Thomas Jefferson Middle School

An International Baccalaureate World School Offering the Middle Years Programme

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) is designed to help students develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to participate actively and responsibly in a changing and increasingly interrelated world. This means interacting with a curriculum that calls for more than “knowing.” It involves reflective thinking, both critical and creative problem solving, analysis and discussion of personal opinions.

Three fundamental concepts form the philosophical foundation for all Middle Years Programs around the world: intercultural understanding, communication, and holistic learning. Intercultural understanding is best represented by respect, acceptance, and appreciation of all people as consideration of multiple perspectives is vital to participation in our local, national and global communities. Communication is central to a young person’s ability to be successful. The IBMYP considers all educators as teachers of communication-emphasizing the important role every subject area teacher has in developing students’ communication skills. Being able to communicate in another language is important as well, thus every IBMYP student learns a second language. Holistic learning represents the idea that all knowledge is interrelated, and that the curriculum should cater to the needs of the whole student. Holistic learning is facilitated as students are asked to apply the skills and knowledge they learn to new and relevant situations. Also, teachers of different subject areas plan instruction around common concepts and themes to promote an understanding of connectedness across disciplines. Thomas Jefferson teachers strive to help students develop transferable work habits, skills, and attitudes for success across all subject areas and beyond the classroom.

All IB programs focus on students adopting the IB learner profile traits as part of their character. These traits are essentially ten characteristics and attitudes for developing lifelong learners of a global community.

Inquiry

At TJMS, our goal is to have inquiry-based classrooms of learning in which students are always actively engaged. The structured inquiry approach will allow students to explore and develop as critical thinkers while also ensuring that core concepts of the subjects are addressed, and requisite skills are mastered. The MYP requires a collaborative approach to planning instruction so that students all have an equitable learning experience while also having their individual needs met. Units of instruction and related assessment tasks are planned by teams of teachers. Teachers also collaborate on how to differentiate instruction. While teachers plan instruction, the classroom is an environment in which teachers and students are partners in the teaching and learning process.

Action

Students in MYP classrooms take action through active classroom involvement. Their engagement is focused on the exploration of real-world issues with consideration for options for responsible choices. Action can include advocating for or educating ourselves and others. Action can also take the form of service learning. All students are expected to participate in service activities over the course of their years at Thomas Jefferson. Students can collect service hours through weekly activities including those provided by the school such as learning and working in the Thomas Jefferson Community Garden. Other opportunities for service may be the direct result of a curriculum related inquiry. As students pursue service opportunities, they are encouraged to support issues or causes. Their learning and engagement in particular areas of interest will likely evolve as the topic of interest for their required 8th Community Project, the MYP culminating action task for middle schools.

Reflection

Students in MYP classrooms are involved in critical reflection, giving thought to how they use evidence, how they employ various methods and how and why they arrive at particular conclusions. Students are also challenged to analyze their own thinking, to be conscious of their potential biases and to look for inaccuracy in their own and others’ work.

Finally, students will build an IBMYP portfolio over the course of their 3 years at Jefferson. This portfolio reflects the work students have done to achieve the mission of Jefferson Middle School: becoming global citizens who are active participants in their communities.

Grade 6 IBMYP Four Rotation Elective 

Thomas Jefferson Middle School is an International Baccalaureate World School offering the Middle Years Programme (MYP). IB requires that each student have an annual minimum of 50 hours in each of the following subject areas: Science, Design Technology, Humanities, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Language A, Language B and Physical Education. Grade 6 students participate in a Four Rotation Elective program to meet the requisites of the MYP.

All students will take Physical Education every other day for a full year. In addition, they will choose classes that balance Design Technology and Fine Arts. The Fine Arts classes are Drama, Chorus (semester) and Visual Arts. The Design Technology classes are Computers, Family and Consumer Science, and Technology Education. These classes meet every other day for a semester. Full year Band, Orchestra, and Choral music meet daily and are considered both Fine Arts and Design Technology classes.

Grade 6 students are also required to take a full-year World Language class that meets every other day. The World Languages offered are American Sign Language (ASL), Arabic, Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish, and Spanish for Fluent Speakers. Please note that American Sign Language (ASL) is not an International Baccalaureate, (IB), language and it meets public Virginia university and community entrance requirements as a world language. Some out-of-state and private post-secondary institutions do not recognize ASL as a world language.