Pre-IB Students

Students at Case have various decisions to make about what path they want their high school education to follow. For some students this entails taking IB classes to challenge them with a more rigorous form of education, and better prepare themselves for college.

Pre-IB American Literature is a very participatory oriented class. It is largely focused on students voicing their opinions and thoughts about the texts read.

Not only do students discuss the texts themselves, but the certain ideas conveyed throughout. Participation is a large part of the workload in class, this may include everyday conversations about specific topics, or an all out Socratic seminar.

Outside work includes reading texts that will be discussed, studying vocabulary to help students better understand the works, and writing papers or essays. Other work that can also be included in the class is analyzing the text.

Ms. Cervera is the teacher that teaches Pre-IB American Literature. She is a very interesting teacher to learn from and will make sure students understand the material thoroughly.

She also gives everyone an equal opportunity to voice their opinions on the work that are being analyzed. All of these factors can help students better understand the material and learn information in a different way.

“I like the way she teaches, she does it in more depth, and on a more personal level than other teachers,” said sophomore, Elise Sparks.

In Mr. Halleen’s Intro to IB-World History, class is all about participation, and is heavily focused on in class activities. Usually there might be a passage from something you look at in the class that you might discuss.

Other in class work may include debates, note taking, video watching, and quote analyzing. Outside of class the something students need to work on are note taking for certain chapters in the history book, to help them better understand the material.

Mr. Halleen’s history class is largely surrounded on learning how certain events effected history, not the exact date of them. A major key in his class is cold calling, which is calling on someone for the answer, not as a punishment but to see if students are understanding the material. If someone doesn’t know the answer, someone else may answer and then the person that was initially called on, will then relay the answer.

“I like sharing my opinion and speaking my mind, his class lets you do that, especially in debates. The partner and group work is cool also,” said Elise Sparks.

Another Pre-IB class is, Intro to IB-Chemistry, one of these classes is taught by Mrs. Klaves. This class is widely based around knowing more factual information, since science in general is such a factual subject.

In this class you are expected to take notes and participate in labs. Labs are a great way for students to learn a different way and actual experience the science they have been talking about.

By experiencing the information in a different way it can help students remember it more in the long run.

Out of class work may include finishing up questions on a lab or maybe an assignment for extra practice on a certain subject.

Mrs. Klaves’s teaching style is very hands on, and a really interesting way to experience science.

These Pre-IB classes all help student better prepare for college and life, even though they are all very different in the teaching styles and the content itself.