LVUSD IB Diploma Program Parent Presentation September 2009

cogito ergo IB

I think, therefore IB

Introduction to the International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is a nonprofit educational foundation established in 1968. IB currently works with 2,650 schools (56% public) in 136 countries to develop and offer three challenging programs to over 560,000 students aged 3 to 19 years. IB helps develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world.

Organization: What is the IBO mission Organization: What is the IBO mission? IBO is motivated by a mission to create a better world through education. Mission: “The International Baccalaureate Organization 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 IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.” _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IB is internationally-focused

Internationalism: what it means From the IB perspective, internationalism is the development of  responsible citizens of the world with young people who are active participants in their local and national communities, as well as in the broader international community. Internationalism includes: Genuine awareness of the interdependence of countries and peoples. Ability to see one’s own culture, language and nation in a global perspective Ability to recognize and rejoice in diversity _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IB is student-centered

Student-centered: what it means An IB teacher makes use of the knowledge and understanding that students bring with them to the classroom and aims to ignite a sense of wonder about learning and knowledge. “Learning can only occur if students’ current understanding is challenged. It encourages teaching for understanding” Tristian Stobie, Head of Diploma program development, IB Focuses on the learner profile

The Learner Profile

What is the Learner Profile? The Learner Profile is the IBO Mission Statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21st Century The Learner Profile promotes the education of the whole person, emphasizing intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth through all domains of knowledge. The learner profile has to become part of the school culture to be effective.

IB Learners strive to be: Inquirers - They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

IB Learners strive to be: Knowledgeable - They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

IB Learners strive to be: Thinkers - They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

IB Learners strive to be: Communicators - They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

IB Learners strive to be: Principled - They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

IB Learners strive to be: Open-minded - They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

IB Learners strive to be: Caring - They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

IB Learners strive to be: Risk-takers - They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

IB Learners strive to be: Balanced - They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

IB Learners strive to be: Reflective - They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

The IB Learner Profile in practice

The IB Learner Profile in practice Classroom practices: Is it possible to create more experiences and opportunities in the classroom that allow students to be genuine inquirers? How much attention do we pay to how students interact with other students in group-work activities? Could we give more time to helping them work effectively as part of a team? Could we create more opportunities to discuss the ethical issues that arise in the subject(s) we teach? How well do we model empathy, compassion and respect for others in our classrooms and around the school?

The IB Learner Profile in practice Assessment and reporting practices: In formative assessment tasks, do we provide students with enough opportunities to take intellectual risks, and then support them in taking such risks? To what extent does the range of assessment strategies we use meet the diverse needs of students and encourage creative and critical thinking? Can we provide time for students to reflect on an assessment task and what they have learned from it? What aspects of student development do we report on?

The IB Learner Profile in practice Daily life, management and leadership Do all our teachers see themselves as responsible for the nurturing of lifelong learners? What is the quality of interaction between students and teachers around the school? Are support structures in place to oversee the personal, social and emotional welfare of students, as well as their academic development? Are students empowered to take responsibility for their own learning? Are we investing appropriately in ongoing professional development for our teachers?

Organization: What does the IBO offer Organization: What does the IBO offer? The IBO develops three programs of international education for students aged 3 to 19, working in cooperation with IB World Schools. The three programs span the years of kindergarten to pre-university. The programs can be offered individually or as a continuum. The Primary Years program (PYP) for students aged 3 to 12. The Middle Years program (MYP) for students aged 11 to 16. The Diploma program (DP) for students aged 16 to 19. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Programs: What makes the DP unique Programs: What makes the DP unique? A rigorous two year pre-university course that leads to examinations. Designed for students aged 16 to 19 Diploma students take six core subjects. Additionally, they write a 4,000 word extended essay, complete a course in theory of knowledge, and complete a number of creativity, action and service (CAS) projects. The diploma is well recognized by approximately 2,200 of the world’s leading universities, including the UC and CSU systems, the Ivy League schools, and over 1,200 other US universities. Many IB schools teach the diploma program concurrently with the national curriculum, state standards, and/or AP and CP curricula. Supported in English, French and Spanish. As well, non-Diploma track students may opt for certificates in particular subject areas _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Programs: What makes the DP special? More than a collection of facts. Students are encouraged to: ask challenging questions learn how to learn develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures become independent, self-motivated learners. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain? The curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of three separate parts. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain? The curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of three separate parts. Three subjects are studied at higher level - 240 hours Three subjects are studied at standard level - 150 hours All three parts of the core—extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, action, service—are compulsory and are central to the philosophy of the Diploma program. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain? The curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of three separate parts. Based on student and teacher interest, course offerings include: GROUP 1 HL English A1 GROUP 2 SL/HL Language B (Spanish, French) GROUP 3 HL History of Americas SL Psychology SL Environmental Systems GROUP 4 SL Biology GROUP 5 SL Mathematics GROUP 6 HL Visual Arts HL Film

Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain? The core requirements — Extended Essay (EE) The extended essay: has a prescribed limit of 4,000 words offers the opportunity to investigate a topic of individual interest familiarizes students with the independent research and writing skills expected at university must include “…techniques appropriate to the discipline” students select topic and work with volunteer instructors in topic area _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain? The core requirements — Theory of Knowledge (TOK) The interdisciplinary TOK course: designed to provide coherence by: exploring the nature of knowledge across disciplines encouraging an appreciation of other cultural perspectives Part I – focus on limitations of humans as knowers – perceptions, emotions, languages, reason Part II – development of skills to evaluate knowledge claims in the various disciplines. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Participation in the school’s CAS program: Curriculum: What does the DP curriculum contain? The core requirements — Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) Participation in the school’s CAS program: encourages students to be involved in artistic pursuits, sports and community service work - 50 hours each fosters students’ awareness and appreciation of life outside the academic arena the hours are designed to be on-going; spanning the duration of the Diploma program _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Assessment: How are students assessed Assessment: How are students assessed? Students are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance against stated objectives for each subject. In most subjects at least some of the assessment is carried out internally by teachers, who mark individual pieces of work produced as part of a course of study. Examples include: oral exercises in language subjects projects student portfolios class presentations practical laboratory work mathematical investigations artistic performances _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Assessment: How are students assessed Assessment: How are students assessed? Students are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance against stated objectives for each subject. Some assessment tasks are conducted and overseen by teachers without the restrictions of examination conditions, but are then marked externally by examiners. Examples include: world literature assignments for language A1 written assignments for language A2 essays for theory of knowledge and extended essays. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Assessment: How are students assessed Assessment: How are students assessed? Students are assessed both internally and externally in ways that measure individual performance against stated objectives for each subject. Externally marked examinations form the greatest share of the assessment for most subjects. The grading system is criterion-based (results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student’s position in the overall rank order). _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who is an IB candidate?

Who is an IB candidate? IB is student-driven and inquiry-based IB is suited to the motivated learner, the curious mind. It is not just for the academically elite; in fact, it is possible that traditional Advanced Placement students may not always be successful in an IB program, as IB has less of an emphasis on “book learning” and a greater emphasis on higher order thinking skills. Consider the number of students who are designated GATE through middle school, but who never see the inside of an Honors or AP classroom in HS. Between 16% and 32% of AHS GATE students (depending on grade level) are NOT enrolled in Honors or AP classes - over 100 students per year (2006-2008 statistics) IB is ideal for motivated learners in our College Prep classes.

Sample Course Sequencing [typical] 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade Group 1: Language A1 English I (H) English II (H) IB English HL1 IB English HL2 Group 2: Language B Spanish I/II or French I/II Spanish II/III or French II/III IB Spanish SL1/HL1 or IB French SL1/HL1 IB Spanish SL2/HL2 or IB French SL2/HL2 Group 3: Individuals & Societies World Cultures & Geography /Health World History or AP European History IB History of the Americas HL1 IB History of the Americas HL2 Group 4: Experimental Sciences Biology (H) Chemistry IB Environmental Systems SL or IB Biology SL [Physics] Group 5: Mathematics Geometry (H) Pre-IB Math IB Math SL [Calculus] Group 6: Elective PE IB Visual Arts HL1 or IB Film HL1 IB Visual Arts HL2 or IB Film HL2 Core - Gov / ToK1 ToK2 / Econ

Course Sequencing Accommodations can be made to meet the needs and interests of our athletes, musicians, student council members, etc

IB by the Numbers Global IB Diploma recipients: 1990 – 3,237 2000 – 14,473 2008 – 35,408 Global pass rate (1990-2008) has consistently maintained at 80% Average global Diploma score (1990-2008) has consistently maintained at 30 points

IB & University Recognition Universities consider the IB Diploma to be one of the most demanding secondary school curricula, offering ideal preparation for post-secondary studies. A student's participation in IB courses is, therefore, a very important consideration in admission decisions. It is to a student's distinct advantage to have completed IB courses, but especially so if the student is completing the IB Diploma. - CURT (College & University Task Force), July, 2009

IB & University Recognition Admissions assumptions: What do universities assume about the IB graduate? Accepts challenges Strong academic foundation Consistency Excellent research & writing skills Excellent critical thinking skills Strong oral presentation skills Community engagement Mature & responsible

IB & University Recognition Chicago Public Schools case study *students who took 2 AP exams **Chicago Public Schools, all graduates

IB & University Success The academic goals of an IB graduate ought not to lie in admission alone, but in the successful completion of postsecondary education and beyond Graduation rates for all postsecondary students = ,60% [American Enterprise Institute – June 2009] Graduation rate for IB Candidates = 65% [National Student Clearinghouse] Graduation rates for IB Diploma recipients = 80%

IB & University Success DePaul University case study *Chicago Public Schools

IB & University Success IB Standards and College Readiness Alignment Study: Goals: Develop and define academic content standards for the IB Diploma Program Align IB’s academic content standards with the Knowledge and Skills for University Success (KSUS) Align the IB standards with several states

IB & University Success IB Standards and College Readiness Alignment Study: Key Finding: “The results of this study clearly confirm the strong relationship between the IB program and standards for college readiness and success. The IB standards demonstrate a very high degree of alignment with the KSUS standards in all subject areas. In addition, many the individual IB standards are at a level more advanced than entry-level college courses. . . In short, students who participate successfully in IB should be well prepared to succeed in entry-level college general education courses and in some cases to have already learned material covered in such courses.” - David Conley and Terri Ward, Educational Policy Improvement Center, Eugene, OR

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE REAL WORLD BY ONE WHO GLIMPSED IT AND FLED
Bill Watterson (creator of Calvin & Hobbes)
Kenyon College Commencement, May 20, 1990 …It's surprising how hard we'll work when the work is done just for ourselves. And with all due respect to John Stuart Mill, maybe utilitarianism is overrated. If I've learned one thing from being a cartoonist, it's how important playing is to creativity and happiness…. …At school, new ideas are thrust at you every day. Out in the world, you'll have to find the inner motivation to search for new ideas on your own. With any luck at all, you'll never need to take an idea and squeeze a punchline out of it, but as bright, creative people, you'll be called upon to generate ideas and solutions all your lives. Letting your mind play is the best way to solve problems… …For me, it's been liberating to put myself in the mind of a fictitious six year-old each day, and rediscover my own curiosity. I've been amazed at how one idea leads to others if I allow my mind to play and wander… …A playful mind is inquisitive, and learning is fun. If you indulge your natural curiosity and retain a sense of fun in new experience, I think you'll find it functions as a sort of shock absorber for the bumpy road ahead…

Questions? For more information: contact Mr Staiano @ 818.889.1262 x 475 or astaiano@lvusd.org Or visit: www.ibo.org