Thinking About IB?

Just recently, the students at Mission Bay chose their classes for the 2014-2015 school year and sophomores once again had to make the choice to either take regular classes or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. From the outside looking in, an IB class can seem very intimidating. Rigorous courses do require a lot more of the student’s time, as there is so much involved in a class; it’s not just more classwork, it’s the quality of the work and level of engagement required of students. For those that chose to take any IB classes, the Beachcomber thought it would be helpful to investigate an IB course.

To start off, what is IB like? Mr. Sheehy, one of the English IB teachers, said, “IB classes address the students as something larger than the classroom.” That means that you are not just a student in a classroom, you’re a scholar seeking knowledge and undertaking something great and challenging. Taking an IB course can help expand your knowledge to incredible levels.

Before you jump into an IB course, there are some things that you can do to prepare, such as contacting the teacher of the course you’ve signed up for to get a syllabus, which will help you get an idea of what the class will be like. Be prepared for a lot of independent work and developing better time management skills as well. If you struggle with procrastination, the Beachcomber suggests working on that before you take an IB class.

When asked if he had any advice for incoming IB students, Mr. Sheehy said, “Embrace it. Forget about what others will say. Don’t be afraid to take a risk.” This should encourage anyone to take an IB class, even with the challenges that they may face. Don’t worry, if you ever feel like you don’t know what you’re doing it is okay to ask questions. Asking questions is often vital to learning. ACES and IB support are provided for a reason, so be dauntless in your search for knowledge.