Becoming an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program: Perspectives of Teachers, Students, and Administrators

Abstract

As an urban middle school begins to implement the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, this study explores the process of experiencing a curricular change from the perspective of the teachers and students themselves. Through the use of a mixed methods approach, key administrators, teachers, and students were interviewed in the first year of implementation. During the second year, teachers were surveyed as a means of tracking the change over time that teachers may have been experiencing. Themes emerged in the areas of instructional practice, professional experiences, and student experiences. Most interestingly and not expected was a theme related to whether IB was a “good fit” for the students in this particular school. Participants’ ability to highlight the successes and challenges inherent in a change process is discussed in light of future planning.