2007

From 12-15 July 2007 over 1,000 people gathered in Chicago for IB North America’s 26th annual regional conference. Brad Richardson, IB North America's Regional Director, began proceedings by inviting participants to "breathe in" the best memories of the year and "breathe out" all their frustrations. The conference was entitled "Educating for Our Shared Future," and attendees were challenged and inspired by four keynote speakers.

Room: Missouri

presented by Ann Wink, Programme Specialist, International Baccalaureate
Brian Doyle, Principal, Northline Elementary School
Patricia Rendon, GT Specialist, Region 1 Education Service Center
Peggy Bumanis, PYP Coordinator, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School STS

In this session you will hear from principals, PYP Consultants and Coordinators, Dual Language/GT Specialists, and the Grant Manager as they explain ESTUDIOS (Enabling Students to Understand and Demonstrate the Importance of Outstanding Scholarship) a J.K. Javits grant project designed to merge the IB Primary Years Programme with existing dual language programs in three Texas schools. With the aid of the PYP consultants and extensive training opportunities, ESTUDIOS Schools have made rapid progress in their efforts to better serve their students, especially those traditionally under-represented in gifted programs. Early data gathered will be shared. During the last 15 minutes the presenters will be joined by a Texas Education Agency Representative and select teachers from the school on a panel to answer questions.

Room: Superior A

presented by Tristian Stobie, Head of Diploma Programme development, International Baccalaureate

The learner profile is the embodiment of the IB mission statement in ten attributes. It provides for the first time a clear, unambiguous statement of the values that have always underpinned the structure and content of each of the programmes. This session explores how schools can develop the profile, with the focus on the Diploma Programme age range, although the presentation is also relevant for the other programmes.

Room: Michigan A and B

presented by Marion Pittman-Couch, Head of School, Paisley IB Magnet School, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Marion Pittman-Couch, Head of Paisley IB Magnet School, will pick up where her general session left off, facilitating a dialogue about the approach of IB for All. This session will give members of the IB community a chance to discuss issues and share ideas with Mrs Pittman-Couch, covering a broad range of topics including how to become a more effective educator using the tools provided through the structure of the IB Middle Years Programme.

Room: Arkansas

presented by Nathaniel L. Mills, Director of Peace Education, Coeus International School

Unless we actively teach our children peace, are they at risk of learning violence? Through interactive inquiry-based discussion, Coeus International School's Director of Peace Education will introduce participants to the invaluable role peace education can play in educating for our shared future. Participants will learn how studying the people, perspectives and pedagogy of peace can create cultural bridges in diverse communities. Coeus will share its efforts to establish an innovative Peace Studies curriculum at the MYP level, as an integral part of its MYP humanities program and a pre-cursor to a Peace Studies subject at the Diploma Programme levels.

Room: Erie

presented by Cassie Meyer, Outreach Education & Training Coordinator, Interfaith Youth Core
Noah Silverman, Curriculum and Product Development Coordinator, Interfaith Youth Core

Young people from different religious backgrounds are coming into contact with one another with increasing frequency. This interaction tends in one of two directions: conflict or cooperation. Cassie Meyer and Noah Silverman will introduce Interfaith Youth Core’s unique shared-values and service learning approach to building cooperation across religious differences through video and discussion; the workshop will feature the stories of the dynamic young people who are leading this work, explore Interfaith Youth Core’s “Sacred Stories” curriculum, and discuss how this work is relevant to the classroom.

Room: Colorado

presented by Marian C. Hulsey, IB English A1 HL Teacher, Classen School of Advanced Studies
Nancy Boudreau, IB Language B German Teacher, Classen School of Advanced Studies
Jennifer Robinson, IB Language B French Teacher, Classen School of Advanced Studies
Sue Waters, IB Language B Spanish Teacher, Classen School of Advanced Studies

Classen School of Advanced Studies is a public and specialty college preparatory school in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. To expand students' knowledge of the world in which they will take their places as informed and involved citizens, English A1 and Group 2 Language B teachers collaborated to create units that were "more than just literature". We will show some of the videotaped presentations of student work, and a PowerPoint demonstration of how teachers can adapt these ideas to their current world literature and language B classes. Also, using song and fable, we will demonstrate how languages sound more alike than different as they provide ways to share the world and the future by conveying the human experience.

Room: Mississippi

presented by John T W Hayton, Counselor (Education, Science and Training), Australian Embassy
Mike Woods, Education Counselor, New Zealand Ministry of Education
Amy Deppe, Senior Coordinator, Full Degree, AustraLearn

This session will examine how IB programmes are implemented in Australia and New Zealand compared to North America. Representatives from Australian Education International and New Zealand's Ministry of Education will give an overview of their respective countries' education systems and how the IB works in practice at primary, middle and diploma years. A representative from AustraLearn will present on university recognition policies in both countries. The session will cover topics including common issues and challenges, opportunities for growth, recognition of the IB Diploma at Australian and New Zealand universities, and global student mobility.

Room: Huron

presented by Andy Fletcher, President and CEO, Life, the Universe and Everything, Inc

The hostile debate over evolution and creationism rages, creating a gulf between people of faith and people of science. It's not a trivial debate, as questions such as stem cells, global warming, alternative energy, cloning, biotechnology and more are debated, the gap turns from benign to threatening. Science seems to have declared itself to be anti-God and religion has declared itself to be anti-science. Is there a way for science and religion to co-exist in a scientific and educational context? The answer seems to be yes, but both sides need to expand their worldviews within the context of pure science itself.