IB Mathematics Exams and pandemic disruption
by Ian Lucas
If you are in your second IBDP year, you will probably be wondering whether your IB final exams will be disrupted, and crucially what you should be doing differently (or just the same). At this stage, the IB is planning for exams to be held in May as usual; schools will, of course, be given good notice if such plans change. However, it is sensible for you to assume that you will be sitting the exams, and work hard towards them throughout the year.
Is the content of the Mathematics syllabus being reduced? At the time of writing, there are no changes to the programme at all, which means you will have some catching up to do in order to be fully prepared for your IB exams. Your school and your teachers will be planning how to ensure you cover the complete syllabus in good time.
What can I do to give myself the best chance? Everyone is different, and you will all have your own ways of coping with the difficult conditions this year. I would suggest, however, that it is essential to keep up with new work – you will have less time than normal for revision later in the year. So make sure you understand as much as you can, and can answer the questions you have been set. Don’t let anything pass that doesn’t make sense. Make notes, and revise your latest notes every couple of days so that subsequent work is more manageable. Always ask for help if you get stuck.
What should I do if lessons are disrupted? If you or your class are sent home for a time, or have to self-isolate, you should keep working (as long as you feel well enough). This means you should have a plan in advance: the plan should include what books you need to have with you; that you have access to online resources for IB Maths, and know how to access them; and if your school does not provide a comprehensive online timetable, you should ask your teacher which IB Maths topics would have been covered – and then do your best to self-teach. It may be an idea to have a tutor lined up in advance in case of need: tutoring can be carried out online.
How should I plan my revision? I write separate blogs to give you lots of tips for effective revision. But you might like to consider buying the study and revision guide for your course which I have written as these tools can help you structure and pace your IB Maths revision – you’ll find links for Analysis and Approaches and Applications and Interpretation below. These links also contain additional articles and study tools which you can freely access to help focus your IB Maths revision.
