Breaking Down the IB Learner Profile

The IB learner profile at the Diploma level is to “develop internationally minded people who, recognising their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world”.

This allows students to be lifelong learners. The IB programme incorporates the philosophy of the learner profile into the specific programme guides. Learning how to think critically is good for students who progress to university – in higher education, students receive a lot less handholding and guidance. They should learn how to work independently and develop solid research skills as soon as possible.

10 Key Attributes to the IB Learner Profile:

·         Inquirers

·         Knowledgeable

·         Thinkers

·         Communicators

·         Principled

·         Open-minded

·         Caring

·         Risk-takers

·         Balanced

·         Reflective

IB learners need to have natural curiosity. This shows through when they choose their Extended Essay and Internal Assessment topics – students should choose a topic which piques their natural curiosity. A love of learning will carry you through your assignments and sustain you throughout your life. IB students see lifelong learning as a mission – they should not memorise information for the sake of passing their exams. Instead, IB students should develop skills to become critical thinkers and recognise and solve complex problems.

Reflective students are what the IB programme seeks – students should give due consideration to their own learning and experience. They should see their strengths and weaknesses and make plans to improve upon their weaknesses. Students will need to do reflections three times during the process of writing their EE – this is a good time to evaluate how the journey went and think about how they could overcome their limitations in future.

Get a 7 for IB Chemistry (HL/SL) with the IB Chemistry Clinic today!

As the name suggests, the IB Chemistry Clinic does not only fix a student’s grades - it helps students with critical components of the IB Programme, namely the Internal Assessment (IA) which is worth at least 20% of a student’s grade and their Extended Essay (EE) in Chemistry.

The IA and EE are a non-negotiable part of the Chemistry curriculum - without them, students will not be able to graduate with an IB Diploma. However, there are many difficulties associated with conducting experiments for the IA and EE - many replications are required and the standard for the final deliverable - the research report - is high. Students need to undertake statistical testing and present their final results coherently and concisely.

Although the IB school provides mentors for the EE and teachers at school can guide students through their IA, attention to each student is often limited in a classroom setting and many students are left to figure things out by themselves. This results in difficulty completing internal deadlines on time, especially when a student needs to juggle all their 6 subjects and the additional components of the IB, along with their CCAs and other commitments.

The IB Chemistry Clinic is here to answer all your questions - whether it is about content knowledge or fixing errors in your experimental setup as you undertake your IA journey, our skilled tutors with a strong background in Chemistry research and 30 years of experience teaching Chemistry are here to help!

Contact us at +65 9616 1651 to book your slot today!

Frequently Asked Questions:

How hard is it to get a 7 in IB?

With time and effort, students who know the syllabus well and are well-prepared and have well-written assignments will easily get a 7 in the IB.

Is IB harder than A Levels Singapore?

The A Level exam is more difficult than the IB exam, but IB involves the Internal Assessment (IA) which features independent research which could be harder than the A Level exam.

Is 43 in IB a good score?

An IB score of 43 is an excellent score.

What is the hardest IB subject combination?

One of the hardest IB subject combinations is PCME, which involves HL Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, along with SL Economics.

What IB score is needed for Harvard/Oxford?

The minimum IB score for Harvard and Oxford is 40 points out of 45 points.

Is 28 a bad IB score?

The average IB score throughout the years has ranged between 28 to 30 points. All students need to score a minimum of 24 points across 6 subjects to be awarded an IB diploma.