I think, therefore IB

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick update on how things are going with teaching the New Psychology Guide; this time focusing on Paper 1 assessment practice.

The biggest shift I’ve noticed so far is how much more intentional we need to be in preparing students for the types of questions they will face with the 4, 6, and 15 markers. Understanding these differences early has been important in helping students feel confident and grounded.

I have learned that students really need frequent, low-stakes exposure to these question types rather than waiting for a big assessment moment. So, every lesson we now do at least one practice/formative 4 or 6-marker question, and once a week we plan a 15-marker together. I keep this process quick and relatively stress-free by using a shared Google Doc as this allows us to build a collective sense of progress while keeping things collaborative.

“Chaos is order yet undeciphered”, from José Saramago’s novel The Double (2002)

At this stage, Paper 1 is our main class focus. I rarely mention Paper 2 yet; students are already juggling enough new ideas, and adding the internal assessment too early only increases anxiety. Instead, I tell them to “forget about Paper 2” until we reach the class practical at the end of our first Context. This mirrors how I’m handling the HLE and Research Methods, taking it slow, layering understanding, and prioritising confidence over coverage. I know this is tough in schools that want grades early in the course. I always say I don’t really start to form an IB picture of a student until January/February of Year 1. By this point they have been in exam conditions a few times and had time to build confidence with content and exam skills. 

Remember the 3Cs – but our 4th C is Confidence!

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