Concepts vs. Topics: Bringing clarity for IB PYP teachers

Concepts vs. Topics: Let's Get clear.

In the very first coaching session in PYPTeaching Tools membership,  I dive into bringing inquiry teachers an understanding all about conceptual teaching and learning with practical classroom strategies to develop your young CONCEPT SEEKERS. 

 As an inquiry teacher, it's that important to have this fundamental understanding right from the beginning because we approach our teaching through a transdisciplinary lens, and it is through concepts that the children are able to make their meaning far more enduring, transferring this understanding across disciplines, time and place.

As we plan conceptual learning experiences for and with the students, we want their learning to have this authenticity and the scope for expansion as they begin to make those rich connections, forming meaning for themselves. In this article, I'm delighted to be sharing teacher-author, Misty Paterson, as she helps to uncover the difference between concepts and topics.  The following video from our recent LIVE chat on Facebook, brings amazing insight, as Misty shares her strategies from her new book, Pop-Up Studio.

"A hands-on pedagogical process and platform that combines critical concepts, compelling materials, and dynamic experiences to spark curiosity and make learning more meaningful and memorable with our students—anywhere, anytime. " Misty Paterson

You can find out more about Misty's book, Pop-Up Studio, on her website, popupstudioed.com

Prepare yourself to be fully engaged as you learn more about the what, why and how of concept-based inquiry. This conversation last about an hour and is FULL of good stuff!  So, get comfortable, grab a pen and a notebook and enjoy!

I have many tools to support your journey through concept-based inquiry. If you are looking for a comprehensive, professional development course with concept-based inquiry, take a look at my self-paced, online course, Essentials for Inquiry: Getting Started with Student-Led Inquiry.  It offers 13+ hours of video based learning that has helped hundreds of teachers from all around the world, make the shift to a confident facilitator of student-led inquiry.

BE INSPIRED. BE CONFIDENT. BE READY! 

Every strong unit of inquiry starts with a teacher who can tell the difference between a concept and a topic. Once you can, the real work is building concept seekers in your own classroom. The membership hands you the practical, classroom-ready strategies to do exactly that: making professional learning visible, provinding you with the tools for optimising conceptual understanding at every age level, ready to open and use tomorrow. Whatever grade you teach, the resource library is packed with tons of classroom-ready tools to help your students seek concepts, not just topics.

The bite-sized professional learning comes with classroom ready tools so you can immediately apply the strategies.  Essentials for Inquiry membership dives into developing your concept seekers and supports your planning with every aspect of concept-based, student led inquiry. Take a look here.

As always, please do keep in touch and share your own ideas and strategies too. Our community is actively sharing on social media and I'd love to have you come along and say hello. You can find me on Instagram @pypteaching Facebook at PYP Teaching Tools. 

Enjoy!

P.S. Ready to turn from being a topic-teacher into a concept seeker? The membership is packed with the classroom-ready tools to get you there. Explore the Annual Membership where we make professional learning visible, practical and grounded for real classrooms.

👉 Explore the Annual Membership for INSTANT ACCESS to a TON of classroom resources, activities and professional learning.