A guide to support our students throughout the next two years.

IB Diploma Program, ACS Athens

November 5, 2013

Our ACS Athens menu of Academic Choices

American High School Diploma

American High School Diploma +IB Diploma

American High School Diploma + IB Diploma Courses

American High School Diploma + AP Certificates

American High School Diploma + AP Certificates + IB Diploma Courses

American High School Diploma + The ACS Scholars Diploma

American High School Diploma +IB Diploma + Greek Isotimia

The ACS Athens and IB Student Profile

Achieved with Ethos through our

Holistic Meaningful Harmonious Education Model : Morfosis

We all work together.. Administrators

Faculty

Parents

To support our students throughout the

two years of the IB program.

Our common objective:

Achieve the highest performance in a

holistic way, in all aspects of student

life and learning.

What do new IB parents need to know

about the program?

•The IB Diploma Requirements

•The Assessment for IB Diploma Courses: Internal and External

•The Format of the examinations

•The Conduct of the Examinations

• Minimum Score requirement for the IB Diploma to be awarded

•The timeline of completion for the course requirements

•The distribution of work/deadlines over the two years.

•The in-school processes and policies regarding the IB courses.

IB DIPLOMA requirements Must Complete 6 courses from at least five

subject areas:

Minimum 3- High Level courses (HL)

Minimum 2-Standard level courses (SL) An Extended Essay or EE (4,000 words)

A Theory of Knowledge Essay (1,500 words)

TOK Essay

CAS – 150 hrs of Creativity, Action and Service

ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT (IA) LANGUAGES: ORAL

SOCIAL STUDIES: WRITTEN COMMENTARIES OR PAPERS

EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES: LAB REPORTS

MATH: PROJECTS

ARTS: PROJECTS

Prepared in the course of the two years,

Assessed by ACS Athens faculty,

Moderated by IBO moderator.

Final grade decision is made by IB moderator. Final Score weight: 20% for HL and 25% for SL

EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

WRITTEN TASKS

EE

TOK

ART PROJECTS

MAY EXAMINATIONS

Final Grade weight between 75-80%

FORMAT OF EXAMS Students write 3 exams (papers) for each HL course.

Students write 2 exams (papers) for each SL course.

PAPER 1

PAPER 2

PAPER 3

All IB courses are assessed on 1-7 scale.

TOK Essay and Extended Essay on F-A scale and both receive a total of 3 points

IB second year May exams Exams are scheduled by IBO

Exams are delivered by IBO

RULES AND REGULATIONS FROM IBO

ACS Athens Mock Examinations Exams are prepared by ACS Athens faculty

Exams are scheduled by ACS Athens administration

Rules and Regulations of IBO are applied for both

MOCK EXAM IN JUNE OF YEAR 1

MOCK EXAM IN JANUARY YEAR 2

Diploma is awarded when.. Diploma with a score of 24-27 points

Diploma with a score of 28 points

TOK Pass

EE Pass

CAS Pass

There is no grade 1 in any subject.

3 HL courses

12 points no grade 2 11 points no more than one grade 2

3 SL courses

9 points no more than one grade 2

8 points no more than two grade 2

Overall, there are no more than three grades 3 or below.

Quarter 1: Perceptions & Realities

Students say…. Teachers explain…..

The IB program is easy!!!

I studied for the test but why did I get a C and not a B+ or an A in the first test?

Understanding the assessment criteria for IB courses is one of the first quarter challenges.

Quarter 2: Realities

Students say….. Teachers explain…

Why do homework assignments seem so much harder now?

Demands for deeper understanding of course content is now apparent to students.

WHY due dates for homework assignments or tests fall during the same day or week?

Proper Planning and organizing tasks is one of the challenges. Need to ask for help.

Quarter 3: Feeling Stronger! Strengths… weaknesses Reflecting… acting

January exams are over Evaluate performance/ Administrative intervention may be required. Are there any program changes required for the student to be more successful?

Confidence raised Build on strengths

Identify weaknesses Seek improvement

Quarter 3: New challenges

New Challenges… Supporting processes

Internal Assessment Teachers can help!! Extended Essay

More and more homework and not enough time to go out for a coffee with friends….

Time and organize tasks

Anxiety Share concerns and anxiety with counselors, parents and friends. Confront challenges early on. Not the day before. Assistance to relieve stress.!

Students are monitored with respect to completing tasks according to deadlines.

The IB office communicates any problems to parents in writing.

Quarter 4. More Challenges..

Challenged to excel… Our support…

I worked so hard to rewrite my essay and my teacher says that it is still mediocre!!

Need encouragement to continue the hard work. Need to understand that revising, editing and rewriting is required in order to achieve the best performance. Encourage them to use class time effectively.

How will I be ready for the Mock Exams. If I fail, I will lose my status as an IB Diploma student. I will not be able to enter the HL classes for the courses I need for my college applications.!!!

Use time effectively, organize work, use Spring break to get ahead and prepare for the mock exams. Share concerns/anxieties with parents, teachers, counselors. They can help.

June Mock Exams results on Skyward! The mock exam grade is recorded on Skyward

a) out of 100 and recorded as a letter grade on the Semester 2 exam column.

b) out of 7 on the IB scale in the quarter 4 comments.

Example: Q3 SIB Q4 Exam S2 Final

Notice on Skyward the SIB= Score on the IB scale

Measures course performance according to the IB requirements i.e. Internal Assessment, written tasks, written assignments and the Mock exam using the IB score weights.

THUS, SIB ＝, or ≠ ACS Athens course grade

After the Mocks- Holidays!??

Dealing with the results, rethinking of options for applications. Identify opportunities and challenges.

Need help to reflect and evaluate

Mock Exam results focusing

on academic plans.

Do academic plans fit

student profile and

personality?

Summer Homework!!!! A pile of unfinished work.

Need to work on the options for sciences, finish the first draft of the Extended

Essay,…...

What about my CAS project?

Help students plan their

work in parts. Efficient

organization will give them

more time for holidays.

Year 2: A hard beginning I must, I must, I must………

Must submit all summer work.

Must write mock exams in class before the end of the first quarter.

Must complete my College Applications.

But why,

is it that teachers are so strict and do not give students the benefit of the doubt with the IB Predictions?

Year 2- Now I need support!! Reality

Stress, even panic is observed amongst the IB Diploma seniors. Some experience the consequences of not doing the summer homework.!!

Support mechanisms Counselors work in the Senior Advisory class to motivate

students and help them keep focused on task.

Parental support is very important at this point. Parents can help students maintain a long run perspective.

My last Christmas as a high-school student! Let me enjoy it please.!!

WORK, work, work….Can I please have the Christmas day to enjoy the season?

Spend the break listening to concerns, reading your child’s essay, checking with what must be completed for the Internal Assessment.

Students need to work around the clock. EE, TOK essay and English written tasks and written assignments must be completed before the end of February. This is an External Deadline.

The rest of the IA work must be completed before the end of March. Do not leave things for the last minute.

The last quarter…. All IB requirements, except the exam, are complete.

Bravo! Now, focus on the exam.

Develop an effective strategy to prepare for the exams. Need help? Ask teachers,

counselors, parents.

All will be happy to help…..

Soon you will be an

IB Diploma Graduate

Useful documents General Guidelines to the IB diploma

Extended Essay Guide

CAS Guide

Academic Honesty Guide

TOK Guide

Please visit our school’s website or www.ibo.org for more information on the requirements and regulations of the IB diploma program

HMH education at all levels Reflecting on our practices….. Does the variety of supporting programs and

procedures satisfy HMH?

This is our Goal and this is our Reflection. Please give us your input any time.