By: Oyuky Bahena | Editor
September 12, 2019
The International Baccalaureate Programme is an educational foundation being offered in select schools world wide, with one of them being SCHS. Their goal is to help students and individuals develop their thinking and communicative skills. They hope to turn them into open-minded, knowledgeable, and caring individuals who are constantly questioning the world around them, and looking for ways to answer their own questions while developing new ones.
SCHS had previously offered a few IB classes (including but not limited to): IB Literature, IB/AP Language & Composition, IB Theory of Knowledge, etc.
This year, there was a new addition: IB Global Politics.
“I think it’s a great addition to the array of senior classes,” senior Camie Ding said, “Originally, I found it very restraining to only have two options [AP Gov and AP Econ] but now, I feel like there’s more variety.”
There are two IB Global Politics classes: a zero period and a fifth period. That makes for a total of about 65-70 students who are the guinea pigs with this challenging class.
So far, it doesn’t seem too bad.
“I like it,” senior Nick Francis said, “I took it because I wanted to challenge myself. Global politics seems like the most pressing concern. Hopefully, this class gives me a better understanding of international diplomacy and how to solve pressing issues in today’s climate.
“It’s rigorous but not demanding,” senior Ryann Leff said.
Speaking from personal experience, it’s not exactly the easiest nor the most enjoyable class, but it is the most useful. Assignments such as the Engagement Activity and the Case Study, prompt students to research political issues and look further into them.
It’s easy to sit back and recognize that a political issue or situation is wrong, but it is far more significant to actually try to do something about it.
“It gives us the opportunity to interact with our community, and it prompts us to actually make change happen,” senior Kristin Gabriel said.
The IB Global Politics course curriculum is extremely complex and fast-paced, rarely stopping for those who do not understand or simply do not put in any effort. But that’s what IB is all about.
IB doesn’t stop and wait for those who aren’t caught up. It speeds up just a little bit more.
Bruh