Unpacking the new PYP Transdisciplinary theme descriptors: A UDL approach
The transition to the new IB transdisciplinary theme descriptors presents an exciting opportunity for educators to deepen their understanding of how these themes guide student inquiry. In my role as Elementary principal, I recently led teachers through a professional learning session that utilized the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to unpack these themes collaboratively. Here’s a breakdown of the process we engaged in, ensuring that learning was accessible, meaningful, and actionable for all teachers.
Setting the Stage: Our ‘Meeting Mindset’ and Objective
To set the stage for our exploration, we anchored our learning in our ‘constellation meeting mindset,’ inspired by the work of Matthew Barzun and his book The Power of Giving Away Power:
Expect to be needed.
Expect to need others.
Expect to be changed.
With this mindset, we began by clarifying our session objectives:
To develop a shared understanding of the new transdisciplinary theme descriptors.
Next, we grounded our work in the IB Standards and Practices, reinforcing the ‘why’ behind our learning and making clear connections to the broader principles of the PYP.
Drawing on the work of Kath Murdoch and the Inquiry Cycle, professional learning was structured to allow for exploration, curiosity, collaboration, and deep engagement.
Front-loading Reflection
Teachers were guided through a structured process built on UDL principles. This approach provided multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression, allowing all teachers to access, process, and communicate their understanding of the new descriptors in ways that complemented their learning preferences.
I begun by frontloading the reflection question to activate teachers’ prior knowledge of UDL practices and set the stage for intentional engagement and further reflection.
Guiding Question: How have UDL practices helped us engage with and embrace this new learning?
By introducing this question at the start of the inquiry, teachers were encouraged to be intentional in recognizing UDL strategies throughout the learning process. This created the conditions for teachers to not only engage with these practices during the session but also reflect on their impact at the end of the exploration.
The Process
The process facilitated teachers in exploring the concepts of Form, Perspective, Connection, and Change to analyze and ultimately create a representation of the new transdisciplinary theme, as shown below.
Let’s Share
After moving through the process at thier own pace, each group then had up to 10 minutes to present their theme to their collegues. This step reinforced peer-to-peer learning and allowed for cross-group insights, linking themes together in a holistic way.
Teachers’ creativity shone through in their diverse and innovative representations. Some groups delivered verbal explanations, while others curated artifact collections, allowing teachers to interpret the transdisciplinary theme in their own way. Unique approaches emerged, including beehive models, hand-drawn illustrations, AI-generated representations, and even a video using manipulatives to bring the theme to life.
The flexibility of the task honored the diverse learning preferences of groups and made the knowledge-sharing process dynamic and engaging.
Next Steps and Reflection
Finally, we set manageable goals to complete the review of our current descriptors. We then revisited the initial reflection question posed at the beginning of the process. This allowed teachers to reflect not only on the product but also on the process of learning.
Exit Ticket
An exit ticket was then used as a quick formative assessment to gauge teachers' understanding and gather feedback on areas that may need reinforcement or further discussion.
If you're looking to refine your school's approach to unpacking the new PYP Transdisciplinary Themes, collaborate on designing the process, or interested in viewing the full slidedeck for this process, feel free to reach out. I’d love to connect and explore ideas together!
