IB World - September 2008
Diversity is an idea many people are desperate to embrace but have a significant problem defining. In the world of education, the essential principle of being meritorious may often seem at odds with the idea of fostering diversity in the classroom.
Professor Lani Guinier has devoted her high-profile career to shattering many misconceptions about diversity and encouraging us to think differently about the way we use testing to define educational success, so it seemed natural to ask her to expand on her ideas. She offers a challenging critique of the current educational landscape and the changes all teachers need to implement in the classroom.
While Professor Guinier’s article gives food for thought, I believe she will be distinctly impressed by the activities taking place across the IB community and profiled in this issue, in particular Atlanta’s remarkable International Community School.
There are many schools with similar stories to tell of helping vulnerable students raise their educational standards and transform their lives, but ICS encapsulates so much of what IB stands for that nobody could fail to be moved by the efforts of Bill Moon and his staff as they battle against the odds.
Robert Jeffery, editor
September 2008 Articles
Diversity in action - Fair game
Injustice fired Lani Guinier to the top of her profession. Now she wants every school to think about how it treats students.
Read more - Diversity in action
Diversity in action: a school's story
With 380 pupils from more than 30 different countries, many unable to speak English, the International Community School in Atlanta should be on the educational scrapheap. Instead, it is winning awards and increasing its pupils’ grades every year.
Read more - Diversity in action: a school's story
Opinions - striving for unity in diversity
IB teachers share their experiences of diversity, as well as suggesting ways in which students and staff can benefit from it importance in the classroom.
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In our next issues
IB World always welcomes ideas, suggestions, thoughts and pictures from contributors around the world. In every issue we invite contributions on set themes.
For the next two issues, these themes are:
January 2009
Why language matters
How has your school overcome language barriers to deliver quality education? In a globalized world, why is language so important?
Copy deadline: 6 October
As well as our themed features, IB World also carries regular features in each issue that rely on reader contributions: these include Diary, Resources, Alumnus and Community.
If you are interested in writing for IB World, we would love to hear from you. Please email the editor at editor@ibo.org to discuss ideas.
