Partnerships for Learning

Partnerships for Learning
Eric Usher

Partnerships for Learning in the MYP

The start of the second quarter presents us with an excellent opportunity to reflect on the learning that has taken place since the opening of the school year. Some of the early MYP units are coming to a close, with students completing a variety of formative and summative assessments. Today’s post is an attempt to reflect on learning through the lens of two of our school-wide learning principles.

  • Learning is enhanced through partnerships between students, parents and teachers.
  • Learning is enhanced when assessment informs and guides teaching and learning.

As the first of those two principles affirms, recognizing each other as partners working together toward common goals can have a significant positive impact on student learning. When students perceive that their teachers and parents are coming alongside them to support their learning journey, we see an increase in their willingness to ...

  1. take risks and explore ideas more deeply; and
  2. give and receive constructive feedback.

That feedback is one of the key links between the two learning principles above. During a recent professional development session, teachers were invited to brainstorm about what teaching and learning informed by assessment looks like. Here is a small sample of some of the ideas that emerged:

An open cycle of feedback between students, teachers and parents helps us all to more clearly identify both where the student is in their learning journey as well as what their next steps might be. This Assessment for Learning post from last year illustrates in greater detail how the MYP framework envisions feedback informing teaching and learning.

Let’s use upcoming opportunities for student - parent, parent - teacher, and student - teacher conversations around assessment as a way to strengthen the partnerships between us.

 

Programming Notes: Upcoming Parent Sessions

Many thanks to all who were able to take part in the MYP Introduction webinar on Parent Day in September.  Parents who missed the Introduction seminar can view the recording on the MYP page of the Parent Portal. We will soon be identifying dates for three more planned parent sessions, based on feedback received on Parent Day.

  • Assessment in the MYP will take a more detailed look at the MYP assessment model and how it is designed to support learning.

  • Mathematics in the MYP will explain the MYP Mathematics framework and illustrate the types of engagements that students encounter on their way to developing deeper mathematical understanding.

  • Developing Approaches to Learning Skills will provide a more complete picture of the ways in which we reinforce ATL skill development in the MYP classroom. 

These upcoming sessions present yet another opportunity to strengthen the partnership between students, parents and teachers in the learning journey.

More Seisen News

Eric Usher

As with all subjects in the MYP, the Mathematics curriculum framework is designed to take students beyond memorization of content into deeper conceptual understanding and the building of skills that will transfer across other disciplines and into their future math studies.

Read More about Summing Things Up