
A recent study has investigated the impact of IB on student well-being and yielded related social-emotional outcomes. According to the study’s findings, the IB curriculum at the PYP stage is replete with activities and practices that promote well-being.
The IB Primary Years Program (PYP) is the common curriculum framework for students between the ages of 3 and 12 that aims to help them develop an international mindset.
The PYP also focuses on children’s development and inquiry skills, both in the classroom and in their daily lives. All this, without forgetting to work on the attributes of the IB profile: human skills and responsibilities that will be useful for both their academic and daily life.
According to a report by Katherine Dix and Shani Sniedze-Gregory focusing on the impact of PYP in IB schools in Australia, students’ participation in PYP offers them opportunities to develop their own skills and practices to pursue their well-being.
Thus, the attributes of the learning community profile are positioned as ambitious and desirable by students. Moreover, they are learning approaches that offer them constant opportunities to enhance their social, emotional and understanding skills.
This study shows that there is a strong alignment between the IB attributes and CASEL’s core social-emotional learning competencies of relational skills, self-management, awareness, self-knowledge, and responsible decision-making.
IB attributes entail a commitment to helping members of the school community to respect themselves, others and the world around them. The three IB programs (PYP, MYP and DP), taught at our school, are committed to this profile and their attributes are as follows:
1. Inquirers. They learn to investigate autonomously and also in teams.
2. Informed and educated. They are informed and engaged on issues of local and international importance.
3. Thinkers. They analyze problems through critical thinking and make reasoned decisions on their own initiative.
4. Good communicators. They express themselves confidently and creatively in multiple languages. They also listen, understand and communicate effectively.
5. Integrity. They act honestly and ethically. They respect the rights of all and take responsibility for their actions.
6. Open-minded. They value the point of view of others and are enriched by it. They are tolerant of other cultures, values and traditions.
7. Caring. They act out of respect and empathy. They intend to positively change the world.
8. Bold. They face challenges with determination, confidence and ingenuity.
9. Balanced. They seek physical, mental and emotional balance for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of others.
10. Reflective. They evaluate reality and recognize their strengths and weaknesses.
Students who study in IB schools receive an education in which they are encouraged to think critically and to solve the different problems they face. Thanks to this methodology, students are directors of their own learning and teachers act as guides.
On the other hand, IB students acquire an international mindset and cultural awareness by sharing classrooms with students from different countries. As a result, and by learning different languages, they are able to interact with people in different parts of the world.
These students also obtain better academic results and achieve greater academic, social and emotional development. All of this facilitates their access to the most prestigious universities in the world.