IB Community Theme: Sharing our humanity

This website is for the IB community (that is IB teachers, students, parents and staff) to share ways to respond to some key global issues. It is part of the IB community theme: sharing our humanity.

The IB community theme is a voluntary initiative for IB World Schools.  No school is required to engage with the community theme.  

The IB public website gives information about all the IB's programmes with full descriptions of the academic skills and subject knowledge  required; and of the IB’s learner profile. It also gives details of the acceptability of the rigorous academic qualifications by leading universities around the world.  Please visit this site www.ibo.org  for further information. Follow the link at the top of pages on this website.  Community theme team

NH--

 I have been following your and posts of others in the State of Utah, USA  regarding a few Utah legislators who with their limited understanding have derailed what is a very good thing for kids.  IB is honored at all of our state schools and the website for CES schools says "strongly encourages" either IB or AP.

 So to answer your question--Where and when do children get taught that self-reliance, individualism, and excellence in skills (such as math, science, reading) are important? What skills are taught in this program?

Boydr is correct that your questions can be answered on the public site. As a non-IB Educator, you can't log in to the Online Curriculum Center Which is the same curriculum but developed for teachers. So, please let me invite you to come to Provo High School, I believe that we are very close to you.  I can't give you the curriculum, but I can let you look at anything you would like to see. (I am sure that you understand copyright laws) I am also sure that my teachers and students would be willing to answer your questions as well.

Once you see IB in action, I believe concerns you have will be laid to rest.  I look forward to connecting with you.  If you can't make it to the school free free to call me.

Lori Rich

Diploma Programme Coordinator

Provo High School

LoriR@provo.edu

Not an answer...

I am a father from PYP schooll in Brazil who just came here with similar intention.

With all due respect, may I guess you are north-american?

I find your conclusion totally preposterous and I will also strongly dispute your qualification of the United Nations if you want to discuss it.

I am also having some trouble understanding what this site is about. Yet, I would never jump to conclude from its selection of articles that someone is exposing an ideological stand point or serving some lobby.

I am not a teacher, but I do care about education. Have you had the curiosity of checking IBO main site: www.ibo.org ?

I bet there you not only find answers to your questions. You might discover a worldview that is a less self centered and self assured than the one your post conveyed to me, which I do hope to be wrong.

Sincerely.

Hermano Cintra

How many schools in NH have the IB Programmes in their curriculum?

How many are currently in the process of application?

How many are looking into the programmes?

 I have several questions about the IB Diploma Programme:

1. Are IB Tests and Essays graded objectively or subjectively?

2. Are the tests that are given all essays?  True false? Multiple choice? Written in answers? etc.?

3. If the IBO Programmes' beliefs & values "encourage students ... to understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right",  the IBO must then mean that the American beliefs & values may be right for Americans, and that the beliefs & values of the test examiners are right for themselves, and that the IBO beliefs & values are right for everyone and therefore everyone is right. With that said then every student's true or false, multiple choice, or essay answers should technically be correct and therefore every student should be graded a "7" or perfect score on their test? Am I correct in assuming this?

4. Is there any system or process or appeal process for a student or parent to question a final grade on one of these tests? If yes, what exactly is the process? Does it happen in the USA or in Switzerland? 5. If they are graded subjectively, and it is the opinion then of the test examiner that the student does not show that they have learned the “beliefs and views” of the IBO through their 2 years of the program, could I assume that this is an opinion based curriculum?

6. Are the records of students shared with the IBO in any way, shape or manner?

7. If yes, exactly what records are shared?

8. If yes, do these records go to Switzerland?

9. If a student does not receive a very high score (6 or 7)at the higher level, will that student get any credit toward college?

10. Will students that test in the lower level and receive a high grade get any credits toward college?

11. Does this IBO Program teach facts about the various subjects like physics, math, english, sciences etc.? Explain in detail?

These are some questions that I have after reading the information on the programmes.

Thank you,

Rick

NH

It looks like my comment was flagged so I will ask it again:

I have a question.

I am a teacher and after exploring this website to see what the IB program is all about, I have come to the conclusion that it is a vehicle to spread a certain political ideology, that of the United Nation's.

The United Nations is like a huge lobbying company, with an agenda of its own as laid out on its website.

This ideology may not be acceptable to all.

Where and when do children get taught that self-reliance, individualism, and excellence in skills (such as math, science, reading) are important? What skills are taught in this program?

If the content of this website is not what you expect teachers to teach, then why have it at all? It's not just here, but on www.ibo.org  site as well.

To answer Lori's question, since the reply button is missing, I have already some of the curriculum in my possession and quite frankly I can see why you don't want people to see it.

It's shocking.

Dear Rick,

As Boyd mentioned earlier, this particular website (IB Community Theme) is for the IB community (that is IB teachers, students, parents and staff) to share ways to respond to some key global issues. It is also a forum for those people to share some of the experiences and ideas they have for community and environmental projects.

You are more than welcome to ask questions about the IB programmes - asking questions leads to greater understanding - however, the questions you asked would be best directed to the IB representative in your region who I'm sure would be more than happy to answer them.

You will find the contact details of the IB offices on the IB's main public website: http://www.ibo.org/offices/

Please feel free to re-direct your questions to the appropriate office.

Kind regards,

Stefanie

IB Australasia Office

NH, the comments you made and the queries you have regarding the IB would also be best directed to the IB Representative in your region.

If you would like to know:

" Where and when do children get taught that self-reliance,
individualism, and excellence in skills (such as math, science,
reading) are important? What skills are taught in this program?"

That can certainly be answered in great detail.

This forum however is not the appropriate place to do so. Please feel free to contact the IB office in your region by email, phone or letter.

This website was not created for the purpose of 'teaching teachers what to teach' but for sharing ideas and experiences relating to the theme of 'Sharing our Humanity' - a point which is made clear in the section 'About this site'.

Kind regards,

Stefanie

Hello Mrs. NH,

What an interesting question and perspective!

I have been an IB Physics teacher and Workshop leader for a number of years and would like to assure you that the academic rigor of the experimental sciences is highly valued. The overall work emphasizes both laboratory and theory work. The lab work promotes effective group work as well as assuring the development of individual skills.

Self-reliance and individualism is required in the Extended Essay, which is one culminating effort of the IB Diploma program. Community Action and Service leads to much activity that draws on the personal skills of the individual. I recommend looking at the Learner Profile to see a large part of what the IB is promoting among its students, along with its inclusion of a global perspective.

I am not qualified to discuss the pros and cons of the UN or to compare its political agenda to the philosophy of IB. However, I have watched the world's leaders squabble and go to war altogether too often in 65 years. I have watched programs such at the USA's Peace Corps make efforts to bring personal understanding to the people. I see the EU investing in parts of the world that need assistance. I see the UN acting to try to bring peace to Kenya. I see my nation, the USA, behaving imperialistically and oblivious to the values of other peoples. I would argue that if an educational program can set, as one of its goals, global understanding and international cooperation while maintaining academic rigor, then that organization is to be commended.

 Ken Fox

It is true that the IB has a strong political standing but I don't think that it means that students aren't encouraged to  strivie for excellence, to be resilient, independent and compassionate. In the Making It Happen reference, skills are discussed. Don't forget most educational institutions tend to promote a political view point, usually associated with the promotion of national issues.

Dear NH,

I have been a teacher for over 30 years and believe that ALL education is packed with ideology.   The IB clearly states their philosophy and view of the world.  I find it refreshing to work with individuals who are AWARE of the foundations programs are built upon. Being open-minded to other ways of viewing the world is highly valued within the IB.  I do not believe you will find it a limiting foundation for education. 

Learners in IB schools are empowered to evaluate issues and  think for themselves.  Basic skills are taught with greater excellence than governmental agencies require. (I am from the U.S.) Visiting an IB school will be your best option to experience for yourself the superior educational system IB encourages of their schools. 

Is IB a UN disguise for global social engineering?

Dear Rick (and NH),

I believe your comments and questions have been answered already on the IB public website:

http://www.ibo.org/ibna/actionpacks/documents/MythvFact_000.pdf

As already mentioned, this site is actually for members of the IB community, and is therefore not the appropriate place to view your perceptions about the IB organization.

Sincerely,

John Switzer

Programme Recognition Manager

IB Asia Pacific 

Rick asked some questions that, as a new IB parent of a teen in the Diploma program, I am eager to learn the answers to.

Rick, did you get a response somewhere else?

best regards,

Paula

Dear Paula,

 Thank you for your question. This particular website is focused on bringing the IB community together to focus on global issues, and it is on these areas that IB responds here.

A lot of information regarding the IB programmes can be found on the IB public website (www.ibo.org).  If you have specific questions, please direct them to communications@ibo.org.

Best wishes

Boyd Roberts

for the community theme team

Just to add my two cents or in this case dirhams since i'm currently in the UAE, i would like to say that as a fairly new teacher to the IB philosophy and a parent of a child that went to an IB school, it is really just a 'formal' way of teaching kids to think for themselves. What I mean by this is that the IB philosophy of teaching centers around inquiry, student led inquiry. Teachers are there to be facilitators, guiding the inquiry, not directing it and telling the kids how to think. It is more than that, but just giving you a snipit of it is all i can do at the moment. In the PYP section, Primary Years Program, which I have taught grade level 2 for two years I will give you an example. We teach through what are called units of inquiry. These can vary from school to school, but they must have a central idea and lines of inquiry. The central idea must be of global significance and the lines of inquiry must be related to the central idea. As for Math, Science, language, Art, etc.. of course these are involved! One example: I taught a unit of inquiry called 'Yummy yummy in my tummy'. The central idea was:Healthy food is essential to the maintenance of the Digestive System. Our lines of inquiry were: why we need a balanced diet, the process of the Digestive System, and making healthy choices. The transdisciplinary theme was who we are..which you can find more details from the main site page. We did different activities, from science experiments about how the digestive system works, we used our math skills to measure the length of the DS, we used addition/subtraction, we followed a recipe and wrote out the steps of it when we made bread, we used our research skills to find out where bread comes from and where meat comes from and we grew plants, measured them, made graphs of favorite foods and much much more! The students came up with the questions, the answers and they helped think of the activities! I just helped them structure it to proper learning and helped them with some of the sources of info etc.. and at the very end of our unit we had a food drive as part of our 'taking action' for both the smaller community and as a focus on the world community as we donated everything to the Red Cresent which is like the Red Cross. The kids got the whole school involved and collected non perishable food. So thats just a tidbit of what we do in an IB school. Don't you think its great? I do! How do we assess learning? We assess it through formative assessment (assessment while the kids are learning) and summative assessment, (at the end of a unit of inquiry). The main goal is that students can know more about the topic and answer and talk about the lines of inquiry at their level. My kids could tell you all about how the digestive system works, what foods were healthy and unhealthy and how much of each we should eat, they could explain about those who don't have much to eat and how you can help them, they could do this in speech, written form, through art, poetry, and even drama. Just to add, my students are students with English as their second language, so not only do they have the challenge of learning all this normally, they do it in a different language and still are able to understand and communicate this to another person. This is because they had 'hands on' experience and they worked not only individually, but they worked cooperatively together to find answers to their many many questions. IB students are lifelong learners who take action not only in school, but take the lessons learned and use them throughout their lives.