International Baccalaureate (IB)
IB MISSION STATEMENT
The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
THE IB LEARNER PROFILE
As an IB school, our teachers and students focus on what it means to be a community of learners. Through the IB Learner Profile, our students and staff use a common language to describe and identify behaviors of successful learners, and we strive to be Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-Minded, Caring, Risk-Takers, Balanced, and Reflective.
- Inquirers develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning, and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
- Knowledgeable learners explore concepts, ideas, and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.
- Thinkers exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.
- Communicators understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
- Principled learners act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice, and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups, and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.
- Open-Minded learners understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values, and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view and are willing to grow from the experience.
- Caring learners show empathy, compassion, and respect toward the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and they act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
- Risk-Takers approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas, and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.
- Balanced learners understand the importance of intellectual, physical, and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.
- Reflective learners give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.
IB Middle Years Program (IBMYP)
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Middle Years Program (MYP) emphasizes intellectual challenge. It encourages students aged 11 to 16 to make practical connections between their studies and the real world, preparing them for success in further study and in life.
What the MYP offers students?
The MYP aims to develop active learners and internationally minded young people who can empathize with others and pursue lives of purpose and meaning. The program empowers students to inquire into a wide range of issues and ideas of significance locally, nationally and globally. The result is young people who are creative, critical and reflective thinkers.
Why offer the MYP?
International research shows that students participating in the MYP:
- build confidence in managing their own learning;
- learn by doing, connecting the classroom to the larger world;
- outperform non-IB students in critical academic skills;
- consistently have greater success in IB Diploma Programme examinations;
- thrive in positive school cultures where they are engaged and motivated to excel, and
- develop an understanding of global challenges and a commitment to act as responsible citizens.
What is the IB Diploma Programme?
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is an assessed programme for students in their junior and senior years. It is respected by leading universities across the globe. Students enter the IB Diploma Programme in their junior year at ECE. Although coursework begins junior year, students will be asked to complete some summer assignment work prior to the start of junior year
What the DP offers students
Through the DP, schools are able to develop students who:
- have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge;
- flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically;
- study at least two languages;
- excel in traditional academic subjects, and
- explore the nature of knowledge through the programme’s unique theory of knowledge course.
Why offer the DP?
International research shows that there are many benefits to choosing the DP over the other 16-19 curricula. For example:
- DP students are better able than their peers to cope with demanding workloads, manage their time and meet the expectations placed on them, according to one study
- Analysis of DP students in Canada, the UK and the USA found that the DP’s extended essay improves students’ approach to learning in higher education
- 72% of students taking the DP in China attend one of the world’s top 500 universities, according to a 2013 study.
You can read more key facts about the DP on the IB website. Go to ibo.org