To ‘B’ or not to ‘B’

 My students have now been registered with IB for the 2012 exams, and, as usual, I have a couple who have decided to go down the option B route.

Globally, option B has never been a particularly popular choice, with a consistently small percentage of candidates choosing it over the years, and by far the majority taking option A.

I know of some schools that do not ever offer it – the only choice their students have is option A.

Having been the visiting examiner for schools like this, there have been a few times when option B would probably have been a better choice in assessment terms: talking to candidates whose studio work is weak but whose investigation workbook pages are consistently strong it’s clear that these students have either been badly advised or have disregarded that advice.

If I’m examining an option A student, the focus of our discussion is the studio work, even if the investigation workbooks appear to outweigh and outshine much of the artwork on display.

Anyway, option B will not be a possibility for much longer – the new course has no option choices.

My two option B students have enjoyed the workbook from the start. In fact one of them previously took MYP art and also enjoyed the Developmental Workbook.

They are now (hopefully) going through their volumes of workbooks and selecting their top 40 – the pages that best exemplify their achievements in the investigation descriptors.  On the other hand, since it’s the Christmas break, they may be relaxing – nothing wrong with that!

Merry Christmas, all!