Reflections & Resources: Elevating the “Building Your IB Primary Years Programme” Workshop

Hello everyone,

I recently had the rewarding experience of co-facilitating the two-day “Building Your IB Programme: Primary Years” cluster workshop. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow educators and delve into the core of the PYP. I’m excited to share some key takeaways from our sessions – what truly resonated, what we learned, and some revamped resources I’ve developed to help others create an even more impactful workshop.

What Sparked Engagement:

The energy in the room really shifted when we moved beyond passive learning. Here’s what stood out:

• Interactive Learning in Action: The moment we transitioned from video-watching to hands-on, practical activities, participant engagement soared. There’s incredible power in doing and discussing.
• The Strength of Collaborative Dialogue: Facilitating rich discussions anchored in real-world classroom examples proved invaluable. Allowing educators to learn from each other’s experiences fostered a vibrant peer-to-peer learning environment.
• Visuals for Clarity: Clear, compelling graphics, especially the Inquiry Icons, were instrumental in helping participants grasp and internalize key PYP concepts. A picture truly can be worth a thousand words!

Areas In Need of Refining:

Every workshop is a learning opportunity, and we identified a few areas for enhancement:

• Optimizing Session Flow and Pacing: We discovered that the initial pacing needed some recalibration. Some crucial sections benefited from more dedicated time, while others could be streamlined. I’ve since adjusted slide decks to reflect a more balanced approach for engagements requiring deeper exploration.
• Rethinking Video Reliance: While videos offer information, their extensive use in a face-to-face setting presented challenges. Keeping the group cohesive was sometimes tricky due to device charging needs, and the format inherently limited spontaneous, collaborative discussion.
• Transforming Slides from Handouts to Highlights: The original slides were quite text-heavy, often resembling detailed handouts rather than dynamic presentation aids.
• Embracing More Readings for Deeper Dives: Shifting the balance from video content to curated readings can foster a more interactive and collaborative atmosphere, encouraging richer discussion and reflection.

Resources to Support Your Facilitation:

To address these points and enhance future workshops, I’ve developed and updated the following resources:

Revamped Google Slide Decks: I’ve redesigned the presentation slides to be more visually engaging and less reliant on dense text. These updated decks now feature:

• Printable Graphics and Key Information: To support hands-on activities and provide tangible takeaways, I’ve compiled key graphics and information sheets that can be easily printed and utilized during the workshop.

Key Enhancements in the Updated Slide Decks:

• Reduced on-slide text with a greater emphasis on visual elements.
• Reorganized session order for a more intuitive and effective learning progression (specifically for the 2-day format).
• Incorporation of more interactive activities and thought-provoking discussion prompts.
• Strategic replacement of some video segments with relevant readings and discussion points to encourage deeper engagement.

I’m confident that these adjustments and newly refined resources will empower future facilitators to deliver an even more engaging, collaborative, and effective “Building Your IB Programme: Primary Years” workshop.

I hope this reflection and these resources prove helpful. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or further thoughts to share!