Let’s Explore the IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP).

The IB Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) is an educational curriculum aimed for students between the age of 11 and 16. This programme is intended to prepare the students for the IB Diploma Program which is the next stage of the IB continuum. The framework gives the opportunity and trains the students to make practical connections between their academics and the real world. The entire framework is for 5 years however it can be split or implemented as partnerships in different ways. Any student that undergoes the entire 5 years will be prepared to take up the DP course.

The MYP curriculum

The curriculum consists of 8 subject groups, thus providing a balance between everything the students learn at an early teenage stage:

• Language acquisition
• Language and literature
• Individuals and societies
• Sciences
• Mathematics
• Arts
• Physical and health education
• Design

The MYP requires at least 50 hours of teaching time for each subject group, in each year of the programme. In the final two years of the programme, carefully-defined subject group flexibility allows students to meet local requirements and personal learning goals.

External assessment and recognition

In the final year of the programme, optional MYP eAssessment provides IB-validated grades based on examinations and course work.  Students who undertake external assessment are eligible for MYP course results and the IB MYP Certificate. 

School-based assessment

MYP assessment focuses on tasks created and marked by classroom teachers, who are well-equipped to make judgments about student achievement. These tasks are rigorous and embrace a variety of assessment strategies.

MYP teachers assess the prescribed subject-group objectives using the assessment criteria for each subject group in each year of the programme. Each subject group has four criteria to mark a student’s ability in the subject. At the end of the year, the teacher rewards a grade out of 8 for each of the subjects, depending on the student’s performance and such. Later, the scores of all 4 criteria out of 8 is added and converted to a grade out of 7. On a grade scale between 1 and 7, 1 is the lowest achievement and 7 is the highest achievement. A table below shows the respective grade out of 7 for the total criteria levels that add up to 32:

Also Read: How do you study for the IB Chemistry Test?

External assessment

In the final year of the programme, each MYP student must develop a personal project independently, which is externally validated by the IB. Producing a truly personal and creative piece of work over an extended period stands as a summative review of their ability to conduct independent work.

At the same time, schools can register for optional external assessment (eAssessment) in all other elements of the programme. It offers students the chance to earn a formal, internationally recognised certificate if they meet the success criteria.

Once a school registers for eAssessment in the MYP, students can participate in any of these two types of examinations:

• ePortfolios of coursework, including a compulsory ePortfolio for the personal project.
• On-screen examinations, with each exam lasting two hours.

Overview

Like PYP and DP, the center to MYP is the Learner Profiles. Students are intended to develop these skills and characteristics along the journey of studying the MYP. The learner profiles are

• Caring – Showing empathy, compassion and respect toward everyone. They have a personal commitment to service and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
• Balanced – They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being.
• Open-minded – They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities.
• Knowledgeable – They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance.
• Communicators – They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in a variety of modes of communication.
• Risk-takers – They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies.
• Principled – They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities.
• Reflective – They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.
• Inquirers – They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning.
• Thinkers – They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

The programme is taught in over 100 countries for students between the ages 11 and 16. The MYP aims to develop students who are active listeners that can empathize, internationally aware about their surroundings and students who have the capability and capacity to pursue lives of purpose. The Middle Year Programme offers students opportunities to develop their potential, enhance their skills by exploring their own learning preferences, reflect on and develop a strong sense of personal identity. MYP is a means of motivation for students to achieve success in school and in life beyond the classroom.

https://www.ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/assessment-and-exams/

https://www.sevenoaksschool.org/academic/the-ib/ib-learner-profile/