IB MATTERSApril 2011

IB MATTERS

A monthly publication about trialling the

Primary Years Program (PYP) and

the Middle Years Program (MYP)

at Al Zahra College.

The International Baccalaureate

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.

Trialling IB at Al Zahra College

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.

The initial planning for PYP and other possible IB programmes at AZC began back in 2003.

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. 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.

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.

Information sessions are conducted to facilitate parent understanding of what PYP and MYP are all about - bringing learning alive.

PYP & MYP @ AZC

At the end of term one, the

Year One students and some

helpful mums took

a walk up to the local shopping

area in Arncliffe.

The class has been

inquiring into the ways in

which different jobs are

interconnected.

Here are some of the photos

from the walk. Some of the

shops and services we

visited were the library, the

chemist and the florist.

We were prepared

with questions to ask, in order

to find out the skills and roles

required in the different jobs.

A great time was had by all!

Miss Culley and Year 1

Year 1: How different jobs are interconnected?

Year 3 went to see the Imax film, ‘The Human Body’, as part of our Unit 2, PYP Transdisciplinary Theme: An inquiry into: Who We Are

“The Human Body reveals the incredible story of life. In astonishing detail, this large format film presents a look at the biological processes that go on without our control and often without our notice. Throughout the film we follow a family from dawn to dusk as they go about their daily routines. But this is no ordinary story. This is the tale of what takes place beneath the skin - a tale that allows us to see the extraordinary accomplishments of our everyday lives. The everyday biological processes that keep us ticking are all in a day’s work for the human body.” Imax Website

We saw a glimpse of:- the 100 billion new red blood cells the body generates each morning;- a human egg;- a thermal image of a child riding a bicycle;- a trip on a tomato from mouth to stomach;- babies able to hold their breath under water; and- the inside of an ear as cells actually dance to music.

The Human Body was about a biological wonder and the emotions of life. The Human Body told us the

amazing story of our own lives and our own bodies.

Curriculum LinksStage 2: Science & Technology: Living Things: the human body as a complex system that needs to be understood and cared for.

Stage 2 & 3: PD/Health/PE: Active Lifestyle: Growth & Development.

Film Reviews by Year 3Watching ‘The Human Body’ was fun because you saw how your body works!Hussein Salim

‘The Human Body’ was all about cells and how your body works. We liked seeing the babies swimming and breathing under water and learning how the food we eat gets digested. We recommend that school students go and watch this film.Khalil Youssef and Ahmad Sabra

‘The Human Body’ was a good movie because it taught us what our body looks like on the inside and what it does. The filmmakers made the movie so that children could learn and have a good knowledge about the human body.Tia Mohsen and Mariam Mustapha

‘The Human Body’ was rather enjoyable. It didn’t make you bored like other scientific movies. I think that Heather, who played the lady, was overacting. My favourite parts were when we got to see our blood

flowing and the babies swimming under water. I recommend this movie because you can learn from it and it is not boring. In my opinion, this movie is suitable for 6 years and up.Sophie Shanaaz

‘The Human Body’ is a science movie and it shows how your body has many thousands of cells.Mohammed Mourtada

‘The Human Body’ is a good movie because it tells you about your body and how it works. For example, how your blood cells work and how your body gets hot after exercise, how your heart beats and much more. We also liked it because the actors were good. This film showed us how the food goes down to your tummy and what happens when it gets there. We recommend that schools take their students to see ‘The Human Body’.Medina Abdul-Menhem and Eman Al Najar

‘The Human Body’ talked about how the body moves, how bones grow and how blood flows. We recommend that all students go and see this movie and we have rated it 10 out of 10.Mohammed Darwish and Ali Jomaa

Year 3: The Human Body.

LEADERSHIPThere are many opportunities for all students to develop their leadership skills at AZC.

These include:• School parliament ministers

(including Prime Minister and Opposition Leader).

•Class captains (class representatives to school parliament).

• House captains

• Class monitors

• Sporting team captains

• Leading weekly/special assemblies

• Leading Salat

The duration of these leadership positions may range from 1 week to 1 term, 1 semester, or the entire academic year.

Completed and sustained leadership contributions will be acknowledged in student progress reports and contribute to the Annual Leadership, Service and Service Learning awards.

SERVICE

There is a strong service culture at AZC where students learn that it is possible to make a positive difference in the world.

Students support a range of Australian charities including: Pink

Ribbon Day – breast cancer; Daffodil Day – The Cancer Foundation; Jeans for Genes Day – CMRI; Literacy Backpack Project for Indigenous Students – Foundation for Youth.

AZC also sponsors two students annually at a Lebanese orphanage.

Global appeals are strongly supported when they occur, for example, the Pakistani Flood Appeal and the Tsunami Appeal.

Primary students can provide a service to students during lunch breaks by coordinating grade-based activities on a termly basis.

Completed and sustained service contributions will be acknowledged in student progress reports and contribute to the Annual Leadership, Service and Service Learning awards.

SERVICE LEARNING

Service learning is a method of teaching, learning and reflecting, frequently youth service, throughout the community. As a teaching method, it falls under the philosophy of experiential education. More specifically, it integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, encourage lifelong civic engagement, and strengthen communities for the common good.

Classes will promote service learning during the course of the academic year.

Examples of service learning can be found at:

http:/www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/servicelearning/project_ideas.htm

http://www.goodcharacter.com/SERVICE/primer-­‐10.html  

http://www.proteacher.org/c/868_Service_Learning_Projects.html

ANNUAL LEADERSHIP, SERVICE, SERVICE LEARNING AWARDS

LeadershipAn Annual Leadership Award will be gained by leadership action for two terms during an academic year.

ServiceAn Annual Service Award will be gained by service action for two terms during an academic year.

Service LearningAn Annual Service Learning Award will be gained by completed service learning action to a minimum Grade 4 level, during an academic year.

CitizenshipAn Annual Citizenship Award will be gained by achieving the Annual Leadership, Annual Service and Annual Service Learning Awards during an academic year.

Citizenship 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.

Al Zahra College

The IB Learner Profile is the

attributes and descriptors that

define the type of student that IB

hopes to develop through its

programs (for example, MYP).

THE LEARNER PROFILE

Risk-TakersCaring

Communicators

ThinkersReflective

Open

Minded

KnowledgeablePrincipled

Balanced

Inquirers

!

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 !