Curriculum Overview

AISV’s educational program aims to be holistic, challenging and developmentally appropriate. The curriculum at AISV is designed to be accessible and relevant for all students who are admitted to the School.

Standards-based, inquiry driven education

Standards are the backbone of the curriculum. In Lower School, we use the following standards:

These standards, along with a commitment to a “standards-based approach” in assessment and instruction, allow all our students access to  the curriculum and help guarantee a progression as students move through the School. Inquiry-based instruction encompasses a range of teaching approaches by stimulating learning with a question or issue and promoting students’ active engagement in constructing new knowledge and understandings. Teachers who use these approaches act as facilitators of learning. Students’ demonstration of these characteristics are assessed in the end-of-term Effort grade.

Approaches to Learning

The ATLs are deliberate strategies, skills and attitudes identified in the IB program to help students learn how to learn. These are: thinking skills, communication skills, social skills, self-management skills and research skills. Attention to these approaches throughout the program at AISV helps us to speak the same language and to prepare students for the IB Diploma Program and lifelong learning.

Inclusive education

AISV’s teachers are dedicated to fostering the intellectual and emotional/social growth of each student. To promote active learning, we work to develop students’ understanding of how they learn and how they are progressing. We use differentiated instruction to provide all students access to the curriculum and to meet the needs of a range of learners.  Our Inclusive Education (IE) program is intended to provide support to students and teachers who need additional strategies and resources to maximize their success.

Assessing and reporting

Assessment is a process that allows us as educators to gather information about student performance in relation to standards/learning objectives. This information is used to give effective feedback to students, inform instruction and track student growth. At AISV, we believe that the primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning.

Electronic Devices in Lower School

All Lower School students are provided a Chromebook or tablet in Kindergarten through Grade 5.  Integrating the use of technology across the curriculum is one way AISV promotes the value of building an innovative school culture. In many cases, readings/texts are provided electronically. Users are expected to abide by and model the accepted Digital Citizenship Agreement.

Lower School Grading and Reporting Practices

Grading Scale and Descriptors

The purpose of this reporting system is to communicate to parents, students, and future schools what students understand, know, and can do; to celebrate achievements and to identify areas for future growth.

In addition to the standards, we report on work habits and social/emotional skills that support learning (see rubric below). The K- 5 report cards are integrated with a student portfolio, which helps demonstrate the application of newly learned concepts and skills.

Reporting

Lower School uses a trimester reporting schedule, which fits our curricular and academic calendar. Each trimester is approximately 12 weeks. A report of each child’s academic progress is given throughout the year through two scheduled conferences, and three standards-based reports with written comments. Additional conferences may be arranged by parental or teacher request.