One of the most important decisions a parent has to make is choosing the right education programme for their children. As educators, we know the importance of the right plan for a child, and parents often ask us, “Which curriculum do you suggest?” Truthfully, there is no correct answer to this question, as the choice of the curriculum should depend on family culture, income, and future goals.
In this blog, we share the benefits of the International Baccalaureate with you to make it easy for you to make a choice. While we offer other curricula to our students, we understand that parents, teachers, and students have to work cohesively to choose the programme that best suits the child.
The IB is an excellent option for those students who have access to it. Earning an IB diploma requires that your child takes particular courses and fulfils other academic and extracurricular duties.
An introduction to International Baccalaureate
International Baccalaureate is an organization that offers a well-designed programme for students from ages 3 to 19. These programmes are required to be imparted by trained teachers at many certified schools around the globe. The organization is dedicated to offering rigorous, high-quality education to its students, and is a much sought after curriculum by parents.
The IB programme is very similar to the advanced placement or AP programme in the US, and it does not have a counterpart in the Indian cbse schools. From primary to middle school to secondary and higher secondary, IB believes in an inquiry-based approach that makes students curious learners, and self-learners who ask questions and understand the learning process rather than just gathering knowledge. It is also much more focused on presenting an overall cohesive curriculum with particular requirements that lead to a diploma.
The Basics of the IB Primary Years Programme
● The programme is aimed at children aged 3 – 12 years and helps inculcate a culture of learning in young students’ minds. It has a student-centred approach and focuses on building conceptual understanding in children.
● The heart of the PYP curriculum lies in building healthy learning communities through building relationships.
● The PYP encourages children to ask questions not just in an international school but beyond it as well. It helps build confidence and increases self-motivation in young children.
The Basics of the IB Middle Years Programme
● This programme is targeted at students in the age bracket of 11 to 16 and is designed to help students relate their studies to the real world’s practicalities. It is a five-year programme and helps prepare students to undertake the IB Diploma Programme or Career-related Programme.
● The curriculum has eight subject groups, and each group requires at least 50 hours of teaching time in each year of the programme.
The Basics of the IB Diploma Programme
The most common and popular IB programme for secondary school students is the IB diploma programme, also known as the IBDP, offered to students between the ages of 16 and 19. Secondary schools offering IB courses are certified to offer IBDP. Keep in mind that students are often allowed to take IB courses without enrolling in the entire IBDP curriculum.
The IBDP is a two-year academic programme open to students from ages 16 to 19 or secondary school students. Once these students complete the programme and the requirements, they can earn the IB diploma, which is considered an excellent credential for university applications and beyond. It requires that students take courses and pass exams in six different subject areas. Three or four of the subjects must be taken at the more challenging higher exam level, while you can take the rest of the subjects at the Standard exam level.
In addition to the coursework and exams, the IB diploma programme has three major requirements.
● Students are required to write an extended essay based on their independent research.
● Students must also take a Theory of Knowledge course, which covers epistemology and critical thinking.
● Students are also required to participate in a specific number and range of extracurricular activities.
What does an earning an IB diploma mean?
Earning an IB diploma means that students have gone above and beyond. They have not merely taken a few IB courses; instead, they have participated in a specific secondary school curriculum which teaches them history, mathematics, and other subjects. They also learn how to understand better and analyze the information they encounter in school and the world. The IB diploma is an excellent asset for different reasons, especially as students begin applying for university admissions.
Here are some of the primary benefits of working towards and earning an IB diploma:
● Rigour –
The IB diploma programme (IBDP) is well regarded worldwide for the high-quality education and coursework it provides. The IB curriculum’s strength and the extensive training the IB school administrators and teachers go through allow the programme to maintain a high education standard. No matter where your child or student goes to university, their university will understand and positively view their effort to earn their IB diploma. University admissions professionals are very familiar with its reputation, which means participating is an excellent way for students to show their academic prowess and growth. Strong academic performance in secondary school is one of the most critical components of what competitive universities look for in applicants.
Universities typically look at students’ grades, transcripts and class rankings. Still, since every secondary school is different, universities cannot always know what students’ grades mean compared to other university applicants. The IB diploma programme allows universities to evaluate applicants by offering a singular curriculum throughout the world, enabling admissions officers to assess students’ performance more accurately.
Earning an IB diploma also shows universities and others that one is willing to take on academic challenges, going beyond the typical secondary school curriculum and pursuing goals that ask more, including rigorous independent work on topics of one’s choosing. Universities, especially competitive schools, value applicants that go above and beyond.
● Standing out –
Students are required to take IB courses at certified secondary schools since self-studying IB courses is not allowed, limiting the number of students who can access and participate in the IB diploma programme. The expense and training needed for a secondary school to become certified as an IB school contributes to secondary schools’ rarity across the world. This means that students who have IB diplomas are among a small portion of the university applicant pool with this particular qualification. The distinction demonstrates to universities that the student has gone through some rigorous academic challenges.
The programme also requires a massive amount of independent work from its students, which means students can present these prestigious qualifications when filling out their university applications. The uniqueness of participating is a huge benefit for students as it allows students to do exciting and original academic work that gives them extra opportunities to set themselves apart from other university applicants. For example, students must complete a substantial independent research project to receive their diploma.
The student’s choice of topic for the project says a lot about them. Their ability to handle independent work challenges and create an original essay makes them a recognizable candidate during the university application season.
● Special IB opportunities –
Another huge benefit of the IB programme is that it can be useful once students get to university. Universities can use IB courses to determine course placement and credit. Depending on the university students attend, they might be placed in higher-level courses due to their IB experience or even receive credit outright for their IB courses, allowing them to save time and money in earning their university degree.
Furthermore, different countries have different academic systems and pathways to university education, so if a student is planning on studying abroad for university, the IB diploma programme’s international recognition can help bridge the gap. Several different countries accept the IB diploma for entrance into universities, including France, Spain, Italy, India and Turkey. And some universities provide scholarships for IB diploma holders. Each country and school has different requirements students need to meet, but the IB diploma is an excellent asset in the process.
Earning an IB diploma is a satisfying intellectual experience in its own right, beyond the university admissions process. Apart from offering students rigorous course content, it teaches them how to think, analyze and critically read. Students are encouraged to consider materials in the way that universities and the world beyond university will eventually expect. The independent research projects are also often enjoyable for students since secondary school students don’t usually get the opportunity to focus their academic energy on a topic that they find interesting. Studying a subject that genuinely moves a student can bring out their academic and intellectual best in a way that traditional daily coursework might not.
The IBDP is a renowned programme which encourages creative and independent thinking while ensuring a child learns the value of hard work and discipline. It is not an easy programme, but a child who can manage to clear the exams will be better prepared to take on the challenges of the world’s best colleges and degree courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be an international baccalaureate student?
An IB education offers chances to cultivate both specialized and interdisciplinary comprehension, meeting the high standards set by universities worldwide. IB programs provide curriculum frameworks and courses that are comprehensive, balanced, and interconnected.
