Enhancing the MYP Beta

first of all, thank you for inviting me to this podcast.

We first learned about the MEP announcement beta trial through the official IB communication and through conversations at the global IB conferences.

As someone involved in the early announcement work, it was very much an unexpected step, and the global launch in February last year felt like a natural progression of ideas that had already been evolving.

And also we are part of Dutch international schools.

So among the coordinators, we often meet and discuss the new changes and what is coming up.

So also this was a part of a discussion that happened at the Dutch international level.

And for us as a school, the decision to take a part was, I would say, closely linked to our commitment to stay up to date with the IB direction and of course, inclusion.

We were genuinely interested in seeing whether the announcement would offer greater flexibility, flexibility that would allow teachers to respond more effectively to the diverse learners while still maintaining the integrity and rigor of the program.

And the beta trial felt like a timely opportunity for us to explore that balance in a meaningful and practical way.

Was there a particular challenge within your context that you were hoping this might help address?

Yes, the rigidity that unit planner compliance can sometimes create.

I am myself a MIP unit planner lover, but I know that its structure can be particularly challenging for teachers who are new to the IB or early in their professional journey.

where the emphasis can unintentionally shift from purposeful thinking to simply filling in the required sections.

So one of my hopes was that an enhanced MAP would reposition the unit planner as a tool for professional reflection and intentional design rather than a compliance exercise.

And I'm glad to see that is happening.

So it really sounds like this was both a strategic decision as well as a pedagogical one for you all.

Yes, I would say that the decision was both a strategic and pedagogical.

Strategically, I wanted my teams to remain informed about the direction the IB is taking and to feel confident and prepared, by the way, when it becomes the time to implement the changes.

Pedagogically, it was about creating the condition for meaningful implement and engagement, giving teachers the time and space to better understand the announcement deeply so that the shift feels empowering rather than reactive.

And ultimately it was about staying ahead of the game while keeping professional growth and student learning at the center of the entire process.

And Claudia, you weren't just involved once the beta was launched.

You were really part of some of the very early conversations and bootcamps that really shaped this work.

How would you say that this early experience shaped your thinking about where the MYP really needed to evolve?

I joined the Enhancing the MYP Basecamp, the online forum in September, 2022.

And then I took a part in the Enhancing the MYP Development Meetings.