School apathy vs. an “Ivy League college or bust!” attitude exemplifies one of the great issues plaguing our high schools today. How do we balance the needs of high achieving students who are driven to go to an Ivy League school, with the needs of students who struggle with the rules and routines of a traditional high school? At Millbrook High School, our answer is to implement the International Baccalaureate Program, a program that is for ALL students. As a former IB educator, I have always strongly believed in the IB philosophy, however, now through my exploration of the program in a new school setting, I am “IB impressed.” In fact, regardless of the subject area or level, all of the teachers investigating the program at Millbrook, have expressed their excitement and enthusiasm for IB implementation at our school. Why are we so impressed at Millbrook with the IB program?
It’s a program that was developed to create a more peaceful and better world. No one could argue with the fact that we live in a complex world filled with intolerance and conflict. The IB program strives to shape global citizens who have the critical thinking skills and knowledge necessary to grapple with these challenging 21st century issues. Most importantly, the IB program fosters a culture of tolerance to create caring and compassionate students who can contribute positively to their schools, their communities and the larger global society.
Unlike, the Advanced Placement Program, the IB program is for ALL children. It is designed so that every student, regardless of GPA or class ranking, can participate. In fact, the IB Organization emphasizes creating an “IB for ALL” program where all students are given the opportunity to attempt the IB diploma. The focus for IB is not on the final test scores, but on the learning process and habits of mind that students acquire through taking an IB course. The IB program develops the whole child and gives every student the chance to have an IB experience through a well-designed curriculum, a CAS project or Theory of Knowledge course. Furthermore, students are assessed in multiple ways through essays, projects and performances, giving them more than one opportunity to demonstrate what they know and are able to do.
The CORE of the IB program is what gives the program its heart and focus.The Extended Essay, the CAS activities and the Theory of Knowledge course are the core three components that connect all subject areas in the program and gives the curriculum even greater meaning. The Extended Essay, a 4000 word research essay, gives students an opportunity to delve into a topic of interest for a rich research experience that more than prepares students for a college research paper. The Theory of Knowledge course gets at the heart of teaching students how to think about what they are learning. It examines “ways of knowing” and helps students to balance their beliefs and think critically about how to approach knowledge in each subject area. The CAS component helps to teach students goal setting while also encouraging intellectual risk-taking and sharing new information with others in the community. The core of the IB program creates students who are self-assured, well-balanced and ready to explore the world around them.
Beyond all of the benefits of the IB program for students, it also strives to create educators who are life-long learners with strong pedagogical skills. Trainings, roundtables and conferences give IB teachers a support system to stay current, share information and strengthen their skills while the IB Curriculum Center provides a wealth of resources to give teachers the answers to their pressing curriculum questions. The spirit of collaboration among IB schools is unmatched and a testament to the IB mission and philosophy that all IB schools share.
The reasons to be IB impressed could go on and on, but to conclude the IB Organization is a model organization that continues to reflect on how to best meet the needs of its IB schools. With a new hub in Bethesda, Maryland and a redesigned web page, the IB program is consistently working to improve its efficiency and communication so that a global organization feels more like a small community that is always there for support.
At Millbrook, we are excited about the new possibilities that IB will bring for our school and look forward to becoming a part of this prestigious and high quality organization.
Why are you IB impressed?