Earlier this year in April, I was asked by the IBO to create a planner for the PYP. Under the new PYP Enhancements, schools are able to create their own planners. The IB have created a planning document to guide this process – kind of a ‘cheat sheet’ to ensure your planning is balanced and reflective of the PYP elements. After being asked to do this, I tapped into one of the most valuable resource a school has: its people. Within a very short space of time, I had our principal, math coach, literacy coach, 2 second grade teachers, and a 4th grade teacher ready to help. We met, standing up around a white board table with markers in hand, and we talked. And we listened. At the end of it, I would take our ideas and try and synthesise them into a visual planning tool that both reflected our beliefs about learning and the PYP ethos on learning and planning for learning. And then we’d do it all over again. And again. And again. Until we came up with version six or seven which was submitted to the IB.
The big ideas from this planner:
- it is about each individual student
- we need to take time to provoke and wonder
- we use our observations and conversations to guide next steps
- our role is to gently prod and guide kids to their zone of “I don’t quite know what I am doing but I know you’ll help me learn”
The document is on the PYP Communities page and can be downloaded by schools. I created it on Pages – which I know is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is my tool of choice for projects like these. I still “own” the document and can share it and schools can choose to use it as it is or as a starting point for their own planning journey.
Recently, at the Learning2 Conference in Tokyo, Ben Sheridan shared an L2 Talk titled, “Together We Are Better”. And I couldn’t agree more with that sentiment.
What could have been a lone endeavor on my part became a collaborative undertaking. I learned a lot about listening, about digging into the intentions behind people’s words, about respecting ideas and asking questions to make sure I was understanding what others were trying to say. I am really proud of the work we have done. Is it the best planner ever? Almost 🙂 What it is though, is a reminder to me that we can harness the power within our schools to create great things when we work together.
Last night I recorded a Webinar with Sarah from the IB on the Planning Process. It will be released soon and contains a wealth of information for you if you are planning on embarking on your own planning odyssey. From my perspective, the freedom to do this is a welcome change to the PYP and the learning about learning that occurs as a result is priceless. Give it a go and then share your ideas. I would love to work on Version 67 of this planner we have drafted….but first, Christmas holidays in New Zealand 🙂
sonya terborg 
So excited to see this out so people can start to use it (and improve it). So many good conversations went into this. Sonya, you have the ability to capture ideas and beatuifully synthesise them for the world to understand. A gift! Thank you for sharing, as always. 🙂
Thank you – for everything. Your championing voice is always in my ear.
Hi, I am super keen to access your document. How am I able see it on PYP Communities? Or could you please email it to me jess@bristoldawn.com
Thanks in advance. Jess
Hi Sonya, may I have a planner at s.khaitova@oxbridgeschool.uz please?
Hi Sonya ..it’s so lovely to hear that!
Can you pls email me the planner on pages? If you have the steps mentioned, then request you to share the same too. Thanks very much.
Email-id soumya.anil@neevschools.com, soumya_75@ yahoo.com
Regards,
Soumya
Sent you the version with the annotations and blank. Enjoy!
Hey ! Loved your article would like to have PYP planner document. Email id meesha.joshi@pathways.in
Dear Soumya and Sonya,
Please can you share will me if possible please?
lbonazza@barker.nsw.edu.au
Hi Sonya! Thanks for sharing and helping push our thinking forward. I’d like to be a part of Version 68.
Your biggest fan,
Armin
Anytime! I know you would have a load of great ideas to add. Hope you are doing well xxx
Hi Sonya. An interesting and inspiring post as usual. I am wondering why you haven’t included a link to the file on this post? Would love to see it as I can’t access the PYP Communities page between jobs. Thanks 🙂 (And enjoy that well deserved break in New Zealand!)
Hi Kate, WordPress won’t let me upload a Pages doc. I can post a PDF link on here but was wanting people to use the IB communities page as their access point as it is more than just this planner, it is the renewed focus on the planning process as a whole. I included images of the annotated version but I see they aren’t the most clear or easy to read. I can email the documents to you if you’d like?
That would be great. ksleeth@gmx.com I’ll make sure I go and look at it properly when my access is renewed too.
Hi Sonya, I would love a copy too. I am running a workshop and really like your annotated version.
Sonya, I was so happy to see this post arrive. It was an honor to be invited to work with this group on our re-thinking a planner. I loved standing around that whiteboard table and filling it with ideas, scribbles, wonders, and sketches. So meaningful! Miss you all tons.
Greetings from Spain! I just found your planner and I think it is amazing. You can really see how hard yoy´ve worked on it. I tried to find it in the IB communities page, but couldn´t. Can you send it to my email so I can look at it more carefully? Thanks
teremartinezperez@gmail.com
Amazing planner! I also couldn’t find it in the IB communities page. Would you mind sending it to my email. Thanking you in advance
mamomani@aa.edu.jo
Hi Sonya. Thank you very much for all the work and thought…I have found the post on IB Communities but it is in a PDF format – could you please email me a pages version when you have a moment (kath.corby@whangareiprimary.school.nz)
Thank you very much. 🙂
Hi Kath – It took me a while to find it too! Sending you the Pages version. Always happy to help out a fellow kiwi 🙂 Appreciate your interest in the planner and would love to see what you do with it, any changes you might make!
Sonya, I was wondering if I can get copies as well. I found the PDFs, but would love to be able to have the Pages version as well. micah.doramus@forgeintl.org Thank you, Micah
No problem. Sent the Pages version your way!.
Hi Sonya,
Love this planner! It is awesome! Do you mind if I had the pages version as well? garcia.00@gmail.com
Cheers! Ju
Emailed you! Love to see what you come up with!
Me too plz.
Sallyanany80@gmail.com
Hi Sonya
it is awesome thank you so much.
Hi Sonya
The planner is amazing – could you email me a copy at seztheteacher@bigpond.com – thanks for all that you give to the PYP community and teachers generally 🙂
Sending now…
Hi Sonya! Thanks for sharing your work. Your planners are truly inspiring and thought provoking. I think it will be a trial and error approach initially for us teachers, while implementing the enhanced PYP planners. However it is exciting to explore and try different planners or create our own which will eventually support teaching and learning. I was unable to find your planner on IB communities. Is it possible for you to email me a copy? My email id is tamhankararchana31@gmail.com.Thanks.
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Hello my friend. We are experimenting with planning formats do you have this on a google doc, we would love to try it out!
Keep on rockin’ sister!
I don’t! I can send it to you in Pages?
Yes please xx
Can you shoot me your email?
Hi Sonya the direct link link is not opening can you plz send me a copy on my email
Sallyanany80@gmail.com
Thx
Any luck with converting to a Google Doc? Thank you for your help!
Wow! That looks truly inquiring as well as significant. Unable to view it properly though.Could you email me the copy plz smita_benuskar@rediffmail.com
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
What a great job!!! I would love to have an access to it. Could you please share it with me? Dorota.oliveira@eij.org.br
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Fantastic! Very significant we are trying to create one. Would you mind sending them to me? akrumm@stjohns.cl
Thank you!!!
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Dear Sonya,
This is truly inspiring. We are about to start on the process of creating our own planner soon. Would love to have the pages format too. My email id is eypcoordinator@dypisworli.in.
Thank you in advance.
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Dear Sonya,
Thank you for this gift. Please email the Planner to hanita@aischennai.org
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
HI Sonya. Great work and generous sharing! You have provided teachers with such thoughtful prompts to scaffold this complex and emergent process. I was wondering where teachers might be prompted to consider what the learner reveals to them about their current thinking/prior knowledge/misconceptions….Sometimes a provocation will reveal this but other times we need to really think about how we will tune in to the learner’s thinking early in the piece. This helps tune us into their thinking and also provides a nice basis for self assessment and evidence of growth. Just a thought! Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂
Hi Kath, thanks for your comment – I missed it and only just noticed it now! In designing this planner the intention was to start with photographs of the learners in the group a couple of weeks before a group of teachers might gather to formally begin the planning process. The idea being that teachers would do just as you suggest: think about each learner and their current thinking, wonderings. In doing this, it would hopefully raise up the profile of students that we hadn’t noticed or didn’t know as much about which in itself would hopefully guide our initial observations. If I understand correctly, you are suggesting in addition to this and to the provocation/observation process, to think about the way in which we will, as teachers, tap into the learner’s thinking early on. Great wondering. I like the simple “tell me more about that” as a prompt which often reveals a child’s way of thinking more clearly than my assumptions about their thinking when I rely only on observation. With my own children, I am reminded of this frequently when it looks to me they are not interested or don’t understand but then proceed to explain a process so clearly and thoughtfully that my assumptions were clearly off! I don’t have your book handy (it is at home!) but I am almost certain there must be some prompting questions that could be used by teachers during this observation phase that would help uncover the early thinking of our learners! In working with older students who are creating their own inquiries for our XBlock time, I have grown accustomed to watching and asking my favorite, “tell me more about that” or “what makes you say that?” and also adding in, “how is what you are doing moving you closer to your goal?” as they have created goals to support or drive their inquiry. An acceptable answer is often, “Well, it helped me get closer by taking me further away from my goal, so I know next time I will have to try something else.” This is often said after I have been watching and wondering how this is part of their inquiry. Often the learning of what not to do is just as important as learning what TO do! Thanks for your comment – you’ve given me loads to think about! -Sonya
Dear Sonya,
Greetings from Pakistan, I simply love your planner was thinking of merging it with IB planner. May I please ask for a page copy as well as the ones I have found are the PDFs, but would love to be able to have the Pages version as well. saimasohail281@gmail.com. Thanking you in anticipation. Sonya can I please get in touch with you on email for some questions.
Warm regards
Saima
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Hi Sonya,
Thank you for your sterling work. Would it be possible to send me a copy of your planner. Have tried to find it to no avail. plarsen@crawfordschools.co.za
Many thanks, Patrick
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Hi, I would love a copy too. shallmark@iss.school.fj
Thanks
Sonia
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Dear Sonya, I can’t download the planner. I would love to get a copy if possible… Thanks! malgorzata.pyda@isop.pl
Please click on the link at the top of the post to download the Pages version of this document. You will need Pages on your computer in order to download and open the editable version.
Ficou maravilhoso e criativo! Você poderia compartilhar? Meu e mail é cristiana.gavinho@gmail.com
Desde já agradeço.
Great piece of information for educators to have an organized planner that will provoke and promote learning for all members of the learning community. The touch of your annotations makes your piece top-notch. I look forward to learning more from you.