4 minute read
CREATIVITY, ACTION SERVICE
The International Baccalaureate Education for a Better World.
On Sunday, 29 May, two Townsville Grammar School students, with a large support crew, staged a Colour Frenzy Run with more than 300 runners, raising more than $20,000 for the Black Dog Institute. The event was staged as part of the CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service) component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, a two-year academic course that is available for Years 11 and 12 at Townsville Grammar School.
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Established in Geneva in 1968, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a global leader in international education. Almost two million students in 5400 schools in 159 countries are enrolled in an IB programme, including 212 schools in Australia. Townsville Grammar School became an IB World School in 2011 and has been offering the IB Diploma Programme for more than a decade. The Mission of the International Baccalaureate is “to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through education that builds intercultural understanding and respect.” The IB programmes empower students to take ownership in their own learning and develop future-ready skills to make a difference and thrive in a fast-changing world (www.ib.org). Director of Curriculum at Townsville Grammar School, Dr Carolyn Moores, says the IB gives senior students an academic alternative to the QCE/ATAR system. “The IB is an extended academic program with an international education focus through which students develop strong academic, social and emotional characteristics.”
The main point of difference with the IB is that it is a global program of study. To deliver the IB Diploma, schools must register to be an IB World School, a community of schools worldwide who deliver the IB academic programs. Students around the world benefit from the global education approach, facing the same challenges, enjoying the same benefits, and connecting with each other through this international network.
Students who complete the program are awarded an IB score which is recognised and highly regarded by universities within Australia and throughout the world. IB graduates are regarded as having gained a well-rounded, global education.
What is a global education? The IB course is designed to embed international perspectives. Studying a language is essential, and,
in addition to core subjects in the sciences, arts and humanities, students will engage in three extended projects – CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service), an Extended Essay, and Theory of Knowledge (TOK), over the two year period. Through these projects, students gain practical preparation for undergraduate research, and receive credit for artistic output, physical activity and voluntary community service. Dr Moores, says the IB program reflects the development of the 21st Century skill-set that this generation will need to thrive in the modern, globalised world. “The 21st Century skill-set comprises 12 key skills including the top-tier of communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. Secondary schools are increasingly working to embed the development of these core skills within their curriculum programs,” says Dr Moores. “By its very nature, the IB program develops these skills, with a global perspective.”
“The IB is considered a 'future-ready' program, focused on cross-cultural understandings. Today, more than ever, we face an increasingly globalized society and economy, and we are tasked with developing young learners who are eager to increase their capacity to contribute positively, with compassion and understanding, to create a better community and a better world.”
According to Dylan and Daniel, the co-ordinators of the TGS Colour Frenzy Run, the event was more than they could have imagined. “We learned so much about the mechanics of running a community-based event and we were overwhelmed by the support we received, raising $20,000 for our chosen cause, the Black Dog Institute. This project was very challenging, it extended us beyond what we could learn in the classroom, and we are thrilled to be able to contribute meaningfully to the Black Dog Institute through an event that was all about community, physical activity, wellbeing and connection.”
