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Learning to Critically Evaluate in IB English

October 5, 2021

Anthony Wyatt, IB English Teacher, discusses what his goals are for his IB students
The IB Adventure begins your Junior year when you decide to pursue the full IB Diploma or select to study one or more of the six IB subjects.
The IB English Language & Literature Class is one of the most popular IB classes at Purcell Marian. There are 18 Juniors and eight Seniors who have accepted the challenge. Throughout the course, students will engage in close analysis of various text types and literary forms. They will consider their interpretations and the critical perspective of others to explore how cultural belief systems shape such positions.
When asked about the decision to select IB English Language & Literature, IB Junior responded with the following:
  • "I wanted the full IB experience and to get a deeper view of English (literature)." - Gretchen '23
  • "I wanted to challenge myself." - Rayana '23
  • "I decided to push myself and get out of my comfort zone." - Leslie '23
  • "I really enjoy English, and I wanted to be able to dive deeper into this subject and to be able to learn at my fullest potential." - Sarah '23.
The IB curriculum challenges students in multiple ways that go beyond the subject matter. It includes learning how to learn. Some challenges faced by IB Cavaliers include:
  • "Using my mind to answer tough questions and using evidence to back up statements I've made." - Isaac '22.
  • "Reading a book in a genre that I traditionally haven't read much. It's made me reflect and challenge my own beliefs and ideas." - Josey '22.
  • "Developing my critical thinking skills to be even larger than they were before." - Kayla '22.
Taking a risk is part of the IB Learner Profile and one of the Characteristics of a Cavalier. It's part of the classroom experience at PMHS. Here are some of the risks they've taken:
  • "Writing about topics that are new to us and doing extensive research on those topics beforehand." - Jacob '23
  • "Voicing my opinion, trying something out of my comfort zone." - Carlos '23
  • "Contributing to class discussions and being open-minded to hear others' opinions." - Khamyla '22
  • "Stepping out of my comfort zone and engaging more with projects and class discussions." -  Kayla '22

 

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