IB school selection
IB course has been in China for many years, and its curriculum is rich and reasonable. It attaches importance to cultivating students' critical thinking and social practice. As far as university study is concerned, IB course also has great advantages. However, many schools in China also offer IB courses. How to choose an IB school suitable for children (IBDP here) is a problem faced by many parents. I have had in-depth communication with many parents, who probably came to consult IB, so most of them chose IB schools in the end. There are also a few parents who gave up IB school and chose other courses after their field trip in IB school. Opinions vary, so we won't discuss it here. Let's determine how to choose a school after going to IB, and sort it out roughly, hoping to help parents and classmates. The shortcomings are put forward directly, so that the latecomers can learn better when choosing IB schools.
Only by comparison can we agree.
Before choosing a school, it is necessary for parents and classmates to understand the connotation of IBO education concept. Unlike our domestic courses, or international courses such as A-Level and AP, which focus on academic subjects, they focus on TOK, EE and CAS, which shows the fundamental differences in educational concepts. If you want to go to IB school, parents should at least read the introduction of IBO and have a general understanding of other courses. Only by comparison can you identify them and understand their advantages and disadvantages better.
What should IB pay attention to when choosing a school?
It is generally accepted that the most suitable school is the best school, which involves two aspects-knowing ourselves and ourselves, and we will examine how to choose a school from our own perspective, that is, from our own perspective and that of the school.
1 Know yourself
Not every student is suitable for studying IB. Although we have always emphasized this point, some parents subjectively think that their children are excellent and have great potential. Self-confidence is necessary, which encourages and promotes your children, but it is not enough to have self-confidence, otherwise it will become a dead letter. Students should objectively evaluate their academic foundation and English level, and make clear whether the training goal of IBO is in line with their wishes. IB course is a difficult course, involving a wide range of subjects and being difficult. In fact, the study of many subjects is close to the learning level of universities. And IB also attaches great importance to students' ability to participate in social activities. In addition to ensuring the quality of study, students should also take time to participate in CAS activities. In addition, they must be able to conduct independent research. How else can I finish my EE paper? Needless to say, at the same time, we have to take the standardized test of language and writing. In short, choosing IB is to challenge yourself.
2 IB school
Driven by the pursuit of quality education by Chinese and foreign students, especially in recent years, IB schools in China have made great progress, which are generally divided into three types: first, international schools offering IB courses, which basically recruit foreign students (or students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), such as American schools in Shanghai, Dewei schools in Britain and Yaozhong international schools; Second, private schools offering IB courses, such as Pinghe School and Shiwai Middle School, basically recruit students from China; Thirdly, the international departments of IB courses in public key middle schools, such as IB International Department of Jiao Tong High School and IB International Department of Yu Wei Middle School, basically recruit students from China, but there are also IB International Departments of Fudan High School, which mainly accept foreign students. In view of this, when choosing an IB school, everyone should first determine the choice object according to their own situation.
Secondly, it is necessary to clarify the key to admission-written test and interview. The written test mainly tests students' math skills and English level; Interview mainly measures students' English expression ability, thinking ability and manners, and looks at their quality and potential through their performance. When choosing the best IB school, the standards are similar, all based on the training objectives of IBO, so that students can know in advance what level and quality students the school wants. Written English is relatively difficult and has a large vocabulary, so students should prepare for English early. Of course, some schools have suggested that students can be exempted from taking English exams as long as their TOEFL score reaches 90. In addition, it is best for students to show their own characteristics during the interview, such as what interesting things they have done before and what special hobbies they have. For example, some students will say that their hobbies are badminton and basketball, but they have no special experience in this field, so it is difficult to arouse the interest of examiners. Parents should not interfere in the interview. As mentioned above, what the interviewer wants to know is the students and their performance. If some parents are too strong, considering that the head teacher/tutor and classroom teacher will contact with such parents in the future, the overall evaluation of students will be reduced, resulting in self-defeating results.
Thirdly, we should know the situation of IB school and how to judge it. As far as the actual situation is concerned, it should be said that IB schools have their own advantages and disadvantages. School background is the premise of judgment, school history is the basis of judgment, and the key to judgment is the current specific situation of IB school, which can be measured from the following dimensions.
Campus culture: management level, educational atmosphere and learning atmosphere are not formed overnight. You can draw your own conclusions after staying on campus for half a day. In addition, you will get more accurate information by asking your classmates or parents who have studied in this school.
Teacher level: The education and teaching level of a school mainly depends on the overall level of school teachers, not the level of a teacher. Parents can check the background introduction of school teachers in official website.
Subject: DP students in IB school, unlike most senior high school students in China, have made clear what major they want to study in the future after entering high school or even before entering high school, so students should also consider what subject the school offers when choosing a school. Generally speaking, the more subjects are offered, the stronger the teachers in this school.
Hardware facilities: From laboratories to sports venues to canteens, some are dispensable and some are essential. Of course, it is basically provided by IB schools, and the main difference is quality.
Where to go for graduates: Don't just look at how many students have been admitted to first-class universities (unless you can guarantee that you will become a master of learning), but also look at which universities other students have been admitted to, so as to reflect the overall level of the school, and at the same time, we can see which countries or types of institutions students in this school prefer to study abroad. Parents can go to official website to check the progress of the school in previous years.
Boarding or not: this is your own request, and it is generally not important to be far from home. But even if you don't stay in school, don't rely too much on life at home.
How much tuition: Students who want to attend IB schools generally accept high tuition fees, but it does not mean that the higher the tuition fees, the better the quality of education.
When considering a problem, you can't cut across the board. If the school enrolls high-level students, it is normal for graduates to enter the university. If the level of students enrolled is relatively average and they have achieved good results, it shows that the quality of education and management of the school is better. Or vice versa, specific to the Dallas Auditorium, we can learn from the following aspects:
Insiders' comments: Everyone can get the corresponding information from different channels such as the Internet, because they have a comprehensive and in-depth understanding.
Teacher flow: that is, from which schools IB teachers flow to which schools, which is almost a natural weather vane.
Evaluation of graduate students: After living in one or several schools for a long time, they will have rich knowledge. At the same time, it can also reflect the differences of school culture, for example, some are relatively concerned about cultivating students' personality, while others are more concerned about students' achievements.
Knowing nothing about this matter, it is very important to communicate with school receptionists and ordinary teachers and students in person and get first-hand information. Whether the school management is efficient or not and how students' attitudes are can be obtained through face-to-face communication. After you know what to do, it's up to you to decide which IB school is more suitable for you.
Parents explore the road and students make decisions. This coincides with IB's spirit of cultivating students' independent judgment. Choosing a school is a transitional period when students begin to think and judge independently. I hope all students who are concerned about IB can judge according to various actual situations and finally enter their favorite IB school.
If you have any problems in choosing an IB school, IB educators in China will try their best to solve them. What information do you have? Share it!