IB Middle Years Programme

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 (grades 6–10 in International Schools, the United States, Canada and Australia). Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school. Typically, middle schools and high schools work in coordination with each other when the programme can not be entirely hosted within one combined school. The full programme lasts 5 years although more limited programmes can be adopted with permission from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB). Official MYP documentation is available from the IB in English, French, Spanish and Chinese.

Curriculum framework

The subjects taught in the MYP are divided into eight subject groups:

• language A (the student's best language or the language of instruction in the school)
• language B (a non-native language for the student)
• humanities
• sciences
• mathematics
• arts
• physical education
• technology

Schools can choose the subjects they teach within each subject group. However, each subject group must receive a minimum of 50 hours of curriculum time each academic year. A student could take two "Language A" courses if they have sufficient proficiency in both. Schools are given much flexibility to allow them to introduce subjects which they consider important, and to organize their own student assessment and reporting procedures. However, the MYP gives clear exit criteria for each subject group for MYP 5 (grade 10).

The programme is based around five 'areas of interaction': approaches to learning (related to study skills), community and service, human ingenuity, environments, and health and social education. The areas of interaction are considered a key feature of the MYP. They are not generally taught as separate courses, but rather as themes that are reflected in all subjects through unit questions. The community and service area requires students to study and perform community studies and service throughout the programme.

In addition, in MYP 5, students complete a personal project on a topic of their choice, with teacher supervision.

Schools can opt for external moderation so that students may receive an IB MYP Certificate.

Learner Profile

At the center of the MYP is the Learner Profile, which defines the type of students all the IB programs (PYP, MYP, and DP) are intended to develop.

• Thinkers
• Caring
• Balanced
• Open-minded
• Knowledgeable
• Communicators
• Risk-takers
• Principled
• Reflective
• Inquirers

Areas of Interaction

There are five Areas of Interaction (AOIs) which are applied to every course the student takes. They are designed to help students recognize the connection between what they learn in the classroom and the world around them, to tie the various subject areas together, and eventually to help students "see knowledge as an interrelated, coherent whole."

The Areas of Interaction are as follows:

1. Approaches to Learning -- (how we learn and communicate information)
2. Community and Service -- (our relationship with and responsibility to other people)
3. Human Ingenuity -- (how and what we create, and its effect)
4. Environment -- (our relationship with and responsibility to the world around us)
5. Health and Social Education -- (our physical, social, and emotional well being)

Personal project

The personal project is seen as a culmination of student learning and a focus of the areas of interaction. Just as with the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme, students are required to choose an academic or non-academic topic or subject for their project, which they are expected to complete over the course of the school year. Students are required to keep a process journal while working on the process, and schedule regular meetings with an MYP teacher who will serve as their advisor throughout the year; in addition, a final reflection must be written upon the completion of the project which explains how it ties in with at least one of the Areas of Interaction. BOOO YAAAA!!!

Participation

In order to participate in the IB Middle Years Programme, students must attend an authorised IB World School.

External links

• The Middle Years Programme at IBO's website