POI Review

We have been a candidate school for almost 2 years and, as with all change it has been a journey of ups and downs.

As a school we continually evaluate the living document that is our Programme of Inquiry. On Monday we took the opportunity to formally review the document.

Before the staff met we sought feedback from sour school community, asking parents and carers their perspective on units of inquiry.

Are the units of inquiry engaging, relevant, challenging and significant?

Are the units of inquiry  addressing local and global perspectives?

Is there a student voice?

The feedback was positive, constructive and helpful – some parents highlighted that maybe the local issue of water equality could be covered in greater depth.

We then engaged the student community, once again asking the same questions. Students commented that, amongst the wide and varied useful feedback they have been challenged by units but maybe they would like more time to inquire. 

We began with a gallery walk of the provocations from planning meetings and feedback from community. Staff then shared a reflection about their journey go inquiry – I used to think…know I think. Beginning with this reflection enabled our minds to be in drive ready to engage authentically in the POI.

Drawing from the writings of Kath Murdoch and Judy Imadeen, we began by standing in a circle around our POI, and sharing I see, I think, I wonder. Many reflections pointed out repetitions in the POI and questioned the student voice.

We then looked further at central ideas, pausing, grouping and regrouping in learning communities to dive dee into our central ideas. Are they challenging, worthwhile and interesting? Are the central ideas conceptual – throughout our journey we are moving further away from topical thematic central ideas to conceptual central ideas that allow for authentic transdisciplinary inquiry.

Why would students want to inquire into this?

Why is this important to inquire into?

When should students inquire into this?

We used the  UN Sustainability Goals, trying where possible two ensure that these important global issues are covered across our POI.

There was also a lot of worthwhile time spent on the ‘flow’ of the POI horizontally. Ensuring that there are opportunities to use and build on prior knowledge and concepts as the year progresses. 

We then focussed on concepts – are they relevant to the central idea, and if possible are they vertically and horizontally aligned across the POI. We called upon our specialist teachers as we reviewed the related concepts – to ensure that if required the specialist teachers can plan utilising  the concepts and related concepts to encourage transdisciplinarity. 

The POI is a fluid document – and this review is by no means our final product, it will continue evolve informed by student, community and global perspectives.

https://judyimamudeen.com/pyp-3-things-to-consider-when-evaluating-a-programme-of-inquiry/