Roem

The experience was different for me, I was in the AP program up until Pre-IB classes started in junior high. So we had more time for integration, though from what I'd heard from past graduates the early years were very messy. I still felt babysat in both programs but compared to the few normal-level classes I took, I definitely felt more independent (as far as you can be independent in a state school, of course..). We had more opportunities to have input on the curriculum and there was less regurgitation, hence my wondering whether it could be compatible with un-schooling if in a non-coercive environment. I agree that the program itself doesn't give training for the job market. It approaches it in some ways through the CAS because you have to go out and be involved in your community, but they prohibit you from including any money-earning activities as CAS which isn't too helpful. I'm thinking about going towards Business Professionals of America club so that I can slip in some hours towards that avenue. Yea, I'm sure TOK teachers across the board aren't FDR-minded (it seems that most of them come from a more religious mindset) but that was the only class which got close to it, in my experience. He had us spend the first week criticizing the grading system and the authoritarian setup of public schools, how kids are coming out vastly unprepared for the working environment and then get saddled with overwhelming debt in college etc., which no doubt made him unpopular among the staff. -Yup. That was the primary reason why I stayed with advanced programs because I figured that if I had to be there, I might as well go for the highest level. And because of all the time they allow us for independent study, I'm in the library computer lab for at least half an hour every day using their tech to deprogram myself with Wikileaks and FDR podcasts . So there's that benefit too.

Guten Tag, Listeners I'm new to the forum but I've been following Freedomain Radio for over a year now and in the topic of Education I have yet to see the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program discussed at all. I would mainly want thoughts from people who know about it / have experienced it; but for those who haven't heard of it, it's a rigorous non-profit international education program that was initially formed in Geneva, Switzerland in the 60s and is now offered across the world (almost 4k schools in 147 countries). It claims to promote things such as "having a world-view/ being internationally-minded." It is also meant to be college-preparatory in the sense that classes have the structure and expectations of college courses, though with middle- and high school students (many colleges now offer extra credits for completed IB courses so that you don't have to take those classes at uni). It would also be worth mentioning that the program was created to educate the children of diplomats who would be doing a lot of traveling. My experience: In summary, I would say that the majority of my criticisms for the success of the program have to do with normal-level public school BS which obviously would get in the way of anything enlightened if it indeed showed up. For example there's a Theory of Knowledge class that my school has just dropped as a course (though they're pretending they've just tagged it onto the Language Arts course) and that was the one area where I felt they were approaching FDR-type discussions: about the foundations of our knowledge systems, cultural and gender biases, how most people really have no clue/ don't want to admit why they believe what they believe etc. It wasn't surprising that the other supposedly "IB" teachers (who are essentially regular p.s. teachers) proceeded throughout the year to make sophist ad hominem attacks against him (ex. "He's crazy," "This makes no sense, like when [x] talks"). So what are your thoughts on it? Do you think it's compatible with un-schooling? (sorry if I don't reply; as a newbie my posts are limited)