In Defense of International Baccalaureate

Reader Comments
Back to blog

As a successful IB alum, I have experienced the power of this program. Many in my class, myself included, have gone on to the country's best graduate and professional programs. The curriculum is rigorous and teaches students how to think and write critically as well as appreciate the broader international perspective. I still think I learned more through IB than I did through college and graduate school combined.
Having had the opportunity to teach at the college level, I can say that the vast majority of students are grossly underprepared. Most American high schools do not teach the material and skills students need to be successful in college.
The academic rigor of this program demands the best of its students and teachers. It is audited according to strict standards to ensure consistent and high performance, unlike the AP program which leaves schools to its own devices. I believe the IB program should become the standard of American education if we want to compete in an increasingly globalized economy. I would say that IB is un-American only in that it does not elevate mediocrity to excellence.

IB Alum FL of TX 5:55PM May 09, 2008

Mr. Morse,
I am just completely a research project on the IBO and have an in-depth understanding of its purpose and philosophical foundations. I respectfully disagree with your wholesale endorsement of the program, especially for any school that is part of a state or national school system.
The IB Program was created primarily for students who are transient internationally and who have little or no national identity so as to give them a sense of academic continuity.
For schools that have a stationary student body within a state or nation where the goal must be to establish national unity, and for other more complex reasons, the IB Program may not be the best choice.
My research has led me to sources that show a direct link between UNESCO and the IBO. I also disagree that this is irrelevant, unless of course you support the progressive goals of UNESCO and federal control of education through No Child Left Behind.
I would be most interested in discussing the research I have, which is solely from the IBO leadership and its partners. If you are interested, please contact me.
Bob Morse responds: U.S. News will be glad to communicate with responsible thoughtful parties on their views pro and con about IB. In the U.S. (I think this correct) IB is mainly offered at public schools, which is not the case outside of the U.S. Your point, which in effect means that IB is now "controlled by" UNESCO, is refuted by IB

Cherilyn Bacon Eagar of UT 10:12PM May 08, 2008

I go to a school in Taiwan where IB and AP are offered because there are many students who need an IB diploma to study in Australia, England, or Europe. Their peers can also take IB courses for a certificate as well. Some classes are combined AP/IB classes, but sometimes the teacher may prefer one program to the other, and teachers may focus more on the IB curriculum. Thereofre, classes such as IB/AP econ students can take both exams.
Since junior year, I have been taking IB and AP courses. IB has more emphasis on writing, requries many assessments for an IB grade while an AP grade is based on one exam. In my opinion, all schools should offer IB and AP for students to choose. However, personally I think AP is better for math and science and IB is better for social sciences and foreign languages. For example, foreign language test in IB is entirely in the foreign language taken from authentic texts and a composition which also grades on cultural interaction while the AP does not encourage as much immersion of the foriegn culture.
IB has more emphasis in writing essays, developing a student who is more culturally aware and ready for the 21st century- IB diploma even requires community service hours.
The IB may require a lot of assessments other than the external IB exam, but this can be less stressful for some students who know that AP grade is determined by one external exam.
It should be up to the student to choose whether he or she is better suited for the IB or AP program. Also, all colleges accpet AP in US, but not all accept IB for credit. However, I have spoke to a few admission officers who prefer IB. Students should know whether their prospective colleges take/prefer IB or not.

AP and IB student of 9:40AM May 08, 2008

I wish you a lot of luck obtaining hard data when it comes to individual IB schools. Mr. Mathews' Newsweek List relies on schools self-reporting their results. Having dealt with a school board and administrators hellbent on making IB look better than it is to justify the outrageous expense, I have witnessed what borders on criminal attempts to manipulate results. For example, one year, the IB Coordinator tried to report that students sat for 572 IB exams. When I raised my hand and said that it as mathematically impossible for the number of students we had in the program to take that many exams, they tried to say, "Well, IB exams are given over the course of two days so we count them twice!" WHAT? Well, you see, submitting the number of 572 instead of 286 to Mr. Mathews would have driven our school high up on his Challenge Index. It's all about IMAGE, not substance.
My district also likes to report that it has "902 higher level seats filled". That's cute, isn't it? We only have 650 students in the entire HS 9-12, but we have 902 IB/AP seats filled.
No wonder the Cornell engineering program doesn't award any credit for IB HL math but recognizes a 4 or 5 for AP Calc.
My comments regarding your IB representative's "statement" are in your other blog, I don't know if you want me to repaste them here, I hate to be redundant. Regarding UNESCO's support of and involvement with IBO's curriculum, your representaive clearly dodged the issue. I believe you were going to get a statement so that you could issue a correction regarding your own statement:
>>>>Bob Morse responds: You have a right to your opinion, but it's factually wrong. Some U.S. public schools have viewed the adoption of IB (http://www.ibo.org/) as a way of improving quality. It's a 100% INCORRECT implication that IB is controlled or sponsored by the UN and or UNESCO.<<<<<
Whether UNESCO is or isn't (it is) involved with IBO is somewhat irrelevant. What IS relevant is IBO's disingenuous representation of its organization and educational programs.
-Lisa

Observer of NY 8:25AM May 06, 2008

It's still something to avoid like the plague. Sorry. I'm a teacher, I know.
We don't want to be global citizens, we want to be American citizens, under the constitution and bill of rights. This is the UN dreaming about world domination.
Get it out of the US, and our schools!!!!!!!!!!!!

FedUpPTeacher of NH 1:27AM May 06, 2008

In my opinion, veracity is not of the IBO's virtues. If the IBO determines that a school is a low performer, it will take steps to kick that school out of the IB Program. It is happening in Tyler, Texas as we speak.
http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20080505/NEWS08/805040328
Consequently, objective observers should look askance at any claims that IB schools perform better than other schools. The survivorship bias after the IBO takes steps to kick out low performing schools makes any such analysis fatally flawed.

Greg of TX 9:57PM May 05, 2008