IB Matters

Becoming an IB School - Episode 4 - A new to IB teacher & More parent questions

December 14, 2019 Maris Ehlers, Dr. Matthew Scheidler, and Ben Pennings Season 1 Episode 36
IB Matters
Becoming an IB School - Episode 4 - A new to IB teacher & More parent questions
Show Notes

This is the fourth in the “Becoming an IB School” series.

We were at Rockford High School to record another set of parent questions with Rockford parent, Maris Ehlers, and Dr. Matthew Scheidler - the IB coordinator. But we were also able to capture an interview with one of Rockford’s experienced teachers who is just beginning his own IB journey. Ben Pennings, formerly a Middle school History teacher has been tasked with moving to the High school along with the freshman class at Rockford. Together, he and his students are getting to know MYP as they practice implementation ahead of their authorization visit in about a year. I was impressed by his observations as a new-to-IB teacher. He speaks eloquently about the philosophy of IB  and some of his early impressions of the assessment schemes. 

Rockford is also applying to become a Diploma school. Mr Pennings will be teaching TOK for the first time with the cohort he is now teaching in 9th grade. In preparation, Rockford has created a “Theory of Logic” class as a precursor so staff can practice the TOK elements. Ben shares his enthusiasm for this as well.

The parent questions revolve around the student load in the DP, college credit, and some of the transition questions parents have about already popular options at Rockford such as AP and College in the Schools (referred to as CIS throughout the podcast).

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