Road to International Baccalaureate

Road to International Baccalaureate

The IB (International Baccalaureate) programme is known for its quality curriculum and universal acceptance. It can be understood as one of the most relevant programmes for school education in present times preparing students for a future that will be more dynamic than ever before. Fast paced progress in all fields of sciences and changing geo political scenarios along with challenges related to sustainability and environment will need leaders who are all rounders. Not only do they need to be experts in their field of study, they also need to be creative and be sensitive to all aspects of global challenges. The roots of such attitudes go back to a person’s education and exposure during the very impressionable school years. And IB programme is one that prepares them through right balance of academics, social and emotional development.

The IB programme has a very well structured framework starting with IBPYP (Primary Years Programme) through grade 1-6, IB MYP(Middle Years Programme) through grades 7-10 and IB Diploma for grades 11-12. Most International schools in Singapore offer all three and it makes a lot of sense to provide IB all through schooling for the child rather than transitioning from local curriculums in between especially for families on the move between countries.

The IB Primary Years Programme can prove to be a solid foundation for the child through grades 1-6. As a young child, curiosity levels are at its peak and the IB programme encourages exactly that. The inquiry based approach has proven advantages for the overall development of a student. Students are given ample opportunities to learn and express instead of only through text works and work assignments unlike many traditional local and national curriculums.

The most favoured aspect of IB is the individual approach to teaching. Each child is taught as per his/her abilities instead of a uniform code across the class. An IB teacher understands that each child is unique and some children may need more support than others. Some children may imbibe a lot through memorization, while some may learn better with exposure to real time activities. By being sensitive to every student’s abilities, IB teachers are best equipped to tailor the lessons for their students. And all this is possible due to an ideal teacher student ratio. Individual attention can only be possible when every teacher has a smaller group of students to cater.

STEAM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) programme is another innovative teaching methodology; a great enabler for teaching core academic subjects with Arts as a connector. Its similar inquiry based learning approach gels well with the IB curriculum. No wonder, international schools in Singapore like The Canadian International School have been embracing it with open arms. Interdisciplinary and creative teaching helps understand basic concepts in Sciences and Math at the Primary Level making strong foundation for the next leg of learning. The Bilingual Programme and English Immersion follow similar principles like that of the IB mission.

IB curriculum at Diploma level can be rigorous and the programmes at Primary and Secondary levels equip students to take on the challenges with minimal stress. For an IB student, the world is his/ her oyster. An IB school education opens doors to some of the best colleges in the world and this is one of the many factors that makes IB one of the most favoured and sought after curriculums by parents and caregivers.

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