Is my Visual Arts class being taught the wrong way?

[oliviabower]

I'm a few weeks into my first year of the DP and everything is going well. The one thing I'm a little concerned about is the way my IB Visual Arts class is being taught. First of all, there are technically only three people in my entire school taking the class. So, the three of us (another junior and a senior) are lumped in with another art class which isn't AP or even honors, it's just a basic class for people who need the credit and we're doing the exact same work as them. We do keep an Investigation Workbook but I feel like the pages she's assigned to us aren't really what were supposed to be doing. She has given us a syllabus, but there really isn't very much information in it other than the distinction between SL and HL (I'm doing SL). She's also said that we are supposed to turn in work at the end of this year (IB1) but I've never heard of that before. I thought everything was supposed to be submitted at the end of IB2. She also hasn't said anything about choosing between Option A and Option B. Should I say something to her? Should I bring this up with the IB Coordinator at my school? I know she does some one one one work with the senior in IB2, but I really don't want to waste an entire year doing nothing and have to cram everything in next year. What should I do? 

[Lucy Lin]

I am doing Art too but HL. My teacher is quite vague too. However, I'm pretty sure everything will be submitted in the second year, not the first one. I think you should talk to your IB Coordinator about this. 

[Sandwich]

Definitely talk to the teacher, ask whether she or he has looked at the syllabus (in the politest way possible, try not to make it sound like you're worried about their incompetence!) and if they don't respond to that, take it to your IB Co-ordinator. It's important to fight to make sure you're being taught correctly and doing the right stuff. Also you can ask the teacher how previous IB students have done in art - what grade did they achieve? If they got 6's and 7's, she may well know what she's doing and the end of 1st year thing may be just an internal deadline (you can ask her about this) but if they didn't do so well, it can be another factor to justify why you're asking her about the syllabus, or if you end up having to go to your IBC, some evidence that she's not doing the right thing for you guys.

 

At the end of the day, it's your grade and your diploma, so never be afraid to challenge the teachers (in a courteous way) if you're worried they're not following the syllabus.

[EO1234]

Definitely ask her! Or if nervous I would ask the IB co-coordinator at least! I think she wants you to turn in just works you have for this year so that she can see how you are progressing but your final pieces will be in your second year. My teacher liked having us show what we had done at the end of term just so that she knew if we developed on it next year, what progress we had made (however "this all  has to be in your book"). So remember to document that! I also did A im pretty sure (60% studio, 40% workbook)? my school chose for us and we also werent allowed to take it SL level but only HL because they said there was no point otherwise, so youre very lucky! I preferred this option because I hated the workbook and never really did it, but my pieces were really strong. For you I'd say sort of find your footing this year and if you can pick, then pick the one youre most drawn too! For the workbook issue, just do lots and lots of research pages if you want at this point? on different art periods, art gallaries etc. just to save you time for next year. Good luck!!! IB art is a very challenging course, and you'll really grow as an artist