Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 10:06     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know the TOK class is required but does anyone know what is taught in that class?


It’s my DD’s favorite class she’s ever taken.

It’s basically epistemology—what do we know, and how do we know it? Why is knowledge important? How does it relate to concepts like culture and community? She loves it because it’s very analytical, and favors deep thinking and argumentative writing over regurgitating facts.

They do a good bit of writing and some presentations, but in general it’s kind of an overarching theory class that is supposed to tie together all the other courses they take. But I’m sure the quality depends a lot on the instructor, too.


I found it pretentious and cringey, but I agree that it depends a lot on the instructor.

Most often it’s still going to regurgitate some ideas from Plato, Kant, Hume, Locke etc, albeit at poorly understood high school level.

To be honest the writing part of my DC IB program was quite underwhelming, essentially quantity over quality. It doesn’t help that the instructor is actually not capable of writing or teaching.

Instead of the extended essay I think my student would have been way better off with a solid practice of a five paragraph essay, strong understanding of grammar and a well developed vocabulary. I’d much prefer a short assignment that is well edited to be crisp and clear instead of 10 pages of rambling sentences. The teacher feedback was nonexistent, so had have to figure it out on his own.


It’s worst when the TOK is mashed with the flavor of the day of postmodernism, post colonialism, social justice soup. Then it turns into indigenous ways of knowing, all cultures are equal cliches and tropes that truly are painful to read. I found TOK to be the a very poor example of deep thinking, analysis and argumentative writing.

I second the other poster that the writing part of IB was not impressive to say the least.
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 00:30     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know the TOK class is required but does anyone know what is taught in that class?


It’s my DD’s favorite class she’s ever taken.

It’s basically epistemology—what do we know, and how do we know it? Why is knowledge important? How does it relate to concepts like culture and community? She loves it because it’s very analytical, and favors deep thinking and argumentative writing over regurgitating facts.

They do a good bit of writing and some presentations, but in general it’s kind of an overarching theory class that is supposed to tie together all the other courses they take. But I’m sure the quality depends a lot on the instructor, too.


I found it pretentious and cringey, but I agree that it depends a lot on the instructor.

Most often it’s still going to regurgitate some ideas from Plato, Kant, Hume, Locke etc, albeit at poorly understood high school level.

To be honest the writing part of my DC IB program was quite underwhelming, essentially quantity over quality. It doesn’t help that the instructor is actually not capable of writing or teaching.

Instead of the extended essay I think my student would have been way better off with a solid practice of a five paragraph essay, strong understanding of grammar and a well developed vocabulary. I’d much prefer a short assignment that is well edited to be crisp and clear instead of 10 pages of rambling sentences. The teacher feedback was nonexistent, so had have to figure it out on his own.


At which school was this experience?
Anonymous
Post 01/29/2024 00:11     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know the TOK class is required but does anyone know what is taught in that class?


It’s my DD’s favorite class she’s ever taken.

It’s basically epistemology—what do we know, and how do we know it? Why is knowledge important? How does it relate to concepts like culture and community? She loves it because it’s very analytical, and favors deep thinking and argumentative writing over regurgitating facts.

They do a good bit of writing and some presentations, but in general it’s kind of an overarching theory class that is supposed to tie together all the other courses they take. But I’m sure the quality depends a lot on the instructor, too.


I found it pretentious and cringey, but I agree that it depends a lot on the instructor.

Most often it’s still going to regurgitate some ideas from Plato, Kant, Hume, Locke etc, albeit at poorly understood high school level.

To be honest the writing part of my DC IB program was quite underwhelming, essentially quantity over quality. It doesn’t help that the instructor is actually not capable of writing or teaching.

Instead of the extended essay I think my student would have been way better off with a solid practice of a five paragraph essay, strong understanding of grammar and a well developed vocabulary. I’d much prefer a short assignment that is well edited to be crisp and clear instead of 10 pages of rambling sentences. The teacher feedback was nonexistent, so had have to figure it out on his own.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2024 21:18     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:I know the TOK class is required but does anyone know what is taught in that class?


It’s my DD’s favorite class she’s ever taken.

It’s basically epistemology—what do we know, and how do we know it? Why is knowledge important? How does it relate to concepts like culture and community? She loves it because it’s very analytical, and favors deep thinking and argumentative writing over regurgitating facts.

They do a good bit of writing and some presentations, but in general it’s kind of an overarching theory class that is supposed to tie together all the other courses they take. But I’m sure the quality depends a lot on the instructor, too.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 21:58     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update. She did make it and was put on the wait pool for blair.


Congrats! Proud parent of an RMIB senior who was just admitted to the University of Maryland Honors college for the Smith school of business a few minutes ago.


Congrats!
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 20:19     Subject: What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
She had a relatively really low Map m but a great resume otherwise especially with the foreign language.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 19:44     Subject: What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Congrats to your daughter OP. Im the poster who said she had a good shot on page 1.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 19:24     Subject: What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
My post defending Kennedy and elaborating on my kid's college acceptances gets deleted, but posters who have never sent kids there are free to slag on the school and its programs.

Make that make sense. I offer you actual information...
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 17:36     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update. She did make it and was put on the wait pool for blair.


Congrats! Proud parent of an RMIB senior who was just admitted to the University of Maryland Honors college for the Smith school of business a few minutes ago.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 17:33     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:OP here with an update. She did make it and was put on the wait pool for blair.


Congrats to your kid, OP!
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 17:21     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:I know the TOK class is required but does anyone know what is taught in that class?

TOK is the Theory of Knowledge class. It’s not so much “taught” as an exploration of concepts. Lots of discussion and projects
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2024 17:18     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
OP here with an update. She did make it and was put on the wait pool for blair.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2024 21:15     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
I know the TOK class is required but does anyone know what is taught in that class?
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2024 22:21     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I've heard a lot of people in this forum say the regional programs are bad. Is there anyone who has a child who attends one who can attest to its quality?
Which one? Kennedy and Watkins Mill are really the worst, so as long as it's not either of those it might be ok.


How do you know?


We've been through the data before. Check the other threads and catch up.


DP. Yes, we've been through the data, and they don't show "Kennedy and Watkins Mill are really the worst." So we're back to the question: how do you know?


Anonymous
Post 01/22/2024 22:20     Subject: Re:What are my child's chances of getting into the IB program?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I've heard a lot of people in this forum say the regional programs are bad. Is there anyone who has a child who attends one who can attest to its quality?
Which one? Kennedy and Watkins Mill are really the worst, so as long as it's not either of those it might be ok.


How do you know?


We've been through the data before. Check the other threads and catch up.


DP. Yes, we've been through the data, and they don't show "Kennedy and Watkins Mill are really the worst." So we're back to the question: how do you know?