<p>This is really a HS question but I am posting it here because I realy would like to get parents responses. If you have any experience with an IB program I really would like to hear from you.
Here is the situation. We have been seriously thinking about sending our DS, currently a seventh grader, to a HS that offeres IB program, not only because of the IB program itself but because this program draws the most acedemically talented kids from the area. My DS is a very capable learner and thrives in challenging environment. How flexible is IB in choosing own classes? What do they do if a student enters the program being more academically ahead of others? I assume, since this is an international program, they must have some guidelines on dealing with situations like that. DS is taking Algebra2
this year and will be taking Pre-calc as an eight grader. What do you think is the most likely scenario for him if he starts an IB in 9th grade? How likely are they to make accomodations? Does it depend on the HS?
Thanx</p>
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not only because of the IB program itself but because this program draws the most acedemically talented kids from the area.
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<p>That would be the reason to go there, no matter what the brand name of the curriculum there. I have nothing bad to say about the IB curriculum and tests (I wish it were available to homeschoolers, as it is not). But I don't have any buy-in to the statement that any particular brand name of curriculum (IB, AP, etc.) is always the best. What is best in a particular town depends on how well a school hires capable teachers and administers a program with high standards. If the local reputation in your town is that the IB high school is the best around, I have no reason to doubt that. I think it is an EXCELLENT idea for an able learner to join classes with other learners of high ability, the better to gain perspective on personal abilities and to build a social network.</p>
<p>Kelowna, my D is a senior in the IB program. I have never heard of it starting in 9th grade, it is a two year program taken in 11th and 12th. Have you tried ibo.org for complete information? Good luck to your son! Oh, and by the way my D LOVES it!</p>
<p>In case of this HS you HAVE to start in 9th grade. 9 and 10 are pre-IB and you have to complete pre-req. in order to start IB Diploma in 11th grade.</p>
<p>I agree that the overall the IB program is very worthwhile but it really does depend on the school. With respect to the OP's situation, however, keep in mind that if for some reason your S's hs does not have an IB math course that he can take in 11-12th grade (ie because he has already taken the most advanced courses before then) keep in mind that a student can still take IB courses and take subject tests without getting the diploma (this would be similar to taking AP courses/tests). And the school may make accommodations for situations like this so definitely something to check on (for instance even if he took the IB math in an earlier grade, they may still allow him credit for it and let him take the test once he is in 11th or 12. At my S's hs they could only offer IB chemistry during 10th grade because of scheduling issues and the limited number of classes they offered - the only HL science they offered was biology, so all the students took chemistry in 10th grade, then waited and took the IB test at the end of 11th grade (the chem teacher offered an after school review course for a weeks before the test).</p>
<p>I agree with Scansmom; it depends on the school and the student. Our local HS had AP program, and the IB program meant bussing or dropping off child in nearby city. ECs, like band, clubs, newspaper, would not have been available in IB program. There was also a different focus between the 2 programs.</p>
<p>Teachers were helpful in directing us as to which program was more suited to S . As it turned out, all S's friends went to local HS.</p>
<p>IB students are not allowed to take IB exams until at least 11th grade, and even then they can only take two standard level exams that year. Higher level exams can only be taken in 12th grade. There is also a rule that says that you must be taking a course in the subject field in which you take a test during the year that you take that test (although it does not necessarily have to be the particular course that you're taking the test for). </p>
<p>At the IB program that my daughter recently graduated from, these restrictions did cause some problems for kids who were unusually accelerated in one subject. For example, a kid who was ahead in math might be advised to take a math course outside the IB program for a year (such as AP Statistics), to get himself back in sync with the IB sequence. Or a kid who was too advanced in foreign language might take a different foreign language for a while before taking the IB foreign language courses in grades 11 and 12 (we had a bunch of kids from a French immersion middle school program who dropped French temporarily and took Latin instead during the first year or two of high school).</p>
<p>I think it would be a good idea to discuss your son's specific situation with the people who run the IB program to see what options they can offer him. IB has a lot of rules. It sometimes takes creativity and experience to work within them, but that's what IB coordinators are for.</p>
<p>There are three IB programs -- certified by IBO -- beginning with the primary school ( <a href="http://www.ibo.org/myp/%5B/url%5D">http://www.ibo.org/myp/</a> ), continuing with the middle school years ( <a href="http://www.ibo.org/myp/%5B/url%5D">http://www.ibo.org/myp/</a> ) and culminating with the IB diploma, based on the 11/12 coursework ( <a href="http://www.ibo.org/diploma/%5B/url%5D">http://www.ibo.org/diploma/</a> ). </p>
<p>You can be in an IB program from Kindergarten on. I would think there are infinite ways to be "prepared" for the diploma program, but if you want your child to be exposed to IB instruction beforehand, then you might consider searching for a middle years program in your area.</p>
<p>Here's a listing of MYP schools in the U.S.:</p>
<p>No, I do not want DS to be exposed to an IB program for middle school.
But because of the fact that he is greately accelerated in math I do forsee some problems, as mentioned by Marian. She also mentioned language, which I did not even think about, but DS is currently in a school with extended Spanish (one hour each day).
Yes, Marian is right. Once the school year is well under way I will schedule an appt. with IB coordinator.</p>
<p>I agree with Marian, an appointment with the IB Coordinator should resolve any questions regarding how this situation can be handled in the high school. </p>
<p>At our high school, for students where Algebra II was completed in 8th grade, students were ready to sit for IB Math Methods in 11th and in 12th, they took AP Calc BC.</p>
<p>Accelerated foreign language students took the AP exam for practice after
10th, the IB SL Exam in 11th and took the foreign language AP Lit course in 12th.</p>
<p>Kelowna, a lot depends on the specific school.</p>
<p>In theory, there should be clever ways for an IB program to accommodate the needs of almost any student with an unusual degree of acceleration.</p>
<p>But in practice, there may be a lot of other constraints on the IB program already. </p>
<p>At my daughter's school, the IB program was able to accommodate a lot of unusual needs because it is a very large program (with more than 100 diploma candidates each year). There are multiple sections of most IB courses and a variety of different ways in which students can fulfill various IB requirements. For example, the school offers three IB foreign languages, four IB sciences, and six sixth-subject electives (in addition to the option of a second science or second foreign language). This IB program is also a well-established one, where the IB coordinator and her many predecessors have heard almost every story before.</p>
<p>A smaller or newer IB program might have more difficulty finding ways to meet the needs of a student with a nonstandard background.</p>
<p>Thank you for all your wisdom !</p>
<p>Well, for DS to go to this school will take quite a bit commuting but this is the oldest (20 years) and best established IB program in the area. There are other ones, but they are very new (1-2 years), offering much less options as far as number of courses.</p>
<p>Icesk8mom writes:
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At our high school, for students where Algebra II was completed in 8th grade, students were ready to sit for IB Math Methods in 11th and in 12th, they took AP Calc BC.
[/quote]
So I am assuming that 9th grade was pre-calc. What were they doing in 10th grade ?</p>
<p>Kelowna,
I am out of town right now. My daughter was not in the "fast math", but I know this was done. 9th grade is pre-calc. I will contact our IB coordinator as soon as I can to find out what 10th grade is.</p>