You probably don’t know what Pre-IB classes are since this opportunity is not presented to you everywhere. First of all, let me tell you what Pre-IB is, because at first it would seem as if it were unnecessary, but that’s not really the case. By taking these classes, you’ll have a head start on what the IB is preparing for you later on. This program is mostly recommended for students aged 15 or 16 that are interested in taking the IB. These classes are specifically made to prepare you for the diploma, in which the classes serve as a transition into what the diploma will be. These classes make an approach towards IB classes. They preparing you through assignments such as portfolios, essays, and exams that you’ll eventually see in the IB. The assignments the classes have will help you develop writing and test skills for your essays. Which will help you train your abilities. I took two semesters of pre-IB classes and can tell you from experience that it is completely worth it.
Classes
Even though it depends on the school you’re attending, you’ll be taking your regular classes such as English, foreign language, math, etc. It won’t be the same for every school, but what happened to me was that my math teacher started making exams as they would in the IB. Whilst my English teacher gave us portfolios and both my history and Spanish teachers pushed us on the essays. The topics you go over are also connected to what you’ll see during the diploma. What you’ll also be seeing during those classes is managed to create interdisciplinary projects that’ll help create connections and projects that benefit from said relations and excel.
Getting to know the IB
Teachers usually have experience with the IB. So they’ll be able to properly guide you through this journey of getting familiar with the program. Teachers can also adjust the classes to help the students progress step by step by turning the class into an environment that resembles the Baccalaureate. You’ll also be able to understand how IB grades work and how the grading system is from 1 to 7. As well as the IB bands system. I found this especially useful when facing challenges that would require more time to prepare for. This is all information that will be able to give fruition later by implementing strategies that’ll help you prepare for exams and get the grades you want. Having an insight into how the IB works shows the essentials to get through the programme. As you’re no longer walking blindly and know what to expect from the process.
My experience
Before entering Pre-IB, I was already accustomed to what IB classes and assignments consisted of. Instead, what I experienced was that they are different systems. Therefore I was able to get to know the land and improve on what I took for granted at first, which made my transition easier. What I also saw was that in this new environment, people came from different places, and a lot of my classmates hadn’t taken part in the IB. This was the most important part. Because I knew I wasn’t alone. And getting to know people that’ll be able to help you through high school is a huge opportunity. At first, it was a new experience for all of us, so it proved to be a challenge at many times. But one of the greatest things that I saw during those two semesters was the improvement over time I and my classmates had. We adapted little by little and got to know our strengths and weaknesses. And by doing so, we learned how to help each other and ourselves.
Taking up habits
One of the most important things for new students to have in the IB is a consistent and healthy schedule to finish your homework, prepare essays, presentations, and study for exams. Taking Pre-IB allows you to get to know yourself and how your brain works whenever you’re doing assignments. In my experience, I was able to get to know my habits and tendencies which allowed me to eliminate procrastination and to also know which tasks take more time and therefore require more attention. Prioritization also takes an important role. Because there are times when deadlines are tight or perhaps you need advisory. Which’ll let you get a grasp on which types of assignments are proving harder and need extra preparation. Having this experience also helped me discover studying techniques I wouldn’t be able to live without nowadays. For example, the pomodoro technique, which lets me take more breaks and boost my efficiency and productivity.
These techniques might not work out for you, but that’s also fine because you’ll be able to adjust and improve. Because you would not be under the pressure of the real diploma program. That’s the main thing I found that let me know I’d made the right choice.
You don’t just get good at something right away, you need to work for it. You must fail to know what went wrong and try again and after that, perhaps you’ll fail again. But then you succeed and when you look back, you’ll know how far you’ve gotten by looking at how much you’ve learnt. That’s why a lot of us chose to take some time to prepare for what the IB has prepared for us. After all it’s not just a walk in the park, it’s an exciting, yet unnerving experience. It truly depends on who you are as a student and that is why Pre-IB is a perfect opportunity. So if you’re interested in taking Pre-IB, you should check whether you should take two semesters or a summer camp. Or who knows, perhaps you’ll find yourself forced to take it, as I did.
You may also like…
- Zeynep’s article on the 3 things you should know before starting the IBDP
- Micaela’s tips on how to select your IB subjects
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