IB education provides international education to children and students from 3 to 19 years old in over 156 countries. There are over 5,000 schools offering 4 high-quality programmes:

• Primary years programme (PYP)
  • Age range: 3-12
• Middle Years Programme (MYP)
  • Age range: 11-16
• Diploma Programme
  • Age range: 16-19
• Career-related Programme
  • Age range: 16-19

(https://www.ibo.org/programmes/)

There are similarities as well as differences with the Curriculum for Excellence, which is Scotland´s national curriculum since 2004 provided to students from 3 to 18 years old. Both curricula which are student-centred focus on helping students become open-minded, enthusiastic and lifelong learners. They also develop critical thinking, decision-making as well as creativity skills, much needed in today´s world. Confidence, persistence and resilience are significant attributes students acquire through both curricula. At Ballumbie Primary School, where I undertook my first placement, I have seen tasks and activities to support such skills. To develop these skills was also one of the goals throughout my education back home in the Czech Republic.

Lessons should be engaging, challenging and relevant to children´s everyday lives. Both curricula place a great emphasis on acquiring skills for students to be able to work together, communicate, listen to each other and understand the concept of cooperation. I have observed and taught lessons designed for cooperative groups. My mentor has taken a course in cooperative teaching, therefore, I was able to see how this particular teaching method worked. I was observing how working in groups, in this case cooperative groups, was helping children to learn from one another and discuss topics and issues together. It also encouraged children to feel as a part of a team and as such to bear a responsibility for the tasks needed to be done. This method also supported the ones less able as they had a chance to discuss everything in their teams before questions were asked or the whole-class discussion began. It also encouraged the more able ones to learn by explaining and demonstrating concepts to their classmates.

Both curricula encourage students to become responsible for their learning. “Knowledgeable” is an attribute highly important for both. However, IB curriculum is more globally focused allowing children to explore issues on a local as well as a global level. The IB curriculum is also more inquiry-based, which is a significant aspect for this curriculum. IB learners are taught through inquiry, action and reflection. Another important aspect of the IB curriculum is making links between various fields of study and therefore, allowing children to understand concepts from many different points of view. On top of that, it supports the development of intercultural understanding and respect towards each other and the ability to communicate and work together regardless where we all come from or what language we speak. IB schools work together and collaborate to connect various ideas. This help to create international. learning communities and therefore gives IB learners the opportunity to become more globally engaged through many different languages and cultures. CfE as well focuses on acquiring the knowledge and skills of another language through Modern Languages curricular area.

Resources:

https://www.ibo.org/

https://www.ibo.org/programmes/

https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-(building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5)/What%20is%20Curriculum%20for%20Excellence