Could I get kicked out of MYP/Pre-IB & advice on exams/tests?

[Guest yuki25]

So I'm currently in Gr.9 of the MYP program and am worried about my marks...

Before I entered the MYP program, my grades were great and I usually always got an 80%+ in all subjects.

But since I entered the program and started highschool in september, my marks are dropping, mostly in math. The highest I ever got in math was a 5 (on a scale of 6) and that was only for a communication assignment. So far i've gotten two 3's, two 4's and one 5 (unit tests)

I do study and do my homework, but it seems that every time I write a test I do badly on it. I know its only gr.9 math, but i'm finding the course really fast-paced and difficult. Plus, it's mandatory in my school to take the gr.10 math course next semester.

I'm tired of being disappointed because I would always get 85's and up in math last year and have never struggled like this before. I would like some advice on how to ace the exams (which are worth 40-50% of our final mark, the most weighted exam I've ever done). Also, I was wondering if you could get kicked out of the program if you don't keep your marks above a level 5. (the IB standard I heard?)

[dniviE]

I have never heard of a thing such as the 'IB standard'. Honestly I think it is completely up to your school whether or not they want to kick you out on the basis of your grades. There is no single advice on how to ace your exams and there is also no magic formula. Heck if there was, I would be getting sevens in all my subjects. Try working hard, maybe study in different ways and to change your study habits.

For math it is basically all about practice and keeping that practice up. Be consistent and persistent - try to work towards a goal and keep working towards that the whole time. Do math every day and just get into a routine where you do math once a day.

[flinquinnster]

Obviously, it depends on the school on whether they have an 'IB standard'. We don't have a pre-IB program at our school, so they only look at our marks in IB1 to make a judgement on whether to continue, and yes, they do advise people to 'switch' to an alternate program - but that's usually when people are getting 1s or 2s on one or more subjects. So, any standard applied is at the discretion of your school.

But mostly, I would say don't worry too much - you can still turn it around before IB starts! For maths, it is genuinely all about practice. What's more, timed practice without looking at the answers. From there, everything should look a bit easier once you've got experience.

If you're finding the course difficult and fast-paced, perhaps ask your teacher to set aside extra time for you, or if they're reluctant, try and find somebody else (actually, try asking an IB diploma kid to tutor you for CAS, I'm sure someone's willing to take up that offer ) to help.

For the exams, I would recommend relaxing. Revise a lot the weeks before, but for the night before, try not to stress yourself too much. Don't work yourself up before going into the exam by panicking with other people. Eat, relax, read over some basic formulae.

To be honest, I never studied for maths until IB started for me, and once IB started, all I did was panic for maths exams, but honestly - your brain is clearer when you're relaxed. I know that might sound useless, but it's not that bad! It's just a big jump from what you're used to, and I guess you have to keep that in mind.

[oonawong238]

At my school, it's extremely fuzzy as to how badly you have to do in order to get kicked out of pre-IB. The IB coordinator tells people who have stellar grades that they'll get kicked out of pre-IB if they fail one class, yet she tells people who are failing multiple classes that they have to fail three classes to be kicked out. So really, I think that it depends on your school and how honest your IB coordinator is.

I had the exact same problem last semester, but I learned that if you actually started paying attention in class instead of just copying notes mechanically, you really start to do better. Also, if you don't understand something, SPEAK UP! Even if you think you look stupid, would you rather look slightly dumb in front of your classmates who will promptly forget about the whole episode, or have the bad grade because you don't understand? Just refuse to accept nothing less than perfection, and soon you'll start to do better. Like I said before, I had the exact same problem, but I have managed to turn it around and I'm finally starting to understand it.