Strategies to support ACS Strategies to support ACS students through the IB students through the IB

Diploma Diploma An overview of challenges and An overview of challenges and

best practicesbest practices

Quarter 1: Perceptions & Quarter 1: Perceptions & RealitiesRealities

The program seems not as The program seems not as challenging as anticipated !!!challenging as anticipated !!!

The first reality check. I studied The first reality check. I studied for the test but why did I get a C for the test but why did I get a C and not a B+ or an A in the first and not a B+ or an A in the first test? test?

Understanding the assessment Understanding the assessment criteria for IB courses is one of criteria for IB courses is one of the first quarter challenges.the first quarter challenges.

Quarter 2: RealitiesQuarter 2: Realities

Why do homework assignments Why do homework assignments seem so much harder now?seem so much harder now?

Demands for deeper understanding Demands for deeper understanding of course content is now apparent to of course content is now apparent to students.students.

WHY due dates for homework WHY due dates for homework assignments or test fall during the assignments or test fall during the same day or week? same day or week?

Proper Planning and organizing Proper Planning and organizing tasks is one of the challenges.tasks is one of the challenges. Need Need to ask for help.to ask for help.

Quarter 3: Feeling Stronger!Quarter 3: Feeling Stronger!

January (Semester) exams are over. January (Semester) exams are over. Time to reflect and evaluate student Time to reflect and evaluate student performance. performance.

Hard decisions about continuing into Hard decisions about continuing into the program or changing status must the program or changing status must be made. be made.

On the positive side students know On the positive side students know their strengths and weakness and their strengths and weakness and their potential to improve.their potential to improve.

Quarter 3: New challengesQuarter 3: New challenges

Internal assessment is the new challenge. Internal assessment is the new challenge. Students are asked to apply their Students are asked to apply their knowledge for each subject!knowledge for each subject!

Time and organize tasks. Use Educational Time and organize tasks. Use Educational Planning class on Wednesdays and Planning class on Wednesdays and Thursdays to ask for assistance in planning Thursdays to ask for assistance in planning work. work.

Share concerns and anxiety with Share concerns and anxiety with counselors, parents and friends. Confront counselors, parents and friends. Confront challenges early on not the day before.challenges early on not the day before.

Teachers can help!!Teachers can help!!

Quarter 3: everything seems Quarter 3: everything seems more difficult!!more difficult!! Extended Essay. The challenge to show Extended Essay. The challenge to show

research skills.research skills. More and more homework and not enough More and more homework and not enough

time to go out for a coffee with friends….time to go out for a coffee with friends…. Students are monitored with respect to Students are monitored with respect to

completing tasks according to deadlines. completing tasks according to deadlines. Students realize that it is hard to slack off Students realize that it is hard to slack off their duties. their duties.

The IB office informs parents in writing at The IB office informs parents in writing at the end of the month. the end of the month.

Need assistance to relief stress.Need assistance to relief stress.

Quarter 4Quarter 4

I worked so hard to rewrite my I worked so hard to rewrite my essay and my teacher says that it essay and my teacher says that it still is mediocre!!still is mediocre!!

Need encouragement to continue Need encouragement to continue the hard work. Need to understand the hard work. Need to understand that revising, editing, rewriting is that revising, editing, rewriting is required in order to achieve the best required in order to achieve the best performance.performance.

Encourage to use class time Encourage to use class time effectively.effectively.

Quarter 4- prepare for the Quarter 4- prepare for the mock exams in Junemock exams in June How will I be ready for the mock How will I be ready for the mock

exams. If I fail I will lose my status exams. If I fail I will lose my status as an IB diploma student. I will not as an IB diploma student. I will not be able to enter the HL classes for be able to enter the HL classes for the courses I need for my college the courses I need for my college applications.applications.

Use time effectively, organize work, Use time effectively, organize work, use Spring break to get ahead and use Spring break to get ahead and prepare for the mock exams. prepare for the mock exams.

Share concerns/anxieties with Share concerns/anxieties with parents, teachers, counselors. They parents, teachers, counselors. They can help.can help.

After the mocks- Holidays!??After the mocks- Holidays!??

Dealing with the results, Dealing with the results, rethinking of options for rethinking of options for applications. Identify applications. Identify opportunities and challenges.opportunities and challenges.

Need help to reflect and Need help to reflect and evaluate mock exam results evaluate mock exam results focusing on academic plans. Do focusing on academic plans. Do academic plans fit student academic plans fit student profile and personality?profile and personality?

Summer Homework!!!!Summer Homework!!!!

A pile of unfinished work if any. A pile of unfinished work if any. Additional work that must be Additional work that must be completed before September. completed before September. Extended Essay, TOK essay, a Extended Essay, TOK essay, a commentary in Economics or the commentary in Economics or the world literature paper......world literature paper......

Help students plan their work in Help students plan their work in parts. Efficient organization will give parts. Efficient organization will give them more time for holidays.them more time for holidays.

Year 2: A hard beginningYear 2: A hard beginning

Must submit all summer work. Must submit all summer work. Must write mock exams in class Must write mock exams in class before the end of the first before the end of the first quarter. Must complete their quarter. Must complete their college applications. And why is college applications. And why is that teachers are so hard and do that teachers are so hard and do not give to students the benefit not give to students the benefit of the doubt with the of the doubt with the predictions?predictions?

Year 2- Now I need supportYear 2- Now I need support

Students need assistance to accept and Students need assistance to accept and cope with possible changes in academic cope with possible changes in academic plans. Meanwhile they must remain plans. Meanwhile they must remain motivated to continue their hard work motivated to continue their hard work academically. academically.

Students experience the consequences of Students experience the consequences of not doing the summer homework.!!not doing the summer homework.!!

Monitoring during the EP class, counseling Monitoring during the EP class, counseling and letters going to parents can motivate and letters going to parents can motivate students to keep focused on task.? students to keep focused on task.? Parental support is very important at this Parental support is very important at this point. Parents can help students maintain a point. Parents can help students maintain a long run perspective.long run perspective.

My last Christmas as a high-My last Christmas as a high-school student! Let me enjoy it school student! Let me enjoy it please.!!please.!! WORK, work, work….Can I please have WORK, work, work….Can I please have

the Christmas day to enjoy the season? the Christmas day to enjoy the season? Spend this break in listening to complaints, Spend this break in listening to complaints,

reading your child’s essay, check with reading your child’s essay, check with what must be completed for the Internal what must be completed for the Internal Assessment. Assessment.

Students need to work around the clock. Students need to work around the clock. EE, TOK essay and English written tasks EE, TOK essay and English written tasks and world literature papers must be and world literature papers must be completed before the end of February. completed before the end of February. This is an External Deadline.This is an External Deadline.

The rest of the IA work must be completed The rest of the IA work must be completed before the end of March. Do not leave before the end of March. Do not leave things for the last minute.things for the last minute.

The last quarter….The last quarter….

All IB requirements but the All IB requirements but the exam are completed. Bravo. exam are completed. Bravo. Now, focus on the exam.Now, focus on the exam.

Develop an effective strategy to Develop an effective strategy to prepare for the exams. Need prepare for the exams. Need help? Ask teachers, counselors, help? Ask teachers, counselors, parents. All will be happy to parents. All will be happy to help…..help…..