KIS Middle School Academics
KIS Middle School is accredited by the Secondary Schools Commission, Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges, Philadelphia as part of the US-linked KIS High School Diploma program. The International Baccalaureate (IBO) Middle Years Program (MYP) is followed in grades 6 -10 and full authorization was gained in December 2006. Students require two full years in the program to be eligible for MYP certification.
MYP is a philosophy not a curriculum and reinforces the holistic approach and intercultural awareness of the existing international Middle School curriculum at KIS. In addition to the eight subject groups of the MYP curriculum model, KIS also offers Health and RE courses. These are compulsory requirements for the KIS HS Diploma which starts in Grade 9. KIS focus is student centered and the learning process encourages 'hands on' experience. Classes are intentionally small (maximum class size is 25 but average class size is much smaller). Enrichment and extension programs are also provided in:
- Intramural sports programs
- Life skills (personal health and development programs)
- Religious and values education
- Outdoor and environmental education
Curricular Innovation
Following a 30 year successful track record with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, KIS started discussion in 2004 regarding the introduction of the IB Middle Years Program. In 2005 KIS was approved by the IBO for the MYP 'consideration phase'. A pre-authorization visit from the IBO Singapore office took place in April 2006 and this was followed by a successful authorization visit in November 2006. KIS was officially granted authorized status for the MYP by the IBO Director General in December 2006.
KIS is now working of further developing the program based on the expert advice received from the IBO Singapore office and aims to be an exemplar MYP school, setting standards for the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.
Ethos
In keeping with KIS mission statement and KIS Middle School philosophy that aims to provide a broad-based educational program for the holistic development of transitional adolescents, Middle School program offers:
- A secure, stable environment with flexibility for individual growth during this transitional period in student life
- Structured and clear guidelines within which students can find their "voices" and learn to express and exercise freedom responsibly
- Academically challenging student-centered instruction, imparted by a team of caring, committed teachers, enriched and extended to prepare students for high school, college and later life
- Attention to individual needs balanced with an emphasis on the value of challenge and fostering of self-reliance as students grow and mature
- Broad experience of education to equip students to live in a global society, at the same time grounded firmly in traditional values of inquiry, hard work, integrity, respect and reverence
Curriculum
Click here for explication of MYP curriculum. |
