Shelley Gonzales, regional representative of the
International Baccalaureate Asia Pacific Region, heaped praise on the
hospitality bestowed upon her by Garden International School when she
recently visited the only school in the region which offers the IB course
to students.
Ms Gonzales met parents, the board, the staff, but most
importantly the students, and was treated to a tremendous, slightly
Pythonesque performance by IB Years 12 & 13. “Hilarious, but hugely
informative,” was how the show was described, which was scripted by Jem
Wild-Putsorn over a number of intensely creative weeks. The show told the
story of the IB Diploma and was a clever mixture of serious academic
material and light-hearted spontaneity. “We’re investigating the
possibility of transferring the show to the West End,” said one of the
stars, Georgui Sitnikov, tongue-in-cheek.
The
IB team at GIS
The International Baccalaureate Diploma is a globally
recognized course for students aged between sixteen and nineteen. Based on
a pattern of no single country, it is a deliberate compromise between the
specialisms required in some national systems and the breadth preferred in
others. It is designed primarily, however, as a preparation for university
courses in countries throughout the world. Increasingly, high achieving
universities regard the diploma as a benchmark of holistic and academic
excellence.
According to Dr Ken Winsor from the Royal College of
Surgeons in Dublin (another high profile visitor to GIS this week), “The
International Baccalaureate is the premier pre-university course in the
world. We will give preference to IB students who apply to our college.”
Ms Gonzales spoke long and earnestly of the need to
increase awareness of the Diploma program in Thailand in particular,
citing the recent historic recognition by the Thai Universities of the
Diploma program for advanced placement as a huge step in the right
direction. Garden International School was encouraged to continue and
develop its role as a leading player in regional international education.
“There is no doubting our absolute dedication, individually and
collectively, to the twin peaks of the International Baccalaureate, the
celebration of diversity and academic excellence. The future is very
exciting,” explained Andrew Watson, IB Coordinator at Garden
International School.
Perusing the in-school newspaper, perhaps Ms
Gonzales’ most pertinent comment was, “What a wonderful, lively,
intuitive group of students you have at GIS.”
Geraldine,
the manager of the stables, with her daughter Aoife
Eline
Verhoeven on Daisy, completing a successful jump.
