The IB Diploma is an academically demanding and balanced programme of education that helps students get ready for success at university and life beyond. The above model provides a visual depiction of the DP’s various components which make it such an exceptional holistic programme and these include:

1. At the centre is the IB Learner Profile which are the attributes the IB expects to see grow and develop in the life of the student
2. Approaches to teaching and learning are included in the second circle demonstrating the DP’s commitment to particular pedagogical approaches to teaching and to developing particular skills for learning.
3. The IB Diploma is a holistic programme and this is reflected in the third circle. All Diploma students complete three core requirements: Creativity, Activity & Service, Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay.
4. As the diagram’s fourth and widest circle shows, DP students study six subjects — one from each subject group. To attain a Diploma at the conclusion of the 2-year programme of study, three courses must be taken at Higher Level and three at Standard Level. These distribution requirements ensure that the science-oriented student is challenged to learn a foreign language and that the natural linguist becomes familiar with laboratory procedures. While overall balance is maintained, flexibility in selecting an extra subject from one subject group allows the students to pursue areas of personal interest and to meet special requirements for university entrance.
5. With “international-mindedness”, the outer circle gives the required emphasis to how all DP teaching and learning should take place within a spirit of tolerance and healthy openness as students grow as global citizens.

Group 1 courses are designed to support future academic study by developing high levels of language competence and communication skills as well as social, aesthetic and cultural literacy. Literature plays a central role in the courses, which aim to support lifelong learning through engaging students as actively as possible with the texts they study. Each course highlights a different perspective in the study of texts.

Group 1 courses are suitable for students who have experience of using the language in an academic context. This is not a course with emphasis on grammar, syntax and other basic competencies in that language.

In Group 1 courses have a focus towards developing an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism in context and promoting the ability to form independent literary judgments.

Language A Literature courses will be offered in English, Swahili and Self-taught Mother Tongue.

The Language and Literature course is only in English (and only on Moshi Campus).

Group 2 courses exist to provide students with the opportunity to acquire or develop an additional language (or languages) and to promote an understanding of other cultures through the study of language. Please find below an outline of the Group 2 Language courses.

LANGUAGE B (Higher & Standard levels)

Language B SL and HL are language acquisition courses for students with some background in the target language. While learning this additional language, students also explore the culture(s) connected to it. Standard and higher levels are differentiated by the recommended teaching hours, the depth of syllabus coverage, the study of literature at HL, the level of difficulty and the demands of assessment and the assessment criteria.

The range of purposes and situations for which and in which the language is used in the language B courses extends well beyond those at ab initio.

Note: A native speaker of a language cannot take it as a language B, even at HL, unless they have never studied it in school

ENGLISH B, FRENCH B, DUTCH B and SWAHILI B (Higher and Standard levels)

The English, French, Swahili and Dutch B programmes are offered at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard level (SL). (Swahili B is only offered on Arusha Campus. Dutch B will require the payment of an additional fee). They are most appropriate for those students who wish to continue studying French/Swahili/English/Dutch as a second or foreign language, after having previously studied the language for at least two years.

LANGUAGE ab initio (Standard level)

The language ab initio (beginner) course is a language acquisition course for students with little or no experience of the language. Students are not eligible if they have studied the language 3 or more years out of the last 5 years or within the last two years

Each theme has a list of topics that provide the students with opportunities to practice and explore the language as well as to develop intercultural competence. The students develop a greater awareness of cultures through language learning. Through the development of receptive, productive and interactive skills, students acquire the ability to respond and interact appropriately in a defined range of everyday situations. Each ab initio language has a language-specific syllabus that is used in conjunction with the IB guide.

Ab initio courses will be offered in Swahili, Spanish (Moshi Campus) and French (Arusha Campus).

Students with a strong interest in the Humanities can include two group 3 subjects in their IB Diploma programme, using one to meet the group 6 elective requirement.

Environmental Systems and Societies is a Standard-level curriculum only.

In addition, all students are required to spend 20% of the teaching time following a scheme of practical/investigative work. All students carry out an individual investigation, their IA, which counts towards their final grade. The Group 4 project is carried out jointly by students studying Biology, Chemistry or Physics in order to apply science skills collaboratively across the disciplines to investigate real life issues.

Students with a strong interest in Science can include two group four subjects in their IB Diploma programme meeting the group 6 elective requirement.

Course Objectives

As a DP mathematics student, you will be expected to demonstrate the following:

• Knowledge and understanding: Recall, select and use your knowledge of mathematical facts, concepts and techniques in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
• Problem solving: Recall, select and use your knowledge of mathematical skills, results and models in both abstract and real-world contexts to solve problems.
• Communication and interpretation: Transform common realistic contexts into mathematics; comment on the context; sketch or draw mathematical diagrams, graphs or constructions both on paper and using technology; record methods, solutions and conclusions using standardized notation; use appropriate notation and terminology.
• Technology: Use technology accurately, appropriately and efficiently both to explore new ideas and to solve problems.
• Reasoning: Construct mathematical arguments through use of precise statements, logical deduction and inference and by the manipulation of mathematical expressions.
• Inquiry approaches: Investigate unfamiliar situations, both abstract and from the real world, involving organizing and analysing information, making conjectures, drawing conclusions, and testing their validity.

Diploma mathematics courses all require the use of a graphic display calculator. We recommend the TI-84 Plus from Texas Instruments. These are available to purchase from the school, but may be cheaper elsewhere. Instruction will be given in class using the TI-84 Plus.

Course Selection

The DP mathematics courses are designed for different types of students: those who wish to study mathematics as a subject in its own right, or to pursue their interest in areas related to mathematics, and those who wish to gain understanding and competence in how mathematics relates to the real world and to other subjects. There are many elements common to both courses although the approaches may be different. Great care should be taken to select the course and level that is most appropriate for you.

In making your course selection, you should take into account the following factors:

• your own abilities in mathematics and the type of mathematics in which you can be successful;
• your own interest in mathematics and those particular areas of the subject that may hold the most interest for you;
• your other choices of subjects with the framework of the DP;
• your academic plans, in particular subjects you wish to study in the future;
• your future choice of career.

As a general rule if you are going down the Human Science, Engineering or Mathematics route consider Analysis and Approaches. If you are going for Social Sciences then consider Applications and Interpretations. If you are considering Economics then it varies according to university. Look at the university acceptance documents for more information from universities. However, your ability should drive your choice of both career and Mathematics course.

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)

CAS is an important part of the holistic nature of the IB diploma it involves students in experiences that encompass creativity, activity and service.

Creativity encourages students to create an “original or interpretative product or performance”. Activity seeks to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Service is about “Collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need”. Moreover, students are involved in at least one CAS project, this is a collaborative and longer term covering at least one of the strands.

Theory of Knowledge (ToK)

Students examine and reflect on the nature of knowledge in this interdisciplinary course. This course develops a coherent approach to learning that unifies the academic disciplines. In this course on critical thinking, students inquire into the nature of knowing and deepen their understanding of knowledge construction. At the heart of ToK’s content is the question ‘How do we know that something is true, or an assertion is well grounded?’ Other questions explored in the course are the following: What counts as knowledge? How does it grow? What are its limits? Who owns knowledge? How do different disciplines justify knowledge?

Extended Essay (EE)

Students investigate a self-generated research question by undertaking independent research in one of their DP subject areas, culminating in a 4,000-word academic and fully referenced paper that follows the IB guidelines for Academic Integrity. This project offers the opportunity to investigate a topic of special interest and acquaints the student with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected at university.