Elgin High School
International Baccalaureate Diploma Program |
The International Baccalaureate Diploma PRogram and Elgin High School
Nearly ten years ago, a group of educators at Elgin High School began exploring the idea of brining the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) to the students of Elgin High School. Over the years, this exploration evolved into a school-wide effort to see Elgin High School become one of the few schools in Illinois to become an authorized International Baccalaureate World School. Now, in 2022, Elgin High School is final stages of IB World School Candidacy with the hope of implementing this program in the very near future.
The IB Diploma Program
The IB DP is a two-year program that takes place during the junior and senior years. Students can choose courses from one of the six IB subject areas as well as the IB Core, which consists of Theory of Knowledge (TOK); Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS); and the Extended Essay (EE). More information about the IB courses offered at Elgin High School, as well as the IB Core components can be found on subsequent pages of this website.
IB strives to ensure its academic programming demonstrates its commitment to the following:
IB strives to ensure its academic programming demonstrates its commitment to the following:
- developing students to be internationally minded and aware of their part and influence on their local community as well as the wider global community.
- providing interdisciplinary studies as an integral part of the course curricula that students engage with over a two-year period
- supporting students in developing the academic skills necessary for fulfilling learning throughout high school and beyond
- providing collaborative learning experiences that equip students with 21st Century skills for the classroom and workplace
- creating quality experiential opportunities for students to learn throughout their courses
- allowing students the freedom to discover and develop their interests through both their academic and out-of-class experiences
- The IB DP provides a challenging and continuous academic experience that is widely recognized by post-secondary institutions around the world.
The IB Learner Profile
The IB Learner Profile is a unifying element of all IB programming and experiences that students engage in. The IB Learner Profile consists of ten qualities all IB schools hope to develop and instill in students by the conclusion of their IB programming experience. The International Baccalaureate Organization defines each of these ten qualities as such:
Inquirers: Students develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives. Knowledgeable: Students explore concepts, ideas, and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines. Thinkers: Students exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems and make reasoned ethical decisions. Communicators: Students understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others. Principled: Students act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice, and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups, and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. |
Open-minded: Students appreciate our own cultures and personal history, as well as the values and traditions of others. They seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and they are willing to grow from the experience.
Caring: Students show empathy, compassion, and respect. They have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others in the world around them. Balanced: Students understand the importance of balancing different aspects of their lives to achieve well-being for themselves and others. They recognize their interdependence with other people and with the world in which they live. Reflective: Students thoughtfully consider the world and their own ideas and experience. They work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support their own learning and personal development. |
*The Elgin High School Academy is a Candidate School** for the Diploma Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy—a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education that Elgin High School believes is important for our students.
**Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit this link: International Baccalaureate Organization.
**Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit this link: International Baccalaureate Organization.