The History and Philosophy Behind IB
There
is a rich and impressive history behind the development of the IB as it exists
today, one that goes a long way toward explaining why the programme is so
respected around the world. Created with a goal of providing a top‐tier
education to young men and women who will, in turn, make positive changes in
their own communities as well as on a global scale, the IB Diploma Programme
started in 1968 and grows stronger in both its mission and its results with
every passing year. A brief overview of the history of the IB can be found here, with a timeline of significant events here. The "fast facts" page located here gives
an excellent snapshot of the IB as a whole. The Middle Years Programme was
started in 1994 to give younger students access to an IB education. Please read
the history of the Middle Years Programme here.
Questions for Reflection:
1.
Where
does your own school fit into the IB timeline? Was it an "early
adopter" or has it joined the IB only recently?
2.
Have
you or any of your co‐workers been affiliated with the IB for a significant
amount of time? How are the perceptions of the IB different when comparing the
perspective of a "veteran" with that of a "novice"?
3.
In what
ways are the IB students at your school being prepared to be the leaders and
innovators of their own generations?
4.
List 3 things
that surprised you while reading the history of the MYP. List 2 things that
excited you when reading the history of the MYP. List 1 thing you would like to
know more about after reading the history of the MYP.
(1) Annandale became an IB school more than a decade ago. IB is firmly ingrained in the culture of our school. In my Department we offer the core subjects in addition to IB Geography, IB Anthropology, IB Psych, and TOK.
ReplyDelete(2) Some of the folks in the Department have been involved with IB since the beginning at our school. As the program has grown, ‘novice’ teachers have been added. For example, IB Psych is a new course for us, and our Psych teacher just went to IB training this summer. The veteran teachers believe in the IB philosophy especially the ideas that they are preparing students to be life-long learners and responsible members of the global community. Novice teachers are nervous about “stepping up their game” for what they perceive as a more rigorous and challenging curriculum.
(3) One of the strengths of our schools IB program is that we are very successful at boot strapping students who would not generally be thought of as “IB.” We are exceptionally diverse with a large ESOL population, a large SPED population, and roughly 50% of our students are on free and reduced lunch. Despite these obstacles, many of these students participate in the IB program. Of the most glaring examples that comes to mind is a student I had years ago. He was behind grade level in reading and math and had missed several years of school, but was very bright. As a freshmen he took no honors or advanced classes. By senior year most of his core classes and electives were IB. Upon graduation from university he was accepted into the foreign service at the age of 22.
(4) Surprises – issues of O levels as prep for IB reminded me of our own transition from Honors Classes that prepped for AP tests to those in line with IB, the fact that at one point there was talk of an exam at the end of the program, Quebec’s influence. Exciting – interdisciplinary focus, shift to preparing students to be global citizens and decision makers. More Info. – implementing areas of interaction.
As Mr. Dunnell shared in the first comment for this section, IB is firmly ingrained in the culture of Annandale High School. I have been involved in MYP for three years now, and I am working more closely with our IB Social Studies teachers to engage in vertical articulation so younger students can be better prepared when they begin their IB courses. I think IB students at Annandale are being prepared to be leaders and innovators through their being given greater academic responsibility - choosing research topics, etc. - as well as their involvement in community service activities. Annandale has a richly diverse student population, which lends itself nicely to the "international mindedness" mission of the program.
ReplyDelete1. Glasgow Middle School was an IBMYP school when I began teaching there in 2002. Initially I thought the MYP was just another set of rules to follow. I believe that is what most novice teachers still think. But since we have developed our assessment system to be true to the IBMYP criteria and our use of rubrics has become used by all Collaborative Teams, I feel that IB has become the way to teach and assess at our school and has been assimilated into all teaching and learning here in just a short period of time. Our students are more reflective about their learning and our teachers are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses as well. Many of our students are stronger leaders due to their commitment to community and service as they have learned it at Glasgow.
ReplyDelete2. I have been at Glasgow (GMS) for 10 years and am now the Humanities Chair. I find that most of our new teachers, whether they are familiar with IB or not, are able to assimilate IB into their teaching most easily since their own education is based on learning how to learn. Our grading system is often difficult for them but once they experience and understand it, they appreciate how the use of the criteria, rubrics and assessments make sense as students work toward mastery of the curricula and develop into life long learners.
3. Our students are becoming leaders and innovators of their generation through their understanding of global connections taught at Glasgow. Our belief that they are all capable of learning and all have strengths which they are encouraged to discover at GMS is leading them to have confidence in their abilities and be the risk takers of their generation.
4. I was surprised that in 1982 IB felt there was a strong need to encourage moral development because I feel there is a strong need to do so today, This leads me to believe that IB is needed all over the world to do just that! The statement that IBMYP years were “Such a time of uncertainty, sensitivity, susceptibility, resistance and questioning, requires an educational programme that will provide both the disciplined skills and creativity, challenging standards and flexibility, to help the growth towards responsible self-reliance and interdependence” was such an eye-opener. We as teachers of IBMYP have an opportunity to shape our students more than ever.
I was excited to read that “absorbtion and regurgitation” of material was never the intention of IB but was always learning to learn and applying the facts to new situations of today.
I am interested to know if the IB certificate is ever used to show employers. All of our GMS students are IBMYP learners; shouldn’t they be encouraged to show those certificates to employers to indicate their abilities, especially if they are students who are working before or instead of attending post secondary education? “It was felt that such a certificate would not only be useful to future IB students, but importantly that it would also be of value to students who were not going on to higher education and would give a validated guarantee of a basic education and a standard of achievement.”
1. Westland Middle School has been an IB schoolfor more than a decade.
ReplyDelete2. The Humanities department here at Westland has a very low turnover rate so most of its members have been on board with the MYP since its inception. This makes it quite easy for new members of the department to adopt the ethos of preparing global and responsible citizens.
3. Westland's greatest strength is in our diversity as a community. Students view all concepts and challenges through a number of perspectives.
4. Surprises: The Middle Years Programme getting off the ground after the Primary Years Programme, similarity between the principles of the MYP between 1980 and 2008,and its growth over the years between 1991-2009
I am always excited about the programs mission to promote world peace and am excited to know how the programme is evolving.
1. I'm not sure when Stuart HS became an IB/MYP school.
ReplyDelete2. As a new teacher I have gotten two senses from the teachers that have been here a while. One is that including the IB/MYP curriculum "saved the school" because it now offered an international-focused curriculum for our very diverse area, but also a sense of confusion over what is required as part of the MYP that is different from IB and how our "honors" classes fit into the MYP format.
3. I'm not really sure since I am new to the school and to IB, but it seems like they're getting a lot more rigor and preparedness for college than students in the regular track.
4. Surprised about how long it took to get off the ground, the similar reasons for the need for MYP and IB, and how explosive the growth has been recently. I wouldn't say anything excited me, it seemed like an 'insiders' history. I need to know more about the areas of interaction.
1) Stuart HS became an IB/MYP school before I arrived as well (so pre-2008).
Delete2) I see IB teachers with a better understanding and ability of implementing the MYP program standards. It has however, been frustrating for most of us with changing MYP coordinators, weak communication, and meshing requirements with state standards.
3) Our IB program has been pushing for higher-level thinking and higher-education pursuits. I think that this may be strenuous on students who are having a hard time with the material in a non-IB environment, so I see MYP as a double edged sword for students.
4) What surprises me are the beginnings in private schools and the high numbers of implementation in the US. I'd like to know how to better implement MYP in the classroom.
1. Annapolis High School joined the IB in 2005.
ReplyDelete2. Many of my coworkers have been with IB since it began at AHS. This is my first year teaching, but I also interned here so I have some, but limited, experience with MYP.
3. The IB students are presented with a rigorous curriculum that encourages diversity and problem solving. Because of this, they seem well prepared for college.
4. Surprises: How young of a program MYP is. Interdisciplinary collaboration was not sown until a conference in 1981 addressed it. The extensive amount of research and reorganizing that went into MYP principles.
1. Old Mill Middle School North has been in the program since 2008. I also taught at MacArthur Middle School which has also been enrolled in the IB program since 2008.
ReplyDelete2. Despite the fact that I worked at a school that had an IB program for two years, I felt like a novice when I entered Old Mill North last year because they were fully committed to implementing all parts of the program.
3. It is important at the middle school level that we teach students to be risk takers and not be afraid to go against the grain. We also really focus on having them focus on critical thinking which ideally will help them in their adult lives.
4. I was surprised that the first real IB program came in Africa and the extended length of development of the program. I also was a bit surprised that in the opening statements of the foreward they admitted to possible inefficiencies with the program due to the lack of resources they were able to extend in its creation.
1. Old Mill High School has been in the IB/MYP program since before I started there, which was 8 years ago.
ReplyDelete2. I have taught MYP history classes for 2 years. While I have been involved in parts of the IB program, I have not taught any IB classes as of yet.
3. Many of the members of our faculty believe that the diverse group of learners that we have at OMHS is one of our greatest strengths
4. I was surprised to learn how long the program took to get off the ground and I am interested to learn more about the an IB diploma can mean for a student going into college and beyond.
1. Where does your own school fit into the IB timeline? Was it an "early adopter" or has it joined the IB only recently?
ReplyDeleteOur school has been IB for the last 10 years. Overall, this is a relatively recent adoption but it is one of the oldest and most established MYP programs in our area.
2. Have you or any of your co‐workers been affiliated with the IB for a significant amount of time? How are the perceptions of the IB different when comparing the perspective of a "veteran" with that of a "novice"?
There is a wide variety of experience with IB at our school. I’ve noticed that teams with many veterans on it tend to have novices who are more comfortable with IB and more aligned with its principles whereas teams with many novices tend to have more frustration and confusion with IB application. This highlights the importance of IB training for new teachers.
3. In what ways are the IB students at your school being prepared to be the leaders and innovators of their own generations?
We spend a lot of time working with our students on critical thinking and conceptual understanding. We frame our teaching of content and basic skills around authentic application as much as possible. I do believe there is room to give our students even more opportunities to lead and to create, however and look forward to exploring those more in the future.
4. List 3 things that surprised you while reading the history of the MYP. List 2 things that excited you when reading the history of the MYP. List 1 thing you would like to know more about after reading the history of the MYP.
I was surprised that IB was founded in 1968 and that today over half of IB schools are state schools. I am excited by how truly international the organization is and that it connects students from age 3 to 19. I would like to know more about the early history of the program and the reasons it was created in the first place.
- Sarah Beck
Questions for Reflection:
ReplyDelete1. Where does your own school fit into the IB timeline? Was it an "early adopter" or has it joined the IB only recently?
Glasgow Middle School adopted the MYPIB in 2003.
2. Have you or any of your co‐workers been affiliated with the IB for a significant amount of time? How are the perceptions of the IB different when comparing the perspective of a "veteran" with that of a "novice"?
As a new teacher coming in, getting adjusted to the grading system was difficult. My lack of familiarity with the grading policy made it difficult to explain to students and parents as we wanted something familiar to compare it to, such as traditional letter grades. “Veteran” teachers shared what they could; it just takes us “novices” time to acclimate. A big “thank you” to Paula and Sarah for helping me get up and running!
3. In what ways are the IB students at your school being prepared to be the leaders and innovators of their own generations?
The IB students at Glasgow are being prepared to think critically and reflect upon their learning styles and choices as individuals. They are being pushed at young ages to recognize they are part of an ever growing community. As I see it, it’s like a shift has been made at our school necessarily focus on the facts and numbers, but to focus on what does it mean to be a learner, and breaking down the process of learning into concrete skills for their mental tool boxes; stuff I didn’t begin to get exposed to until the final years of high schools.
4. List 3 things that surprised you while reading the history of the MYP. List 2 things that excited you when reading the history of the MYP. List 1 thing you would like to know more about after reading the history of the MYP.
It surprised me that IBMYP had its beginnings out of Africa (Tanzania). In general, the birth of IB leads me to think about what motivated the initial backers to produce such international recognized educational standards; of having a certificate employers and transfer schools would honor. It was interesting that MYP began as a two-year pre-IB program but that changed to five once the ball got rolling on what needed to be accomplished.
Really a very helpful article thanks for sharing and keep on sharing!
ReplyDeleteBaccalaureate Academy provides guidelines to Baccalaureate students, We provide IB Coaching Classes and IB Home Tuition also. Enroll today for IB Tutions. Read more: https://www.baccalaureateacademy.in