Diploma Programme, Block 4: Saturday 11:15 to 12:45

College Admissions in An Ideal World

Room: Ontario

presented by Ted O'Neill, Dean of Admissions, University of Chicago

Does the college admissions process really need to be so crazy? With record number of applicants, universities are admitting a smaller percentage than ever. Some students apply to 20 colleges or more, and spend thousands of dollars on private college counseling. Add in early decision, early action, a student loan scandal, and the normal stress of senior year, and you have a volatile mix. But Ted O'Neill, one of the most respected and outspoken deans of admissions in North America, believes the process need not be so difficult. We challenged him: if he were able to change whatever he wanted, what changes would he make? How can we work together to move towards a saner, fairer and more balanced system.

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Applying to Oxford University as an Undergraduate Student

Room: Mississippi

presented by Peter Mitchell, Professor of African Archaeology/Tutor and Fellow in Archaeology, University of Oxford/St Hugh's College

Oxford University is actively seeking to recruit more talented international students for its undergraduate body and, in particular, wishes to boost applications from North America and from those taking the IB. This session explains why such students should consider applying to Oxford and provides information on the kinds of degree and unique forms of teaching offered by this world-class institution. It also explains the application process that candidates must follow and offers guidance on the completion of application forms, the kinds of offers made by Oxford Colleges and the format of interviews held each year in Vancouver and New York.

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Theory of Knowledge for Adults

Room: Columbus A&B

presented by Steve Hreha, Diploma Programme Coordinator, Champlain Regional College

We talk a lot about this thing called Theory of Knowledge (TOK), but do we really know what students experience in their TOK classroom? If you ever wondered, here is your chance to find out. A master of TOK teacher will facilitate a "typical" TOK discussion, based on a short reading that will be provided during the session. This session provides a chance to refine your critical thinking skills, to find your voice, and to get a peek behind the scenes at one of the most compelling features of an IB education. This session will be limited to a maximum of 25 participants.

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From Worst to Best Practice: Creating an IB Team

Room: Missouri

presented by Anthony di Battista, Superintendent of Schools, West Morris Regional High School District
Alyce Hunter, Director of Curriculum, West Morris Regional High School
Kathleen Kremins, Diploma Programme Coordinator, West Morris Regional High School
Debbie Gonzalez, Diploma Programme Coordinator, West Morris Central High School

The West Morris Regional District has created a strong and supportive IB team, uniting all of the participants in the IB process: administrators, faculty, students and parents. We will explain the creation of vertical teams for curricular development, Extended Essay supervisor training for the full faculty and staff, an IB mentoring program, an IB Parent Boosters group, an IB retreat for faculty and another for incoming sophomores as well as ongoing staff development in IB pedagogy. Administrators and IB coordinators embrace the philosophy of a collaborative approach and open dialogue between team members in order to encourage excellence as a habit of mind in teaching and learning. All session participants will receive a CD that includes our IB Handbook as well as memos, calendars, letters, news articles and PowerPoint presentations that we have used effectively in the district.

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Using Literature to Achieve Social Justice

Room: Huron

presented by John Burke, Diploma Programme Coordinator, Catholic Memorial High School

The study of literature is much more than an academic exercise. Used correctly, literature can engage students in meaningful, interdisciplinary discourse on global issues of social justice. Discover how exposing your students to cross-cultural, international texts develop their understanding of contemporary human experiences. Acquire new strategies for incorporating literature into broader discussions about how people around the world confront and resolve important ethical issues.

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