IB Programs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The IB program at Einstein was a disaster for my kid. His English and History classes leading up to it didn't have hardly any writing, so he was not prepared for the level of writing required by the IB classes. And his college did not give him any credit for his IB scores (5 to 7). I wish we had gone all AP.

Better than going to college with even less preparation and failing at college though, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The IB program at Einstein was a disaster for my kid. His English and History classes leading up to it didn't have hardly any writing, so he was not prepared for the level of writing required by the IB classes. And his college did not give him any credit for his IB scores (5 to 7). I wish we had gone all AP.

Writing at Einstein is a huge disappointment. They read 2-3 books a year and only write short paragraph responses. No long papers.

In IB English? Not sure how that’s possible, if they’re following the IB curriculum.

The HL IB curriculum (which Einstein makes all diploma candidates take) requires about a dozen novels over the a years, a bunch of poetry and some short stories, as well as a long paper for the IA. My kid’s teacher has had them—from the start—writing increasingly longer essays in preparation for the IA.

Honors English. We are on our second book of the year.

So you’re basically making the argument for IB, then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the IB and AP classes are mixed anyway. What school are you at? I think it is for kids who have strong writing skills and like to write.

The above makes no sense. Complete different curriculum than APs.

I think at BCC it was only the high level foreign language that was cross-coded at both AP and IB (but even then I think there were some adjustments for each?)

I think a lot of MCPS schools do this—they don’t have enough enrollment at the highest levels to justify a bunch of separate classes for each level and track, so they combine them.

The alternative would be not offering high-level languages at all.

[Anonymous]

BCC lists levels 1-7 available for French. Are they combining kids of different experience together (say, 5-7, as PP before suggested)? Or is it just the AP and IB kids, who I believe are at level 7? I think combining AP and IB would be fine — can just switch the assessments. But combing kids of different levels together would be a problem because they need to learn different content.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The IB world history HL was more in-depth reading and writing than AP courses. Less memorizing although there is that, but more analysis and depth to writing requirements. Not teaching to the test so much. My kid loved it.

+1 My kid went to RMIB. The IB history class picks a couple of topics throughout world history, and then goes very in depth. As PP stated, less memorization and much more in depth analysis reading and writing.

Someone once stated that AP is a mile long, and an inch deep, whereas IB is the opposite. That may be why a lot of colleges don't give credit for IB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The IB program at Einstein was a disaster for my kid. His English and History classes leading up to it didn't have hardly any writing, so he was not prepared for the level of writing required by the IB classes. And his college did not give him any credit for his IB scores (5 to 7). I wish we had gone all AP.

Yeah, not being able to offer specific “pre-IB” classes to freshmen and sophomores anymore has really hampered their ability to prepare kids for the work required for IB—now they have to do it on the fly in 11th and 12.

My Einstein IB student says you can really tell which kids were in the Eastern magnet program, because they’ve at least been exposed to that kind of extensive academic research and writing, and deep analysis. They’re less lost on the research side of things, and more prepared to discuss in class and defend their arguments. They may not remember everything from MS, but it generally comes back when they need it.

Yes. This is why RMIB is a much better program. Magnet kids start taking magnet level English classes in 9th grade. That class is a shock to the system for a lot of these high performing kids. Expectations are high, and many get Cs on their first paper. They do eventually meet expectations, and become strong writers. But, wow, that first class. I think it was the first time my DC got a C on their writing assignment after coasting through MS. They got straight As though, all throughout.

My DC is more of a STEM person so RMIB really helped improve their writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The IB program at Einstein was a disaster for my kid. His English and History classes leading up to it didn't have hardly any writing, so he was not prepared for the level of writing required by the IB classes. And his college did not give him any credit for his IB scores (5 to 7). I wish we had gone all AP.

Yeah, not being able to offer specific “pre-IB” classes to freshmen and sophomores anymore has really hampered their ability to prepare kids for the work required for IB—now they have to do it on the fly in 11th and 12.

My Einstein IB student says you can really tell which kids were in the Eastern magnet program, because they’ve at least been exposed to that kind of extensive academic research and writing, and deep analysis. They’re less lost on the research side of things, and more prepared to discuss in class and defend their arguments. They may not remember everything from MS, but it generally comes back when they need it.

Yes. This is why RMIB is a much better program. Magnet kids start taking magnet level English classes in 9th grade. That class is a shock to the system for a lot of these high performing kids. Expectations are high, and many get Cs on their first paper. They do eventually meet expectations, and become strong writers. But, wow, that first class. I think it was the first time my DC got a C on their writing assignment after coasting through MS. They got straight As though, all throughout.

My DC is more of a STEM person so RMIB really helped improve their writing.

I really wish there was a way non-magnet IB schools could offer those pre-IB courses. I don't know why MCPS won't allow them any more, but if it's just a problem with the IB name, call them something different. But you can’t throw kids to the wolves and expect them to thrive.

My Einstein kid had been in magnet programs in ES and MS, and had no interest in either RMIB or Kennedy, but still wanted a rigorous and challenging HS curriculum. IB was a perfect fit for their interests and strengths, but without the preparation they had at Eastern, it would have been much more stressful and overwhelming. The extended essay is really just a more structured version of the middle school IDRIP, with more leeway to choose your topic.

Theirs was the last class to have a Pre-IB section of Honors English 9, and they felt like it really did make a difference in getting those non-MS-magnet freshmen up to speed on literary analysis, critical frameworks, etc. But it seemed like there was still a big gap on the research and writing side of things, because the even the standard MCPS “honors” curriculum doesn't allow for much of either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sophomore is thinking of taking IB program. She does great in her AP classes and is getting A's and is ok with the workload but we are worried if she takes IB the intensity may be too much. All of her friends are doing it and she mentions it gives a great bump for college acceptances. Curious if anyone would share their experience. Thanks!

It's also super helpful once you are in college. Buckle down and do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sophomore is thinking of taking IB program. She does great in her AP classes and is getting A's and is ok with the workload but we are worried if she takes IB the intensity may be too much. All of her friends are doing it and she mentions it gives a great bump for college acceptances. Curious if anyone would share their experience. Thanks!

The IB’s great bump for college acceptance is a myth, same as the supposed superiority for writing in IB compared to AP. I’ve never seen any independent evidence to support these claims.

The problem with IB is that it’s really light on actual classes, only 6 over two years, to end up with a shaky general knowledge foundation. In exchange you get busywork classes like Theory of Knowledge, “extracurricular” activities etc. When people extol the “analysis” and “critical thinking” in IB, it’s just to mask the lack of breadth and depth in the curriculum.

A comparable schedule for an AP student would be 5-8 AP classes plus a few regular ones. If you’re careful with your choices you can get a solid preparation in either sciences and humanities because it’s a la carte, so you can align the coursework with your interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The IB world history HL was more in-depth reading and writing than AP courses. Less memorizing although there is that, but more analysis and depth to writing requirements. Not teaching to the test so much. My kid loved it.

Both IB History and English are a lot more like the courses they’ll experience in college than their AP counterparts are.

And the writing for AP classes is much more circumscribed: IB teaches you how to write research papers for several different academic disciplines (using each field’s standard style guide), while AP teaches you to write an essay for an AP exam.

Your assertions are bizarre considering AP classes, including the writing intensive ones in humanities are designed to be substitutes for college classes.

AP teaches you how to write an essay for the AP exam? Sorry, but you don’t seem to have the slightest clue about the curriculum in the AP class or what’s being tested on the exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sophomore is thinking of taking IB program. She does great in her AP classes and is getting A's and is ok with the workload but we are worried if she takes IB the intensity may be too much. All of her friends are doing it and she mentions it gives a great bump for college acceptances. Curious if anyone would share their experience. Thanks!

The IB’s great bump for college acceptance is a myth, same as the supposed superiority for writing in IB compared to AP. I’ve never seen any independent evidence to support these claims.

The problem with IB is that it’s really light on actual classes, only 6 over two years, to end up with a shaky general knowledge foundation. In exchange you get busywork classes like Theory of Knowledge, “extracurricular” activities etc. When people extol the “analysis” and “critical thinking” in IB, it’s just to mask the lack of breadth and depth in the curriculum.

A comparable schedule for an AP student would be 5-8 AP classes plus a few regular ones. If you’re careful with your choices you can get a solid preparation in either sciences and humanities because it’s a la carte, so you can align the coursework with your interests.

Most (if not all) IB students also take AP classes, and self study for other AP subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The IB world history HL was more in-depth reading and writing than AP courses. Less memorizing although there is that, but more analysis and depth to writing requirements. Not teaching to the test so much. My kid loved it.

Both IB History and English are a lot more like the courses they’ll experience in college than their AP counterparts are.

And the writing for AP classes is much more circumscribed: IB teaches you how to write research papers for several different academic disciplines (using each field’s standard style guide), while AP teaches you to write an essay for an AP exam.

Your assertions are bizarre considering AP classes, including the writing intensive ones in humanities are designed to be substitutes for college classes.

AP teaches you how to write an essay for the AP exam? Sorry, but you don’t seem to have the slightest clue about the curriculum in the AP class or what’s being tested on the exam.

dp.. I have two kids. One went through RMIB, and the other didn't but took AP English. Very big difference in writing assignments, and depth of analysis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BCC lists levels 1-7 available for French. Are they combining kids of different experience together (say, 5-7, as PP before suggested)? Or is it just the AP and IB kids, who I believe are at level 7? I think combining AP and IB would be fine — can just switch the assessments. But combing kids of different levels together would be a problem because they need to learn different content.

Sequential language instruction ends after 4.

After that, it's like English. Just more books and more practice writing.
You don't have to read Shakespeare's plays in a certain order. You just need the material to rotate so it's not totally repetitive for people taking more years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My sophomore is thinking of taking IB program. She does great in her AP classes and is getting A's and is ok with the workload but we are worried if she takes IB the intensity may be too much. All of her friends are doing it and she mentions it gives a great bump for college acceptances. Curious if anyone would share their experience. Thanks!

The IB’s great bump for college acceptance is a myth, same as the supposed superiority for writing in IB compared to AP. I’ve never seen any independent evidence to support these claims.

The problem with IB is that it’s really light on actual classes, only 6 over two years, to end up with a shaky general knowledge foundation. In exchange you get busywork classes like Theory of Knowledge, “extracurricular” activities etc. When people extol the “analysis” and “critical thinking” in IB, it’s just to mask the lack of breadth and depth in the curriculum.

A comparable schedule for an AP student would be 5-8 AP classes plus a few regular ones. If you’re careful with your choices you can get a solid preparation in either sciences and humanities because it’s a la carte, so you can align the coursework with your interests.

AP is different than IB in terms of writing. All IB classes, even STEM, require a lot of analytical writing. AP classes not so much. The amount of writing is different between the two.

That said, you can indeed get a solid education with taking just AP classes.

[Anonymous]

IB programs are not the best form STEAM. Students do not do well on SAT or ACT.