International Baccalaureate Program

Educating for Excellence

 

Rigor + Relevance + Relationships = Educational Excellence

C-PP Teachers
as Mentors

In November 2007, five District secondary teachers traveled to Commack Middle School in Long Island, NY to share wisdom and insights with the teaching staff in the early stages of the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) implementation and authorization process.

During the one-day visit, each teacher addressed a group of Commack teachers specific to their subject area. They shared their experiences and expertise in the MYP, with an emphasis on the differences in classroom practices that have resulted from implementation over the course of the past three years, including assessment. 

“Participating in the visit gave me perspective on how much we’ve accomplished in just a few short years,” said CFA teacher Tammy Edinger. “Over the course of the past three years, there have been many occasions on which we have been overwhelmed, frustrated and simply spinning our wheels. Working with  the Commack teachers reinforced our own progress. On my return, I was able to share with my own team that we really have come a long way.” Ms. Edinger met with English (Language A), Reading and AIS teachers to share several common units developed using Mapstar to meet IB requirements for assessment and approach. “When we began MYP implementation, we had nothing tangible to look at that met both state and IB standards. I could sense that the Commack teachers were relieved and grateful for practicable advice and relevant units,” she says. As part of the presentation, Ms. Edinger focused on units that clearly articulate the assessment measures and the areas of interaction stressed by the IB.

While IB makes available a range of professional development opportunities, having an actual teaching colleague present the issues and challenges of MYP implementation seemed to resonate with the Long Island teaching staff. “They were extremely receptive to our presence, and the fact that we are teachers covering these same subjects in our own schools right now added relevance for them,” says Ms. Edinger.