Pittsburgh Obama: IB Program

Pittsburgh Obama follows and IB curriculum  The International Baccalaureate Program is recognized worldwide for the rigorous education it provides. All 11th and 12th grade students at the Obama Academy are enrolled in IB Diploma Program classes, which are college level classes taught over a two year span. Obama Academy students have the option to sit for oral and written examinations in each of the Diploma Program classes they take to obtain college credit. Students who score well on examinations in 6 core areas, document a significant number of hours of extracurricular activities, and write additional papers, can earn an IB Diploma. Many colleges and universities allow students who earn the IB Diploma to skip their freshman year entirely. To prepare students for the challenges of the Diploma Program, 6th through 10th grade students participate in the Middle Years Program. In the Middle Years Program, teachers add to the standard Pittsburgh Public School curriculum to provide students with the skills and background knowledge necessary to succeed in the Diploma Program classes by focusing on holistic learning, intercultural understanding and communication. 

Components of the IB Program

• The IB Learner Profile

Developmental Workbook 

The developmental workbook is a tool that allows students to manage the processes of their own art experience and artistic development. Personal ownership and engagement is key to students developing a responsible and creative approach to documenting their own artistic processes as part of this development. The intended use of the developmental workbook is to encourage and record experimentation and critical thinking. It provides an opportunity for both written and non‑verbal reflection.