Grade 10 Course Selection
Information
What you need to know…
Don’t Worry…
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It is a stressful time but a following few simple
guidelines will help…
1.
2.
3.
4.
Follow your passions
Think about yourself – awareness of strengths
Think about your future – what do you need?
What options do I have?
4 year plan
Don’t forget… you have already created a 4-year
plan… this is meant to guide the decision!
 Refer to the plan on Family Connection
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Talk & Discuss
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Parents!!!!...
Teachers
Guidance
Students
6 Subjects
3HL + 3SL
ToK / EE
Study hall
• Up to 4HL or SL
• No constraints
by group
• Freedom to add
ISM Courses
• Study Hall
ISM High School Diploma
•
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Partial IB Diploma
Full IB Diploma
What options do I have?
• Freedom to add
ISM courses
• No External
Examination
pressures
• High School
Diploma
The IB Diploma
Six Subjects
3 Higher level - HL
3 Standard level – SL
Compulsory:
One from each group 1-5
+
One from group 6 or an extra
subject from another group
Exception:
Environmental Systems & Societies
(can be group 3, or 4 or both!)
Plus:
Theory of Knowledge & Extended
Essay
IB Video
IB Course Options - Languages
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Group1 – 1st language (A)
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Self Taught…
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English, Korean (HL only),
Japanese (HL only)
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Group 2 – Language
Acquisition (B)
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English, Mandarin, Japanese,
Spanish, French… or
Second First language
inc. Filipino or Self
Taught native language
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Other native language
speakers
Literature based
Scheduled study slots
Led by Ms Arndt
Tutor
Discipline!
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Develop proficiency…
stick with it!
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Ab initio is not an easy
option!
Which English?
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Language & Literature Vs
Literature
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Consider personal
strengths
Interests
No. of texts
University / college targets
Talk to your English
Teacher!
Which Science?
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Consider personal
strengths & Enjoyment
Grade 9 & 10 courses
4-Year Plan
Interests
Needs
University / college targets
– research!
Talk to Your Teachers !
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Sports, Exercise & Health
Science
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Not recommended to
replace the ‘big 3’
Not IB Phys Ed !
Computer Science
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Group 4 but not
recommended to replace
the ‘big 3’
Natural Flows 1
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English
Natural Flows 2
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Math
Natural Flows 3
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Languages
Natural Flows 4
 Sciences
How does it fit together? - IB Diploma Examples…
Example
Group 1
Group 2
Standard –
one subject
from each
group
English A
Literature
HL
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Spanish Ab Geography Biology SL
Initio SL
HL
Math SL
Film HL
Language
Korean A
heavy –
Literature
Korean first SL
language
English B
HL
Economics Env.
HL
Systems &
Societies
SL
Math HL
French B
SL
Two Arts
option
English A
Lang & Lit
HL
Mandarin
B SL
Env.
Systems &
Societies
SL
Math
Studies SL
Theatre
HL
Business
Option
English A
Literature
SL
French B
SL
Economics Physics HL Math HL
HL
Visual Arts
HL
Business &
Manageme
nt SL
How is the IB Assessed?
Each subject is scored on a scale 1-7 (7 is best!)
 Students study 6 subjects
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Max subject score = 6x7 = 42
ToK + EE = 0-3 points = 42+3 = 45! Perfect Score
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2011 Results
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104,998 diploma global
candidates – 96 scored 45
– 193 scored 44 (0.002%)
 Average 29.5 pts…ISM 34.5!
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IB Grades at ISM
IB Compulsory Elements 1
Theory of Knowledge
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Philosophical
Investigation based
around 2 key
questions…
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What do I Know?
How do I know it?
Assessment
1 essay from a selection
prescribed by IB
1 presentation – subject
chosen by student
IB Compulsory Elements 2
Extended Essay
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4000 word investigation into a
student chosen academic
subject
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Must follow strict academic
investigation in line with
university expectations
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Guided by supervisor
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Externally assessed
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Chance to develop an interest
/ academic depth
IB Compulsory Elements 3
Creativity, Action & Service - CAS
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IB Diploma Requirement… you
must complete the CAS
requirements in order to obtain a
diploma – 150 hours
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As the IB States… “the CAS
program fosters student awareness
and appreciation of life outside the
academic arena”
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It encourages you to develop
skills and experiences beyond
your current context
It enables you to develop skills
beyond the academic
It makes you a ‘better person’
IB Mythbusting…
‘It is better to take 4HL subjects’
 ‘I have to do AP subjects as well’
 ‘Math HL has low grades’
 ‘I don’t need the diploma for US Colleges’
 ‘Ab Initio’ is an easy language option
 ToK & EE don’t matter
 ‘… but everyone does the IB’
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The College Perspective
“The IB is well known to us for excellent
preparations. Success in an IB program
correlates well with success at Harvard. We
are always pleased to see the credentials of the
IB Diploma Program on the transcript.”—Marilyn
McGrath Lewis, Director of Undergraduate Admission Harvard
University
“Send us prepared students a la IB...It is the
“best” high school prep curriculum an
American school can offer.” —Marilee Jones, Former
Director of Undergraduate Admission, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
“One of the advantages of an IB curriculum is
its structure and quality. It is a coordinated
program, well established, well known and well
respected. We know the quality of IB courses,
and we think the IB curriculum
is terrific.” — Christoph Guttentag, Director of
Undergraduate Admission, Duke University
Disadvantages of the IB Diploma
•Cost
•Time
•Organization
•Stress
•Academic pressure
•Not the easy option!
• Realistic Expectations
• Overload – caution
• Extra Curricular
Management
• Organization
Option 2: Partial Diploma
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You Take Some IB courses…
Freedom of choice
 Not governed by group restrictions
 No ToK / EE
 Schedule slots for more elective options
 Still possible college credits
 Approx 25% ISM students each year
 Still awarded ISM Diploma
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Option 3: ISM High School Diploma
Complete freedom of choice within
graduation requirements
 No external examinations
 Reduced workload
 Reduced academic challenge
 Opportunity to follow co-curricular passions
 Respected diploma but not externally
validated
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Course Selections
Course Offerings 2012-13
Online access
www.ismanila.org
At ISM
High School
HS Course Offerings SY12-13
How to select
All selection via the online tool on the portal
 20-24th February
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Click here
But don’t worry…everyone makes bad
decisions sometimes!
These people for example made a
decision to get up and chase a cheese…
Cheese
And sometimes even good decisions don’t
work out even for the ‘best’ people…
Fail
Questions… now is the time to ask!
Q &A
 Post-It Board
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