The Middle Years Program

What is Interdisciplinary Learning in the MYP?

One of the key features of the MYP is its emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching and learning. This trait emerges from the challenges and opportunities of educating students in, and for, a highly interconnected world. Younger learners often naturally make connections between knowledge domains to understand the world around them—in some cases, because they have not yet been socialized into the disciplinary perspectives that organize the academic world. Although secondary education usefully organizes learning into disciplinary compartments (as a response to increasing specialization), an ever-changing world also demands an education that empowers people to integrate disciplines in novel and creative ways. As knowledge and information multiply, critical thinkers must successfully integrate disciplinary perspectives to understand real-world issues, ideas and challenges, and to take action to promote positive changes in societies. (Interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYP, September 2021/January 2022)

Year 7 – Water in the World - Understanding the importance of water

Year 7 students participated in an IDU between individuals and societies and science to explore water. They learnt that water is essential for all living things and as humans we use it in many ways- to drink, to clean our bodies, clothes, food, houses, pets, for cooking, in manufacturing processes, for recreational activities and many other uses. Their assessment task required them to spend time completing a research project on a topic they perceived to be a key issue related to water within the home/ community/ country and consider solutions. During this time students were required to research, develop and present their findings in the form of a presentation.

Year 8 – Analysing the Representation of Beauty

In year 8, students are participating in an IDU between language and literature and physical health and education. This unit allows students to examine representations of aesthetic beauty in the media in order to recognise that overwhelmingly, representations of beauty are narrow, limited and limiting. They consider the implications on mental and physical well-being, particularly amongst vulnerable audience groups. They analyse the strategies employed by media outlets to influence their audiences and reflect on ways audiences can challenge and reject limited definitions of beauty offered by the media, and the benefits of this for their well-being.