RMIB vs Regional IB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The regional IB program our sophomore is in is very, very good. I've said it before and would be happy to address any specific questions or concerns... but I realize it's also important for our poor RMIB parents to have a safe space from which they can comfortably assert the superiority of their own children.

So if there are specific questions? Please ask.

Otherwise, do go on. I am sure everyone else is just as fascinated to hear more about how Larlx can't function without an extra special cohort as I am!

My kid is considering the Springbrook IB program, which would be much more convenient than RM -- after 3 years of taking the magnet bus, kid would be happy to not need a ride to/from the bus stop. Could you talk about the homework load for your sophomore in the regional IB? And what extracurriculars or electives they are fitting in to the IB schedule?

The homework load is pretty intense. DC has several hours of homework a night. There are late buses for extracurriculars, actually--just they don't stop as close to our house as the normal bus. The local elementary, totally walkable, is the designated late bus stop. One of my DC's favorite teachers graduated from the Springbok IB program--so it's been around for a long time. The idea that the regional programs are new is wrong. What's new is the cohorted 9th and 10th. Am very impressed with the school and the teachers and the program. DC is taking tech this year, took health over the summer, and has been able to take arts-related electives the rest of the time. Those seem to have homework too.

I don't remember the cogat scores, but grades were a mix of a's and b's to get in. map was very high verbal, middling math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The regional IB program our sophomore is in is very, very good. I've said it before and would be happy to address any specific questions or concerns... but I realize it's also important for our poor RMIB parents to have a safe space from which they can comfortably assert the superiority of their own children.

So if there are specific questions? Please ask.

Otherwise, do go on. I am sure everyone else is just as fascinated to hear more about how Larlx can't function without an extra special cohort as I am!

My kid is considering the Springbrook IB program, which would be much more convenient than RM -- after 3 years of taking the magnet bus, kid would be happy to not need a ride to/from the bus stop. Could you talk about the homework load for your sophomore in the regional IB? And what extracurriculars or electives they are fitting in to the IB schedule?

The homework load is pretty intense. DC has several hours of homework a night. There are late buses for extracurriculars, actually--just they don't stop as close to our house as the normal bus. The local elementary, totally walkable, is the designated late bus stop. One of my DC's favorite teachers graduated from the Springbok IB program--so it's been around for a long time. The idea that the regional programs are new is wrong. What's new is the cohorted 9th and 10th. Am very impressed with the school and the teachers and the program. DC is taking tech this year, took health over the summer, and has been able to take arts-related electives the rest of the time. Those seem to have homework too.

I don't remember the cogat scores, but grades were a mix of a's and b's to get in. map was very high verbal, middling math.

The whole idea of them being regional and application-based (or "criteria-based") is also new. True, Springbrook, Kennedy, and Watkins Mill were already IB schools for years, but what's new is that students from outside their attendance areas are now able to apply to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The regional IB program our sophomore is in is very, very good. I've said it before and would be happy to address any specific questions or concerns... but I realize it's also important for our poor RMIB parents to have a safe space from which they can comfortably assert the superiority of their own children.

So if there are specific questions? Please ask.

Otherwise, do go on. I am sure everyone else is just as fascinated to hear more about how Larlx can't function without an extra special cohort as I am!

My kid is considering the Springbrook IB program, which would be much more convenient than RM -- after 3 years of taking the magnet bus, kid would be happy to not need a ride to/from the bus stop. Could you talk about the homework load for your sophomore in the regional IB? And what extracurriculars or electives they are fitting in to the IB schedule?

The homework load is pretty intense. DC has several hours of homework a night. There are late buses for extracurriculars, actually--just they don't stop as close to our house as the normal bus. The local elementary, totally walkable, is the designated late bus stop. One of my DC's favorite teachers graduated from the Springbok IB program--so it's been around for a long time. The idea that the regional programs are new is wrong. What's new is the cohorted 9th and 10th. Am very impressed with the school and the teachers and the program. DC is taking tech this year, took health over the summer, and has been able to take arts-related electives the rest of the time. Those seem to have homework too.

I don't remember the cogat scores, but grades were a mix of a's and b's to get in. map was very high verbal, middling math.

The whole idea of them being regional and application-based (or "criteria-based") is also new. True, Springbrook, Kennedy, and Watkins Mill were already IB schools for years, but what's new is that students from outside their attendance areas are now able to apply to them.

I understand this is in part because the demand for RMIB exceeds available seats, and the logistics could work better for some. Is it also because there've been concerns about the size of the cohort interested in IB at these schools being too small?

[Anonymous]

Why does this whole thread read like a Dr. Seuss story?

"Oh no! That rotten Sylvester McMonkey McBean McPs put stars on their bellies as well!"

Now how will the world know we are the original and very, very best Sneetches on the beeches?!?!?!?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does this whole thread read like a Dr. Seuss story?

"Oh no! That rotten Sylvester McMonkey McBean McPs put stars on their bellies as well!"

Now how will the world know we are the original and very, very best Sneetches on the beeches?!?!?!?!

If you don't like how it reads then don't read it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does this whole thread read like a Dr. Seuss story?

"Oh no! That rotten Sylvester McMonkey McBean McPs put stars on their bellies as well!"

Now how will the world know we are the original and very, very best Sneetches on the beeches?!?!?!?!

Yes.

That's brilliant.

[Anonymous]

If only we could get the IB standards changed so everyone could get the diploma to be equitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If only we could get the IB standards changed so everyone could get the diploma to be equitable.

My understanding is that the biggest obstacle is the need to commit to language study in MS, because you need to pass a challenging assessment for the diploma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does this whole thread read like a Dr. Seuss story?

"Oh no! That rotten Sylvester McMonkey McBean McPs put stars on their bellies as well!"

Now how will the world know we are the original and very, very best Sneetches on the beeches?!?!?!?!

HaHaHa. That's actually funny

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If only we could get the IB standards changed so everyone could get the diploma to be equitable.

IB standards are the same for every student regardless of what country they come from. They are equitable. You can either do the work or you can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only we could get the IB standards changed so everyone could get the diploma to be equitable.

IB standards are the same for every student regardless of what country they come from. They are equitable. You can either do the work or you can't.

+1 and to earn the diploma, you have to pass several exams. You have to take foreign language up to level 5. DC is taking Spanish 5, and it is hard. DC has gotten straight As in Spanish so far, but said this year, it's really gone up a notch. Fast paced and everything is taught in that foreign language by a native speaker at RMIB. A lot of kids are struggling. Don't know about the regional IBs.

DC has already taken 4 APs since 9th grade. This year, DC is taking three more APs and a few IB exams. The programs are not lightweight irrespective of which IB school you go to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only we could get the IB standards changed so everyone could get the diploma to be equitable.

IB standards are the same for every student regardless of what country they come from. They are equitable. You can either do the work or you can't.

+1 and to earn the diploma, you have to pass several exams. You have to take foreign language up to level 5. DC is taking Spanish 5, and it is hard. DC has gotten straight As in Spanish so far, but said this year, it's really gone up a notch. Fast paced and everything is taught in that foreign language by a native speaker at RMIB. A lot of kids are struggling. Don't know about the regional IBs.

DC has already taken 4 APs since 9th grade. This year, DC is taking three more APs and a few IB exams. The programs are not lightweight irrespective of which IB school you go to.

The foreign language requirement/path confuses me -- apparently a student should have taken at least one year of FL to apply to RMIB, since they are required to go up to level 5. What about students that have taken FL since sixth grade, and have finished level 3 in eighth grade? Can they finish levels 4 and 5 in ninth and tenth grades, and then stop taking FL if they do not wish to continue further? Or, are they required to be enrolled in FL when they are in grades 11 and 12, since that is when they are actually working on the IB Diploma ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only we could get the IB standards changed so everyone could get the diploma to be equitable.

IB standards are the same for every student regardless of what country they come from. They are equitable. You can either do the work or you can't.

That was sareasm but surprising we have not seen complaints or even data on the kids that get the diploma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only we could get the IB standards changed so everyone could get the diploma to be equitable.

IB standards are the same for every student regardless of what country they come from. They are equitable. You can either do the work or you can't.

+1 and to earn the diploma, you have to pass several exams. You have to take foreign language up to level 5. DC is taking Spanish 5, and it is hard. DC has gotten straight As in Spanish so far, but said this year, it's really gone up a notch. Fast paced and everything is taught in that foreign language by a native speaker at RMIB. A lot of kids are struggling. Don't know about the regional IBs.

DC has already taken 4 APs since 9th grade. This year, DC is taking three more APs and a few IB exams. The programs are not lightweight irrespective of which IB school you go to.

The foreign language requirement/path confuses me -- apparently a student should have taken at least one year of FL to apply to RMIB, since they are required to go up to level 5. What about students that have taken FL since sixth grade, and have finished level 3 in eighth grade? Can they finish levels 4 and 5 in ninth and tenth grades, and then stop taking FL if they do not wish to continue further? Or, are they required to be enrolled in FL when they are in grades 11 and 12, since that is when they are actually working on the IB Diploma ?

I’m wondering the same. My kid is in Spanish 3 this year.

Would she just take Spanish 4 and 5? The RM presentation makes it seem like you need a language every year, but then Spanish 2 counts as a high school level class.

Super confusing.

[Anonymous]

I think the IB language exam will be way, way more advanced than two years? Maybe five years?