by Khalida Lockheed | Nov 30, 2020
This has been a challenging year for all students, but for our 12th graders, finishing internal assessment tasks and preparing for exams with the uncertainty of whether or not these exams would, in fact, take place, was particularly challenging and stressful. The wonderful news is that they were all successful in completing and handing in all their work and uploading it to IB to be examined externally by IB examiners. Furthermore, Futuro Verde was one of only three IB World schools in Costa Rica to elect to hold in-person exams, permitted by both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health. After in depth investigation regarding the required health protocols and the methods and algorithms used by the IB to calculate scores when no in person exams are conducted, it was clear that it was in our students best interest to sit the exams, if possible. Worldwide, roughly 75% of IB students sat exams with only 25% electing the alternative assessment route.
On November 13th, the 12th graders finished their last exams, which were sent off via DHL to England to be distributed internationally for assessment. Final scores will be released to the students in early January. We are so proud of their achievement, no matter what their scores! Meanwhile, our 12th graders are wasting no time as they prepare university applications, find employment while they wait for university admission, and prepare for their graduation.
by Khalida Lockheed | Jul 6, 2020
Internal Assessments in the time of COVID
While most other students have been enjoying vacation from online schooling, our IB students have been working diligently to complete those famous IB Internal Assessment (IA) tasks for each of the 6 courses, including a TOK essay and the 4000 word Extended Essay. We have been very impressed with the high quality work being done by our students, their dedication and commitment. Our 11th grade IB cohort have only just begun this process, but are taking advantage of the online learning context to get a jump start on their IAs. 12th graders, on the other hand, are catching up, polishing and finishing up, spending hours every day in intensives with their teachers and then spending more hours working independently! They are truly making us all very proud.
This year, in particular, puts extra pressure on completing high quality IAs due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the possibility of cancelled exams. The IAs will no longer be moderated externally by the IB but will, in fact, be marked externally by the IB. Basically, what this means is that these tasks which perviously were graded by our teachers according to the standards of IB will now be graded by the IB examiners themselves wherever in the world they might be!
Reved up for External Assessments
At the close of the vacation period, 12th graders will shift their focus from completing IAs to preparing for external exams. These external exams will take place in November over the course of three weeks and are synchronous globally to all IB students taking exams in November. To help students prepare for these long written exams, we will be holding mock exams at the end of July. These mock exams will help students become familiarized with the procedure and process of the IB exams and will make visible to both student and teacher alike any areas of content needing extra study and attention.
We applaud our hardworking IB students (Shout Out!) and give our profound gratitude to our hardworking IB teachers for their dedication! IB absurdly proud.
by Khalida Lockheed | Jul 6, 2020
Evaluaciones internas en tiempos de COVID
Mientras que la mayoría de los estudiantes han estado disfrutando un descanso de las clases en línea, nuestros estudiantes del IB han estado trabajando arduamente para terminar esas famosas tareas de Evaluación Interna (IA) del IB para cada uno de los 6 grupos de asignaturas, entre ellos un ensayo de TOK y la Monografía de 4000 palabras. Nos ha impresionado mucho el trabajo de alta calidad realizado por nuestros estudiantes, su dedicación y compromiso. Nuestra generación del 11º grado del IB acaba de comenzar este proceso, pero están aprovechando el contexto de aprendizaje en línea para comenzar sus IAs. ¡Los alumnos de 12º grado, por otro lado, se están poniendo al día, puliendo y terminando, pasando horas todos los días en intensivos con sus profesores y luego pasando más horas trabajando de forma independiente! Realmente nos están haciendo sentir muy orgullosos.
Durante este año, en particular, existe una presión extra para realizar IAs de alta calidad debido a la pandemia de COVID-19 y a la posibilidad de que se cancelen los exámenes. Los IAs ya no serán moderados externamente por el IB sino que serán marcados externamente por el IB. ¿Qué significa eso? ¡Significa que estas tareas que antes se calificaban por nuestros profesores de acuerdo a los estándares del IB serán calificadas por los mismos examinadores del Bachillerato Internacional, donde sea que estén en el mundo!
Listos para las evaluaciones externas
Al final del período de vacaciones, los alumnos de 12º grado cambiarán su enfoque desde terminar las IAs a prepararse para los exámenes externos. Estos exámenes externos se llevarán a cabo en noviembre durante tres semanas y están sincronizados globalmente con todos los estudiantes de IB que toman exámenes en noviembre. Para ayudar a los estudiantes a prepararse para aquellos exámenes escritos extensos, haremos simulacros de exámenes a finales de julio. Estos exámenes simulacros ayudarán a los alumnos a familiarizarse con el procedimiento y el proceso de los exámenes del IB y harán visible, tanto para el alumno como para el profesor, cualquier área de contenido que necesite estudio y atención adicional.
Aplaudimos a nuestros trabajadores estudiantes de IB (¡Shout Out!) y damos nuestra profunda gratitud a nuestros trabajadores profesores de IB por su dedicación! IB absurdamente orgulloso.
by Khalida Lockheed | Jun 5, 2020
For the last several years, Futuro Verde has showcased student talent in the arts during the second half of June at the annual Futuro Verde’s Got Talent show which has also been compatible for students wishing to participate in the national Student Arts Festival (FEA) run the by Ministry of Public Education. This year, 2020, has disrupted many plans, however. With MEP cancelling the national FEA competition, we are no longer bound by the dates generally stipulated by them. Therefore, we all have more time to prepare!
Currently we plan on holding this event in early September, in conjunction with our IB Visual Arts Exhibit and Music Concert. This event may be partially virtual, depending upon the evolution of the coronavirus in our area and the impact upon in-person learning at schools. Whether we end up watching an event live in-person or virtually on Zoom or another platform, we are all anxious to share the creativity and talent of our amazing students (and staff!) The FVGT team invites students to fill in the enclosed form to indicate what talent they would like to showcase at our event. Join the fun!
by Khalida Lockheed | Jun 5, 2020
Durante los últimos años, Futuro Verde ha mostrado el talento de los estudiantes en las artes durante la segunda mitad de junio en el espectáculo anual Futuro Verde’s Got Talent, que también ha sido compatible para los estudiantes que deseen participar en el Festival de las Artes Estudiantiles (FEA) del Ministerio de Educación Pública. Sin embargo, este año, 2020, ha interrumpido muchos planes. Con la cancelación por parte del MEP de la competición nacional del FEA, ya no estamos obligados a cumplir con las fechas generalmente estipuladas por ellos. Por lo tanto, ¡todos tenemos más tiempo para prepararnos!
Actualmente planeamos celebrar este evento a principios de septiembre, en conjunto con nuestra Exhibición de Artes Visuales y Concierto Musical del IB. Este evento puede ser parcialmente virtual, dependiendo de la evolución del coronavirus en nuestra área y el impacto en el aprendizaje presencial en las escuelas. Ya sea que terminemos viendo un evento en vivo en persona o virtualmente en Zoom u otra plataforma, todos estamos ansiosos por compartir la creatividad y el talento de nuestros increíbles estudiantes (¡y del personal!) El equipo de la FVGT invita a los estudiantes a completar el formulario adjunto para indicar qué talento les gustaría exhibir en nuestro evento. Únanse a la diversión!
