Whispers from within

Abstract

This report of a case study examined the expectations and lived experiences of students who had moved into the first year of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) in an international school in Turkey. Although most students were making the move from the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) within the school, about one-third came from other schools. Findings suggest that despite a mixture of anxiety and excitement, students quickly adapted to and began to enjoy changes in the organizational and social aspects of the move. However, the curriculum was perceived to be easier than expected for most students because, when compared to primary, they received less homework, found some areas unchallenging and experienced more freedom when doing assignments. In re-examining their perceptions, some students felt that they had underestimated these cognitive challenges because they were `clouded' by their new freedom in the classroom. The study suggests that there is much that the school organization can usefully learn by listening to the student `voice'.