WHAT IS AN IB EDUCATION?

The IB continuum of international education for 3 to 19 year olds is unique because of its academic and personal rigor. We challenge students to excel in their studies and in their personal growth. We aim to inspire a quest for learning throughout life that is marked by enthusiasm and empathy.

 

The IB aspires to help schools develop well-rounded students with character who respond to challenges with optimism and an open-mind, are confident in their own identities, make ethical decisions, join with others in celebrating our common humanity and are prepared to apply what they learn in real-world, complex and unpredictable situations.

 

The IB offers high-quality programs of international education that share a powerful vision. Informed by the values described in the learner profile, an IB education:

·        focuses on learners - the IB’s student-centered programs promote healthy relationships, ethical responsibility and personal challenge

·        develops effective approaches to teaching and learning – IB programs help students to develop the attitudes and skills they need for both academic and personal success

·        works within global contexts - IB programs increase understanding of languages and cultures, and explore globally significant ideas and issues

·        explores significant content - IB programs offer a curriculum that is broad and balanced, conceptual and connected.

 

IB LEARNERS STRIVE TO become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. These attributes represent a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond intellectual development and academic success.

 

 

WHAT IS THE IB MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME (MYP)?

The MYP is designed for students aged 11 to 16. It provides a framework of learning which encourages students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. The MYP emphasizes intellectual challenge, encouraging students to make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and to the real world.

It fosters the development of skills for communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement, qualities that are essential for life in the 21st century. The MYP is flexible enough to accommodate the demands of most national or local curriculums. It builds upon the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and prepares students to meet the academic challenges of the IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career-related Certificate.

THE IB MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME

·        addresses students’ intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being

·        enables students to understand and manage the complexities of our world, and provides them with the skills and attitudes they need in order to take responsible action for the future

·        ensures breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding through the study of eight subject areas requires the study of at least two languages to support students in understanding their own culture and that of others

·        provides the opportunity for students to undertake an independent project into an area of interest.

THE CURRICULUM

The MYP Programme consists of eight subject groups integrated through five interactive areas providing global contexts for learning. Students are required to study two at least two languages (as part of their multilingual profile), humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and technology. In their final year, students will also undertake an independent ‘personal project’ to demonstrate the development of their skills and understanding.

THE MYP: A UNIQUE APPROACH, RELEVANT FOR TODAY’S GLOBAL SOCIETY

The MYP’s core features global contexts for learning that provide powerful opportunities to engage in the study of issues that affect students today. Using a common language, teachers organize the curriculum through global context.

APPROACHES TO LEARNING represents learning skills that students will develop and apply during the programme and beyond.

THE PERSONAL PROJECT

The personal project is an important part of the MYP. Students learn to manage and direct their own inquiry and further develop the skills they have learned through the MYP. Under a teacher’s supervision, each student leads the process of developing the personal project. Assessment stands as a summative review of students’ ability to conduct independent work using the areas of interaction as contexts for their learning.

ASSESSMENT IN THE MYP: rigorous criteria, applied consistently worldwide.

MYP assessment standards are consistent around the world. In order to maintain the rigor for which the IB is renowned, the MYP assessment model is criterion-related. Teachers structure varied and valid assessment tasks so that students can demonstrate achievement according to objectives defined by the IB. Tasks are assessed against established criteria, not against the work of other students. A good curriculum develops a range of student skills. The Middle Years Programme encourages teachers to assess this acquired skill set, including how to succeed in written examinations. Typical MYP assessment tasks include open-ended, problem-solving activities and investigations, organized debates, tests and examinations, hands-on experimentation, analysis and reflection. MYP assessment is carried out by teachers, according to the criteria defined by the IB.

MODERATION AND MONITORING

All schools are responsible for developing appropriate assessments for their students according to published MYP objectives and criteria. While external examinations are not provided, IB World Schools offering the MYP must participate in either moderation or monitoring of assessment. The IB reviews and provides feedback on each school’s internally-developed assessments, highlighting those areas where the school is performing well along with areas for improvement.

External moderation validates final grades and records of achievement, and awards MYP certificates. For moderation, schools submit samples of assessed students’ work from each of the MYP subject areas (along with the personal project) from the final year of the programme to independent external moderators appointed by the IB. Through this process, the IB ensures that schools and teachers are using international MYP standards in assessing their students.

Monitoring of assessment provides support and guidance to schools with regards to internal assessment procedures and practices. Schools benefit from the expertise of trained moderators and experienced MYP subject specialists. Monitoring of assessment helps schools apply MYP assessment principles to their own local practices. (Monitoring of assessment is not linked to validation of student grades.)

DEVELOPMENT

Any school or group of schools, wishing to offer one or more IB programmes as an IB World School must first be authorized. The requirements are the same for all schools, and the procedure is designed to ensure that schools are well prepared to implement the programme(s) successfully. All IB World Schools are required to participate in an ongoing process of review and development, using the same programme standards and practices. As part of its ongoing commitment to the development of a highly skilled global learning community, the IB provides a wide range of high-quality professional development opportunities to help new, experienced and expert school leaders and educators understand, support, and successfully deliver IB programmes reflecting IB standards and practices.

The IB Mission

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end, the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.