The IB System at BHA
Branksome Hall Asia is one of the few schools that provide an IB diploma program in all international schools in Korea. Most international schools will only provide a DP program for junior and senior students. However, BHA provides all three IB programs, which are the PYP, MYP, and DP program. Studies show that students who have completed the PYP and MYP program are more likely to be more successful in the rigorous DP program. The PYP and MYP programs could be seen as the “baby” of the DP program. It allows students to get ready for the DP program. At the end of each program, students will conduct their own project to put a dashing finish to their program.
The PYP (Primary Years Program) program is targeted towards elementary school students. The PYP program allows students to become life-long learners. The IB learner profiles are introduced in this program, where students will get in the habit of portraying the IB learner profile attributes. At the end of their PYP program, which is normally for fifth grade students, students will carry out the Exhibition. The Exhibition is a project that students will design in groups of 4-5. The Exhibition requires students to be independent learners with minimal help from their teacher. As a former PYP student, my Exhibition project was on Christian missionaries. As a group, we sponsored a child through Compassion International, carried out an Action Plan to hold fundraisers and worked at orphanages by dancing and singing Christian songs. After students have reached their goal, an Exhibition Presentation is held.
The MYP (Middle Years Program) Program is targeted towards students in the year level of 6-10. The official IB program website states, “The MYP is a challenging framework that enco
urages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world.” At the end of a students MYP program, the students complete the Personal Project. The Personal Project is a little like the Exhibition but if the Exhibition was carried out in groups, the Personal Project is carried out as an individual, which allows the project to be more personal (hence the name, “Personal Project”). The Personal Project allow students to explore their personal interests to a deeper level by connecting their project to a Global Context. A Personal Project Exhibition is held to finish off their MYP program.
The DP (Diploma Program) is targeted towards students that are juniors and seniors. The DP aims students to achieve an excellent dept
h of knowledge and to thrive for excellence physically, intellectually, emotionally, and ethically. In the DP, students are asked to complete a total of six courses, three Higher Level and three Standard Level courses. The DP is marked out of forty-five possible marks, with three additional bonus marks from the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and their Creativity, Activity Service (CAS) project. Students that are successful in the DP program are in top-notch condition for university.
Branksome Hall Asia guides students not only to be successful in all three IB programs but also to become remarkable women.
Source: International Baccalaureate. IB, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. <http://www.ibo.org/>.