Congratulations to all the scholars who did marvelously well presenting their findings at Exhibition! The result was amazing! Parents, teachers, administrators and students were all so impressed. Look to the right for images of Exhibition. Links to websites will be provided soon! Click here to see our video of the progress we've made through exhibition...
Huh!?! Driving the CAR is a silly way for teachers at the Magnet School to remember one of our primary areas of focus-the Action Cycle. The Action Cycle is a process for developing thoughtful, purposeful choice-making.
We'll be focusing our efforts on bringing the Action Cycle to life within the classroom and our school communities. Providing evidence of the Action Cycle will be our first essential task. The content for instruction is not unlike the traditional content taught in the 'regular' school. IB schools are still bound by their governing bodies(public schools specifically) to teach the courses of study provided by individual states. Further emphasis is placed on the national standards and global perspectives are always a part of planning for the Programs Of Inquiry(lessons taught). Woven into those POI's are the Learner Profile concepts and the Attitudes evident in IB Learners. Those attitudes are listed here for your reference:
Six transdisciplinary themes of global significance provide the framework for exploration and study:
-IBO.org Teachers on the Planning Team will help to bring the traditional lesson plan format to each of the Programs of Inquiry. An example of this type of planning is provided here(courtesy of ibo.org) Teaching in an IB school demands that teachers model the learner profile as students interact on their daily journey throughout the curriculum. To do this, teachers spend countless hours reading and researching best practices and approaches to teaching from a global perspective rather than a local one. The direct instruction of the Learner Profile characteristics is often replaced by a more authentic, real approach which considers the perspectives of others as possible alternatives to the beliefs and values of self. This requires the teachers to be in a constant state of learning themselves. Accordingly, summer and online workshops are ongoing.
In the classroom, IB looks and sounds in many ways like a workshop or a colloquium on a variety of topics of interest. Teachers serve more as facilitators of resources and guidance rather than sages of information. The emphasis is on developing lifelong inquirers instead of little fact monsters. While the acquisition of knowledge is vital to any educational program, what is more a focus in the IB classroom is the facilitation of well-rounded, thoughtful learners. The Learner Profile identifies the 'goals' or outcomes each IB learner should attain in the process.
IB Learners strive to be the following:
International Baccalaureate, or IB, is our methodological, philiosophical approach to instruction at the Tuscaloosa Magnet School. Our mission is stated clearly in the IB Mission Statement-
"The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right." |
AuthorAs IB Coordinator, I'll try to provide updates regarding our progress as an IB World School. Check back often. IB Learner Profile
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