Creating, adapting and reviewing PPS for student needs in 2020

Never has there been a more needed call for regular reflective practice for students to consider the personal and professional skills they truly need; skills not just in the future but for right now as they try to balance the challenge of a new school year in the context of the global pandemic. Through the creation, adaptation or review of PPS in your school, you can help students and teachers make the transition out of lockdown.

Using PPS to find balance in a new world 

In an article for The Guardian on 5th July 2020, Peter Hyman states 'our school systems are broken. Let's grab this chance to remake them'. A laudible call to arms in itself through what has been, and continues to be, the greatest test for our global education systems in generations. However, what is really fascinating are the conclusions he has comes to as a result of British schools operating under lockdown since March; they are many of the conclusions that CP schools have come to as to why the CP works as a framework. As you read this, you may very deservedly be feeling a degree of relief and immense pride at coming through this unprecedented assessment period but teachers do not rest for long. If this article serves a reminder for anything, then it is to keep things moving. And the Personal and Professional Skills core element is not just the place to create or reinvigorate a dynamic course that balances the fixed and the flexible; it is truly a place to care for the diverse needs of students that have been put under immense pressure in 2020 and create a fresh start.

Hyman succinctly recognises the need for a 'new normal' where students can flourish with 'a balance between what we call 'head, heart and hand' - knowledge, wellbeing, problem-solving and creativity'. He also warns against the temptation with so many children missing formal schooling for more than 4 months and experiencing very different home schooling success, to give in to the urge to 'catch up' frenetically in the new school year. I like the intention here but think the reality of the pressures school face soon takes over. Could there be a compromise? Certainly in an IB context, careful and clever utilisation of thinking processes and well timed reflection can enable the student to recognise where there is commonality across their subjects. This is something that is at the heart of the CP framework anyway; however, post lockdown, students are probably at their most receptive to appreciate truly how helpful and reassuring these commonalities are. Furthermore, use PPS not just to identify similarities but actively to utilise and transfer creative, critical and problem-solving thinking processes and inquiry. Suddenly, a mountain range of individual subjects becomes one challenging peak; still an intimidating obstacle but with the sense of being approached with a full support crew and a common purpose.

This might sounds like a lot of work and preparation. Not necessarily if we transfer existing assessment strategies into different contexts and we also listen to what the students feel they need. I have long been a supporter of encouraging students to respond to topics using the multi-modal choices available for the reflective project. This way the student who would not even consider creating a playscript as their Option 2 reflective project outcome, exercises quite an admirable degree of risk-taking as a quick, spontaneous response to a Tuesday afternoon PPS lesson. And likewise for creating a podcast or a film - why not? In addition to this, Hyman's call for 'smarter assessment and intelligent accountability' as well as 'skilful use of technology' to inspire 'flipped learning' is a reminder to the CP teacher to keep pushing the boundaries of how students can respond to tasks. The more the PPS course asks students to respond and reflect imaginatively, autonomously and dynamically for their portfolio, the more this will encourage an imaginative and open-minded approach to their CRS and DP subjects where  summative assessments may not be as varied.

Hyman's final point is the biggest lesson from learning under lockdown; the extent to which 'in-depth curriculum discussions and the ability to spend proper time collaborating' promotes increasing use of imagination. In 2020 I would add collaboration does not just increase the imagination but also empathy, resilience and communicaton skills. Whilst this piece is not about the dispensing of formal examinations as the writer of the Guardian article might be purporting (another blog for another day), it is about realising the true potential of a core element where formal external assessment has been intentionally dismissed and collaboration can take precedence.

Whether you are a CP coordinator starting the course from scratch, reviewing your existing course or new to PPS teaching - the advice is the same: Take advantage of a course that exists to prepare students for the challenging unknown of future contexts, to help them meet the challenging unknown of their school context right now.