Did a teacher in early years influence your present choice of studies?

[HiggsHunter]

Does an inspiring teacher in the early school years influence the subject choices that students make in later ones? Or do students have the motivation and tenacity to pursue their individual interests in spite of a mediocre one?

[wireman]

I think it really depends on how unsure the student is about his future. Usually when students have a clear idea of what they want to do, even an extraordinary teacher wouldn't really influence a student's choice.

[Beni]

Before having any sciences in secondary school all I heard about physics was that it sucked/was difficult. But I instantly loved it when I started it. The teacher really made it interesting, relating topics to real world scenarios.

However, don't let a teacher influence your decision. You might get a completely useless teacher in the IBDP so make sure you like your subjects at least some bit, especially HL ones. It is important to remember that the core part of the IB, you will be tackling the subjects on your own. Just you, your books and whatever motivation you have.

So, choose something you enjoy to a certain extent and can see yourself doing in the near (or far ) future.

[HiggsHunter]

Yes, there is no substitute for hard work; but interest, motivation and an inspiring teacher can make that effort come more easily!

Part of the MYP Next Chapter initiative is the redesign of the programme model to improve the alignment between the MYP and DP with a stronger emphasis on the ATL, which would become part of both programmes. However, it can be difficult for a student to know how he would like a subject such as Economics if he has not been exposed to it before starting the DP.

[Guest Positron]

I think we often consider ourselves to be more objective in decision making than what we really are. Saying that teachers haven't influenced your subject choices is almost certainly false. Our teachers, especially in the lower grades, have a huge impact on who we grow up to be and what we are/will be interested in. Without a doubt one of the biggest reasons behind my "success" in school so far is the fact that I had such a great teacher in elementary school. Of course your own skills/talent/parents/motivation play a big role also, but often the motivation and the attitude towards school work are greatly influenced by your teachers.