RM IB coordinator is leaving the school

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who's an IB coordinator in one of the many non-test in schools. This person is often frustrated by the lack of support from school admin and from central office.

Sadly, those who oversee the program aren't fully trained in it. In fact, the only people qualified to run it - at both the school and systemwide level - should be former IB DP teachers.

Earning a DP diploma is like earning a mini liberal arts degree. It's VERY different from AP courses, which tend to be much more specific and technical.

Kids who enter college after participating in IB praise the experience as it helped them develop connections among the content areas, but more importantly, the program taught them how to manage their time well.

Anyone who says IB coordinators have it easy are ignorant.

off my soapbox now

And no, I'm not IB DP trained. I am, however, MYP trained.

[Anonymous]

The RMIB program for brutal for my child initially because my child had no idea what the program was about and neither did we. My bright child who was a procrastinator was playing catch-up because he thought that he could manage by doing work at the last minute. He had to learn how to prioritize his work and manage his time. RMIB was hard work, but eventually he learnt to manage his time and he did survive.

Just by following the path laid by the RMIB program, his resume was impressive. He had no problem getting in the college of his choice, with full merit scholarship, and huge amount of college credits.

You have to be bright, hardworking as well as have excellent time management skills. That is the reason that I feel that RMIB may not be for a child who is bright but not hard working.

What you gain out of the experience is amazing. It is a transforming experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I am curious as to what reasons are provided for striving towards the completion of an IB diploma when one has already been accepted to a college or university.

Is it simply to complete a goal, once undertaken? Is it a notion of "paying it forward," based on an argument that the hard work of prior students who completed their diplomas paved the way for their own acceptance from colleges or universities that were familiar with RM's track record with IB? Presumably the schools do not make their offers of admission contingent on the students successfully earning an IB diploma, and you might think the students do deserve some down time in their senior year.

You can't read anything about the IB program at RM without coming away with the sense that it's mostly PARENTS of IB diploma candidates and recipients who are most heavily invested in the reputation of the IB program there and the fiefdom of the IB coordinator.

I will answer this question for you from personal experience. DC had already got accepted into college, so he wondered what would happen if he did not go for the diploma? He went for a chat with Hoover, and she said "Hmmm, let's see where you are in the diploma process." And she goes through the checklist of what all he had already finished and achieved. He had very little left of the diploma requirements, except the end of the year exams. Most of the work had been done already. So, she said. " Wow! IB diploma is a low lying fruit for you now. You are almost 95% complete now. You sure you want to not claim the diploma that belongs to you?"

DC was not going to leave the program without the diploma. He had earned it fair and square. It is a very small group of kids worldwide who earn an IB diploma. Most kids will just take a few IB classes or some will work for an IB certificate. To get the diploma is a badge of Honor. The RMIB kids are in the toughest magnet. By the time they are admitted to colleges, there is very little work left for the Diploma anyways. They are not going to walk away from that honor.

I think it means much more because it is like a medal, a badge of honor. Yes, a diploma is not required to get into college, but all colleges know that the RMIB kids are working towards one. In the end, it is a symbol of the capability, intelligence and perseverance of the students. The RMIB kids go for the diploma because they know that they are worthy of it and they have earned it. It is not a requirement for colleges, but no kid walks away from all the work they have done for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, I am curious as to what reasons are provided for striving towards the completion of an IB diploma when one has already been accepted to a college or university.

Is it simply to complete a goal, once undertaken? Is it a notion of "paying it forward," based on an argument that the hard work of prior students who completed their diplomas paved the way for their own acceptance from colleges or universities that were familiar with RM's track record with IB? Presumably the schools do not make their offers of admission contingent on the students successfully earning an IB diploma, and you might think the students do deserve some down time in their senior year.

You can't read anything about the IB program at RM without coming away with the sense that it's mostly PARENTS of IB diploma candidates and recipients who are most heavily invested in the reputation of the IB program there and the fiefdom of the IB coordinator.

I will answer this question for you from personal experience. DC had already got accepted into college, so he wondered what would happen if he did not go for the diploma? He went for a chat with Hoover, and she said "Hmmm, let's see where you are in the diploma process." And she goes through the checklist of what all he had already finished and achieved. He had very little left of the diploma requirements, except the end of the year exams. Most of the work had been done already. So, she said. " Wow! IB diploma is a low lying fruit for you now. You are almost 95% complete now. You sure you want to not claim the diploma that belongs to you?"

DC was not going to leave the program without the diploma. He had earned it fair and square. It is a very small group of kids worldwide who earn an IB diploma. Most kids will just take a few IB classes or some will work for an IB certificate. To get the diploma is a badge of Honor. The RMIB kids are in the toughest magnet. By the time they are admitted to colleges, there is very little work left for the Diploma anyways. They are not going to walk away from that honor.

I think it means much more because it is like a medal, a badge of honor. Yes, a diploma is not required to get into college, but all colleges know that the RMIB kids are working towards one. In the end, it is a symbol of the capability, intelligence and perseverance of the students. The RMIB kids go for the diploma because they know that they are worthy of it and they have earned it. It is not a requirement for colleges, but no kid walks away from all the work they have done for years.

+1 Well said.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone confirm this story? Is she really leaving?

[Anonymous]

My kid at the school has not said a word.

[Anonymous]

My kid is out of program but still well connected with current students/teachers has not said a word.

[Anonymous]

I went to RM in the IB program loooong ago, and it was very, very difficult. I was always a good student, but the IB program took things to a new level. No one in my family had gone to college or was particularly academic. My parents were as supportive as they could be but I was completely unprepared for the experience. 4-5 hours of homework per night, every night. I took a ride on bus from Silver Spring to and from school every day. I lasted 2 years in the program before becoming completely stressed out and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. With my parents' support I transferred back to my home school in Silver Spring and sailed through the rest of high school and college, and law school. Nothing was harder, more challenging for me than those two years in the IB program. Of my 4 close friends in the program, one completed the program. One changed schools in junior year, and one dropped out of school entirely and got a GED. Just my experience. Reading this thread got me thinking about my time at RM. Ah the memories.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone confirm that she is leaving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone confirm that she is leaving?

Why are you so interested to confirm?

[Anonymous]

Because there are 5 pages of discussion on an unsubstantiated rumor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone confirm that she is leaving?

Why are you so interested to confirm?

that's kind of stupid question, isn't it?

i mean, really, look at the title of this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because there are 5 pages of discussion on an unsubstantiated rumor

What substantiation you are looking for on an anonymous forum? You will not know until the schools announces and the school will not announce till summer - like they always do for these kind of changes.