Back in 1990, just 301 schools entered 13,000 students for the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme. This year, it was a staggering 2,926 schools entering 166,278 students for the globally recognised qualification.

As more schools adopt the programme, more teachers need to be upskilled in the curriculum. But that can feel like learning a new language. 

So, how can we make sure our inductions for teachers new to the IB are robust and useful? The answer, according to IB teacher Dann Gronland, who teaches at Marymount International School in Rome, lies in the inclusion of three crucial components:

Pre-induction

“In an ideal world, a pre-induction would involve some structured guidance to support a new teacher,” Gronland suggests.

This pre-induction could include reading an IB guide for their subject and also some reflection questions to think over before they begin. 

“Reflection questions can provide the new teacher with a starting point for discussion with their departmental head during their actual induction,” says Gronland. “This encourages new teachers to think about the curricular goals of the programme in relation to courses they have already taught (usually A level), as well as providing an opportunity for an experienced IB teacher to deal with any early misconceptions as they arise about the focuses and goals of the teaching and learning.”

Deconstructed exemplars

When you go to IKEA and buy a wardrobe, the instruction booklet has a picture of what the wardrobe should look like when it’s finished. Just as this is helpful for Scandinavian furniture, it’s also helpful for teaching. We need to know what the thing we’re trying to build should look like.

Gronland suggests beginning with student exemplar work and then deconstructing it.

“It is so much easier for teachers to orient their teaching towards the things that matter for the students if they have seen the kind of work that picks up good scores on the assessments,” Gronland advises.

“This is often the biggest thing that is lacking for new IB teachers, and without doing this first, teaching can feel like they are fumbling to open the front door when the porch light is not working...and you’re not sure you’ve even got the right keys!”

Two brains are better than one

Even the most experienced teacher will learn from observing colleagues, and this is particularly useful when you’re embarking upon a new qualification.

“I think the best model for inducting new staff would be a combination of co-planning and joint observations of first-year IB classes with a supportive mentor,” Gronland says. 

“An emphasis on the oral tasks in the language subjects (and perhaps the report-style tasks in sciences) would be particularly helpful to new recruits, as these forms of assessment have been largely killed off in formal settings like the new GCSEs and A levels. Re-learning how to teach students to speak with confidence in critical and analytical modes is a vital thing to get right in the IB.”

Find more information about the International Baccalaureate including resources, news and more