The Personal Project

By: Eden Andom (Junior at Spring Valley High School)

In the last year of the Middle-Years Programme, MYP students complete the personal project and explore an area of personal interest over an extended period. This is a very unique experience provided by the International Baccalaureate Program as this is a project about the student and a topic is chosen by the student to pursue. The project's topics can range from learning how to play Chopin on the piano, starting a business or even researching your family tree. 

During this extended period, MYP students are meant to create an outcome or product, document their progress along the way and write a reflection after the fact. To be successful in this project it is important for MYP students to develop and nurture skills such as time-management, open-mindedness and research. Being able to create a challenging yet tangible goal allows students to enjoy their research and experience. Upon reflecting on their personal interests, students finalize their idea and start the action of the project. 

Documentation throughout this process is typically done in a process journal and this is one of the most fundamental aspects of the project. Students record their work, what they have learned from their work and ideas for continuing and demonstrate self-management skills while doing so. This process journal can include sketches, drafts, photographs and written accounts to document the development of this project. 

Once students have ended the time frame, reflection becomes one of the most significant parts of the Personal Project, and IB as an organization as they create reflective learners throughout the years. This reflection is typically done in writing but is an accumulation of all the work, progress and reflection in the process journal. 

Finally comes the exhibition and showcase, a time for you to present your project to your peers, parents and faculty. This is an extremely rewarding way to wrap up this experience and showcase the hard work put into the project.