How To Survive IBDP Curriculum

Tutela survival IBDP curriculum

INTRODUCTION

Before we jump onto our main issue, let’s brief you about IB curriculum. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is an assessed programme for students aged 16 to 19. The Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum is made up of six subject groups and the DP core, comprising theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay. The core components are-

Theory of knowledge
The extended essay
A project related to concepts of CAS: creativity, activity, service

As much as you despise the overwhelming nature of IBDP, you’ll love how it upgrades your personality and makes you globally competent. At first blush, it does seem to be challenging and rigorous and irrefutably it is. Nonetheless, the opportunities it offers are inexplicable. Furthermore, the challenging curriculum only makes you proactive in dealing with your college-level course which is second to none. Would you rather take the road often travelled (metaphorically saying) and struggle later during your college, or take the road less travelled by adopting a proactive and holistic approach and enjoy the benefits that are there in the pipeline? To conclude, take that leap of faith, trust your instincts and everything will be hunky-dory in the end.

Unlike other curriculums, IB demands your time and complete focus and you have to have that zeal to live up to these principles as at times IB courses can turn out to be overwhelming. You have to give up your comfort up to some extent; however, in lieu of this sacrifice, a good future awaits you. IB curriculum includes a lot of practical work such as Extended Essays and Theory of Knowledge which are at par with College level courses. Therefore, it’s safe to say that you’ll be cognizant of most of the college syllabus. Not only are you acquainted with the syllabus but also you won’t have much trouble doing the practical work at college. To wind up, IB helps in a smooth transition into your college life.

SKILLS REQUIRED

The fact that IBDP is challenging and overwhelming does hold true. Besides that, there are a few other things that you need to take care of, which can help you get a clear idea of whether you’re up for IBDP or not. Now, let’s talk about the skills IBDP students are expected to endorse

1. Critical thinking– Critical thinking is the essence of the IBDP course. As an IB learner, you use creative and critical thinking skills to analyse and solve complex problems. You need to exercise due care to make ethical and reasoned decisions.

2. Sincerity– It is very much evident that the course requires a lot of knowledge. Not that we’re saying you need to be pedantic however, it’s needless to say that you’re expected to at least be thorough with your concepts. Otherwise, IBDP can be challenging in the real sense.

3. Communication skills– IBDP requires you to express yourself confidently and creatively in more than one language. As a requirement of the DP curriculum, every student learns at least one additional language. Therefore, IBDP expects you to have fluency in communication.

4. Time management skills– It’s undeniably correct that the course load can be overwhelming. Hence, you need to learn to manage your time, by making daily schedules, and to-do lists and setting achievable daily targets. You cannot skip assignments, let alone procrastinate the whole of them.

5. Versatility– Besides academics, IBDP wants you to participate in co-curricular activities as well. As part of the curriculum, you need to join some community clubs or sports activities, wherever your interest lies.

6. Compassion– Last but not least, Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) is one of the essential elements of the IBDP. CAS enables students to enhance their interpersonal and personal development. At the same time, CAS is an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the DP.

To conclude, if you feel you have all of the above-mentioned qualities or a majority of them, you’re all set for the IBDP.

IBDP IN INDIAN UNIVERSITIES

IDPs are recognised in Indian Universities. A lot of prestigious colleges accept IBDP scores. We have curated an exhaustive list of some of the top schools in India having IB curriculum, click here to check.

SURVIVAL TIPS

Tips that will help you during your IBDP course-

1. Do not procrastinate on your work. You can’t afford to procrastinate as it will lead to a lot of chaos leading to disappointment. Hence, don’t leave your work until the last minute to finish. Keep your work up-to-date to avoid last-minute hassles.
2. Be organised. Keep a track of all your deadlines and work accordingly.
3. Take help from others, if required. You should never hesitate to ask for help when it comes to your career.
4. Don’t unfollow the fun part completely. You need it to refresh yourself.
5. Pen down your daily routine and follow it dedicatedly.
6. Don’t lose yourself when you see things going south. Just take a deep breath and start afresh.
7. Write and write as much as you can. The earlier you develop the habit of writing, the better you’ll perform in your Extended Essays.

MYTHS DEBUNKED

There are a few rumours that do the rounds, however, we’re here to discount them all.

1. IBDP students have no life.
By no life, we mean no time to socialise. Well, time management is needed to be done in every aspect of life, let alone IBDP. You should learn the art of managing time as it would benefit you in the long run. If you can manage time well then not only would it help you in IBDP but also in being a disciplined student. Once you learn to manage your time, you can find enough time to socialise and do things that other students from other curriculums are doing.

2. If you don’t get the IB diploma you have wasted time and money.
First of all, time spent learning is never wasted. Your in-depth knowledge about your course is incomparable to any other student, provided you have faith in yourself and what you’re doing.

3. IBDP is only for “bright” students.
That’s absolutely incorrect. A student who can do well in a particular subject is called bright and every student has an interest in one or the other subject. IBDP gives you an opportunity to choose amidst a wide variety of subjects. So, choose your area of interest accordingly. Notwithstanding brilliant knowledge, a bright student can fail, which is a part of life. Try not to get disappointed by it.

4. IBDP is only for those students who want to go abroad.
No, not necessarily. It’s just a curriculum. You can apply to local colleges as well.

5. International schooling doesn’t allow children to learn anything about their own culture.
This is totally fallacious. In fact, IB does it more than any other school. IB makes sure that students from any background stick to their roots, by indulging them in various activities which instil a feeling of compassion, empathy and open-mindedness in them.

CONCLUSION

All-in-all: don’t judge the curriculum, course load and vastness of the curriculum too soon. Everything has its own set of pros and cons. Do your research, be mentally prepared for the challenge and consider it as any other curriculum as there’s not much difference in the academic part. There are ups and downs in almost everything so try to focus on the glass half full. Rest assured, whatever decision you take should make your content. Take your time to get acquainted with the curriculum, and the subsequent changes, and then work accordingly.

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