The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, IBO MYP

In 1968, teachers of the International School of Geneva, in Switzerland, created the IB Diploma Programme.  The programme encouraged an understanding and appreciation of other cultures, languages and points of view.

To help prepare students for the Diploma Programme, the IB added the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in 1994.  The MYP provides a framework of academic challenges that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between the traditional subjects and the real world.  The MYP seeks to provide students with an international perspective along with critical and reflective thinking skills.

Today, many of the best universities in North America prefer the IB Diploma as it represents the completion of a rigorous course of study.

There are three fundamental concepts that developed this program:  

·        Intercultural Awareness:  Important in a world that is becoming smaller; this includes a sense of one’s own culture, openness to others, and the ability to be involved in useful dialogue and to be able to reflect.

·        Holistic Learning: The traditional subjects form one body of knowledge.  Within this body, there is a great emphasis on personal development in addition to academic development.

·         Communication: Being able to communicate fully with everyone: expressing your ideas and listening to others.

The MYP curriculum framework utilizes the best instructional practices, within and across subject departments.  Teacher collaboration teams, within each IB school, develop instructional units that teach concepts within a context.