The International Baccalaureate Program at Wilmington Friends School
Rick Grier-Reynolds, IB Program Coordinator, (302) 576-2972
rgrierreynolds@wilmingtonfriends.org

In 2002, after a vigorous self-study and application process, Wilmington Friends became the first school in Delaware authorized to join more than 1,000 schools in 102 countries that participate in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB).

The IB was originally developed to respond to the concerns of frequently relocated diplomat families, who wanted their children to have some consistency in their school program, and to ensure that they would be ready for university entrance exams "back home." The IB has spread dramatically in the United States, as educators have sought a system that combines the best of the standards movement with the best of what individual teachers can offer in their classrooms. To summarize the current role of the IB, the International Baccalaureate Organization offered the following mission statement:

"Through comprehensive and balanced curricula coupled with challenging assessments, the International Baccalaureate Organization aims to assist schools in their endeavors to develop the individual talents of young people and teach them to relate the experience of the classroom to the realities of the world outside. Beyond intellectual rigor and high academic standards, strong emphasis is placed on the ideals of international understanding and responsible citizenship, to the end that IB students may become critical, compassionate thinkers, lifelong learners and informed participants in local and world affairs, conscious of the shared humanity that binds all people together while respecting the variety of cultures and attitudes that makes for the richness of life."

With its combined emphasis on high academic standards, global perspective, informed and engaged citizenship, respect for others, and the application of classroom experience to the world beyond--all undertaken through a process-oriented, teacher-guided, multiple assessment approach--the IB is a natural fit with the philosophy and program of Wilmington Friends School. Indeed, by providing a curriculum structure and access to an internationally recognized standard of excellence, the IB strengthens the school's overall program, to the benefit of every student, both those who choose to pursue the IB diploma and those who do not.

IB Program Components

The IB Diploma Programme requires all students worldwide to fulfill specific requirements during their 11th and 12th grade years.

The six academic areas: Students pursue concurrent studies, and sit for end-of-year exams, in six academic areas, which are broadly defined as: "language A1" (generally, the student's first language), second language, individuals and societies, experimental sciences, mathematics and computer sciences, and the arts. Within those six areas, students must take a minimum of three and a maximum of four two-year, higher-level (HL) courses, and a minimum of two and maximum of three one-year standard-level (SL) courses.

The IB exams are carefully designed as external standards that support, rather than stifle, effective teacher-guided instruction; for example, students have some choice about which exam questions to answer, giving teachers flexibility to approach a subject in the way that best suits their students and school.

The International Baccalaureate Organization employs more than 3,400 examiners, who are experienced educators with special training to evaluate IB exams, with chief examiners that have authority in each global region. Exams are evaluated by the regional examiners, working within their fields of expertise, and the exam score counts for about 75% of the overall IB score (there is some variation among academic areas). There is no "curve" in the grading of IB exams, but rather one set of standards applied equally to all schools and all students.

The remainder of the IB score is based on an internal assessment administered by the teacher, based on guidelines provided by the IBO for each discipline. For example, the internal assessment may require a research paper or major art project that the teacher evaluates. Each school sends sample work from the internal assessment to the IBO for each academic area, providing an external standard of excellence and accountability for our teachers.

Scores for IB course work are on a scale from 1 to 7, again based on the end-of-year exam and the teacher-administered internal assessment. In order to receive an IB diploma, students need a minimum score of 24 (the maximum is 42); it is possible to earn additional points for superior work on the extended essay and in the Theory of Knowledge course (both described below).

A student's letter grade in a course, the grade that appears on the Wilmington Friends report card, is a separate assessment from the IB score. The quality of work is certainly likely to be reflected in both the IB score and the WFS grade, but the letter grade is determined independently by each teacher.

At Wilmington Friends, IB courses and exams are now offered as follows:

• Group 1: Language A: English (HL)
• Group 2: Language B: French (HL or SL), Spanish (HL or SL)
• Group 3: Individuals & Societies: History of the Americas (HL),
  20th Century World History (SL)
• Group 4: Experimental Sciences: Biology (HL), Chemistry (SL)
• Group 5: Mathematics & Computer Sciences: Higher Math (HL), Math Studies (SL)
• Group 6: Art and Design (HL or SL), Music (SL), Theatre Arts (SL)

Students who are not enrolled in the IB Diploma Programme can enroll in, and receive certification and often college credit for, individual IB courses.

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Course: IB diploma students must also complete the Theory of Knowledge course, which brings together issues studied across academic disciplines. In TOK, students think carefully about language, logic, political and moral philosophy, aesthetics, and relative strengths and limitations of the various ways of knowing. By the end of the senior year, diploma candidates write a TOK essay of 1000-1200 words, on a topic prescribed by IB, and the essay is sent for evaluation by IB examiners.

The Extended Essay (Also satisfies the preexisting WFS Upper School Project requirement): All IB diploma candidates are required to undertake an independent research project on a subject of their choice, with supervision by a faculty mentor, culminating in an essay of approximately 4,000 words. It is expected that students will do their research and the bulk of their writing during the summer following their junior year.

Creativity, Action, Service (CAS): Over the course of their junior and senior years, IB diploma candidates are required to fulfill approximately 150 hours of CAS, which includes community service and participation in activities such as sports, the arts, and civic and school organizations. Involvement in WFS extra-curricular activities (sports, service, theater, school newspaper) can satisfy the CAS requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the IB right for me/my child?
A: The IB's academic expectations are within the grasp of the majority of students at Wilmington Friends School. The program is designed, as the IBO states, for students who are "highly motivated," and probably the most important consideration is whether an individual student demonstrates and operates at a high level of motivation and organization.

Q: Will all students receive the IB diploma?
A: No. Many students will likely choose not to pursue the IB diploma, although they may choose to enroll in individual IB courses.

Q: How will students be selected to take IB courses?
A: Any student can enroll in an individual IB course and, upon successful completion, receive IB certification for that course.
To participate in the IB Diploma Programme, a student will have to go through an application process that involves his or her advisor, the grade-level team, parents, and the WFS IB coordinator.

Q: How do colleges and universities view the IB program?
A: The IB diploma is well respected, as representing an authentic standard of excellence in education, and is often given added weight in the admissions process, as well as in the awarding of college credit for course work completed in high school. More than 800 colleges and universities in North America have written policies on how they weigh IB diploma and course work credentials. Policies vary; for example, some schools give college credit for successful completion of IB higher-level courses, but not standard-level courses. Other colleges require a superior score (for example, 6 or 7) in IB course work in order to award credit.

A partial list of colleges and universities that have policies granting credit for IB course work--with standards defined by each school, and in some cases, by each academic department--includes:

For more background information about the IB, visit the IBO website at www.ibo.org; for more information about the IB program at Wilmington Friends, please call our IB coordinator, Rick Grier-Reynolds at (302) 576-2972, or email him at rgrierreynolds@wilmingtonfriends.org.