Written by BISP Secondary English Teacher Lauren Baxter 

You’re about to embark on a journey through the formidable waters of the International Baccalaureate (IB). You’ve heard the horror stories from your friends and you’re scared…very scared. Well, before you scream SOS, here are 5 top skills you need to be top of your game in IB and hoist the flag of IB success.

Autonomy – Own It!

You are your own boss with IB! Although teachers are there to teach, support and guide you, ultimately, you need to take ownership of your progress and learning. IB is the perfect stepping-stone to university, and this exciting new style of learning will build your confidence as you progress. Take charge of your organisation. You’ve got this!

Time-management – Don’t Stress!

Time is of the essence and with good time-management skills, you will be able to both nail the IB and have the best years of your life! It is imperative for your wellbeing to manage your time well. Create realistic deadlines for all your subjects and maximise your gain time so you don’t cave in during the busy times of the year. And most importantly, ensure you have time to relax and have fun. Self-care is a must!

Critical thinking – Be A Curious Cat.

Be a critic and question everything. Don’t be afraid to ask “how” and “why”.  In IB, you will need to explore different perspectives and use those all-important higher-order thinking skills, such as evaluation, to develop new and interesting ideas. This is how progress is made and how we can create original ideas. 

Resilience 

IB can be a real learning curve when it comes to receiving constructive criticism and set-backs. It’s a tough old cookie. You will be completing tasks, projects and assignments that you have never done before, and therefore you might not get it right the first time. And you know what? That is okay. In fact, it’s actually helpful. When you can change your mindset to see how your failures can benefit you, there is room for growth and you will sail through IB. 

Reading- Become a Specialist In Your Subjects!

Read read read!! Whatever you can get your hands on: leaflets, magazines, newspapers, novels, tweets… all help you to learn different perspectives on topics and issues. IB requires you to read around the subject and the more you do this, the better your knowledge, written expression and critical evaluation will be. 

In our dynamic global landscape, with the world changing rapidly, IB is truly the best course to take to develop skills that go beyond the classroom.

With a positive mindset and hunger for success, you have the power to nail IB, sail away on the sea of success and become a changemaker, leader and innovator in our increasingly globalised world.