St. Timothy’s School and the International Baccalaureate Program

A St. Timothy’s education reflects the increasingly globalized, interconnected society in which we live, giving students a world perspective in mathematics, the sciences, social sciences, languages, literature, technology and the arts. In the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program (MYP), students experience a multidisciplinary course of study that prepares them for the IB Diploma Program (DP).

In grades 9-10, the MYP curriculum focuses on an interdisciplinary approach where teachers work collaboratively on planning units of study that allow students to draw connections between different subject areas, then using that content creatively to solve real-world problems. The program is organized around six curricular spheres that facilitate students’ academic, social, and personal development: Creativity and Scientific and Technical Innovation; Globalization, Sustainability, Communication, and Collaboration; Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving, and Decision Making; Research and Information Fluency; Citizenship in the Digital Age; and Pursuit and Assessment of Personal Growth.

Junior year begins the transition to the IB Diploma Program (DP), along with its exceptional reputation for preparing students for college. The curriculum is a combination of structure and choice. You’ll select courses from six different thematic areas: Language and Literature, Individuals and Societies, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Experimental Sciences, and The Arts. Some they explore in-depth, others less so, and the choice of what to focus on and how deeply is up to the students themselves. In this way they get a breadth of learning that comes from taking a variety of subjects, while still having the opportunity to dive into specific areas they are especially passionate about.

An IB education provides a holistic experience anchored by values and outcomes described in the IB learner profile. IB learners strive to become inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective.  These attributes of internationally-minded people represent a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond intellectual development and academic success. The IB’s student-centered philosophy, with its focus on the interplay between inquiry, action and reflection, empowers students for a lifetime of learning.

The IB is an academically challenging and balanced program of education with internal assessment and final examinations that prepares students for success at university and life beyond. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing of students. The program has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.

The IB Diploma Program prepares students for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they:

• Develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
• Acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from six subject groups
• Develop the skills and a positive attitude toward learning that will prepare them for higher education
• Study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own
• Make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the program’s unique Theory of Knowledge course
• Undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the Extended Essay
• Enhance their personal and interpersonal development through Creativity, Action and Service

Other distinguishing features of the Diploma Program (DP) include:

• The Extended Essay (EE) asks students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the DP subjects they are studying.

• Theory of Knowledge (TOK) develops a coherent approach to learning that unifies the academic disciplines. In this course on critical thinking, students inquire into the nature of knowing and deepen their understanding of knowledge as a human construction.

• Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies. Creativity encourages students to engage in the arts and creative thinking. Action seeks to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Service to the community offers a vehicle for a new learning with academic value. The three strands of CAS enhance students’ personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning and enable journeys of self-discovery.

Learning at St. Timothy’s is a journey of discovery. Classes are small and engaging, full of opportunities to consider what others have to say, as well as for individuals to express ideas of their own. Teachers don’t talk at the students, but invite them into conversation. This kind of learning builds critical-thinking and writing skills that will be vital through college. Learning in this manner teaches students to think on their feet, to look at questions from all sides, to consider what others have to say, to speak their mind, and take action with confidence; a skill-set that will serve them very well in college, as well as what comes after.

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