The International

Baccalaureate [IB]Program - South Hills High School

“We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet.”

– Margaret Mead “We cannot wait passively upon the statistical play of events to decide for us which road the world is to take tomorrow. We must

positively and ardently take a hand in the game ourselves.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

“Imagination is the source of every form of human achievement. And it's the one thing that I believe we are systematically jeopardizing in the way we educate our children and ourselves.”

- Ken Robinson

What is IB? Started in 1963 by people who

wanted to build a better world – avoid WWIII.

4300+ schools around the world 2500+ Diploma Programme schools The US is growing faster than

anywhere in the world. Recognized around the world. We are an authorized World School For more information check out

http://www.ibo.org/diploma/

[Learner Profile] IB Learners strive to be…

Inquirers - They develop their natural curiosity.

Knowledgeable - They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global

significance.

Thinkers - They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively.

Communicators - They understand and express ideas and information confidently and

creatively.

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.

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.

Caring - They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings

of others.

Courageous - They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and

forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and

strategies.

Balanced - They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional

balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective - They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience.

IB Requires…

Engaged international-mindedness

Governance of school [must abide]

Participation in full diploma

Concurrency [flow within school and feeders]

Resources provided [Proquest, library…]

Teachers trained/present for each subject

Schedules/Policies reflect IB principles

Exams are secure [from start to finish]

Collaborative planning

Inquiry-based approach to learning [flips the usual practices] – concepts taught through content.

Core Components

Theory of Knowledge (ToK) This course will meet for approximately 120+ hours over the course of the two-year IB program. It encourages students to think critically about knowledge itself.

Extended Essay (EE) This is an independent, self-directed piece of research, culminating in a 3500-4000 word paper. It provides practical preparation for the kinds of undergraduate work required at the college level.

Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) takes seriously the importance of life outside the world of scholarship, providing a refreshing counterbalance to academic studies.

Three paths… The Diploma Program

[DP] = ToK + 3 HL + 3

SL [six more courses, five

of which MUST come from

Groups 1-5 and the sixth

can come from any except

Lang A] + CAS and EE.

Associate Diploma [not

recognized by IBO] 2 HL +

2 SL + ToK + 100 hours of

CAS

Classes– taking a class a la

carte [usually only HL

exams-tested classes count

for college credit].

What are we looking at?

Course / Level / Group

South Hills Course

Offerings for 2016-17…

o English A Literature HL [1]

o Spanish B HL [2]

o Spanish B SL [2]

o Spanish Ab Initio SL [2] –

one year

o Chinese [Mandarin] SL [2]

o History - Americas HL [3]

o Business & Management

SL [Elective] – one year

o Chemistry HL [4]

o Biology HL [4]

o Biology SL [4]

o Sport, Exercise and

Science SL [4]

o Math HL [5]

o Math SL [5]

o Math Studies SL [5]

o Visual Arts HL [Elective]

o Visual Arts SL [Elective]

o Film HL [Elective]

o Film SL [Elective]

o ToK

Where should I be by the end of 10th?

Grades, attendance, and overall motivation now become major factors in

gauging success and future choices.

Maximum of one grade of C across transcript… If there are two or more,

this will involve a more in-depth conversation between all of us.

This is where you should be…

English Honors [9 and 10]

Biology and Chemistry Honors

Spanish II for Spanish SL or Spanish III Spanish HL

Chinese II or III for Chinese [Mandarin] SL

International Math III or grades of B/C in Trig for Math SL

A/A- in Trig or Trig Honors for Math HL

AP Human Geography and AP World History for History of Americas

HL

IB Diploma University acceptance rates

School All Applicants IB Diploma Applicants

Columbia University 12% 18.5 %

US Air Force Academy 12.1% 68.4%

MIT 16.9% 26.2%

UC Berkeley 24% 47.1%

UCLA 24% 47.1%

Harvard University 11% 14.8%

University of Michigan 49% 72.7%

University of

Pennsylvania

21% 24.7%

USC 30.3% 72.2%

Stanford 12.6% 18.3%

Villanova 14.5% 89.5%

AP to IB…

Similarities

Rigorous

College credit

awarded based on

performance

External

assessments that

include writing and

test scores

Differences

Internal assessment

as well as external

assessment that

cross various

spectra

External

assessments

contain little if any

multiple choice

questions

CAS, ToK and EE

What does IB provide?

Develops key

cognitive

strategies…

Key content

knowledge…

Academic

behaviors…

Contextual skills and

awareness…

Students (and parents)

need to be able to have a

45-second “elevator

speech” about the IB

Program.

“The IB program is a two-

year, rigorous college

prep program that

students start in their

junior year. The students

take classes in six

subject areas and the

classes are taught on a

college prep level.”

Costs…

IB Registration – paid

by Oct. 21st of first exam

year = $164 [May 2016]

Course Assessments –

paid by Oct. 21st of

exam year = $113 [May

2016]

Free/Reduced lunch =

$15 per assessment

with paperwork filed.

Registration fee not

covered…

Traits of successful IB students

Self motivated and family

supported

Desire to challenge

themselves intellectually

and academically

Good language skills

Critical thinkers

Time and stress

management skills

Participate in school and

community

Open to new ideas and

tolerant of other’s ideas

So, how about our start? Learning curve

Some tough first

weeks…

Now buy-in,

adjustments,

adaptations, and

evolution.

Enthusiastic

communicators

with open minds

and precise

thought

processes…