International Baccalaureate Program
Shu Ren International School is proud to be designated an International Baccalaureate World School in Berkeley, CA. We are the only early childhood and elementary school in the San Francisco Bay Area to offer both a Chinese Mandarin immersion education and the International Baccalaureate (IB) World School’s IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for children aged 3 - 12.
As an IB World School, students have distinct advantages in building their critical thinking skills, nurturing their curiosity, and developing their ability to solve complex problems. This unique program encourages students to “learn how to learn” by participating in structured inquiry that is influenced by the six trans-disciplinary themes of global significance:
- Who we are
- Where we are in place and time
- How we express ourselves
- How the world works
- How we organize ourselves
- Sharing the planet
As an IB World School, Shu Ren International School offers high-quality education programs that support the development of knowledgeable and inquiring students. Click here to learn more about the IB Program and how your student will benefit from a worldwide community of educators.
How can the International Baccalaureate Primary Program Improve School Outcomes?
The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) prepares our Pre-K3 through 5th grade students to actively participate in a lifelong learning journey. It focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside by:
- Addressing students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being
- Encouraging students to develop independence and to take responsibility for their own learning
- Supporting students’ efforts to gain an understanding of the world and to function comfortably within it
- Helping students establish personal values as a foundation upon which international-mindedness will develop and flourish
Research shows that students in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) performed better than non-IB students in a global International Schools’ Assessment study from 2009 to 2011. The Primary Years Program, in particular, has been shown to improve student well-being and other socio-emotional outcomes. Hear from the IB educators:
How Does Shu Ren International School Integrate Mandarin Immersion with International Baccalaureate Education?
Students learn Mandarin Chinese and English through two-way immersion instruction or the Montreal model. The curriculum framework for student learning is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages 3 -12, an internationally-recognized curriculum used by the top independent schools in almost 150 countries. The IB PYP Curriculum requires that teachers engage students in their learning by providing hands-on, engaging, and differentiated learning activities that use inquiry, reflection, and action in every class. Mandarin Chinese, English, Math, Social Studies, and Sciences are integrated into trans-disciplinary units that usually last approximately six weeks. Pre-K3 to Kindergarten students study 4 units per year, and Grades 1-5 complete six units of inquiry per year throughout the 36-week-long school year.
- Pre-K3 & Pre-K4: 100% Mandarin
- Grades K-1: approximately 20% English – 80% Mandarin
- Grade 2: approximately 40% English – 60% Mandarin
- Grades 3-5: approximately 50% English – 50% Mandarin