Supporting Your IB Child: A Guide for Parents

The IB Diploma is known for its progressive difficulty, with pressure building throughout the two-year programme. As a recent IB graduate, I understand the challenges firsthand. This guide offers practical advice for parents on how to support their child through the demanding IB journey.

Expectations on the IB

Perhaps obvious, but ever-more important to state nonetheless. It’s key that, as an IB parent, you aren’t heaping extra pressure on top of the already overflowing pile.

For many, the IB feels more like a plate-spinning exercise rather than a course. There are so many assignments to complete, some of which contribute towards final marks, all the while still learning content and ensuring CAS is on track. As we all know, it’s a lot – and each person deals with that differently.

Allowing IB students space to get on with it is absolutely key. Don’t be too hard if there’s one assignment handed in late, or a target grade isn’t quite reached. Progress on the IB most definitely isn’t always linear, so allow generous room for mistakes.

To learn more, take a look at this BBC bitesize article.

Know when to step in

Only you know your child so well, and so you’re likely able to read the signs. There’s no right answer or objective truth here.

In my personal experience, I much preferred my parents allowing me as much breathing space as possible – even when I was struggling. My method was to ask teachers and friends before concerning my parents, which I communicated to them as clearly as possible.

Stepping in

Unless you’re active in a field which overlaps with IB subject matter, it’s fairly unlikely you can properly help with the actual work. Being collaborative, fair and communicative (in the way I outlined above) is a fantastic start nonetheless.

It’s certainly possible, though, to play an active role in the learning process, assuming you can take an interest in the subject matter. Ask your child if they’d like to discuss a topic with you, or even teach it to you.

The perfect way to see if you’ve mastered a topic is to see if you’re able to teach it to somebody else.

Beyond this, helping with deadlines and time management, there isn’t much that IB parents can do to be directly involved with their child’s IB process. Of course, each student and household has individual circumstances which might suit more, or in my case less, involvement.