International Baccalaureate at Santa Maria College
As an authorised IB World School, Santa Maria is proud to deliver the Middle Years Programme (MYP) from years 7-10. This internationally recognised approach to learning calls on students to engage with the process of inquiry. Girls are encouraged to think critically, seek answers to well-formed questions, and to apply new understandings to both local and global contexts.
The MYP is a framework for learning that places strong emphasis on the development of the whole person. Using the content of the Victorian Curriculum, students are exposed to teaching and learning methods that promote deep understanding and rich experiences. This approach prepares students to tackle learning opportunities from both within and outside the classroom, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful learners throughout their lives.
At the core of the MYP is a commitment to service. Students are challenged to reflect on the needs of their community and to consider the contribution they are called to make. This connects to the deep values of the College and to the school motto, ‘Dare to do as much as you are able’. In the promotion of service, the MYP enriches the community and enables students to learn more about themselves and others.
The MYP learning journey culminates in year 10 with the Personal Project. This is a unique and wonderful aspect of the MYP, requiring students to demonstrate the learning skills they have developed across the four years of the program. The Personal Project - often referred to as a "Passion Project" - enables each girl to generate and pursue her own topic of interest. The incredibly well-informed and creative outcomes of these projects highlight the effectiveness of the MYP as a platform for learning, and provide an opportunity to celebrate the achievement of each student.
The MYP provides outstanding preparation for senior schooling. Students and staff at Santa Maria have found that completing the IBMYP grounds students in foundational skills and attitudes so necessary for success in VCE, VET or VCAL. We are very proud of the achievements of our year 12 graduates across all senior pathways.
In our contemporary world, the capacity to collaborate, problem solve, persist and inquire is essential. At a time when content knowledge is ‘Google-able’, skills of critique, evaluation, reflection and application become vital. This is the brilliance of the MYP. In the small and large daily activities of the classroom, these skills are being taught, practised, integrated. They become the natural way of learning.
At the completion of their year 12 studies then, Santa Maria students leave our gates confident and ready for the world that awaits them!
For further information on the IBMYP visit: www.ibo.org
