IB Diploma News
We are now nearing the end of a very busy term- the Grade 11 students are completely immersed in the Diploma program and hopefully by this time next year they will be able to give valuable advice to the next cohort of Diploma students.
This week, they were introduced to the Extended Essay which is the core of the Diploma program. Students have been given a guide which will be very helpful to them as they complete this very important task over the next months. Please ensure that they read this guide before starting to plan their paper.
What is the Extended Essay?
For those of you who are new to the IB Diploma Program here are some details about the nature of the Extended Essay:
1. The Extended Essay is an academic paper of 4000 words written by the student over a number of months. This is solely the work of the student with some guidance from a supervisor.
2. The Extended Essay is a research based paper which challenges the ability of the student to work independently on a subject of their choice over a period of time. This demands good time management skills and planning in order to meet the deadlines.
3. The Extended Essay is good preparation for college as the students have to develop the skills to work independently and engage in presenting and supporting their views using academic language.
4. This academic paper is graded externally by IB examiners.
5. Students can get bonus points if they complete a good Extended Essay.
How do we organize the Extended Essay at GAA?
Students are introduced to the Extended Essay and this is followed by a session for the parents. The students are given a guide and the DP Coordinator goes through the guide with them pointing out the important parts that will help them plan their EE.
Students are expected to fill out forms at every stage of completion. This will help the supervisors and the DP Coordinator keep track of the progress of the students and address any concerns that may arise.
All students will be given a Supervisor of their choice as far as possible. The supervisors are the teachers in the subject areas that the students have chosen. The role of the supervisors is to give guidance to the students at the initial stage of the Extended Essay- especially helping the students formulate good Research Questions, monitor the progress of the students and inform the Coordinator of any concern. It is the responsibility of the students to seek an appointment with the supervisor throughout the completion of the EE.
Students have been given a calendar of deadlines for the EE and they have also been contacted through Manage Bac. They should follow the deadlines very diligently to avoid getting frustrated and stressed in the last days before the Extended Essays are due.
In order to help parents understand the implications of such an important task and discuss ways in which parents can support their students completing this challenging task, I have organized a session on Extended Essays on Sunday 14th December at 6 pm in the IB Lounge. An email has been sent to all Grade 11 parents. I hope to see all of you then.
Another thought for our community of parents:
‘Education is not filling of the pail, but the lighting of a fire.’ William Butler Yeats.
Jaimala Quinlan
IB Diploma Coordinator
We are now nearing the end of a very busy term- the Grade 11 students are completely immersed in the Diploma program and hopefully by this time next year they will be able to give valuable advice to the next cohort of Diploma students.
This week, they were introduced to the Extended Essay which is the core of the Diploma program. Students have been given a guide which will be very helpful to them as they complete this very important task over the next months. Please ensure that they read this guide before starting to plan their paper.
What is the Extended Essay?
For those of you who are new to the IB Diploma Program here are some details about the nature of the Extended Essay:
1. The Extended Essay is an academic paper of 4000 words written by the student over a number of months. This is solely the work of the student with some guidance from a supervisor.
2. The Extended Essay is a research based paper which challenges the ability of the student to work independently on a subject of their choice over a period of time. This demands good time management skills and planning in order to meet the deadlines.
3. The Extended Essay is good preparation for college as the students have to develop the skills to work independently and engage in presenting and supporting their views using academic language.
4. This academic paper is graded externally by IB examiners.
5. Students can get bonus points if they complete a good Extended Essay.
How do we organize the Extended Essay at GAA?
Students are introduced to the Extended Essay and this is followed by a session for the parents. The students are given a guide and the DP Coordinator goes through the guide with them pointing out the important parts that will help them plan their EE.
Students are expected to fill out forms at every stage of completion. This will help the supervisors and the DP Coordinator keep track of the progress of the students and address any concerns that may arise.
All students will be given a Supervisor of their choice as far as possible. The supervisors are the teachers in the subject areas that the students have chosen. The role of the supervisors is to give guidance to the students at the initial stage of the Extended Essay- especially helping the students formulate good Research Questions, monitor the progress of the students and inform the Coordinator of any concern. It is the responsibility of the students to seek an appointment with the supervisor throughout the completion of the EE.
Students have been given a calendar of deadlines for the EE and they have also been contacted through Manage Bac. They should follow the deadlines very diligently to avoid getting frustrated and stressed in the last days before the Extended Essays are due.
In order to help parents understand the implications of such an important task and discuss ways in which parents can support their students completing this challenging task, I have organized a session on Extended Essays on Sunday 14th December at 6 pm in the IB Lounge. An email has been sent to all Grade 11 parents. I hope to see all of you then.
Another thought for our community of parents:
‘Education is not filling of the pail, but the lighting of a fire.’ William Butler Yeats.
Jaimala Quinlan
IB Diploma Coordinator
Well Done to our performers in this weeks Winter Music Concert!
Understanding MAP Results - Parent Engagement Week Seminar
For those who attended Parent Engagement Week seminar this week, we hope you found the information useful. We appreciate that not all of those who would have liked to attend were able to do so. Dr. Tim Fryer, who presented the seminar "Understanding MAP Results" has shared his power point so you may read through the information at your leisure. Please click here for the power point presentation.
For those who attended Parent Engagement Week seminar this week, we hope you found the information useful. We appreciate that not all of those who would have liked to attend were able to do so. Dr. Tim Fryer, who presented the seminar "Understanding MAP Results" has shared his power point so you may read through the information at your leisure. Please click here for the power point presentation.
Here is our Community and Secondary School Calendar - Scroll through the months to see what's planned for this year at GAA
Please make sure you check this calendar regularly for updates and new events