Top 5 Elements of Primary Years Program

It is said that a strong foundation makes a strong building. Similarly, for any child, the primary years at school make the foundation for their entire further education. Thus it is important to enrol your child in a curriculum and pedagogy that help them lay a strong foundation. The IB Primary Years Program, commonly known as the PYP, is curated to provide a balance in learning for students. In order to achieve this balance, it focuses on the five parts of the curriculum that are known as the Essential Elements of the PYP curriculum. These five elements of the International Baccalaureate PYP are:

Knowledge: Trans-disciplinary themes are inculcated in the IB PYP syllabus to make students gain in-depth knowledge of the concepts they learn. With the help of these concepts, they not only understand their subjects or disciplines but also find intelligent ways to approach real-life situations. Students also get to understand:

• What their identity is
• How they may express themselves
• How the real world functions
• How to organise and manage their time

Both the processes of teaching and learning gain importance, authenticity and relevance when the curriculum wisely blends science, literature, mathematics, social studies and other areas of knowledge. At MIT Gurukul, one of the best IB residential boarding schools in India, your child will learn these themes in detail according to their age, grade and stage. This forms a strong knowledge base in their minds and helps them in their journey of growth and development.

Concepts: The Primary Years Program is based on concepts which encourage students to be curious, ask questions and want to learn more on a subject. The eight key concepts include:

• Form: What is it like?
• Function: How does it work or function?
• Causation: What has caused it to be this way? What is the reason behind this?
• Change: How is it changing with time?
• Connection: How is it connected or linked to other things? What is their relationship?
• Perspective: What is the viewpoint on it?
• Responsibility: What is our responsibility regarding it?
• Reflection: How do we know this?

Schools such as MIT Gurukul encourage their students and teachers to use these concepts to form new questions, widen their perspectives and focus on a broader level. This also helps students to learn more about any subject or area of the curriculum that they find interesting.

Skills: The five multifaceted skills which students learn through the PYP curriculum are:

• Thinking skills
• Research skills
• Self-management skills
• Communication skills
• Social skills

With this set of skills, a child can soar high and build a bright future full of opportunities both within academics and in real life. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of these skills, acquire them and apply them to achieve them.

Attitudes: Honing the right attitude and refining one’s aptitude are important factors that lead to leadership and communication development. The PYP curriculum includes training and mentoring aspects that aid the development of these qualities. It teaches students to be:

• Mindful in daily activities
• Great communicators
• Caring towards parents, teachers, peers and others
• Risk-takers for continuous improvement

These attitudes help students throughout their lives by building remarkable character and making them socially conscious.

Action: The PYP curriculum also aims to balance learning and transfer it to actionable outputs so students can reflect upon what they imbibe and make informed choices. Their positive actions inspire their classmates, school staff and the larger community. In order to achieve this, it is advised that a positive attitude in the learning space should be maintained. New challenges foster growth, creative skill building and active participation in communities. IB schools in India, such as MIT Gurukul, bring the best out of the Primary Years Program and help facilitate the development of socially beneficial actions in the students.

Focusing on these crucial five elements of the Primary Years Program, MIT Gurukul ensures your child receives the best opportunities to learn and reach new heights. If you are interested in enrolling your child in our school, you may write to admissions@mitgurukul.com to fix a schedule for your campus visit to understand the quality of learning we offer.