 | In a rapidly changing world, we must graduate young men and women who possess global wisdom. As future leaders, they will be better equipped to solve problems on an international scale. Dwight School fully supports the International Baccalaureate’s mission to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. In 1980, Anglo-American School, a separate 501(c)(3) organization, was the 58th school in the world to offer the IB Diploma Program, one of the world's most respected pre-university courses of study, which is now offered in 2,303 schools across 137 countries. Dwight students have the opportunity to earn the IB Diploma through the program administered by Anglo-American School. We have seen first-hand where a challenging, comprehensive, and balanced curriculum—both in and outside the classroom—leads.
The spirit that unifies Dwight School is that of faculty and students together living the life of IB learners and doers. Together, we study contemporary issues and advance their solutions. We study science and undertake seeing future frontiers today. We learn foreign languages and communicate with students abroad. Learning is meant to make us more human.
The Diploma Program provides a holistic educational experience, whereby students graduate with an expanded set of higher level thinking skills as a result of the diverse, concurrent study of specific disciplines. An emphasis is placed on written and oral language, including the ability to communicate in at least one second language. The program provides exposure to experiential learning through the Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) program at a sophisticated level, whereby students can take planned action and reflect on their resulting personal growth.
The Diploma Program boasts internationally-ratified high standards of criterion-referenced assessment in all subjects. These varied forms of assessment allow for students to demonstrate learning in multiple ways, including face-to-face orals, laboratory reports, projects, dossiers, exhibitions and portfolios as well as written examinations. The IB’s Learner Profile allows students to assess their progress against defined personal attributes. |
| | Diploma Program Department Statements ArtsThrough an international lens, the DP arts two-year programs immerse the students in the many ways in which the arts are made and presented. There is a strong emphasis on process, on work with others, and on placing oneself in the context of the long history of the arts. Our student artists are prepared for college and the global community as active learners, healthy citizens, and capable thinkers who are a part of rather than apart from their community. |
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EnglishEnglish classes in grades eleven and twelve follow the IB’s Diploma Program requirements. Through challenging questions and engaging works of literature, these courses introduce students to a range of texts from different periods, styles, cultures, and genres. DP English courses develop in students the ability to engage in close analysis of individual written texts, and to make relevant connections between these texts and their own lives. Students are taught to be precise, persuasive, and clear in both oral and written communications. Consistent with the values of the School and the IB, DP English classes recognize some of the complexities of our globalized world and aim to develop an appreciation for the different perspectives of people from other cultures. |
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LanguagesThe DP language program incorporates international-mindedness and the IB Learner Profile into the learning of a world language. Our teachers, all of whom are fluent and many of whom are native speakers, seek to light a flame, which will burn eternally in regard to other cultures and societies. Through verbal and written communication, students will come in contact with the world as a community. Students are introduced to a common language core and are encouraged to reflect, self-analyze, and think independently in a language other than their mother tongue. Through the learning of different languages, students develop an awareness and an appreciation of different points of view. The global objective of the DP Program is to furnish language learners with the solid foundations to be used in their studies, their professions, and in their leisure activities. Languages are the portals to the world.
Explanation of IB Languages:
Language A1: Literature course for native speakers .
Language B: Foreign language course for students who have studied the language for at least three years.
Language ab initio: An intensive foundation level course assuming little prior knowledge (only available in a few languages).
Language A2: A language course for bilingual students. Not available in many languages and only by special arrangement with the head of the language department. |
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MathStudents in the IB Diploma Program have a choice of three mathematics courses: Mathematical Studies, Mathematics at Standard Level, or Mathematics at Higher Level. The course each student chooses depends on his/her individual ability and interest, his/her academic career for the future, and his/her other choices of subjects within the Diploma Program. Mathematical Studies is designed to build confidence in students and their ability to apply mathematics in practical situations. Mathematics SL is suitable for students with strong mathematical skills who will study advanced topics in math including calculus and be prepared to study economics and science courses in university. Mathematics HL is for those who have a strong interest in and are proficient in all aspects of the subject and are likely to pursue courses in mathematics, physics, engineering and technology at university. |
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| Science As an expression of the value we place on providing choice and supporting the interests of students, Dwight is proud to offer all five Diploma Program sciences, from which students choose to study either one or two at Standard or Higher Level. In these final two years of high school, Diploma students dig deep into college-level material in the context of the ethical, social, and environmental implications of science and technology. In accordance with the DP Internal Assessment Criteria, Inquiry Learning continues, as students conduct laboratory investigations of their own design. More than ever in this millennium, the environmental problems and health challenges that arise are global in nature, demanding a truly collaborative international response. By contributing to the development of an informed citizenry as well as an open-minded and ethical scientific community of the future, Dwight science faculty members are supporting our students in their determination to build a better world. |
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Social StudiesThe Diploma Program is a two-year sequence to prepare students for the final IB examinations in May of their senior year. History, Business and Finance are offered at the Higher and Standard Levels. In addition, students may elect to take courses in Global Issues or Economics and Business.
The DP focus is on 20th Century World History. Topics covered include causes of World War I, The Interwar Years, The Russian, Chinese and Cuban Revolutions, Single Party States, the Cold War, and the Collapse of Communism. The emphasis is on interpreting primary and secondary sources, analyzing key issues, and advanced research. |
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