I first heard of the IB elementary school program last year when touring D13 schools for PreK programs. It wasn’t something on my radar as they had only just started the process and we all know how government bureaucracy works. Surprisingly though, as I toured the same D13 schools this year, it sounds like they might be on track to be certified by year end 2023.
You’ve likely heard of the international baccalaureate program (IB program) in the context of high school when it was the distinct alternative to the advanced placement (AP) program. Some students view the AP as more of an exercise in memorization while the IB is seen as truly doing a good job teaching critical thinking. For all things IB, the international baccalaureate Organization in Switzerland is the nonprofit educational foundation started in 1968 that oversees the certification of IB schools worldwide.
There isn’t a filter for IB elementary schools in the NYC DOE’s search function, but if you go to the IBO’s website, there is a search feature for schools near you that are IB world schools. In NYC, there are a total of 8 IB schools, with three of them in the NYC public school system. Throughout New York State, there are 26 IB authorized schools offering the primary years program (compared to 2,210 schools worldwide).
Of course, the website will not tell you what schools are in the pipeline to be certified, so if you’re going on Kindergarten school tours, make sure to listen in as smart principals should be shouting this option from the rooftops.
What is the international baccalaureate program?
The IB program was created to provide children of diplomats and international families with a standardized, internationally recognized curriculum and diploma. Most people are familiar with the diploma program which is the 11th and 12th grade program, and what precedes it are the Middle Years Program (ages 11-16; 6th-10th grades) and the Primary Years Program (ages 3-12, PK-5thgrade).
Each of these programs is anchored by the IB learner profile which lists a set of ideals for students who graduate form the program and the goal is to develop learners who are Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-Minded, Caring, Risk-Takers, Balanced and Reflective.
TL:DR à the IB program is about raising critical thinkers
What’s interesting about the IB program is that admission into an IB program does not gurarantee receipt of the coveted IBO diploma. The success rate worldwide for DP diplomas in 2022 was 86.11% and the pass rate for CP certificates was 81.39%. A student who goes for the IB diploma, which requires the equivalent of six two-year courses, must also write a 4,000 word extended essay which is typically a research paper. Very few high schools require such papers for high school graduates which makes this requirement something I personally value as it does prepare you for college level work.
At every level including the elementary school level, the IB program requires the completion of a culminating project. In the IB PYP, students have the PYP exhibition which I find so interesting. It’s like having a pen pal program but for learning.
Hold up: there’s an IB elementary school program?
The IB elementary school program, aka PYP (Primary Years Program) focuses on six themes:
- Who we are
- Where we are in place and time
- How we express ourselves
- How the world works
- How we organize ourselves
- Sharing the planet
What’s great about the IB elementary school program is the interconnected nature of the entire framework. The end goal is self-sufficient, engaged learners, capable of developing and answering their own questions and managing themselves. This is achieved through:
- Focus on language acquisition – students will have exposure to a foreign language through a world language approach for elementary schools that aren’t offering DLP (dual language programs). This means that families who get into PS 3, PS 9, and PS 20’s DLPs get a bonus – dual language + IB programming.
- Inquiry based approach to teaching and learning – learning is done through a project based curriculum and takes a global perspective through culturally divesre books, transdisciplinary projects, and increased independence through a mastery approach to learning.
- There is also in theory more student voice through discussion, collaboration, and presentation
- In terms of approaches to teaching, the same six approaches underpin all IB programs. What stood out to me is their principle of effective teamwork and collaboration as well as assessment being a key driver of measuring learning. This stands in contrast to our testing approach in the broader US education framework.
With no such thing as a gifted curriculum or a baseline approach to gifted education across district schools in NYC or elsewhere in the nation, the rollout of IB programming has the potential to be a game changer that elevates instructional standards which is another way of addressing the uneven results in such a large school system.
Regarding approaches to learning, the same five categories of skills are emphasized with all IB programs and the IB PYP:
- Thinking skills (critical, creative, and ethical)
- Research skills (comparing, contrasting, validating, prioritizing)
- Communication skills (written and oral, listening, formulating arguments)
- Social skills (forming and maintaining positive relationships, conflict resolution)
- Self-management skills (organizational skills and affective skills)
In terms of curriculum, the actual subjects and standards do not change. What changes is the way in which these subjects and skills are taught (aka see above re project based learning and multilingualism).
Which NYC public schools offer IB programs?
So far there are a total of 8 schools in NYC offering IB PYP programs. Of the 8, 2 are public schools (PS 294 and PS 316), one is a magnet school (P.S. 242), and one is a charter school (Global Community Charter School).
In District 13, 8 public schools are going through the certification process for the IB elementary school program (PYP) and 4 middle schools are being certified for the middle school program (MYP). The IB PYP certification process is expected to wrap up by year end 2023, just in time for Kindergarteners to start. The elementary schools expected to offer IB PYP programs are:
- 13K003
- 13K009
- 13K020
- 13K056
- 13K093
- 13K270
- 13K282
- 13K287
Is the IB elementary school program an alternative to a gifted program in elementary school? It’s not possible to compare when each district G&T program is already wildly different from other G&T programs and the citywide programs. I do think that dual language programs and IB programs offer something extra to boost the school experience, so chasing scarce G&T seats doesn’t have to be a fraught experience (or a thing at all).
Even though families of children born in 2018 will be the guinea pigs of the IB PYP program, I am really excited about this opportunity and know of at least two elementary schools on this list of eight where I am assuming positive intent in terms of their rollout and ability to deliver. Stay tuned!
