Extended Essay Day is Special

The grand finale for students of the extended essay (IB2) comes during a series of 10-minute interviews in front of a sympathetic IB audience. 

Culminating a year-long process, the 4000-word essay has already been submitted by this stage and students have the chance to ease themselves into a comfortable armchair and show off their knowledge about the topic in question. As usual, a broad range of topics was discussed! Everything from the value of acupuncture in treating chronic pain (Biology) to gender roles in French art (Visual Arts), remote working practices in Kone (Business Management), to the extent the Tropicalia movement acted as a catalyst in undermining the Brazilian dictatorship (1964-85) and the likelihood of making accurate predictions about tomorrow's stock prices (Mathematics).

Despite some initial nerves, students spoke with impressive authority and few hesitated in answering the questions supervisors posed. Tips for next year's students included “Start in the summer!” “Don't be afraid to make drastic changes after the first draft” and “Keep track of your sources!”. Finally, the moment we had all been waiting for arrived – cutting the cake and relaxing together after a job well done.