Mandela’s
Middle Years Programme (MYP)

The MYP at Mandela International Magnet School cultivates thoughtful, reflective learners in grades 7-10 with the IB MYP Framework and a Cultures of Thinking approach.

IB MYP Framework

MYP students take classes in eight subject areas:

Language acquisition Language & Literature
Individuals & Societies. Sciences
Mathematics Arts
Physical & Health Education Design

Unlike traditional U.S. schools, the MYP does not break between grades 8 and 9. The framework supports a continuous journey building toward the International Baccalaureate’s Diploma Programme for grades 11-12.

MIMS 7th graders take an introductory class focused on a key school tenet: Ubuntu. This word, from African Bantu languages, emphasizes the interconnectedness of humans and our world. It translates into the idea, “I am because we are.”

Planning, learning through, and executing long-term projects are part of the MYP. The 10th-grade Personal Project is the program’s capstone. IB 10th graders around the world embark on their Personal Projects simultaneously.

To learn more about the MYP, download the IB MYP Guide for Parents and/or visit the IB website.

Approaches to MYP Teaching & Learning

Cultures of Thinking
Harvard Project Zero

“Cultures of Thinking” views education as “a social and cultural endeavor” whose classrooms foster deep thinking and prioritize making visible students’ individual and collective thinking. A student-centered culture of inquiry prioritizes process and often includes problems with more than one solution.

MIMS teachers receive professional development through the Cultures of Thinking Project, an initiative of Dr. Ron Ritchhart and the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero.

For more information about Cultures of Thinking, click here.

ATLs = IB for
Approaches to Learning

You’ll hear a lot about ATLs—Approaches To Learning—in IB education, especially in the MYP. Students develop learning skills in five main ATL groups:
- Communication
- Collaboration/Social
- Research
- Thinking
- Self Management.

By applying and reflecting on these skills, IB students explore deep learning independently and in community. ATLs run through all MYP subject areas.

To learn more about ATLs, attend Mandela’s MYP Cafés!

Action, Service
& Community

Mandela and the IB incorporate action and service in the school experience.

Classroom discussions and experiential education address learning in and outside of school. Students make a positive difference in their communities by engaging in service projects.

MIMS orchestrates “Stepping Up & Giving Back” days each semester. MYP students consider issues of global concern. DP students are required to log service hours over two years.

Stay tuned for Mandela’s upcoming MYP Festival of Hope!