IB Matters
Jon Peterson
IB Matters is a podcast (established in April 2019) which brings listeners content related to International Baccalaureate (IB) education. It is for students, parents, and teachers interested in learning more about IB and for those working in IB schools...
- 44 minutes 58 secondsCreating the Culture of your IB Program with Rohit Vaswani
When an experienced IB DP teacher like Rohit Vaswani becomes the new IB coordinator, they bring a certain set of tools to the job. They might know the nuts and bolts of the position: deadlines, exam prep, and compliance issues. But, it takes a special leader to examine the system in place to see where the philosophy of the IB structure and the culture it is meant to create can be improved.
Do your IB teachers share in the mission? Do the students just comply with deadlines or do they go further and see ways to engage in their communities as partners?
As a new IB coordinator, Rohit already has a deep understanding of the role. His previous IB and school leaders have equipped him with the tools to instill the principles of an IB education with all the schools' stakeholders.
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.14 March 2026, 4:00 pm - 33 minutes 6 secondsCreating Autonomous Learners with Taryn Moir
Taryn Moir is an educational psychologist focused on bringing research-backed best practices into the classroom. In this episode she describes some of the research she has done and has studied that led to her book, 'How to Create Autonomous Learners: Teaching Metacognitive, Self-regulatory and Study Skills - A Practioner's Guide.'
She shares several examples of reading strategies that help students develop their own toolbox of skills that can be used in any classroom and at any age.
Links:
Where to find Taryn's Book
Taryn's LinkedIn
Contact Taryn: [email protected]
Selected research:
- Moir, T., (2023). Sowing Seeds in Different Soil. The Psychologist. The British Psychological Society, Leicester.
- Moir, T., (2023). Motivating young readers: Using Rosenblatt’s Transactional Theory to Enhance Literacy Learning. Scan Magazine. NSW Department of Education. Parramatta.
- Moir, T. (2018). Why is implementation science important to intervention design and evaluation, within educational settings?. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 3, p. 61). Frontiers.
- Moir, T., (2019). The psychology within models of reading comprehension and the educational psychologist’s role in taking theory into practice. Educational and Child Psychology, 36 (3).
- Moir, T., Boyle, J., Woolfson, L. M. (2016). Developing higher-order reading skills in mainstream primary schools: a metacognitive approach- a study protocol. Educational Psychology in Scotland. Vol 17 No. 2
- Moir, T., Boyle, J., Woolfson, L. M. (2020) Developing higher-order reading skills in mainstream primary schools: a metacognitive approach. British Educational Journal.
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.5 March 2026, 8:00 pm - 29 minutes 19 secondsSupporting DP students moving on to higher education with Leah Thayer
Leah Thayer has spent a lifetime supporting people in transition. From her work in conflict zones, developing public health supports, and now in counseling students, Leah has been there to meet the needs of the people she serves.
Young people exiting the Diploma Programme are understandably anxious about what comes next for them. What if they don't pass the exams? How do they find a good school? How does the school find them? How can teachers help their students find a match for their skills and their aspirations?
Leah has some great ideas for all these questions. If you work with students as a counselor, a teacher, or are a parent of a high school student check out what Leah shares in this episode.
At the end we talked about the new IB Matters project where we are recording teachers as they describe the IB course(s) they teach. This should help students choose courses they find interesting and are a good fit for their future plans. These short (under 15 minute) recordings can also help colleges better understand what the IB student brings with them as they matriculate to the university. If you are an IBEN member and a teacher of a DP course, please contact me at the email link. I'm also looking to record all aspects of the DP and the CP core to be included in the project.
Leah's Substack: Pathways, Partnerships, and Perspectives
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.25 February 2026, 4:00 pm - 28 minutes 8 secondsLeading in an IB School and beyond with Gavin Kinch
Gavin Kinch has been on an IB journey which began as a classroom teacher and has led him to be appointed the IB School Leadership Council chairperson. Along the way, he has developed a philosophy of mentoring younger teachers through their own professional journeys. He talks about the 'classroom teacher' to 'school teacher' transition. Gavin is the Principal of ACS, an IB school in Singapore which has close to 200 IB graduates every year. As he says, there is a great team of experienced educators who have taken on roles as 'school teachers' to guide such a large group of motivated students.
He also has a podcast (linked below) called the Global Ed Podcast to share stories of his school leadership heroes; those who have faced impossible obstacles and helped their students continue learning.
Global Ed Podcast S1E1 From Kiev
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.13 February 2026, 6:00 pm - 41 minutes 15 secondsThe impactful IB student with Arjun Malhotra
The IB educational framework is designed to provide students with knowledge, skills, and attributes that will serve them throughout their lives.
Our guest, Arjun Malhotra, is a high school junior (DP year 1) who has experienced an IB education since elementary school. Our conversation touches on the many ways Arjun has developed his sense of place in the world, honed his academic skills, and initiated his strong desire to make the world better. He gives much of the credit to his continuum of IB education but I'm sure you will recognize that he has a strong support network of family, friends, and teachers to guide him.
Links to connect with Arjun and his work:
Arjun's non-profit 'Earth's 911' Instagram
Email: [email protected]
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.5 November 2025, 1:00 am - 30 minutes 20 secondsGrowing the IB in Nepal with Maksud Alam
Maksud Alam is a dynamic young IB leader working at Swostishree Gurukul IB World School in Kathmandu, Nepal. His school is only the second in Nepal to offer the MYP and one of 7 schools in Nepal to offer the IB, so far. There are several others in the candidate phase right now.
We talked about the challenges and the rewards when building a programme from the ground floor in a new school, and in an area without many potential collaborators nearby. Maksud came to his IB coordinator position with experience as a PYP teacher so he understood the many ways an IB educator must rethink how they approach educating the students in their care. Our conversation touches on how he helps teachers and parents learn about the IB framework of education and the philosophy behind teaching and learning in the IB.
Its always fun to hear how IB educators around the world share a common language, common struggles, and common mission.
Swostishree Gurukul IB World School
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.7 September 2025, 1:00 am - 42 minutes 27 secondsMichael Dunn and what makes TOK special in the IB
Michael Dunn, known as the man behind Theoryofknowledge.net is our guest on this first episode of our 5th season.
Michael grew the most popular TOK website on the internet, organically, from a wish to share what he was doing in his own classroom in Peru. It eventually became what it is today, a highly respected, and much used, resource for teachers around the world. You'll find teachers in all subjects using these materials to teach critical thinking no matter the age of their students.
Michael's dream is to have these materials used outside the IB context because the lessons to be learned span every educational system and bring lifelong value to those who experience this kind of teaching and learning.
I hope you are inspired by Michael's interview to explore the resources linked below. Many people subscribe to his free monthly newsletter and then checkout the mini-lesson samples to get ideas and to begin their TOK journey. Others become members to access the 20 mini-lessons posted each month and the classroom-ready TOK courses.
Michael has now added options for the non-DP teacher in each mini-lesson.
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.6 August 2025, 1:00 am - 40 minutesThe Journey to PYP Authorization at Smart Innovations School
Returning guest, Rezuan Chowdhury and the head of his school's governing board, Rifat Abedin, speak about becoming one of very few PYP schools in Bangladesh. They detail the rationale from the parent's perspective and the process from the PYP coordinator's perspective. We also learn about the training their teachers have undergone and the plans for expansion and even future MYP and DP goals for their very new school.
Rezuan has been a regional leader even before his school's authorization. He has hosted free meet-ups with teachers from all over the region and even the world. Use his social links below to connect with him. He's been on the podcast 5 times now and is a great resource.
Links:
Rezuan on Facebook
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.18 July 2025, 8:00 pm - 14 minutes 54 secondsTowards IB for all with Phil Evans
While this is, technically, a quickcast to promote speakers and vendors at the #IBGC2025 in NOLA, its really an introduction to the IB North Americas' excellent initiative designed to encourage greater IB DP and CP participation. So, please use the overview shared by Phil Evans and the numerous links, to begin exploring how your school community could embrace a philosophy that all students deserve an IB education.
Who wouldn't want a student-centered pedagogy with inquiry, intellectual rigor, research and concept driven learning and instruction as the overall system for their students and teachers?
We also introduce Phil's excellent podcast 'Education by Design'. Check out the links below or find it wherever you get your podcasts.
Links:
School-wide adoption resources
To contact Phil or Chad at IBO
To explore the research on school-wide adoption
Research on the value of IB education
Education by Design blog
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.13 July 2025, 1:00 pm - 12 minutes 42 secondsDigital learning tools for IB schools - Kognity
Continuing our series of quickcasts leading to the 2025 IB Global Conference in New Orleans, we feature Kognity, an IB partner organization. Chris Barres and Sian Steggles tell us about Kognity and their digital teaching and learning platform.
Kognity will also host a session entitled, 'Digital Dilemma! What do we really want from digital resources?' at 2:00 on Wednesday, July 16th in the St. Charles and Lafayette rooms.
Links:
Free interactive trial of Kognity
RSVP to the Happy hour on Wednesday, July 16th celebrating their 10 year anniversary
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.10 July 2025, 2:00 am - 13 minutes 21 secondsStart the discussion in your classroom - Kialo Education
This is the third of several 'Quickcasts' to introduce listeners to vendors and presenters at the 2025 IB Global conference in New Orleans. Here, we speak with Amnah Ejaz of Kialo Education, an online discussion platform. It's available free and will be featured in a booth at the upcoming IB Global conference in New Orleans.
They are also hosting Michael Dunn of TOK.net who will be speaking at a session entitled: 'Critical thinking in a polarized world'. His session will be in the St. Charles & Lafayette rooms at 11:15 Thursday, July 17th.
If you are unable to attend, please check out the links below and/or look up the presentations after the conference on the IB website.
Links:
Email IB Matters: [email protected]
Instagram (IB_Matters)Twitter @MattersIB
IB Matters website
MN Association of IB World Schools (MNIB) website
Donate to IB MattersPodcast: Education by Design with host Phil Evans
IB Matters T-shirts (and other MNIB clothing)
To appear on the podcast or if you would like to sponsor the podcast, please contact us at the email above.8 July 2025, 12:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App