IB World 45 Anniversary Issue by International Baccalaureate

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The magazine of the International Baccalaureate

September 2013 | Issue 68

CE L E B R AT I N G 45 Y E A R S O F I B E D U C AT I O N

The global generation Who are the learners of tomorrow – and what will we teach them?

ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Jimmy Wales • What happened to the class of 1971? • Salman Khan How the IB changed my life • The IB’s history in numbers

Here’s to another 45 years Director General Jeff Beard celebrates the IB’s impressive achievements in its 45-year history, and looks forward to another fantastic 45 years

he IB has come a long way in its brief 45-year history. It grew from humble, ambitious beginnings, when in 1968 the IBO’s four visionary founders – John Goormaghtigh, Desmond Cole-Baker, Alec Peterson and Gérard Renaud – set out to create and maintain a diploma programme for 16- to 19-yearolds that would “provide an internationally acceptable university admissions qualification suitable for the growing mobile population of young people whose parents were part of the world of diplomacy, international and multi-national organizations.” The IB now helps to educate more than 1.1 million students in 146 countries and over 3,600 IB World Schools, from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, between the ages of 3 and 19. Every single member of the extended IB family – teachers, educators, parents, students and alumnus – should feel proud to be part of the IB’s incredible accomplishments so far. Although I came to the IB from a business background, I’ve always been passionate about education – my father, wife and sister-in-law were all teachers – and, when my children studied IB programmes at Vienna International School, I was smitten.

When I step down as Director General at the end of this year, I’ll be satisfied that my focus on developing the IB’s sustainability through building its capacity and capabilities has prepared the organization for its next step. I believe the IB’s new leader will provide the direction and guidance it needs in the years to come. We will be working closely with him during the last quarter of this year to ensure a smooth handover and transition in 2014. I have witnessed first-hand how the IB’s remarkable programmes transform students into globally minded citizens. Even after leaving the IB, I will continue to be passionate about its potential to create a better world through education. I am very proud and privileged to have been given this opportunity to serve such a worthwhile cause. I wish the next Director General, and the whole IB World family, every success for the future. I look forward to admiring your achievements from afar, and to the IB’s 90th anniversary in another 45 years.

International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®

Cover credits Congratulations and a big thank you to all the IB World Schools who sent in photographs for use on our special cover. Our cover stars are from: International School of London, Surrey, UK/ Chris Pearsall Photography; Qatar Academy, Qatar; Atlanta International School, Georgia, USA/Billy Howard; Westwood High School, Texas, USA; International School of Geneva, Switzerland/Ecolint; Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Maryland, USA; Aga Khan Academies, Mombasa, Kenya/ AKDN; Nanjing School, China.

IB World Editor Cathryn Newbery Managing Editor Sarah Dyson IB Editors Teresa Connell, Janneke Versteeg Staff Writer Grace Lewis Production Editor Steph Wilkinson Designers Chris Barker, Paul Frost Amy Hanbidge Picture Editors Dominique Campbell, Jenny Quiggin Senior Account Manager Steph Allister Account Director Justine Loehry Group Art Director Martin Tullett Production Manager Keslyn Johnson Senior Editor Robert Jeffery Editorial Director Simon Kanter Managing Director, Haymarket Network Andrew Taplin Reproduction Haymarket Pre-press Printed by Wyndeham Heron, UK Published on behalf of IB by Haymarket Network, Teddington Studios, Broom Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 9BE, UK Tel +44 (0)208 267 5000 Fax +44 (0)208 267 5194

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2013. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. Every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, but neither Haymarket Network nor the International Baccalaureate can be held responsible for the accuracy of the information therein, or any consequence arising from it. Views expressed by contributors may not reflect the views of Haymarket Network or the International Baccalaureate. The advertisement of products and services does not imply endorsement by either Haymarket Network or the IB. Prices and offers are correct at time of going to press and subject to change. All offers are subject to manufacturer’s terms and conditions.

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Contents

September 2013

Features

10 GAME CHANGERS Nine visionaries tell us why and how they’re transforming education for the 21st century

22 COVER STORY LOOKING FORWARD How will global pressures and trends affect the world of education during the next 45 years – and what is the IB doing to prepare?

38 Also in this issue

26 ENDURING MEMORIES Alumni, teachers, parents, students and IB staff reflect on how the IB has changed their lives in ways they could never have predicted 31 THE FIRST WAVE We find out what happened to teachers and alumni from the 12 schools who entered the IB Diploma Programme examinations in 1971

“The whole IB experience brings out the best in each and every one of us, turning us into ethical, glo obal citizens global citizens”

5 31

Martin Stacho; Simon Rawles/Alamy; Roland Kemp/Rex Features; François Martin

4 NEWS MYP ‘The Next Chapter’ review nears completion; IB Diploma Programme graduates in big demand; milestone PYP and MYP schools celebrate 9 Q&A Outgoing Director General Jeff Beard answers your questions 20 FACTS & FIGURES Trace the IB’s global growth during its 45-year history 38 ALUMNA Solicitor Peggy Ray, one of the first IB Diploma Programme graduates, reflects on how the IB shaped her life

schools from 19 countries feature in this issue of IB World. To appear in the next issue...

email editor@ibo.org write to IB World, Haymarket Network, Teddington Studios, Broom Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 9BE, UK, call +44 (0)208 267 5114 or tweet @IBWorldmag IBWorld 3

Editor’s letter

news

In this special anniversary issue we celebrate the eﬀect the IB has had on the lives of all those who have been involved with the organization throughout its 45-year history, and look ahead to the global trends and challenges it will face as it races towards its 90th birthday.

As well as looking to the future of the IB, we’ve revisited 12 schools who entered students for the IB Diploma Programme examinations in May 1971, and spoken to people on whom the IB has had a profound impact, including our alumna (p38) Peggy Ray, who was one of the ﬁrst IB students ever to receive a diploma. Cathryn Newbery, Editor

How to subscribe You can save 75% on the cover price of IB World with a bulk subscription of 50 copies – or 16% with a single subscription costing UK£15 or US$30. To find out more, visit www.ibo.org/ibworld or call +44 (0)1795 592 981. To advertise in IB World, contact communications@ibo.org. 4 IBWorld

The Middle Years Programme is evolving. Growing demand and the need to keep up with changing technology has prompted a review of all aspects of its design

Markku Ulander/Rex Features

Our ‘game changers’ (p10) are questioning and changing the very nature of education across the world. Some seek to integrate the rapidly evolving digital world into the traditional classroom. Others aim to encourage whole generations of children to better themselves through learning. But each one has a valuable and inspirational lesson for every IB student and educator.

The beginning of a new chapter

Big changes are coming soon for MYP students, beginning September 2014

he review of the MYP is reaching its conclusion, and teaching of the new programme will begin in September 2014. Over the last four years, experts from around the world have been working with teachers from 136 pilot schools in 46 countries to revise the current MYP curriculum framework and re-shape the programme. Top-line changes will include further alignment across the IB continuum, development of a more explicitly conceptdriven curriculum, more flexibility for students to choose subjects, and innovative, optional external assessments. “These are exciting times for the IB,” says Robert Harrison, Head of MYP Development. “These innovations will better prepare MYP students for further study of IB programmes.” The Online Curriculum Centre (OCC) already features a wealth of explanatory materials, including summaries of the new curriculum developments and transition timelines. Schools have also been sent an

indication of the framework of the programme’s fees to help them plan and budget well in advance of the new curriculum’s implementation. IB World Schools can now look forward to the next stage: the pre-publication of many programme documents in December, before the final documents and teaching materials are published in July 2014. IB professional development workshops to support the new curriculum framework, including subject-specific seminars in every IB region, begin early next year. “Another important innovation is mandatory moderation of the personal project, which will begin in 2016. We will have a powerful new strategy for promoting international standards of assessment and maintaining the programme’s rigour,” explains Harrison. “Students who attend schools that only offer three or four years of the five-year MYP will also be required to complete a new community project.” Read more about MYP: The Next Chapter on page 25, or visit www.ibo.org/myp.

School report Shahid Mahdavi Educational Complex (SMEC), Tehran, Iran Founded 1990 Programmes IB Primary Years Programme Students 3-18 years Motto Growing to learn, learning to grow Website www.mahdavischool.org

Southlands commemorates PYP milestone

Canada welcomes its latest IB World Schools Staff and students celebrate as school in Vancouver and partner schools in Montréal become the 1,000th IB World Schools authorized to teach the PYP and the MYP Schools at opposite sides of Canada have been celebrating their authorizations as the 1,000th PYP and 1,000th MYP schools. Southlands Elementary School in Vancouver is the first public school in the area to offer the PYP, as well as the 1,000th IB World School authorized to teach the programme. The former Mayor of Vancouver, the school board and a local philanthropic foundation joined representatives from the IB for the official presentation, which recognized what a transformational effect this achievement will have on both the school itself and the local community. “Southlands students are already benefiting from the inquiry focus of PYP,” says Fiona Mackenzie

Stroh, PYP Coordinator at the school. “They are really enjoying being able to learn through asking questions and establish their place in a global context, rather than merely a school or city context.” Southlands Elementary is renowned for its rich cultural diversity, with roughly 19 per cent of the students coming from the surrounding First Nations community and 255 students speaking a first language other than English. “I believe that the holistic and transformative nature of the PYP is a perfect match for this remarkable school”, says Helen Barrett, Head of PYP Development at the IB. “Together we can empower children with the skills to engage and lead their own journey of learning, preparing them for success in education and beyond.” Partner schools La Dauversière and Évangéline EVLA in Montréal (pictured left), jointly became the 1,000th institution authorized to teach the MYP. Representatives from SÉBIQ, the Association of IB World Schools in Quebec and the French-speaking world, the IB Global Centre for the Americas and the Montréal School Board joined staff in celebrating the event as well as all the schools’ achievements. Read our interview with Judith Fabian on page 25 to find out more about the ongoing PYP review, and learn about the next chapter of the MYP on the opposite page.

While an Iranian school was one of few institutions to enter candidates for the IB Diploma Programme exams in 1971 (see page 35), last year the Shahid Mahdavi Educational Complex became the first PYP school in the country. The school is committed to providing a truly diverse global education to young girls living in Tehran. It also aims to focus on moving all its students towards becoming people who reflect the characteristics of the IB Learner Profile. “International-mindedness is something we really believe in,” says PYP Coordinator Fatemeh Kazemzadeh. “We try to make it part of everything we do here, in our political awareness and cultural understanding, as well as the way we communicate with students.” Staff work with parents to offer the best opportunities to every child. Learning targets are identified for each student to ensure they are working at an appropriate level. “We carefully assess every child’s development and plan with individuals in mind,” says Fatemeh. “This way we are able to meet the needs of everyone”. Students are also encouraged to think for themselves; to find out why they should learn something, how it connects to other subjects, and its significance in the real world. All are encouraged to reflect on how knowledge is constructed and applied. “The IB’s Primary Years Programme was chosen because, regardless of location, size, or make-up, an IB PYP school strives to develop an internationally minded person, and that is what we aim to achieve here at SMEC,” says Fatemeh, as the school begins the process of achieving MYP authorization.

Girls at SMEC have fun while they learn

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news IB officials and Southland students demonstrate the Learner Profile

GLOBAL ENGAGE

Build a better world for all Colegio Williams de Cuernavaca, Mexico, (pictured below) has a long history of global engagement, which it demonstrates through its strong commitment to the right of every student to access every aspect of the curriculum. The school was featured as a case study of inclusion in a recent learning story – which was written and published in Spanish – that relates how one student’s journey changed an entire community. Inclusion incorporates broader concerns that reach across the global engagement spectrum, including the promotion of sustainability, responsible

citizenship, community building and shared human values. More information about inclusion is available from organizations such as the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education. Do you know of other global engagement learning stories in your community? Please share them! Contact continuumdevelopment@ibo.org.

In brief Students celebrate IB Diploma Programme results Over 127,000 students completed more than 950,000 examination 6 IBWorld

Greenfield Community School, Dubai, UAE

How the IB community engages with global issues through inquiry, action, and critical reflection. Find resources and share your school’s story at globalengage.ibo.org

The continuum in action

Increasing numbers of schools have embraced the IBCC since its introduction in 2012. One school in Dubai went to great lengths to mark its authorization

Greenfield Community School (GCS) in Dubai celebrated in spectacular style when it became one of only a handful of schools authorized to offer all four IB programmes. “The journey to get to this stage has been challenging, exhilarating and, to be honest, hard work!” says school Principal Angela Hollington. “But to know that we have made it and are one of only five schools in the world to have continuum authorization has made it worthwhile.” GCS became an official IB World School in 2011, first adopting the IB Diploma Programme and then taking on the PYP and MYP by June 2013. The fourth addition to the school is the IB Careerrelated Certificate (IBCC), which aims to combine the IB Diploma Programme with career-related learning to prepare 16- to 19-year-olds for work. As with all good parties, there was plenty of cake at the celebratory event, but GCS also managed to capture a photo of the whole school, when more than 1,000 students and over 140 staff assembled on the field to mark out the letters ‘IBO’. “Getting that amount of people standing still in 32 degrees of heat requires a good community spirit,” says Angela. “But the real celebration is seeing the way our students understand the IB mission statement and live it every day, how being exposed to an IB education has made them better citizens of the world, whether it be the youngest

scripts – which comprised 770 papers and documents in 74 languages – as part of the May 2013 IB Diploma Programme session. Of these candidates, 78.54 per cent successfully passed the examinations with a global average score of 29.81 points. An outstanding 108 students achieved the top score of 45 points. “I would like to congratulate all

PYP student who knows about recycling, or the oldest IBCC or Diploma Programme student who can speak eloquently at a Model UN conference.” Senior leaders at the school are currently planning the students’ focus for the next academic school year, but with a vast programme of learning to accommodate, everyone is excited to get stuck into achieving high standards of teaching and developing leadership among the students across all four programmes. “We will continue to deepen the understanding and the practice of the IB mission statement in Greenfield Community School,” Angela says. “But maybe we’ll wait until the winter months before we take the next whole-school picture!”

GCS celebrates with cake

students on their great achievements,” said Jeff Beard, Director General of the International Baccalaureate. “Today’s IB Diploma Programme graduates can be confident that they possess the skills needed to excel in an increasingly international world, with students uniquely poised for success both at university and beyond.”

Learner Profile starts a new cycle A continuum-wide review of the IB’s Learner Profile, the first in its 15-year history, is now complete. Focus groups from around the globe, as well as approximately 6,000 respondents to an online survey, helped with this review of one of the IB’s foundational documents. Changes to the Learner Profile, which

Q&A

Alumni increasingly in demand

Ross Wright, teacher and HL physics examiner, The Kilmore International School (TKIS), Melbourne, Australia

International School of London brings teachers and corporate speakers together to discuss the future of Diploma Programme graduates in the world of work

Tell us about your career. I’ve had a somewhat ‘globetrotting’ career. After graduating, I initially worked in Australia, before teaching at the International School Brunei for three years. I then worked at Dulwich International College in Phuket, Thailand, for seven years – during which time I became an IB HL Physics examiner – before moving to The Kilmore International School (TKIS) in Melbourne. I spent a happy four years there, then worked at the International School Suva, in Fiji, for three years. I then returned to TKIS, where I am now the year 9 and 10 IB coordinator and teach HL and SL physics and mathematics.

What’s your proudest moment? I take great pride in my students’ results. One year, of my 10 HL physics students, six scored 7s, two scored 6s and two scored 5s. I was most proud of the two who achieved 5s; they were real battlers and gave everything they had to achieve that great result. What was your biggest teaching disaster? I haven’t had too many disasters, but there have been plenty of very ‘ordinary’ lessons that I’m very thankful weren’t watched by anyone else. I’ve also done a number of physics demonstrations that didn’t go to plan – but that’s physics all over. What is the biggest change you’ve noticed in your time as a teacher? Technology means more experiments can be demonstrated in class and done by students themselves. And the range of online resources – such as YouTube clips – that show scientific phenomena is amazing. What are your main teaching challenges? Because I work in international schools, I find that I am very much an English teacher as well as a physics and mathematics teacher. It’s a challenge to get the students to see the links between words and understand concepts rather than just memorize them.

have to be implemented by 1 January 2014, include the choice for schools to replace the attribute ‘Risk-taker’ with ‘Courageous’, and to include the word ‘spiritual’ in the description of ‘Balanced.’ The revised Learner Profile was launched to the IB community in July. Find out more about the new elements online and read the full report on the OCC at occ.ibo.org.

Chris Pearsall Photography/ISL Surrey

What’s the best part of your job? I love working with young people and influencing their lives. I love that this job has given me so many opportunities to live and work in exotic locations, and to become part of the community in these countries.

How can you help businesses understand the value of an IB Diploma Programme education? International School of London (ISL) Group’s answer was to bring together business and education leaders to discuss the topic openly, at an event co-hosted by Families in Global Transition (FIGT) UK. Representatives from the corporate sphere discussed with head teachers from across the UK what attributes they are looking for in potential employees and what skills will be in demand in the future, noting that the required qualities are closely aligned with those of the IB Learner Profile. “You can pretty much take the IB Diploma Programme and put it into the corporate world,”

Diploma Programme a good grounding for work

says Kimberly Blasingame, Regional HR Manager for the Europe Division of the American Bureau of Shipping. “I want someone who’s done well academically, but I also want someone who has been on a sports team, has done some community service and gets on with people from different cultures because they’re going to need to think and work as a team, and fit into our diverse and global corporate community.” Paul Morris, IB Coordinator and Deputy Head of ISL, notes that it’s not just potential employers who are attracted by Diploma Programme graduates – they are also gaining increasing recognition from the best Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). “UK universities like the IB because the students are well-rounded, independent learners and good critical thinkers,” he says. “They are impressed by the consistency of grading, and feel that the extended essay prepares students for university-level study.” Figures suggest that 44.2 per cent of all Diploma Programme graduates attend the top HEIs, compared with 20 per cent of A-Level students. ISL’s event has shown that students who complete the Diploma Programme are already one step ahead of the corporate game by the time they leave school.

Access agenda developing apace Senior management working hard to make the IB’s programmes more inclusive The IB always strives to be at the forefront of international education and create a diverse global community of students, teachers and alumni. But senior managers are redoubling their efforts to enable access to an IB education regardless of students’ circumstances, and build a sustainable, responsible and efficient organization that’s ready for whatever the future holds. “Our access agenda is showing real growth potential,” says Dr Susan Saxton, Chief Strategy and Development Officer. “We are working with the governments of Malaysia, Japan and Ecuador to introduce opportunities for state-school students to benefit from an IB education. Initiatives include teacher development, language and

Geneva office refurbishment The IB Foundation Office in Geneva celebrated the opening of its refurbished building this summer. Forty-five years after its creation in Geneva in 1968, the IB now has Global Centres across the world to support over 3,500 schools in 145 countries. The IB Foundation Office remains central to the organization

consultancy services, and authorizing more schools to offer the four IB programmes. “We are also exploring the concept of Open World Schools, where students who would otherwise be unable to benefit from an IB education can take IB Diploma Programme courses online. “The world is changing rapidly, and there are big opportunities for us to benefit from these shifts in the education environment,” she says. “We’re about to embark upon developing a new strategic plan that will help us continue to work towards our mission to create a better, more peaceful world through education.” Read more about the IB’s plans for tackling the challenges of the future on page 25. and is the global hub for support functions such as legal, intellectual property, tax and governance. Jeff Beard and former Director General, George Walker, were on hand to receive the commemorative plaque at the official opening and guests were treated to a tour of the new-look building, which features a timeline of the IB (pictured left). IBWorld 7

Q&A

“Widening access to an IB education is a crucial part of our strategy” Outgoing Director General Jeff Beard answers your questions on a range of subjects, from the IB’s environmental credentials to competition from other education systems. Thanks to all who wrote in Q What has been the effect of the introduction of the IBCC? A The IBCC is a fantastic programme and is a great addition to our offerings. It enables students to focus on studies that relate directly to their chosen careers, and develop problemsolving, ethical and critical-thinking skills that will benefit them in the future, whether they choose to go into higher education or to go straight into the workplace.

Martin Stacho

Q Do you worry about rival programmes that share similar values to the IB, or do you welcome their establishment? A I welcome their involvement. It keeps us on our toes, because we can learn from the effective practices of others. We will never be able to satisfy all students’ needs, so we welcome high-quality and good value alternatives. It’s a compliment when others emulate us, because we know that what we do works for students.

be extremely valuable to our schools. I was also delighted with the introduction of the IBCC, which offers a new, more vocational approach to learning for our students. Q Does the IB intend to incorporate meaningful community service into all four programmes? A Community service is already a central part of our programmes. Recent reviews of the MYP and the IB Diploma Programme’s CAS element have resulted in better alignment and a greater emphasis on service learning. The PYP’s concept of service is slightly different, although the current review explores action as one of the five essential elements of learning.

“Two out of every three new schools authorized to offer IB programmes are state or public schools”

Q What is the IB doing to consolidate and sustain its growth in India? A We have bright hopes for India; it is our fifthlargest area, with 103 schools, and our presence is growing all the time. But it only has 11 MYP schools at the moment, so we expect this area to grow significantly. The change in the mandatory exam requirements for 16-year-olds in India opens the door for more schools to adopt the MYP, especially after the launch of the new eAssessment. There are still problems with universities recognizing the IB Diploma Programme because they require exam results to be submitted by the end of June, and the IB is not in a position to certify its results until the first week in July. We hope that more universities will follow the lead of Mumbai University and accept predicted grades.

Q What can IB World Schools do to help UNESCO reach its aim of ‘education for all’ by 2015? A Widening access to an IB education is a key part of our strategy. IB programmes are being taught in more than 140 countries worldwide, which is helping to improve access to education on a global scale.

Q Are the IB programmes accessible enough for children from all backgrounds? A More state and public schools already offer our programmes than private and international schools. Two out of every three new schools authorized to offer an IB

Q Of which IB initiative are you proudest? A It’s hard to pick just one because they are impressive in their own right. I am particularly proud of our complete re-working of the MYP, which will contain an optional summative eAssessment that is unique in its field and will

programme is a state or public school. The PYP and MYP are very inclusive, and the launch of the IBCC means we now offer more options for 17- to 19-year-olds.

Q What have been the greatest challenges you’ve faced when implementing your plans to change the IB? A The greatest challenge was internal; many people believed that, because we were growing, there was no need to change. But the feedback from schools and stakeholders was consistent. We needed to be more adaptive and focused on external stakeholders and their needs. The continued support of the IB Board of Governors really helped to smooth the process. Q Does the IB do enough to protect the environment? A The IB has a social responsibility policy, and each of our offices has an environmental stewardship plan that contributes to helping the environment and local community. We have also cut back on air travel by using video and audio conferencing to help staff stay connected without needing to travel. Q Tell us, in just 150 characters, where you see the IB being in 10 years. A Using just 150 characters is difficult, especially with the many developments currently underway at the IB, but I’ll give it a go: in 10 years there will be 10,000 IB World Schools. The IB will have a greater impact in the tertiary market, and use integrated technology to support teaching and learning.

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visionaries

The game changers We spoke to nine visionaries who are revolutionizing the world of learning. From embracing the digital future to providing the basics that disadvantaged children need to attend school, each one is striving to help every child get a 21st-century education

JIMMY WALES

CO-FOUNDER OF WIKIPEDIA AND THE WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION, USA

welve years, and 30 million articles (and counting) in 286 languages after its launch, the Wikipedia website is one of the most prominent and influential learning channels anywhere in the world. It started with a single, stark vision of co-founder Jimmy Wales: “Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge.” “That original vision has always remained complete,” says Wales, whose first web project, Nupedia – an encyclopedia of free, expert-written content – launched in 2001. “This is not something we expanded into; it is where we always wanted to be. And that’s why it became successful so quickly, because this grand big vision really excited people.” Wikipedia revolutionized online

10 IBWorld

learning and continues to dominate the sector, taking millions of visitors each month down its ‘rabbit-hole’ of links to discover new ideas, places, people and information. No homework assignment is complete without a visit to the site, and while many teachers will see its ubiquity as a double-edged sword, its role in advancing the sum of human knowledge is beyond doubt. This site is possible thanks to the support of a dedicated, well-informed community; a model that schools can seek to emulate through their own online knowledge sharing. “We do have some staff,” says Wales, “but in terms of writing entries, it’s volunteers of all kinds who get involved, ranging from young people who get very interested in a topic and find that they have something to contribute, all the way to retired academics who still want to be a part of the intellectual community.” But Wales – who taught at Auburn and Indiana Universities while studying for a PhD (which he never finished) – believes there’s much more to education than the “old-fashioned” teaching of facts by rote. “It has become more important than ever that we teach students how to do research,

and how to evaluate different sources of information,” he says. “An enormous amount of learning goes on outside the formal framework, and kids learn more on their own than they do in school – that is really quite a critical observation; it makes a big difference.” While the Wikimedia Foundation’s Wikibooks project is working to write free textbooks and educational resources for students in deprived areas, Wales agrees that the lack of access to the internet is now the biggest barrier to study. “But that is changing incredibly quickly, faster than most people realize. It’s only a matter of time until internet access is as ubiquitous as television and radio. It’s going to bring around a huge number of social changes that are going to be quite amazing.” And the beauty of the online world, he believes, is that absolutely anyone can get involved and make a difference. “We are still in a very early stage of the internet. I think we are still very much in a time where a small group of people can build something really big and popular, and it’s easier than ever to get started because a lot of the old barriers to entry have become a lot cheaper.”

Roland Kemp/Rex Features

Walesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wikipedia may divide opinion but the success of its knowledge-sharing mission is not in doubt

visionaries

SALMAN KHAN

FOUNDER OF THE KHAN ACADEMY, USA

alman Khan has big ambitions; not content with establishing a not-for-profit online ‘school’ – the Khan Academy – that can boast more than six million unique users a month, he wants to revolutionize the way students are taught in classrooms too. At the moment, says Khan, “the time [in classrooms] is fixed, and the outcome is variable. I think this model will change to a competencybased system where it’s much more about the outcome, and the level of mastery you attain – making the time in the seat variable. “The nature of the classroom itself will change too; it’s not going to be based on a lecture anymore,” he says. “It’s not going to be a passive model of sitting in seats and taking notes, a model where the whole class is together on the same page. It’ll be a model where students go to achieve their goals, with the help of their mentors and peers. Education is about teachers using all of their time to talk and guide, and form connections with students.”

Central to this seismic shift, Khan believes, is using technology to understand what students know and what they need to learn next. His Khan Academy software platform, which has grown from a spare-room project to a Microsoft- and Googleendorsed venture and has been lauded in TED talks and among educational commentators across the globe, is already well on the path to achieving that goal. “It’s a platform that gives you some questions, understands where you are and, based on that, uses pretty fancy learning science to advise you on your path. It can also give feedback about students’ progress to their teachers and parents,” he explains. The Khan Academy is already part of the educational establishment, but its founder believes its possibilities are limitless: “About a year ago, I got a video from a girl in Mongolia. I assumed she was at least middle class, since she speaks English so well and has access to the internet. But a group of volunteers from Silicon Valley had set up computer labs in orphanages; she was an orphan. And now she’s our number one creator of content in the Mongolian language. It’s kind of like a movie that an orphan in Mongolia might become the future for her people.”

Richardson tackles inequality and prejudice head on

ROBIN RICHARDSON

SPECIALIST IN EDUCATION EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY, UK

Robyn Twomey/Corbis Outline

“Teaching won’t be based on passive lectures anymore”

The Khan Academy frees up teachers to make connections with their students

ll children must be viewed equally when they step through the classroom door. But in a world where religious tensions pull at the fabric of societies, Robin Richardson, a leading British thinker on global education, says there is still a lot of work to do. Religious intolerance, argues Richardson, “is still a problem, more than ever”, with Islamophobia a particular concern. Richardson works with educators to tackle prejudice in education and, in 1997, he worked with the Runnymede Trust, a UK think tank, to publish a report about anti-Muslim prejudice that rose to prominence following the series of international events triggered by the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September, 2001. “We didn’t predict – no one could – what would happen; 9/11 happened, [the London bombings of] 7/7, the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq – all sorts of things beyond our control.” “The common-sense view of combating anti-Muslim prejudices and views is that we must teach more about Islam, and then it would be alright,” says Richardson. “Common sense is common, but it’s also often inadequate – and, if we want to teach about Islamophobia, we must teach about Islamophobia, not about Islam. Teaching about Islamophobia will include teaching about Islam, but it certainly won’t be limited to that, and that’s not the main priority.” Richardson suggests tackling this by making sure children are “learning experientially, as well as intellectually or cognitively, and learning together”: concepts that are already key components of the IB’s programmes.

Alena Soboleva

Mahboob’s projects allow girls to make contact with peers abroad b d without ith t meeting ti disapproval at home

ROYA MAHBOOB

FOUNDER OF THE AFGHAN CITADEL SOFTWARE COMPANY

oya Mahboob and her – mostly female – team of IT consultants are doing more than breaking down gender barriers to education in Afghanistan, they’re pioneering new learning techniques that have yet to become mainstream, even in more developed nations. “Our vision of education is a direct connection between the educational institution and the world of digital media and professional services, such as blogging, social media, filmmaking and software development,” she says. Mahboob draws on her own experience of “the incredible power of social media and IT” for inspiration. “I thought that I could apply this to Afghan women to empower them to change their life,” she says. “Education is free and open to everybody, but it still depends on society and family traditions, and whether or not families will allow their daughters to continue their studies,” Roya continues. “Supporters of traditional society and culture believe that education isn’t a good idea for women.” Mahboob is planning to build 40 internet-enabled classrooms across Afghanistan that will allow thousands of female students to learn together and connect with one another. Access to the web is complemented by Mahboob’s online channel, Women’s Annex, a multilingual blog and video site, and Examer, an interactive learning website. “Female students can develop professional skills and generate revenue to support their families – while still respecting local traditions – so they can change the culture and improve Afghanistan’s economy.” The democratic and international nature of technology means that Mahboob’s ideas and dreams could reach far beyond her country’s borders. “The most important factor is to allow students to access the internet so they can develop their ideas with the support of young people from all over the world.” IBWorld 13

G. L. Kohuth/Michigan State University Board of Trustees/Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project

visionaries

TWESIGYE JACKSON KAGURI

FOUNDER OF THE NYAKA AIDS ORPHAN PROJECT, UGANDA

“

etting an education is the only way to break the cycle of poverty and deprivation,” says Twesigye Jackson Kaguri, who returned to his native Uganda to help AIDS orphans do just that. Kaguri, the youngest of five children, pestered his father to send him to school. “My siblings were already in school when I was four years old,” he recalls. “I remember sneaking out of the house to find out where they were going every morning – this happened for about a month, but every time, my Dad would catch me and say: ‘No you can’t go, you are too young to go to school’.” Eventually “he said: ‘I will pay for you to go to school tomorrow if you promise never to fail an exam’. So that was my incentive; I wanted to do well in school, because my Dad would not let me go back if I didn’t.” For many families, says Kaguri, “education becomes an investment for the whole community – an investment in human capital, for the

14 IBWorld

parents’ retirement, healthcare and social security. They put everything into their children’s education, hoping and wishing that when they graduate from university, the children will come back to the village to care for them.” Tragically, Kaguri’s brother and sister both died of HIV/AIDS, leaving behind four children who needed to be looked after. Having moved to New York in the early 1990s to take up a post as a visiting scholar at Columbia University, Kaguri was the children’s only hope: “If it wasn’t for me, an uncle who is still living and working, my brother’s children would never have got an education.” This inspired him to establish the Nyaka AIDS Orphan Project in 2001, which seeks to remove the barriers to education faced by HIV/ AIDS orphans, such as poor nutrition, health and financial support. “My dad had one pencil and split it into five so my siblings and I each had a pencil and a means to educate ourselves,” says Kaguri. “In my village now, a child will still drop out of school because they can’t afford a fifth of a pencil.” The project provides students with uniforms, school supplies, medical care, good food and clean drinking water, and works closely

Kaguri believes education can be an investment for the future of communities

with their surviving relatives. “The grandmothers who carried me on their backs when I was sick, when I fell out of a tree at nine years old, and the grandmothers that carried me for three-and-a-half miles to the nearest hospital are the same grandmothers who come to me with their orphaned grandchildren, wanting the best for them but unable to provide it.” The project aided nearly 7,000 mukaakas – grandmothers of orphans and students – in 2012 by providing micro-financing, agricultural equipment and grants for houses and home improvements. Student numbers also rose last year to nearly 600 children; more than 95 per cent of whom have no living parents. Kaguri dreams of growing the project into the rest of Uganda and Africa; his short-term plans are to introduce vocational classes, provide boarding facilities and to build a solar-powered technology centre. “God has given me so much, and for me to be able to give someone else that opportunity – there is nothing more fulfilling than that,” says Kaguri. “I want all the students to be miniJacksons one day, to travel all over the world and become successful, but never forget where they come from.”

SUGATA MITRA

CREATOR OF THE HOLE IN THE WALL PROJECT AND 2013 TED PRIZE WINNER FOR THE SCHOOL IN THE CLOUD, INDIA

traditional lecture is the equivalent of invasive surgery,” says the occasionally controversial Sugata Mitra, who has made his name researching student-led learning. In such lectures, he argues, “you are literally opening up the brain and inserting things and ideas inside it.” Mitra is an advocate of what he dubs ‘minimally invasive education’, which takes a radically different approach: “[It] says, ‘you know your brain can work everything out, if I just tell you an interesting problem and if you agree this problem is interesting, you will want to find out the answer’.” His research into unsupervised learning began in 1999 with the first Hole in the Wall project: a hole was carved into a wall in a New Delhi slum, and a computer was installed in it. Children were given no instruction, but quickly learnt how to use the computer and internet. The project has now spread to 23 rural locations in India, and to Cambodia. “Kids taught each other how to use the mouse and browse the internet.” he says. “Education should be a group exercise with children, peers, teachers and families working together to understand the world.” Mitra believes that education is overdue a substantial shift in learning practices. “We need to take a look at the whole thing. Take out the outdated methods and replace them with new ones that are appropriate to the times we are living in. It’s not a broken system, it’s very successful – it’s highly structured and has proven methods of results – but it needs to be brought up to date and we need to take advantage of modern-day methods. The IB is a glowing example of a system that has managed to wriggle out of the old model as much as possible.” So how can teachers start this revolution? “Don’t struggle against the system, but alter things quietly,” he says. “If enough people do that, then one day the system will change.”

Newcastle University

“

“We need teaching methods that are appropriate to the times we are living in”

MYP students will soon have the option to study six subjects rather than eightEhenda im qui nos es eiciis ut quam iscipsunt quat.

IBWorld 15

visionaries

LIN KOBAYASHI

FOUNDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ASIA, KARUIZAWA (ISAK), JAPAN

E British Council Singapore

very teacher hopes his or her students will go on to do great things, but few go as far as founding a new school with the explicit aim of “educating the next group of international leaders for Japan, Asia and beyond.” But this is Lin Kobayashi’s mission for the International School of Asia, Karuizawa (ISAK), which will open its doors in 2014 to 50 Japanese and international students who will study the IB Diploma Programme. “No one else has really been able to start a school from scratch in Japan,” she says. “There are about 70 co-founders of the school, mainly aged in their 30s and 40s – young, successful people – who are really eager to change and to reform the education system in Japan.” Kobayashi came to cherish the values of international schools when she was an IB Diploma Programme student in Canada. “I owe who I am today to those two years,” she says. “It trained me to think critically and always look at different perspectives.” “I also did a lot of volunteering, which made me think and appreciate true diversity. And because the school I was at was part of the United World Colleges (UWC) movement (ISAK is also aiming to become a UWC), I got

IAN GILBERT

FOUNDER OF INDEPENDENT THINKING LTD, UK Gilbert’s overriding ambition is to get children thinking for themselves

“Listening to other people is more important than presentation skills”

Shingo Ito/AFP/Getty Images

an Gilbert doesn’t want to prescribe changes or actions. “The last thing I want to do is tell students and teachers what to do or how to do it,” he says. “All I can do is get you to ask the right questions and give you some ideas, as, but it is the educator’s job to make ke learning happen.” Gilbert’s organization, Independent Thinking Ltd, was founded more than 20 years ago to give education innovators a global platform to share their ideas. His aim is to get children to think for themselves, rather than regurgitate the messages relayed to them in class, and he encourages educators to prompt this type of learning with a series of techniques including asking ‘Thunks’; beguilingly simple-looking questions about everyday things, that help them look at the world in a new light. “You can use the same question to teach a child of five as you would a 13-year-old,” Gilbert says. “The question, ‘is it right to bully a bully?’ is the same across the board, but the reaction and answers might be very different dependent on the age, culture or experience of the student.” Education in the future might make more extensive use of technology and online courses, but Gilbert says this is no substitute for a brilliant teacher: “We need great educationalists who will motivate and encourage – we can’t just sit kids in front of a computer and expect them to learn. We need to teach kids to think for themselves, fire off questions in class and totally change their outlooks.”

close to students from Mexico who were on full scholarships, and who I visited during the summer break. That was a life-changing experience for me, and really taught me how fortunate I was to go to school.” Despite being an international, privately funded school, ISAK plans to have a diverse student population: “We’ll hopefully provide scholarships to 30 or 40 per cent of our student body, which will ensure socioeconomic diversity as well as national and cultural diversity.” Living on-site in small dormitories, ISAK’s students will be “required to self-govern their house. That of course creates a lot of chaos,” acknowledges Kobayashi, “but that’s part of it – they need to learn how to run a house with students who have different values and backgrounds. That in itself is a huge learning process.” The school aims to take what it calls an “holistic” approach to education, combining the IB Diploma Programme with an outdoor education – where “anything can happen” – as well as an emphasis on the “importance of self-awareness and respect for others”, the confidence to take risks and the ability to set agendas. “In an Asian context, leadership is about being a good listener,” says Kobayashi. “Asia is very diverse; we have so many cultures, so many religious and historical backgrounds. Listening to other people and embracing diversity is a critical part of leadership, and is much more important than talking or presentation skills.”

Kobayashi is looking forward to welcoming ISAK’s first students in 2014

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visionaries

“I want to show children the importance of education”

PONHEARY LY

FOUNDER OF THE PONHEARY LY FOUNDATION (PLF), CAMBODIA

onheary Ly works tirelessly to give Cambodian children the stable and solid start to life that she was denied. As a young girl, her father – a teacher – and several other members of her family were murdered during the brutal rule of Pol Pot in her native Cambodia, during which around 1.4 million people were executed in one of the worst genocides in human history. Today, her namesake foundation helps children get an education that puts them on the path out of poverty and gives them the skills to shape their country’s future. “The kids in Cambodia are very smart, but many of them don’t have the chance to go to school,” says Ly. “I wanted to help them because in many cases their parents don’t understand the value of education. “My father was a teacher, and I

used [my education] to start my life again. I kept studying, and used this to build my family life. I want to show children the importance of education and encourage them to go to school.” The Cambodian government has built a network of state schools, but parents often don’t encourage their children to attend. “The parents don’t understand about education, about school,” explains Ly. “Their children go to school or they don’t go to school, they don’t mind.” The Ponheary Ly Foundation supports students by providing school supplies, such as textbooks and uniforms, and by making school an environment that children want to be in. “[We] make the school the place where they can play, they can eat, they can be safe from violence in the home,” says Ly. “They love school, and when they want to be in a lovely place like that, to go to classes and listen to the teachers, they get the knowledge that is vital to their future.” Children who complete primary school and live far away from their nearest secondary school are given bicycles, so they can travel to class

Ponheary Ly and her colleagues are working to improve education for the children of rural Cambodia

and continue their education. The foundation also provides practical support in the form of medical care – funding on-site nurses in schools and paying for hospital visits if necessary – and nutritious meals, as well as teaching training. Although the foundation can only touch the lives of a small fraction of Cambodia’s children – it’s currently working with 2,500 students – Ly’s quest continues to be driven by the overwhelmingly positive outcomes of her programmes. “My work makes me very proud, when I talk about the students who finish high school and get good jobs,” she says. “Before we helped them, they never expected to go so far. “I think about the children’s future a lot; about them building their own families and communities, and things improving thanks to education. The more they study, the better lives they will be able to lead,” says Ly. “My hope is that education can help our people to rebuild the country and, ultimately, the whole world. It will take a long time, so we have to be patient.” IBWorld 19

IB facts and figures

The big numbers

3,631

IB around the world

Top 10 countries by numbers of IB World Schools

Schools the IB currently works with around the world*

The number of schools that already offer the IBCC, after its introduction in September 2012

330

1,116,000

Canada

The number of students with access to the four IB programmes

57,000

150

156

Teachers trained by the IB in 2012

1,438

1,034,665

United states of america

The number of student scripts submitted for examination in 2012 - 79 percent were marked electronically

2,000

IB World School in the Americas was authorized in April 2012

800

374

Key total DP total MYP total PYP

Mexico 60

The IB in numbers

477

It provides education for more than a million students in 146 countries. How did the IB come so far from humble beginnings? It’s all in the numbers…

ecuador

the history of the IB Where the IB started and how it has developed over the last 45 years

*All figures correct as at 31 July 2013

1968

1980

The Diploma Recognition Programme was From the early 1980s, created by the Diploma teachers at the Programme has been International accepted by major School of Geneva universities

DID YOU KNOW?

32,000

The number of graduates to have joined the IB’s official alumni network. There are now more than a million IB alumni

5,500

600

Anticipated participants in the IB’s online workshops in 2013

175

3,734

Total number of students who Members of the IB Educator represented 49 countries at Network (IBEN) in classrooms and 2012’s World Student schools around the world Conferences

China

United Kingdom

Germany

63 89

programmes in depth Since 1994 the number of MYP schools has grown to

1,011

Middle YEARS PROGRAMME

1994

283 The Middle Years IB World Programme (MYP) Schools in was created for 53 countries students aged 11 to 16

% increase, July 2012 July 2013

2,453 Authorized schools since 1968

1997

The PYP was created for students aged 3 to 12

india

ONE-YEAR GROWTH BY PROGRAMME

d PRO iplo ma GRAMME

EARS YY IMAR PR ROGRAMME P

Increase in schools over the last five years

1990

154%

103

Spain 168

FIVE-YEAR GROWTH BY PROGRAMME % increase, July 2008 July 2013

2,453

47%

154% 91%

14% 10% 1,062

1,011

935

923

2,330

418

529

1,674

PYP

MYP

PYP

MYP

2000

150 Australia

2008

946 28 October 2008 IB World marks 40 years Schools in 100 since the official countries founding of the IB in 1968

2012

Authorization of 2,000th school to offer the Diploma Programme

2013

IBCC One thousandth programme PYP and MYP goes schools mainstream authorized after successful 2011 pilot IBworld 21

the next 45 years

THE NEXT

45 YEARS I

nternational education has always been a patchwork. Models and requirements are different, depending on where in the world you are. But now, more than ever, education systems and institutions have something very much in common: change. The changes that have taken place in education over the last 65 years have been described by Fernando Reimer, Director of International Education Policy at Harvard University, as “the most significant transformation that humanity has experienced.” At the end of World War II, most children around the world did not have the opportunity to set foot in a school. Today, the reverse is true. “That’s a huge advancement,” says Reimer. “That this is happening in poor countries and rich countries gives us tremendous opportunities.” Who can predict how far education will have changed when the IB celebrates its 90th anniversary in 45 years? New technology is changing the way that knowledge is communicated in an evolution that promises

22 IBWorld

to vastly expand, and lower the cost of, learning. More people than ever have access to all levels of education, which has become definitively global in a time when boundaries are blurring. Academic credentials are becoming easier to transfer, making education far more mobile. Governments are recognizing the essential connection between education and economic development. But alongside these opportunities are, undoubtedly, many challenges. Some are already beginning to affect education systems around the world, and some will rear their heads in the medium and longer terms. A fixation on standardized examinations in primary and secondary education has already forced some schools to teach to the tests by emphasizing memorization at the expense of problem solving. Educators are finding themselves caught between new and traditional methods of learning. In many countries, just as education has become available to more people – and even though governments have recognized its urgency –

Simon Rawles, Matthew Oldfield/Alamy; MARK/epa/Corbis; Ville Myllynen/Rex Features

Jon Marcus, writer for The Times’ TES magazine and contributor to The Boston Globe and Washington Monthly, looks at the challenges facing international education over the next 45 years

cover story One in three of the 1.2 billion people in India is under 14

MYP students will soon have the option to study six subjects rather than eight

Finland consistently comes top in world rankings of education systems

The number of students in sub-Saharan Africa who start school late is increasing

Photography: Larry Ford

58 per cent of students in China make it to secondary school, where classrooms have an average of 38 pupils

the next 45 years it has fallen victim to austerity measures. While the opportunity for an education is being extended to an unprecedented number of children, attendance and graduation rates for primary and secondary school students vary widely. And, in many parts of the world, the growing demand for higher education has outstripped the ability to provide it. “Public institutions simply don’t have the capacity, no matter how much money they’re given.You can build a building in 18 months, but you can’t build a faculty in 18 months,” says Allan Goodman, CEO and President of the Institute of International Education.That raises quality concerns, he says. The quality and suitability of existing curricula to prepare students for the rapidly changing world is also being called into question. Standardized testing has, argues Reimer, led to an approach that is “absolutely 20th-century” because it neglects crucial areas such as goal setting, self-directed learning, planning for the long term and reflecting on and learning from experiences. For many, a 21st-century education means making better use of new technology, and shifting to teaching students online. This has the potential to vastly expand access to, and bring down the cost of, education. Learning outside the conventional classroom is not entirely new. Distance learning courses and ‘open’ universities are long established. But advances in technology have widened the potential of distance

Primary education lasts just three or four years in Russia

University enrollments in Brazil have more than doubled over the last 10 years

Educators are increasingly finding themselves caught between new and traditional methods of learning learning and its ability to reach even into the lowest grades. No- and low-cost international startups were among the first to collect free online courses and assemble them into programmes of study, and now the world’s top universities – some of which initially resisted the free-course movement – are diving into the fray with massively open online courses (MOOCs), which can serve tens of thousands of students at a time. And while the effectiveness of online learning has yet to be thoroughly researched – and it is unlikely to remain free as providers figure out ways to charge for assessment tests and other services – it’s already changing and internationalizing education radically. It is impossible to predict exactly what education will look like when the IB turns 90 in 2058. Perhaps classrooms will be a thing of the past, replaced by online learning in the home. Countries that are lagging behind in the education stakes right now might overtake traditional leaders to be at the forefront of learning development. Only one thing is for sure – the world of international education won’t have stood still. 24 IBWorld

Children in Chile spend more than 1,000 hours a year in school

Children in India listen to stories read online by ‘Skype grannies’ based in England

Facing the future

Caro, David R. Frazier Photolibrary/Alamy; Claudio Santana/AFP/Getty Images; Niklas Halle’n/Barcroft India/Getty Images IB; Shutterstock

Three senior members of the IB team explain how the organization is planning for the coming years Dr Siva Kumari Chief Operating Officer, IB Schools Division We are working to become better partners for our schools as they implement IB programmes. Until now, our services have focused on supporting schools’ transition from candidacy to authorization, with evaluations every few years. But schools are asking us to provide more services along the way. We are currently investigating ways to help and I hope we will be able to offer a wide range of new services to our schools in the future. What could those services look like? We will pay closer attention to the ongoing evaluation of IB World Schools; we want to make sure our stakeholders – coordinators, teachers, and heads of schools – understand how to gain value from IB programmes every year, and how IB programmes contribute to and enhance schools’ own aims for improvement. These services will be important as our programmes gain recognition worldwide. We are working with governments in Malaysia, Japan, Spain, Ecuador and Chicago, USA, to implement the IB programmes on a wide scale. This is a significant evolution for the IB, but one that we have to go about carefully and deliberately; we want to ensure that these systems are able to adopt the IB at a reasonable pace and in a way that benefits the most students and teachers. I relish the opportunity to continue to learn from implementing the IB programmes in international schools, and we should never lose sight of their importance. But it is great to see how our philosophy can be accessed by many more students when national systems adopt an international education. It is very exciting to see a country like Japan want to introduce and implement our programmes. The IB will continue to make a significant contribution to the field of international education over the coming years. We are investing heavily in independent academic research; in the next five years or so, I am hoping studies will grow exponentially as the reports we commission give researchers the opportunity to look into further academic questions, and build on the research that is out there. This research will, in turn, enable the IB to better inform decision-makers about our programmes. We also need to continue to increase universities’ awareness of the IB. We have already started working with universities more closely, through our World Student Conferences and teacher-education programmes. We have worked purposefully to increase participation from universities in our conferences and will continue to work to ensure that they recognize the value of an IB student.

Carolyn Adams Judith Fabian Chief Assessment Chief Academic Officer Concept-based teaching Officer and learning, and more Since 2009, we have revolutionized the way flexible approaches to our examiners mark learning generally, will be candidates’ work. Less hugely important topics in than four years after the education over the next transition started, nearly few years. The IB has a all examination scripts are marked onscreen via significant contribution to make to this debate. a system known as eMarking. Additionally, we Concept-based education focuses on big ideas, on helping students to understand why something are working towards enabling all candidates’ coursework to be uploaded digitally so that too is important, and how to connect ideas across disciplines. This has always been a major part of the can be marked or moderated onscreen. This system of marking enables examiners to mark in PYP, and is being strengthened in the MYP, IB any secure location and we can more easily Diploma Programme and IBCC. There will also be a manage the flow of work and ensure that much greater focus on how students learn, with marking is reliable. Approaches to Learning adopted as a key However, such progressive steps are not component in all four programmes. This will help without their challenges. In May 2013, we students to become successful learners not only in introduced electronic coursework submission IB programmes, but in their lives after school. for visual arts, which unfortunately proved to Big changes are coming to the MYP in 2014 be a challenging experience for many schools. (read page 4 for more). As well as concept-based Following a survey sent to schools, more than teaching and learning, and strengthening the 500 teachers and coordinators have volunteered programme’s international dimension, we are to participate in a support group formed to help introducing optional, external eAssessments. This innovation will help us achieve greater recognition us improve the system for uploading visual arts work. We intend to implement whatever of the programme in different parts of the world. improvements are possible before the The PYP is undergoing a review that aims to November 2013 examination session, followed build on its existing strengths, increase access for by more substantial improvements ahead of schools and provide the best possible educational the May 2014 session. experience for current and future generations of These days, working onscreen is arguably young students. We are examining every aspect of more familiar to IB students than working on the framework, from its founding principles and paper. The IB’s first venture into onscreen philosophy, to the support the IB provides for its assessment will be with the Middle Years implementation in schools. Programme, which is now developing Technology is opening up all sorts of exciting externally-marked examinations to possibilities, such as offering an IB education to complement the programme’s already rigorous students outside IB World Schools. We are already doing this through the IB Open World Schools pilot, internal assessment model. MYP onscreen examinations will offer a variety of stimulus where students can study IB Diploma Programme materials in different media formats – including courses online, linked to an IB World School. In the video, photographs and audio clips – as well as future, we hope to be able to offer our schools the opportunities for students to respond in choice of taking full IB Diploma Programme innovative formats. courses, or modules or options within courses, Students who participate in the MYP’s online as part of a blended learning model. Interest in the IBCC, especially from state schools, optional eAssessments will have a rich and authentic learning experience, and IB World has been very encouraging. Its combination of the Schools will benefit from reliable feedback academic and the vocational is clearly about students’ achievements. meeting a real need. We are planning to MYP eAssessment trials are scheduled strengthen our presence in the field of for October 2013, with feedback vocational education and explore new from students and coordinators shared vocational partnerships. with the IB community in the first The IB is engaged in a scenarioquarter of 2014. The first MYP onscreen planning exercise that asks us to examinations in selected subjects are look ahead 10 to 20 years and planned for June 2015. A wider consider how the IB will need to range of eAssessments, adapt to what the future may be which will contribute to like. It has raised some very the award of the new interesting questions that MYP Certificate, provide stimulating and Vocational Vocational Voc occat ati a tio ti ona on na n allearning llearning ea ear ea arrnin nin ngwill wiliilllplay w wi will p play layyan lay an a n will be available provocative triggers for important important im iimp mport ort rtant an a nt ntpart pa p part arrttinin inthe th th the he eIB’s IIB IB’s B’s B’ ’sfuture fut fu future tur ure u rre e from June 2016. discussions about the future.

what the IB means to me

Vicki Hird PYP teacher Southbank International School, London, UK I remember when I first discovered the IB PYP after years teaching in the state sector. I couldn’t believe there was another way to teach that fitted so closely with my own philosophies. Since then I’ve also learned about the Diploma Programme, and CAS in particular. As part of CAS, our Grade 11 students spend two weeks each year in Moshi, Tanzania in Mwereni Primary School, a school that caters for blind, albino and partially sighted students. I wanted to see the school for myself and to take photographs and film footage to share with our primary-aged students. This led to a two-week trip – my first

to Africa – where I filmed interviews with the students to show that, despite our differences, we have many things in common. The response of our primary school community was incredible – children donated their birthday money, fundraised or busked on the street in order to support an appeal to build a perimeter wall around the school, and clearly cared deeply about these students so many miles away. Parents and students approached me to ask how they could help. There is now a much stronger link between the primary campus and the Mwereni School, because they can clearly see what a difference their support is making. There are such benefits for both sides – I love doing assemblies and talking about life in Tanzania and the challenges these students face. As the students are of similar ages, my kids really connect with the project and want to help. It reminds me what can be achieved through partnership and support.

Vicki with students at Mwereni Primary School

What the IB Powerful education can transform lives – something our sample of parents, students, teachers and staff know only too well

26 IBWorld

Umanga Pandey IB alumnus, Kathmandu, Nepal I studied the IB at Li Po Chun United World College (UWC) of Hong Kong and have great memories from my time there. When we first arrived, we had an orientation session and were told that we had to make our own rules. We soon realized that we couldn’t live without rules so it was up to us students to make a stand. That was a very interesting experiment. Another remarkable experience was being told by the director of education that if you are late to class because you have been talking with your friends and sharing your culture, it’s OK. To me, the IB ties in with the UWC ethos – the global outlook, trusting cultural sensitivities, offering different perspectives on

the world that students had to develop throughout their education. In terms of subjects, I really enjoyed world literature, which has had a huge impact on my appreciation of poetry and novels from different cultures. At the time, I probably didn’t understand the impact the IB was having on me but in hindsight I can recognize the more human approach to the curriculum rather than force-feeding hard facts. Recently, when I was talking to a friend in Nepal and outlining what I do now, he pointed out that the mission I have and the values I have all stem from the IB teachings of global citizenship and human responsibility. I am trying to achieve this today through my work with Kehi Garoun, a non-profit organization that enables students with economic difficulties to gain access to education. Please visit www. kgnepal.com.np to find out more and support our work.

“At the time, I probably didn’t understand the impact the IB was having on me”

“A lot of hard work and a continual learning experience” A Abbey Musonda @SweetAbbeyPea student from the USA

Andrea Smith IB Head of Strategy, The Hague The IB is much more than a career to me. Every time I go to an IB World School or meet an IB student, I am impressed. by the young, articulate, caring people who are living proof of the IB mission in action. I joined the IB in 1994, one of many language graduates recruited for administrative posts in Cardiff because of the multilingual nature of the role. I gave myself two years to get work experience, and 19 years

later I’m still here: some things don’t work out as planned! Since then I’ve worked my way through various roles in different departments, such as assessment, IT, project management and business analysis. I am now Head of Strategy, which is where I feel I can add most value to the organization. Helping the IB to grow and strive towards its mission is incredibly rewarding. While I’ve been at the IB for a long time, it doesn’t feel that way. I’ve worked with many different people over the years, in numerous roles and on various projects and initiatives. The growth and development of the

organization ensures that I continue to learn and develop. One of the key strengths of the IB is the people. I’ve been privileged to work with many bright, motivated, innovative and inspirational people. But at the heart of everything we do is our mission and our students, who never fail to impress me. They have great perspectives on the world and are quietly confident in their own abilities. It’s incredible how they can stand up in public and talk to other students, teachers and world-renowned speakers; they’re not fazed by it, and you just know that puts them on a path to amazing things in the future.

means to me Joan Stelzer Parent International Academy, Bloomﬁeld Hills, Michigan, USA Just north of Detroit, the International Academy (IA) is one of the largest IB high schools in the US, with everyone focused on either the IB Diploma Programme or the last two years of MYP. One of my children graduated from the IA in May 2013; the other is a junior there. Every time I visit the school, I get such hopeful feelings about the world’s future. Everyone is part of a warm camaraderie. My junior’s closest circle of friends is a mixture of Korean, Indian, African American and European descents. Interpersonal respect echoes in the stories she brings home about friends and school. Bullying is rare at IA, even for those who might be targets in some schools. All are welcomed by the student body. IA students find something to appreciate about everyone. At the same time, these students also genuinely own and honour their families’

customs, languages and arts. Through classes and clubs, they learn about, celebrate and showcase their cultures of origin. At the heart of this unique student culture is, of course, the IB. Thoroughly and masterfully designed, the IB programmes not only teach the college and life preparation skills our children need, but also impart the respectful mindset about the world’s people that will advance our society. This I love about the IB – especially at the IA. To support and complement the IB’s academic aims, our school also models its own mission after the IB’s. And those intentions are nurtured all year. While parents send their students to this unique public high school because of its reputation for academic achievement, the world will surely benefit from the close bonds the school forms within its diverse student body.

“As someone who was confused on what career to pursue in the future, IB offered a balance of options” A Arwa, @urwahnawaz student from the USA

Students from IA’s class of 2013

IBWorld IB IBW BWor orl rld 2 27 7

what the IB means to me

Youssef Katamish and Nardine Hanna Students, The American International School of Egypt Youssef It is that time of year again: many of the sophomores are asking me what taking the IB entails, while the juniors are wondering whether senior year is more stressful. I always respond in the same manner: if I could go back in time, I would definitely study the IB. In those two years, I matured – I am now able to work efficiently, manage my time, discuss controversial topics respectfully, and accept different ideas. Although the knowledge I gained might not last, it is the

lifelong skills I was taught which defined my IB experiences. Nardine It’s true the IB did take away some of my social life, but it gave me so much more in return. The nights of hard work taught me to persevere and showed me the value of time and the importance of knowing how to manage it wisely. TOK turned out to be the most life-changing experience, something I never thought a class could be. I’m now able to evaluate life with more awareness, and the class has given me the courage to question even the most widely accepted facts. Most of all, TOK showed me that life is as flexible as a single

“A sensible alternative to standardized teaching. Celebrating diversity as opposed to just being common” Simon Watkin, @CISOatcake PYP Teacher at Copenhagen International School

“Fighting procrastination” Kavya Shah, @kavyashah4 K student from the Netherlands

Edwin Arrieta IB Coordinator Forest Hill Community High School, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA The IB teaches us that our learning and actions reflect our position in the world, and that our global awareness surpasses our personal and academic growth. Reflecting on my own study, I realize it has been framed by critical-thinking skills and creativity, and is motivated by the

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“TOK turned out to be the most life-changing experience, something I never thought a class could be”

thought, because knowledge can change the way you think, and the choices you make. I’ve learned it’s important to think for yourself in a world where conformity has come to be synonymous with comfort. Once you realize the power knowledge gives to an individual, as TOK has taught me, there are no limits to what you can achieve.

AIS Egypt students

Ibrahim Soltan Student Qatar Academy, Qatar Our morals and standards play a significant role in determining what we choose to do with our lives. Studying the IB has revolutionized the way I approach problems in my local community and country. It may be a grand aim to make history rather than learn it, but there is great sense in wanting to revitalize the present for the sake of reviving the future. The IB has taught me how to scrutinize and analyze issues without over-thinking them; skills that I can use to draw attention to important issues. I have explored this outlook in life through the making of a film – as part of my studies for the IB Diploma

desire to inspire positive change and develop solutions to the global political, social, economic and scientific issues we face as an international community. The IB also gives us the opportunity to connect and reflect with like-minded people who share our humble intentions to enhance our community through thoughtful actions. Students, teachers and alumni of the IB – despite the distance between them – share a hope and commitment to improving the lives of others around the world. Being part of the IB family brings with it an awareness of our inter-connectivity and

Programme – that portrays an issue that is present in many countries of the Middle East and the rest of the world: the cause of exploited migrant workers. Having been cheated into migrating to a new country, with promises of guaranteed work, better living conditions and food, these people find themselves in an impossible position. After using up all the money they had to make their dream of a new life a reality, they are often left with family and personal debt. It would not be fair to say that I have given voice to the voiceless with my film; I don’t think that is completely accurate because these people had a voice, but it was fading. Each and every person who has witnessed these stories, whether it be through my film or through speaking to me, has contributed positively to the issue. To me, being inspired by hope is very rare, but getting involved is an obligation.

interdependence. We understand that we can improve any situation by learning and reflecting on issues beyond the limits of books, facts or figures. As a token of our gratitude for the skills and knowledge learned, we strive to reach our true potential and develop global solutions to shared issues. The whole International Baccalaureate experience brings out the best in each and every one of us, turning us into just and ethical global citizens, as we realize that our values and spirit are shared by our extended IB family around the world.

UWC Atlantic College

Students at UWC Atlantic College were among the first to study the IB in 1968

Where are they now? Twelve schools entered 601 students for the 1971 IB Diploma Programme examinations. Their differing paths in the years that followed illustrate the international, and inspirational, nature of the IB

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Manual skills and crafts were highly valued by UWC founder Kurt Hahn

are out in a lifeboat, in adverse conditions, happy to work together. I think this is very in South Glamorgan, Wales tune with the IB ethos today.” Shanna Engelhardt, who graduated from “There is nowhere else like Atlantic College in Atlantic College this summer, believes she will be the UK,” says the school’s current Principal, living the school’s values for the rest of her life. John Walmsley, who joined the college in “One of the key elements of UWC and the IB is January 2012. He was immediately struck by the balancing act between academic work and its extraordinary atmosphere. extra-currciular activities, especially at this “When I came to Atlantic, I wondered school because there is so much on offer that whether the school, with such a strong you just want to be a part of everything! history, was still relevant today. It really is. “I feel that we students are like tightrope Sixty per cent of our students are doing the walkers holding a IB in their second bucket on each arm. language, which I find “It takes a careful It takes a careful incredible,” he says. balancing act to get through balancing act to get Atlantic College – the IB, but I founding member of the IB, but I like to think I through like to think I mastered United World Colleges mastered it by the end of it by the end of my time and an original IB World School – my time at Atlantic College” at Atlantic College.” entered a hefty 185 students in the IB Diploma Programme examinations in 1971. In 2012, it celebrated its 50th anniversary with students, staff and friends of the school, and even a visit from Queen Noor of Jordan. It played a significant role in the design of the IB programme; with a strong emphasis on extra-curricular activities, the modern-day CAS system originated from this castle in Wales. “In its earlier days, school students even helped to design the RNLI lifeboat,” says John. “Our mission, based on founder Kurt Hahn’s teachings, is lived and breathed throughout Students today the campus. Part of his vision was to create still benefit from rescue missions where kids and young people UWC Atlantic’s 32 IBWorld

historic location

International College, Beirut Beirut, Lebanon International College (IC) Beirut is still very much part of the IB family – offering the Diploma Programme and PYP to 3,500 students – but was forced to take a 26-year hiatus when war broke out in Lebanon in 1975. “All of my fond memories are related to my students,” says Mishka Mojabber Mourani, who has been at the school for more than 30 years and oversaw the implementation of the Diploma Programme second time around. “Throughout the war, IC served as an island of peace and coexistence, and rose above sectarian and political turmoil to provide an education of the highest calibre. Perhaps my fondest memory is of our children coming to school every day, with smiles on their faces, having spent sleepless nights in basements by candlelight to escape the shelling. They would come to school for a few hours of respite from the violence and uncertainty beyond the school walls, and their presence motivated me and my colleagues to give them the education they deserved.”

UWC Atlantic College; François Martin;

UWC Atlantic College

where are they now?

International School of Geneva

Copenhagen International School

Geneva, Switzerland This venerable institution can rightly claim to be the world’s oldest and largest international school. Fondly known as ‘Ecolint’ by staff and students, the school was set up in 1924, five years after the League of Nations and the International Labour Organization (ILO) were themselves founded in Geneva. Its aim was to offer children an international education that accommodated their different origins and cultures. Ecolint later became the driving force behind the creation of the International Baccalaureate and, in1971, Lord Mountbatten presented12 proud students with IB Diplomas. Gene Feder, now a professor of primary health care in the UK, was one of the original students to sit the exams and believes the IB has given him the open-mindedness and confidence to achieve great things. “I remember writing for the student newspaper at Ecolint – I think it was called

The International School of Geneva in its younger days, and today’s students (above)

United Nations International School (UNIS) New York, United States of America Self-confessed IB ‘guinea pig’ Stephen Hartke (pictured left) – now Distinguished Professor of Composition at the University of Southern California – was one of the first UNIS students to sit the new exams. “The inauguration of the International Baccalaureate replaced our prep classes for the UK GCEs,” he says. “I was part of the initial group to study the IB, and took the full programme.

Copenhagen, Denmark

The Alexander,” he says. “That was most exciting. We were in the midst of very political times, with Vietnam and female suffrage moving up the agenda, so there were always protests to cover and muck-raking to do on campus. “I think it was the first time that we had ever considered looking beyond the country eve borders to the USA, Europe and even Africa for inspiration,” says Mary Roosevelt, a teacher at Ecolint who later helped to draft the school’s elementary curriculum in the 1960s. (This curriculum was a predecessor of the PYP, but is not directly connected with today’s programme.) Today, Ecolint is spread across three campuses and houses more than 4,000 students between the ages of 3 and 18, who represent 133 nationalities. Leslie Fernandez Van de Ven, who sat the exams along with Gene Feder, admits that she didn’t do as well as she had hoped – but this didn’t spoil her memories of her time in Geneva. “I remember one chemistry class with Peggy Ray (see Alumna, page 38), where we were distilling rose petals to make perfume and we blew up a swan flask by accident. The teacher was not best pleased,” she recalls. “Some of the classes were quite small. Only two of us took scientific studies, which was taught by the school’s entertaining three-man team of science teachers. I also found the world literature component of the English curriculum stimulating, and it got me into the habit of delving into literature from all over the world. “The most valuable aspect of the IB was the research experience I acquired. I fondly remember studying George Orwell, as well as the growth of American power in the Pacific and the Spanish-American War.” UNIS still offers the IB Diploma Programme, and teaches children from the UN and diplomatic communities, as well as pupils from the local area.

Those that fell by the wayside Three of the 12 IB World Schools that entered candidates for the 1971 exams withdrew from the IB during the 1980s: the Lycée Pilote de Sèvres and Lycée International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye (both in Paris, France), and the National College of Choueifat (Lebanon).

James Keson in his CIS days

“My mental picture of CIS for most of its history is composed of a series of modest buildings with groups of willing students taught by a motley assortment of charismatic teachers,” reflects James Keson, who was Senior School Principal at Copenhagen International School (CIS) from 1974 to 1997. He fondly remembers spilling freshly brewed beer in a biology class – “it still smells of hops to this day” – as well as the day he

“CIA agents came to investigate our history teacher” discovered that two 12th-grade students had cut class to get married, and – perhaps most indicative of the time – a visit from two CIA agents from the American Embassy. “They came to investigate whether the American history teacher, who was spotted at an anti-Vietnam demonstration, was subverting his students,” James explains. “He wasn’t.” CIS entered half of its 50-strong student population for the IB examinations in 1971 and was one of the smallest institutions to help shape the programme. “While A-Levels suited some students, SATs were best for others, and the Danish studentereksamen was only suitable for Danish speakers. The IB was the only system that was useful for everyone,” James says. The school, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, continues to grow. It introduced the MYP in 1995 and the PYP in 2000. “The school is seen by its students as challenging in its demands but laidback in its approach,” James says.

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where are they now?

Iranzamin, Tehran International School Tehran, Iran When Iranzamin, Tehran International School entered 55 students for the IB exams in 1971, they couldn’t have predicted that the school would survive in its original incarnation for only nine years. Founded with the intention to “adapt the best Western methods to the needs of the country”, the school and its occupants suffered during the revolutionary crisis of 1978-1980. Against the backdrop of Iran’s upheaval, Iranzamin’s last IB class of 24 students graduated in 1980. “I spent some of the best years of my life at Iranzamin and have enough fond memories to

write a book,” says Mojgan Malek, a student who was present when Hezbollah disbanded the school in 1980. “I loved my school, my teachers – especially Mr Carson – my class mates: all of it! I loved the library in particular, and it still appears in my dreams sometimes!” Up until 1980, the school had gone from strength to strength. It had more than 1,450 students from 50 countries and over 110 staff, all under the leadership of founder Richard Irvine. “After the school was taken, most students had to leave the country to study elsewhere,” explains Mojgan. “The remaining international schools in Tehran came together for a while in an effort to keep up the community feel, but eventually we all had to leave our IB experience behind and enter public schools to continue our education.”

Pupils sitting early IB examinations in Montevideo

The T he B British ritish S Schools, chools, Montevideo Montevideo, Uruguay

Frankfurt International School

International School Ibadan

Oberursel, Germany

Ibadan, Nigeria

Staff, students and alumni of Frankfurt International School (FIS) have recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a published history and a six-month series of special events. Founded in 1961 in an old villa in Oberursel, 15km north of Frankfurt, by six American and British families who sought an international education for their children, FIS entered 21 students in the 1971 IB examinations. Caroline Joslin-Callahan is such a fan of FIS that, after graduating with an IB Diploma in 1977, she came back in 1982 to teach her own IB classes. “I remember I was in the first history class offered at FIS. There were only two of us in the class and our teacher, Hal Judis – who still teaches history at the American School of Paris – enjoyed holding class in the café of the Parkhotel Waldlust! I wanted to continue to be affiliated with an international community nity so so I jumped at the chance to return to the school.” FIS began with 120 students and has grown wn to 1,800 – too many to house in the old villa – so additions have been en made over the years, including a purposebuilt primary school to coincide with the launch ch of the PYP in 1997.

The existence of a racially integrated school in Nigeria was just a dream until the International School Ibadan (ISI) was founded in 1963. It provided a new kind of educational environment, one where children from within and outside Nigeria could live and learn together. ISI initially prepared its students for West African qualifications and examinations administered by the University of London. At this time it was mandatory for students to achieve O- and A-level qualifications for entry into British and West African Universities. Thirty-nine students sat IB exams for the first time in 1971. “The IB Diploma Programme was first introduced as an addition to A-level courses,” explains Dr Pat Oyelola (pictured above), who taught at the school during the 1960s and 1970s. “I found the IB more intellectually demanding than the A-level. However, at this time I do remember the comprehension passages tended to be culturally biased towards Europe; for example, there were references to winter ssports po in the French paper.” She believes that, in its early years, ISI was a world-class school. “It was a IS ttruly international community, in tterms of both staff and students. I rremember fondly the time we hosted aan exhibition of traditional Nigerian aart at the Institute of African Studies.” ISI withdrew from the IB in 1992 when the Nigerian secondary school w ssystem changed, and today teaches more than 1,400 secondary students. m

FIS today, and as it was in 1962 (below)

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After being hand-picked to join the IB, “we are still rightly proud to see our students write ‘centre number 005’ on their IB examinations,” says David Rennie, the school’s Curricula Director, and one of the longest-serving IB teachers at Montevideo. “The invitation to take part in the IB trial examinations from Alec Peterson, the first IB Director General, in January 1969 came at exactly the right moment for us.” The school has since grown from 45 IB candidates in 1971 to more than 1,300 students. “The British Schools has always had a deep-rooted pride in its

“We’re proud our students write ‘centre number 005’ on their IB exams” history and the success of its students,” says David. “A photographic history of the school’s first 100 years was published in 2008 to celebrate our centenary, and we threw a birthday party for over 4,000 old boys and girls in the school’s grounds in honour of our strong alumni network. “The shaping of our seniorschool curriculum has been an amazing journey,” says David. “All our students take a programme that combines the IB Diploma Programme and the Uruguayan national programmes, which are required to enter local universities. This ensures our students are well prepared for further education in Uruguay or abroad.”

alumna

Peggy Ray

Righting wrongs

François Martin of Geneva. Thanks to Richard Vyvyan and Alex Rodriguez

The grounding she gained in Geneva drove this IB alumna to make her mark in family law

As Peggy Ray and 11 classmates collected their diplomas on September 1971 – “well done, my dear,” said Lord Mountbatten as they shook hands – they were at the forefront of a revolutionary, and epoch-defining, educational experiment that would change their lives for good. “That ceremony marked the end of a full-on two years of the IB at the International School of Geneva, but an experience that reinforced my approach to thinking to this day,” she says. Peggy has been a successful solicitor based in London, UK, for nearly 30 years and has won a number of awards for her pioneering work in family law, including UNICEF Child Rights Lawyer of the Year in 2001 and Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year in 2005. She believes her lateral approach to solving problems stemmed from her years studying the IB in Geneva, but admits it wasn’t easy once she had the diploma in her hand. “A number of universities turned

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38 IBWorld

Peggy is congratulated by Lord Mountbatten on collecting her diploma in 1971

me down because they didn’t recognize the IB as a credible programme. It was an unknown qualification at that time and no one had heard of it. In fact, one institution in the UK told me that they didn’t believe I had a strong enough command of English.” Born in South America, Peggy travelled the world as a child, following her father’s work as an economist. It was only after he landed a job at the UN’s International Labour Organization that Peggy ended up at the International School of Geneva. “I have many fond memories from my time there – the range of nationalities and the enthusiastic teachers, particularly. I remember Mr Leach taught us history and as a

“I’d love to do some more travelling – I’m not short of IB peers to visit” special treat at the end of term he would read a chapter from The Lord of the Rings, which I thought was the most boring thing I’d ever heard! “But what really attracted me about the IB was the breadth of the curriculum and I particularly enjoyed the philosophy and ethics-based subjects like Theory of Knowledge and Modern European Minds.” Peggy wasn’t always on the path to a career in law; after gaining a history of art degree from Sussex University, she felt her career options were limited. Her involvement in townplanning campaigns sparked an interest in law and, after a short stint working with a lawyer at the Citizens Advice Bureau, she returned to Sussex University to

get her postgraduate degree in law. Thirteen years after receiving her IB diploma in Geneva, Peggy set up her own legal practice, Goodman Ray, in 1985. “I was very keen on providing excellence to the man on the street who might not be able to afford a lawyer,” she says. “These days we are a specialist family law firm. Family law is the most discretionary jurisdiction so I have the opportunity to be quite creative with it – which gives the most satisfying results. “I’m looking forward to turning 60 next year and curtailing the workload a little,” Peggy continues. “I’d love to do some more travelling and as my fellow IB peers have scattered across the globe, I’m sure I wouldn’t be short of a few places to visit.” Join Peggy and fellow alumni in the IB alumni network, by visiting the blog at blogs.ibo.org/alumni, where you can learn more about this growing community.

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