During the first unit titled ‘Who we are,’ our Year 2 students embarked on an exciting journey of self-discovery, diving into emotions, and how they influence the formation of one’s identity. They did this collaboratively, working closely with their class tutor (Ms. Alison), Slovak teacher (Ms. Nina), Spanish teacher (Mr. Fran) and German teacher (Ms. Liana). Together, they undertook the task of learning to express their emotions in four different languages: English, Slovak, Spanish and German. We have been able to experience the benefits of interdisciplinary learning, an idea that transcends individual subjects and aims for global and barrier-free learning.

PYP Framework

Our “Who we are” unit also focused on nurturing the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. Students became “Communicators” by openly and thoughtfully expressing their emotions in multiple languages. We encouraged an “Open-minded” mindset by exploring cultural differences in the expression of emotions and promoted empathy and care for others. We encouraged students to be “Risk-takers” by facing the challenge of expressing their emotions in different languages and to be “Reflective” by examining how emotions influence their identity and their relationships with others.

During this unit, we addressed two key Approaches To Learning (ATL): “Communication skills” and “Social Skills Thinkers.” Students improved their communication skills by expressing their emotions in different languages and by sharing their thoughts and feelings with their peers. Additionally, we fostered critical thinking by exploring how emotions influence our social interactions and the formation of our identity.

“The Colour Monster”

Anna Llenas’ book, “The Colour Monster,” served as a guiding theme for this unit, providing students with a creative and colorful platform to explore and understand their emotions. This multilingual approach not only enriched their vocabulary and communication skills but also cultivated a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity in our international school.

As a result of this collaboration, we have developed the following poster that is displayed in the Year 2 classroom

We also use other resources, such as flashcards, to learn about emotions through ‘The Colour Monster’ book.

The ‘Who we are’ unit has been a vibrant example of how the PYP and interdisciplinary learning can enrich our students’ education, preparing them for a diverse and globalized world.