International Baccalaureate Grades 11-12
The Diploma Programme (DP) is a challenging two-year curriculum for students who are between 17 and 19, or, 11th and 12th grade.
Students learn not only the necessary information to be accomplished in any subject area, but they also learn how to deal with new information and situations in those areas.
The IB programme teaches them to:
- ask challenging questions
- learn how to learn
- develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture
- develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.
Contact
Kari Christensen
IB DP Coordinator
763-504-8644
Kari_Christensen@rdale.org
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IB Exam Details
IB exams are given over three weeks in May and are comprised of one to three different "papers" (the British word for "exams"). Typically, if a test has more than one paper, it is split into a multiple-day test. Exams are given at House of Hope Church, 4800 Boone Avenue North, unless otherwise noted. Students should report to the exam site by 8:20 for morning exams and 12:20 for afternoon exams.
Students register for exams in October following a group presentation on what options they have and what is involved. Each exam costs $50, with scholarship help available just by noting it on the registration form. Families should be aware that the $50 fee is just a portion of the actual cost of a single exam. A single exam is approximately $250, and the remaining portion is paid for by the State of Minnesota and Robbinsdale Area Schools. Therefore, a student who signs up for an exam but does not complete one or more components, will not receive an IB score and consequently will be charged a $80 penalty fee, whether or not they received a scholarship.
There is much protocol surrounding the exams so that they are given uniformly around the world. These protocols, and other testing information, are supplied to all exam-sitters in April, posted in school and at the exam site. Students are given a place to sit, away from any of their belongings, and are expected to observe all protocols. All IB exams, except for Paper 1 in the sciences, are given a 5-minute reading period, during which students cannot write anything, while they decide which prompts they will choose. Individual exams vary in length from 45 minutes to 2 1/2 hours.
When the IB scores are released online in July following the exams, the scores include the following components: performance on each of the papers and work done in class (internal assessments) throughout the year.
During the week preceding the IB exams, a breakfast is given for test-takers. It is called the Wish 'em Well Breakfast, and students are initiated into the ritual of receiving extra luck on exams, only offered to Robbinsdale Cooper IB exam-takers.
- IB Test Taking Tips
- 2021-22 IB Exam Schedule
- Wish 'Em Well Breakfast
- Registration & Payment Details
- Testing Details Specific to Full Diploma Candidates
- Day of Test Details
- IB Test Scores
- 2023 IB Test Registration Form
IB Test Taking Tips
How to Prepare
- Take advantage of the exam review sessions teachers offer. Check with individual teachers for the schedule.
- Don’t listen to those people who say, “Oh you can’t study for that. If you don’t know it now, you never will.” Not true! You can familiarize yourself with terms, concepts, methods, strategies, patterns, plots, characters and – yes – facts. Having all this fresh in your mind will help you do better.
Where to Go and When
- Exam times have been posted and made available since early fall. All exams take place at House of Hope Church, 4800 Boone Avenue N., within walking distance of Cooper, unless otherwise noted. It’s the same place as the Wish 'em Well breakfast, which precedes the start of exams. The breakfast is only open to juniors and seniors who are taking IB exams and their parents/guardians.
- You will receive a packet in April with your own exam schedule, an invitation to the breakfast for you and your family, and other material related to exam protocol.
- Morning exams begin at 7:30 a.m. and afternoon exams begin at 12:30 p.m. Be on time. Students should arrive 10 minutes. We won’t wait for you. You are excused from school for 15 minutes before the exam until 15 minutes after the exam.
Testing Protocol
- Instructions will be given before you enter the testing room. The coordinator will let you know where to store your backpack and other materials. Make sure your cell phone is turned off and with your backpack. Enter the room in silence and find your designated place quietly. Do not for a moment consider taking any notes to your table.
Testing Strategies
- Many exams give you choices of questions to answer. You will be given a 5-minute reading time (with the exception of paper 1 sciences). Use it to think about what you can answer best. There’s no writing during this time.
- In many exams, you have time to write a rough draft and then copy it in ink onto the test pages. Manage this time wisely.
- Read the question carefully and answer it directly. The examiners know padding when they see it, and they don’t like it. Don’t compensate for what you don’t know with extraneous stuff.
- Look at the weights given for each answer. Don’t waste time on 1-pointers if you can answer the 5-pointer with the same amount of time.
- Use all the time you are given. Re-reading once you are done almost always shows you that a pronoun’s antecedent is unclear or that you have chosen the wrong word or that your sentence is run-on or not complete. Give the examiner the chance to give you the benefit of the doubt by polishing and being precise. A higher score will help you more. One extra point may get you out of a whole class in college. Certainly putting in the extra time at these exams is worth it.
- Don’t panic. You’ve been well taught, and you are smart. If you’ve prepared well, YOU’LL ROCK!
What to Bring and What NOT to Bring
- Bring a black pen and a pencil to every exam. When needed, make sure to bring the appropriate calculator and make sure your calculator’s batteries are fresh. Ask your math teacher which calculator you can use. You may want a ruler or straight-edge for science and math exams. We don’t supply these things. If you want to bring a lucky pen or charm, pillows to sit on, kleenex, cough drops or water--feel free. There is no food or other kind of drink allowed in the exam room, including hats.
- Dress in layers. The temperature of the exam room varies a lot during May. Some testers even bring fleece blankets!
Miscellaneous
- Afternoon exams usually run later than the school day. You will have to make arrangements for transportation home.
2021-22 IB Exam Schedule
2022-22 IB Exam Schedule
(Testing held at House of Hope Church)
Date | 7:30 a.m. | 12:30 p.m. |
---|---|---|
Tuesday, May 3 | History HL/SL (P1, P2) | |
Wednesday, May 4 | History HL (P3) | |
Thursday, May 5 | Physics HL/SL (P1, P2) | |
Friday, May 6 | Math HL/SL (P1) | |
Monday, May 9 | Math HL/SL (P2) | |
Tuesday, May 10 | ||
Wednesday, May 11 | ||
Thursday, May 12 | Math HL (P3) | English HL/SL (P1) |
Friday, May 13 | ||
Monday, May 16 | Spanish HL/SL (P1, P2 Reading) | |
Tuesday, May 17 | Spanish HL/SL (P2 Listening) | Psych SL (P1) and ITGS HL (Paper 1) |
Wednesday, May 18 | ITGS HL (Paper 3) | Chem HL/SL (P1, P2) |
Thursday, May 19 | French HL/SL (P1, P2 Reading) | |
Friday, May 20 | French HL/SL (P2 Listening) |
Wish 'Em Well Breakfast
Wish 'Em Well Breakfast
The Wish ‘Em Well breakfast is held just prior to the May exams, and is hosted by parents and IB staff. Parents of all testing students are also invited to this event. In 2022, this event will be held on Friday, April 29.
Following the breakfast, students are initiated into the ritual of receiving extra luck on exams, and enjoy entertainment by fellow students.
Invitations to the event are supplied to students in early to mid-April.
Registration & Payment Details
Registration & Payment Details
Juniors and seniors register for exams in October following an in-class presentation on what options they have and what is involved. The cost is $50 per exam, with scholarship help available just by noting it on the registration form.
It’s important to note that the $50 fee does not fully cover the cost of the exam. A single exam costs approximately $250; the excess fee is paid for by the State of Minnesota and Robbinsdale Area Schools. Therefore, a student who signs up for an exam but does not complete one or more components (consisting of in-class assignments and the May tests) will not receive an IB score and consequently will be charged a $80 penalty fee, whether or not the test fee was paid by a scholarship. The fee is not refunded by IB if a student defaults. Students must be fully committed to seeing the whole process through when they register. Both the parent and student must sign that they understand this commitment.
Higher Level (HL) exams cover material that spans a two-year course schedule; thus, these tests can only be taken by seniors. Standard Level (SL) exams cover material that spans a one-year course schedule and may be taken by seniors or juniors.
Testing Details Specific to Full Diploma Candidates
Testing Details Specific to Full Diploma Candidates
Diploma candidates will have met with the IB Coordinator their sophomore year to develop a 2-year testing plan. IB requires a combination of 3 HL and 3 SL tests, or 4 HL and 2 SL tests.
Candidates may take more tests than this, if they wish. For example, a student may take the Chemistry SL test their junior year to meet one of their SL testing requirements. If enrolled in the class their senior year, they may take the Chemistry HL test. This test should be marked as an “extra” on their registration sheet as IB will not allow you to test more than once in the same subject to meet Diploma requirements. However, colleges may give additional college credit for a specific score on an HL test - so it may be to the advantage of the student to still test in the HL course, even if it does not count towards earning the IB Diploma.
Day of Test Details
Day of Test Details
There is much protocol surrounding the exams so that they are given uniformly around the world. These protocols, and other testing information, are sent to all exam-sitters in April, posted in school and at the exam site.
Students are given a place to sit, away from any of their belongings, and are expected to observe all protocols. All IB exams except for Paper 1 in the sciences are given a 5-minute reading period, during which students cannot write anything, while they decide which prompts they will choose to follow. Individual exams (papers) vary in length from 45 minutes to 2 1/2 hours.
IB Test Scores
IB Test Scores
When the IB scores are released online in July following the exams, the scores reflect the work done on both the May tests and the internal assessments (performance on papers and work done in class which was sent to IB during the school year). Students may find out from the coordinator in the following fall how they did on each of the components.
The day of the test, students are given login information so they can access these scores as soon as they are posted. Be sure to keep this login information in a safe place, so you can access your scores in a timely manner.
2023 IB Test Registration Form
Diploma Course Route
Students who are not undertaking the Full Diploma route can participate in the Diploma Courses path. This involves:
- Taking only those IB subjects in 11th and 12th that you wish to take. It could be 8, it could be 1.
- Fulfilling all the requirements in that class, which will include -- depending on the class -- lab reports, papers, oral examinations, portfolios, and 2-3 written exams.
- Most of these components will be required anyway for the Cooper grade.
- These are all the same things that those pursuing the Diploma will be doing subject by subject.
IB Test Scores
- A single score (1-7, with 7 being the highest) will be issued based on evaluation in all these areas once the written exams have taken place.
- Scores for Standard Level (SL) courses and for Higher Level (HL) courses can be used for both college admissions and/or college credit. It depends on the college/university. Scores of 4 or higher are considered quite good because you are being measured against the best students around the world in very difficult coursework.
- Check with the colleges and universities you are interested in to determine how they will regard your scores.
Subject briefs for all courses are available below.
Full Diploma Candidate
Full Diploma Candidate
The Diploma Programme (DP) is a challenging two-year curriculum for students who are in 11th and 12th grade. Students learn not only the necessary information to be accomplished in any subject area, but they also learn how to deal with new information and situations in those areas. The IB programme teaches them to:
- ask challenging questions
- learn how to learn
- develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture
- develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.
The DP curriculum contains six subject groups together with a core made up of three separate parts. All three parts of the core — Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) — are compulsory and central to the philosophy of the Diploma Programme. Students may choose to access only those courses which interest them by earning IB individual certificates rather than the full IB Diploma.
Significant features of the IB Diploma Programme
- World-wide standards,based on the best practices of educators around the world, are passed on to teachers in IB training sessions.
- External Assessments -- all work done at Cooper is sent around the United States and the rest of the world to be evaluated according to the standards set by the IB. This lets a school know how its students are doing world-wide.
- An emphasis is placed on understanding other points of view and being able to defend one's own.
- DP is outstanding preparation, recognition and earned credits for colleges and universities.
Requirements to Earn the IB Diploma
Earning a Diploma will depend on:
- Compiling a total of 24 points through exams, Extended Essay, and Theory of Knowledge class.(An additional list of qualifiers is available in the IB office.);
- Completing requirements for IB courses in each of six academic groups; 3-4 courses must be at the 2-year Higher Level (HL); 2-3 must be at the one-year Standard Level (SL);
- Documenting and reflecting upon 1 1/2 years of CAS (creativity, activity, service) between the beginning of junior year and February of senior year;
- Writing an independent research paper, known as the Extended Essay, of approximately 4000 words, by December of senior year;
- Successfully completing Theory of Knowledge class (2 semesters).
IB Test Scores
- A single score (1-7, with 7 being the highest) will be issued based on evaluation in all these areas once the written exams have taken place.
- Scores for Standard Level (SL) courses and for Higher Level (HL) courses can be used for both college admissions and/or college credit. It depends on the college/university. Scores of 4 or higher are considered quite good because you are being measured against the best students around the world in very difficult coursework.
- Check with the colleges and universities you are interested in to determine how they will regard your scores.
The three core requirements
The three core requirements for an IB Diploma include:
- Extended Essay: The extended essay has a prescribed limit of 4,000 words. It offers students the opportunity to investigate a topic of individual interest and acquaints them with the independent research and writing skills expected at university.
- Theory of Knowledge (ToK): The interdisciplinary ToK course is designed to provide coherence by exploring the nature of knowledge across disciplines, encouraging an appreciation of other cultural perspectives.
- Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS): The CAS program encourages students to be involved in artistic pursuits, sports and community service work, thus fostering their awareness and appreciation of life outside the academic arena.
Extended Essay
Extended Essay
The Extended Essay is not a report or a narrative. It is an essay. That means that students are bringing together information in a new way. The extended essay should have a precise research question or hypothesis. Nothing significant will happen until students know what it is they are doing. Finding the precise research question may take up to 1/3 of the time, because it means pursuing leads, bumping into dead ends, knowing what information is extraneous, and/or deciding if a student wants to use it. It means walking away from much that has been learned because it is actually of no use in answering this precise research question. That is painful but necessary.
Students must know their audience! The extended essay should be written for a specific specialist to read. The category must fit. The extended essay should follow the recognized procedures for good written English as set out in any of these styles: MLA (Modern Language Association), APA (American Psychological Association), or Chicago. Once you have chosen a style, stick with it.
An assessment criterion (or rubric) that IB has provided is a roadmap to good scholarship and paper-writing. It emphasizes selection of information, analysis, reasoned arguments, conclusions, an abstract, in a polished formal presentation. Constantly pay attention to this and let it guide your writing, not only in the Extended Essay but in all academic papers you do from now on. Diploma Candidates are trained in spring of junior year and given a guidebook which includes all information necessary for a successful paper.
The Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) work together and can provide up to 3 bonus points. Getting no bonus points will not keep you from getting the diploma if you can get your 24 points evenly distributed among exams. Failing to submit an Extended Essay, or earning an E (Elementary) on both the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge will result in an automatic denial of the Diploma. The Extended Essay must be between 3,500-4,000 words.
Extended Essays are intended to be completed in 40 hours, from first investigation to final draft. The student is free to choose any adult mentor within the Cooper community. Mentors will be instructed on their responsibility. The mentor should help you for 3-5 hours, total.
Extended Essay Grading Rubric
The Extended Essay score is based on a variety of factors, which are clearly outlined in a grading rubric. A simplified rubric is available below; students are given documents with each criteria expanded, to ensure they are clear how to obtain the maximum score.
The Extended Essay Rubric 34 points total, distributed as follows |
|
---|---|
Focus and Method | 6 points |
Knowledge and Understanding | 6 points |
Critical Thinking | 12 points |
Presentation | 4 points |
Engagement | 6 points |
Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Course
Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Course
The full-year ToK course is taught by Eric Zuccola of the English Department. ToK is required of all senior Diploma Candidates and open to other IB students in good standing.
No matter what IB subjects an individual school will choose to teach, they will ALL offer ToK.
This is an epistomology class which examines the value, testability, and constructs of knowledge, and which questions the reliability of what is called "truth". It introduces students to the notion that other people who arrive at other truths should be listened to with understanding, as the final line of the IB Mission Statement professes, "other people, with their differences, can also be right." One of ToK's goals is to tie together the coursework in all their other IB classes, and to have students consider why a mathematician, a literary critic, a scientist, an artist, an historian, and a speaker of another language may all have unique ways to determine what is truth and what knowledge is worth knowing.
ToK assessment requirements are a 1500-word paper on the student's selected topic. In March, students give a presentation based on a current issue, in which they prepare reasoned arguments for or against a particular stance. There is no IB exam for ToK.
If you have questions about the course, contact Eric Zuccola at Eric_Zuccola@rdale.org.
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)
Creativity, Activity and Science (CAS)
CAS is the beating heart of IB. In CAS, students use powers of analysis, outlook on others, and good planning skills they are honing in class to go into the community and discover how it all comes together. CAS activities are expected at Cooper between September of junior year and March of senior year for Diploma Candidates only. A guidebook is available via Schoology early in the fall of junior year, accompanied by a series of training sessions during the ToK advisory and one-on-one meetings..
It is hoped that CAS will help develop students to be . . .
- Reflective thinkers – they understand their own strengths and limitations, identify goals and devise strategies for personal growth.
- Willing to accept new challenges and roles.
- Aware of themselves as members of communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment.
- Active participants in sustained, collaborative projects.
- Balanced – they enjoy and find significance in a range of activities involving intellectual, physical, creative and emotional experiences.
Students are trained in the ManageBac on-line reporting system in early fall of junior year. They then propose the activity they wish to undertake on ManageBac, along with the goals they hope to achieve, the amount of time they are likely to spend, the focus of activity - Creative, Activity, or Service, and the chosen learner outcome(s). Once they have started a one-time or ongoing experience, they reflect every so often to chart their observations and growth. There is regular feedback from the IB Diploma coordinator.
Throughout the 18 months, a committee reviews the cumulative CAS work of senior Diploma candidates, to advise IB whether the student has fulfilled the letter and the spirit of the requirement. Students whose portfolios are not adequate will be asked to augment their CAS work or rewrite their reflections, as necessary. Failure to comply results in denial of the IB Diploma.
CAS Learning Outcomes
These are not rated on any scale. Your thoughtful reflections will tell us whether these outcomes have been achieved or not. Writing reflections as you go is the exercise which will get you to think about the nature of what you are doing and how you can make it better, progress more fully, learn more, be of more assistance. Do not wait until the end to reflect on an activity that is being undertaken in more than one session. Reflecting will lead to recognition and achievement of the 7 Learner Outcomes:
- Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth. Students are able to see themselves as individuals with various abilities and skills, of which some are more developed than others.
- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process. A new challenge may be an unfamiliar experience or an extension of an existing one. The newly acquired or developed skills may be shown through new experiences or through increased expertise in an established area.
- Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience. Students can articulate the stages from conceiving an idea to executing a plan for individual or collaborative CAS experiences. Students may show their knowledge and awareness by building on a previous experience or by launching a new idea or process.
- Show commitment to, and perseverance in, CAS experiences. Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS.
- Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively. Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.
- Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance. Students are able to identify and demonstrate their understanding of global issues, make responsible decisions and take appropriate action in response to the issue either locally, nationally or internationally.
- Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions. Students show awareness of the consequences of choices and actions in planning and carrying out CAS experiences.
IB Rules about CAS
What you choose to do for CAS is up to you, to a certain extent. The only conditions are:
- You cannot earn any money for what you do.
- Fulfillment of family chores or obligations does not count.
- You can’t count anything you do for your school coursework.
- You must perform your CAS activities continuously during the 18 months between the beginning of your junior year and March of your senior year. IB expects a weekly connection to CAS.
- Your CAS experiences will be monitored regularly. Please don’t fall behind.
Summary of IB CAS Requirements
- Enter CAS proposals in ManageBac before starting the experience. You will need to:
- Categorize your approach (school-based, ongoing, community-based or individual);
- provide a date or date-range of the experience;
- enter a description of the activity;
- provide an estimate of how many hours you’ll attribute to each strand (Creativity, Activity or Service);
- Provide a supervisor name and email;
- signify which learner outcomes this experience will touch.
- Use the reflection link in ManageBac for your reflections. In your reflections, clearly pull out and explain the rationale for your claim to the learner outcomes you’ve cited. The learner outcomes are noted below your reflection link as an aid.
- There is no specific number of hours required for the entire CAS portfolio. However, a range of activities must be on-going throughout the 18 months of the CAS term. Students should reflect as they go rather than wait until the end of the experience, so that there is opportunity for thoughtful consideration and resulting changes in goals, methods, or insights to enrich the experience.
- At the conclusion of the 18 months (March of senior year), your entire portfolio will be read by a review team. At this time, you must fill out the Final CAS Reflection form and submit it to the IB office. The form will be shared with you as a Google doc.
Silver Platter Day
The December tradition of Silver Platter Day was established with our first graduating class of IB Diploma Candidates in 2001. It is the day on which the Extended Essays are finally ready to be submitted. This year's event will be held on Friday, December 6.
On a this day, students don academic garb (choir robes borrowed from Music) at a special, after-school family reception. Together, they read aloud the Honor Code statement on the front of their gold cover jacket, and affix their signature that the work is all theirs. Candidates then proceed to announce their essay topic, and present their completed 4000-word Extended Essays (EEs) to their teacher mentors. The EEs are presented to the mentors on silver platters, accompanied by a Cooper-colored cupcake, honoring these academic advisors for their assistance on the 7-month journey of researching and writing the essay.
The event is followed by a cake-and-punch celebration, and congratulations by parents, district personnel, and the press. An unconfirmed rumor has it in the evening of the day of the ceremony, classmates gather at a bonfire to burn their essays, and put this stressful part of their climb to the IB Diploma behind them.
College Applications
College application time can be stressful for families. This section includes information on commonly asked questions. Staff in the IB office are always willing to help you navigate this process if you have questions.
Additional information can be found on the Cooper Guidance Office page.
Common Application
Common Application
The Common Application is a single electronic application form used by more than 390 U.S. universities. It collects a wide range of information: personal data, educational data, standardized test scores, family information, academic honors, extracurricular activities, work experience, a personal essay, and criminal history.
Essay categories typically change every other year and are posted in January on the Common Application website. The Common Application site also gives tips on completing the application.
How do universities view the IB Diploma Programme?
How Do Universities View The IB Diploma Programme?
The IB Diploma Programme is recognized, both nationally and internationally, as a program that excels in preparing students for the collegiate years and beyond. Below you will find a sampling of research and opinions on how the IB DP is viewed by some of the most prestigious universities in Michigan and in the nation.
What Admissions Directors are saying
University of Michigan, Cliff Sjogren, former Director of Admissions “A transcript that reveals a student’s enrollment in International Baccalaureate courses serves notice to the admissions officer that the applicant is someone who accepts rather than avoids educational challenges. Further, a successful IB student will enroll at Michigan with some advantages over students who have taken less intensive programs...Unquestionably, a school that graduates each year a number of students with IB diplomas has demonstrated its commitment to high educational standards and that commitment will serve to influence admissions decisions at the University of Michigan.”
University of Michigan , Joseph Gore, Admissions Counselor “We definitely take note of the IB Diploma in the admissions process at Michigan! Feel free to quote me on that!”
Michigan State University, Pamela Horne, Assistant to the Provost for Enrollment and Director of Admissions, “My eyes light up when I see ‘International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme’ on a transcript. Students who apply to Michigan State University with IB credentials are assumed to be mature, curious, and creative. They have proven to be successful in a rigorous program that is both broad and deep in its content and intellectual challenge. On campus, IB graduates move with ease in a diverse and global university that demands intercultural skill and adaptability. The challenge of completing an IB diploma means that a student has engaged in the kind of rigorous work that is likely to help them become not just an outstanding college student and citizen of the world, but an exceptional one.”
Oakland University Oakland University values the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and its engaging and challenging curriculum that encourages critical thinking, intercultural understanding and respect.
Harvard University, Marilyn McGrath Lewis, Asst. Dean of Admissions “Success in an IB program correlates well with success at Harvard. We are always pleased to see the credentials of the IB Diploma Program on the transcript.” GPA is not nearly as important a factor in university admission as the IB Diploma. If a student has to choose, choose the Diploma over protecting the GPA.”
Duke University, Christoph Guttentag, Director of Undergraduate Admissions "One of the advantages of an IB curriculum is its structure and quality. It is a coordinated program, well established, well known and well respected. We know the quality of IB courses, and we think the IB curriculum is terrific."
Brown University, Panetha Ott, Admissions Officer “I don’t think there is anyone who does not respect the I.B.” Virginia Tech, Dr. Eugene Carson “. . . IB students who attended that university (Virginia Tech) as freshmen significantly outperformed all other freshmen, including students who had taken Advanced Placement courses.”
Summary Charts for Universities and Colleges
Below you will find links to specific university recognition policies for the IB Diploma Programme. Please keep in mind that the IB attempts to keep these policies up to date as much as possible. The policies evolve quickly, and consistently more favorably to the DP, so it is best to contact each university of interest directly for the most current policies.
- The policies of 727 colleges and universities (PDF) - summary charts for universities and colleges within a specific state. These are updated annually. Due to this time lag the actual policies are typically more favorable to the IB DP than the chart indicates.
- A searchable database for specific universities published polices and contact information to seek further and more current information:
- University of Michigan’s published IB DP policy guidelines
- Michigan State University published IB DP policy guidelines
- Oakland University published IB DP policy guidelines. Note: OU admits IB Diploma holders into the university at second year status and gives entry to the honors college.
Important Note: As evidenced by the admissions directors quotes at the beginning of this document, even if no credit is given, there is always inherent value in taking IB courses and completing the required assessments. Universities are becoming increasingly aware of the knowledge and skills IB students bring with them to college classes. In addition, many students receive credit for SL (standard level) classes even though the published recognition policy was to recognize only HL (higher level) courses. College Admissions of IB Candidate applications compared to the General population of applicants: Data provided by US News and World Report Institution Total Population Acceptance IB Diploma Candidate Acceptance Michigan State University 67%
How to write a resume
How to write a resume for college applications
Don't hide your light under a bushel. This is not the time to be shy or modest!
Make sure your resume includes the following:
- Your official name. You can put your nickname down (in parentheses) if people will be using that name in describing you.
- Address, phone, email and website address. Consider creating an email just for receiving and sending college information, and make the email address professional.
- Schools attended during high school
- Academic honors. List every scholarship, academic letter, department prize, state/local contest prize received, etc.
Courses taken and currently taking, as well as GPA. Be sure to include International Baccalaureate courses with level (IBMYP, SL, HL) and AP courses.
- If you are a Diploma Candidate, give your EE title and category.
- Exam scores. Highlight these if they are 4 or above for IB exams; 3 or above for AP; PSAT/SAT/ACT scores if you are proud of them.
- Extracurricular activities. Divide these into athletic and non-athletic and put year involved. If you are captain, officer, chair, etc., be sure to add that information. Special accomplishments such as championships and special distinctions of your group should also be noted.
- Volunteer work. List activities going back to 9th grade. Note approximate hours per week/year, and describe briefly the nature of what you did.
- Summer jobs, internships, programs. Did you do something of note during your summer breaks, such as an EE workshop or internship? Try to think of everything!
- Proofread! It is crucial that this resume be free of spelling and grammar errors! If you would like a second set of eyes to review this document, you may contact the IB office.
The Princeton Review offers additional insight on completing a resume.
Parent/Guardian Volunteer Opportunities
There are several opportunities for parent/guardian involvement, including helping to plan the Wish 'Em Well Breakfast and assisting with May testing.
Invigilators for IB Testing in May
Testing is conducted over a three week timeframe, and IB has clear rules regarding the procedures. Testing sites are required to have a certain number of invigilators, or proctors, for each test. In order to meet this requirement, we rely on parent volunteers.
Assisting at a test gives a parent a new appreciation for the level of knowledge their student must bring to the testing site. While invigilating is certainly not difficult work, your assistance truly makes this busy time in the IB world a bit easier.
In 2023, testing runs from April 28 - May 19, Monday through Friday, with at least 20 different testing sessions. Parents of test-takers are notified of this opportunity via email in late March, but if you are interested in more information, you may contact Jodie Meyer at 763-504-8684 or Jodie_Meyer@rdale.org.
Wish 'Em Well Breakfast
The Wish ‘Em Well breakfast is held just prior to the May exams, and is hosted by parents and IB staff. This year's breakfast will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. If you are interested in being part of a group of parents who will coordinate this event, please contact Jodie Meyer at 763-504-8684 or Jodie_Meyer@rdale.org.
Information from IB
Cooper received status as an IB School in 1998, and students were first eligible to take IB courses in the 1999 - 2000 school year. Our first year of Diploma candidates was in 2000 - 2001, with 12 students attempting to earn the IB diploma.
IB is rich in history and we encourage you to read about their mission, governance and more.
Approaches to learning
The development of skills such as thinking skills and communication skills is frequently identified as a crucial element in preparing students effectively for life beyond school. A 2007 survey of 400 hiring executives of major US corporations identified their top four requirements of new recruits as being oral and written communication skills, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, professionalism and work ethic, and teamwork and collaboration skills (Trilling and Fadel 2009). Similar skills lists have been developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and are also the subject of numerous books such as The Global Achievement Gap (Wagner 2010). Yet many students struggle with some of the basic skills of effective learning. For example, good note-making has been positively correlated with academic achievement, yet research suggests that many university students have difficulty even with the fundamental skill of making notes from lectures or texts (Kiewra 1985, O’Donnell and Dansereau 1993).
Developing students’ ATL skills is about more than simply developing their cognitive skills. It is also about developing affective and metacognitive skills, and about encouraging students to view learning as something that they “do for themselves in a proactive way, rather than as a covert event that happens to them in reaction to teaching” (Zimmerman 2000: 65). By developing ATL skills and the attributes of the learner profile, DP students can become “self-regulated learners” (Kaplan 1998). Self-regulated learners have learned how to set learning goals, ask good questions, self-interrogate as they learn, generate motivation and perseverance, try out different learning processes, self-monitor the effectiveness of their learning, reflect on achievement, and make changes to their learning processes where necessary (Zimmerman and Schunk 1989, de Bruin et al. 2011, Wolters 2011).
The term “skill” is therefore used in a broad sense in the DP to encompass cognitive, metacognitive and affective skills. Cognitive skills include all the information-processing and thinking skills, often called “study skills” in a school environment. Affective skills are the skills of behaviour and emotional management underpinning attitudinal factors such as resilience, perseverance and self-motivation, which often have a large role to play in educational achievement. Metacognitive skills are the skills that students can use to monitor the effectiveness of their learning skills and processes, to better understand and evaluate their learning. Although these skills may be in use when manifesting a certain natural ability or talent, they are different to both of these because proficiency in any skill can be increased through the deliberate use of techniques and strategies, feedback and challenge. Skills are therefore highly teachable.
In the DP, as well as in the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), these cognitive, metacognitive and affective skills are grouped into the same five ATL categories.
Although these skills areas are presented as distinct categories, there are obviously close links and areas of overlap between them, and it is intended that these categories should be seen as interrelated. It is also the intention that these ATL skills should be seen as linking closely with the attitudes and dispositions identified in the IB learner profile. The learner profile is the IB mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21st century. It is an easily communicated set of ideals that can inspire, motivate and focus the work of schools and teachers, uniting them in a common purpose.
Brochures and Handbooks
Glossary
Curriculum – All aspects of the teaching and learning process for students in an IB programme, namely its design, implementation, assessment and review.
Descriptors – Course-specific expectations for performance evaluation by the teacher. An example in Science: 1) transformed, manipulated and presented data to provide effective communication; 2) carried out a range of techniques proficiently with due attention to safety; 3) defined problems, formulated hypothesis, selected any relevant variables.
Diploma – A document issued by the International Baccalaureate (IB) after a student has successfully completed all requirements and earned a certain point total.
Diploma Candidate – A student who has elected to earn the IB Diploma during junior and senior year. This student is called an Anticipated Candidate in junior year.
Diploma Programme – IB programme that provides an academically challenging and balanced programme of education, preparing students, normally aged 16 to 19, for success at university and in life beyond. The programme is normally taught over two years and has gained recognition from the world's leading universities.
Diploma Courses Student – A student who chooses to take one or more IB Diploma-level classes. Testing is optional but encouraged. A student who submits all the Internal Assessments and completes the exams for the course earns a certificate.
IB Learner Profile – A set of ideals intended to inspire, motivate and focus the work of schools and teachers, uniting them in a common purpose, and providing a set of learning outcomes for each IB student.
IB Philosophy – The IB’s set of beliefs and values that guides the development and delivery of its educational programmes. It is reflected in the IB mission statement, the IB learner profile, What is an IB education? and the programme-specific documents that describe and explain each individual programme, all available in the resource and document library.
IB Programme – A worldwide program for K-12 students, divided into four sub-programmes -- Primary Years (PYP) for K-5; Middle Years (MYP) for 6-10; Diploma Programme (DP) for grades 11-12; and the Career-Related Programme (CP) for grades 11-12.
IB Scholar – Cooper awards a medallion which may be worn at graduation to each student who takes at least four IB courses and exams. Scholars are noted on the graduation program.
IB World School – A school that is authorized to offer one or more IB programmes.
Internal Assessment – An individual student evaluation done by the teacher of a subject on a particular piece of work or accumulation of work (depends on the subject) and reported to the IB Curriculum and Assessment Office (IBCA). Internal assessments are based on descriptors so that there is a world-wide standard. Candidate samples are selected by IB which represent a range of performance, low to high.
Moderation – Process by which Internal Assessments (by the teacher) are evaluated by an external assessor (IBCA). IB examiners assess the samples and either lower all marks, raise all marks, or keep them where they are. The purpose of moderation is to closely adhere to the external standard, and to determine an accurate evaluation for the students’ scores which is in line with other students’ work around the world.
Orals/Formal Commentaries – An oral presentation given in English, French and Spanish by students is made and recorded for Internal Assessment purposes. A sample is sent to IB for moderation of all scores. English commentaries take place in December of senior year, and world language orals take place in March of either junior or senior year.
Predicted Grades – Teachers submit predicted scores that they think students will ultimately earn from their total IB assessment. This is another way in which the teacher can see, when actual scores arrive, whether or not their thinking is in line with IB’s.
Scores – Students earn a single score ranging from 1-7 for each IB subject taken. Diploma candidates must accumulate a minimum of 24 points to earn the Diploma.
You do not have to know all this when you start the programme. We will guide students and parents through the process, giving you the information as you go.
What do Past Cooper Graduates Have to Say about IB?
What do Past Cooper Graduates Have to Say About IB?
"The skills I learned from IB English helped me in and out of the classroom. I tested out of eight credits of college level English thanks to the IB test. Once I arrived at Hamline for college, I noticed that I was way ahead of the pack. My very first semester of college, I was one of the only people in my classes (sometimes the only one!) getting A’s on papers and getting my work completed on time.
I graduated Hamline with a double major in communications and music, with honors, working several jobs, in three years. This saved me thousands of dollars and a year’s worth of school. I couldn’t have done any of this without IB English!
In my current position, I am producing content everyday for internal and external communications, writing stories, conducting community outreach, web auditing, and editing content. The skills I learned in IB English help me make a living every single day."
Sammy Lindquist, 2015
"I talk with people all day every day about the things that matter -- the purpose of life, how to deal with hardships, overcoming moral quandaries, differentiating between good and bad... and to do this I need to be able to put myself into the position of others and to see the world through their eyes. And, as demanding as it might have been, the time I spent in IB classes helped me gain the ability to do so. Through literature, I saw into the minds and hearts of people of other nations, backgrounds, ages, and cultures. And I learned to understand them while maintaining and building my own identity. It's crazy what a few books can do. Thanks for helping me open my eyes to the wonders of the world -- all of them, and not just the ones that I was comfortable with before."
Tyler Driskill, 2014
"I remember sitting in English dreading all the hard work that was ahead of me. Then you read off some emails that your recent senior graduates, newly college freshman students, sent to you about how they think college is easy. Well, here I am sitting in political science writing you this, and I am so thankful that I took all those IB courses. I don't have to take English my freshman year. And for sophomore year I'm placed in a junior year rigorous writing rhetoric class, in which I read the syllabus and guess what's on there?! SOLILOQUIES! Yes, all that highlighting and marking the text is going to pay off!"
Grace Ramlakhan, 2014
"IB has made the first three weeks of college way easier. I am in a War in Lit class and I understand how to look at an author’s use of language and how that shapes meaning, which is the basis of most of our discussions. This has made this class way less scary and surprisingly enjoyable. Also, my math class is a breeze because of how well Mr. Kind had prepared me. Everything I learn this year in math is review from the last two years of math. I got IB credit for English, so I don’t have to take a literature class, and I got history credit, so I don’t take any history. I am petitioning my Chemistry score to receive credit. If your scores are close to what the university looks for for credit, I suggest appealing your scores to the school to try to get credit; you often times can. These credits are extremely important because I am double majoring out of two different colleges and graduating in 4 years with this double major will take about 170 credits."
Hunter Froehlich, 2014
"I just wanted to thank you for how well you prepared me for college English! I already have a semester's worth of credit under my belt (pardon the colloquialism) thanks to the IB test and am now succeeding in my second and final semester of English! I knew that you would prepare me well, but what I did not know is that you would predict our reading list for this semester. We just started reading Lucy and after sitting through my first lecture, I thought to myself, "I could teach this lecture." As fate has it (although hopefully mine does not play out quite like Ophelia's) I will be leading a discussion on another of Kincaid's works, A Small Place."
Jon Page, 2012
"Since coming to college, I've truly come to appreciate IB English HL 12 - not that I didn't while taking it! Showing up to my writing class (which I unfortunately didn't test out of, although I did test out of my literature credits), I can honestly say that I feel beyond prepared to handle whatever the professor throws at me. Back in August, we were told that the class would entail critical analysis of poetry, literature, and film, including having to make oral presentations in front of our classmates. While my fellow classmates are all pretty terrified of doing this, I feel totally confident that I can do this - even though at this time last year, I was in the same boat as them! I wanted to thank you for throwing all of us in the deep end and teaching us how to really find our voices as writers, specifically when it comes to writing/speaking about the critical analysis of writing, music, etc. That being said, I received an A- on my first paper for this class - where the class average was a C+.
Whether or not they feel confident about it now, they should know that this class is beyond helpful for everything that college throws at you. Not only is it nice to get some free credits through testing, but whether or not you get the 6s and 7s you aspire to, the training the IB program gives you for college-level academics is incredible. I know that now is a difficult time with alternating between analyzing Hamlet and poetry (on top of everything else senior classes and college apps throw at you this time of year), but to all of the seniors, know that they've totally got this. It may seem difficult, but that's okay - it's how you grow as a writer and a student. Just wait until you get to college and impress everyone with the fact that you've talked about a Robert Frost poem for 20 minutes straight!"
Simone Ritchie, 2014
"Seniors should really appreciate the IB program. I got more out of my IB classes than any of my other classes. Overall, the college classes I’m in are very critical thinking and discussion based. A lot of my friends did the AP program or other honors classes and were not prepared for this aspect of classes. I highly advise that they practice staying engaged and involved in class and class discussions because it’s great practice for when you are in a class full of 26-year old grad students and have to hold your ground academically.
Also, so many texts from IB English have been referenced in my classes! Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe; Native Son, by Richard Wright; Beloved, by Toni Morrison… These books are all highly relevant and it is super cool to see that IB content actually connects into all of my college courses.
Sofie Fitzsimmons, 2016
"I just got out of a meeting with my freshman writing teacher and he told me he smiled while reading my paper and that I write really well. This is the same teacher that told our class “50% of students fail the first paper.” I can attribute my success to the countless essays we had to write for IB English and the amazing guidance received. I’m so grateful that you prepared me so well for college.
Students, take IB English seriously and work on your writing skills! The ability to write well will serve you in any career path. Plus, I got all my literature credits taken care of by my IB score. So if you don’t plan on majoring in literature, you can knock out those liberal education requirements before college even starts."
Mary Knudson, 2016
"The texts we read in English will come up again in college. Already in my readings there have been references to Toni Morrison and Richard Wright AND one of the novels in my syllabus is Haroun and the Seas of Stories which I read my sophomore year. I just wanted to express my gratitude for your teaching because it really has inspired me to continue taking courses that are building off of your great foundation.
College Credit: Hopefully this is on your radar because you can save a LOT of money by getting a good score on the exam. Personally, I received 6 credits from English HL alone (that’s two semesters of a class right there) that are fulfilling a portion of my generals, meaning that in the future any literature class I take will go towards my major. The great thing is that it's not even that hard to get credits from the exam! I know that the UW system specifically will accept a 4 or higher as worthy of college credit.
College Prep: My workload so far in college has been significantly lighter than in high school, even though it's a college course. Fellow classmates of mine have complained about how much we've had to read in our English class (for a point of reference, last Thursday I was assigned to read 58 pages of a novel which is due Tuesday). It's pretty funny actually to think about how much I was reading last year compared to this year.
The curriculum: I know I'm an English nerd but wow was English HL a great class to take. You're going to gain so much experience in analytical thinking throughout the year. The commentary is going to seem like a monster, but being able to think on your toes and articulate your ideas verbally is such an important skill. Come second semester, the novels are going to open your mind up A LOT about important societal issues that many other schools don't even begin to consider looking at in high school. Even if you got no college credit from the class, the lessons from the novels that you'll read are some of the most important ones that I've come to learn thus far."
Seth Thompson, 2015
"IB actually pays off. Wait what? IB really is worth it? I know, it's a crazy thought. But guess who pushed through IB English and scored a 6? This girl. And guess who was then exempt from both Communications A and Literature requirements? This girl. IB English allowed me to skip 8 English general education credits which comes out to be $4,477. Coming from a poor college student, that is a big chunk of change. So know that the time you put in this year will literally translate to dollar signs next year."
Taryn Wessel, 2015
"College is great! IB has helped me SO much… I get asked almost every night to review a paper or help someone with an assignment. Another bonus about those exams in May, I found out that I got out of not 1 but 2 english classes! Now everyone I know is busy working on papers and I’m sitting back watching Glee. Score!"
Kelsey Crofoot, 2012
Articles/Videos
Policies
Academic Honesty
Academic Honesty Policy
Philosophy
Academic honesty is highly valued in Robbinsdale Area Schools (RAS), and is the foundation of all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment. Academic honesty is expected of all students. Teachers promote personal integrity by clearly stating expectations for and examples of academic honesty and by serving as role models. The IB learner profile attributes support academic honesty by encouraging students to be:
- Inquirers. Conducting research that leads to independent learning.
- Knowledgeable. Acquiring knowledge and understanding of ideas and issues that have local and global significance.
- Thinkers. Applying critical thinking skills to problems in order to make ethical decisions.
- Communicators. Expressing ideas confidently and working collaboratively with others, while honoring multiple perspectives.
- Principled. Acting with honesty and integrity while taking responsibility for one’s own actions.
Definitions
Academic honesty is a set of values and skills that promotes personal integrity and good practice in teaching, learning and assessment.
Authentic work is based on a student’s individual and original ideas with the ideas and work of others fully knowledged.
Collaboration is defined as working together on a common aim with shared information, in an open and cooperative environment that does not result in collusion.
Collusion is defined as supporting malpractice by another student including allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted by another.
Duplication of work is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assignments, projects, or assessments.
Intellectual property includes property rights such as patents, registered designs and trademarks, moral rights and copyrights, music and video downloads, photos and images and file sharing.
Malpractice is behavior that results in a student gaining an unfair advantage over others. Malpractice includes plagiarism, collusion, duplication of work, fabrication of data, accessing unauthorized material during examinations or tests, or any other behavior that results in an unfair academic advantage.
Plagiarism is the representation of the ideas or work of another person as the student’s own, including copying text or works of art without proper acknowledgement.
Roles and Responsibilities
Robbinsdale Area Schools
It is the responsibility of the school district, school administration and IB coordinators to ensure that students understand the academic honesty policy and the consequences of malpractice. It is the responsibility of the school district to support the IB programmes fully in the prevention, detection, investigation and reporting of malpractice.
Teachers
It is the responsibility of teachers to offer guidance in the prevention of malpractice and provide conventions for acknowledging the work and ideas of others. It is the responsibility of teachers to confirm the authenticity of student work and report possible malpractice to the appropriate IB programme coordinator and/or head of school. Specific examples of guidance include:
- classroom lessons on plagiarism
- demonstrations of how to use Easybib and NoodleTools
- consistent expectations for citing sources
- continual conversations about academic honesty and authentic writing
- support from Media Center staff
Students:
- It is the responsibility of students to ensure the authenticity of their work and to correctly acknowledge the ideas and intellectual property of others.
- It is the responsibility of students to say “no” to other students who ask to copy their work.
- It is the responsibility of the students to know and understand teacher expectations regarding individual and group work.
- It is the responsibility of students to use technology and media resources appropriately.
- It is the responsibility of students to be honest in presenting their ideas by using language that reflects their own voice.
- It is the responsibility of students to understand what constitutes academic malpractice and to follow the rules of academic honesty at all times.
- It is the responsibility of students to seek guidance from teachers and staff when they are unsure.
Conventions for Citations
Teachers will instruct students in conventions for proper citation. In most cases, students will follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) style guidelines. Studetns will have access to NoodleTools.
Consequences for Academic Dishonesty
The school promotes a positive school culture through building-wide behavior expectations. Our HAWK (Honesty, Accountability, Work Ethic and Kindness) expectations support academic honesty and the development of the learner profile attributes.
Expectations for academic honesty, definitions of dishonesty, and consequences for plagiarism, cheating and collusion are clearly communicated in the Student Behavior Handbook: Rights and Responsibilities, sent to students and families each fall and presented to all students in advisory lessons.
Academic dishonesty is classified as a Level 2 infraction and consequences may include:
- Parent/guardian notification
- Conference with the student
- Conference with the parent/guardian
- Academic alternatives
- Other, as approved by school administration
A severe occurrence or repeated instance of any violation may be treated as a violation at a higher level. Academic dishonesty by students enrolled in IB Diploma-level courses shall be reported to and investigated by the International Baccalaureate with cooperation from the head of school, the IB coordinator, the teacher(s) and the student(s) involved.
Policy Review Process
This policy is a living document. It has been created using IB support materials, RAS district data and input from stakeholders in the IB learning community. It is an ongoing process that will be systematically reviewed, evaluated and modified as needed by the IB faculty, coordinators and administration.
Revised 10.03.18
Assessment
Assessment Policy
Philosophy
In the Robbinsdale Area Schools (RAS) International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP), we strongly believe that learners are inquisitive and proactive, and as such, they seek new knowledge and apply it to both familiar and unfamiliar situations. Teachers create meaningful learning experiences and assessment tasks, both formative and summative, that support this belief.
While planning units of study, teachers consider the following four questions:
- What do we want our students to learn?
- How will they learn best?
- How will we know that they have learned?
- How will we respond when they have or have not learned?
The DP staff at Cooper High School (CHS) expect students to be accountable for their learning. Engaged learners are considerate of others, willing to challenge themselves, and advocate for their well-being. Students are encouraged to engage in their learning by being on time, using time efficiently, being active listeners and participants, asking questions, and always trying their best.
Ongoing assessment is integral to guiding students through the learning process. We believe that assessment should inform instruction. Information about student progress and understanding is gathered from formative and summative assessment tasks. The results identify what students know, understand, and can do at different stages in the learning process. All stakeholders, including teachers, students, and parents/guardians, are responsible for having a clear understanding of the reasons for assessment, what is being assessed and how, and the criteria for success.
Purpose
The purpose of assessments is to:
- Provide clear expectations using the prescribed assessment objectives and criteria.
- Provide timely feedback for students and teachers.
- Develop global thinkers via assessments set in a variety of cultural and linguistic contexts.
- Encourage students to reflect on their learning.
- Determine the level of understanding using both formative and summative assessment tools.
- Evaluate learners’ ability to construct knowledge and demonstrate skills in authentic, real-world tasks.
Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for:
- Striving to be critical and creative thinkers.
- Assessing and reflecting on their progress on both formative and summative assessment tasks.
- Seeking help when they need to better understand a concept or skill.
- Being organized with materials and assignments for class.
- Using an organizational tool such as an assignment calendar or planner.
- Submitting work on time according to course deadlines.
- Demonstrating a positive attitude, focusing and staying on task in class.
- Endeavoring to put forth their best effort.
- Continuing to grow in the IB learner profile attributes.
Family Responsibilities
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are responsible for:
- Working as partners with students, teachers and support staff to communicate learning successes and concerns.
- Recognizing their student’s learning strengths and areas for growth.
- Regularly monitoring their student’s academic growth and progress in Schoology and Infinite Campus.
- Participating in the learning process by providing an appropriate learning environment and support at home.
- Modeling the IB learner profile attributes.
Teach Responsibilities
Teachers are responsible for:
- Knowing and understanding the learning outcomes, including both the MYP objectives and criteria descriptors and Minnesota State Standards.
- Providing clear expectations through the use of the DP assessment rubrics.
- Providing opportunities for students to self-assess and reflect on their learning.
- Using formative assessment data to modify teaching and summative assessments to evaluate individual student progress.
- Maintaining open lines of communication with students and parents/guardians.
- Analyzing assessment data to identify patterns of individual student performance and needs.
- Working in collaborative teams to design and evaluate common assessments.
- Comparing common assessment data to evaluate where student learning has been strong and where it needs improvement.
- Recognizing diverse learning styles by using a variety of teaching and assessment strategies.
- Providing timely feedback on student performance.
- Communicating with case managers of students with Individualized Education Plans to ensure appropriate modifications and/or accommodations occur.
- Keeping samples of student work.
- Modeling the IB learner profile attributes.
Assessment Strategies
Suitable and appropriate assessment tasks are specific to the DP units of work and are used to evaluate student learning. Performance-based assessment tasks best allow students to reach the highest achievement level on the DP assessment rubrics. Possible examples of assessment strategies and tasks include:
- Constructed-response
- Essays
- Investigations
- Labs
- Research papers
- Oral assessments
- Performance assessments
- Selected-response
- Self-assessments
- Student portfolios
- Written assessments
- Comparative Studies
- Literary analyses
- Arts process journals
- Research reports
- Portfolio
Description of Assessed Components
Group I – English - Literature HL
Paper 1 = 20%; Paper 2 = 25%; Orals = 15% each; Written Assignment =25%
- Paper 1 – Commentary on either a poem or a piece of prose – 2 hours
- Paper 2 – Essay discussing 2-3 works read based on a prompt focused on prose text - 2 hours
- Individual Oral Commentary – Explicate a text chosen at random; respond to questions posed by teacher about various works studied -- 15-25 minutes
- Individual Oral Presentation – Present a creative skit/lecture/exercise based on characters/ symbols/themes/plot from one or more works studied
- Written Assignment – Creative/comparative/detailed paper based on works studied –one paper of 1000-1500 words required, done in junior year and revised senior year
Group 1 - English - Language and Literature SL
Paper 1 = 25%; Paper 2 = 25%; Written Task = 20%; Orals = 15% each
- Paper 1 – Analysis on 1 of 2 unseen texts – 1 ½ hours
- Paper 2 – Essay discussing literary texts, based on 1 of 6 provided questions - 1 ½ hours
- Individual Oral Commentary – Commend on an extract from a text - 15 minutes
- Further Oral Activity – Complete at least two further oral activities
Group II – Acquired language - French and Spanish SL & HL
Paper 1 = 25%; Paper 2 = 50%; Oral activities = 25%
- Paper 1 – Writing – 250 words for SL; 400 words for HL – based on a prompt from the themes and text types studied – 1.25 hours
- Paper 2 – Listening and Reading – Comprehension and language structure questions based on listening passages and articles drawn from the media; 1.75 hours
- Oral – Respond to a visual prompt related to themes studied
- Classroom activities – Three oral activities assessed by teacher
Group III – Individuals and Societies – History SL & HL
Paper 1= 20%; Paper 2 = 25%; Paper 3 = 35%; IA = 20%
- Paper 1 – Document-based questions – 1 hour
- Paper 2 – Two questions from different topics relating to 20th Century – 1.5 hours
- Paper 3 (HL only) – Three questions from different topics relating to the regions studied – 2.5 hours
- Historical Investigation– Define processes involved in writing a scholarly work in history -- 2000 words
Group III – Individuals and Societies – Business SL
Paper 1 – 35%; Paper 2 = 40%; IA = 25%
- Paper 1 – Three multi-part questions relating to previously released business case study
- 1.25 hours
- Paper 2 – Three questions based on various business scenarios – 1.75 hours
- Research paper – Written commentary based on 3-5 supporting documents about an issue facing an organization – 1500 words
Group III - Individuals and Societies - Psychology SL
Paper 1 = 50%; Paper 2 = 25%; IA = 25%
- Paper 1 - Three short-answer questions on the core approaches to psychology
- Paper 2 - One question from a choice of three under one option
- IA - A report on an experimental study undertaken by the student
Group IV - Experimental sciences
SL: P1 = 20%; P2 = 40%; P3 = 20%; IA = 20%
HL: P1 = 20%; P2 = 36%; P3 = 24%; IA = 20%
- Paper 1 – Multiple choice questions on core material. No calculators are allowed. – 1 hour HL; .75 hour SL
- Paper 2 – Short answer and extended response questions on core material. Calculator is allowed – 2.25 hours HL, 1.25 hours SL
- Paper 3 – Part A: Data based questions on experimental work. Part B: Option topic– short answer and extended response on one option topic studied during the course. Calculator is allowed. - 1.25 hours HL; 1 hour SL
- Group IV Project – Planning, action, and evaluation of a topic in collaboration with students across other IB science subjects
- IA – 10 hour individual investigation where students research, design, carry out and evaluate an experiment of their choosing. A formal technical document is written as evidence.
Group V – Mathematics
Paper 1 = 40%; Paper 2 = 40%; IA = 20%
- HL: Paper 1 -- Short and extended problems without a calculator – 2 hours
- HL: Paper 2 – Short and extended problems with a calculator – 2 hours
- HL: Paper 3 – Problems based on particular option chosen – 1 hour
- HL: IA --Two extended investigations of a complex problem; one investigation is open-ended
- Studies SL: Paper 1 – 15 compulsory short responses based on whole syllabus
- Studies SL: Paper 2 – 6 compulsory extended responses based on whole syllabus
- Studies SL: IA -- Individual pieces of work involving collection of information or the generation of measurements, and the analysis and evaluation of the information or measurements
- SL: Paper 1 – Short and extended responses on the whole syllabus without a calculator
- SL: Paper 2 – Short and extended responses on the whole syllabus with a calculator
- SL: IA – Two pieces of work assigned by the teacher. 1) Mathematical investigation; 2) Mathematical modeling
Group 6 - The Arts - Visual Arts SL
Comparative Study = 20%; Process Portfolio = 40%; IA = 40%
- Comparative Study: Students analyse and compare different artworks by different artists. This independent critical and contextual investigation explores artworks, objects and artifacts from differing cultural contexts
- Process Portfolio: Students submit carefully selected materials which evidence their experimentation, exploration, manipulation and refinement of a variety of visual arts activities during the two-year course.
- Exhibition: Students submit for assessment a selection of resolved artworks from their exhibition. The selected pieces should show evidence of their technical accomplishment during the visual arts course and an understanding of the use of materials, ideas and practices appropriate to visual communication
Group 6 - The Arts - Music SL
Listening Paper = 30%; Musical Links Investigation = 20%; IA = 50%
- Listening Paper: Students answer 2 of the 4 provided questions
- Musical Links Investigation: A written media script of no more than 2,000 words, investigating the significant musical links between two (or more) pieces from distinct musical cultures
- IA: Students choose either Creating, Solo Performing or Group Performing.
- Creating: Two pieces of coursework, with recordings and written work.
- Solo Performing: A recording selected from pieces presented during one or more public
- performance(s), 15 minutes
- Group Performing: A recording selected from pieces presented during two or more public performances,
- 20–30 minutes
Group 6 - The Arts - Theatre SL
Director’s Notebook = 35%; Research Presentation = 30%; IA = 35%
- Director’s Notebook: Students at choose a published play text they have not previously studied and develop ideas regarding how the entire play could be staged for an audience.
- Research Presentation: Students plan and deliver an individual presentation (15 minutes maximum) to their peers in which they present and physically demonstrate their research into a convention of a theatre tradition they have not previously studied.
- IA: Students collaboratively create and present an original piece of theatre (lasting 13–15 minutes) for and to a specified target audience, created from a starting point of their choice
Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
External Assessment = 66.7%; Internal Assessment = 33.4%
- No exams in TOK
- External Assessment – Essay on one of six prescribed titles – 1200-1600 words
- Internal Assessment – Presentation on a knowledge issue – 10 minutes
Recording Student Progress
To determine the final course grade at the end of each marking period, teachers use a traditional grading scale (90-80-70-60), which is translated into letter grades in the student management system and on student transcripts. When determining predicted grades, teachers use the grade descriptors provided by the IB. When assessing the internal assessments, teachers use the IB rubrics provided in their subject guides.
Reporting Student Progress
Teachers record formative and summative assessments scores in their Schoology gradebook. Teachers record letter grades in Infinite Campus at the end of the marking periods. Conferences are held regularly throughout the school year to give parents/guardians opportunities to discuss their student’s progress in the Diploma-level courses.
Standardization
When teachers teach the same course, they meet regularly as a Professional Learning Community to standardize their scores on summative assessments. The process of standardization is ongoing in the programme.
Policy Review Process
This policy is a living document. It has been created using IB documents and support materials, as well as RAS district data and input from stakeholders in the IB learning community. It is an ongoing process that will be systematically reviewed, evaluated and modified as needed by the IB faculty, coordinators and administrators.
Revised 10.31.18
Inclusion
Inclusion Policy
Philosophy
In Robbinsdale Area Schools (RAS), we recognize and appreciate that no two students are the same. Each student is an individual with unique personal and educational needs. In addition, we acknowledge that some students are incapable of fully participating in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP). Though the curriculum might be too rigorous for those students, they will still be aware of the IB philosophy and principles and encouraged to embody the IB learner profile in every way possible at their particular learner level. All classrooms are implementing learner profile attributes throughout the curriculum and school culture.
Purpose
The inclusion policy of RAS:
- Offers free and appropriate education to all students in our school system.
- Provides all children access to curriculum through creative and differentiated teaching methods, accommodations and modifications.
- Fosters compassion and caring in staff and students to create a safe learning environment.
- Develops stronger partnerships between general education and special education teachers to increase the success of students in all subject areas.
- Supports our students as risk-takers by knowing their unique needs and scaffolding their learning experiences.
- Guides all students to reach their unique intellectual, emotional and social capacities.
- Encourages all students to be internationally minded.
- Strengthens lines of communication with Individualized Education Programming (IEP) team members about student progress, growth, and changing needs.
- Actively plans for and supports the transition goals of students to be successful contributing citizens in a global society.
Disabilities
Minnesota Department of Education has 12 categorical disabilities applicable to middle years students:
- Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)
- Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD)
- Speech Language Impairment (SLI)
- Physically Impaired (PI)
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH)
- Visually Impaired (VI)
- Deaf/Blind (DB)
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Severely Multiply Impaired (SMI)
- Other Health Disabilities (OHD)
- Developmental Cognitive Disability (DCD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Identifying and assessing students with special education needs
RAS engages in the Child Find process. Students can be referred to the Multi-Tiered Support Services Team (MTSS) for interventions and monitoring. RAS engages in Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) through the Multi-Tiered Support Services process. If students do not respond to interventions, they are referred to the Child Study team for special education evaluation. Special education due process is followed at this point in accordance with federal and state rules and regulations.
Services students with special education needs
Depending on the student’s determined degree of need, there are a variety of services that RAS can offer:
- Supported Instruction: Education Assistant support within the general education classroom.
- Direct Instruction: Co-taught classes; Resource classes; Center-based classes; Pull-Out (related services); Consultation.
Modification - Accommodation - Differentiation
Each student is assigned a special education case manager. The role of the case manager is to oversee the implementation of services, modifications and accommodations as listed in the IEP and due process. Case managers facilitate communication between all team members and advocate for the best interest of the student. They partner with general education staff to implement accommodations and modifications of the curriculum. Modifications adjust the level and/or make the state standards more accessible for students with special needs. Accommodations do not change the rigor of the general education standards. Differentiated instruction is part of the IB MYP unit planning process. It is not, however, an accommodation or modification. Differentiated teaching uses a variety of instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs of all students.
Support services available
Every student meets at least once a year with his or her counselor to discuss progress and future planning related to needs. If special needs are identified, the counselor will make referrals and connections to resources to address the needs. The counseling team works closely with other support staff to best serve our students with special needs. They may bring needs to the MTSS team.
The MTSS team includes the following staff:
- school social worker
- school psychologist
- special education staff
- academic deans
- administration
- counselors
- liaisons
- AVID trained staff
- English learner (EL) staff
- school nurse
- co-located therapists
- regular education teaching staff
- parents/guardians
If the team determines a student qualifies for a 504 plan, counselors will develop and assist with implementation. A 504 plan outlines the modifications and accommodations necessary to provide the student with the same level of access to the curriculum as his/her peers.
When emotional or traumatic experiences occur during the school year, students can access the support of social workers, counselors, therapists, and school psychologists. Support staff welcomes walk-in students with issues that demand immediate attention. In addition, support staff generates a weekly list of at-risk students. They meet with these students to discuss what might be hindering their academic success and devise plans to overcome these obstacles.
Classroom support
The approaches to learning (AtL) skills help teachers and students respond in a flexible way to varied learning needs, including special educational needs. The IB approach to assessment recognizes the importance of assessing the processes of learning as well as the product of learning. When designing units, teachers employ techniques for assessing student work that take into account the diverse ways students demonstrate what they know, understand and can do. Without compromising state standards, assessment tasks should accommodate students with special needs and those who are learning in a language other than their mother tongue.
Inclusion policy review process
This policy is a living document. It has been created using IB support materials, as well as RAS district data and input from stakeholders in the IB learning community. It is an ongoing process that will be systematically reviewed, evaluated and modified as needed by the IB faculty, coordinators and administrators.
Revised 10.03.18
Language
Language Policy
Philosophy
Robbinsdale Area Schools (RAS) believes that language is fundamental to learning, thinking and communicating, and that we as a staff are responsible for ensuring that all students reach their full potential. Students bring a rich diversity of background knowledge and experience to the classroom. Individual linguistic and cultural backgrounds not only support students’ learning in their new environment, but also become a cultural asset in the classroom and school community. RAS believes that language is a tool for both inquiry and communication, and further, that all teachers are language instructors and all students are language learners. Accordingly, stakeholders in RAS:
- Support the development of student language learning.
- Facilitate proficiency in English and the pursuit of competency in languages other than the mother tongue.
- Create a community that respects all cultures, races, genders, sexual orientations and religions in regard to the power of words and texts.
- Acknowledge that language learning should be developed through reading, writing, speaking and listening.
- Commit to developing academic language in subject-specific areas.
- Hold students responsible for the awareness of various registers and their appropriate uses.
Language profile
The school profile of Robbinsdale Cooper High School (CHS) show similarities in language usage and densities. There are almost 40 home languages documented. English, Spanish, Hmong and Creolized English are the largest language groups. Vietnamese, Somali and Swahili are also represented at the school.
Mother tongue support
Two Spanish for Native Speakers courses are taught at CHS. In addition, the school has a Spanish Immersion scope and sequence from kindergarten through 12th grade. These courses provide:
- A focus on reading and writing in Spanish.
- Rather than focusing on pronunciation and listening skills (which native speakers already have), students refine their Spanish reading and writing skills. Research shows that literacy skills will transfer. Students who develop literacy skills in Spanish enhance their English literacy development, thus helping with academic achievement in English and other disciplines.
- Expansion of vocabulary in Spanish and in English beyond the words in the textbook.
- Students learn all the words in the regular Spanish class curriculum, but since many of those words are already familiar to them, they learn additional vocabulary that is not present in the regular curriculum. Some additional vocabulary is taken from other core class curricula (i.e. important words that students use throughout the school day in other disciplines).
- Better communication at home about what is occurring in school.
- If students speak only Spanish at home, but in school learn new and possibly unusual (subject-specific) English words, they may be unable to communicate to their families what they are learning in school. In this class, students will learn the Spanish vocabulary needed to share topics, concepts and vocabulary they are learning in their other classes. This will help them review, remember and learn the information from all of their classes.
- If students speak only Spanish at home, but in school learn new and possibly unusual (subject-specific) English words, they may be unable to communicate to their families what they are learning in school. In this class, students will learn the Spanish vocabulary needed to share topics, concepts and vocabulary they are learning in their other classes. This will help them review, remember and learn the information from all of their classes.
English learners (EL)
All parents who enroll students in RAS are required to complete a Home Language Survey. It is designed to determine if the child’s primary language is one other than English and if the dominant language in the child’s home is one other than English. If either response is affirmative, the EL (English Learner) teachers test that new student with a WiDA assessment known as W-APT Screener (see www.wida.us). This brief screener provides an idea of the student’s English language abilities in four categories: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Based on these scores, the student’s previous education, and staff and parent recommendations, the EL staff determines if the student should receive EL support services.
Students who are identified as Limited English Proficiency, or LEP-Yes, are further identified throughout the year as either Direct Serve or Transitional. Students who receive direct service from the EL Program have access to an EL teacher during one or more of their classes. Transitional students no longer receive EL classes, but are monitored by EL teachers and educational assistants (EA), have access to these staff members and are required to take the state EL ACCESS test in the spring of each year.
The EL Department at CHS has five levels, from recent arrivals to our country (Newcomers) to advanced students transitioning into mainstream classes. There are also sheltered classes where students are taught grade level content by content teachers with a specific focus on language. These courses are often supported by the EL EA. The Sheltered Social Studies, Math, and Science classes are made up of only EL students. Additionally, students can take a class that is co-taught by an EL teacher and a content teacher. These classes are comprised of both EL and mainstream students and assist students in transitioning to mainstream classes.
The number of EL classes on a student’s schedule is dependent on his/her English language proficiency level and mastery of academic content. Our schools have created graduation pathways for students who arrive in the United States at an older age or have academic/literacy/content gaps (due to limited/interrupted schooling) and may need more time to learn English and become academically proficient. Cooper’s EL model is predominantly based on a model of co-teaching. EL teachers co-teach with content area teachers in Language and Literature, Individuals and Societies and Mathematics. That same model is used at RMS for Language and Literature and Individuals and Societies.
EL teachers enlist multiple techniques to encourage students to practice the four modalities of language learning: reading, writing, speaking and listening. Academic language and content have equal weight and focus. Teachers differentiate instruction to ensure students achieve mastery. They meet monthly as a team to discuss techniques for supporting the unique needs and experiences of their students. Teachers use the English Language Development standards in conjunction with content standards to support language acquisition.
The State of Minnesota requires that all LEP-Yes students take the WiDA ACCESS for ELLs test in the spring to test their English proficiency. In addition, the Direct Serve students are assessed in reading with the Scholastic Phonics Inventory, Scholastic Reading Inventory and Measures of Academic Progress. They are also assessed with writing rubrics based on the 9th Grade Writing Assessment, the IB MYP writing rubric and other tools developed by their teachers. These measures, as well as a student’s individual grades, teacher recommendations and family concerns, are taken into account for student placement.
Language and literature - group 1
The primary language of instruction in RAS is English. The district scope and sequence aligns and supports the Minnesota State Standards and the IB MYP Language and Literature aims and objectives.
Group 1 teachers are responsible for:
- Using a variety of instructional and assessment strategies. Teachers in all subjects provide numerous opportunities for students to develop skills and knowledge in reading, writing, speaking and listening.
- Providing specific feedback students need in order to further develop and refine their language proficiency.
- Assigning tasks that promote the development of higher-order thinking skills to enable students to become thoughtful and effective communicators.
- Presenting opportunities for students to interact with multiple perspectives through analysis of a variety of texts.
- Fostering the development of students’ language skills in order to prepare them to be competent, lifelong learners and informed global citizens.
Language Acquisition - group 2
The study of another language provides the student a means to gain understanding of other cultures and show respect for the culture(s) of the language. Language acquisition is a priority of our prograrmme. Incorporating content from various disciplines is a key component of instruction. RAS requires that students elect French or Spanish in grades 6-10. Our IB Middle Years Programme promotes the development of language acquisition via the six phases. Students then advance to our Diploma course, where literature is explored in depth, and assessments align with the Diploma Programme requirements.
Our language acquisition courses seek to:
- Develop the skills to understand and communicate effectively in an additional language, within a variety of situations and through the modalities of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
- Encourage the appreciation of other cultures through both academic and extracurricular experiences to help students develop multiple perspectives and the traits of the IB learner profile.
- Promote language acquisition development outside the classroom through participation in language clubs, national language honor societies and other international groups or organizations, international travel or service-learning, and community arts and cultural experiences.
Strategies to support all teachers and their students
RAS provides additional reading support for those students whose standardized test scores show they are not reading at or above grade level. At RMS, all students have a year-long reading class all three years. At CHS, students may be placed in a reading prep class, based on test scores and academic needs. The curriculum is a composite of novels, Newsela, AVID weekly and Reading Plus. Additionally, many classroom teachers have been trained in the AVID Critical Reading (and writing) strategies and regularly use Cornell Notes with their subject content.
Language policy review process
This policy is a living document. It has been created using IB support materials, as well as RAS district data and input from stakeholders in the IB learning community. It is an ongoing process that will be systematically reviewed, evaluated and modified as needed by the IB faculty, coordinators and administration.
Revised 10.03.18
IB Students of the Month
- Students of the Month - September 2022
- Students of the Month - October 2022
- Students of the Month - November 2022
- Students of the Month - December 2022
- Students of the Month - January 2023
- Students of the Month - February 2023
- Students of the Month - March 2023
- Students of the Month - April 2023