My son will be starting his senior year next week and just was informed that he cannot take all of the classes he needs in order to graduate with the IB Diploma because some of the key classes he needs are scheduled at the same time (with only one section of the course being offered). We were told that the administrators met to try to solve the problem and the way the school made his schedule “work” was to have him take IB Mathematical Studies as an independent study. This is problematic because (a) he wanted to take IB Calculus (and is ready to do so academically) and (b) he is being asked to learn math on his own. He is a good math student, but not remarkable (a few A- and B+ grades in there). The math teacher said that they wouldn’t allow him to take Calculus as an independent study (which I thought was crazy anyway).
I’m wondering what other parents think about this situation. My husband and I have seen other parents try to push the administration around, so we don’t want to be “those parents,” but I’m wondering if I need to insist that they come up with a new plan so that my son gets the math class he wants. Or do you think Mathematical Studies is fine and we should just go with the flow? Or do we need to walk away from the IB Diploma? I worry I may refuse the school’s offer out of frustration rather than careful thinking!
My best guess is that IB Calculus = IB Math SL. OP, can you confirm?
If it’s the only way it will work, I think taking Math Studies SL wouldn’t be too hard. It’s mostly based on statistics, and there are plenty of YouTube and Khan Academy videos out there - he wouldn’t just be staring at a textbook all class trying to figure it out. If the teacher is willing to support him, I think it would be an okay option.
Students at his school take Calculus I and then take the Mathematics SL portion of the IB exam. It also prepares them to take the AP Calculus AB exam. He has taken all offered high school math classes through pre-calculus (including functions, statistics, and trigonometry). All of his classmates whose schedules “work” will be taking Calculus I for their Math SL. He plans on majoring in a natural science.
@VickiSoCal I don’t know anything about dual enrollment; no one seems to do it (and there doesn’t seem to be room since all the IB Diploma kids are scheduled every minute). His calculus 1 class is a year-long class–sounds like your DD’s might be one semester long?
IB kids at our school do not take Calculus. They take IB Math SL for one year (either jr or sr year), or IB Math HL for two years.
My suggestion is to take Calculus, first semester, at a local college, at night. Then, second semester review the other Math SL topics and compete the Math SL IA and the the Math SL test. With no math class at the high school he should have a free period.
I would not have him take Math Studies after pre-calc as a future science major. It will be all review and will not prepare him for college.
I would prioritize the developmentally appropriate math class over the diploma. Math studies at our school is for kids who aren’t real interested in math, Like a math for poets sort of course. If he’s a strong math student he won’t be challenged. What us the class that conflicts, and is there an independent study option? Social anthro or Econ, for example, would be doable independent study courses.
Strangely, it looked to me like the Calculus class was at a good time–it was IB History (HL) that overlapped with IB Biology (HL) and IB Philosophy of Religion. We were willing to consider an independent study in history. I have asked for a copy of the most recent master schedule, but haven’t received it.
Something similar happened to my D this year, she had to give up either HL History, HL Math or HL Physics in exchange for an SL Level independent study in a subject she was not interested in. We tried to fight it with the administrators and lost the battle. I told her to drop IB and take Calc 3/Diff Equations, AP Physics and AP History, but she wanted to stay in IB because she’d already put so much effort to it. So she did, but is still pretty bummed out by the situation.
So obviously, I’m in favor of dropping IB in this situtation, but I’d let my DC decide.
I am going to have to disagree with those saying drop IB here. Especially the second year in, there’s already been so much work put in to see it all wasted. OP additionally may have to pay for tests already taken or registered for, depending on school/district policy. Transitioning from IB to AP is hard, speaking as someone who has done it. Different types of courses and tests, not to mention that he will most likely have to take a few junior-level AP classes.
This is a time when you just have to make it work. Math Studies SL might be mostly review, but he can use the extra time to start looking into calculus on his own. Then, when he takes it in college, he will be even more prepared.
My advice: switch the independent study to history if possible, otherwise embrace Math Studies SL. It’s not the end of the world, and it’s not worth giving up all the time and effort already put in the IB program.
What does your son want? Is it more important to him to take calculus or to complete the IB diploma?
I had an IB kid, and if she had been placed in this situation, it would have been her choice. As long as the high school guidance counselor is willing to explain what happened in the counselor’s recommendation (either “This student was ready for calculus but was unable to take it because of a scheduling problem” or “This student was on track for the IB diploma but left the program because of a scheduling problem that would have made it impossible to take calculus”), I see no reason why the parent should dictate the choice. Either option is a reasonable one.
It’s entirely possible to major in a natural science without taking calculus before starting college. Another option that might work, if it’s important to the student to get first-semester calculus out of the way before enrolling in college, would be to take the course in the summer session at a local college next summer. However, summer session courses are demanding because they operate on a compressed schedule, so the student probably wouldn’t be able to make any other commitments (e.g., to a job) during the weeks when the course is held.
What he’s done already is the classic “sunk cost”. It’s a fallacy to stick with IB if it’s no longer working for your kid just because “there’s already been so much work put in to see it all wasted”.
It hasn’t been wasted- presumably the kid learned something!
If the IB is working for the kid- then he won’t mind the shift in math. If he’d rather do the conventional math sequence, he’ll be prepared to give up IB. But to claim that he CAN’T abandon IB because of what’s already been invested- that’s illogical.
Why not take IB Math studies in school and calculus or pre-cal online??
I was not aware there even is a class called “IB Calculus”
IB Math studies is not overly challenging if you have a kid who will DO the work. Get the kid a review book and make sure he does the work every week. My D actually preferred to not listen to a lecture and to just work her way through the book on her own. The only thing he will need some guidance in is the IA that will be due in the spring.
My D may be facing a similar issue. She NEEDS Calculus BC this year and it is only offered for two sections. We’ve already talked about it and it sounds like she knows that giving up the diploma is a small price to pay to get that class she needs.
Will anyone care that he got an “IB” label on his diploma after he graduates and moves on to college? It seems silly to me to not take calculus, which is an important class for him if he’s aiming to be a STEM major, just to get that “IB” label.
Strange that the school makes it so difficult to get the necessary classes to complete the program, but seems likely at this point there’s nothing you can do about the way they’ve scheduled the courses.