What is an International Baccalaureate (IB) School

International Baccalaureate (IB) world schools are committed to active, creative cross-cultural education and allow the recipients of IB high school diplomas to study at universities worldwide. The goal of an IB education is to create responsible, socially conscious adults who use their cross-cultural education to promote world peace. IB schools have become increasingly popular in recent years, and there are more IB programs in public and private schools than ever before. The History of IB The IB diploma was developed by teachers at the International School of Geneva. These teachers created an educational program for students who moved internationally and who wanted to attend a university. The early program was concentrated on developing an educational program to prepare students for college or university and a set of exams that these students needed to pass to attend universities. Most of the early IB schools were private, but now half of the world’s IB schools are public. Arising from these early programs, the International Baccalaureate Organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, founded in 1968, oversees over 900,000 students in 140 countries. The United States has over 1,800 IB World Schools. The mission statement of the IB reads as follows: â€Å"The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.† The  IB Programs The primary years program, for children ages 3-12, helps children develop methods of inquiry so that they are able to ask questions and think critically.The middle years program, from ages 12 to 16, helps children make connections between themselves and the greater world.The diploma program (read more below)  for students ages 16-19 prepares students for university studies and for a meaningful life beyond the university.The career-related program applies the principles of IB to students who wish to pursue career-related study.   IB schools are notable for how much of the work in the classroom comes from the interests and questions of the students. Unlike in a traditional classroom, in which teachers design the lessons, children in an IB classroom help direct their own learning by asking questions that might re-direct the lesson. While the students don’t have total control over the classroom, they help contribute to a dialogue with their teachers from which the lessons develop. In addition, IB classrooms are usually trans-disciplinary in nature, meaning that subjects are taught in many different areas. Students may learn about dinosaurs in science and draw them in art class, for example. In addition, the cross-cultural component of IB schools means that students study other cultures and a second or even third language, often working to the point of fluency in the second language. Many subjects are taught in the second language, as teaching in a foreign language requires students not only to learn that language but also to often shift the way they think about the subject. The Diploma Programme The requirements to earn an IB diploma are stringent. Students must compose an extended essay of approximately 4,000 words that requires a good deal of research, using the critical-thinking and inquiry-based skills that the program stresses from the primary years. The program also emphasizes creativity, action, and service, and students must complete requirements in all these areas, including community service. Students are encouraged to think critically about how they acquire knowledge and evaluate the quality of the information they receive. Many schools are full IB, meaning all students participate in the rigorous academic program, while other schools offer students the option of enrolling as a full IB diploma candidate or, they can simply take a selection of IB courses and not the full IB curriculum. This partial participation in the program gives students  a taste of the IB program but does not make them eligible for the IB diploma. In recent years, IB programs have grown  in the United States. Students and parents are attracted to the international nature of these programs and their solid preparation for students to exist in a global world. Increasingly, students must possess an education in which cross-cultural understanding and language skills are valued and enhanced. In addition, experts have cited the high quality of IB programs, and the programs are lauded for their quality control and the commitment of their students and teachers. Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski