The 6 qualities that IB students graduate with

One of the best things about the IB diploma is how it focuses on shaping individual students from all angles. It isn’t enough to develop only academic intelligence, the IB strives for well-rounded personal growth. In this list, we’ve put together the six qualities that IB students graduate with and how they achieve them.

Motivation

The IB classroom isn’t confined to four walls. The CAS module, Creativity, Activity and Service, allows students to be led by their own interests, talents and skills. Students benefit from experiential learning as they take on projects, volunteer, and participate in co-curricular activities. This freedom doesn’t only contextualize what is learned in the classroom, it’s also highly motivating. The IB develops students who are eager to learn and motivated to try new things.

Cultural awareness

The core ethos of the IB curriculum is to prepare students to be out-ward facing and culturally aware global citizens. One way that students are taught this is through discussion of international affairs and world issues. Classrooms are creative spaces where two-way communication is key. Students and teachers voice their opinions and learn to listen and take others into account.

Confidence

IB students are used to voicing their opinions and presenting their ideas. In some traditional classrooms, a high achieving student might perform well in written assignments, also in exams. But with the IB diploma, a high achieving student must also develop the confidence to articulate themselves and communicate effectively.

Independence

There is no way to succeed in the IB program without learning to study independently. Through learning to manage their own time, complete their work without teachers present, seek out additional material that informs their work – students become independent learners and thinkers. It’s this quality that makes IB students ideally suited to continue their studies at university.

Adaptability

The Extended Essay component of the IB requires students to take on a project entirely on their own. They must choose their topic, learn how to research and find new sources of information, and complete a body of work that’s entirely their own. It’s hard work, but it teaches students how to be adaptable and rise to any challenge.

Responsibility

One element of the CAS module is ‘Service’ which asks students to work in their community to enact change. This can include education, fundraising, campaigning and more. Students are encouraged to be innovative and to think about their role as part of something bigger than themselves. The result is students who feel responsible, not only for themselves but for the people around them. This is a particularly powerful outcome of the IB curriculum, which is not always possible to achieve in a typical classroom environment.

At EF Academy, we use the IB curriculum to both educate and help students towards personal growth. We supplement classroom learning with the guidance and support that students need to become intelligent, well-rounded individuals.