Hear from Australian International School's educators, both of whom are experienced with the International Baccalaureate programme, to find out more about this popular curriculum, its benefits, and how to tell if it’s the right fit for your child.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a popular curriculum not just in Singapore, but around the world. A simple online search will show you all the benefits of this curriculum, including its academic rigour, as well as its focus on critical and independent thinking.
The IB is also highly recognised by universities around the world. A recent survey showed that many British university admissions officers stated IB offers children “better preparation” for life in university and the workplace. The curriculum is also popular among expat families as it’s an international rather than a country-specific curriculum, making it easier for children to transfer between schools should the need to relocate arise.
While parents see the appeal of the IB, a more important question needs answering: is the IB curriculum suitable for their children? As every child has different strengths and preferred learning styles, it’s also essential to consider if the IB’s teaching and assessment methods would allow our children to reap its benefits.
We discussed this during our recent webinar with two educators from Australian International School (AIS), both who are experienced and well-versed with the IB curriculum. Here’s what they have to share.
Got a particular topic you’re interested in? Jump to the video section that’s relevant to you!
Speaker introductions – 2.48
What is the IB curriculum about? – 4.45
How is the IB different from other curricula? – 5.50
Do universities look highly upon IB graduates, and why? – 8.00
Are IB teaching styles and assessments very different from other curricula? – 11.09
Is the IB a suitable curriculum for most children? – 13.48
What can I do to prepare my child if they’re new to the IB? – 20.09
Q & A – 24.21
Is the IB curriculum the right fit for my child: TOP INSIGHTS FROM THE EXPERTS
1. The IB is a holistic curriculum that prepares children for a rapidly changing world.
– Séan Begley
The IB’s holistic approach is what sets it apart from other curricula. It helps children learn while thinking in smart and curious ways. Simply put, it’s not just about memorising facts, but asking questions and exploring ideas at the same time. Just like other curricula, IB students study a range of subjects like languages, sciences, and the humanities. What differs is that they also learn how each of these subjects is connected to each other. Academics aside, it’s compulsory for IB students to engage in community service as part of the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component. When viewed as a whole, you can see how the IB aims to develop key skills in critical thinking, communication, self-management, empathy, and even cross-cultural awareness. All these are 21st century skills, which helps prepare children for our rapidly evolving world.
2. Good support at home and in school are essential to helping children who are new to the IB adapt to the curriculum.
– James Scheib
As the IB learning methodology and assessments are different from other curricula, children who are new to it may find it tricky in their first few months of the IB programme. For example, IB focuses a lot on asking questions and connecting different subjects together in a context-based approach. Children who transfer from an Australian, British, or American curriculum may not be used to this. As such, children will need support at home and in school to help them adapt to this new way of learning. Parents can help new IB students by teaching them how to manage their time and self-study. At AIS, teachers are committed to working with parents in a partnership to support their children, and are confident that our new students can manage the change and do well.
3. IB is a great curriculum in which children from a wide range of abilities can succeed.
– Séan Begley and James Scheib
There’s no doubt that the IB curriculum is great for children, and like all curricula, it does have a unique set of attributes that it expects of students. As the IB requires students to study six subjects, write a 4,000-word Extended Essay, and complete a set number of community hours and co-curricular activities as part of the CAS component, good time management on the student’s part is super important. It’s essential to think if your child can handle the workload and manage time effectively before enrolling them into the IB programme. That being said, it’s a challenging but rewarding curriculum that children from a wide range of abilities can succeed in as long as they have the right mindset and support. To get them ready for the curriculum, parents can encourage their children to be curious, open minded, and ask lots of questions. Families can work together with schools to create an environment where children feel emotionally supported, where they know that they can reach out to parents and teachers for help when needed.
Top questions about the IB curriculum: ANSWERED!
1. At what point or grade level does a student’s grades start to matter when it comes to university applications?
It really depends on where a student is applying to further their studies. In general, universities will look at final student external examination grades at the end of Year 12 (or the end of their pre-university programme). Some internal components – like the IB’s mandatory Internal Assessment – will contribute to the final examination grade as well. However, a student’s grades in Years 11 and 12 are important in determining their progress, and will act as a guide on their areas of strengths and growth. Grades from mock examinations that take place in these two years will be used by teachers to inform predicted grades, which some students may need depending on where they’re applying to. There are also instances where some top tier British universities (eg. Oxbridge) may take a student’s IGCSE examination grades in Year 10 into consideration.
Answered by: Séan Begley
2. Do IB students still need to take the SAT for admission into Ivy League universities?
While many American universities follow a test-optional policy during the pandemic, the current data showed that students who take the SAT are twice as likely to get an offer. Given that Ivy League universities are so competitive, we at AIS believe that any little advantage, such as taking the SAT, would be beneficial for our students. With SAT results, students interested in applying to American universities will have a benchmark that their preferred universities can compare against. AIS encourages students to take the SAT in December of their Year 11, which is after their semester examinations.
Answered by: James Scheib
3. Are there bridging courses for children who are new to the IB?
Each school differs in terms of the support they provide to students who are new to the IB. AIS offers the Senior Preparation Programme (SPP) to students who join the school at any stage in Year 10. This programme is designed for students who are not of IGCSE background prior to Year 10. The SPP aims to prepare students by focusing on developing skills that they’ll need to start the IB or the Australian Higher School Certificate.
Answered by: Séan Begley
A big thank you to our panellists from AIS!
Keen to learn more about AIS’ approach to nurturing secondary students through the IB programme? Feel free to reach out to the school anytime!.
Seán Begley
Head of Secondary (Teaching and Learning) at Australian International School
Seán is originally from Ireland, and has enjoyed an extensive 21 year teaching career – with 9 years in educational leadership – working in schools in the UK, Kuwait, UAE, and Singapore. Seán began his international teaching experience when he moved to a leading British school in Kuwait in 2006, and was responsible for developing and writing the History and Social Studies curriculum. He held a similar position in the American International School in Abu Dhabi, where he was responsible for leading his department through both CIS and IB school reviews. Seán moved to Singapore in 2009, and as Head of Humanities at his previous school was responsible for implementing ATLs into curriculum documentation and the classroom in the IB DP, MYP and IGCSE programs. All of these roles allowed Seán to gain insight into curriculum alignment in a variety of international schools, and to gain key skills in leading teams to meet strategic goals. Since joining AIS initially as Head of Humanities, Seán has progressed into the IGCSE/Year 9 and 10 Curriculum Coordinator position which he held for 3 and a half years, before moving into his current role as Deputy Head of Secondary (Teaching and Learning). Seán is a vastly experienced educator in all of the curriculums on offer at AIS. As a member of the Academic Logistics and Academic Standards Committees, he has direct insight into whole school curriculum alignment, working regularly with Assistant Heads of the Elementary and the ELV, Secondary School Assistant Heads and Curriculum Coordinators to drive the school’s teaching and learning policies. Seán believes in providing students with a flexible, modern and challenging curriculum which caters for their academic wellbeing and allows students to tailor their educational journey to their strengths and interests and to achieve personal excellence. Seán is joined at AIS by wife Katie who works in the Elementary School, and daughters Caoimhe and Lannah who attend AIS. The family is passionate about travel and sport and play for multiple teams on the island.
James Scheib
Head of Careers at Australian International School
James Scheib is the Head of Careers at AIS and comes from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Bishop’s University; and Bachelor of Education from the University of Prince Edward Island. He has been involved in education for over 20 years and teaching overseas since 2005. He joined AIS in 2018 in his present role as Head of Careers. Fun fact: he has had varied work experiences in retail, forestry, welfare, IT, banking, construction, manufacturing, and the food and beverage industry! James has also taught English as a Second Language (ESL) but his focus was in Humanities subjects including History, Geography, Economics, and a Model United Nations class he developed during the six years he was involved in that. Of late, he is predominantly an IB Business Management teacher and still examines the subject. He has worked either directly or indirectly with over 800 AIS students in his time here, and gets excited about working with each one and the wonderful possibilities that exist for them. James enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience of varying places, including having visited all Canadian provinces, 40 US states, six Australian states, and over 40 countries. He enjoys sharing those experiences with students in guiding their tertiary choices as well as discussing career possibilities. He enjoys staying active and helps organise AIS staff coed touch rugby and still plays futsal as well as ice hockey. Last but not least, James is excited about the year ahead and working with the Class of 2024 as well as others across the Secondary School.
This post is in partnership with Australian International School.