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Tuning Into the IB PYP Inquiry with Collaborative Discussions
As we continue to navigate the dynamic landscape of student led inquiry in the IB PYP and beyond, one thing remains constant: the importance of fostering effective communication skills and nurturing inquiry-driven minds. I'm delighted to share another innovative strategy, albeit not that new, that empowers facilitation of a transdisciplinary inquiry through collaboration and communication skills. Today, I have some strategies for tuning in and developing communicators. And I'm excited to introduce you to a powerful tuning in and provocation tool: Concept Discussion Mats.
Why Communication Matters
Effective communication lies at the heart of the IB Primary Years Programme. It's not just about conveying information but also about collaboration: actively listening, exchanging ideas, and constructing meaning collaboratively. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to communicate effectively is a fundamental skill that empowers students to...
Tuning into IB PYP Related Concepts with Picture Analysis
A key part of tuning into the IB PYP unit of inquiry is unpacking those additional concepts that our investigations will be based upon. I've spoken a lot about ways that we can provoke the children's curiosity and invite their questions into the inquiry. This article goes a little deeper into this tuning in phase as we use images to develop thinking skills, namely all of those skills that make up analysing information, in order to learn more about those related concepts.
If you've been following along with my social media accounts for a while now, then you will know how much I love using pictures to provoke the inquiry. There are so many thinking skills at work when you are presenting images to children and it's so easy to integrate those thinking skills into all subject areas, not to mention how they overlap into research and communication skills too. This article gives you a few easy to implement tips that can be integrated into your units of inquiry through the related...
Provoking Curiosity, Inviting Wonder: The Art of the Provocation in the IB PYP
There is partnership of thinking taking place at this stage of inquiry. It goes beyond setting the scene of the inquiry and triggering background knowledge. We are dipping into the possibilities, inviting our students to connect what they know with what they want to know and with what excites them. This requires our creativity with linking this opening learning experience to the concepts we will explore in such a way that will excite, engage, invite wonder and spark curiosity. This is where the magic begins and the student-led inquiries stem. This is the art of the provocation.
But what exactly does it mean? What is this thing we call "a provocation"? These synonyms from the definition of the noun (provocation) from the Oxford English Dictionary are indicators of what we are aiming for:
