International Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum
Understanding the IB curriculum
The International Baccalaureate Organization, also known as IB or IBO, is an educational organization that offers a highly regarded curriculum that’s used in primary schools all the way through high schools that challenges students to think critically and develop skills for a worldly experience. The IB Foundation Office is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
The IB curriculum is exploding in popularity worldwide, and so is the number of foreign IB educators teaching abroad. Teachers with International Baccalaureate experience and training can expect top tier pay from Teaching Nomad schools. Many international schools teach the entire IB curriculum which consists of the Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), & Diploma Program (DP) with annual vacancies for all subjects including theory of knowledge (TOK), extended essay and other typical subjects like chemistry, math, geography, and English.
Why is IB important?
In the fast-growing world of international education, highly developed and monitored programs like IB ensure that quality is not sacrificed overgrowth. The IBO has stringent requirements and schools looking for accreditation will take years to get approval.
What is the IB curriculum?
The program is split into 4 main categories:
PYP – Primary Years Program: ages 3-12
During the Primary Years Program, students will focus on language, arts, social studies, mathematics, science, technology, and physical education. Learning a second language is a requirement for this program.
MYP – Middle Years Program: ages 11-16, typically grades 6-10
On average, MYP takes 5 years to complete with some exceptions authorized by the IB. Subjects include humanities, science, language & literature, language acquisition, mathematics, art, design, physical and health education.
DP – Diploma Program: ages 16-19
This program is a two-year educational curriculum that provides accepted qualifications for acceptance into colleges and universities globally. Many higher education establishments also recognize this program.
CP – Career-Related Program
CP is for students who specifically are to develop career-related skills and learning environment.
IB around the world
As of September 3rd, 2019, there were approximately 6,812 IB programs being offered worldwide, across 5,175 different schools in 157 different countries. The number of IB programs being offered worldwide continues to grow by a significant amount every year.
The breakdown of programs in each region is as follows:
52.6% of IB programs are in the Americas
26.5% are in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East
20.9% are in the Asia-Pacific region
Training to teach IB
There are multiple paths for obtaining proper IB curriculum training. As a teacher looking to professional development or to get a foot in the door to a high paying IB school, you can attend weekend seminars authorized by the IB in various locations throughout the world. Register for online training here.
Many IB schools will offer training in the IB curriculum, helping their staff grow through category 1, 2, & 3 trainings available for all IB subjects. If you’re considering a position at an IB school, be sure to ask if this PD is available.
As the IB curriculum proliferates around the world, those teachers with experience will always be in demand. Register with Teaching Nomad today to speak to a recruiter about how you can get your start!
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