Exhibition guidelines

Roles in the exhibition

All members of the school community have important roles to play in the exhibition.

Role of student

Students will:

have an understanding of the purpose and requirements of the exhibition from the outset of the process (guidelines and planning instructions should be provided by the teacher or mentor)
participate in selecting a real-life issue or problem for the exhibition
develop the inquiry by helping to decide on a central idea, lines of inquiry and student questions
collaboratively plan learning and assessment experiences; these should involve independent and collaborative work and students should be involved in all stages of the planning and staging of the exhibition
carry out an open-ended inquiry into a real-life issue or problem
demonstrate an understanding of the components of the PYP, in particular the IB learner profile; the students involved in the exhibition should be given an opportunity to demonstrate their learning and the development of the attributes of the IB learner profile
demonstrate an understanding of the five essential elements—knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes and action
select and utilize a variety of strategies and resources to meet the outcomes of the inquiry; wherever possible, students should use a variety of source materials, such as first-hand experiences, interviews, surveys, field visits, artifacts, science investigations, working models, not just book and/or Internet research
be academically honest when referring to their sources of information
communicate effectively with teachers, peers and parents
reflect on the components of and processes involved in the exhibition; they should keep a journal or portfolio of their planning, draft pieces of work, sketches and photographs of work in progress as well as the final product
carry out self-assessment and peer assessment
celebrate their learning by presenting the exhibition to the school community.

Role of teacher

Teachers will:

have an understanding of the purpose and requirements of the exhibition from the outset of the process
initiate, facilitate and guide the exhibition process; teachers should facilitate the process of the exhibition rather than teaching directly, with the exception of particular skills and/or knowledge that is required in order for the students to proceed with their chosen inquiry
provide support for student inquiries, enabling students to overcome any problems encountered in the process
plan collaboratively with other teachers
communicate regularly with students, parents and other participants
act as mentors as required or appropriate
develop essential agreements with students regarding academic honesty to ensure that they are taking responsibility for their learning and being principled in the resources they are using; mentors and parents should be informed of these agreements
encourage students to use a balance of primary and secondary sources; help students to access information; and ensure they know how to cite sources used in research
ensure the participation of all students by considering their interests, accommodating learning styles and needs, and by determining prior knowledge
empower the students to feel able to take action as a result of the exhibition
assess the exhibition process ensuring all the essential elements are included
keep detailed records of the processes involved including ongoing reflection
encourage and join in with students to celebrate their learning.

Role of parent/guardian

Parents/guardians will:

have an understanding of the purpose and requirements of the exhibition
support and encourage students and teachers throughout the process of inquiry
be informed by reading newsletters, attending meetings, checking school websites, talking with students
help students to access resources—people, places, media and information
provide expert subject knowledge where applicable
act as mentors as required or appropriate
encourage independent inquiry and respect student ownership of the process
have an opportunity to reflect on and give feedback on the exhibition
celebrate with the students by attending the staging of the exhibition.

Role of PYP coordinator and principal

The PYP coordinator and principal will:

have an understanding of the requirements, and value the purpose of the exhibition
provide support for teachers and students involved in the exhibition
provide opportunities for relevant professional development and support
promote the exhibition in the school
allocate sufficient time for teachers to plan collaboratively on the exhibition
allocate sufficient funding to provide appropriate resources
celebrate with the students by attending the staging of the exhibition.

Role of other teachers within the school

The success of the exhibition within a school can be facilitated in a number of ways. The school needs to plan carefully in advance so that it has the correct structure in place when the final-year students begin their exhibition plans.

The teachers of the earlier grade levels/year groups in the school should:

be informed about the exhibition
implement a programme of inquiry that reflects the PYP
provide experience of the five essential elements
provide opportunities for student-led inquiry
consider how their teaching supports and contributes to the exhibition
help students construct meaning through problem-based learning.

Role of mentor

If a school uses mentors, it is important that their role is clearly defined. A mentor can help the students set and meet their goals by asking questions, suggesting resources, helping to interpret difficult information and facilitating interviews or telephone calls. Community members, older students, parents and teachers may be invited to act as mentors.

Some examples of mentor participation include the following.

Members of the school community are encouraged to identify areas (knowledge, skills and interests) where they could support the students, and an inventory of “experts” is developed. Students contact these experts and arrange support as needed.
Each group of students is assigned a mentor who will support the group through the process leading towards the exhibition. Groups will meet with their mentors on a weekly basis or as needed. The mentor will guide the students and help them monitor their progress, assisting them in setting new goals. They are responsible for some aspects of student assessment. Ultimately, the students are responsible for the completion of work.
The mentor’s primary role is to act as a guide and resource in the accomplishment of specific tasks during the exhibition process. Members of the school community are invited to mentor in one or more areas of interest or expertise, for example, research, writing, or information and communication technology (ICT). They are available at different stages of the exhibition. For instance, in the early stages of the inquiry, research mentors come in two to three times a week. Mentors have a purely advisory role, and while they do not participate in the summative assessment of the exhibition, they may contribute to formative assessments regarding their area of support, as well as reflecting on the exhibition process.
After the students have written their central idea for their inquiry, teachers and other adults within the school who have nominated themselves for the mentoring role are matched up with a group of students. The students are responsible for contacting and organizing meetings with their mentor. The mentors are encouraged to meet the students at least three times in the beginning stages of the exhibition but may reduce their involvement over time to increase student responsibility. They are not involved in formal assessment but are encouraged to make anecdotal observations and to give feedback to the students and teachers.