To IB or not to IB ... That is the question

lkf725
Sat, 23 Sep 2006 22:15:30 +0000

I haven’t read every post here, but to xiggi’s original post I would say that IB programs can be quite divisive. In one particular school district, many children participate in the IB program at an early age. Why? Because the best and most experienced teachers have the IB classrooms and parents want their kids to have the best teachers. Parents rule here and the district bends over backwards to place each student with the specific teacher the parent wants…all they have to do is ask. Later, when the kids get to high school, many kids drop out of the program. Why? Because they are segregated from the main student body and the students don’t want that. This district has tons of AP class options where the students are better integrated into the general student body. Many see the IB students as elitist, antisocial and just plain weird.

When it was suggested that the IB program be cut, many objected. Sure, a few really wanted the complete IB experience. But many IB and non-IB alike objected because it would cause redistricting of the elementary schools (IB program was only in one school)! The motives of many were totally selfish and had nothing to do with the IB program itself.

In the case of this affluent suburban school, there are plenty of academic and extracurricular enrichment opportunities. IB is really not a good use of resources, imo. If they allocated resources to the IB program in proportion to the number of students who use it, IB would die a quick death. It is simply not cost effective to run the program for so few high school students, and I think the quality of the elementary program depends more upon the teacher than on the IB curriculum. Would it not be better to use financial resources where they can help the most students?

Use it or lose it! ;)