What I’ve Learned After One Year of the New Extended Essay...

Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of teachers at schools around the world as they prepare for the new Extended Essay, with the first assessment in 2027.

And after a year of workshops, conversations, school visits, Subject Group meetings, working directly with IB Coordinators and Extended Essay Coordinators, and a bunch of thinking about this, one thing has become very clear to me:

There is no single best way to train a faculty for the new Extended Essay.

Every school is different.

Some schools have multiple days available for professional development. Others struggle to find a single afternoon. Some want to rethink the systems surrounding their entire IB Core. Others simply need to train five new Supervisors.

But what I have also learned is that leaving individual Supervisors to figure out the new Extended Essay on their own is not enough.

There are significant changes to the Extended Essay for the Class of 2027, and teachers need intentional training focused on those changes. Supervisors need time to understand the new guidance, work with others in their Subject Group to understand what that guidance means for their particular subject, clarify their role in the supervision process, and develop the confidence they need to effectively support their students.

And with the Class of 2027 already underway, now is the time to make sure our Supervisors are prepared.

Some schools are even looking at the new Extended Essay and asking a bigger question: How can we use this as a model for developing research and thinking skills throughout our entire secondary school?

Over the past year, I have worked with schools taking all of these approaches, both online and in person.

So this week, I thought I would share four different models that I have seen work really well.

My hope is that one of them might provide a model for what could work in your school.

The Victoria Shanghai Academy Model: The Comprehensive Approach

Let's start with the most comprehensive model.

In January, Kurt and I spent three days working with the faculty and leadership team at Victoria Shanghai Academy in Hong Kong.

Rather than focusing exclusively on the Extended Essay, we began by stepping back and looking at the bigger picture.

On the first day, we worked with the full faculty on Crafting an Effective Classroom Culture. We explored who we are as educators, the principles that guide us, and how those principles shape the learning environments and relationships we create with students.

Day two then moved specifically into the IB Core.

We spent the day meeting with the different leadership groups responsible for CAS, Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and the Diploma Programme. The goal was not to come in and change what the school was already doing. Instead, we looked at their existing structures, identified what was working well, and explored where greater clarity and consistency could strengthen the student experience.

The big idea was one that has become increasingly central to our work with schools...

Highly functioning Adult Systems create excellent student experiences.

Then, on day three, we spent the entire day on the new Extended Essay.

We began with the big picture: What has changed? What has stayed the same? What are the Subject-Focused and Interdisciplinary Pathways?

From there, we dug deeply into the new Mark Scheme, Generic Guidance, and Subject-Specific Guidance before moving into what we think was the most valuable part of the day: approximately two hours of Subject Group work.

Teachers sat together by Subject Group and began building their own pathway from research to writing using our Extended Essay Builder and Four-Step Plan.

And that is something we have learned repeatedly over the past year.

Teachers need time together.

Reading the new guidance individually is one thing. Sitting down with the other teachers in your Subject Group and asking, "What does this actually mean for us?" is something entirely different.

We finished the day by establishing clear roles for the school, Coordinators, Supervisors, and students, and by looking carefully at the supervision and reflection process.

This is the most comprehensive model, and it works particularly well for schools that have the time and resources to dig deeply into not only the new Extended Essay, but also the Adult Systems surrounding the entire IB Core.

The American School of Barcelona Model: Working Within the Existing School Schedule

Of course, most schools face a very practical problem...

Where do we find the time?

It is not always possible to create a full professional development day. Students have classes. Teachers have responsibilities. School calendars are already packed.

The American School of Barcelona found a really effective solution.

Rather than creating a separate professional development day, we built the training into two regular school days.

We began by taking advantage of the school's already scheduled Wednesday afternoon faculty professional development meeting.

During that session, I introduced the new Extended Essay to the full faculty and focused particularly on the new Interdisciplinary Pathway. The goal was to make sure everyone had a common understanding of what was changing and what this new pathway would mean for students and Supervisors.

Then, across the two days, we scheduled a series of Subject Group meetings during periods when teachers were already largely available for common planning.

Each session lasted approximately 70 minutes and focused specifically on the Subject-Focused Pathway.

This gave us the opportunity to do something that is incredibly difficult during a large whole-faculty presentation: actually look at what the new Extended Essay means within individual subjects.

We worked through the Mark Scheme and Generic Guidance, and then teachers had time to dig into their own Subject-Specific Guidance.

Most importantly, they could begin developing a common Four-Step Plan within their Subject Groups.

The idea is simple. Rather than having every Supervisor create an entirely different process, the Subject Group agrees on four major steps that will move students from their initial research and research question toward the point where they are prepared to write their draft.

This creates consistency for students while still allowing individual subjects to honor their own approaches to research.

And perhaps the best part of the Barcelona Model was that school continued.

There was some need for substitute coverage, but students did not have to be sent home, classes did not need to be cancelled for an entire day, and the school was able to use its existing calendar and common planning periods to provide meaningful Extended Essay training to the faculty.

For schools struggling to find a full professional development day, I think this model has tremendous potential.

The Academia Cotopaxi Model: The Extended Essay as a Capstone Project Model

The work we did at Academia Cotopaxi in Quito, Ecuador, took the Extended Essay in an entirely different direction.

The workshop was called The Extended Essay: A Model Capstone Project for Any Grade Level.

And the idea behind it was one that I absolutely love.

We started with a very simple question...

What is the point of what we do as educators?

For me, the answer is that we are trying to empower kids to thrive in all areas of life by helping them build essential skills.

And when you look closely at the Extended Essay, that is exactly what it does.

Students have to think. They have to research. They have to communicate. They have to manage themselves. They have to work with others and respond to feedback.

In other words, the Extended Essay is fundamentally a skills-based task.

So rather than thinking about the Extended Essay only as a 4,000-word essay completed near the end of the Diploma Programme, we asked a different question...

Could the Extended Essay serve as a model for capstone projects throughout secondary school?

Imagine a Grade 6 capstone, a Grade 8 capstone, a Grade 10 capstone, and eventually the Extended Essay in Grade 12.

Those projects do not have to look the same.

A capstone might be a research paper. It might be a presentation. It might be a group project. It might be something completely different that is appropriate for that particular age group.

The product is not the point.

The skills are the point.

At each stage, students can intentionally develop the IB Approaches to Learning: Thinking Skills, Research Skills, Communication Skills, Social Skills, and Self-Management Skills. We looked at how the Extended Essay Mark Scheme, the Frameworks, and these Approaches to Learning could provide a progression of skill development throughout secondary school.

The training itself was a three-hour whole-secondary-faculty workshop delivered online, followed by an additional two-hour session where teachers worked within departments and grade levels to begin adapting the model to their own students.

And once again, the Four-Step Plan provided a structure that could be adapted to research tasks across different grade levels.

I think this is a particularly powerful model for schools that offer the Diploma Programme but are not IB continuum schools.

Instead of the Extended Essay appearing suddenly at the end of a student's educational experience, its underlying skills can become part of a deliberate progression throughout secondary school.

The Individual Supervisor Training Model: Keep It Simple

And then there is the simplest model of all.

The reality is that not every school has the time in its calendar or the professional development budget to organize a full faculty training this year.

But that doesn't mean that training has to wait.

Instead, schools can identify the Supervisors who most need the training and send an individual teacher, a small team, or even an entire Subject Group to a live workshop.

Another option is for the IB Coordinator or Extended Essay Coordinator to attend the training themselves. They can develop a clear understanding of the new Extended Essay and then bring that knowledge back to their school and use it to support and train their wider faculty.

And for individual Supervisors, you don't necessarily have to wait for your school to organize something either. If you want to better understand the new Extended Essay and feel more confident in your role, you can simply sign up on your own.

Last year, this was an incredibly popular option. Across two workshops, we had more than 100 teachers join our Effectively Supervising the New Extended Essay in Any Subject Area workshop. This year, we are offering the workshop again on November 7th.

It is a four-hour live online training designed specifically for Extended Essay Supervisors in any Subject Group.

During the four hours, we work through the new Subject-Focused and Interdisciplinary Pathways, the Mark Scheme, the new guidance, The Extended Essay Builder, the Four-Step Plan, the supervision process, reflection, and, perhaps most importantly, exactly what the role of the Supervisor should be.

Whatever your school's circumstances, the important thing is making sure the Supervisors working with the Class of 2027 have the training and support they need to confidently guide their students through the new Extended Essay.

So, What Have I Learned?

After a year of doing this work, I think my biggest takeaway is that there is no perfect Extended Essay training model.

There is only the model that works best for your school.

But what I do believe is that our Supervisors need training for the new Extended Essay.

Being an Extended Essay Supervisor can be an isolating experience. Our teachers have classes to teach, lessons to plan, work to grade, students to support, and countless other responsibilities competing for their time and attention. And in many schools, the Extended Essay itself can be a fragmented process, with individual Supervisors working largely on their own.

As a result, teachers don't always have a clear understanding of exactly what their role as a Supervisor should be. And now, with the new guidance for the Class of 2027, we are asking those same teachers to understand the changes, interpret the new guidance within their particular Subject Group, and confidently support students through the process.

That is a lot to ask teachers to figure out on their own.

So whether that training comes directly from the IB, from experienced colleagues around the world, or through one of the models I have shared above, I think the important thing is simply to make sure the training happens.

Maybe your school needs three days to step back and look at the systems surrounding the entire IB Core.

Maybe you need to work within your existing timetable and create opportunities for Subject Groups to meet.

Maybe you want to use the Extended Essay as something bigger, a model for developing essential skills throughout secondary school.

Or maybe you simply need to train a few Supervisors.

All four can work.

And if one of our custom training models makes sense for your school, I would love to work with you. Our schedule for this school year is already beginning to fill, and we are happy to adapt the length, structure, and focus of the training around the particular needs and realities of your school.

Ultimately, the Extended Essay is an experience that students can be incredibly proud of when they reach the end of the process.

Our job as the adults supporting them is to make sure their Supervisors have the knowledge, confidence, and training they need to provide those students with the experience they deserve.

I hope that was helpful.

See you next week.

Upcoming Workshops and Opportunities...

​Theory of Knowledge New Teacher Workshop - September 18th & 19th, 2026 - Designed for teachers new to Theory of Knowledge, this two-day training co-taught by Brad Cartwright and Sofía Elizalde offers a clear, practical roadmap for teaching TOK with confidence. Together, we will explore the core components of the IB Diploma Programme, the purpose and structure of the TOK course, key assessment criteria, the TOK Exhibition, the TOK Essay, and classroom strategies that support thoughtful discussion, meaningful reflection, and strong student writing.

​Effectively Supervising the Extended Essay in Economics - September 20th, 2026 - This 3-hour workshop offers IB Economics teachers actionable techniques for supervising and guiding students through every stage of the new Extended Essay journey. From unpacking the task to navigating the assessment criteria and refining their writing, gain the skills to support students in producing outstanding work.

​The Cohort Model for the Extended Essay Teacher Workshop - October 3rd, 2026 - The Cohort Model is a customizable approach to managing the Extended Essay, designed to meet your school’s specific context. This workshop will guide you through each step of the process, from research and reflections to assessment, offering a structured, cohesive approach that ensures student success and smooth coordination across all subjects.

​Teaching The Internal Assessment in IB Economics - October 10th, 2026 - In this 3-hour workshop, IB Economics teachers will explore actionable strategies for supporting students through the Internal Assessment process. Learn how to guide article selection, apply the mark scheme confidently, and empower your students to create exceptional Internal Assessments.

​Effectively Supervising the Extended Essay in Any Subject- November 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.

In-Person Professional Workshops - 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 brad@bradcartwright.com and we’ll work together to make it happen. ​

Brad Cartwright​
Educator | Speaker | Workshop Leader | Course Creator
About Me | Testimonials | Join 25,000+ Learners | LinkedIn​