HOCKERILL Anglo-European College has celebrated another set of record-breaking International Baccalaureate (IB) results.
Source: Herts and Essex Observer
Foto: Herts and Essex Observer
Is this real, or is it real? In 2011 Hockerill obtained 99% pass rate for the IB Diploma with an average point score of 34.7. Things could only go downhill from there, right? Who would fault them for resting on their laurels? I wouldn’t, would you? Of course not…
Yet they didn’t rest on their laurels (unsurprisingly), the honours from yesteryear.
They got even better, incredible, but true, they were better than last year’s outstanding scholars.
The Bishop’s Stortford secondary school in Dunmow Road achieved a 100 per cent pass rate for 2012.
Pupils’ average points score was 36.2.
This compares with last year’s 99 per cent pass rate and an average point score of 34.7.
Some 26 per cent of Year 13 students scored 40 points or more. The top performers were Elliott Gordon, with 44 points, and Franz Hinzen and Justine Schaefer with 43.
Martina Armanni, Keir Baldwin, Pierandrea Conti, Hannah Russell and Lina Thewes scored 42 points.
School principal Simon Dennis said: “These results are outstanding and the best we have seen at the college. Our congratulations go to all our students, who worked so hard. We wish them continued success as they go on to university.”
An IB score of 34 points gains a UCAS tariff of 479 points, the equivalent of three A* grades at A-level.
The IB diploma requires an all-round academic commitment as well as contributions in areas such as creativity, action and service.
Another school, Felsted School, near Dunmow, also achieved its best IB results to date, with an average score of 34.4, up five points on last year.
**There must be something in the water over there, wouldn’t you agree? 
Fifteen students gained 34 points or more.
The highest scorer was German student Luise Wurlitzer with 42 points.
Other high flyers included classmates Mattia Pardini (41) and Danielle Standish (40).
A further nine students achieved 35 points or better and have secured university places to study degrees ranging from architecture, business and management and education to modern languages, history and law.
Felsted student Danielle Standish
Felsted headmaster Dr Michael Walker said:
“I am absolutely delighted with our results this year. We currently rank as one of the top IB schools in the UK and I look forward to the continued growth and success of the IB diploma programme at Felsted over the coming years.”
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The Pecha Kucha
I saw my first Pecha Kucha over three years ago. It was when I was working at Universidad Andrés Bello at Campus Casona in Santiago with the students in the English Pedagogy program. I admit I’ve been fascinated by “Pecha Kucha” ever since that first time. I remember being very impressed by the performance I watched. There were a number of reasons for this. For now, let me share with you why I find Pecha Kucha to be so impressive and fascinating as a presentation technique.
Firstly, when we speak of our first time doing something enjoyable, it’s always a good feeling. We like what we like, we know what we like, and because of that, we return often, to what we like.
As you can tell by now, I like Pecha Kucha.
Secondly, its principles are easy to understand and apply. It’s fast, it’s efficient, it’s effective, it’s collaborative, it’s visual, it’s easy to prepare, it’s fun. However, it does require practice, lots of it, to do this really well. Practice, oh what a sweet word in the ears of any EFL teacher. Students practicing what they are going to say, again and again, going over their own words, to speak about images they themselves have selected. Volumes of practice, huge quantities of practice, helping the students to achieve the eventual automaticity that is the hallmark of mastery.
Having said that, of all the principles of the Pecha Kucha, the most important principle is this: images are powerful.
Images convey meaning and emotions. In fact, the whole range of the human experience can be conveyed by images. For example, think of the images left on the walls of caves by cave men. No one needs a cave man to verbalize what you are seeing. You feel it – through your eyes – to your brain – to your emotions. It’s visual storytelling. That’s what the Pecha Kucha is, visual literacy in its purest form…
The International Baccalaureate [Kindle Edition]
The International Baccalaureate [Paperback]
The global search for high-quality education, embedded in high-performing education systems, has taken on mythical proportions, almost resembling the alchemists’ quest to turn common metals into gold.
It is my hope that the present day search for global education, equitable and providing equality of opportunity for all, shall not cease until the “gold” we seek, has been found.
I therefore dedicate this book to all the educators, researchers, parents and students the world over, who strive to achieve this elusive goal,high-quality education for all the citizens of the world.
In this endeavour, it is my belief that the International Baccalaureate merits a closer look, based on their more than 40 year history of delivering consistently excellent results.
I add that all of the reflections and views in this book are mine alone, unless otherwise noted, and can not be attributed to my employer or any other organization I am affiliated with, past or present. For any errors or oversights, I bear the complete responsibility.
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Amazon Author Page: Thomas Jerome Baker
Thomas Baker is the Past-President of TESOL Chile (2010-2011). He is the Head of the English Department at Colegio Internacional SEK in Santiago, Chile.
He is the Co-Founder and Co-Organiser of EdCamp Santiago, free, participant-driven, democratic, conversation based professional development for teachers, by teachers. EdCamp Santiago 2012 was held at Universidad Mayor in Santiago.
Thomas is also a past member (2011-2012) of the Advisory Board for the International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Association (HETL), where he also served as a reviewer and currently is the HETL Ambassador for Chile.
Thomas was recently selected for membership in the Fundación Telefónica and Fundación Educación 2020 Comunidad de Innovacón Escolar.
Thomas enjoys writing about a wide variety of topics. Thus far, he has written the following genres: romance, historical fiction, autobiographical, sports history/biography, and English Language Teaching. He has published a total of forty four (44) books overall.
The source and inspiration for his writing comes from his family, his wife Gabriela, and his son, Thomas Jerome Baker, Jr.
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