4 Objective reasons why parents should consider IB programs for their kids
As a parent, we want nothing more but the best for our kids, whether it be food, clothes, or entertainment – more than that, we want them to have the best education our finances allows. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an international approach that delivers world-class and high-quality education to students attending IB Schools globally. The IB Programme in Singapore in particular, tops the global table, but the standard is applied wherever the programme is offered.
The IB programme particularly benefits expat kids as it allows them continuous and standard curriculum wherever they’re enrolled as long as the same programme is chosen. The IB currently offers four, age-based programmes:
- Ages 3–12 – Primary Years Programme (PYP)
- ages 11–16 – Middle Years Programme (MYP)
- Ages 16–19 – Diploma Programme (DP)
- Ages 16–19 – Career-related Programme (CP)
The four programmes form a continuum, with each one extending beyond expert instruction in academic subjects, focusing on intellectual, social and emotional development. IB programmes are now offered to more than 4,700 schools worldwide and are a prime option for expat kids and their families. Check out why you should consider IB education for your child’s education:
The International Baccalaureate (IB) nurtures thinkers
The student-centered style of IB allows students to develop into educated, principled, caring, open-minded thinkers by encouraging self-directed inquiry. Students directly affect their learning by conducting an inquiry into real-life issues (PYP Programme), finding community projects that are lined with their interests and promote service-learning (MYP), encouraging independent research projects (DP), and learning how to incorporate cultural values into their lives to promote a well-rounded world citizen.
The IB encourages cultural awareness
The IB promotes cultural awareness by providing students with an opportunity to learn another language. IB programmes are presently offered in English, Spanish, and French. It also offers second language instruction in a variety of modern languages and even classical and Greek. IB is currently offered at some sites in Singapore as a bilingual programme.
The IB gives students an academic edge
Solid evidence says that IB students and graduates often outperform their peers in different forms of academic achievement. A 2009–2010 US study for instance compared math and science performance of students in the MYP at five IB World Schools to students attending five non-IB schools and results revealed that more MYP students performed at a proficient or advanced level.
Another study conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research shows that the performance of IB students enrolled in the PYP and MYP was better compared to that of their non-IB peers, plus results exposed that IB students outperformed their non-IB peers in all categories and through multiple grade levels. IB programmes set students up for academic success.
IB education greatly benefits third culture kids
Third culture kids are those that relocated once or maybe more. While there are a plethora of opportunities with moving abroad, there are challenges as well, one being the educational disruption it causes. IB is a good fit for an expat child since it is based on international standards, and the curriculum is similar across all IB World Schools, which means that if a child is enrolled in an IB programme in Singapore, and then moves to India or elsewhere, they can continue in a local IB programme, letting them avoid interruption in their education.
IB programmes focus on developing graduates who are internationally minded and independent, who have the emotional, intellectual and social skills vital in a globalized world. Enrolling your kids in IB Program in Singapore if you’re an expat will allow them to integrate easier into their new environment while meeting their future needs, in that it allows them to grow into adults who are open to opportunities and respectful of other cultures.
