The IB Diploma

Maria Montessori, founder of the Montessori education movement once said that, adults are not born, but are made…

The fifty-five year old International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Program exists to address the needs of the young people of this planet and the requirements which they will be expected to meet. The rate of change is so fast that much of what a student learns in the first year of a technological degree, will become irrelevant three years later when they graduate. Students must have an in-depth education, but also be able to be flexible and perform in other areas. The skills which a Diploma student learns equip him/her for life far beyond the demands of university.


Not only do students get prepared academically, get training in logic, critical thinking, independent research methods, learning how to manage time, they also learn about their emotional intelligence. Many observers have pointed out that the flexibility required to succeed in this day and age is a product of emotional abilities, people skills, empathy and expertise in communication.


The IB Diploma has become a world standard for university entry. This globalised high school diploma is one of the preferred entry qualifications to the world’s most prestigious universities. It is a program of academic and personal development and an education for 21st century preparedness.

 

Course Content

Over the 2 year IB Diploma Programme journey, students are trained in Higher Order skills, subjects at different levels, and writing an original piece of research. They develop their own projects in Creativity, Action and Service (CAS). All students study their mother tongue and another language.

The program consists of three subjects studied in breadth (Standard Level) and three subjects in depth (Higher Level). These subjects are underpinned by Theory of Knowledge (TOK), which examines and questions the philosophical nature of knowledge itself.

The students also need to complete an original piece of research called the Extended Essay (EE) with the guidance of a mentor. Students must formulate a Research Question, develop a Methodology, Analyse the Data and make Conclusions.

 

IB at Elonera

Elonera has chosen to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma as its core values and goals are in harmony with the Montessori philosophy, and we too embrace them as an IB World School.

  • Both are based upon Method rather than Content.

  • Both promote individual enquiry.

  • Both promote social and community behaviour.

  • Both promote children’s education for peace.

  • Both are child-centred (rather than teacher-centred).

  • Both set high expectations – “all children are gifted”.

  • Both believe in self-discipline and integral sense of purpose.

  • Both have diversity leading to global perspectives.

  • Both promote balance and harmony in the person.

  • Both promote connections between presented separativities.

  • Both promote the value of solid, hard and uninterrupted work.

Elonera is fully accredited with the IB Organisation as an IB World School and we are excited to be the only school in the Illawarra to be offering the IB Diploma for Years 11 and 12.

“The children’s innate passion for learning is encouraged by giving them opportunities to engage in spontaneous, purposeful activities with the guidance of a trained adult.”

“If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of man’s future.”

Maria Montessori

 

IB Learner Profile

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognising their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

As IB Learners, we strive to be:

Inquirers

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

Knowledgeable

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.

Thinkers

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators

We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

Principled

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Open-minded

We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

Risk-takers

We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

Balanced

We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives intellectual, physical, and emotional to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

Reflective

We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.


The IB learner profile represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.

“The IBO aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

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.”

IB Mission Statement

 

Language Development

The International Baccalaureate has a strong focus on the International aspect of learning. The study of an additional language, as part of the IBCP Core, adds to international and cultural understanding. By studying the language of a people, you become aware of the similarities and differences between cultures, and through this, respect and appreciate others. In addition, language development fosters an awareness of how language is used in everyday life and in your chosen career area, while it promotes the skills for lifelong learning.


At the Elonera Careers Programe, students take part of the IB Diploma Programme ab initio IB DP French course. This does not require any previous study of the language. Students must complete a Language Portfolio and development of the language must occur over the two years of the programme.


Assessment

All students must produce a Language Portfolio that reflects 50 or more additional hours of language enrichment. This is completed independently with the guidance and support of their chosen Language Development Coordinator.