The Diploma Programme at Raha

TheIBDiplomaProgramme atRahaInternationalSchool

RahaInternationalSchooloffersabalancedandacademicallychallengingeducation whichisdesignedtodevelopindividualswhoarebothindependentlearnersand internationalcitizens

WhatisanIBeducation?

TheIBcontinuumofinternationaleducationfor3-19yearoldsisuniquebecauseofitsacademicandpersonalvigour Wechallengestudentstoexcelintheirstudiesandintheir personalgrowth Weaimtoinspireaquestforlearningthroughoutlifethatismarkedbyenthusiasmandempathy TheIBaspirestohelpschoolsdevelopwell-roundedstudents withcharacter:studentswhocanrespondtochallengeswithoptimismandanopen-mind;studentsconfidentintheirownidentities;studentswhomakeethicaldecisions; studentswhojoinwithothersincelebratingourcommonhumanity;studentswhoarepreparedtoapplywhattheylearninrealworld complexandunpredictablesituations

TheIBoffershigh-qualityprogrammesofinternationaleducationthatshareapowerfulvision AnIBeducationisinformedbythevaluesdescribedinthelearnerprofileand:

centresonlearners–theIBsstudent-centredprogrammespromotehealthyrelationships ethicalresponsibilityandpersonalchallenge developseffectiveapproachestoteachingandlearning–IBprogrammeshelpstudentstodeveloptheattitudesandskillstheyneedforbothacademicandpersonal success workswithinglobalcontexts–IBprogrammesincreaseunderstandingoflanguagesandcultures andexploregloballysignificantideasandissues exploressignificantcontent–IBprogrammesofferacurriculumthatisbroadandbalanced,conceptualandconnected

IBlearnersstrivetobecomeinquirers knowledgeable thinkers communicators principled open-minded caring risk-takers balanced andreflective Theseattributesof internationallymindedpeoplerepresentabroadrangeofhumancapacitiesandresponsibilitiesthatgobeyondintellectualdevelopmentandacademicsuccess

ManyofyoumayhaveseentheIBDiplomaProgrammemodelbefore butdoyouknowwhatitmeans?

Breaking down the Diploma Programme

Diploma programme

WhatistheDiplomaProgramme?

TheIBDiplomaProgrammeisanacademicallychallengingandbalanced programmeofeducation withfinalexaminations thatpreparesstudents aged16to19forsuccessatuniversityandinlifebeyond Ithasbeen designedtoaddresstheintellectual,social,emotionalandphysical well-beingofstudents Theprogrammehasgainedrecognition andrespectfromtheworldsleadinguniversities

IBstudentsgraduatingwiththeIBdiplomaareabletostudy atuniversitiesallaroundtheworld,oftenwithadvancedcredit StudentsreportthattheirinvolvementwiththeIBhasgiven themthetoolsneededtosucceedatcollege Inparticular studentscommentontheirsenseofpreparedness self-confidence,researchskillsandtheirabilitytomanagetheir time Evenmoreimportant,theyhavedevelopedasenseofthe worldaroundthemandtheirresponsibilitytoit

DiplomaProgrammestudentsstudysixsubjects(threeatstandard levelandthreeathigherlevel)overtwoyearsandcompletethree additionalrequirements:thetheoryofknowledge(TOK) theextended essayandatleast150hoursofCAS creativity activityandservicetasks outsideoftheclassroom Inadditiontotheserequirements studentsmust earnaminimumof24pointsoutofapossible45pointsonthefinal assessmentswhichareexternallymarkedandmoderatedbytheIB inorder toreceiveanIBdiploma

TransitioningfromMYPtoDP

TheMYPalignsmostcloselywiththeIBDiplomaProgramme(DP) ensuringasmoothtransitionforstudentswhocontinuetheireducationwithintheIBcontinuum MYPstudentsacquiretheknowledge,skillsandattitudesthattheyneedinordertobesuccessfulinthefinalyearsofsecondaryschoolandbeyond TheMYPsfocuson approachestolearningprovidesidealpreparationforthekindofrigorousstudythatopensdoorstohighereducation

TheMYPpreparesstudentsfortheDPbyreflectingthedepth breadthandbalancethatischaracteristicofallIBprogrammes Astheymovethrougheducationalsystemsand schoolsstructures studentsbenefitfromtheconsistenteducationalaims clearpathwaysforprogressionthroughacademicdisciplines andsharedapproachestoteachingof theMYP,DPandCP

Inadevelopmentallycrucialperiod thisalignmenthelpsstudentsflourishpersonallyandacademically InthefinaltwoyearsoftheMYP astheyanticipatetheDP–studentsand theirfamiliesworkwithourteamtomakeimportantdecisionsaboutsubjectchoices qualificationsandcareeroptions

Whatisa

Learner profile attribute?

TheIBlearnerprofilepromoteseducationofthewholepersonforalifeofactive, responsiblecitizenshipemphasizingintellectual personal emotionalandsocial growth Theattributesanddescriptionsofthelearnerprofiledefinethetypeoflearner RIShopestodevelopthroughitsprogrammes AllmembersoftheRahaCommunity includingstudents teachers administration supportstaffandparents striveto developthesequalities

Inquirer

Knowledgeable

Thinker

Communicator

Principled

Open-minded

Risk-taker

Wenurtureourcuriosity developingskillsforinquiryand research Weknowhowtolearnindependentlyandwith others Welearnwithenthusiasmandsustainourloveof learningthroughoutlife

Wedevelopanduseconceptualunderstanding,exploring knowledgeacrossarangeofdisciplines Weengagewith issuesandideasthathavelocalandglobalsignificance

Weusecriticalandcreativethinkingskillstoanalyseandtake responsibleactiononcomplexproblems Weexercise initiativeinmakingreasoned ethicaldecisions

Weexpressourselvesconfidentlyandcreativelyinmorethan onelanguageandinmanyways Wecollaborateeffectively listeningcarefullytotheperspectivesofotherindividualsand groups

Weactwithintegrityandhonesty withastrongsenseof fairnessandjustice andwithrespectforthedignityand rightsofpeopleeverywhere Wetakeresponsibilityforour actionsandtheirconsequences

Wecriticallyappreciateourownculturesandpersonal histories aswellasthevaluesandtraditionsofothers We seekandevaluatearangeofpointsofview andweare willingtogrowfromtheexperience

Weapproachuncertaintywithforethoughtand determination;weworkindependentlyandcooperativelyto explorenewideasandinnovativestrategies Weare resourcefulandresilientinthefaceofchallengesand change

Balanced

Caring

Reflective

Weunderstandtheimportanceofbalancingdifferent aspectsofourlives intellectual physical (spiritual)and emotional toachievewell-beingforourselvesandothers Werecognizeourinterdependencewithotherpeopleand withtheworldinwhichwelive

Weshowempathy compassionandrespect Wehavea commitmenttoservice andweacttomakeapositive differenceinthelivesofothersandintheworldaroundus

Wethoughtfullyconsidertheworldandourownideasand experience Weworktounderstandourstrengthsand weaknessesinordertosupportourlearningandpersonal development

IBprogrammesaretaughtbyteacherswhoexplicitlyhelpstudentslearn howtodeveloptheattitudesandskillstheyneedforbothacademicand personalsuccess

Approaches to teaching

Whatdoes mean?

TherearesixkeypedagogicalprinciplesthatunderpinallIBprogrammes

TeachinginIBprogrammesis:

basedoninquiry

focusedonconceptualunderstanding developedinlocalandglobalcontexts focusedoneffectiveteamworkandcollaboration differentiatedtomeettheneedsofalllearners informedbyassessment(formativeandsummative)

Andwhatabout Approaches to learning?

Thisareadevelopsessentialskillsthatincludeskillsofbehaviourand emotionalmanagement skillsthatallowthestudenttomonitortheirown effectivenessintheirlearningandskillsthatallowthemtoprocess informationeffectively(oftencalled“studyskills”inaschool environment) Althoughtheseskillsmaybeinusewhendevelopinga certainnaturalabilityortalent theyaredifferentfrombothabilityand talentthemselvesbecauseproficiencyinanyskillcanbeincreased throughthedeliberateuseoftechniquesandstrategies,feedbackand challenge Skillsarethereforehighlyteachable

TeachingandlearningintheDiplomaProgramme(DP)therefore incorporatesthedevelopmentof:

thinkingskills

communicationskills

socialskills

self-managementskills

researchskills

Althoughthesearepresentedasdistinctcategories thereissome overlapandcloseconnectionsbetweenthem Thesecategoriesshould beseenasinterrelated aswellaslinkingcloselywiththeattributes highlightedintheIBlearnerprofile IBstudentsworktobecomeinquirers knowledgeable,thinkers communicators principled,open-minded,caring, risk-takers,balancedandreflective

WhatistheDP

Whatis Interdisciplinary learning?

IntheMiddleYearsProgramme(MYP) interdisciplinarylearningsupports studentstounderstandbodiesofknowledgefromtwoormoredisciplinesor subjectgroups inordertointegratethemandcreatenewunderstanding Studentsdemonstrateinterdisciplinaryunderstandingwhentheybring togetherconcepts methods orformsofcommunicationfromtwoormore disciplinesorestablishedareasofexpertisesothattheycanexplaina phenomenon,solveaproblem createaproduct,orraiseanewquestionin waysthatwouldhavebeenunlikelythroughasinglediscipline

Youngerlearnersoftenmakeconnectionsnaturallybetweendifferentareasof knowledge inordertounderstandtheworldaroundthem Insomecases this isbecausetheyhavenotyetbeensocializedintothedisciplinaryperspectives thatorganizetheacademicworld

Eventhoughsecondaryeducationusefullyorganizeslearningintodisciplinary compartmentsasaresponsetoincreasingspecialization ourever-changing worldalsodemandseducationthatempowerspeopletointegratedisciplines innovelandcreativeways

Asknowledgeandinformationmultiply criticalthinkersmustsuccessfully integratedisciplinaryperspectivestounderstandcomplexissuesandideas

WhatdostudentsintheMYP

Learn?

TheMYPrequiresatleast50hoursofteachingtimeforeachsubject groupineachyearoftheprogramme Inyears4and5,studentshave theoptiontotakecoursesfromsixoftheeightsubjectgroupswithin certainlimits toprovidegreaterflexibilityinmeetinglocalrequirements andindividualstudentlearningneeds

Eachyear studentsintheMYPalsoengageinatleastone collaborativelyplannedinterdisciplinaryunitthatinvolvesatleasttwo subjectgroups

MYPstudentsalsocompletealong-termproject,thePersonalProject, wheretheydecidewhattheywanttolearnabout,identifywhatthey alreadyknow discoveringwhattheywillneedtoknowtocompletethe project andcreateaproposalorcriteriaforcompletingit

What doyouofferforDP? Subjects

Curriculum?

DPstudentsmustchooseonecoursefromeachoffivesubjectgroups deliveringabreadthofknowledgeandunderstandinginlanguage andliterature individualsandsocieties thesciencesand mathematics

Furthermore studentsmustalsochooseeitheranartscoursefromthe artsgrouporasecondcoursefromoneoftheothersubjectgroups DPcoursescanbetakenathigherlevel(HL)orstandardlevel(SL) At leastthree andnotmorethanfour aretakenatHL whilethe remainingcoursesaretakenatSL SLcoursesensurestudentsare exposedtoarangeofdisciplinesthattheymightotherwiseoptoutof andHLcoursesallowstudentstospendmoretimewithsubjectsthey aremoreinterestedinbyexploringoptionsinadditiontotheSLcore curriculum Inthissense,allDPcourses,regardlessofwhethertheyare SLorHL,areintegraltotheprogramme Twocoursesareclassifiedas interdisciplinary meaningthattheysatisfytherequirementsofmore thanonesubjectgroup

Literatureandperformance(studiesinlanguageandliterature subjectgroup andtheartssubjectgroup)

Environmentalsystemsandsocieties(individualsandsocieties subjectgroup andsciencessubjectgroup)

Inadditiontodisciplinaryandinterdisciplinarystudy,theDPfeatures threecoreelementsthatbroadenstudents educationalexperience andchallengethemtoapplytheirknowledgeandskills

WhatistheDiplomaProgramme

Core?

Theextendedessay(EE)requiresstudentstoengageinindependent researchthroughanin-depthstudyofaquestionrelatingtooneof theDPsubjectstheyarestudying TheworldstudiesEEoptionallows studentstofocusonatopicofglobalsignificance whichtheyexamine throughthelensofatleasttwoDPsubjects

Theoryofknowledge(TOK)developsacoherentapproachtolearning thatunifiestheacademicdisciplines Inthiscourseoncriticalthinking, studentsinquireintothenatureofknowinganddeepentheir understandingofknowledgeasahumanconstruction

Creativity activity service(CAS)emphasizeshelpingstudentsto developtheirownidentitiesinaccordancewiththeethicalprinciples embodiedintheIBmissionstatementandtheIBlearnerprofile CAS complementsachallengingacademicprogrammeinaholisticway providingopportunitiesforself-determination collaboration accomplishmentandenjoyment Itinvolvesstudentsinarangeof activitiesalongsidetheiracademicstudiesthroughouttheDP The threestrandsofCASarecreativity(exploringandextendingideas leadingtoanoriginalorinterpretiveproductorperformance),activity (physicalexertioncontributingtoahealthylifestyle)andservice (collaborativeandreciprocalengagementwiththecommunityin responsetoanauthenticneed)