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Wharton K-8 Dual Language AcademyMission Statement
Wharton Dual Language Academy’s mission is to empower our students to become respectful, life-long, bilingual and bi-literate inquirers who celebrate diversity as responsible citizens of the world.
La Academia K-8 de Doble Vía WhartonDeclaración de PrincipiosLa misión de La Academia Wharton de Doble Vía es capacitar a nuestros estudiantes a ser respetuosos investigadores bilingües y biletrados, a adoptar una actitud activa de aprendizaje durante toda su vida, y que celebren la diversidad como ciudadanos responsables del mundo.In 2013, Wharton became an authorized IB PYP school. Our school aims to provide a curriculum framework of essential elements — the knowledge, concepts, skills, and action that students need to prepare them for successful lives. We have used these elements and the learner profile to construct a curriculum at Wharton that is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant for learners.
The students are exposed to the Learner Profile attributes upon entering our program through the curriculum and daily student activities. The attributes include: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-Takers, Balanced.
Teachers facilitate student instruction through ‘Concepts’ which are the powerful ideas that are relevant within the individual subject areas. These ideas transcend individual subjects and enable students to make cross-curricular connections.
In order to best prepare students to be lifelong learners, we must give students the necessary tools and skills for learning. The skills taught within the program include; thinking skills, social skills, communication skills, self-management skills and research skills.
At Wharton, students receive the opportunity to explore and extend their learning in all subject areas including, but not limited to: Mathematics, Language (English & Spanish), Social Studies, Science, Physical Education, and the Arts. These content areas are then encompassed by six ‘trans-disciplinary themes’ that are considered essential to international education.
These themes are covered each year, in every grade level (with the exception of Pre-K to Kindergarten where they can elect to cover four per year) through integrated units of inquiry.
The themes include:
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Who We Are
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How We Express Ourselves
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Where We Are in Place and Time
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How the World Works
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How We Organize Ourselves
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Sharing the Planet
In addition to leading the learning, the students must demonstrate responsible behavior through Student Agency. Action is how students show that they have combined the other essential elements together in their own lives, and completed something with the skills, knowledge, concepts and attitudes they have learned.
The IB PYP program aims to develop students’ academic, social and emotional wellbeing, while focusing on international-mindedness and strong personal values. Our teachers nurture independent learning skills and encourage every student to take responsibility for their learning. They support students’ efforts to construct meaning from the world around them by; drawing on their prior knowledge, providing provocation through new experiences, and opportunities for reflection.
The PYP curriculum framework promotes ‘Agency’ that is found throughout the three pillars of the curriculum: the learner, learning and teaching, and the learning community. Everyone connected to the school community has voice, choice and ownership to impact learning and teaching.
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