Attention High Schoolers

[Vincent Vega]

Ok, I'm in a public school, but I'm in a programme called International Baccalaureate (IBO.org). If your daughter is motivated, I'd strongly suggest this programme.
Class sizes tend to be smaller (varies from school to school, but at my school, typical class size is between 10-18), and the curriculum is very involved. The Diploma Programme itself is only the last 2 years of high school, but most schools have a 2 year "pre-IB" academy as well, to prepare the student for the Programme itself.
The curriculum is made up of three parts: Core (Academic) Classes, TOK, and CAS.
The core curriculum is made up of six groups: Language A1 (native language), Second Language, Individuals and Societies (Basically social studies/history), Experimental Sciences, Maths, and the Arts. (IB students are exempted from P.E....kinda. I'll explain later.) Within each, there are multiple levels: SL (standard level) and HL (higher lever) at minimum, with some courses offering even more levels (for example, if one is planning on going into a field which requires little math, one can take Math Studies, which is below SL Math). One must take at least 3 out of the 6 classes at the HL level. Exams are scored from 1-7, 7 being the highest; to graduate, a combined score of 24 is needed, with at least 12 in the HL division. Classes, as one would expect, are quite rigorous, and although one doesn't necessarily need to be "smart" to do well in the programme, one must be willing to put forth a lot of long and intense effort.

The second part is TOK, or Theory of Knowledge. This class is sort of the "How do we know WHAT we know?" bit of it. It's sort of a philosophy/critical thinking class. At my school, we do it once a week, for an hour, every Wednesday, alternating between more thought-provoking and more "fun" type lessons. TOK, in my opinion, is the least rigorous portion of the programme.

The final part is CAS. CAS is sort of like community service on steroids and crystal meth. It stands for Creativity, Action, and Service. There are to be at least 50 hours completed in each category - creativity is doing some sort of creative activity - jazz band, community theatre, this sort of thing; activity is where we get our "P.E." so to speak. It can be conventional school sports such as football or tennis, less conventional things like marching band or extreme frisbee, or even things you wouldn't normally consider activity - for instance, I count marching in parades with my pipe and drum corps and pushing patients in the hospital as well; service is the traditional community service aspect. In addition, the student must complete 10 international hours, and a CAS "project"...but I won't get into the details of that here.

In addition to these three parts, there is also the Extended Essay, group four projects, and other things, but those aren't completely vital to a basic understanding.

Personally, this is how my transcript looks:
Yr.1
English I PreIB/PIB
French I PIB
World History AP
Biology I PIB
Geometry PIB
Band I PIB

Yr. 2
English II PIB
French II/III PIB
AP US History
Chemistry I PIB
Algebra II PIB
IB Music (year 1 of 2)

Yr. 3 (Diploma Programme Yr. 1)
IB HL English Language and Composition
IB SL French IV
IB HL History - Contemporary (yr. 1 of 2, European, US)
IB HL Chemistry (yr. 1 of 2)
IB SL Pre Calculus
IB SL Music (yr. 2 of 2)
+ TOK, CAS

Yr. 4 (Final year - upcoming year)
IB HL English Literature
IB SL French V
IB HL History - Contemporary (yr. 2 of 2, Latin America and Canada)
IB HL Chemistry (yr 2 of 2)
IB SL Calculus
IB HL Music
+TOK, CAS, EE

Advantages of the programme:
- Aimed at creating a well rounded student - not solely academic, but well versed in the arts and humanities, involved in his community, and physically active.
- Aimed at creating a global citizen - teaching the student to respect other cultures and beliefs and so forth (without, in my experience, any forcing of one viewpoint/world view)
- IB students tend to be a close-knit group, because they take most/all of their classes together (which, I presume, would be a better transition for a homeschooler).
- IB is better respected than similar programmes (like Cambridge) and is more intense/rigorous than AP programmes (and universities recognise this).
- IB is great for those who are looking to attend university outside the US, as the curriculum is not a US-based or -centric curriculum like AP might be, but is globalised (based in Geneva, Switzerland, with IB schools in 138 countries).

Drawbacks:
-Really a tough programme (but everything worth having is worth working for, right? )

Overall, it's been a really hard road at points, but I love my teachers and classmates and the superior education I'm receiving, and I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I know I typed a LOT, but I'm sort of passionate for the programme.

If you've got questions, feel free to ask.

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='StColette' post='1930696' date='Jul 24 2009, 12:40 PM']I took Fine Arts as an elective and I absolutely loved it because it tied in a lot of things about the Church. Again a public school.[/quote]
Yes, IB music is also good for this - you study Pope Gregory and his chant, St. Hildegaard of Bingen, De Prez, Palestrina, and all of the other important Catholic musicians over the eons.

[icelandic_iceskater]

I took juggling as an elective.

I was originally going to count it as a specific course.

But then laziness took over, and I never actually took the time to write it up.

So on my transcript, my madre just put "P.E. (juggling)"

[homeschooled here]

[VeniteAdoremus]

We have a different school system, of course, but I took... er...
Dutch, English, French, German, Latin, Greek, History, Geography, Management, higher Economics, higher Maths, higher Physics, higher Chemistry, higher Biology, Music, Computer Science, Art, "natural sciences", Literature, and PE.

(...I got bored in middle school.)

I [i]didn't[/i] take drawing, classical art, or higher {French, German, Latin, Greek, History, Geography, Art}. Dutch, English, and the Highers were 3 hours of instruction a week each, the others one or two hours. My classmates absolutely detested me because I messed up their schedules. And because I was being an arrogant smart-ass about having the most classes. Think Hermione (with better hair).

I would really recommend Latin. Not only is it cool for church, my current Head of Department (in physics) once said that it should be the only required subject for physics, because it really forces you into abstract thinking.

[Resurrexi]

I'm taking debate and forensics next year.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1930966' date='Jul 24 2009, 05:38 PM']And because I was being an arrogant smart-ass about having the most classes. Think Hermione (with better hair).[/quote]



I love Hermione.

[Fidei Defensor]

The core required classes at my high school were as follows:

Sciences: 2.5 credits--usually Biology (1), Chemistry (1), Physics (1).
Social Studies: 3 credits--usually World History (1), U.S. History (1), Economics (.5), Government (.5).
Mathematics: 2 credits--Algebra (1), Geometry (1).
English: 4 credits--any array of offered English classes including basic grammar, writing, novels, British literature, etc.
Physical education: 3 years, 1.5 credits worth.
Health: One semester.

That was the bare minimum. Then you also had to take 9 credits of electives.

Personally, I took many more classes than required in some of the areas. I took AP Biology/BIO 105 at the University level my senior year. I also took Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus. I had a semester of AP European History as well as a semester of Psychology. Some of my electives were 4 years of Spanish, Accounting, and a creative music class.

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1930971' date='Jul 25 2009, 01:39 AM']

I love Hermione.[/quote]

I love your avatar. But I'd bet you knew this already.

[zunshynn]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1930968' date='Jul 24 2009, 04:38 PM']I'm taking debate and forensics next year.[/quote]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall.

[MissyP89]

4 English (World, British, American studied at length)
3 History (World, US 1 and 2)
3 Math (Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calc) *I took Honors Algebra I in 8th grade.
3 Science (Earth Science, Biology, Physics)
4 years language (only 2 consecutive required--I took Italian 1 & 2, and American Sign Language I and 2)
4 years P.E./Health (Sophomore year we had Driver's Ed. in lieu of Health--written driving test from the state was our final exam--passing got you your permit.)

In my senior year I pretty much went crazy with electives, especially those relevant to what I wanted to study in college, Journalism. I took English 4, Creative Writing, and Journalism, as well as Drama & Theatre, Piano I, and Concert Ensemble. (I was in band all through high school. )

Hope that helps! I graduated in 2007, went to the local community college to get my Associate's for cheap, and will be a junior at a 4-year state university this fall. It all worked out with no trouble.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1930968' date='Jul 24 2009, 06:38 PM']I'm taking debate and forensics next year.[/quote]
Light course load.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1931010' date='Jul 24 2009, 06:30 PM']Light course load. [/quote]

You asked about electives...

Those are the only actual electives that I am taking next year.

Edit: (Never mind. I see that you asked for all classes, not just electives.)

Edited July 24, 2009 by Resurrexi

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1931010' date='Jul 25 2009, 02:30 AM']Light course load. [/quote]

More time to post on PM.

[Theoketos]

I am teaching a Highschool class on Philosophy and Logic. (Maybe I can teach her via the internet if you are interested.)

And I most would have wanted shop class in highschool.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1931012' date='Jul 24 2009, 06:32 PM']More time to post on PM.[/quote]

[homeschoolmom]

Okay.... a follow-up question... or rather a set of follow-up questions.....

What materials would you put in a 10th grade World Lit. class? How about an American Lit. class? I have my favorites, of course, but what did you like? [u]A Catcher in the Rye [/u]WILL NOT make the list, don't suggest it. We'll also have another 9th grade lit. class, but that's more of an overview of literature...

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1931016' date='Jul 24 2009, 06:34 PM'][u]A Catcher in the Rye [/u]WILL NOT make the list, don't suggest it.[/quote]

I wish my teachers were as nice as you.

[MissyP89]

Hmmm...a suggestion for World Lit could be [i]In the Time of the Butterflies[/i] by Julia Alvarez. It's about the dictatorship of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, and the story of four sisters who lived during the revolution there, and ultimately died as martyrs for it.

There are sexual elements in it, especially as the oldest sister begins to struggle with chastity and clings to a crucifix at night. There's another lovemaking scene in it that I thought was strange, but it was between a husband and wife during an intense period of sorrow/grief.

I read it when I was 16 for World Lit. You might want to read it first to decide if it's suitable for your daughter, but I thought it was really good--the historical and cultural angles make it educational, great for discussion, and relevant to a teenage girl, IMO. Of course, your mileage may vary.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1931019' date='Jul 24 2009, 07:36 PM']I wish my teachers were as nice as you.

[/quote]
I think my personal opinions on that particular novel have been been made pretty clear around here....

[VeniteAdoremus]

"Special Topics in Calamity Physics" is one of the books I've enjoyed best, ever, and it's American

"The boy in the Striped Pyjamas" should be required reading (it asks us not to say what it's about).

"Max Havelaar" by Multatuli has had a tremendous influence on (Dutch) colonial policies. It's from the 1860s, so major geek points as well. Highly recommended.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, and Journey to the End of Night by Celine to represent the French section Both discuss the personal effects of major historic events - the second being more subtle and literary.

Foucoult's Pendulum by Umberto Eco deals with (the idiocy of) conspiracy theories.

Those are my favourites