elementary school – 四虎影院 Sat, 05 Aug 2023 07:44:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2023/04/faviconV2.png elementary school – 四虎影院 32 32 A Primary School Near You /a-primary-school-near-you/ Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:56:44 +0000 https://www.websterstudio.co.za/?p=11618

The 四虎影院 (AISCT) is situated in Constantia within the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. We are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and are endorsed as an independent school by the Western Cape Education Department. We cater to students from as young as two years old through to Grade 12 or Matric. The school is organized into our Early Childhood Development or Preschool program called Grizzly Cubs, our Elementary or Primary School, and after Grade 5 students move into our Upper School which includes Middle School and High School.

We have 500 students from over 50 countries, and our Primary School is a close-knit, 200-student-strong community.

Families in our Primary School at AISCT live throughout Cape Town. Our bus service collects students at their door, but many families live in the beautiful areas around our campus.

Primary School at AISCT

Our Primary School, or what we call our Elementary School, has a rich and holistic program. A strong curriculum in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies is complemented by visual arts, music, drama, and foreign languages (French and Spanish). We also have an IT and iPad program. Learning also includes service learning, and support is given to students through learning support and counseling. The curriculum at AISCT uses research-based standards and benchmarks of the United States curriculum that are aligned to meet our school curricular needs. It aligns to thousands of other prestigious public and private schools in the United States and around the world. On account of the standards-based approach and the strong focus on transferable learning, students transition into other schools and countries even if the curriculum is different. Within our learners, we hope to instill a strong sense of community, respect, responsibility, and integrity while equipping them with the skills to be curious, lifelong learners.

Primary school at AISCT is a fun, inspiring, and caring place to be, where students feel they belong. The teaching and learning is dynamic, diverse, and rigorous, enabling students to develop academically as well as socially and emotionally.

We hire dedicated and experienced teachers from around the world as well as from South Africa, and our class sizes are small with a teacher-student ratio of 1:10.

We also have an extensive list of after-school activities available to all age groups.

Admissions

AISCT works on the US calendar with the school year beginning in August and finishing in June. We accept applications throughout the school year with our largest intake of students in the beginning of the school year and then in January at the start of our second semester. Students in our Primary School can begin classes at any time during the school year.

We offer personalized, private tours for families and students, giving you an opportunity to see the school and our teaching and learning in progress.

Book your tour today.

]]> Curriculum and Learning /curriculum-and-learning/ Mon, 28 Feb 2022 19:04:12 +0000 https://www.websterstudio.co.za/?p=11675

When we discuss teaching and learning at the 四虎影院 (AISCT), we talk specifically about a few key areas. We talk about our Definition of Learning, the U.S. curriculum and standards, subject or course offerings, and assessment.

Why are all of these important? They define the type of learning our students will have and how we assess their progress. These elements can differ widely from school to school, and they can all add to the learning experience children have in their schooling.

At AISCT, we have broad goals of what we want learning to look like. We want the learning at AISCT to inspire curiosity, actively engage our learners, connect previous learning with new learning, and facilitate student agency.

In addition, we define learning as a lifelong, dynamic process whereby students acquire and reflect on knowledge and skills to create meaning in new and authentic ways. We know that the learning we provide to our students needs to serve them not only through their time at AISCT or other schools but through university and college and throughout their lives. Being able to apply their learning to other situations in life is key and the foundation for what a U.S. educational philosophy is about.

Understanding the U.S. Curriculum

When we talk about curriculum, we are referring to the learning content and subjects and courses we offer that align with key academic standards. We use the U.S. standards, and our curricula scope and sequencing drives student learning to ensure each child can meet these standards of what they should know and what skills they should master. These standards were developed to support learners in being successful not only in school and college but in life. They focus on developing critical thinking, analytical skills, and creative problem-solving 鈥 essential tools for today鈥檚 fast-changing world. Using the U.S. standards means that AISCT is aligned with public and private schools in the U.S., but because of the transferable nature of this type of learning, students can easily transfer to other educational programs. At AISCT, we want to ensure that we prepare students to be critical thinkers, to apply their learning to new situations, and to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.

On account of our diverse student body and our commitment to inclusion, our Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation adapts our curricula to suit the needs of our students, while maintaining the overarching standards. An example of this adaption is our focus on the Reggio Emilia approach in our Early Childhood Development Center. The Reggio Emilia approach is centered on a holistic, child-centered approach to learning that promotes creativity, meaningful rela颅tionships and critical thinking skills in children.

Why Does Assessment Matter?

The way in which student learning is assessed is incredibly important. Assessment at AISCT is not about scores and grades; it is about the learning. It is a way of providing feedback to students for self monitoring and growth. It is a way of showing progress to parents. For learning to be successful, assessment needs to be a process that includes teachers, students, and parents. We assess students in a multitude of ways so that we can gather clear information and then analyze and interpret that holistically. Teachers assess students formatively to gain a clear picture of their understanding at any given time in a unit of learning. This may include one on one conversations, a class 鈥渆xit鈥 ticket, a quick game (like Kahoot), or a simple thumbs up/down observation. Teachers assess the standards more formally through longer term projects, student-chosen inquiry tasks, exams, essays, performance tasks such as a debate, oral presentation or musical performance.聽Teachers and students are then able to adapt the teaching and learning based on the assessment findings. This reiterative process allows for continued growth and development.

We believe effective assessment must be based on these seven key principles:

  1. It must benefit students.
  2. It must involve students.
  3. It should support teaching and learning goals.
  4. It needs to be planned and well communicated to students.
  5. It should be suited to the purpose.
  6. It must be fair and valid.
  7. It should be in line with the school ethos.

Subjects and Courses

A strong educational program should be well balanced and offer a wide range of subject choices for all students, with a further expansion for older students who are starting to consider their area of specialization. This is why even our younger students have classes in art, world languages, and service learning, all alongside their foundational subjects of language arts and mathematics. This is why our High School has over 60 courses on offer.

On account of the diverse community at AISCT, world languages are also an essential part of our programs. We offer French and Spanish from as early as Elementary School.

We also know that for learners to fully embrace the world we currently live in, a strong focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) is key, and we offer a wide selection of related subjects at the High School level, with technology integration starting as young as in our Early Childhood Development program.

Preparing Students Fully

Education today is well researched, and as an international school, we have the advantage of utilizing leading models of global best practices for our learners. With our focus on the U.S. academic standards and curriculum, through our experienced and caring teachers, and on account of our commitment to inclusion, we provide students with the opportunities and confidence to live meaningful lives and positively impact the world.

Download the High School Course List here.

]]>