VISS approach to teaching
Your child’s individual learning needs are at the centre of our innovative teaching methods.
Overview
How we teach
Assessment
School Reports
Parent-teacher interviews
The learning approach taken at the Victoria International School of Sharjah is centred on your child’s individual learning needs and characterised by innovative teaching methods.
We recognise that well-designed learning spaces, community involvement and the use of technology will enhance your child’s learning outcomes significantly.
The school promotes and practices environmental sustainability and highly values providing hands-on learning experiences that enable real-life application of knowledge.
A strong team culture exists at the school and our leaders and teachers regularly review and refine our learning programs to reflect the ever-changing needs of 21st century students.
The Victoria International School of Sharjah is a supportive and productive learning and teaching environment where students’ needs, backgrounds and interests are reflected in the learning programs and the design of the school. The School’s focus is on designing organisational arrangements to challenge and engage young people.
Thinking oriented programs that focus on ‘major projects’, key concepts and key questions together with assessment and teaching practices form the basis of all whole school and program based planning. Sufficient time in teaching sessions is allowed for students at the school to properly and fully examine ideas.
Learning opportunities at the school are open-ended, cater for the multiple intelligences of all students and are based upon cooperative ‘student-centred’ learning strategies with sequential courses of study.
Learning and Teaching programs are based in but not confined to the classroom. Multipurpose spaces, and weather permitting, outdoor areas, are used for large groups and both targeted and integrated activities. Excursions into the community, visits from community members and camps, enhance the learning program.
The school constantly reviews its teaching practices and undertakes its own externally validated assessment to ensure what we offer families is the best possible education.
Our assessment approach is designed to improve student performance and inform personalised teaching. The school recognises that each child learns differently and assessment therefore occurs using a variety of measures. Assessment at the school also provides essential information to report back to you and your child on their achievements.
The following are some of the high quality, rigorous assessment practices used by the School from Grade 1 to Grade 13:
· differing forms of testing, from informal tests to formal exams at higher levels; and,
· a range of measures for each student to demonstrate what they know, giving a more accurate picture of their learning and growth;
· student self assessment and student to student peer assessments which promote a deeper understanding of what the student is learning;
· assessment tasks that apply students’ skills, knowledge and understanding to real-world challenges
· some negotiation of assessment with students to ensure shared understanding of standards, purpose and the criteria to be applied to their work;
· development of individual learner profiles, and/or portfolios showing the progress made by individual students and providing a sound basis of evidence for reporting progress to parents;
· Honest but constructive feedback as an ongoing part of the classroom experience.
Teachers use this variety of assessment strategies not just to determine how a student is progressing, but also to assist students in setting goals for their learning.
Prior to each unit of work, students are assessed to establish clearly students’ individual academic needs.
Results of school-assessed coursework and external examinations contribute towards a student’s study score in each Victorian Certificate of Education subject and ultimately towards the student’s tertiary entrance ranking for entry into university.
Students will leave our school adept at applying their acquired knowledge, skills and behaviours to the many new and varied situations they will experience in our rapidly changing world. We therefore believe integrating assessment into daily activities is the most effective way to evaluate your child’s knowledge, skills and behaviours.
The school provides parents with formal school reports twice a year. In the ELC, evidence is collected based on the Victorian Developmental Framework to create student portfolios and learning journals. These are the narratives of what the child learns at school and the students take great pride and satisfaction in their portfolios.
From Grade 1, the formal reports indicate progress against clearly stated standards based on strengths and areas requiring additional assistance, suggestions for support and extension strategies and a student self-assessment. The effort your child makes at school and their class behaviour will also be reported on, along with their school attendance. We will suggest ways you can help them at home and provide an opportunity for you to comment on their progress.
The Victoria International School of Sharjah welcomes discussion regarding your child’s progress at any time. Formal parent-teacher interviews are offered twice a year, providing opportunities for you to meet with teachers.