North Atlanta expanded its IB curriculum in the fall, adding IB Economics and IB Psychology. These two classes were introduced to juniors at the end of the 2024-25 school year. However, were these two classes just added on top of the already busy and stressed Warriors, or were they a much-needed addition?
Antonella Sanguinetti has been teaching Psychology for many years, but this is her first time teaching at an IB level of rigor. Before North, for eight years, Sanguinetti was a school psychologist and also educated teachers at a college level. Her focus at Viña del Mar University in Valparaíso, Chile was cognitive thinking, behavior, development, and processes. When she started at North, she had to learn information on the school, its procedures, expectations, and logistics. Simultaneously, she tackled the intensity of the IB program. Through these challenges and the need to adapt, Sanguinetti took one piece of advice with her. “Everything is relatable, and we must use our own experience and apply it to any context in psychology,” she said.
Junior Franklin Pickens chose to take IB Psychology because he has always found it to be an interesting subject and something he would consider pursuing after college. Junior Anjali Gowda enjoys Sanguinetti’s understanding nature on top of her curiosity, like Pickens. Gowda stresses that Sanguinetti is a really understanding, nice, and supportive teacher. Gowda and Pickens emphasize that Sanguetti’s understanding nature flows into the decisions she makes when teaching. “Ms. Sanguinetti does a great job of advocating for the students’ needs when we request more time or need help on a difficult concept,” Pickens said.
Those who decided not to take the IB Psychology route chose to take IB Economics instead. Junior Adelaide Middleton had her mind set on the business pathway in the IB program, but that was taken away. Despite her feelings, Middleton’s decision felt natural given her long-standing interest in the subject, so she chose IB Economics in the end. She was always interested in economics, especially the money side. Yet that was no surprise, given that when she was growing up, she had always been surrounded by conversations of finance. She heard conversations ranging from transactions to logistics. The strong family influence Middleton experienced is mainly credited to her dad. She believes he’s the one who inspired her interest at a young age. “My dad was in finance, and that’s what I wanted to do for a while,” she said.
A classmate of Middleton and another junior, Madison Gilstrap, chose to take IB Economics because she has always been interested in the logistics of how the world works. Through this class, Gilstrap hopes to gather knowledge and resources to help her better comprehend financial success. Her goal is centered on how economic choices impact everyday life. Her interest in the logistics behind the global system, particularly how income is created, managed, and distributed influence her drive and choice to take IB Economics. Gilstrap is not only interested in learning what money is, but also how people earn it and how they can grow it over time. “I want to deepen my understanding of how to become successful,” Gilstrap said.
At the end of the day, people learning about money and mental health earlier in life is very important. The fundamental skills are being taught through these classes. This not only allows them to be successful in life, but also to be resilient, determined, and successful people. IB Psychology and Economics may be new to the curriculum, but the Dub’s interests have never been new.
