New website material for 2018

Two new sections have been added to the website: a whole section to support DP Coordinators  and a series of Thought Pieces aimed at stimulating discussion and debate with your staff faculty on key issues arising out of the IB DP.

DP Coordinators

The DP Coordinators section was added to the website at the beginning of January 2018. It is designed to help both new and established DP Coordinators implement the programme in a manner that supports the IB mission statement and philosophy, while at the same time conforming to the DP programme standards and practices. The section focuses on:

• The Big Picture : This section provides you with presentations and activities to explore the International Baccalaureates' 'big picture' - its philosophy, mission and aims. It identifies key concepts and terms as well as providing an overview of the standards and practices. You will find PowerPoint presentations you can use with stakeholder groups (be they students, staff or parents). You will also find activities you can use in professional development with staff to introduce them to or remind them of some of the key philosophical issues in the IB DP.
• The Diploma Programme : In this section we look at the Diploma Programme requirements. Each of the pages is intended to be used as a stand-alone workshop to be used during a staff meeting or professional development session.It also considers the roles and responsibilities of the DP coordinator and possible strategies for implementing the DP in the context of the school in which participants work; supporting the various stakeholders related to the school’s Diploma Programme. It introduces the key IB publications that inform the work of the DP Coordinator.
• Authorization & Evaluation : In this section of the workshop we look at the key stages of becoming or being an IB World School: Candidacy, Authorization and Evaluation.

  The pages have been designed for the DP Coordinator to use as they lead the faculty and guide the school leadership team through the three stages. Each of the pages is intended to be used as a stand-alone workshop to be used during a staff meeting or professional development session.

Thought Pieces

Thought pieces are short pieces of text used as a stimulus for individual and group reflection. Each thought piece includes a short introduction and key questions to consider in relation to the topic. They may also suggest a longer reading list or web links for readers who wish to research further into the subject. I have suggested thought pieces on key topics. However, you could choose any piece of short text to use. They are great for starting a discussion.

You will find a growing number of thought pieces in two places on this website:

• Leadership Thought Pieces: Short articles on topics relevant to school leadership - e.g. Applying to be a Head or Emotionally intelligent leadership 
• Teaching and Learning Thought Pieces: Short articles on issues relevant to how we teach and how students learn - e.g. Lessons that engage, Thinking skills, Recalling information - revision etc.