Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
Edited: Photo by Natalia Saban
It has been an eventful year for the Year 11s at RCHK so far. Having started and near finishing their Personal Projects, and embarking on a two-week experience into reality with their World of Work placements, Year 11’s can not catch a break!
With this said, the time of year has come around for students to start considering their IB diploma subjects which they will pursue in the next following two years. Choosing the right subjects can be a daunting task; with so many subject choices; it’s hard to know which ones are right for each student.
The Year 11 students are required to select a maximum of three higher level subjects and three standard level subjects; each subject fulfilling the IB requirements of at least one Science, Humanity, Language, English, Mathematics and optionally an Art; all by January 15th!
As the deadline fastly approaches, the RCHK faculty have arranged several DP taster sessions to aid in the decision making process of the Year 11 students. Additionally every student has been assigned a ‘Further Education’ counselor that provides additional advice on the subjects students may want to apply for.
The DP taster sessions are held during student’s respective class times of that subject. To create an atmosphere of a real learning experience, the class is assigned a different teacher to that of their normal lessons. The teacher then outlines the subject content at both Standard Level and Higher Level to provide the students with insight of grade boundaries and how time consuming the subject may be. Often, the teacher provides a small task of DP level work for the class to finish, to enhance the reality of the following years to come.
While the taster sessions may seem effective on paper, a few students think it could have been executed differently. An anonymous Year 11 student stated, ‘I thought the DP taster sessions were an excellent idea, however I think it would have been better to observe an ongoing class, as that would have provided Year 11 students with a more raw experience.’
Another student added, ‘The idea of being able to try a DP lesson was great, but I had hoped that the taster session would have consisted of more practical coursework, instead of relaying the content and grade boundaries.’
Simultaneously with the DP taster sessions, students and parents were advised to meet with their allocated FE counselors, for a greater understanding of what subjects would be beneficial to the students, in line with their future academic goals or aspirations. This was also accommodating to the parents as they were able to ask questions and further understand their child’s plans and how they are able to support them.
In regards to the FE meetings, Year 11 students were divided by how supportive the session was to their decisions and meeting university requirements.
Aspen Kwan shared that, ‘My FE counselor provided me with so much information that was beneficial to my decisions. I grasped a better understanding [of] my subjects and how they aligned with my university goals.’
Additionally, another student shared ‘to an extent, yes - but I still felt that it was very “do what you want to do” rather than giving me tangible advice. While this may work for others I feel like for me, it was kinda redundant.’
With this said, the allocated DP taster sessions and the FE meetings are a really effective way to help the students during their decisions. While they may not have been executed perfectly, the sessions are always improving and developing to assist and shape the students the best it can.
For existing Year 11 students and younger secondary years at RCHK, remember that there is always support provided by the school. Whether it’s your teachers, head of years, or the FE department.
It is also important to remember that this is not on a first come first serve basis, and all students will be accommodated for the best they can. Students also have until the coming September to change their minds, so nothing is set in stone.
Best of luck to Year 11!
