International Baccalaureate Program

Shu Ren International School is proud to carry the designation as 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 also 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 by building their critical thinking skills, nurturing their curiosity and 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 programs of education, which support 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 be active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. 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 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 which ran from 2009-2011. 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 in 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, which is an internationally-recognized curriculum used by the top independent schools in almost 150 countries around the world. 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 for approximately six weeks. Pre-K3 to Kindergarten students study 4 units per year and Grade 1-5 completes 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

Learn more about Shu Ren Elementary School. Contact us today!

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