The international baccalaureate standard is an internationally recognised school curriculum established in late 1960 in Switzerland. This type of curriculum is known to provide a sense of freedom, international mindedness and a choice to pick the student’s best suited subjects. The main feature that sets this type of curriculum apart from others is that the students are made to think critically, helping them be more productive and practical later on in their careers and lives.
Check if IB is a good choice of curriculum for your child
International baccalaureate is famous among parents looking for schools and curriculum that help their child become an all-rounder. They seek international education for their children, to bring a sense of diversity and set themselves apart from the rest. The children learn about the importance of various cultures and this helps them make international connections with the help of their friends.
This article will help all the confused parents decide whether an international school that offers an IB Curriculum, will be the right option for their child. Today we will talk about the numerous advantages of sending your child to an international baccalaureate school and help you clear some common myths that you might have heard about such schools.
1. These children often become all-rounders
Every parent dreams of seeing their child excel in all their educational endeavors. That is exactly what the teachers and the administration of the international baccalaureate help the children achieve. The children develop excellent communication skills from a very young age and this immensely helps students take part in debates, essay writing and initiate deep research about the surroundings and environment.
These skills are plus points that help children gain more confidence when they communicate. Great communication skills are one of the most important aspects when one searches for employment. The children also join the international baccalaureate alumni network, which itself is an accomplishment according to many parents and students. The children learn about various cultures, and they tend to be more respectful towards other people and do not come to conclusions based on stereotypes of certain cultures.
2. The children become independent thinkers
The curriculum of the international baccalaureate promotes the children to become creative and independent thinkers. Since the curriculum is more student-centred and focuses on developing a student’s skillset, they become more knowledgeable, principled, caring and open-minded. They learn about their curriculum by conducting the enquiry, doing research and figuring out what they like.
They often challenge themselves into doing something extraordinary for their age, and that never fails to amuse the parents and the school authorities alike. They are not restricted to learning inside the classroom while sitting on the same bench. They are let out to wander and choose the items they like around the classroom, be curious, and develop ways to teach themselves about various things.
3. They are given real-world situations
The curriculum of an international baccalaureate school is very broad and balanced. The students learn about the concepts independently by observing nature and learning about the real-life problems that occur around us. This helps them get the gift of analytical and reasoning thinking that most students of their age lack. Students of an international baccalaureate school tend to write university level letters and essays by the age of eight and come up with complex and amazing ideas for stories. Since they are not restricted to learn particular subjects, they choose the subject of their liking.
The students are given the freedom to learn whatever they like, which helps them be creative and develop unique solutions to their real-life problems. This helps the students apply their knowledge to various situations, and this also comes in handy for students who tend to move frequently.
4. International baccalaureate promotes cultural awareness
The students at international schools are allowed to learn a second language. Though the main language in which the international baccalaureate curriculum works is in English, French and Spanish. The second language that the children are allowed to learn is mostly the regional or modern languages and Greek. The students are made to study a second language, and they have a subject called Language Acquisition.
The best thing is that the students are given a list of languages to choose from. They can learn any second language they want as per their liking from these choices. The subject of Language Acquisition is designed for beginners and students who have had prior knowledge about the subject or have taken some course in it. The students have an international connection from school, and with the second language they learn, they can settle in any corner of the world.
Also Read: How to Choose IB Subjects?
5. Students passing from international schools have an academic edge over others
Studies from a US 2009-2010 study found that the students enroled at the top five international baccalaureate schools performed better than the students enroled in a non-international baccalaureate school. This is because the students are not confined to learn the same subjects even though they don’t like them. The freedom helps the children excel at academics and is more aware of their fields’ recent developments.
They outsmart their non-international school peers and perform well in all categories across multiple grades. Not only the study from the US proves this, but the UK study and Australian study have also confirmed the findings to be true. It is no secret that the students passing out from these international schools are setting themselves up for success. The students who are passing out from an international baccalaureate school do not face any problems getting a good seat in a reputed university or landing a great job among the world’s leading companies.
6. There is a subject variation
The students of other curricula are forced to study the same subject throughout their school life. This makes the students more stressed, and they find it difficult to choose their career. This happens because they are not taught any real-life situations and how to become creative thinkers. But that is not the case with an international baccalaureate school. The students of international baccalaureate schools can choose among a wider range of subjects ranging from languages, arts, science to mathematics.
The students learn more about the subjects in-depth, which helps them choose their higher studies according to their fields. For example, you can study science A-levels and get into the fields of medicine or engineering. Many students get into a university without even knowing what they love and the career they want to have. An international baccalaureate curriculum helps them understand what they really want to pursue in life.
7. They learn skills relevant to today’s scenarios
The ongoing pandemic has opened the eyes of many students about their career choices. Some professionals are forced to change their profession and try something new from scratch to work from home. Learning a new skill takes time and becomes a difficult task if you’re older and have spent most of your life doing other jobs.
This has helped many students get an idea about the changing trends in jobs and choose to learn courses that can help them work from home. Skills such as learning a new coding language or digital marketing will help them work and earn from home. These skills will come to their rescue later in life, exactly what international baccalaureate schools teach their students. They are taught about creative thinking, great communication skills, etc.
In conclusion
This article has mentioned the advantages of sending your child to an international baccalaureate school and helping them grow and become responsible and moral citizens.
