IB Middle Years Programme

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This article is part of the
International Baccalaureate
series.

IB programmes:
- Primary Years Programme
- Middle Years Programme
- Diploma Programme

Institutions:
- The IBO
- United World Colleges

Lists:
- IB people
- IB schools

IBDP curriculum:

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) is an educational programme intended for students aged approximately 11 to 16 (grades 6-10 in International Schools, the United States, Canada and Australia). Thus, in the United States the programme is often taught throughout the middle school years and the first two years of high school. Typically, middle schools and high schools work in coordination with each other when the programme can not be entirely hosted within one combined school. The full programme lasts 5 years although more limited programmes can be adopted with permission from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). Official MYP documentation is available from the IBO in English, French, Spanish and Chinese.

[edit] Curriculum

The subjects taught in the MYP are divided into eight subject groups: language A (the student's best language or the language of instruction in the school), language B (a foreign language), humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education, and technology each of which must receive a minimum of 50 hours per year instruction time. A student could take two "Language A" courses if they have sufficient proficiency in both. Schools are given much flexibility to allow them to introduce subjects which they consider important, and to organize their own student assessment and reporting procedures. However, the MYP gives clear exit criteria for each subject group for MYP 5 (grade 10).

The programme is based around five 'areas of interaction': approaches to learning (related to study skills), community and service, homo faber (which will be renamed human ingenuity in August 2008), environment (to be renamed environments in August 2008), and health and social education. The areas of interaction are considered a key feature of the MYP. They are not generally taught as separate courses, but rather as themes that are reflected in all subjects. The community and service area requires students to do community service in each year of the programme.

In addition, in MYP 5, students complete a personal project on a topic of their choice, with consultation by teachers.

Students who complete the MYP from a school that undergoes external moderation from the IBO receive a 'portfolio of achievement', including documents from the IBO as well as certificates from the school.

[edit] Personal project

The personal project is one of the most important aspects of the MYP. Just as with the Extended Essay in the IB Diploma Programme, students are required to choose an academic or non-academic topic or subject for their project, which they are expected to complete over the course of the school year. Students are required to keep a process journal while working on the process, and schedule regular meetings with an MYP teacher who will serve as their advisor throughout the year; in addition, a final reflection must be written upon the completion of the project which explains how it ties in with at least one of the Areas of Interaction. Students who fail to complete the personal project are usually not allowed to continue on to the Diploma Program.