The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a great choice for dedicated students who want to attain a global perspective and acquire skills and experiences that they can use no matter where they plan to go in the future. It is the third course in the IB continuum of educational programs, and it cultivates an inquiring mindset among students ages 16 to 19, preparing them to become lifelong learners. The Diploma Programme can be quite rigorous; it requires students to take on core courses on top of their academic subjects, and grades are given based on exams and assessments. However, successfully completing the program opens up plenty of academic and career opportunities for students, be it in their home countries or elsewhere around the world.
Simply searching for “top IB schools Singapore” online will already provide you with plenty of options in terms of educational institutions where you can enroll your child. No matter if you’re a local or an expat family, you’ll have no trouble finding an academic institution in Singapore that can cater to your child’s particular talents and skills. Still, you need to be able to support your children as they go through this challenge. Aside from one’s academics, your child will be in an environment where they can grow immensely as a person. You can help them maximize this opportunity by encouraging them to apply themselves to the program in the following ways:
Cultivate Their Interests and Skills
There are programs of study that focus on specific academic topics, but the IB Diploma Programme offers a more holistic approach to building life-long learners. While IBDP students still have to take on language, society, sciences, and mathematics subjects, the core of the IB curriculum is composed of the theory of knowledge (TOK), a self-directed research project called an extended essay, and projects related to creativity, activity, and service (CAS). These undertakings present students with the opportunity to explore their interests, build their skills, and think about their future plans in detail. You can encourage your child to use this time to think about and delve deeply into the topics that interest them and maybe see if the said interest is something that they want to work on in the long run. Perhaps gaining a deeper knowledge of their topics of interest will help them determine if they want to focus on that particular area or lead them to the discovery of another topic that they would want to be at the center of their future profession.
Learn to Manage Time Well
IBDP students lead busy lives. They need to have enough time to work on their academics and core subjects, maintain a connection with their friends and family members, and pursue their hobbies and personal interests, among many other activities. It’s of utmost importance, then, for IB students to manage their time well so that they can fulfill all their responsibilities, rest, and care for themselves without feeling that they’re being stretched too thin. Learning how to manage time well is a long process, but it’s also something that anyone can start working on at any point in time. Before the program starts, it’s a good idea to go over your child’s schedule with them. You can help them enumerate their priorities, set their schedules, and adjust their activities or timeline so that they are less likely to suffer from burnout. This way, they can focus on their tasks and enjoy the process of learning without feeling overwhelmed.
Develop a System of Organization
In addition to managing their time well, IBDP students need to adopt a method of organizing their thoughts and things. They’ll be juggling a lot of different tasks once the program starts, and they need to approach these activities systematically so that they are less likely to lose track of their priorities and concerns. When it comes to research, for example, students can make use of tools and applications that can help them organize their research sources. If they’re dealing with a lot of people in their CAS, they can perhaps organize group messages so that they can keep everyone in the loop with minimal effort. Adopting a system of organization can be a time-consuming task at first, but it can certainly help students streamline their activities and save their time and energy in the long run.
Foster Connection with Others
While the IBDP trains students to be independent, it also encourages young people to widen their perspectives and appreciate the people around them. Your child is busy, but this does not mean that they are no longer able to maintain and start friendships with other young people who are going through the same challenges as they are. In fact, their time under the IB Diploma Programme provides students with plenty of chances to interact with people who have different values and who are from different cultures—and discover common ground with them just the same. These friendships can lead to a productive exchange of ideas and help your child gain a wider and more welcoming view of the people they encounter every day.
The IBDP is a challenging program, but it offers a lot of opportunities for growth to the students who want to cultivate their love of learning. If you have a child who is planning to enroll in an IBDP in Singapore, keep these tips in mind so that you can help them maximize this exciting time in their lives.
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