IB Diploma Programme News
February 2021
Inside this issue
- Teacher spotlight- Mrs. Austin
- Beginning of the end- May 2021 Exams
- Student check-in
- DP recruitment for next year
Teacher Spotlight- Mrs. Austin
Q: How long have you been teaching at Jayem and which classes do you teach?
A: 20 years teaching. I taught at the old JM in 2004 and then was switched to Walker-Grant Middle School where I taught 8th grade Physical Science. This is my 3rd year back at JM!
A: I like to joke around a lot but it’s hard when I’m looking at a bunch of black squares instead of faces.
Q: Which attribute of the IB Learner Profile do you most identify with? (Reflective, Open-minded, Inquirers, Caring, Risk-taker, Principled, Communicators, Knowledgeable, Balanced, Thinkers)
A: Caring. You can’t be an effective teacher if you don’t truly care about your students.
Q: What is your favorite unit, lesson, or activity?
A: My favorite lab is the flame test that students perform in their first year chemistry course. It’s so much fun to see the pretty colors that different chemicals emit.
Q. Briefly describe your IB course. What is the aim of the course, what are the assessments like?
A: I teach IB Chemistry part 1. It takes the standards that were taught in first year chemistry and adds to them.
Q: What do you think is the most valuable feature of the IB and why?
A: I like the concentration on different learner profiles. We all have different strengths and it’s nice to see that showcased.
Q: If you won the teacher lottery, and could buy any one thing for your classroom or instruction, what would it be and why?
A: Lots of glassware and chemicals! We run through chemicals quickly!
Q: Words of wisdom for IB Students
May 2021 Exam session
The term "May exam session" is a little misleading. For IB students, they have been working on their May exams for over a year in some cases. A quick reminder of how IB assessments work:
1. Students complete "coursework" during junior and senior years (usually IA's, some EA's)
2. Teachers and Mr. Pope upload coursework in March and April for marking/grading.
3. Students completing a 1 or 2 year course sit for exams in May (full testing calendar is available here: https://jmhs.fxbgschools.us/academics/testing)
4. Once seniors are admitted to college, they inform Mr. Pope for IB score reporting.
5. Students and faculty learn scores in July.
6. If students, parents, or faculty feel a score is inaccurate, they may submit an "Enquiry Upon Results" to review the student's grade. These are usually done in July and August. There is a fee to submit an EUR.
IB Student check-in
With almost a month of synchronous instruction behind us, it's time to reflect on where we are. Mr. Pope has sent a Teams meeting invitation to students' calendars for February 10 at 2:00 pm. It is a chance for students to offer some feedback on how their courses are going, how they're managing the workload, and so on.
Students will also be asked to offer some ideas about possible future course offerings and ideas to help rising Juniors prepare.
DP Recruitment for next year
Spread the word! We are working to recruit sophomores into next year's DP cohort. This will be a little more challenging than usual, so we need your help.
Here's how you can help: spread the word to your friends, team-mates, and anyone you think would benefit from an IB education. Tell them to contact Mr. Pope for details or attend one of the IB DP Virtual Open Houses scheduled in February. Links to the virtual meeting are listed below. You may forward this email to students you think should attend.
IB Virtual Open House
Time: Feb 3, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://cityschools-com.zoom.us/j/81583184714?pwd=OTEzaUdvVnhLekQ1akdGTWxIeitPQT09
Meeting ID: 815 8318 4714
Passcode: 962323
Here are the details for February 10, too:
Time: Feb 10, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://cityschools-com.zoom.us/j/85380095953?pwd=VUtYSVo2dktQejR2SktveWtMQytKUT09
Meeting ID: 853 8009 5953
Passcode: 600811