An International School in Singapore is second to none. The students learn in a great environment with global faculty, staff, and peers from around the world. The best thing about international schools in Singapore and all over is that they offer the coveted International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
IB programs have encouraged students to grow into responsible and curious global citizens for almost six decades. These programmes are fundamentally built around children and focus on providing them with the support, guidance and tools they need to flourish while inspiring them to make a difference beyond the classroom and the world they will live in.
- International Baccalaureate offers academic depth and breadth
IB students study subjects spanning multiple groups such as science, languages, humanities, and Math, among others. This provides them with a vast canvas of knowledge while making sense of how to connect the subjects. The IB curriculum enhances the child’s depth and breadth of know-how by leveraging a multidisciplinary approach to acquiring knowledge. Students connect concepts taught in the classroom and then apply them in real-life situations, making the learning more valuable and actual. The IB course empowers students with strong critical reasoning skills, time management and creative problem-solving. These are valuable in every setting of life.
- International Baccalaureate produces independent and robust thinking.
Students who follow the IB curriculum at an international ib Singapore are not spoon-fed. Instead, they are encouraged to think critically and independently, form opinions, and voice them. They promote inquiry-based learning so children can understand issues in-depth and find solutions to address these issues after thorough research and inquiry. Independent research is a vital part of the curriculum.
- IB promotes Experiential learning.
Experiential learning is all about learning by doing. Instead of the old-school top-down teaching method, students are expected to learn through experimenting and application. Their minds are put to good use, and their creative juices flow. Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) are centric to IB education. This course provides students with numerous learning opportunities through experiments, student clubs, group projects, working and learning by doing. Co-curricular activities, Sports, laboratory experiments, field visits, presentations etc., constitute the exhaustive IB curriculum. Students have the freedom of creative expression to follow areas of particular interest that piques their interest resulting in holistic growth and development.
- IB nurtures a global mindset.
Children who attend an international school in Singapore interact with children, primarily expats from all over the world. This helps them understand other cultures and appreciate and respect diversity. Not only do they learn to voice their own opinion, but also to respect the other person’s opinion. Through classroom debates and discussions, international languages, and travel experiences, an IB education fosters an environment where children learn to appreciate global cultures and people while developing a diverse worldview. An open, approachable and inclusive global mindset is an indispensable asset in today’s interconnected world and comes in handy while applying to universities or getting a job abroad.
- IB boosts critical thinking.
Interpretation and curiosity are central to the IB programmes offered by international schools. They encourage students to analyse, evaluate, link, reflect, synthesise, judge, reason and question new information as a significant part of their day-to-day activities. These skills automatically get embedded in their nature and help them stand out from the rest during university applications or job interviews.
- IB helps students manage their time.
IB curriculum follows a student-centric approach but is academically rigorous. Students following the IB program learn to manage time effectively for all their extracurricular interests along with their education. Very early in life, they learn how to compartmentalise and figure their schedule out. They must manage time for studying, group projects, individual projects, student club activities, co-curricular interests, sports, competitions, group assignments, events, field visits, extra coaching etc. An IB curriculum plays a great deal in building your child’s focus, and they are less prone to distractions. They also acquire the skill of challenging themselves within the exciting and stimulating learning environment offered by the IB program.
- IB delivers meaningful experiences outside the classroom
IB programs strongly advocate the concept of service to others. This is a cornerstone of the programme and is encouraged locally and globally. Service is something that is not taught or learnt in isolation; students need to engage outside of their comfort zone. Activities include volunteering at a shelter, doing good for their local communities, cleaning the beach, trash clean-ups, working towards climate change, fundraisers and more. This service provides them with a rich experience that can help them make a real change.
- IB programmes better prepare students for overseas higher education:
Students who have undergone an IB focus education are armed with the right aptitude and skills to tackle global challenges, think for themselves, take decisions, apply logic and learning to a challenging situations and unleash their passion and creativity to achieve their dreams. This sort of armour is very critical to thrive in a university or job setting. An IB diploma makes the student’s transition from high school to university a seamless one.
