Potential I.B. Students (going into grades 9, 10 or 11)

What is the IB?

Roots:

  • The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an international educational foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1968
  • IB is recognized throughout the world as a comprehensive and challenging high school curriculum
  • IB now has over 1.3 million students in over 5,000 schools and is offered in over 152 countries
  • IB has been running in the St. James School Division since 1982

Mission:

  • The International Baccalaureate (IB) aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect

Values:

  • Motivated by a mission: We aim to create a better world through education
  • Partnership: We achieve our goals by working together
  • Quality: We value our reputation for high standards
  • Participation: We actively involve our stakeholders
  • International mindedness: We embrace diversity

Learner Profile:

At the heart of the program is our Students: The IB Learner Profile:

  • Inquirers
  • Thinkers
  • Principled
  • Caring
  • Balanced
  • Reflective
  • Knowledgeable
  • Communicators
  • Open-minded
  • Risk-takers

Diploma Programme:

Interesting facts about the 2017 and 2018 IB Classes:

  • The number of students who took English at the Higher Level that were eligible for transfer credit was 95%
  • 9 of our Math students earned a 6 or 7 in the course (the two highest possible scores)
  • Our school average in Math, Physics, and History surpassed the world average
  • The number of students who took French B that were eligible for transfer credit was 100%
  • 99 students wrote exams during the May 2018 session
  • We had 3 students in Mathematics achieve a 7 out of 7
  • Total scholarship money earned by the IB students: Over $91,000
  • Our school’s average beat the world in 6  subjects
  • The number of students in Math at the Standard Level eligible for transfer credit was 94%

Feedback:

The top three reasons that former I.B. students list as why they choose the I.B. Programme:

  1. Seeking a personal challenge
  2. Better university preparation
  3. Transfer credits to university

University:

How well is the IB diploma recognized by universities? The IB works closely with universities in all regions of the world to gain recognition for the IB diploma.  Often you’ll find with your IB, you have:

  • Great mobility
  • Transfer credits
  • Special entrance scholarships
  • Excellent preparation for university research, writing and general pace

Questions:

Questions for Potential Students:

Why talk about IB now?

  • By scheduling for future or current IB courses now, you ensure that the door is open to all the possibilities in the future
  • Next year, you can revisit the idea if you wish to do so
  • If you don’t keep the door open, the timetable does not easily allow for switching later on

Can I do French Immersion as well as IB?

  • Absolutely! our Immersion students can earn both a Provincial Bilingual Diploma as well as an Bilingual IB Diploma
  • We’re the only school in the province that offers this possibility!

How different will course content be in Grade 9?

  • Absolutely no differences
  • You will follow the same curriculum as every other Grade 9 student in the building

Benefits:

  • You earn one Grade 10 credit in your Grade 9 year
  • You keep the door open to IB
  • You develop a solid foundation in core academic courses while still enjoying some options

Grade 10 Schedule:

The Core:

What is at the heart of the Diploma Programme? There are three core requirements completed over grades 11 and 12

Creativity Action Service (C.A.S.)

  • Can begin as early as the Summer after Grade 10; continues to Grade 12
  • Meaningful volunteer or personal growth hours
  • Experiences spread over 18 months

Theory of Knowledge (T.O.K.)

  • Begins in the second semester of Grade 11 and ends in the first semester of Grade 12
  • A seminar style course based on how we know what we think we know
  • Exploring other cultural perspectives

Extended Essay (E.E.)

  • Begins in the second semester of Grade11 and ends in the fall of Grade 12
  • Choose a topic that appeals to you
  • You will receive support from a teacher to guide you through the research

Grade 11 Schedule:

How is Your Schedule Affected?

  • You could earn up to three Grade 12 credits
  • You gradually begin the core components
  • You may write one IB exam
  • Students pursuing the IB Course Study Route take as many as five IB courses
  • Students pursuing an IB Diploma take six IB courses and slowly take on the core
  • Theory of Knowledge is a scheduled course

Grade 12 Schedule:

How is your Grade 12 Schedule Affected?

  • Your IB courses run throughout the year
  • You will write IB exams in May
  • If you are a Diploma status student, you may have no classes as of April 30th
  • You can earn transfer credits for university
  • Excellent preparation for university research, writing and work ethic

Clarifications:

Students Doing the Full IB Diploma…

  • You continue with the five or six IB courses and slowly complete CAS and the EE
  • CAS: Started in the summer after Grade 10 and ends in Spring of Grade 12
  • EE: Explained in Spring of Grade 11 and submitted in December of Grade 12  in a subject of your choice and with support from a teacher advisor
  • Students earn an IB Diploma out of 45 points
  • Each IB course is worth up to 7 points
  • Maximum of 3 points combined for TOK and EE

IB Diploma Students and University:

  • UBC study shows that Diploma students earning a 27/45 were A students on their campus
  • Thinking of studying in the United States or in BC?  (they favour Diploma students)
  • In the United States, admissions personnel often interview students about the EE

Students Doing the IB Course(s) Study Route…

  • Minimum of one IB exam course
  • CAS: not required (but many scholarships seek to reward citizenship, volunteerism and leadership)
  • EE: not required (but students can choose to do it anyway)
  • Students applying for Advanced Early Admission scholarships are placed in the same group as other provincial students
  • Students still get ahead in individual courses
  • Students have a smaller transfer credit “pool”

University Transfer Credits:

  • Yes, many universities offer direct transfer credits for IB course, for example at our local U of M…
  • Note: the higher the IB mark, the higher the university grade and different universities have different policies regarding IB (please contact the university you wish to attend for specifics)

University Recognition:

Who recognizes IB Here at Home…

  • University of Manitoba
  • University of Winnipeg
  • Université de Saint-Boniface
  • Canadian Mennonite University
  • Brandon University

Who recognizes IB Out of Province…

  • Acadia University, NS
  • Bishop’s University, QC
  • Brandon University, MB
  • Brock University, ON
  • Capilano College, BC
  • Carleton University, ON
  • Concordia University College of Alberta, AB
  • Dalhousie, NS
  • Laurentian University, ON
  • McMaster University, ON
  • Memorial University of Newfoundland, NL
  • Mount Allison University, NB
  • Mount Saint Vincent University, NS
  • Ontario College of Art & Design, ON
  • Saint Mary’s University, NS
  • Simon Fraser University, BC
  • St. Francis Xavier, NS
  • St. Thomas University, NB

This is certainly not an exhaustive list

The IB Faculty:

How do our Teachers Help IB Students?

  • IB Faculty communicate regularly to do their best to avoid conflicts with major assessments
  • IB Faculty is known to be flexible and mindful of IB students’ workloads
  • IB Faculty coaches and trains for writing and lab work in a way that university professors and their teaching assistants do not
  • IB teachers create relationships with their students and support them while those students acquire introductory university content in a way many university professors and their teaching assistants do not

What if…

Some “What if…” Questions you may have:

  • “I want to do extra-curricular?”
  • “Have a part time job?”
  • “Enjoy time with my friends?”
  • “Participate in elite sports/ performing arts, etc.?”

Answers:

  • Balance – regardless of if you’re in provincial stream, certificate route or diploma route, mix a personal challenge with what can handle beyond school.
  • Part-time jobs – maybe 10 hours a week would be a healthy amount.  After all, if you prepare more for a course, you may save yourself the time and the cost associated with taking it at university!
  • Friends – many of them are in IB with you.  They’re more than classmates.

So…

Is IB the right fit for you?

  • Are you willing to learn or further develop a genuine work ethic?
  • Are you willing to learn further develop time management skills?
  • Are you willing to be diligent in your approach to homework?
  • Are you willing to seek extra help and ask questions?
  • Diploma route students: Are you ready to work on EE and CAS during the summer (it’ll make your IB life easier!)

If you want to know more…

  • Contact our school IB coordinator: Ms. Peters 888-0684 jpeters@sjsd.net