IB experience
IB starts at the British Schools in Montevideo
By Peter Stoyle, headmaster 1964-1978
On this occasion, we contacted the Head of the first IB World School in our region and asked him to share his IB story with us.
In 1965 a parent at the British School (also the UNESCO Director in Montevideo) sent us various documents about the “development of an international baccalaureate”. We were immediately attracted to the proposition because it seemed it could solve three problems at the school: the division between the Spanish liceo and the English side, the need to raise academic standards generally and the possibility of taking examinations in the languages which were not yet available in the British system.
In January 1969, Alec Peterson, the driving force in the foundation of the IB, came to Montevideo and invited the school to submit candidates for the trial exams in May of that year. With the good fortune of an excellent target group of students, a highly supportive Board of Governors and an impressive teaching staff, 20 candidates took these exams and obtained satisfactory results. This same group then went on to take two anticipated subjects the following year, also successfully, and then stayed on for three months to take the diploma examinations in May 1971. 16 of 20 obtained their diploma, and one of them with 40 out of the then 42 points. He was the first IB graduate to obtain university recognition in the UK.
What’s amazing about this is that it was achieved against a background of very brief guides, no workshops, no past papers and no schools to consult!
Moreover, as a result of violent political activity in state secondary schools, official lessons in 1970 finished at the end of August. Curiously enough, this adverse situation probably improved the motivation of this pilot group of students and the interest of parents in successful IB performance!
Thank you Peter Stoyle for sharing this article with us.
Mexico celebrates the IB’s 40th Anniversary
By Lourdes Córdoba, president of AMEXCAOBI
On Tuesday, July 1st, AMEXCAOBI (IB World Schools Mexican Association) organized a toast to celebrate this important anniversary with the schools.
We were very happy to welcome distinguished personalities from the IB community, both from the Mexican Republic and other countries. There were not only directors general but also programme coordinators and headmasters. Among our special guests, we can mention Marta Rodger, who lectured on Mexico’s role in IB Latin America, and Graciela Xonthopolous, who said some words on behalf of Director General, Jeffrey Beard. Lourdes Córdoba, president of AMEXCAOBI, welcomed the audience and described the association briefly; besides she read some words by Monique Seefried congratulating the IB Mexican community.
From left to right: Lourdes Córdoba, Marta Rodger,
José Francisco Uribe Gaudry and Antonio Benítez.
Peter Stoyle and Leonardo Mayer were recognized for their outstanding roles in the first stages of the IB in Mexico. Recognition was also given to: Teresa C. de Carrera, because the educational institution Centro Educativo Olinca was the first IB school in Mexico; Escuela Federal Lázaro Cárdenas in Tijuana, which was the first IB public school in Latin America; and Antonio Benitez, who was the founding president of AMEXCAOBI.
ACBIRP (association of International Baccalaureate colleges of the River Plate region) sent their congratulations to the Mexican Association as a fraternal association. Finally, Jose Uribe proposed a toast to every IB school in Mexico. In this way, we joined the celebrations carried out worldwide.
Thank you Lourdes Córdoba for sharing this article with us.
