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SIS Vision
At SIS we believe that children learn best when they are safe, secure, and happy, and when they are given opportunities to ask questions, seek solutions, and are expected to accept responsibility for their learning.
SIS supports the view that all students can be successful at the things that we teach at school. SIS departs from traditional education in that time in class is not the "defining" factor of success in learning. In traditionally oriented schools, students are given a certain amount of time to complete their studies in a subject and are then assessed, whether or not they have learned or understood the material.
In contrast, SIS uses time as a resource so students can master the outcomes that are designed to facilitate each child’s development into a well-educated and well-adjusted person. In the SIS model of learning, students are not finished until they master the outcomes in each area.
Recognizing that not every person learns at the same rate, SIS has only grades of "A," "B," or "still in progress". Students who complete an outcome sooner work on extended learning and gain credit for doing so. On the other hand, students who need additional time to achieve mastery level are given the opportunity to do so. Thus, students have more than one chance for success. The outcomes students need to reach a mastery level are clearly defined and clearly stated. SIS teaches what is to be tested and tests what is taught. The model of education used at SIS is used throughout all the Quality Schools International Schools.
Performance–Based Education and Mastery Learning
Recognizing that traditional educational methods do not adequately prepare students for the changing needs of the future, Sanaa International School redesigned its approach to education. The objective was to change how learning is measured from a time-based examination procedure to assessing individual student achievement. This Performance-Based approach to education is used in all schools associated with Quality Schools International.
The performance-based education and mastery-learning approach is based on the assumption that all students can master essential skills and information if they are given sufficient time and support. This reflects a belief that the best way for students to learn is first to find where they are, determine where they should be, and then decide the best way to get them from "here to there." This approach assumes there are many ways to get same results: the important thing is that students succeed.
The SIS curriculum is guided by the question: "What do we want our students to know and be able to do?" This ensures that the SIS curriculum is a coherent system of instruction, not a series of diverse and fragmented activities focused on preparing students for external examinations.
At SIS:
* Learning objectives are clearly defined and given to students and parents
* Teachers, students, and parents share joint responsibility for successful learning
* Time is varied for learning according to the needs of each student and the complexity of the task
* Successive instructional levels are determined after assessment of total student achievement instead of on time spent in class or scores on external tests
* Assessment and evaluation are ongoing and authentic
* Students are given the opportunity to learn from others and to build personal learning skills
* Students are given opportunities for problem solving, and are expected to engage in higher order thinking skills.
* At SIS all students are ensured the opportunity for personal success.
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“SUCCESS FOR ALL”
This is the motto of Sanaa International School. And it is more than a slogan. Success orientations are both taught and evaluated.
Success Orientations
Academic success alone does not lead to success in real life. Research supports, and experience confirms, that successful people have developed personal orientations that lead to success. Personal habits, the ability to interact successfully with others, reliability, responsibility, diligent work habits, promptness, keeping your word, kindness, and other factors in this realm are more important than the knowledge a student learns and the competencies they gain.
Responsibility for success in these orientations rests first and foremost in the home; however, they are actively encouraged and taught in virtually all areas of the school curriculum, with the view of making them a vital part of each student’s life pattern. The role of QSI is to reinforce the efforts of the home.
QSI evaluates success orientations independently from academic objectives. Academic evaluations are given on the basis of student performance in the specified outcomes in the academic areas. Evaluations of success orientations are limited to situations within the responsibility of the school and are awarded by a consensus of the professional staff members.
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Success orientations include:
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* Responsibility
* Trustworthiness
* Group Interaction
* Aesthetic Appreciation
* Kindness & Politeness
* Independent Endeavor
* Concern For Others
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Competencies
The last century saw a tremendous information explosion along with scientific and technological advances that continues into the 21st Century. It is essential for students to develop those competencies that will give them the means to cope with the new millennium.
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Particularly important are the higher order thinking skills. Quality Schools International considers mastery in each of these seven competencies to be essential:
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* Numeracy and Mathematics
* Verbal and written Communication
* Thinking and Problem Solving
* Decision-Making and Judgement
* Commercial Skills
* Psychomotor Skills
* Fine Arts Skills
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In the realm of knowledge, SIS has identified seven knowledge areas that will lead to a successful school experience at SIS:
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* Mathematics
* English & Literature
* Cultural Studies
* Science
* Creative and Applied Arts
* Languages other than English
* Personal Health and World Environment
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