Friday, March 18, 2011

What is the International Baccalaureate program?

International Baccalaureate Homepage

Mission Statement of IB
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 programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.
Aims
What are the Aims of the Middle Years Programme?
  • Responsible participation in society
  • Global Citizenship
  • Appreciation and understanding of all people
  • Inquiry learning to acquire, understand and relate knowledge to the larger world
  • Respect for cultures and attitudes that make for the richness of life
The IB Learner Profile
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers

They 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
They 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
They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators
They 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

They 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
They 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
They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers
They 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
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. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

Five areas of Interaction

Approaches to learning (ATL)
Through ATL teachers provide students with the tools to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning, thereby developing an awareness of how they learn best, of thought processes and of learning strategies.
Focus Questions:
How do I learn best?
How do I know?
How do I communicate my understanding?

Community and Service

This component requires students to take an active part in the communities in which they live, thereby encouraging responsible citizenship.
Focus Questions:
How do we live in relation to each other?
How can I contribute to my community?
How can I help others?

Human Ingenuity

Students explore in multiple ways the processes and products of human creativity, thus learning to appreciate and develop in themselves the human capacity to influence, transform, enjoy and improve the quality of life.
Focus Questions:
Why and how do we create?
What are the consequences?

Environments
This area aims to develop students’ awareness of their interdependence with the environment so that they understand and accept their responsibilities.
Focus Questions:
Where do we live?
What resources do we have or need?
What are my responsibilities

Health and social education
This area deals with physical, social and emotional health and intelligence-key aspects of development leading to complete and healthy lives.
Focus Questions:
How do we think and act?
How am I changing?
How can I look after myself and others?

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