I have had four of my children involved with IB (International Baccalaureate), experiencing the system and curriculum from kindergarten all the way through high school, then graduating and two who now attend college. What I have found is both shocking and deep relief.
I am going to start at the end of the story and work my way back. As other parents read this, what I hope is to get right to the end so that they can have the answer to the questions that I know that I had. Such as; does IB work? Does it really provide a better learning environment? Will it really help my child succeed and do better? Or, is this just a waste of time and I should have my kids focus on regular school, the traditional method that I went to as a kid. Most parents, myself included, want the best for their child and work extremely hard to provide a better life and future for them, more than we had. However, many parental decisions are chosen because of fear and familiarity. I know this worried me and I didn’t want to do something to them that would harm or limit them.
For IB, I can answer these questions. IT WORKS!! I have two children who are in college, one who graduates with their MBA in two years and another who is about to finish their first year. Both have told me time and time again that school has been much easier for them than their peers. They see their friends struggling to stay organized, not understanding or even knowing the material, and not feeling confident in how to write the required essay/report or study for the exam. They laugh as young adults now and say they are grateful now for me putting them into IB, even though they spent their entire 4-years of high school complaining about all of the hard work. Their confidence is so much higher than their peers because they already have these skills and this higher level of knowledge, reasoning, aptitude, and alert quickness to absorb more. The stress is comfortable, as they have learned how to manage and thrive in those situations. IB provided them a conceptual and inquiry-based style of learning that would compel them to dig into the WHY and begin understanding HOW to learn. This enabled them to apply that knowledge beyond just that lesson, that class, that project, and find an open-mindedness with a global perspective to each subject.
Additionally, they have a more complete and enriching college and life experience. This is a result of all of the community outreach programs, the required volunteer time, the cultural diversity that was mandated as part of the program’s graduation requirements. As a parent, I am so relieved and proud to see them flourishing. When they repeat to me how thankful they are for that IB training and experience, it affirms my decision not only with them but with my youngest two children who are in an IB elementary and middle school program. Even with them, I can see that they tend to learn faster, are exposed to more, and have a deeper comprehension than their friends who do not attend the same school. Their homework is different and for me, the most striking difference of all is hearing the conversations between them and their friends. The use of the language, words chosen, topics brought up and interactions between them are noticeable.
I am a strong advocate for this program, and I highly recommend to any and all parents with children, to enroll their kid(s) into an IB school.
