IB Authorization Visit

Our class, along with the rest of LCE, is busily getting adjusted to the new school year and preparing for our IB Authorization visit next Monday and Tuesday. We have worked very hard over the last two years and continue to work hard at taking on the various attributes of an IB school. Our students are working to become more international minded by taking on the attributes of the learner profile. They realize that these are things they should demonstrate no matter where they go in this world. It is great to see the students realize that although there are differences throughout the world, over all, humans have certain things about them that are universal.

We have begun working on our first Unit of Inquiry focusing on the Central Idea that areas are broken into regions based on similarities. We are currently looking at it with a Texas focus but will soon take it globally so that they students can see that this is the case everywhere and not just in their immediate surroundings. The students in 4th grade are currently working on a jigsaw project where each group has a region of Texas to become an expert on and create a PowerPoint presentation to share with the class!! They are doing a fabulous job thus far!!

The students are also learning to formulate questions based on the key concept question stems. These stems help the students to form questions that go a little deeper and are much more though provoking. They are learning that this is applicable in any subject. Our Wall of Wondering has already received several pondering questions that students are currently researching to find the answer to. It is so great to see them take on ownership of their learning and realize that it is not my job alone to help them learn.