My name is Radha, I am from Aruba but I currently attend The Codrington School, The International School of Barbados. I have just completed my first year of the Diploma Programme, and I am taking Psychology SL with Pamoja.
My favourite element of the course and the platform interface is the fact that the course work is independent, so you can manage when you want to do your work, as long as you have it in by the deadline. It allows for better scheduling compared to the more traditional face-to-face courses in my school. I do think that the group work through Pamoja is interesting too, because you can work with people globally. The main highlights of the course for me would actually be learning new aspects about psychology that I didn’t know before. Because I took this course in my high school years before I’m going to apply for university, it definitely steers me in a more specific direction.
During my first year with Pamoja I’ve been a Student Ambassador for the Global Student Council (GSC). The GSC is a student council for Pamoja students, regardless of your age or what course you take on Pamoja – just as long as you are an IB DP student. I was the Social Media Officer this past year, which means that I would work on the Instagram account and manage the posts and interactions, as well as write articles for the newsletter. I have enjoyed working with the rest of the council, learning about the various backgrounds of the students within it as well as having the feeling of satisfaction when we finished an edition of the newsletter, Global Voices. Through this past year on the GSC I have learned how to communicate with people in different timezones more efficiently, work with people that have different ideas, motivations, or perceptions, and learned how rewarding working in a large group like this is.
If I were to give a new Pamoja student one piece of advice, I would tell them to make the most of the time with the teacher, and to pay attention to the advice they give you. I think that it’s really important to try and communicate as much as you can with your teachers, though sometimes it can be a bit difficult to do so. Also, really look at the grade boundaries and identify the key differences between them. If you enjoy group work, contributing to ideas, expressing yourself creatively, and pushing yourself to become a more gifted and well-rounded student then the Pamoja IB DP courses are for you. The GSC is also a really rewarding and exciting experience to have!
Because of Pamoja, I think I have gained independence and a deeper sense of responsibility when it comes to my learning, which will help me to continue to exemplify the IB learner profile as I go through my final year of the DP.
Radha, Pamoja student at The Codrington School, The International School of Barbados, and Student Ambassador for the Global Student Council
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