General coordinator guidance

Implementing a PYP programme is a journey. One that is rewarding and never stops! It begins with the candidacy phase and then continues. IB schools are always looking to develop and improve. You are a vital part of this process. The PYP bus driver perhaps!

Depending on where a school is in their implementation of the PYP, action items may look, sound and feel different at various points. It is the role of the coordinator to serve as a point of support and guidance throughout the process. This may mean that the coordinator is learning, right alongside the teachers, school leaders, students and families.

Be assured that a coordinator is not expected to know everything and have all the answers! It is very typical to feel unsure at times, and this is okay.

Just as teachers will model being an inquirer and a problem solver with their students, a school coordinator may model this with school staff! Sometimes, learning together can be just as powerful as having all the answers upfront.

Remember that schools commit different time frames for candidacy (some one year, some two years), which will impact the implementation of the programme. There are IB documents, training courses and resources available to support the role of the coordinator, including the PYP Coordinator Guide (2020). Regardless of where a school is in the process, consider how the following information can affirm and inspire as the PYP journey unfolds.