South Iredell High School

1. South Iredell High School South Iredell High Schoolis a candidate school for the Diploma Programme and the Middle Years Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that South Iredell believes is important for our students.

2. IBO Mission Statement • The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. • To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. • These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

3. Unlike conventional Americaneducational philosophies, IB . . . emphasizes “critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and exposure to a variety of points of view.” enables students to “develop sound judgment, make wise choices and respect others in the global community.” focuses on “the development of the whole child, and an overarching concept of how to develop international-mindedness,” emphasizing “intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth” for “real-life challenges” as well as “to prepare for entry into the world’s leading universities.” “stimulates young people to be intellectually curious and equip them to become autonomous lifelong learners” (Principles to Practice).

4. IB is built on the philosophy that “learning is a process not a product.” students should “make meaningful connections between disciplines” to become “makers of meaning” and acquire the “ability to solve problems.” “students must understand how they learn, their own preferred styles, strengths and limitations” because an IB education “should be rigorous, engaging, challenging and should equip them for life in the 21st century” (Towards a Continuum of Education).

5. Diploma Programme (ages 16-19) Middle Years Programme(ages 12-16) IBO’s three programmes • Quick Facts • Non-profit, non-governmental, organization founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 • 1300 schools in 110 countries Primary Years Programme(ages 3-12)

6. Why American high schools adopt IB South Side H.S. (Rockville Centre, N.Y.): Compared two groups of 25 students in 16th-85th percentile on PSAT 32% of non-IB students graduated 88% of IB students graduated 15 to 1 odds of graduating by taking two or more IB courses 100 percent of IB students reported satisfaction with their H.S. education and nearly all felt prepared for college in English, Social Studies, Math, Science, and Foreign Language Westwood H.S. (Texas): IB’s presence on campus increased A.P. participation Control three-year period: 254 students for 444 exams in three-year period Four years later: 376 students for 901 exams Reading scores on state tests increased in reading (6.4 percent), math (8.5) and writing (2.9) Palmer H.S. (Colorado): After introducing IB saw increases in ACT scores and SAT verbal Other testimonials: American Federation of Teachers calls IB “a program that works.” Howard Gardner in The Disciplined Mind: What All Students Should Understand included IB on his list of “families of schools that are already successful.” Time Magazine featured IB in 2006 as a way “to bring our schools out of the 20th century.”

7. Why American parents choose IB South Side H.S. (Rockville Centre, N.Y.): 100 percent of its IB graduates completed their college degrees in four or less years compared to 39 percent as a national average. Only 54 percent of American college students complete their college degrees within six years (Chronicle of Higher Education). University of Pennsylvania: studied America’s “Highly Selective” and “Most Selective” universities as concluded that 59 percent of those schools gave preference in the admissions process to IB students. Smith College: analyzed its acceptance rates and saw that it accepted 68 percent of IB applicants, 12 percent higher than its non-IB applicants. Also, that number would have been 76 percent, or 20 percent above, if financial aid had not been a consideration. The College of William & Mary: accepted 64 percent of IB applicants, compared to 45 percent of the entire applicant pool. The State University of New York (Binghamton): recommended that students earning 30 or more points toward their IB diploma should get a full year of credit.

8. A study at the University of Florida showed that IB students suffered less college “shock” than their non-IB peers. UF students from standard college prep programs saw their high-school grades drop 28 percent as freshmen. A.P. students saw a 21 percent drop. IB students only dropped 13 percent. Also, standard college prep students scored 1158 on their S.A.T.s, compared to 1177 for A.P. students and 1213 for IB students.

9. A study at the University of Florida IB students at UF outperformed their non-IB peersin • Introduction to Chemistry (by 33.4%) • Upper-level Chemistry (27.8) • Quality Analysis 2 (21.3) • Quality Analysis 1 (19.2) • Technical Writing (18.7) • Expository Writing (9.6) • Analytical Geometry / Calculus (7.9)

10. At the College of William & Mary IB students consistently have higher G.P.A.sthan the average of their non-IB peers.

11. Virginia Tech compared Student performance at Virginia Tech indicates that important positive attitudes toward learning are developed at IB high schools. These attitudes seem to apply even to students outside the IB programmes. students who simply attended schools that had IB programmesand found that the IB environment created this stark of a contrast. Comparing student populations with G.P.A.s above 3.0 (a standard B)

12. College acceptance rates for students with IB certificates, not diplomas

13. There are 10 reasons to be IB.Coincidentally, these are the traits I believed in so strongly, I left a cushy job at SIHS two years ago. It’s because that’s who I want my daughter to be. There are five skills: • Inquirers • Knowledgeable • Thinkers • Communicators • Reflective And five attitudes: • Principled • Open-minded • Caring • Balanced • Risk-takers

14. Middle Years Programme-only • All eight subject areas are taken each year and designed for interdisciplinary learning: Language A, Language B, Humanities, Sciences, Mathematics, Arts, Physical Education, Technology • Every unit of study is filtered through one of five Areas of Interaction: Approaches to Learning, Community and Service, Human Ingenuity, Environments, Health and Social Education • Seven Approaches to Learning: Collaboration, Communication, Information Literacy, Organization, Reflection, Thinking, Transfer

15. The Diploma Programmeand its Hexagon, which will grow with us Group 1: English HL Group 2: Spanish / French SL or HL Group 3: History of the Americas and 20th Century Topics HL Group 4: Biology, Physics, and Chemistry(all SL or HL) Group 5: Math Studies SL or Math SL Group 6: Visual Arts HL, an second science or a second language B

16. HL and SL:best of many national systemswithout a bias toward one Higher Level • on par with A.P. course and receives same number of quality points (two) • student experiences 240 hours in two years • focuses on the depth and breadth of subject • like declaring a major • must have 3-4 Standard Level • on par with A.P. course and receives same number of quality points (two) • student experiences 150 hours in two years • focuses on the depth of subject • like taking a class outside one’s major • must have 2-3

17. Group 1: Language A More than 80 are offered by IB, but ours will just be English HL for now, emphasizing: • strong written and oral skills • respect for one’s literary heritage balanced with an international perspective • lifelong interest in literature • love for elegance and richness of human expression

18. Group 2: Language B Ours will be French SL and HL and Spanish SL and HL for now, emphasizing: • powers of expression • ways of thought that may differ from one’s own • focus on written and spoken communication

19. Group 3: Individuals and Societies Ours will be History of the Americas and 20th Century Topics HL for now, emphasizing: • subject matter is contestable, requiring students to tolerate some uncertainty • appreciation of change and continuity • methodology • theory • research

20. Group 4: Experimental Sciences Ours will be Biology SL and HL, Physics SL and HL and Chemistry SL and HL for now, emphasizing: • appreciation of methodology • practical lab skills • collaborative work and an interdisciplinary group project • discussing ethical / moral issues stemming from local and international comparisons • promoting social responsibility

21. Group 5: Mathematics Ours will be Math Studies SL and Math SL. Math Studies SL covers the equivalent of Algebra III, Advanced Geometry, Trigonometry, and a strong background in Statistics. It is designed for students who will likely make this their last math class. Math SL covers the equivalent of Pre-Calculus, A.P. Calculus AB, Statistics, and other math not typically taught domestically. It is designed for students who will use mathematical concepts in their career, such as business people, doctors and some engineers.

22. Group 6: Visual Arts HLor Electives Visual Arts HL: an advanced art class that focuses on a variety of media, in-depth study, student-directed creation and high levels of productions The second science would allow students who previously studied Biology, Physics or Chemistry to study one they missed or challenge themselves to study another science concurrently. The third language: is a strong Group 6 option for a student who is more inclined toward the humanities than the sciences.

23. Theory of Knowledge (ToK) This is the signature course of IB that is considered its most valuable for its interdisciplinary components and its ability to challenge students’ ability to critically reflect on knowledge inside and outside classroom. Students spend 100 hours over two years: • investigating grounds for moral, political, and aesthetic judgments that individuals make in their lives. • considering how they know what they know. • exploring various cultural traditions to think about strength and limitations of different ways of knowing. • learning to clarify thought. ToK is assessed externally by a 1200-1600-word essay and internally by a 10-minute presentation and a self-evaluation report.

24. Extended Essay (EE) Students will choose a topic of special interest from a list of 22 provided or outside that list to: • spend about 40 hours of private time conducting independent research • meet with a trained faculty supervisor who will guide time management, academic honesty, overall structure, appropriateness of research question, level of analysis and quality of argument • write a 4,000-word essay at university level that will be externally assessed

25. Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) Students will plan, complete, document and reflect upon 150 hours of life outside the world of scholarship, educating the whole person to build a more compassionate and active citizenry. In the equivalence of 3-4 hours per week, students must achieve eight learning goals and seek self-evaluation through insight. • Creativity could include, but is not limited to, pursuit of an artistic talent, contributing to a school / local publication, or many other options. • Action could include, but is not limited to, individual and team sports, expeditions or local / international projects. • Service could include, but is not limited to, helping special needs children, visiting hospitals, working with refugees or homeless.

26. Creativity:Creativity is interpreted as imaginatively as possible to cover the widest range of arts and other activities and includes creativity in organizing and executing service projects.Examples of available CAS activities: - Newspaper or yearbook staff work - Participation in a choral or instrumental musical performance - Preparation of a submission to a literary magazine - Preparation for a display at an art show - Preparation for a service project - Organizing and/or implementing a school- sponsored club activity.

27. Action:It does not necessarily restrict itself to expeditions, sports or physical training, but may include carrying out creative or service projects.Examples of available CAS activities:-Participation at the team or individual level in all competitive athletic events -Participation in any individual sports (hiking, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, running, rollerblading, etc.)- Participation in Outward Bound

28. Service:It does not mean exclusively social service but it can include environmental and international projects.Examples of available CAS activities :- Mission projects (of a non-religious nature) with a church youth group.- Volunteering at a local hospital, nursing home, retirement home, or day-care center.- Volunteer work for the Red Cross or homeless shelters- Walks for Cystic Fibrosis, AIDS or Breast Cancer

29. The formula forthe Diploma In May of the senior year, students will have completed two years of assessed work in six courses and sit for six final exams. Those exams are graded on a seven-point scale. Perfect scores on all six exams would lead to 42 points. There are a maximum of three points available for the combination of ToK and EE for a grand total of 45. Students who acquire 24 or more points receive their diploma. Internationally, 80 percent of diploma candidates receive the diploma.

30. “This two-year course offers a voyage toward self-discovery and multi-cultural appreciation. The student who chooses to embark on this journey receives a general map, as well as guidance, advice and encouragement. However, the roles of sailor, navigator and captain belong to the student alone. The distance traveled and the discoveries made rest upon the shoulders of each participant. -an IB student whenasked about the value ofthe IB difference

31. This is post-modern education. This is especially key as the “global population becomes more mobile.” There will be a demand for “balanced bilinguals who are highly proficient, literate and knowledgeable in two or more languages.” Employees of the next two decades must have “the ability to process and evaluate knowledge not just acquire it . . . Universities and employers are increasingly seeking to attract globally aware, adaptable learners who are able to apply and transfer their skills and knowledge to new contexts.”

32. Student benefits • The core of ToK, EE, CAS “broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding in real-life contexts” (Principles to Practice). • The IB is adamant that we should not restrict the program for “an academic elite” because “Even when students fail to attain the full diploma, they often comment on how the educational experience has enriched their lives and better equipped them to be successful in further education and their professional and personal lives” (Building an Accessible Programme).

33. Student benefits (continued) • “The world is changing rapidly, requiring learners to anticipate the unknown and adapt to change, not just respond to it. • Employment prospects increasingly require an ability to transfer skills and learning. • Learning to work and solve problems collaboratively is becoming as important as learning to work individually. • Developing self-confidence in learners, as well as academic competence, is essential of learners are going to be able to function effectively. • Constructive critical thinking is a tool necessary for individual and collective survival; students must be able to distinguish sense from nonsense, propaganda from truth and make their own well-informed judgments” (Towards a continuum of international education 13).