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Five Takeaways From Barcelona...
December 12th, 2025
This week I thought it would be cool to share some reflections, thoughts, and lessons learned from my two days working with the American School of Barcelona last week.
As I arrived home in Sofia, Bulgaria, there were five key takeaways that stayed with me from the experience, and I think they are worth sharing as many of us continue to work through the new Extended Essay guidance.
Takeaway One - Meet in Subject Groups
The first takeaway is the importance of bringing teachers together in small groups by subject group and walking through the new Subject-Specific guidance in detail. This edition of the guidance is very different from the past.
What used to be course-specific guidance is now guidance written at the level of the subject group. This means that colleagues working in the same department need to spend time together unpacking the expectations and talking through examples, interpretations, and implications for supervision.
When teachers meet in these small groups, the collaboration is rich. We saw this in Barcelona. People ask better questions. They make connections. They recognize where their expertise can support the larger group.
And they leave the room more prepared, more confident, and more capable of supervising strong essays. Subject group time is essential this time around.
Takeaway Two - Train Subject-Focused Pathway First, Then Interdisciplinary
My second takeaway is directed especially at IB Coordinators, Extended Essay Coordinators, and school leaders. Train your Supervisors on the Subject-Focused pathway first. Only after they feel confident in that approach should you stretch them toward the Interdisciplinary Pathway.
There is a simple reason for this. Every experienced IB teacher still carries an understanding of the old system, where with the exception of the World Studies Essay, the topic of the paper was set in the confines of a particular course.
When teachers begin with the familiar, it becomes much easier for them to understand the shifts in the new guidance. Once they have grounded themselves in the Subject-Focused Pathway, the Interdisciplinary Pathway becomes much more approachable—and exciting.
Takeaway Three - The Generic Guidance is Critical
The third takeaway is that the Generic Guidance provided in the Extended Essay Subject Guide is essential reading for all Supervisors. Period.
It outlines what the IB expects from all students, no matter the discipline. The research process, the development of the research question, the expectations for analysis, and the framework of a strong essay are all described clearly in the generic guidance.
At one point in Barcelona, someone in the Individuals and Societies group said something that captured this perfectly. As he put it “This Generic Guidance is what students need in order to write a really strong essay.”
And I could not agree more. It’s that simple and important.
The Generic Guidance, combined with the Subject-Specific guidance and the teacher’s expertise, forms the foundation for high quality work.
It should not be skipped. It should be emphasized.
Takeaway Four - The Importance of Teacher Expertise
The fourth takeaway is perhaps the one that stayed with me the most.
Teacher expertise has never mattered more than it does with this new guidance. Because the Subject-Specific guidance has been rewritten at the group level instead of the course level, a greater responsibility sits with the teacher to bring the conventions, expectations, and disciplinary practices of their course into the supervision process.
In the past, Group 3 had ten different Subject-Specific documents for each of the ten courses. Now there is only one.
It is strong guidance, but it is group guidance, not course guidance. The same is true for other subject groups. This means that the teacher’s content knowledge, understanding of the discipline, and clarity about what constitutes high quality writing in their field are more important than ever.
Takeaway Five - The Extended Essay Is a Skill Creation Machine
The fifth takeaway is something we can see clearly in the Mark Scheme.
The Extended Essay is fundamentally a process for building skills. A 4,000-word essay is the end product, but the skills that students learn along the way are the enduring aspect.
These skills are life-long.. They support academic success in university. They support future work. They support disciplined thinking.
Just look at the Mark Scheme:
- Criterion A is about the framework of the essay, the use of a research question, and the strength of the structure. That is a skill.
- Criterion B is about knowledge and understanding and the student’s ability to bring course knowledge into their essay. That is a skill.
- Criterion C focuses on analysis and the student’s ability to construct a line of argument. That is a skill.
- Criterion D focuses on discussion and evaluation. These are sophisticated skills that require explicit teaching.
- Criterion E asks students to reflect, not casually, but in a thoughtful and evaluative way. That too is a skill.
We are skill builders. We help students acquire the habits of mind that allow them to produce strong work now and succeed later.
Closing Thoughts...
So there you have it. My five big takeaways from my time at the American School of Barcelona. I am deeply grateful to Morgan, to Charmaine, and to Omar for hosting me and for creating such a thoughtful, welcoming, and energizing environment.
My two days in Barcelona reminded me again just how incredible teachers are. Thoughtful. Hardworking. Creative. Resilient.
And completely committed to the students they serve.
Time for the weekend.
See you next week.
Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities...
Book a Custom Training for Your IB Faculty - If your school would like a tailored training on the updated Extended Essay guidelines, we’d love to help—onsite at your campus or live online—just send me an email at [email protected] and we’ll work together to make it happen.
Effectively Supervising the New Extended Essay - February 7th, 2026 - This focused and practical workshop is designed to help teachers confidently navigate the updated Extended Essay framework for the Class of 2027. Together, we’ll explore what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and how to effectively guide students through both the Subject-Focused and Interdisciplinary pathways.
Brad Cartwright
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