IB Booklet | Eng | Jun 2024

IB Diploma Program

The IB Program : A Culmination of Chapel School’s Curriculum

When Everything Comes Together

The IB Diploma Program is an international curriculum spanning the last two years of High School (11th and 12th grade) and is the culmination of the student’s academic career at Chapel. Since early childhood education, students have been prepared for the IB Program. Students grow accustomed to taking classes from the American curriculum, all taught in English, and the Brazilian curriculum, which includes Portuguese Language and Literature and Brazilian Social Studies. Ultimately, students are prepared to earn a Bilingual IB Diploma at the end of their High School careers.

In addition to that, Chapel has a social emotional curriculum that starts in Pre I through which our student body learns emotional intelligence and important competencies. This includes having healthy relationships, dealing with feelings, a strong sense of self-esteem, empathy and respect for others. Our social-emotional curriculum is designed to develop the life skills needed for the IB Program and because of it, Chapel students are equipped with the academic and emotional tools they will need to overcome the challenges posed by the IB Diploma Program.

Students develop organizational, self-regulation, self-motivation, autonomy, and critical thinking skills that get them ready for college both internationally and in Brazil. The high level thinking skills fostered in the IB Program put them at an advantage when doing Vestibular and strengthen their college applications abroad. In short, Chapel students develop the emotional and cognitive skills to be resilient and successful in college life and beyond. Overall, they are much better prepared for the research-style papers they will need to do in their courses in university and as an added benefit, they may even get credit for some of their college courses, saving time and money.

International Baccalaureate Overview at Chapel School

On June 1, 1980, Chapel became the first school in Brazil to adopt the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. In 2007, after accumulating nearly three decades of experience with the program, the school decided to adopt the concept of “IB for all.” Rather than recommending the best students for IB and relegating others to take regular high school classes, as happens in most schools, Chapel enrolls all students in IB courses at the start of the 11th grade. This gives each Chapel student the opportunity to experience a challenging and rewarding curriculum, that regardless of whether they choose to complete the IB Diploma Program, will better prepare them for life beyond Chapel.

“Through the IB, particularly with the CAS Program, I had plenty of opportunities to discover my talents and to take on leadership positions and challenges. For example, my experience with the National Honor Society provided me a sense of responsibility I would not otherwise have had at such an early age. On the other hand, my CAS Model United Nations activity encouraged me to stand by my views and positions and to not feel intimidated in an argument. Because of these experiences, when I was in college, I felt a lot more at ease playing a more active role. Also due to the IB program, academically speaking, I noticed a huge gap between me and my peers in college, who had all attended schools focused on the vestibular. Making interdisciplinary connections or even building a coherent line of thought in projects, for instance, came to me much more naturally - I had done it before many times in several IB Diploma projects, including the Extended Essay.” - Rodrigo Ussier. A Chapel Alumnus, USP Largo São Francisco Law graduate, currently working as Lawyer at Ussier Advocacia

IB Program Overview

The IB Diploma Program (IBDP) is a challenging two-year pre-university curriculum, primarily aimed at students ages 16 to 19. It leads to a diploma that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities.

The IB Diploma Program aims to provide an education that enables students to make sense of the complexities of the world around them, as well as equipping them with the skills and dispositions needed for taking responsible action for the future. It provides an education that crosses disciplinary, cultural, national and geographical boundaries, and that champions critical engagement, stimulating ideas and meaningful relationships.

An IB education further enhances the development of international-mindedness through multilingualism. It requires students to study, or study in, more than one language. This is because we believe that communicating in more than one language helps students appreciate that his or her own language, culture and world view are just one of many. In this way, it provides excellent opportunities to develop intercultural understanding and respect.

How is the IB Program Tailored to Suit the Chapel community?

As an international school with students from every corner of the globe that will go to universities around the world, the IB Program is a perfect fit for the Chapel community. Furthermore, our students have a variety of interests and career aspirations and IB allows students to tailor their schedule to best fit their goals. The IB Program offers students course choices in languages, Science, Math and Social Studies. This approach prepares students for the great range of requirements within these areas of universities around the world while also providing students the opportunity to pursue their artistic interests.

The IB Diploma Program is highly rigorous and supports our students to grow both inside and outside of the classroom. However, they will not have to face these challenges alone! In order to ensure student success Chapel offers a number of resources to their goals:

A Pre-IB Curriculum (Grades 7-10) is designed to develop the skills needed for the IB Program, ensuring a smooth transition for our highly prepared students,

A Guidance Counselor who supports each student individually, helping them throughout their decision-making process by:

Guiding each student in selecting courses that best fit their college and career goals,

Helping each student create self-management strategies to meet the requirements of the IB Program,

Aiding students in exploring university options, and supporting them in application process,

A team of coordinators, advisors, and activity supervisors that support students as they experience the IB Core,

A positive support system that is active throughout the whole program to help students stay on track.

To learn more about Chapel School’s college admissions support services, scan this QR code and watch a short video which shows the care we take with each and every student.

“The skills I gained from the IB curriculum were incredibly useful for my career. Most importantly, due to its rigorous curriculum, fulfilling the IB requirements forces students to practice the ability to independently search for answers and coherently communicate knowledge, something I have found to be immediately applicable to college classes and any kind of work. As an added bonus, I was even able to get some college credits from my IB diploma, which helped me take the classes I was most interested in earlier.” - Davi Nakajima An. A Chapel Alumnus, currently a student at Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Software Engineer Intern at Facebook

What is the Profile of an IB Student?

The IB has summed up the characteristics and skills of an IB student in what they call the IB Learner Profile, which is a set of 10 attributes that are valued and promoted on a day-to-day basis, in and out of class, and that, when fostered, result in the learner who is:

Inquirer Reflective Principled Thinker Knowledgeable

Open-minded Communicator Caring Risk-taker Balanced

The IB Core

The IB Core is the center of the IB Diploma Program and is composed of 3 elements: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS). These elements provide three opportunities beyond the 6 subjects to further develop the skills described in the IB Learner profile:

Theory of Knowledge: Reflecting about the construction of human knowledge

This is a 3-semester course in which students reflect about how humanity builds its knowledge and applies it. Students will look into how theories are created and validated, and also learn to recognize the multiple perspectives that can be taken on any given subject. They will dive deep into the different areas of knowledge of our society. The reflections and understandings from the TOK course resonate with the whole curriculum and promote higher level critical thinking skills in IB learners.

Extended Essay: an introduction to academic research

This is an independent program - that is, students do not attend a class, but instead receive guidance and support through meetings with an individual supervisor. Students choose a topic of their interest and develop a specific investigation question, much in the vein of a college-level research project. This is done over a 3-semester period, with the supervisor offering guidance every step of the way. At Chapel, the EE process is directed by an EE Coordinator, who ensures each student is paired with the best possible supervisor from the area in which they intend to research and write about. The program culminates with the production of a 4.000-word research paper in response to the investigation questions the students crafted themselves. Some of the key skills that come as a byproduct of the EE are autonomy, self-regulation, problem-solving, and independent thinking.

CAS: Creativity, Activity, and Service

CAS is an independent program focused on experiential learning in the areas of sports, life experiences and projects, both individually and in teams. Students explore their interests, passions, and skills both for their own personal discovery and also to show responsibility towards their communities. In addition to completing around 150 hours of extracurricular experiences, students develop a portfolio to showcase and reflect about their experiential learning throughout 3 semesters. At Chapel, students are provided both with a CAS Coordinator, who meets with them throughout the program for guidance and support and with a CAS advisor who will help them reflect about their accomplishments and challenges. Chapel offers a number of after school clubs and sports, with no additional fee, that students can include in their CAS Program.

Courses

Students use a total of six courses for their IB diploma, of which at least three must be done at a Higher Level. They must study at least two languages and at least one course from each of the following groups: Individuals and Societies, the Sciences, and Mathematics. Students may also take Visual Arts; however, they are not required to do so. If they do not take a course in the Arts, they can take an additional course in any group.

Sciences

GROUP 1

GROUP 2

Language and Literature (Language A)

English (HL or SL)

Portuguese (HL or SL)

Spanish (HL or SL)

Language Acquisition (Language B)

French (HL or SL)

Portuguese (HL or SL)

Spanish (HL or SL)

Individuals and Societies

Geography (HL or SL)

GROUP 3

History (HL or SL)

Economics (HL or SL)

Brazilian Social Studies (SL)

World Religions (SL)

GROUP 4

GROUP 5

Biology (HL or SL)

Chemistry (HL or SL)

Physics (HL or SL)

Environmental Systems and Societies(SL or HL)

Mathematics

Analysis and approaches (HL or SL)

Application and interpretations (HL or SL)

GROUP 6

Arts and Electives

Visual Arts (HL or SL)

Computer Science (SL or HL)

“One of the most important skills that I acquired was organization. As the IB program is very challenging, and has a lot of presentations, exams, and projects, you have to plan ahead in order to be successful. Nowadays I’m able to keep track of my academic life at university, which is also very challenging, because I learned how in the IB program. Another skill is motivation because of the level of difficulty of the IB classes, and all the effort that you have to put in to be successful. Once you make it, you realize that you are able to do more than you thought you could. Now, in university, every time I face a challenge, I think to myself: I managed to pass the IB program, why wouldn’t I be able to overcome this challenge?” - Karina Oliveira Klegen. A Chapel Alumna, currently studying Medicine at UNICAMP

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of an IB education IB Program and IB Diploma?

First and foremost, by undergoing the full Diploma Program, and having to stay on track with both the courses and the core elements, students develop autonomy, selfregulation, and critical thinking skills. They learn to reflect about their choices, balance their activities, use organizational tools that will help them become successful human beings. The process of striving to stay on track has gains that go beyond academics and get into the social-emotional sphere. Besides that, developing the IB learner profile attributes through the courses and the Core (TOK, EE, CAS) makes them a wellrounded citizen.

Do Brazilian universities accept the IB Diploma in their admission processes?

An ever increasing number of Brazilian universities are accepting the IB Diploma as an alternative to the vestibular. As of now eight universities in São Paulo accept the IB Diploma and the number will continue to grow.

Are there other benefits from the IB Diploma?

Students enrolling in universities in the United States and Canada, for instance, may receive college credits for their IB achievements. Each institution has their own standards, but there have been students that have received an entire semester’s worth of credit before even setting foot in a college classroom.

Do all students have to pursue the full diploma?

As an “IB for all” school, all students take a full schedule of IB classes. However, some opt not to complete the Diploma Program while others simply choose to sit for exams in courses beneficial to their college and career plans. That being said, the vast majority of our students do opt to pursue the full diploma.

What is the difference between the full IB Diploma and the Diploma Certificates?

For each course IB students take, they sit for an exam at the end of the course. If they pass the exam, they receive a certificate for that IB course. In addition to the 6 subjects, if students complete the 3 core elements of the program (TOK, EE, and CAS) they receive a full IB Diploma instead of certificates.

How does the IB assess students?

Students are assessed through a combination of internal and external assessments. Internal assessments are assignments such as oral exams, science laboratory reports, and research papers. External assessments are the examinations students sit for at the end of the two-year program as well as other course-specific assignments.

What are the grading scales for IB subjects and what do they mean?

Every student at the end of the two years of the IB Program will receive points based on their performance in the previously mentioned assessments and will be awarded a final score out of 45 points. Students take six academic courses and are graded on a 1 through 7 scale, with a 7 representing the best performance in the subject, totaling a possible 42 points. The final 3 points are awarded based on their performance in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay, which are graded on an A through E scale, with an A being the highest score. Completion and validation of CAS hours are also required in order for students to receive the IB Diploma.

“In my first year at university I was excused from two writing subjects (Composition I and II) and a Physics laboratory thanks to credits from IB HL Language and Literature and IB Physics SL. Furthermore, with the IB I acquired very valuable life skills, such as always trying to be resourceful, being able to manage a variety of highly challenging activities at the same time, observing deadlines, and organizing tasks. Probably the most important skill was to develop a growth mindset, that is, to know that despite not being able to understand a concept, I was sure that if I tried hard, I would succeed!” - Sofia Araripe. A Chapel Alumna, University of South Florida graduate, currently working as a Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs Miami

How do IB students apply to university?

Every country and university may have different entry requirements and application processes. In essence, the IB student will apply to college in the same way as other students. The difference is in the role the IB Diploma might play in the process and the possibilities it might open. Universities worldwide recognize the IB as the golden standard of curricula. This means that for university systems that perform holistic review, while students might still have to take other exams, such as the SAT or ACT, and submit all materials requested, having an IB Diploma is in itself an indication of preparation for college. For other countries, the advantage might be knowing exactly what grade students need on each subject in the IB Diploma to make them admissible or competitive.

Does Chapel accept students in grades 11th and 12th transferring from other schools?

Students are able to transfer to Chapel after the start of the IB Program, however there are obstacles that could make a transfer impossible. Because the IB students have the ability to select their own schedule and each IB school will offer a different range of IB courses, a student may find that a course in which they are currently enrolled is not offered. Or, because teachers structure courses in ways that best fit their own students, a student transferring into Chapel may find that there are significant differences in content and assessment, making the transition between schools difficult.

Why and how does a student develop organization/self-management skills through the IB Program?

Students are assessed on the very challenging IB Program in a variety of ways and asked to explore the courses using a variety of skills. In order to keep track of everything and be successful, students have to hone their self-management skills. They must get organized, plan and establish priorities for what must be done for each aspect of the program. Students are supported in this by their teachers, coordinators, and advisors.

Why and how does a student develop resilience through the IB Program?

The rigorous content and complex format of the IB Program is daunting at first and may even cause students to wonder if they can be successful. They are expected to take challenging classes, especially the higher level ones and must calibrate the time they dedicate to each course as well as to the Core components (CAS, EE, TOK). Even though students at Chapel are gradually prepared for the IB years from Pre I onwards, they may still feel intimidated at first. With some strategic support right from the beginning of the IB years, students soon start to experience success in their endeavors which builds confidence. This process of being presented with complex tasks and then realizing that they are capable of reaching and even exceeding their own expectations will happen multiple times throughout the program. As a result, students form the connection between their dedication to work, application of strategies, and organization to the positive results they achieve. Later on, when they are faced with something challenging in university, (a big exam or a difficult decision for example), they will recall the feeling of being capable of overcoming the most difficult of challenges presented throughout IB and think: “Why wouldn’t I be able to succeed in whatever I have to face now?”

Why and How does a student develop high level thinking skills through the IB Program?

The content of the courses is challenging and in order to develop full understanding in each subject, students have plenty of practice analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating the different aspects of each topic.

What is the difference between taking an IB course at a Standard and Higher Level?

In the IB Diploma students choose a total of six courses for their IB diploma: 3 must be done at a Higher Level and 3 at the Standard Level. Standard and Higher Level courses differ in depth and amount of content. Higher level courses definitely require more student commitment and hours of study.

“The IB Program had a real impact in my life in two main aspects. The first one was the fact that during the first year at the university I already knew almost all the content in Calculus 1 because this is seen in Mathematics for the IB. The second great impact is that I can write and create presentations in a very natural way, and this helped me a lot in my academic projects at the university.” – Manuel Castañares. A Chapel Alumnus, currently studying Engineering at INSPER

We invite families who are interested in the IB program to schedule a campus visit to Chapel School. Contact us and we will be happy to talk to you in more detail.