The real story
I still remember the first day I walked in my very first pre-IB lesson, with my brand new notebook. I felt ready to conquer Economics. The excitement showed and I was smiling throughout the lesson. This is one of the few times in my life that I felt I had done something I honestly liked. When we bought our book, I realized that it would obviously be hard but it would be worth it, at least for me. Pressure never got in my way. My family has always been supporting me as well as my new professors. I feel lucky and at the same time blessed that I never had anyone making choices for me and this year I had to make too many choices and choose new paths. Some of these choices included choosing an IGCSE elective and deciding whether to attend IB or not.
Right now, I am sitting at a desk and it’s almost the end of the school year. I must admit that I have learnt an awful lot. I feel I have improved and I certainly don’t regret my choices. I’ve learnt that apart from accepting knowledge, you must learn to question it and finally form your own opinion on a topic. I got to know myself better and I found parts of me that otherwise might have been neglected. The most important notion that has become my motto is that whenever things go blur and you don’t have a crystal clear picture, simply have faith in yourself and you will figure everything out. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO STARTING IB!
Nancy Georgopoulou
To I-Be or not to I-Be
At the end of third year Gymnasium, I was really unsure about my educational prospects. At that time my parents recommended joining the IB. After considering it for a while, I decided that joining the program could be very helpful for my future. I did know that universities abroad are better and more organized than the Greek universities and I also knew that joining the IB would allow me to study abroad. The only problem was that I didn’t know anything about the program. Therefore I decided to join the Pre-IB program in order to learn more things about the IB.
In the beginning I found Pre-IB difficult because it was really different from Greek school. However, a few weeks later, I got used to it and started enjoying the courses. All the teachers made the lessons interesting and I truly enjoyed speaking and learning in a foreign language. Now that the year is almost over, I realize that all my questions about IB have been answered and I no longer have a dilemma. My opinion is that Pre-IB has been really helpful.
Alexander Kapeletzis
Reflections
Joining Pre-IB was not a really big step for me. Early in my 3r year high school, I had decided that I would join the program because I believed that it would help me decide if I should join the IB program the following year.
With great pleasure I discovered that it was not what I had expected but even better. From the first day we all realized that Pre-IB was going to be a completely different experience; different schedules, different type of homework, different mentality. As for my classes, from the first moment I loved English and Art and after the first two months I started liking Maths too. The workload was not a real issue because we didn’t have so much homework from Lyceum. However there were times that I had a lot of Math exercises and Art projects. For this particular reason, I am a little worried about selecting Art higher level in IB as one of my classes next year because I do not know if I am able to manage it.
Being almost at the end of this school year, I have realized that this program has helped me a lot. It has made me a lot more mature, taught me how to manage my time more effectively and broadened my horizons. And of course I now have a very clear picture of what IB is all about.
However, during this really great and enjoyable year, apart from Pre-IB, I’ve also appreciated Lyceum too and honestly speaking, I feel lost as I am still unable to choose. This is where Pre-IB failed…
Irene Makarouni
Colorful Diversity
My first encounter with Pre-IB was in September 2010. I joined the Pre-IB because I was in the middle of a huge dilemma whether to attend IB the following year or not. And that’s how it all started.
At first Pre-IB seemed hostile to me because all of my friends were in Greek school. What kept me going thouth was that I wanted to have a taste of IB and the fact that it was something new and possibly interesting.
In the beginning it was hard for me to adapt as Pre-IB had another method of learning. It was much more organized and we were asked to be more creative and critical. This seemed “out of the blue” for me since Greek school is based on learning by heart and we are never asked to express our opinions. We are asked to accept a fixed opinion which we are to believe and support. As time passed, I started to get “tuned in” with IB and by February, I was convinced that this program is tailored to my needs. This is definitely the path that I will follow in the future.
Today I feel overwhelmingly proud of my choice to attend Pre-IB. It helped me realize where I belong.
Sofilena Katopi
Trapped
Yes, I actually feel trapped in the Pre-IB. I cannot stand it much longer… Ha, ha, gotcha! This program is cool. As long as the sun is shining, I’m in!
Well, what I mean is that it may have seemed tiring and boring at first, it turned out to be interesting and even enjoyable. It’s interesting enough to keep us going. Of course it’s incredibly helpful for the IB next year. After all, that’s why I joined it.
They don’t work us hard. Everybody understands that we’ve also got other things to do than study for Pre-IB only. Teachers are understanding and comforting. They’re also kinda fun to be around.
Talking about its good points, I’ve learned many things about stuff I had no idea about before. I definitely learned more things than Greek high school.
This is all I gotta say to ya people who skipped Pre-IB!!!
Your time is gonna com
Your time is gonna come
Your time is gonna come
Your time is gonna come (credits to Robert Plant for the lyrics)
Aris Ioannou
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