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In April of 2019, we set out to offer information about the IB for a Minnesota audience. Little did we know that it would grow to be heard in over 170 countries and become a labor of love for all things IB and a celebration of the global educational community!

As we begin what we're calling 'Season 4' please join us in helping to use this podcast as a tool to improve the teaching and learning in your own school. Folks have found many creative ways to use our content such as prequels to training or to induct new teachers into the IB. If you have an idea, suggestion, or if you would like to appear on the podcast, drop me a line either by text (link above) or by email at [email protected]. 

Be sure to use the podcast webpage linked below to find episodes specific to your interest such as PYP, ATLs, or student engagement.

With heartfelt thanks,
Jon Peterson

Links:
Intro to the IB Programmes (self-guided tour)
Brief YouTube video demonstrating the self-guided tour
Link to MNIB Summer Conference page (for MNIB schools)

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Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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in this episode we talk to Nate Samuelson from Korea International School about his project called The Snapshots Project and a course he created called ‘Design Your Impact’. Not only will your students be invited to participate, you are encouraged to replicate Nate’s ideas in your own school or region. Imagine a school district or an IB regional association creating their own version of the Snapshots Project concept. Either way, Nate’s collection of student service projects will serve as a repository of great ideas that might be the spark your students need to develop their own, local service initiative.

The Snapshots Project
Connect with Nate: [email protected]
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's)

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IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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In this episode we return to speak to Novadene Miller - this time we talk about making effective transitions when changing schools or changing roles within a school.
But our conversation ranged widely from teacher skill sets in IB and international schools to how to better include new teachers into the culture of a school.
Novadene shares many of her personal experiences as a Jamaican native navigating European international schools. You might be surprised how transferable those experiences are, no matter what your background. Novadene has such a great approach to new challenges and opportunities. She is an inspiration to anyone considering taking on a new challenge in a new place. And, as she says, 'Curate your strengths!'

Links provided by Novadene:
IB Stories at 50 years
Peer interactions and service learning
Interdisciplinary units
Achieving Sustainability of Natural Resources and Obtaining Economic Goals. Tourism’s Pandora’s box
Rainforest Tourism, Conservation and Management: Challenges for Sustainable ...

Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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In this episode we talk to six students and their CAS coordinator from Exeter College in Devon County, England. As the third in a series of interviews with IB students around the world: first in the US (here in Minnesota) and then in India and now the UK, listeners will hear the similarities and the differences in how IB schools introduce CAS and then support students in this core aspect of the IB Diploma Programme. This episode confirms the value of this unique piece of the puzzle in developing students prepared for the world and readying them to be productive, caring and contributing members of their individual communities.

CAS Coordinator:
Santina Micalizzi
Students:
Olly Evans, Caelin Berry, Oliver Cook, Amy Dunbavin, Oli Sweeney, Martha K

Learn more about CAS on the IB Website.

Links from Exeter College:
International Baccalaureate (IB) (exe-coll.ac.uk)

Childrens Hospice South West | Making the most of short and precious lives across the South West (chsw.org.uk)

Devon Connect - Connecting Communities in Devon.

Artistica SM

Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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This is part one of a series of episodes exploring the role of AI in the future of education.

AI is here to stay and we need some tools and a plan to make the most of this transformative technology. Aruj Khaliq from Pakistan shares great ideas to start us on this journey! In this recording Aruj lays out the challenges but also the potential for AI to transform our schools. We discuss the need to rethink some assessments in light of AI’s presence, and Aruj gives us some guidance on how to start discussions with staff and students about AI.

Use this form to ask Aruj a question about AI strategies or to provide ideas or feedback for our future AI episodes.

Email IB Matters: [email protected]
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IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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In this episode we return to talk to Vikas Pahwa from Shiv Nadar School in Gurgaon, India - but we are actually featuring some of his students who are sharing their CAS experiences. If this sounds familiar to regular listeners, that’s because we are going back to back with CAS related podcasts. Last episode it was students from my backyard in Minnesota. This time the students are from northern India. I’m sure you will be struck by the similarities in student responses and the ways in which CAS experiences have shaped them and had an influence in their future plans. Please listen to both episodes. They really speak to the core values and the mission of the IB in creating a well-rounded education leading to a better and more peaceful world.

Featured students: Aishwarya, Gianna, Lakshya, Anvi 
CAS Coordinator: Mrs Nandini Kar

The BConnectt Instagram page

Learn more about CAS on the IB Website.

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IB Matters website
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To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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In this episode, we talk to four IB Diploma candidates about their CAS (Creativity, Activity & Service) experiences. Evan Whipple, Jynx Taylor, Lolu Ogunleye, and Audrey Mochama are all seniors at Champlin Park High School in Minnesota.

CAS includes both sustained and one-time experiences. As you'll hear, these often lead to unexpected benefits for both the community and the students themselves. 
We also speak with their DP Coordinator, Ashley Brown, about how CAS is a key aspect at the core of the Diploma Programme.

Here are a couple links from Evan regarding Orange Shirt Day and Truth and Reconciliation Day

This is part a series of episodes celebrating the successes of IB students and teachers across Minnesota.

Learn more about CAS on the IB Website.

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IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
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To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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In this episode we return to talk to Sonia Singh, a school principal at Sreenidhi International School in Hyderabad, India about her school’s initiative to focus on high quality learning. While this may seem like an obvious goal of any school, Sonia has some great advice and suggests a road map to ensure your school, like hers, keeps everyone focused on this critical work in the context of being an IB World School with several other influences, such as local, state, and even national curriculum requirements.

Sonia Singh is a renowned figure in education and training, with over two decades of experience. She is currently working as the Principal of Sreenidhi International School. She advocates for student-centric learning, emphasizing progress tracking over grades and connecting classroom lessons to real-life experiences. Sonia's teaching methods blend technology with hands-on learning, tailored to individual needs, and she specializes in various curricula, including CBSE, Cambridge, and IB. Her influence extends globally, improving education standards.

Contact Sonia:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniasingh13/

Email - [email protected]

Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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In this episode we talk with John Moore from Shaker Heights, Ohio. The Shaker Heights City Schools have made the choice to de-track their schools in an effort to better prepare all their students for success in high school classes, including their robust IB Diploma Programme.

Theirs is a pre-K through 12th grade IB district and John speaks eloquently about the need to be true to the IB mission and the IB curriculum framework as they work to lift every student. The journey has been (and continues to be) a challenge. But, John ends with a call to action for all of us to join in this work and gives us the resources to begin our own journey to break structural barriers that hold some students back.

Links from John Moore:

• Washington Post article by Laura Meckler
• Detracking Board Meeting: Why and How
• Detracking for Equity and Excellence by Carol Burris and Delia Garrity
• Integrating Classrooms and Reducing Academic Tracking by Halley Potter

Teaching While White podcast; Episodes 24-26

Shaker Heights City Schools' Equity website

John Moore on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-moore-ph-d-018915a7

Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.

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In this episode we talk to our MN Assc of IB World Schools (MNIB) President, Sarah Wernimont, about the process we used this past year to develop our MNIB mission statement. You’ll hear it was a journey that I found challenging but very rewarding in the end. While we have just begun implementation of the new mission, we are both excited about the path that has been created by this work. I hope you can find pieces of this process useful to you whether you are in an IB Association yourself, or in a school or any other organization needing some direction as you plan your own future work.

The new MNIB mission: "We are courageous leaders supporting those in the IB community who are implementing IB programs, building connections, removing barriers, and creating systems that increase access for all.

By doing this, young people, families, and educators in the IB community will have a voice, engage in meaningful learning, cultivate their geniuses, and celebrate their successes."

Learn more on the MNIB Website There, you'll find some of the ideas our members generated while looking at this new mission.

Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB Matters
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.