IB Asia Pacific Newsletter

January - March 2006

Networks and Associations

IB subregional associations and networks are groups formed by and for IB school practitioners. These groups enable teachers and administrators to

Meet, share and learn from other IB practitioners on a regular basis
Discuss current issues and particular challenges relevant to the country or region and brainstorm for solutions
Provide support to newly authorized or candidate IB World Schools
Promote wider understanding of the IB programmes
Provide forums for collective discussion and debate on policy and curriculum issues
Provide feedback to RHRC members and to the Programme Managers in the Regional Office
Provide feedback to the regional office on any relevant topics e.g significant educational developments or law changes
Support the Regional Office in establishing improved university and ministry recognition
Identifying collective CAS initiatives
Sports events
Artistic, drama collaborations

Singapore

On Friday 20 January 2006, almost all the IB authorized and candidate schools across all three programmes attended the first IB schools Association meeting hosted by United World College of South East Asia.

Judith Guy, Regional Director IBAP, gave an overview of the advantages of setting up an Association, which included professional development opportunities and teachers working in collaboration across schools.

In conclusion, it was agreed that at the present time, the Singapore schools would form an informal association.

The purpose of the group would be to:

“Provide a forum to discuss concerns and matters of mutual interest.”

The second meeting was held on Thursday, 9 March 2006. The next meeting will be held in September 2006.

News from IB Asia-Pacific LIS: Library group for Asia Pacific region

Librarians in the Asia Pacific region might like to know about the following issues that the committee, elected last July, is working on at the moment:

Ongoing liaison with regional office about ongoing developments for IB librarians in the region.
Chair of group, Jane Viner attended IB Asia-Pacific LIS meeting in Canberra, Australia, with 30 teacher librarians. The chair will write up an account of this meeting, and post on the IB Online Curriculum Centre (OCC).
One of our committee members is resigning from the committee. Many thanks to Sue Bonifant of Somerset School, Queensland, Australia for her contributions. We are looking for someone to join the committee and we would particularly welcome someone working in the South Asian region (India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka). Anyone interested should please contact Jane Viner (Chair) at vinermj@mlc.vic.edu.au or Yvonne Barrett (Secretary) at yvonne_barrett@ais.com.sg. We look forward to hearing from you.
Guidelines for libraries. Please see the document in the resources section of the OCC and also, the thread on the librarians’ forum. For the next steps, please look at OCC for developments.
Workshops. Our strategy is to aim to integrate workshops for librarians into other workshops times/venues, so librarians are integrated with PD opportunities for colleagues from their and other schools, whatever the subject/sector difference, and we are liaising with the regional office about progressing this aim.
An idea, suggestions, comments are welcome and we would like to encourage everyone to please use OCC for this and other communication.

Information prepared by Anthony Tilke on behalf of the Committee of IB Asia-Pacific LIS

News from Networks and Associations

We would like to receive more regular updates from networks and associations across the region. Please email your article and photographs to ibap@ibo.org.

Networks and Associations in the region

AAIBS

The AAIBS was established specifically to assist schools in Australasia, providing a network of professional support, information and service. The AAIBS has information on entrance requirements for universities throughout the region.

AAIBS Conference

The upcoming AAIBS conference will be held at Somerset College on the Gold Coast in July. Please click here for registration information.

Contact info@aaibs.org.

SAIBSA

SAIBSA members are authorized or implementing schools and its education practicioners. SAIBSA aims to facilitate communication with authorized and implementing IB schools in the South Asia sub-region and with the South Asia sub-regional office.

http://saibsa.org/universities.htm

AIBSIJK

The AIBSIJK started by the heads and coordinators of the Diploma programmes meets twice a year. The September meeting is an AGM for heads and co-ordinators of all three programmes of IB World Schools. The May meeting attended by DP coordinators is devoted to discussions pertaining to the Diploma examinations.

Contact kbaker@sfs.or.kr or jswitzer@sfs.or.kr.