The Future and the PYP Exhibition

The Future is in our Hands was the overriding theme at this years PYP (Primary Years Programme) Exhibition. This theme was courageously undertaken by the Year 5 boys in Junior school and even more bravely mentored and facilitated by their teachers Andrea Goodison, Janet Lopez and Jo Gammage. The central idea the boys investigated this whole term was "How do the decisions we make regarding our energy consumption impact on the extent to which we can be a sustainable community?". A significant challenge with far reaching consequences!

Over the course of the term boys heard from guest speakers on sustainability, renewable energy, research and development in energy technologies, they conducted audits, researched their chosen focus question, created models, designed posters and made recommendations. The final products were impressive and insightful to say the least. The boys showed a commitment, engagement and decisiveness that belied their years. These ranged from ideas such as:

Jacob, who suggested holding a 'PEarth' Hour (following the example of Earth Hour),
Ben who went without meat for a week to prove a point about the Carbon intensity of meat production,
Charlie and several others who looked at how to make homes more sustainable, and
Lucas who wrote to the Headmaster suggesting that Scotch use solar power to heat the pool, only to find that the school was already making inroads into that very idea!

A particularly powerful reminder of how sustainability promotes interconnectedness in our community was Will Robertson's experience. Will went as far as to organise and conduct a "Green Day" in the Junior School to raise money which was then donated to local environmental not-for-profit group Millennium Kids (MK). MK has since invited Will to speak on their radio station about his experience and all the Year 5 boys to engage in their "Big Switch" program.

The entire PYP showcase this year was a wonderful demonstration and example of how the IB promotes global learning and helps educate students who are concerned and actively engaged in their communities. These leaders of tomorrow are today developing the skills they will need to meet the challenges that will inevitably confront the world in the 21st Century. Further, they are very evidently helping to counter and lower the impact of fears long held by social commentators and demographers crying out for greater active citizenship by the youth of today, such as this warning quote from Richard Louv who draws our attention to the following:

" If a geographic place rapidly changes in a way that demeans its natural integrity, then children's early attachment to land is at risk. If children do not attach to the land, they will not reap the psychological and spiritual benefits they can glean from nature, nor will they feel a long term commitment to the environment, to the place. This lack of attachment will exacerbate the very conditions that created the sense of disengagement in the first place - fuelling a tragic spiral in which our children and the natural world are increasingly detached".

Please click on the links below for more on Richard Louv's book and analysis of 'Nature Deficit Disorder' .

Congratulations to everyone involved on a wonderful celebration of IB learning!