As you know, the IB program is meant for all students, not just a select few. It is meant to engage the whole person. It seeks to make our children global learners. It seeks to let them see how all disciplines, cultures and people are interrelated, just as we are all interrelated through the Body of Christ.
A perfect example of this interrelatedness has occurred these past few weeks at St. Mary’s Catholic School. The sixth grade students were involved in a cross-curriculum activity to introduce them to the various aspects of IB Middle Years Programme. During the Messages of Hope activity, a quote was read by Mr. Maddock from Mustafa Kemal Attaturk which states, “Humankind is a single body and each nation a part of that body. We must never say ‘What does it matter to me if some part of the world is ailing?’ If there is such an illness, we must concern ourselves with it as though we were having that illness.”
Then afterward, in Religion, they were asked to look up the following scripture passages:
Roman 12: 4 – 5
For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of another.
I Corinthians 12:14 – 15,24 – 26
Now the body is not a single part, but many. If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body…But God has so constructed the body…so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts many have the same concern for one another. If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
We are always pleased to nurture this message of hope at St. Mary’s, and to see the students continue to take it to heart and develop as the body of Christ and as life-long learners. It is becoming increasingly important to see where we fit globally in our ever shrinking world.
In Math and Technology classes the students did research and graphed their findings about populations of the seven continents. In Humanities and Language A (English), they explored Turkey and Alaska through stories in the book. In Science class, they built some really sweet igloos from sugar cubes. They should also know what their name means in Inuit.
The MYP lessons culminated with an activity outside at the world map in the parking lot, as students enthusiastically presented the findings of their research on the seven continents, highlighting the special resources and contributions of each continent, and how each continent can benefit from another’s resources.
Parents, we encourage you to ask your students about their MYP Interact Workbook, which they now may keep as a resource for the MYP. You may enjoy looking through the book to familiarize yourself with the MYP as well.
