

Students work in groups of 3-5

After discussing the Unit on display, students complete the “Service” box on MB by following the instructions.

After completing the task, students share their work to giveand receiveconstructivefeedback.

NOW YOU!

Create a training session

that uses MB to extend and strengthen understanding

and practice of the MYP.

Choose

Choose a topic

Choose a target

audience

Choose an expected

outcome