Transdisciplinary Learning

At an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, transdisciplinary learning is the name of the game. The Primary Years Program (PYP) endorses a belief that students learn best when the learning is authentic and transdisciplinary— relevant to the real world—where the learning is not confined within the boundaries of traditional subject areas but is supported and enriched by them (Making the PYP happen: A curriculum framework for international primary education 2009).

PYP classrooms and schools provide learning environments where coherent, authentic teaching and learning takes place, as opposed to the all-too often compartmentalized, disconnected teaching and learning experience that can happen in a classroom. The PYP allows transparent connections to be made across the teaching and learning, so that students are aware of the relevance of the learning to their reality and are encouraged to respond with a high level of engagement. (The Primary Years Program as a Model of Transdisciplinary Learning 2010).

In order to truly embrace transdisciplinary learning, teachers must reconsider the framework of the traditional school day. At a PYP school, subjects shouldn't be locked in place and time. We must be flexible and help students to see connections from one subject area to the next. One simple way to do this is to integrate content area learning into language arts.

This is much easier to do when the focus of our instruction is lead by grade level standards, and not the textbook. Is it more work? Yep. But you will see increased student engagement when students are interested in and making connections to the content in the texts they are reading.

I had the opportunity to experience this first hand when a new teacher asked me to model this process for her. We started by examining the district curriculum maps. One of the literacy focuses in second grade, at this time of year, is to use the strategy of rereading and the skill of using main idea and key details when reading informational texts.

Next we took a look at the literacy anthology adopted by the district. The lesson in the anthology provided students the opportunity to learn about rereading, through a grade level text about lightning. While the lesson got after the strategy we wanted to teach, the passage about lightning wasn't connected to learning occurring throughout other parts of the school day. Thus, the search for a different text ensued.

We were able to find the passage Comparing Solids, on ReadWorks.org, at a second grade level (510L). After we found the grade level passage, we had to ask ourselves "What is it we want students to know and understand during this lesson?". We determined that we wanted students to understand why people reread and how it can help them as readers. 

During the lesson, I started by projecting the article for the students. I read the article to them, and then introduced the strategy of rereading. We discussed why readers reread and what it means to read  accurately, with fluency, to understand new vocabulary and to comprehend. 

Next, I provided each student with a copy of the text. I began by modeling rereading, noting new vocabulary and new learning. I gradually released responsibility to the students as they reread parts of the passage with a partner and shared their new learning. The partner work gave me the opportunity to check for student understanding. I even saw students going back to reread again as they shared their learning with the whole group after the partner work concluded.

Co-constructed anchor chart created during the lesson

Students walked away from this lesson not only understanding when and why we reread; they also gained knowledge that supports the learning taking place in their IB unit of inquiry. The learning intention of this lesson was not related to content area standards, but connections were made nonetheless!