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The Baccalaureate School for Global Education (BSGE) was created to offer an elite credential to a diverse student body in the New York City public school system. BSGE is built on the commitment to high academic standards employing the philosophy and requirements of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). However, BSGE is unique in the IBO world as all students, opposed to a select few, are provided access to the International Baccalaureate Diploma. The International Baccalaureate Organization is a non-profit educational organization established in 1968. BSGE was authorized in 2005 as an International Baccalaureate World School offering the IB Diploma Program.
The majority of BSGE students enroll into the 7th grade and remain until graduating from high school thus have four years of preparation before beginning the Diploma Program. IB students’ achievement is evaluated using criterion referenced assessments which permits students a greater degree of ownership of their learning and achievement as the criteria for each score is explicit and qualitative.
The Pre-IB Program at BSGE spans grades 7-10 and is based on the principles and practices of the IB’s Middle Years Program. The Pre-IB Program exposes students to a core curriculum of eight subjects: English, a Foreign Language (Mandarin, Spanish or French), Humanities, Science, Math, Visual Arts or Music, Technology, Physical Education and 100 hours of Community Service. The Pre-IB Program culminates with a final assessment called the Personal Project in which students research a self-chosen topic or problem and present their study to fellow BSGE students. The Personal Project is a yearlong independent endeavor and students are assigned supervisors within the school building who help guide their work.
The DP spans grades 11-12 and affords students the opportunity to study six subject areas in-depth. The courses offered at BSGE are Language A1 (English), Language B (Foreign Language – Mandarin, Spanish, or French), History of the Americas, Chemistry or Biology, Math (studies and standard level), and Visual Arts or Information Technology in a Global Society. To qualify as an IB DP candidate students must also fulfill 150 Community Action and Service hours, complete a research paper (Extended Essay: 2500 – 4000 words), and take a Theory of Knowledge course (philosophy). This course of study and success in the International Baccalaureate Organization's external assessments allows students to receive the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma in addition to their New York State Regents Diploma.
A comprehensive Metacognitive Literacy Program consisting of the ‘Habits of Mind’ and Thinking Strategies (Habits of Good Readers) are at the core of the school’s success. Through modeling and group and individual practice, students are taught seven (7) explicit strategies to use as they read text. Through this same instructional process students are taught a framework for critical analysis: point of view, evidence, connections, alternatives, relevance and action.
Critical to BSGE’s success is the commitment of the faculty and staff at BSGE. The BSGE school family operates on both an intellectual and emotional level. Both are a necessity as the work requires all constituents to operate in many realms as every goal or tasks requires ‘out of the box/cubicle’ thinking to execute because we are a school-wide IB program in a NYC public school.
For additional information on the IBO, visit www.ibo.org.
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