Programme Model and Requisites
THE CURRICULUM
IB Diploma Programme students study six courses – usually three at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL). Students must choose one subject from each of groups 1 to 5, thus ensuring breadth of experience in languages, individuals and societies, the experimental sciences and mathematics. The sixth subject may be an arts subject chosen from group 6, or the student may choose another subject from groups 1 to 4. Depth is ensured by requiring 3 or 4 subjects at Higher Level. HL and SL courses differ in scope but are measured according to the same grade descriptors, with students expected to demonstrate a greater body of knowledge, understanding and skills at higher level.
IB LEARNERS PROFILE
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet help to create a better and more peaceful world.
IB learners strive to be:
Inquirers
Knowledgeable
Thinkers
Communicators
Principled
Open-minded
Caring
Risk-takers
Balanced
Reflective
More About IB
Visit :http://www.ibo.org/programmes/documents/learner_profile_en.pdf for more information on IB learner profile.
University Advising
Chinmaya International Residential School believes in a student-centred approach with the university research and application process and provides the support high school students need to make an informed choice. Students are expected to take control of searching for universities, completing and submitting applications by the stated deadlines, paying application fees, making decisions driving the process forward, signing up for standardised tests, and ultimately making an acceptance choice. The student’s family plays an important role in making critical decisions but the process of researching and applying for tertiary education is student driven.
Finding the right higher education institution at which to achieve success requires the careful consideration of many variables. Factors like location, cost and the courses on offer are typically at the forefront of the research process. It is equally important for students to consider the method of course delivery to ensure they will achieve success. Students should also look at what the institution offers in terms of activities beyond the lecture hall to see if their social and emotional needs will be met. The University Advisor is available to guide and assist students so they can make well-informed decisions regarding their university applications.
University Visits and Fairs
CIRS endeavours to share information of upcoming university visits and education fairs on campus. On-campus visits are usually scheduled during lunch.CIRS does not endorse any particular college or university. We welcome visits from around the world to share their programmes. Most visits, in fact, are initiated by the university and are scheduled based on availability. We believe students at CIRS will be able to make well-informed decisions as they explore a range of universities and the courses they offer. All of this complements each student’s independent research.
The following are the subjects offered in the school under each group. The course combinations offered depend upon the number of students opting for any particular subject. To know more click on the subjects.
The general requirement of IB is that each student should choose one subject each from each of the groups above. However, a student may choose an additional subject from groups 3 or 4 instead of a group 6 subject. Out of the six subjects chosen, at least three and a maximum of four subjects must at Higher Level and the remaining subjects must be at Standard Level.
Creativity, Activity and Service
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) is at the heart of the IB Diploma Programme. It offers high school students an experiential learning environment through a range of different activities. CAS reflects the importance of having a balanced lifestyle that incorporates creative and physical pursuits in addition to helping others, especially the less fortunate.
Students are expected to be involved in CAS activities for 3 - 4 hours a week in a range of balanced activities. This provides a balance to the academic rigour of other subjects. CAS continues throughout Years 12 and 13 and all students must satisfy the requirements of CAS in order to be awarded the CIRS High School Diploma and the IB Diploma. CAS is organised around the three strands of creativity, activity and service defined as follows.
Creativity - exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or interpretive product or performance.
Examples of activities that our students have been involved in are: teaching art to young people, oil painting courses, learning a new language, learning or teaching dance, drama productions, singing, creating newsletters or websites that are useful to others in some way. Students must show a commitment to a chosen creative project and involvement must be for no less than three months.
Activity - physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle.
Examples of activities that our students have been involved in are: Rock-climbing, figure skating, badminton, coaching teams, scuba diving. Students must show a commitment to a chosen action project and involvement must be for no less than 3 months.
Service - collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need.
Examples of activities that our students have been involved in are: Riding for the Disabled, Child at Street 11 (non-profit making school for low income families), Tabitha (Cambodia), Action for Singapore Dogs, Blue Dragon Children’s foundation (Vietnam), working with younger students at school both in the classroom and in extra-curricular activities.
Assessment and Reporting
In our IB high school, students are awarded a semester grade in each subject, based on the IB 1-7 scale. These grades are communicated through end-of-semester reports that are available to parents and guardians through Managebac, the school’s academic portal. In addition, a mid-semester progress report is issued shortly before each parent-teacher conference to communicate the student’s current progress in the programme. For DP students these mid-semester reports will include an overall 1-7 grade. Note that only semester grades are recorded in a student’s permanent record (ie. transcripts for Years 10-13 (Grades 9-12).
In addition to achievement grades, students are also assessed and self-assessed on five skill categories from the IB Approaches to Learning (ATLs): Communication, Social, Self-Management, Research and Thinking. Methods of assessment of the ATLs vary between subjects and are communicated by departments and teachers. This is reported through written teacher comments each semester as well as students’ own writing on their achievement against personal ATL goals.
There are two Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences (PTSCs) yearly where the reports and student progress are discussed, together with students’ goals and strengths. Classes are not held on PTSC days so that teachers can confer with parents and students.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to contact the school at any time to discuss the student’s progress, or any problems or queries.
Theory of knowledge (TOK)
How is TOK structured?
As a thoughtful and purposeful inquiry into different ways of knowing, and into different kinds of knowledge, TOK is composed almost entirely of questions.
The most central of these is "How do we know?", while other questions include:
- What counts as evidence for X?
- How do we judge which is the best model of Y?
- What does theory Z mean in the real world?
Through discussions of these and other questions, students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions, as well as developing an appreciation of the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives.
Assessment of TOK
The TOK course is assessed through an exhibition and a 1,600 word essay.The exhibition requires the students to create an exhibition of three objects that explores how TOK manifests in the world around us.
The essay focuses on a conceptual issue in TOK. For example, it may ask students to discuss the claim that the methodologies used to produce knowledge depend on the use to which that knowledge will be used.
What is the significance of TOK?
TOK aims to make students aware of the interpretative nature of knowledge, including personal ideological biases – whether these biases are retained, revised or rejected.
It offers students and their teachers the opportunity to:
- Reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge
- Consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world.
In addition, TOK prompts students to:
- be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge
- recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world.
TOK also provides coherence for the student, by linking academic subject areas as well as transcending them.It therefore demonstrates the ways in which the student can apply their knowledge with greater awareness and credibility.
