About Niu Valley Middle

Humanities

Remembering the past, shaping the future. Why study history?  Understanding history honors the personal sacrifices and wisdom of our ancestors, give meaning to our traditions, and promote participation and citizenship in the community.  If we fail to learn the lessons of the past, then we may be destined to repeat them in the future.

Humanities, as the name implies, has its roots on the “human” element. The people behind the documents and events who help make history come alive. Humanities encourage students to respect and understand the world around them, and to provide a skills base to facilitate further study and promote lifelong interest and enjoyment.

The aims of humanities are to encourage and enable students to develop inquiring minds, an awareness and understanding of people, perspectives, values, and cultures and events in a variety of places and times.  Humanities also encourage an understanding of contemporary issues, causes/consequences of change through human actions, and a sense of internationalism. 

Humanities can provide a crucial link with other subjects through its objectives.  The objective of humanities in the MYP is to encourage students to gain and develop knowledge, conceptual understanding, skills – technical and analytical, and organize and present information contributing to the development of the student as a whole.

In these ways, humanities help set precedents to promote proactive, responsible global citizens as our students take their rightful place in understanding and working with others and managing the resources of the earth.

Special Education

Special Education is specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. Special education may include, but is not limited to: academic services, speech-language services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, counseling services, and parent education. Special education services are provided at no additional cost to parents. The federal [Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA)] and state regulations require the Department of Education to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE), which includes a continuum of services for students who are eligible for special education and related services. Any student ages 3 to 20 who demonstrates a need for specially designed instruction, after an evaluation determination. A student may be referred for special education by contacting the school principal and requesting an evaluation. When a request for evaluation is made, the school will process the evaluation request and provide a written response to the parent. A student who is suspected of having a disability is entitled to an appropriate evaluation to determine eligibility for special education. The evaluation will determine the nature and extent of the student’s needs. Evaluations are comprised of separate assessments which may include: health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communication skills, and motor abilities. If a student is eligible for special education, services are provided to the student through an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP team determines the special education services, based on the student’s needs. The IEP team includes the parent, student (if appropriate), school administrator or designee, special education teacher, and general education teacher. Special education services may be delivered in a variety of settings based on the student’s needs as addressed in the student’s IEP. If a student’s needs cannot be met in the general education environment with the use of adaptations, modifications, supplementary aids or services, the services may be delivered in a special education setting. Upon completion of the IEP, a placement determination will be made. Students will attend their home school unless their specific needs cannot be met at the home school.

Physical Education

Physical education in the MYP is concerned with more than just participating in sports and games. Its primary aims are to encourage the development of “intelligent performers” and to encourage students to understand the importance of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Throughout the five years of the MYP, students should develop knowledge, critical thinking and reflection skills, and a sense of responsibility, as well as interpersonal and self-motivational skills. This in turn should encourage choices that will contribute to long-term healthy living.

Physical education will bring the unique perspective of learning through the physical, which can greatly contribute to students’ approaches to learning (ATL) skills, and is transferable across other subject groups. The learning and development associated with physical education should contribute to students developing the qualities of the IB learner profile and engaging with the fundamental concepts of the MYP—holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication.

When the curriculums of physical education and other MYP subject groups are developed according to
these principles, students will be given the opportunity to:
• Develop a combination of transferable skills promoting physical, intellectual, emotional and social development
• See other subjects from a physical education perspective (including learning through the physical) and vice versa
• See the areas of interaction as relevant to physical education and contributing to holistic learning
• Consider new, differing and contrasting ideas to their own and use them in the learning process
• Develop abilities to communicate their knowledge, skills and reflections in a variety of situations
• Understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance
• Give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience.

Teachers are challenged to encourage all of the above in a course that must be mainly practical and taught and learned through the physical.

Fine Arts

The aims of the teaching and study of MYP arts are for students to:

Understand how the arts play a role in developing and expressing personal and cultural identities
• Appreciate how the arts innovate and communicate across time and culture
• Become informed and reflective practitioners of the arts
• Experience the process of making art in a variety of situations
• Explore, express and communicate ideas
• Become more effective learners, inquirers and thinkers
• Develop self‑confidence and self‑awareness through art experiences
• Appreciate lifelong learning in and enjoyment of the arts.

Technology

MYP technology aims to provide the means and the context to help students become skillful problem solvers, who can appreciate the role of technology in everyday life and society and who can respond critically and resourcefully to real-life challenges.

The MYP technology course aims to:
• Challenge all students by providing opportunities for different needs and learning styles
• Encourage students to explore the role of technology in both historical and contemporary contexts
• Contribute to raising students’ awareness of their responsibilities as world citizens when making decisions and taking action on technology issues.

Sciences

The sciences and their methods of investigation offer a way of learning through inquiry that can contribute to the development of an analytical and critical way of thinking. MYP sciences emphasizes the role of inquiry and encourages the development of not only scientific inquiry skills but also transferable thinking skills.

MYP sciences aims to be inclusive of all students and should challenge all students by providing opportunities for different needs and learning styles. MYP sciences should nurture all students to become confident and curious learners.  The MYP sciences course must be relevant to the interests of students, providing them with opportunities to explore the role of science in historical and contemporary contexts. MYP sciences aims to help students appreciate the links between science and everyday life as well as the dynamic interactions between science and society.

MYP sciences, in conjunction with the other subject groups and the areas of interaction, contributes to helping students broaden their understanding of themselves as individuals and as collective members of society and the natural environment.

Language B (World Languages)

The primary aim of language B in the MYP is to encourage students to gain competence in a modern language other than their mother tongue, with the long-term goal of balanced bilingualism.

The IBO acknowledges that learning additional languages greatly contributes to the holistic development of students. Proficiency in a second language gives students access to a broader range of input, experiences and perspectives, and is believed to raise achievement in other subject areas, as well as giving the student the enjoyment of being able to communicate in a language other than their mother tongue. The study of MYP language B aims to encourage in the student a respect for and understanding of other languages and cultures, and to provide a skills base to facilitate further language learning.

Mathematics

Mathematics plays an essential role both within the school and in society. It promotes a powerful universal language, analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills that contribute to the development of logical, abstract and critical thinking. Moreover, understanding and being able to use mathematics with confidence is not only an advantage in school but also a skill for problem solving and decision-making in everyday life.  Therefore, mathematics should be accessible to and be studied by all students.

Mathematics is well known as a foundation for the study of sciences, engineering and technology. However, it is also increasingly important in other areas of knowledge such as economics and other social sciences.  MYP mathematics aims to equip all students with the knowledge, understanding and intellectual capabilities to address further courses in mathematics, as well as to prepare those students who will use mathematics in their workplace and life in general.

In MYP mathematics, the four main objectives support the IB learner profile, promoting the development of students who are knowledgeable, inquirers, communicators and reflective learners.

Knowledge and understanding promotes learning mathematics with understanding, allowing students to interpret results, make conjectures and use mathematical reasoning when solving problems in school and in real-life situations.
Investigating patterns supports inquiry-based learning. Through the use of investigations, teachers challenge students to experience mathematical discovery, recognize patterns and structures, describe these as relationships or general rules, and explain their reasoning using mathematical justifications and proofs.
Communication in mathematics encourages students to use the language of mathematics and its different forms of representation, to communicate their findings and reasoning effectively, both orally and in writing.
Reflection in mathematics provides an opportunity for students to reflect upon their processes and evaluate the significance of their findings in connection to real-life contexts. Reflection allows students to become aware of their strengths and the challenges they face as learners.

Overall, MYP mathematics expects all students to appreciate the beauty and usefulness of mathematics as a remarkable cultural and intellectual legacy of humankind, and as a valuable instrument for social and economic change in society.

Language A (English-Language Arts)

Students need to develop an appreciation of language and literature, of the nature of language and literature, of the many influences on language and literature, and of the power and beauty of language and literature.

They will be encouraged to recognize that proficiency in language is a valuable life skill, a powerful tool both in societal communication and as a means of personal reflection. Learning that language and literature are creative processes encourages the development of imagination and creativity through self-expression.  Mastery of one or more languages A enables each student to achieve their full linguistic potential.

MYP language A is academically rigorous, and equips students with linguistic, analytical and communicative skills that can also be used in an interdisciplinary manner across all other subject groups. There are six skill areas: listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and presenting, which develop as both independent and interdependent skills. Students develop these skills through the study of both language and literature.