The PYP Exhibition is a culminating event that reflects PYP Students’ Education throughout the process of their Inquiry Cycle. The Exhibition gives these students an opportunity to put to action and explore knowledge of relevance, systematically. It’s an overall process of reflection and action that goes through the steps of –Tuning In to Finding Out to Sorting Out to Going Further to Reflecting and finally to Taking Action.
‘How We Express Ourselves’ is this year’s Exhibition theme and our ARIS PYP Graduates have done a commendable job at it. Our PYP students have delved deep into their inquiry and demonstrated knowledge and maturity regarding social issues which are extremely significant today.
The 4 Groups at Exhibition had the topics – Alcoholism and Addiction, Women Empowerment, Religious Conflicts, Bullying and Racism and finally Arts and Culture Conflict. They all conducted a systematic process of research and inquiry, as they collected primary and secondary data. Each group had powerful performances and presentations that they will remember as probably the most memorable PYP Memory that they have.
The Alcoholism and Addiction group made their presentation on the effects of alcohol, why people resort to alcoholism, and real life impacts and stories after they visited an Addiction Rehabilitation Clinic. They presented the data that they gathered as well as role plays of Drug and Alcohol Addicts who are in the journey of Recovery.
The Women Empowerment group of students came out with a very powerful skit of one girl being pushed down and attacked by the world around her. Eventually, she is able to fight past it and break out. The beautiful and powerful depiction of sexism and patriarchy in this presentation left everyone silent. Moreover, they contacted a women’s education NGO and interacted with the girls and made a documentary where they recounted real life stories of hardships that some of the girls they met, who are their age.
The Religious Conflict group performance was also powerful. Their performance depicted each student dressed as a different religion as they fight with the beautiful earth over which religion is the most ‘important’. Their presentation recounted articles and narratives of people from war torn nations, undergoing religious conflicts. Their overarching message – “Believe in Love and in Peace as We Co-exist.”
The Bullying and Racism presentation was powerful as they related the two concepts and spoke about big names like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks. The message was that “The only thing that is okay to differentiate by color is laundry.”
Finally, the Arts and Culture Conflict was just as amazing as they performed “It’s an Art and Culture World” song that they composed and spoke about arts and cultural practices that are controversial from each of their cultures and then some. They also of course, spoke about the parts that they love and appreciate about their cultures.
Parents came and were amazed at how well researched and mature each and every one of their presentations were. Students from Lincoln School’s 5th Grade also came to really see what Exhibition is really like, so that they can learn from experiences of other students who are going through their PYP Exhibition. It was overall a great learning experience. We could not be more proud for our Inquirers as we get ready for them to soon be over with the PYP Chapter of their lives.