Education Philosophy
Learning the core subjects is an important factor of school’s life. Throughout history, there are several views on education and how students learn. AISS believes in a holistic approach wherein we believe that it is important to develop all that makes us a good humans being beyond teaching only the subjects we offer.
Here we present the ‘Targeted Areas of Development’ that is equally important.
Targeted Areas of Development
1.Critical Thinking & Intelligences
Provoking the mind to go beyond mediocrity and normalcy. To analyze an issue from multiple perspectives. To develop an attitude of lifelong learning. To identify their own set of intelligences to reach their fullest potential.
2.Entrepreneurial & Technological Prowess
Getting them to think and behave like an entrepreneur with technological skills at their disposal to ride on the wave of the 4th Industrial Revolution
3.Creativity & Performing Arts
Stimulating their creativity instead of killing it. Celebrating the performing arts, which are essential in developing a holistic child.
4.Social & Interpersonal Skills
Emphasizing social skills to assist students in developing relationships, maintaining good networking and collaborating effectively with others.
5.Global Citizenship
Instilling a sense of responsibility and ownership towards family, school, nation and the planet. Understanding the impact of global issues is essential for appreciating them.
6.Emotion & Ethics
Developing the emotional resilience to weather failures, setbacks and tragedies. To achieve success while maintaining integrity. Understanding that the ends do not justify the means. To distinguish what is right and wrong in compromising situations
7.Physical Education and Health
Achieving and maintaining good health through positive physical activities and nutrition. Health is wealth and happiness. To understand that the body is connected to the mind.
8.Leadership Skills
Equipping students with effective leadership skills to set the course, motivate their charge, and influence people.
A – Amusement Activity
We all learn more when we are having fun. Our amusement activity refers to games students play to amplify the appreciation of the lesson. For example, the Physics teacher can organise a game of musical chairs to help students understand the nature of the flow of electric current.
S – Sing
Singing refers to music. Music is a large part of most students’ lives as many young people are always seen with their headphones or airpods. For example, The Chemistry teacher might teach them the periodic table song to familiarize themselves with the basic elements.
P – Presentation
A presentation is when students come to the front to deliver projects that they have prepared to demonstrate what they have learned from a specific topic.*This component is second nature to our students and very often employed as it boosts confidence and develops public speaking skills. This component is second nature to our students and very often employed as it boosts confidence and develops public speaking skills.
I – Inter-student Collaboration
At AISS, we promote group work and group discussions as the youth are increasingly estranged from each other while being ironically connected via their smart devices. We find that students today lack the skills to communicate effectively in-person to group members and therefore we encourage them to work together as a team. Group collaborations form the fabric of our learning culture.
R – Realia
Realia refers to objects or activities used to relate classroom teaching to real life. As much as possible, we encourage teachers to bring actual learning materials to the class. Instead of showing them a video of the pericarp of a fruit, containing the endocarp, mesocarp and exocarp, students are encouraged to bring the actual fruit. Instead of showing them an image of the ancient Romans, the students are encouraged to dress up like Romans.
A – Acting
Everyone loves a bit of drama and here we celebrate this aspect of the performing arts to complement the lessons because the students are engaged in experiential learning. Instead of explaining to them the business transaction process, the students can act out the entire process of marketing and sales pitching leading up to the actual transaction.
T – Technology
We are preparing students, not for the economy of today or tomorrow, but for the next 10 – 20 years, and the word on the street is that people will be more and more dependent on technology. Every student at AISS is required to have a device because machines are used not only in computing classes, but also in the learning of many other subjects. Every student at AISS is able to, at the very least, create and edit videos, which is a necessary skill today.
I – Independent Learning
While most students learn better as a group, some learn better on their own. Independent learning is employed in the flip classroom approach where the students are given the content to learn and they immerse themselves in it at home and during lesson time, the class time is used in activities to apply the knowledge learnt.
O – Outdoor
It has been said that real learning happens out of the classroom. We can see that students enjoy themselves so much when the chance comes for them to escape out of the classroom. Building on that, we promote outdoor learning by making sure that there are excursions every term. At the very least, there are leadership camps, community service activities and science practical days where learning happens out of the classroom
N – Narrate
Everyone loves to hear stories. We grew up listening to stories. “Once upon a time” are four words that grab people’s attention. Teachers are encouraged to present their lessons like a story whenever possible. This will be easy when it comes to History but is also applicable to business principles and even Chemistry. When teaching about deforestation in Geography, the teacher might share the story of the lives of actual families being displaced. The impact of the lesson will be so much greater.
In order to maximise the outcomes of the lesson, teachers at AISS are encouraged to use these boosters to create an amazing learning experience whenever possible. We acknowledge the multiple intelligences of the different students in our classroom. Each of them learns differently and certain methods are more effective for some than others. At AISS, we celebrate diversity and embrace a multi-pronged approach.
