IB Matters Jon Peterson

In this episode we return to talk to Vikas Pahwa from Shiv Nadar School in Gurgaon, India - but we are actually featuring some of his students who are sharing their CAS experiences. If this sounds familiar to regular listeners, that’s because we are going back to back with CAS related podcasts. Last episode it was students from my backyard in Minnesota. This time the students are from northern India. I’m sure you will be struck by the similarities in student responses and the ways in which CAS experiences have shaped them and had an influence in their future plans. Please listen to both episodes. They really speak to the core values and the mission of the IB in creating a well-rounded education leading to a better and more peaceful world.

Featured students: Aishwarya, Gianna, Lakshya, Anvi 
CAS Coordinator: Mrs Nandini Kar
The BConnectt Instagram page

Learn more about CAS on the IB Website.
Email IB Matters: IBMatters@mnibschools.org
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
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In this episode, we talk to four IB Diploma candidates about their CAS (Creativity, Activity & Service) experiences. Evan Whipple, Jynx Taylor, Lolu Ogunleye, and Audrey Mochama are all seniors at Champlin Park High School in Minnesota.

CAS includes both sustained and one-time experiences. As you'll hear, these often lead to unexpected benefits for both the community and the students themselves. 
We also speak with their DP Coordinator, Ashley Brown, about how CAS is a key aspect at the core of the Diploma Programme.

Here are a couple links from Evan regarding Orange Shirt Day and Truth and Reconciliation Day
This is part a series of episodes celebrating the successes of IB students and teachers across Minnesota.

Learn more about CAS on the IB Website.
Email IB Matters: IBMatters@mnibschools.org
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

In this episode we return to talk to Sonia Singh, a school principal at Sreenidhi International School in Hyderabad, India about her school’s initiative to focus on high quality learning. While this may seem like an obvious goal of any school, Sonia has some great advice and suggests a road map to ensure your school, like hers, keeps everyone focused on this critical work in the context of being an IB World School with several other influences, such as local, state, and even national curriculum requirements.
Sonia Singh is a renowned figure in education and training, with over two decades of experience. She is currently working as the Principal of Sreenidhi International School. She advocates for student-centric learning, emphasizing progress tracking over grades and connecting classroom lessons to real-life experiences. Sonia's teaching methods blend technology with hands-on learning, tailored to individual needs, and she specializes in various curricula, including CBSE, Cambridge, and IB. Her influence extends globally, improving education standards.

Contact Sonia:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniasingh13/
Email - soniasingh13@gmail.com


Email IB Matters: IBMatters@mnibschools.org
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

In this episode we talk with John Moore from Shaker Heights, Ohio. The Shaker Heights City Schools have made the choice to de-track their schools in an effort to better prepare all their students for success in high school classes, including their robust IB Diploma Programme.

Theirs is a pre-K through 12th grade IB district and John speaks eloquently about the need to be true to the IB mission and the IB curriculum framework as they work to lift every student. The journey has been (and continues to be) a challenge. But, John ends with a call to action for all of us to join in this work and gives us the resources to begin our own journey to break structural barriers that hold some students back.

Links from John Moore:
Washington Post article by Laura MecklerDetracking Board Meeting: Why and HowDetracking for Equity and Excellence by Carol Burris and Delia GarrityIntegrating Classrooms and Reducing Academic Tracking by Halley PotterTeaching While White podcast; Episodes 24-26

Shaker Heights City Schools' Equity website

John Moore on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-moore-ph-d-018915a7
Email IB Matters: IBMatters@mnibschools.org
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

In this episode we talk to our MN Assc of IB World Schools (MNIB) President, Sarah Wernimont, about the process we used this past year to develop our MNIB mission statement. You’ll hear it was a journey that I found challenging but very rewarding in the end. While we have just begun implementation of the new mission, we are both excited about the path that has been created by this work. I hope you can find pieces of this process useful to you whether you are in an IB Association yourself, or in a school or any other organization needing some direction as you plan your own future work.

The new MNIB mission: "We are courageous leaders supporting those in the IB community who are implementing IB programs, building connections, removing barriers, and creating systems that increase access for all.
By doing this, young people, families, and educators in the IB community will have a voice, engage in meaningful learning, cultivate their geniuses, and celebrate their successes."

Learn more on the MNIB Website There, you'll find some of the ideas our members generated while looking at this new mission.


Email IB Matters: IBMatters@mnibschools.org
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

in this episode we return to talk to Novadene Miller. She was a guest in season 2 (episode 18) but she has now moved to a high school in Geneva and speaks about the connected IB classroom. Novadene has a PhD in physical geography, and is an active researcher in her professional field.
She brings the world into her classroom and the students into the world. She does this through authentic interdisciplinaary skill building and a focus on transfer skills. She has many examples of collaborations among colleagues, with parents, and with experts in various fields. All the while her goal is to help students build their own knowledge given a rich set of personal experiences.

Links:
https://ibo.org/50years/ib-stories/community-stories/teaching-service-as-action-in-a-changing-world/ 
Teaching MYP individuals and societies in a changing world | IB Community Blog (ibo.org)
Article for the Independent Schools Network (ISN): https://bit.ly/3qVt6nr  
More links: https://bit.ly/3iWIOxB
https://isn.education/articles/open/how-can-we-teach-students-skills-they-can-apply-beyond-the-classroom/
https://journals.openedition.org/etudescaribeennes/5302
Book Chapter in ‘ Rainforest Tourism, Conservation and Management Challenges for Sustainable Development’, edited by Bruce Prideaux, Earthscan from Routledge Publishers, 2014. 


Email IB Matters: IBMatters@mnibschools.org
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.