Choice and Voice in the IB Classroom

OVERVIEW

Teaching an International Baccalaureate (IB) class is hard enough: so much content, a required number of course hours, and a high-stakes exam at the end (to name a few stresses). Many teachers of IB and other high-level or intensive programs are hesitant to incorporate student voice into their lessons because they feel they don't have time or that the curriculum does not allow for it. Of those who have bravely ventured into the world of student voice in their IB classrooms, many have found that they gain time through student interest and their depth of understanding.

STUDENT CHOICE AND VOICE

The IB's mission statement is to "encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right." (IBO, 2009) Giving students a voice in their education promotes interest, which not only causes them to be an active learner, but also fosters deep, authentic learning, which can prompt them to be lifelong learners. The program's emphasis on inquiry and student lines of questioning encourages students to direct their own learning within the different subject groups.

EXAMPLE

Clare teaches high school social studies in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Inspired to amplify the students' voices into her own classroom, she facilitated more student choice in her projects and class activities, including her IB classes. Here is what she has to say about her experience:

RESOURCES

Encouraging high school voices:

• Including Student Voice - Edutopia article
• Vt. High School Takes Student Voice to Heart - EdWeek article

CITATION

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2009). The Diploma Programme: A Basis for Practice.