Standards and Practices

 The International Baccalaureate’s Standards and Practices

Raising awareness of the IBO’s Standards and Practices, and sustaining their profile, is an important part of the role of the Diploma Programme Coordinator.

The IBO assess schools against their Standards and Practices as part of their every 5-year evaluation visit, which is explained in depth in this website, here.

I keep the profile of the Standards and Practices High through the following ways, all of which are linked together, and are explained below:

1. Creating Departmental Standards and Practices Log (Google Doc) in the years between the 5-year evaluation visits.
2. Creating a Departmental Focus handout which can be analysed in Departmental Meetings.
3. Standards and Practices as part of Lesson observations.

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1. Departmental Standards and Practices Log (Google Doc) in the years between the 5-year evaluation visits.

This log, in the form of a Google Doc, was created to allow departments to map the progress they have are making against each Standard and Practice between each 5-year evaluation visit. It allows the DP Coordinator to get an overview of the strengths and weaknesses across the whole programme, including any gaps in where the Standards and Practices are not being met. It can help departments set their focuses for each academic year, as shown in part 2.

2. Departmental Focus handout.

This document can be used in conjunction with the log in part 1. Each year, based on their progress against the Standards and Practices, departments can set themselves focuses for each one for the new academic year. This document asks departments to consider each objective, the actions that they will need to take to meet them, and the people who are responsible. The progress against these focuses can be analysed in departmental meetings. A focus can be used as part of a lesson observation, as explained in part 3.

3. Standards and Practices as part of lesson observations.

If one of the Standards and Practices that teachers are focusing on for the academic year include Standard C3: Teaching and Learning, it can, if applicable, be included as part of their lesson observation. The following lesson observation booklet, discussed in depth here on this website, can be used for teachers to map out how the lesson will show evidence of them working towards meeting their focus.