IB Schools and "Global Citizens"

[Anonymous]

IB means that the school gets evaluated by educators who don't give a crap about american politics or arne duncan.

This in turn means that the IB schools avoid being quite so insular, or teaching strictly to the state tests in whatever state they happen to be in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB means that the school gets evaluated by educators who don't give a crap about american politics or arne duncan.

This in turn means that the IB schools avoid being quite so insular, or teaching strictly to the state tests in whatever state they happen to be in.

That's a non sequitur. IB schools here tend to be the public schools with the most low income and ESOL kids, so they devote the most energy to teaching to the SOLs and other state tests in order to avoid the wrath of the Arne Duncans of the world. It might be different at a private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wonder if they are teaching the fact that so many other countries are intolerant in the IB program? Kind of doubt it.

I think the point of the IB program (as administered in the US) is to teach empathy for others, not to bash the US. I don't think teaching empathy for others and teaching patriotism are mutually exclusive. I think it can be the best of both world.

[Anonymous]

think the point of the IB program (as administered in the US) is to teach empathy for others

You really need an IB program for that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder if they are teaching the fact that so many other countries are intolerant in the IB program? Kind of doubt it.

I think the point of the IB program (as administered in the US) is to teach empathy for others, not to bash the US. I don't think teaching empathy for others and teaching patriotism are mutually exclusive. I think it can be the best of both world.

That's a silly and likely elusive goal for what's typically held out as a rigorous college prep program. IB equips a small subset of students to banter with one another using IBO-favored terms such as "hegemony." The article cited in the OP suggests that type of approach is more likely to teach elitism than empathy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

People who have lived overseas may more readily see the value in the IB program because at a very visceral level they know what it feels like to live in a place where a culture other than their own is dominant -- and learn to adapt

I've lived abroad. The irony of the above statement is that other countries are generally more narrow in their thinking than we are.......

I agree that they can be, depending on the country and the issue. The thing that living overseas does is introduces you to the harsh reality that the US is not the "best" at everything and that there is more than one way to do things.

You are kidding, right? You really needed to live abroad to understand this? Sorry, but this seems like such a junior-year abroad mindset. Makes me feel like the perfect IB candidate would probably be Gwyneth Paltrow.

Do you know what percentage of Americans have a passport?

Less than one third.

[Anonymous]

I didn't see anything in this article that has to do with the International Baccalaureate program. What I read was a piece that is critical of higher - especially graduate - education public affairs and policy.

Also, why would more than 1/3 of Americans need a passport? I am an American who has traveled extensively abroad because of my work, but I think I could do with a good number of years traveling around and trying to understand the vastness and diversity that are also found in the United States.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't see anything in this article that has to do with the International Baccalaureate program. What I read was a piece that is critical of higher - especially graduate - education public affairs and policy.

Also, why would more than 1/3 of Americans need a passport? I am an American who has traveled extensively abroad because of my work, but I think I could do with a good number of years traveling around and trying to understand the vastness and diversity that are also found in the United States.

The common thread is an emphasis on creating "global citizens" who are supposed to think about issues from an ill-defined global perspective that minimizes the importance of national allegiances. The obvious disdain that the PP displays towards Americans who don't hold passports is very consistent with that attitude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder if they are teaching the fact that so many other countries are intolerant in the IB program? Kind of doubt it.

I think the point of the IB program (as administered in the US) is to teach empathy for others, not to bash the US. I don't think teaching empathy for others and teaching patriotism are mutually exclusive. I think it can be the best of both world.

That's a silly and likely elusive goal for what's typically held out as a rigorous college prep program. IB equips a small subset of students to banter with one another using IBO-favored terms such as "hegemony." The article cited in the OP suggests that type of approach is more likely to teach elitism than empathy.

Clueless. Come back when you actually know somethign about the IB program.

[Anonymous]

DC is not in an IB program but the critics seem to be the same folks who criticize kids learning foreign languages in elementary school as a waste of time...You see that a lot here on DCUM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is not in an IB program but the critics seem to be the same folks who criticize kids learning foreign languages in elementary school as a waste of time...You see that a lot here on DCUM

Foreign language instruction is great. FCPS could afford more of it if it wasn't shelling out so much money for expensive, under-utilized IB programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is not in an IB program but the critics seem to be the same folks who criticize kids learning foreign languages in elementary school as a waste of time...You see that a lot here on DCUM

Foreign language instruction is great. FCPS could afford more of it if it wasn't shelling out so much money for expensive, under-utilized IB programs.

Oh here we go attacking the IB straw man again. Please get some facts. The IB program is hardly the reason why we don't have more foreign language programs.

Before you start throwing around inaccuracies to serve your anti-IB agenda ("oh why can't we stop the world from changing and go back to 50's/60's America?) Take a look at rising school budget and population, consider that developers can do whatever they want without paying full freight, while homeowners taxes have remained pretty low in VA and you might begin to understand why the current school system is so stretched. FCPS have plenty of issues to resolve which have nothing to do with IB.

[Anonymous]

I'm a strong supporter of foreign languages, however, the elementary school program FLES is not worth the money spent. Kids will not learn a language twice a week for thirty minutes. Can the program.

[Anonymous]

IB may be a great program, but it is underutilized and it is expensive. Get rid of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is not in an IB program but the critics seem to be the same folks who criticize kids learning foreign languages in elementary school as a waste of time...You see that a lot here on DCUM

Foreign language instruction is great. FCPS could afford more of it if it wasn't shelling out so much money for expensive, under-utilized IB programs.

Oh here we go attacking the IB straw man again. Please get some facts. The IB program is hardly the reason why we don't have more foreign language programs.

Before you start throwing around inaccuracies to serve your anti-IB agenda ("oh why can't we stop the world from changing and go back to 50's/60's America?) Take a look at rising school budget and population, consider that developers can do whatever they want without paying full freight, while homeowners taxes have remained pretty low in VA and you might begin to understand why the current school system is so stretched. FCPS have plenty of issues to resolve which have nothing to do with IB.

IB is a very expensive program, and funds are limited. Of course, there are lots of additional things we could pay for if developers were making larger contributions or taxes were higher, including more teachers and smaller class sizes. Until that day comes, however, it's fair game to ask whether having eight IB schools in the county is a waste of funds, particularly when one of the oft-stated goals - turning students into "global citizens" - is fuzzy at best and, at worst, elitist. Remind me again why taxpayers foot the bill for IB coordinators at schools where less than 10% of the seniors get IB diplomas.