Section VII. Appendices

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A Student Guide To Success In The Psi Programme

  • Set good habits from the start.

  • Use a planner to record homework and dates assignments are due.

  • Maintain a high level of quality in your assignments.

  • Keep up with your work and hand in all assignments.

  • Ask your teachers for assistance if you do not understand the work being covered.

  • Ask the teacher to explain why you did not do as well as you expected on an assignment/ test.

  • Set yourself clearly defined targets.

  • Establish credibility with your teachers by being a reliable, mature and honest student.

  • Speak to the teacher before the work is due if you are having a problem with an out-of-class assignment.

  • Advise your teacher at least a week in advance if you will miss class for a short or extended time. This allows the teacher time to prepare plans for you. Do not expect the teacher to assign work with only a day or two of warning.

  • Maintain a good attendance record. Missing classes will lead to fragmentation of course content and mediocre or, more likely, poor academic performance.

  • Remember it is not the teacher’s job to re‐teach a lesson because you missed it; it is your job to locate class notes, etc.

  • Maintain your personal discipline and establish a reputation for maturity, responsibility and reliability. These are skills that will bring you success at every grade level, including university, and will prepare you for your life beyond school.

Glossary of Terms

WHOLE SCHOOL GLOSSARY

TermDefinition
AGMThe Annual General Meeting, which is open to all members of the School community who wish to hear a summary of the School’s progress against its strategic goals, as well as to hear announcements for the next year, including the election of new Board members
CEESACentral and Eastern European Schools Association - a coalition of schools in this region that provide athletic and academic activities for Secondary students as well as professional development and support for teachers
CISCouncil for International Schools, one of the School’s accrediting organisations
DifferentiationPlanning for different learning needs and styles
EALEnglish as an Additional Language
ECAExtra-curricular activities - A programme for students that provides them with opportunities to explore the arts, sports, IT, games, academic enrichment and leadership beyond the classroom
ELTEducational Leadership Team (director, principals, deputy principals, IB coordinators)
GDPRThe European General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) provide strict guidelines that help ensure that student, staff and parent information - in print or digitally - is kept secure and private.
HODHead of Department
IBInternational Baccalaureate, one of the School’s accrediting organisations and the base of the School’s curricular programmes
ITInformation Technology
LPLearner Profile - a key component of the IB that focuses on student attitudes towards self and others. A list of the terms and their definitions is included in all major handbooks
LSTLearning Support Team, usually the appropriate building principal and counsellor, along with the learning resource teacher. This team meets weekly to discuss students at risk in order to create strategies to support their social, emotional and academic growth
MAPMeasure of Academic Progress, an on-line test for students in reading and mathematics given twice a year to students in Grades 3-8.
Mother tongueThe language(s) learned first; the language(s) identified with as a ‘native’ speaker; the language known best; the language used most
MTManagement Team - Educational Leadership Team (see above) plus Business Manager and IT director
MyIBMy IB is the International Baccalaureate's new central location for IB resources and applications. You can access the services you use with one username and password.
MyPSIMyPSI is where parents go to look at their student’s grades (secondary), report cards and standardized testing results
NEASCNew England Association of Schools and Colleges, one of the School’s accrediting organisations
OCCThe On-Line Curriculum Centre is an IB resource for teachers and administrators
OPIThe On-line Placement Inventory is the assessment tool in maths and English used for Secondary student admissions
PAProfessional Assistants, who support the two Principals and the Director
PE / PHEPhysical Education or Physical and Health Education - a part of the EC - Grade 10 curriculum focusing on sports, physical activity and a healthy lifestyle
PRCThe International Baccalaureate's Programme Resource Centre- an online password protected part of MyIB where teacher resources are accessible.
PSIPechersk School International
PTCParent teacher conferences, held in both Primary and Secondary
SLC / SLSStudent-led conferences or student-led showcases, held in both Primary and Secondary. Students present to parents their online and paper portfolios showcasing what and how they have learnt
TATeaching Assistants, who provide support in the classroom for Primary teachers and some Secondary departments
TSTeaching Support staff, who provide clerical support for teaching and administrative staff

SECONDARY SCHOOL / MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME

TermDefinition
Achievement LevelThe mark given to indicate that the student’s work matches the corresponding descriptor.
AlignmentAgreement in principle and practice among the written curriculum, the taught curriculum and the assessed curriculum
ATLApproaches to Learning are concerned with the development of thinking skills, strategies and attitudes and the ability to reflect on one’s own learning
ArticulationThe logical progression of learning objectives from year to year (vertical) and during an academic year (horizontal)
Assessment criteriaThe standards on which student work is evaluated in all subject areas and in the Personal Project
Assessment rubricA grid that contains levels and descriptors
Assessment strategyThe method or approach that teachers use when gathering information about student learning, for example, observation, open-ended tasks, selected responses
Assessment taskThe activities that students do and that teachers evaluate
Assessment tool

The term assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of students.

It may also refer to the device teachers use to measure and record assessment information and data collected, for example, anecdotal records

Criterion-related assessmentAn assessment process based on determining achievement levels against previously agreed criteria. MYP assessment is criterion-related
Curriculum frameworkAn organised plan for teaching and learning.In the MYP, the curriculum framework includes conceptual understanding, global contexts, approaches to teaching and approaches to learning, and significant content across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.
DescriptorsAchievement level descriptors describe the differences in student accomplishment for each assessment criterion and correspond to the achievement level that should be awarded
E-AssessmentOn-line testing and assessment that will lead to MYP Certification. This process should begin at the end of the 2015-16 school year for Grade 10 students only.
Formative assessmentOngoing assessment aimed at providing information to guide teaching and improve student performance. This work is not graded but is reviewed and used to prepare students for the summative assessments.
Global engagementInquiring, acting and reflecting on global challenges in local, national and international dimensions
Grade boundaryThe lowest and highest criterion levels totals corresponding to a particular holistic grade.
Horizontal planning/horizontal articulationPlanning horizontally involves a team of teachers of the same grade level working together to plan for learning.
IB MYP certificateIB-issued certificate that signifies the successful completion of requirements for the programme; accompanied by IB MYP course results
IB MYP course resultsOfficial IB document that provides a record of successful examination and/or ePortfolio grades for MYP e-Assessment candidates who do not attain the IB MYP certificate.
InterdisciplinaryCombining or involving two or more branches of learning or fields of academic study. In the MYP, interdisciplinary study can be developed both within and between/among subject groups.
Internal assessmentThe assessment of a student’s work that is carried out by a student’s teacher(s)
Internal standardisationThe process by which all teachers in a department develop and ensure a common understanding and application of criteria and descriptors
MYPThe IB Middle Years Programme designed for students between the ages of 11 and 16 years
ObjectiveThe skills, knowledge and understandings that are addressed in each course/project and based on the assessment criteria.
Personal Project (PP)The Personal Project is the culmination of the students’ experience in the MYP and shows their experience of ATL and global contexts. It is completed in the final year of the programme.
Personal Project SupervisorThe member of staff within a school who is responsible for working directly with the student on the completion of the personal project.
SASStudent Academic Support - the combination of class time and pullout time that we use to support students with identified needs
Service & ActionThrough responsible action, tightly connected with sustained inquiry and critical reflection, young people and adults can develop the kinds of attributes described by the learner profile that are essential for success in future academic pursuits and for adult life.
SWWThe School-wide write is a PSI assessment tool to evaluate student writing in Grades 6 - 10. It is given twice a year; students and teachers then set goals for writing improvement.
UnitA series of lessons, focused through a statement of inquiry and inquiry questions, designed to help students achieve some of the objectives of an MYP subject group.
Vertical planning/vertical articulationThe goal of vertical planning is to sequence learning (in terms of subject‑group objectives and ATL) to ensure continuity and progression from year 1 to year 5.

For more information on the MYP in general, please visit the IB MYP website. For more information about the MYP at PSI, please visit the PSI MYP website page.

Appe

PSI SECONDARY SCHOOL / IB AND PSI DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES

TermDefinition
CASCreativity, Activity, and Service - a required part of the DP
CertificatesStudents not taking or earning the full IB Diploma can earn separate certificates for every successfully completed DP course
CoreThe Core of the IBDP includes the Extended Essay, the Theory of Knowledge Course, and CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service).
DPIB Diploma Programme for students ages 16-19 (Grades 11 and 12)
EEThe Extended Essay, a required part of the DP - a 4000 word, in-depth study in one subject or an interdisciplinary topic.
GroupSubject courses are placed in groups depending on the field: (1) Studies in Language and Literature, (2) Language Acquisition, (3) Individuals and Societies,(4) Science,(5) Mathematics, and the (6) Arts.
HLHigher Level course (240 hours of instruction time). Students must take a minimum of three courses at HL to qualify for the full IB Diploma.
IB DiplomaStudents who successfully meet all requirements of the Diploma Programme earn a diploma from the IB.
Internal Assessment (IA)A piece of subject work that is internally assessed and externally moderated
PSI CoursesStudents not taking courses at DP level can earn credit toward graduation from PSI by taking courses designed, taught and assessed by PSI.
PSI DiplomaAll students who successfully meet the graduation requirements of PSI earn a PSI Diploma. Students may also earn IB certificates or the full IB Diploma in addition to this award. The PSI Diploma meets international accreditation standards.
SLStandard level course (150 hours of instruction time. Students on the full IB Diploma normally take three SLs.
SSSTSchool Supported Self-Taught Language A courses offered/supported by PSI in Group 1 of the Diploma Programme.
TOKTheory of Knowledge - a required course for the full IB Diploma that is also embedded into all subject areas
TranscriptsA record of all semester grades earned from Grades 9-12. This document is usually requested by North American universities as part of the admissions process.

For more information about the IB Diploma Programme in general, please visit the IB Diploma Programme website. For more information about the DP at PSI, please visit the PSI DP website page.

Reference List

IB Learner Profile 2013 (http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/occ/Utils/getFile2.cfm?source=/ibis/occ/home/subjectHomeMYP.cfm&filename=dSpace%2Fen%2Fg_0_iboxx_amo_1702_1_e%2Epdf)

MYP: From Principles into Practice (2014) (https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/server2/rest/app/tsm.xql?doc=m_0_mypxx_guu_1409_2_e&part=1&chapter=1)