It's a new year, but we are continuing with another Meet the Teacher Blog. This interview is from Dhruv Tomar.
1.What made you to become an IB Business Management teacher, and how did your journey begin and how long have you been teaching the subject?
It began with a passion for education and business concepts. I have degrees in business and then I did PGCE , I had a solid corporate experience and then I gained experience in teaching, and then did specific training to teach IB programs, which emphasize inquiry-based learning and a global perspective.
2. What is the make up and structure of your current IB class? Do you teach HL and SL? Together or separately? How many students do you have per class? Do you teach other curriculums or subjects?
I teach SL/HL students together in one class, and then I have separate class for only HL students,I have about 10 students per class, I have previously taught AP program and A level, Business studies and Economics.
3. Can you share a memorable moment or activity from your classroom that highlights the unique dynamics of teaching IB Business?
One memorable activity involved students creating a full-fledged business plan for a hypothetical startup that addressed a current global issue, such as sustainability or ethical production. Students were divided into groups, each representing different departments (marketing, finance, operations, etc.) During one of these projects, a group of students developed a unique idea for a sustainable clothing brand. They researched global fashion trends, calculated potential profits using break-even analysis. What made it special was their deep level of engagement.
4. What is one teaching strategy you've implemented that has significantly improved student engagement and understanding?
One highly effective teaching strategy is case based learning, by incorporating real-world business cases into lessons, students can directly apply theoretical concepts to practical scenarios.
For example, after introducing a concept like Porters five forces or SWOT analysis, I present a case study of a well-known company (e.g., Apple, Nike, or a local startup). Students are tasked with analyzing the case using the newly learned frameworks, followed by a class discussion where they compare their insights.
5. Do you incorporate real-world business scenarios into your lessons for students? If so, how?
I mostly prefer to give examples using real world scenarios , also because I have worked in corporate job, I also include my own experiences.
6. What are some common challenges students face in IB Business, and how do you help them overcome these obstacles?
One of the common challenge is writing well-structured, analytical essays, especially for Paper 1 and Paper 2. The way I solve this is to teach a clear structure for essays (e.g., introduction, application of theory, analysis, evaluation) and use PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link) to build solid arguments. Model essay writing by walking students through sample responses, and give them feedback on practice essays, focusing on both content and structure.
7. In your opinion, what are the key skills that students need to develop to succeed in IB Business? And how do you develop them?
Students need to develop a combination of analytical, research, communication, and critical thinking skills. These skills are crucial for understanding complex business concepts, applying theories, and performing well in assessments. This I try to solve by providing students with real business data and ask them to interpret financial statements or assess business performance. Other is using a scenario based questions where students must predict potential outcomes of business decisions.
8. If you could give one piece of advice to new IB Business Management teachers, what would it be and why?
One piece of advice for new IB Business Management teachers would be to embrace the real-world connections and make learning relevant.
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