The Finishing Touches

January 23, 2017

This post considers the final parts of the teaching of the IB physics course. Although there is usually still a way to go (especially for HL), the teaching should be in its final stages and the crucial revision process then begins (if it has not already started –...

Revision can’t start too early

December 16, 2016

Experienced teachers will be aware of the fact that the IB exams for Physics (particularly for HL) changed last year with the new syllabus – on the surface, they got harder.  It was not really clear why this should be so – certainly the feedback (as small as it was...

Extended Essays are a nightmare

June 15, 2016

Having just completed the marking of 59 Physics extended essays for the IB, I am compelled to write this post about the appalling quality of them.  Of the 59, only a handful scored over 20/36 – which is pretty poor.  The main reasons are: 1. Theoretical and...

They think it’s all over, it is now – NOT!

May 10, 2016

This blog is being written at the end of quite a stressful weekend for the students.  The first two Physics exams (P1 & P2) were on Friday and then the final P3 today. Part of my build-up for the students is to always tells them that the best way to revise is to...

Revision for your students is a mini-nightmare!

April 27, 2016

This is really the 11th hour for the IB2 students – the final exams are VERY close and they should all be working ridiculously hard on their revision – and physics teachers should all be working to help wherever possible. This final comment does sound a little...

Something wicked this way comes

May 7, 2015

The new IA needs to be addressed very soon. If you have not given this some thought, then you could be heading for problems. The Old and New.  As teachers will know, the new form of the Gp4 IA is very different to the old.  In some ways better and in others, worse. ...