Gone are the days when only the students from GCSE or IGCSE certificate schools were considered reputed and were recognized by international universities. A new and improved educational curriculum that has also entered the competition and is taking the world by storm is the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.
IB schools were founded in 1968 by a non-profit organization International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), based in Geneva, Switzerland. Even though it is based in Geneva, this curriculum is not governed by any specific country and is not bound by any national or political educational agendas and norms. This helps a quality IB school in Singapore to set itself apart from other curricula.
What are the 6 core groups in an IB school in Singapore?
The students in an IB school in Singapore are given the freedom to choose their respective subjects and fields. The children are allowed to reflect and know their strengths and weaknesses. They are then allowed to pursue education as per their interest.
A good IB school like GIIS in the East Coast, typically offers six groups of subjects for students, and they are as follows: –
- Group 1: – English A. They study literature and language, both English and Italian.
- Group 2: – English B. They study literature and language, English, Italian, French, and Spanish.
- Group 3: – History and economics
- Group 4: – Chemistry, Physics and Biology.
- Group 5: – Mathematics.
- Group 6: – Visual arts.
Today we will be focussing on Group 6 and subjects related to Group 6 currently being taught in IB schools in Singapore.
Core Group 6 of IB School in Singapore – The Visual Arts
This group is designed for students who excel at visual arts and have a keen interest in learning various visual arts such as dance, music, theatre, films, etc. Without further ado, let’s get started about the subjects taught in a well-known IB institution like GIIS in the East Coast.
1- Dance
Dance can be chosen as a subject for both higher and standard level. Children will perform an internal assessment and two external assessments. But when it says dancing, it is not always about dancing.
The children need to write an analytical essay as one of the external assessments. This essay mentioned the difference between the two dance styles. In the second assessment, the child needs to choreograph two or three dance staples depending upon the level of around 6-10 minutes or 8-15 minutes.
In the internal assessment, they need to perform a solo and duet, and the dance must be choreographed by someone else.
2- Music
Music is also available for standard and high level courses. The students of the IB school in Singapore are required to conduct a musical investigation, and the report should be submitted in the form of a media script. The evaluators will then access the script.
The students can take their music class in three sections. One is solo, group or composition performance. Students should remember that each of the assessments will be recorded and then will be evaluated accordingly. The students are also required to write compositions of their music section, which last between 3-6 minutes.
3- Theater
The students of standard and high level get theatre class in group 6. Like the dance section, the theatre is also evaluated based on two internal assessments and two external assessments.
The internal assessments are called Theater Performance and Production Presentation (TPPP), and the other is the Independent Project Portfolio (IPP). The external assessments are called Practical Performance Proposal (PPP) and Research Investigator (RI).
The student should research specific aspects of the play and should research questions to answer. They are also required to come up with visual or textual documentation of their work.
4- Visual Arts
This section is also applicable for students of standard and high level. The subject is mainly divided into two parts and the first is a studio in which they do practical work, and the other is research work.
The students learn about the development, research, design and structure of the work. They are given a chance to explore their views; they can be creative and bring their personal feelings and emotions into their work.
The children’s work is showcased at the exhibition by their teachers, and for assessment, an interview is conducted. This interview is recorded and is sent abroad for moderation.
5- Film
This is the most interesting part designed for both standard and high levels of an IB school like GIIS in the East Coast. The children must do independent research, write an independent story, give a practical demonstration, and submit an oral presentation. These all are done based on a short video given by the IBO.
During the practical presentation, the children are asked to shoot a short video in a documentary script. The students are asked to shoot two videos, whereas, in high level, they are asked to shoot four videos. The child must do the work of the director, editor, writer, cinematographer, and sound designer.
Wrapping up
The above mentioned were Group 6 that are normally taught in GIIS in the East Coast. Now, your child can select the most suitable option in this group as per his or her area of interest.
