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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My kids are zoned for an IB school. Although we now understand IB more than before we still wish we looked at houses within a non-IB high school instead. I have a child who is not well rounded but super talented in math and science but weak in writing. IB diploma is not fair for kids like my daughter and others like her. They will do so much better at an AP school [b]where they can focus on subjects they are enthusiastic.[/b] IB is the same BS as the holistic review in AAP or TJ essay writing or whatever FCPS calls it. [/quote]
That's not what high school is about. You're supposed to be getting a general education in high school. Letting a teenager just focus on the subjects they like is the surefire way to never have them develop skills in areas where they are weak. We should want them to develop basic skills in those areas.

When they go to college, they get to pick a major. Not in high school. [/quote]

In many countries, high school is like college and students are already on more specialized tracks.

My kids currently attend an IB school. They are taking all IB courses, but not getting the diploma. Why? Bc they are STEM focused and none of us saw the need to continue two more years of a foreign language when one can take other IB STEM courses. An AP a la carte school would serve them, and many other students, much better than IB. But we didn't transfer bc their friends were at the base school. [/quote]

Specialized tracks are why this country is such a hot mess. We aren’t teaching kids how to think critically. They may be right for some kids, but everyone should be taught critical thinking skills. Period. After high school, you can specialize all you want. K-12 is for fundamentals.[/quote]

Sure, let’s blame the mess in the country on specialized tracks in high school, great critical thinking gurl (or bro). If by critical thinking you mean crappy IB offerings like ToK, CAS and art, I’ll pass.

For foreign language there’s a huge variety of learners. There are native and heritage speakers, kids that started a foreign language in early childhood, kids that started in middle school, kids that have no interest or talent. The one size fits all approach in IB to mandate a foreign language for the diploma and putting everyone in the same class is a disservice to many of them. In AP, advanced kids can take the foreign language in 9th grade and focus on other areas. Some need more time and build up to take the AP exam in 12th grade. Some choose to do four years of foreign language, counting middle school years or not, without taking the AP class. Others decide that two years of foreign language is good enough because theres no point if there’s no interest or talent. All are valid and appropriate choices.

This is just one of the many examples of how the rigidity of the IB diploma program is not serving students well.

The typical IB cheerleader response is “wait wait, critical thinking, well rounded education, lifelong learners, global citizen bla bla”. First of all IB does not have a monopoly on them, and I have serious doubts that is even doing them well. Second, while IB might work for a small sliver of the student body, it’s doesn’t work for the remaining majority. So you can’t mandate IB for everyone, just because it’s good for a tiny fraction. Just pick the most flexible option that maximizes the benefit for all, which in this case is hands down AP. Add dual enrollment as another option for advanced coursework, and there aren’t many good arguments to keep IB, which btw is the most expensive of all. [/quote]

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