IB MATTERS June 2011
Al Zahra College aims to develop faithful, knowledgeable and wise citizens who take responsibility for creating a better and more peaceful world. We will challenge our students to become active learners and critical thinkers who promote
intercultural understanding and respect.
IB MATTERS
g the A monthly publication about triallin Primary Years Program (PYP) and the Middle Years Program (MYP) at Al Zahra College.
The International Baccalaureate
Trialling IB at Al Zahra College
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an exciting set of educational programs offered in more than two thousand school schools in over 120 countries around the world. The programs focus on student-centred inquiry-based learning and global concerns. They challenge students to think in sophisticated ways about the connections between ideas in different areas of study. They put learning into an international context.
In 2011, Al Zahra College is a Candidate School for the PYP and a Candidate School for the MYP. The goal is for Al Zahra College to eventually offer all three programs to our students. NOTE: AZC is undertaking a trial implementation of PYP and MYP. Authorisation can take several years and cannot be guaranteed.
PYP & MYP @ AZC
The initial planning for PYP and other possible IB programmes at AZC began back in 2003.
In 2009, AZC registered as an Interested MYP School in preparation for the commencement of Year 7 in 2010. In 2010, AZC was accepted as a Candidate MYP School.
Following first-hand experience with all three programmes (PYP, MYP and DP) in Qatar, Dr Darvall recommended trialling its implementation at AZC. In 2008, AZC registered with IB as an Interested PYP School.
Information sessions are conducted to facilitate parent understanding of what PYP and MYP are all about - bringing learning alive. Following a preliminary visit in 2009, AZC was invited to become a Candidate PYP School. During 2010, AZC completed a Pre-Authorisation visit that considered our preparedness for authorisation as a PYP School. At this stage, and with a lot more hard work, we plan to seek authorisation in late 2011.
Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews Al Zahra College has always held
It was an opportunity for
parent-teacher interviews at the
everyone involved to be
end of each semester. This year,
reminded that we are all on a
we decided to include students as
learning journey together. It was
well.
also an opportunity for children to discuss their achievements and goals with mum and dad in their mother tongue.
Parent-teacher-student interviews were held for the first time on Wednesday, 29 June 2011. These meetings provided an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning with their teachers and parents.
Students had the opportunity to go through their portfolios with their parents and explain why particular items were included in the folder.
Parents were given a copy of their
I hope that everyone involved in
child’s report card and were able
the meetings found them to be
to discuss their child’s strengths
positive and would love to hear
and goals with their child’s
your feedback on the experience.
teacher.
Dr David McGregor
End of Unit Presentations: June 2011
Year 3 Presentation Curriculum Overview: Unit 3
•
Transdisciplinary Theme:
•
How We Express Ourselves Central Idea: A variety of signs and symbols facilitate local and global communication. Key Concepts: • •
Form Connection
What lines of inquiry will define the scope of the inquiry into the central idea? • •
•
Signs and symbols Reasons for the development of communication systems Specialised systems of communication
Key Learning Areas/Outcomes Being Covered: • Science and Technology: ICS2.2, PPS2.4, PSS2.5, INVS2.7, DMS2.8, UTS2.9 • HSIE: CUS2.3, SSS2.7 • CAPA: VAS2.1, VAS2.2, VAS2.3, VAS2.4, MUS2.1, MUS2.2, MUS2.3, MUS2.4 • PD/H: GDS2.9, INS2.3, COS2.1, V2 Transdisciplinary Skills: • • •
Thinking Research Communication
Learner Profile Attributes: Students will strive to be
• • •
Reflective Knowledgeable Communicators Inquirers Thinkers
Attitudes: • Appreciation • Confidence • Curiosity • Empathy • Respect • Communication Teacher: Angela Iliadis
Year 3 Presentation (cont) Welcoming Girl at the Door - Tia Mohsen Arabic and English Welcoming Boy at the Door – Mohamed Youssef
Questions and Provocations Title and 1st 3 – Khalil
Welcoming Speech – Medina and Ahmad Sabra
Key Learning Areas – Hassan Al Gharib
Good Morning Parents, Welcome to our Unit 3 Presentation. The unit is called “How We Express Ourselves”. Ahmad Sabra
Learner Profile – Aya
We would like to present some of the work that we have done and let you know that we have kept a journal of our inquiry. Medina
Trans Skills – Hussein Soummaka
Show Journal – Mohammad Kaywan and Abbas Alawieh We have recorded our unit in this journal. Feel free to look at it at the end of our presentation. Transdisciplinary Theme – Ali Jomaa Central Idea – Noor Key Concepts – Noureddine Related Concepts – Mohamad Balaghe Lines of inquiry – Farah
Last 4 questions – Sophie
Attitudes – Reda
We have recorded our unit in this journal. Feel free to look at it at the end of our presentation. Mohammad Kaywan During our inquiry, we discovered that flags are symbols that facilitate local and global communication. We have made flags for all the countries represented in Year 3. Rida Lebanon, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Australia (including the Aboriginal flag) and Bangladesh We would like to recite a poem for you now, “We’re All Aussies Now”. - All students Mohammed Darwish Signs and Symbols Poem – Hussein Salim
I wrote a poem about Signs and Symbols and I would like to read it to you. Signs and symbols are fun to learn There are so many that your head will burst I love learning about signs and symbols but There are so many, I can’t learn them all Trying to learn them all makes me think that my head will burst
These are some systems of communication we researched…. Braille is for blind people and it is an alphabet made up raised dots on paper. Ismail Morse Code is a system of communication through dots and dashes or long and short sounds called “dits” and “dahs”. Eman Sign Language is a series of hand movements used by deaf people to communicate. Shahiba Hieroglyphics is a picture form of writing used by ancient Egyptians. Hassan Makki Arabic is the language of the Quran. Rida Saif Semaphore like Morse Code is a system of communication. Combinations of flag positions represent the various letters of the alphabet. Abbas Alawieh That concludes the formal part of our presentation and now the students will talk to you about their “design and makes”.
Year 3 Presentation (cont)
Al Zahra College
THE LEARNER PROFILE Risk-Takers
Caring
Communicators
Thinkers
Reflective
Open Minded
Inquirers
Balanced Knowledgeable Principled the The IB Learner Profile is that attributes and descriptors that IB define the type of student hopes to develop through its ). programs (for example, MYP
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AL ZAHRA COLLEGE 3 - 5 Wollongong Road, ARNCLIFFE. NSW 2205 P: (+61) 2 9599 0161 F: (+61) 2 9599 0162 E: info@azc.nsw.edu.au W: www.azc.nsw.edu.au
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