Elementary School in Panama | Metropolitan School of Panama

THE MET PANAMA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The MET is an accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, where our Elementary School students follow the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). The PYP is an international framework that begins in Early Childhood and continues through to the end of Grade 5. Designed to develop your child’s knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills, the PYP is a global curriculum that creates active learners who contribute to the world around them.

INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN PANAMA

The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) combines the best research and teaching practice from a range of international models, providing a relevant and engaging curriculum framework that’s used worldwide.

The PYP’s educational approach is inquiry-based, which means your child will be actively involved in – and take responsibility for – their own learning. Inquiry moves our Elementary School students to a deeper level of understanding through the synthesis, analysis, and manipulation of knowledge, which is done either through play or more formal approaches.

What does inquiry-based learning involve?

Exploring, wondering, and questioning; experimenting and playing with possibilities.
Making connections between previous and current learning; making predictions and acting purposefully to see what happens.
Collecting data and reporting findings; clarifying existing ideas; reappraising perceptions of events.
Deepening understanding through the application of an idea or concept; making and testing theories.
Researching or seeking information; taking and defending a position.
Solving problems in creative ways.

THE PYP CONCEPTS

The PYP framework includes seven key concepts that shape how and what children learn at our Elementary School in Panama City.

The seven PYP concepts are:

Form: What is it like?
Function: How does it work?
Causation: Why is it like it is?
Change: How is it changing?
Connection: How is it connected to other things?
Perspective: What are the points of view?
Responsibility: What is our responsibility?

TRANSDISCIPLINARY LEARNING THROUGH THE PYP

The PYP curriculum is arranged and taught through cross-curricular units of study, known as ‘Units of Inquiry’. These Units of Inquiry are arranged under six themes, which are explored across the different subject areas. Our program balances learning about and beyond each subject area.

The six themes are:

Who We Are.
Where We Are in Place and Time.
How We Express Ourselves.
How the World Works.
How We Organize Ourselves.
Sharing the Planet.

THE IB LEARNER PROFILE

Through our IB continuum of programs, we seek to develop internationally minded individuals who recognize their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, and who help to create a better and more peaceful world.

Learners at our Elementary School in Panama accomplish this by demonstrating the 10 IB Learner Profile attributes, which are valued by all IB World Schools. The IB Learner Profile develops students who are responsible members of local, national, and global communities.

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A TYPICAL DAY AT THE MET

Our Elementary students develop their knowledge in the specialist subjects and enjoy extracurricular activities that ignite passions.

A WELCOMING AND BALANCED START

As we enter school, our teachers and school staff warmly greet us, and we also say “hello” to our Elementary counsellors. We settle into our homeroom, check in with each other, and discuss what we’ll do today!

CHECKING IN

LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER

At our morning meeting, we connect with each other using a curious and open-minded approach that we’ll continue to use throughout the day. We discover more about each other, uncovering characteristics of the IB Learner Profile.

EXPLORING TOGETHER

DISCOVERING OUR INTERESTS

We feel our love for learning when we read in the library with our teacher, perform a scene with our specialist drama teachers, or build something new in our STEAM classrooms. Every day is different and adds to our knowledge of the world.

LEARNING NEW THINGS

TAPPING TO THE TUNE

We learn how play an instrument, following the teachings and guidance of incredible musicians and artists from The Juilliard School. Whether we’re striking keys or stroking strings, when we perform as musicians, we express our emotions and explore different cultures.

PERFORMING MUSIC

STEAM-POWERED!

Science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) weave throughout our lessons. In the STEAM lab, we build our own original projects and tackle challenges posed by experts from MIT, as we make creative solutions.

SOLVING PROBLEMS

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

When classes finish, we’ll go to our favorite extracurricular activities so we can explore new interests and have fun with peers. Art, drama, STEAM, guitar, violin, soccer, basketball, swimming, and triathlon are popular.

GROWING TALENTS

LEARNING FROM THE BEST

A proud member of the Nord Anglia Education global family, we attract and retain the world’s most outstanding Elementary School teachers. Our passionate educators bring a wealth of international experience and qualifications to our classrooms. They’re also truly committed to your child’s personal and academic development.

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