With IB exams completed, Notre Dame IB students looked back over their past two years of International Baccalaureate studies and, for the most part, agreed they would do it again.  

Diploma candidates like Kristen Bernsteen had the most rigorous schedule of IB courses. None of the diploma students said the course work was easy but all appreciated the challenge, the development of a “new way of thinking” and the “bonding with classmates and teachers focused on learning.”

As Bernsteen put it, “Though IB was fairly difficult for me, I am glad I did it and would do it again. The demands of a full diploma student are enormous, and many times I doubted making it through the extended essay, or internal assessments, or even the IB exams., but I made the right choice in staying.  I am happy with the program and the college prep I received.”

Christian Roovers emphasized the “self-responsibility” he gained but admitted he had little room for “fun electives” and felt the program was “very stressful at times.”

“In general,” he concluded, “I would never change the decision I made to do IB.  I believe it has changed me for the better into a more considerate person.”

Luke Saphner, another diploma candidate, also saw the IB program for its character- building aspect:  “IB really does create a person who is more willing to learn more.  I learned a lot and opened up to the diversity built into the program.”

Certificate IB students—that is, students who enroll in IB classes, such as IB English—were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences.  Most echoed the words of Kate Hein, who said,  “IB enhanced my learning experience.  I have become a much better thinker. Taking a couple of classes could be enough if someone is involved in a very time-consuming extra curricular activity.”

Megan Schulz, a diploma candidate, struck a similar note, and advised students to “choose the courses you’re extremely interested in continuing in college.  If it works that you can be a full IB student, do it, but remember to not overwhelm yourself.”

Megan McCole, said, “My IB experience was the best. I was most satisfied with my choices of IB math, English and history.  I enjoyed developing relationships with my teachers and classmates.”

Zach Herson, who took IB English, thought the class “definitely prepared me for English in college and for papers I’ll have to write later on in college.”  Herson went on to recommend “NDA kids take at least one IB class as it’s a great experience that will be invaluable in college.”

Valedictorian Nicole Florack reacted with a mixture of feelings—from knowing “I couldn’t not take the most challenging classes available” to wishing “I could’ve just had a normal high school experience.”    

Kristi Fassbender, a diploma candidate, summarized the prevailing view of students: “The IB program has given me the tools to work through my problems and continually strive for more knowledge.  My study skills have improved exponentially.”

                                                Teachers’ Perspectives

After graduating her first class of IB students, NDA English teacher Stefanie Jochman evaluated her own feelings and thoughts about the program.  She compared the IB testing process to her own study-abroad experience during college, the time when “I sat for British exams and was surprised at how different those examinations were from what I had completed in the U.S.”

“Like my British exams,” she explained, “IB exams demand that students demonstrate cumulative knowledge of the course curriculum.  Students cannot simply ‘spit back’ the information they have studied and memorized.  They must synthesize it, using and applying what they’ve learned in order to succeed.”

Ms. Jochman is delighted NDA offers both the diploma and certificate options, and, like many of the students interviewed, underlined the possibility of selecting certain classes as a certificate student.

“I’d like to see every student at NDA try at least one certificate class, just to experience the IB style of teaching and learning,” said the teacher. 

The certificate program, according to Ms. Jochman, allows students to pursue passions or subjects of greatest interest and provides “much-needed classmate variety for diploma candidates.”

Another value of the program, particularly to IB teachers, is external examination.

“While my students earn a separate NDA grade for their work in my classroom, an objective examiner determines whether or not my students pass the class for IB credit.  As a result, I feel as though I can set higher standards for my students without feeling the need to apologize for those standards,” Ms. Jochman said.  “Someone else is out there evaluating me and my students.  I need to set the bar high if any of us hope to succeed.”

Another IB English teacher, Mrs. Carolyn Brown, appreciates the opportunity to build her own curriculum, make her own literary selections. 

“IB provides a framework that requires we select a variety of literature from all areas of the world, but the final choice of what we study comes down to the teacher, and in my case that’s added a whole new—and fun—dimension to teaching.  IB has made me grow as an educator in much the same way I see it enriching our students,” she said.