The International Baccalaureate (IB) thanks to its international recognition and transferability, and to its rigor and breadth of study, has become a very popular choice among expats families seeking a well-rounded, international education for their children.
As a global-oriented program, the International Baccalaureate emphasizes intercultural understanding, caring, and enrichment.
It includes four programs that focus on teaching students how to think critically, and it culminates in six rigorous subject exams.
The IB aims to provide a challenging and comprehensive education that would enable future adults to create a better world through cross-cultural communication, understanding, and respect.
Despite its popularity, not all the students and parents are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the IB programmes, check out the list below and make sure the IB is the right option for you or for your child!
BENEFITS of IB programmes
- SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING
IB emphasizes independent and self-directed learning, by encouraging students to try different approaches to learning and to take responsibility for their own educational progress.
- HOLISTIC APPROACH
All IB programmes encompass all aspects of personal learning and growth and emphasize the development of active relationships at all levels (between the subject domains, the individuals, the peer groups, the communities and the world around them)
- INTERNATIONAL-MINDEDNESS
The IB prepares students for the 21st-century global challenges. It encourages students across the world to become active and compassionate and promotes respect and understanding of other perspectives, cultures, and languages.
- UNIVERSITY PREPARATION
IB helps students to develop and master fundamental skills for university, such as critical thinking, time management, report writing, independent research, and excellent organizational skills.
DRAWBACKS of IB programmes
- LENGTH OF STUDY
The IB requires consistent work and solid performance over a two-year period. The IB is a 2 years’ commitment that ends up with one final exam about all the material taught from the beginning of the course until the end.
- RIGID CURRICULUM
The IB provides an intense, highly rigorous curriculum requiring a very high level of work and study, a great deal of commitment, organization, and initiative.
- HEAVY WORKLOAD
As said, IB is a very demanding and content-heavy course, which makes students deal not only with coursework and assignments from the 6 mandatory subjects, but also with numerous essays, presentations, and projects from the three core components: EE, TOK, and CAS.
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