SubjectMath
- What your child learns
- In Math Lab: MYP math and DP Math AA and AI concepts, reading problems in English, and writing out solutions
IB
Children at IB schools, or about to enter or transfer to one, take LAB.CO classes in math, English, science, and social studies.
See what students learn and how they're assessed in the PYP, MYP, and DP, then find the classes your child needs.
Programs and assessment
The PYP, MYP, and DP by age
Some IB schools run all three programs; others run only one or two.
- Ages 3–12Primary Years ProgrammePYP
- Ages 11–16Middle Years ProgrammeMYP
- Ages 16–19Diploma ProgrammeDP
What students learn in each program
What students learn
- ProgramPYP
- What students learn
- Students ask questions, explore topics across subjects, and then explain what they learned, out loud and in writing. Each unit brings new English vocabulary.
- ProgramMYP
- What students learn
- Students study eight subject groups and do projects that combine two or more subjects. In the final year, they complete a Personal Project.
- ProgramDP
- What students learn
- Students choose courses from six subject groups, take each at HL (higher level) or SL (standard level), and also complete the core: TOK, CAS, and the EE.
Language A is a language and literature course; Language B is a language acquisition course. TOK is Theory of Knowledge, CAS is Creativity, Activity, Service, and the EE is the Extended Essay, an independent research paper. For DP math, students take either AA (Analysis and Approaches) or AI (Applications and Interpretation).
How each program is assessed
| Program | How students are assessed | What parents can look at |
|---|---|---|
| PYP | There are no external IB exams. Students are assessed through teacher feedback and their own self-assessment and reflection. | Records from inquiry work and teacher feedback |
| MYP | The school grades each subject against its assessment criteria. The external eAssessment is optional, and the school decides whether to register students. | Scores for each criterion, whether your child takes the eAssessment, and Personal Project progress |
| DP courses | Each course weights external exams and internal assessment (IA) differently. The math IA is an investigation report on a topic the student chooses. | Each course's assessment weighting, answer format, and due dates |
| DP core | TOK and the EE are graded A–E, and CAS has set requirements students must complete. | TOK and EE progress and CAS completion records |
- ProgramPYP
- How students are assessed
- There are no external IB exams. Students are assessed through teacher feedback and their own self-assessment and reflection.
- What parents can look at
- Records from inquiry work and teacher feedback
- ProgramMYP
- How students are assessed
- The school grades each subject against its assessment criteria. The external eAssessment is optional, and the school decides whether to register students.
- What parents can look at
- Scores for each criterion, whether your child takes the eAssessment, and Personal Project progress
- ProgramDP courses
- How students are assessed
- Each course weights external exams and internal assessment (IA) differently. The math IA is an investigation report on a topic the student chooses.
- What parents can look at
- Each course's assessment weighting, answer format, and due dates
- ProgramDP core
- How students are assessed
- TOK and the EE are graded A–E, and CAS has set requirements students must complete.
- What parents can look at
- TOK and EE progress and CAS completion records
The MYP scores each criterion separately, and math is graded on four criteria (Criterion A–D). On the report card, start with the criteria where your child scored lowest.
MYP math assessment criteria (Criterion A–D)
Criterion A: Knowing and understanding
Students choose the right method and solve accurately, whether the problem is familiar or new.
Criterion B: Investigating patterns
Students work through several cases, find a pattern, state it as a general rule, and check that it holds.
Criterion C: Communicating
Students explain their solution logically using math symbols and terms, equations, graphs, and tables.
Criterion D: Applying mathematics in real-life contexts
Students identify what matters in a real-life situation, solve it with math, and check whether the answer makes sense for the situation.
Before and after changing schools
What to check before your child changes schools
Even if both schools are IB World Schools, their course offerings and assessments can differ.
Topic · What to ask both schools
- Programs and language of instruction
- Ask which of the PYP, MYP, and DP each school runs, what language classes are taught in, and how students choose Language A and B.
- MYP courses and exams
- Ask how courses are organized and whether students are registered for the eAssessment. Tell the new school how far your child has gotten on the Personal Project.
- DP course choices
- Compare HL and SL options, courses offered, and timetables, and ask whether your child can continue the courses they've already taken.
- Work in progress
- Gather progress records and due dates for the IA, TOK, CAS, and EE, and ask how the new school will carry them forward.
The new school decides grade and course placement and IB exam registration. Each college your child applies to decides how it uses DP results.
The steps your child follows to keep up at a new school
- Step: Review what was taught
Using school materials, your child: Goes back over the concepts and English expressions covered in class, using the syllabus, notes, slides, and handouts.
- Step: Practice writing answers
Using school materials, your child: Answers assignment and assessment questions in the format the school requires.
- Step: Fill in gaps
Using school materials, your child: Picks the assessment criterion with the lowest score and restudies the concepts and writing it calls for.
- Step: Prepare for the next assignment
Using school materials, your child: Lines up the current unit with the scope of the next assignment or assessment and decides what to prepare first.
LABCO IB Support is a one-on-one online class in which your child follows these steps, with a Review Note and practice problems made from their own school materials. See one-on-one classes that use IB school materials
LAB.CO classes and advanced study
From school projects to research and competitions
- Type of workMYP Personal Project
- What it involves
- Students pursue a goal they set themselves, through inquiry or by making something, then document the process and their reflections.
- Check first
- The school's rules and timeline for this final-year project
- Type of workDP EE and course IAs
- What it involves
- Students practice the basics of research: framing a question, choosing sources and methods, and arguing from evidence.
- Check first
- The EE and IA must be the student's own work, so first ask the school supervisor how much help a class outside school can give.
- Type of workOutside research and competitions
- What it involves
- Once your child keeps up with school classes comfortably, they prepare for research and competitions using the source reading and evidence-based writing they've practiced.
- Check first
- Eligibility, submissions, and rules differ by competition, so follow the organizer's announcements.