For over fifty years, the International Baccalaureate has helped millions of students reach their full potential worldwide. Its student-centric approach to education and its goal of promoting a holistic learner profile presents a great alternative to traditional learning systems. The IB program in Singapore prepares students better for a highly globalized and interconnected future.
Achievers naturally gravitate towards IB’s rigorous curriculum, which aims to develop a global mindset, critical thinking skills, and universal human values. As highly motivated students, achievers recognize the benefits of this program and the impact it can bring not just when they step into the university of their choice but even when they graduate and immerse into their careers.
In a country full of high-achieving students, many Singapore international schools offer the IB program from the primary to the high school level. The best IB schools in Singapore employ IB-certified educators that can help set students to thrive in this challenging curriculum.
To illustrate the benefits of an IB education, below are the ways that achievers can grow and succeed in the IB continuum:
Achievers Can Focus on Learning to Learn
For achievers, it can be easy to get lost in the competitive world of the academe and to focus on scores
or college credits. The IB continuum, however, is all about allowing students to appreciate their
educational program for its mission of creating lifelong learners.
One of the cornerstones of the IB program pertains to teaching students how to learn. Since the
the curriculum is designed to be student-centric rather than teacher-led, like in the traditional education
a system, IB students are required to be independent and utilize the different resources available to
them efficiently and strategically.
Instead of worrying about grades, students build an arsenal of learning skills such as effective
note-taking, maintaining focus during class discussions, engaging in self-motivated study,
and fostering creativity while in the IB program. The love for learning and the drive to be self-
determined about learning will serve students well in the future.
Achievers Can Genuinely Understand and Retain Lessons
As emphasized above, marks should not be the sole priority of an IB student. Rather, genuine learning
and engagement in lessons should be the main motivators. To perform well in exams, IB students must internalize new ideas and fully grasp the concepts discussed in class.
IB exams are different from traditional tests that require memorization. Typical exams in IB involve
essay questions, case-study scenarios, oral performances, lab work, and more. These require in-depth
answers that gauge if students truly fulfilled the lesson’s objectives. That means their test achievements are based on their actual understanding and engagement with the lesson, and cramming or
rote and memorization-driven study strategies can only get them so far.
Achievers Can Pick Subjects Relevant to Their Interests
High-achieving IB students shouldn’t fall into the trap of choosing the hardest subjects, such as
Chemistry HL or Physics HL, because their preferred university tends to accept students who take
the hardest IB subjects. The goal should be to study subjects that support or delve deeper into their
interest or future career.
For example, if a student plans to major in Economics, they should be taking up SL and HL Economics.
Students who want to be doctors someday should consider HL Biology and Chemistry for their Diploma
subjects. On the other hand, future engineering students should be including Physics and Mathematics
in their electives. Thankfully, IB students can expect both variety and rigor in the subjects
offered to them, which will help them continue along the path to being achievers.
Achievers Can Practice Their Time Management Skills
From its Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students aged 3 to 12 years old to the IB Career-Related
Program (CP) for students between 16 and 19 years old, the IB curriculum gets progressively more
challenging. Students can expect a full workload in different subjects, which requires much time
studying and working on projects.
To succeed in the program, achievers must practice efficient time management skills to cope with
multiple requirements and projects. This eventually prevents reliance on procrastination and instills self-
discipline in a student, which is vital for a successful IB experience. Some strategies IB students
can utilize are creating a study plan, working on assignments early, and using apps like Google Assistant
to help manage their schedules. However, they choose to practice their time management skills; however, their facility at managing their time and the expectations of others will serve them well later in
life.
Achievers Can Develop Their Communication and Critical Thinking Skills Through Their Extended Essay
Topic
The EE or extended essay is one of the IB requirements most students initially dread. This is a mandatory
A 4,000-word research paper that’s self-directed, with students writing about a topic of their choice.
At first, a student may overthink the subject of their essay when it boils down to a topic they’re
passionate about. But once they pin the topic down and explore how to approach it, they will have
completed the EE with the communication and critical thinking skills expected of an IB achiever.
Achievers Can Choose to Learn Languages and Other Unique Educational Pursuits
Another empowering thing about the IB curriculum is that it gives achievers and regular students control
over the lessons they want to learn. This includes picking a language they’re interested in mastering or
getting good at an artistic pursuit, like theater.
Thanks to the IB’s Group 2: Language acquisition subjects, students can hone their skills in both
languages they’re learning from scratch and languages they already have some fluency in. The IB’s
Group 6 subjects, on the other hand, let achievers delve into arts subjects like film and dance, helping
them graduate with a holistic and well-rounded education.
In the IB educational program, achievers thrive because of their self-discipline, resilience, patience,
determination, and creativity. It’s important to remember that a student doesn’t necessarily have to be
born a genius to be successful in the IB curriculum. With the right mindset and attitude, they can finish
their IB courses with flying colors and become future achievers in their own right.
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