Woodlands IB MYP Tenth Grade Students Approach Learning Through Connection and Community
“Stand on your feet and make a circle. We are going to play a game called ‘Counting Up’. Our goal is to make it up to 10 as a community,” a teacher tells a class of 10th grade honor students. “It might sound easy, but keep in mind we are a class of 24 students, which means we have to work together.” If you were to guess which class this activity is taking place in, what would you say? The next question would be, would you be surprised if the answer was Language and Literature?
‘Counting up’ is one of two team building activities Ms. Torres is using in her English classes this week to apply the IB MYP Approaches to Learning (ATL) model to launch a unit focused on community. It requires active listening, eye contact, body cues, and attuned awareness. The purpose of the exercise is to promote cooperation and focus in a group dynamic. The students make several attempts to reach the goal of 10, and if two people say the same number at the same time, it’s a reset. “What do we need to be successful?” Ms. Torres asks the students. “Eye contact”, “patience”, “hand signals”, “focus” are some answers provided by the students. Using these tools, the students find what’s successful, come back to themselves and each other, re-tune, and try again.
The next exercise Ms. Torres engages the students in is called ‘Step on the Line’. “Here we are going to utilize two of the ATL self-management tools - affective skills and reflection,” she tells the class. “I am going to ask a series of questions. If it applies to you, you can step on the line within the circle. Some questions will be serious, and some might tap into your emotions. You get to choose how much you share, and us as the outsiders have to monitor ourselves. We are going to control our reactions, state of emotions, and facial expressions so we can remain respectful and present.” The array of questions ranged from birth order to nationality, hobbies and interests to personal challenges or impactful events, things that are light and some that are dark. The students step inside the circle with bravery and vulnerability or joy and laughter, embraced by the attentive collective at each step.
“Our IB Middle Years Programme is designed to develop both personal and academic growth,” said Catherine Addor, GCSD Director of IB, ENL, and WL. “These Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills build self-management, communication, collaboration, critical and creative thinking, which are essential for both academic success and personal development.”
At the end of class, the tone and energy in the room has changed. There’s connection, calmness, and some light-hearted chatter as the students collect their backpacks and make their way to the next class. “At this grade level, students are learning concepts like literary elements, points of view, and language style to convey meaning. When students come to class, they expect to sit at their desks, get out their books, notebooks, and put pen to paper,” said Ms. Torres. “Not only are these exercises fun, they can inspire them to approach learning in a way that promotes the confidence needed to tell their own unique stories.”
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