Category: Uncategorized

  • IB Diploma students, Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) can sometimes feel like one more requirement in an already demanding programme. But what if one of the simplest daily habits, walking to and from school, could meaningfully fulfill all three strands of CAS? Walking 30–45 minutes each day provides consistent, low-impact cardiovascular exercise. That alone should…

  • If there’s one book every IB Diploma student should read, regardless of their subject choices, it’s William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. More than just a adventurous and dark story of stranded schoolboys, this masterpiece is a study of the human experience, a thicket of ideas that dips into almost every DP subject. It’s not…

  • After watching a documentary on the 2004 disaster, a tourist cancels their trip to Phuket out of fear of a tsunami despite the statistical rarity of a tsunami. Their brain is hijacked by the availability bias, mistaking the vividness of the documentary for a high probability of another tsunami. Ironically, they choose to spend their…

  • Do you remember when teachers were agitated and dismayed and moaning into our Nescafe in the staffroom about Wikipedia? ‘Unreliable,’ we lamented. Wikipedia’s now become a relatively trusted and frequently visited website. It’s often the first stop for students (university and high school) researching  assignments, adults checking a fact, and even journalists refreshing their memories.…

  • Dual Processing Theory proposes that our thinking operates through two systems. System 1 is fast, automatic, and intuitive. It relies on gut feelings and mental shortcuts. System 2 is slower, deliberate, and analytical and it requires conscious effort and logical reasoning. System 1 helps us make quick decisions, but it’s also prone to bias and…

  • If there is one debate that overshadows every other in education, it is the question of respect for teachers. Once regarded as pillars of the community, teachers today often find themselves dismissed, distrusted, and demoralised. And let’s be honest: some of this is unfair, but some of it is self-inflicted. Start with the basics: salaries.…

  • Schools love a fad. Every decade or so, a new “miracle cure” for student stress, distraction, and bad behaviour sweeps through classrooms. Right now, that fad is mindfulness. Teachers dim the lights, tell kids to breathe deeply, and pretend that ten minutes of pseudo-meditation will fix everything from exam anxiety to playground bullying. Let’s be…

  • South Korea has taken a bold step by banning the use of mobile phones and smart devices during class hours. Beginning in March 2026, students will no longer be allowed to scroll, swipe, or stream in school. It’s a move that many argue is long overdue—and one that should spark a wider global conversation: should…

  • Criterion-referenced assessment in the IB and results

    Why is statistical scaling still used? All IB assessments—whether exams, internal assessments, Theory of Knowledge essays, Extended Essays, or CAS—are assessed using clearly defined criteria. These describe what a student must demonstrate to achieve a particular level of performance. For example, a criterion might state: “The student evaluates the implications of cultural dimensions on behaviour.”…

  • Many of us in IB classrooms are noticing an increase in students using AI to ‘assist’ wirh their IAs, Extended Essays, and TOK essays. But the question isn’t how do we stop students using AI? The better question is: why are they turning to it in the first place? In most cases, AI use is…