IB Middle Years Program

The aim of all International Baccalaureate (IB) programs is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

Giaudrone’s IB Middle Years Program (MYP) aims specifically to prepare students for success in high school, to put them on the path for a life well lived, and to develop in them a desire and ability to change our world for the better.

Our program fulfills its mission through its unique academic curriculum, intentional character education, focus on community service, and ultimately the development of international-minded young people.

Video: https://vimeo.com/140759548

IB MYP Curriculum

The IB Middle Years Program includes eight subject areas. Each of these subjects are essential and equal in importance for a well-rounded education. These subject areas include

● Mathematics ● Language & Literature

● Design ● Individuals & Societies

● Sciences ● Arts

● Language Acquisition ● Physical & Health Education

Teaching in all eight subject areas is:

Inquiry-Based—provoking curiosity in order to structure and sustain exploration

Concept-driven—planning and teaching through concepts that are transferable to new contexts

Contextualized—reaching beyond the scope of individual subjects to establish relevance

Collaborative—promoting effective teamwork and purposeful/productive collaboration

Differentiated—providing access to learning for a diversity of learners

Informed by Assessment—balancing assessment of, and for learning

Have Questions?

To learn more about the IB program at Giaudrone, contact:

Ulrike Puryear
IB Coordinator
upuryea@tacoma.k12.wa.us

Diagram of IB MIddle Years Program subjects

IB Policies & Documents

Huskies strive to show the IB Learner Profile Attributes:

Inquirers

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

Knowledgeable

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.

Thinkers

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators

We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

Principled

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Open-minded

We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

Risk-takers

We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

Balanced

We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical and emotional—to achieve wellbeing for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

Community Service

An essential component of all IB programs is service and action. We aim to make community service a defining feature of Giaudrone Middle School by offering, encouraging, and supporting community service among our students. Our YMCA Husky Center helps provide students opportunities to serve communities they care about.

8th Grade Community Service Project

Near the end of 8^th grade, students complete a capstone project, referred to as the Community Project. The Community Project asks students to

(1) choose a community to serve working alone, in a pair, or as a trio
(2) conduct an investigation of a community and its needs
(3) set a highly challenging goal to serve a community of your choice
(4) create a plan to meet their highly challenging goal
(5) put their plan into action
(6) document the whole process in a journal
(7) present the story of your community service to a formal audience

8^th grade students will do much (but not all) of their community project work in advisory this year. Their advisory teachers help supervise student work. Students can choose to do their project alone, with a partner, or in a group of three. Students will exhibit their work in April.