Primary Years Program Update

Our elementary schools are preparing to receive final authorization for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP). This program offers an inquiry-based curriculum framework that builds critical thinking and conceptual understanding. Every elementary teacher is trained and prepared to implement these units of instruction in elementary classrooms. 

The approach prioritizes student-centered learning and student ownership of their education. One recent unit of study students experienced through this inquiry-based process is "How I Express Myself.”  Students in kindergarten through fifth grade explored concepts such as who we are, where we are in place and time, how we express ourselves, how the world works, how we organize ourselves, and how we share the planet.

Lessons include individual exploration and group collaboration. Students review and share prior understandings and expand their knowledge to more complex concepts. Students enhance critical thinking by developing the IB Learner Profile traits. They become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. When the district receives final authorization for PYP in the elementary schools, Harrison will have a fully aligned approach to developing critical thinking from kindergarten through 12th grade. It will also be the only K-12 International Baccalaureate school district in Westchester.