International Baccalaureate (IB)

International Baccalaureate at Lindsay Thurber Information Video

The International Baccalaureate Program is a rigorous, pre-university program of studies designed to give students an academically challenging experience that develops the whole person.  The program seeks to give students the intellectual, social, and critical perspective that will allow them to flourish in the increasingly complex world beyond high school.  Central to this goal is instilling in each IB student the understanding that they belong to an interdependent global community.

The  International Bacccalaureate Organization's (IBO) Mission Statement:

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Why Take IB?

1. Interesting Curriculum
   Do things not available in other programs – Rewarding extra projects, labs etc. are offered as part of the IB program and are not available in other courses, for example Red Deer River Water Monitoring Project and the University of Calgary History Colloquium.
2. Pace!
   The pace of instruction in IB classes is fast.  This is especially valuable for students who have found the regular curriculum unchallenging or even boring.  In IB classes there is little chance to get bored with little rehashing of old material.
3. Community of Scholars
   The old saying "rising tide raises all boats" applies particularly well to IB classes. Students of all achievement levels benefit from being around people who view academic achievement as cool and expected. IB provides a very positive peer environment. Because the academic level of the students is more homogeneous, instruction can be quicker and more efficient.
4. Time Management
   Because the pace is challenging, the most important skill that a student will develop is time management.   We begin with time management skills in Grade 9 and continue with it through the program.  Time management is a highly transferable skill that students will use in their post secondary careers as well as in their chosen careers.
5. Challenge and Self Confidence
   We don’t know what we can achieve without setting high standards.  The IB program sets these standards and then helps students achieve them.
6. Transition to University
   The fact is that by the time IB students get to university they have already done university level work. Skills such as note taking and exam preparation are old hat to IB students.  This gives them an incredible advantage over non-IB students who are undertaking all this for the first time.
7. Competitive Edge
   Lindsay Thurber students have a long history of being offered important and lucrative scholarships. 
8. Advanced university credits.
   Some universities give advanced credits to students for work already completed in the IB program. This practice varies by university and is usually only for those IB students who achieve high IB marks.  Be sure to check with the university for its particular IB credit policy. Because IB students take the same Alberta Learning diploma exam after having taking more challenging IB material, the diploma exams often seem easier and thus these students have an advantage over non-IB students.

See why the University of Alberta wants IB students.

Honours Courses (Grade 9-10)

Honours courses are Grade 9 and Grade 10 courses that are designed to prepare students for entering into subsequent IB courses.  In these courses students work to develop the study and work habits that will help make them successful in the more academically challenging atmosphere of an IB course.  At the same time, Honours courses delve into interesting curriculum topics that are not generally taught in regular Grade 9 and Grade 10 courses.

While we strongly encourage students who are contemplating IB in to take Honours courses they are not strictly prerequisites.  If you have achieved good marks in a regular course, you may be able to register the subsequent IB course.

The following Honours course are available at Lindsay Thurber:

• Social Studies 9 Honours
• Social Studies 10 Honours
• Science 9 Honours
• Science 10 Honours
• English 9 Honours
• English 10 Honours
• Math 9 Honours
• Math 10 Honours
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