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Canadian International School (CIS) is proud to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) curriculum for students in Grades 1 to 3. These grades are offered at both the Toh Tuck and Tanjong Katong* campuses.
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In the Primary Years Programme, students engage in large, transdisciplinary topics of study organized as Units of Inquiry (UOI). With each UOI, the classroom becomes a centre of structured inquiry through which students acquire skills and build new knowledge. These units are outlined in our school-wide Programme of Inquiry (POI) and are carefully designed to build from one year to the next as students' progress through the school.
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Is a significant, relevant and challenging learning experience.
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Involves students in a range of learning activities.
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Requires students to engage in positive action.
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Integrates diverse subject areas whenever meaningful and appropriate.
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Language is central to a child's development. It is "fundamental to learning, thinking and communicating, and permeates the whole curriculum" (IBO, 2007). Our programme focuses on developing children's depth of understanding, fluency in communication and mastery of skills. Throughout the day and in all subject areas language literacy skills in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, Representing and Viewing are incorporated as crucial tools for learning. Children learn to express their ideas, feelings and opinions, to support their thinking with sound arguments and research, and to use the language appropriate for formal and informal situations.
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| Mathematics |
The Mathematics programme enables students to interpret the world around them with the development of strategies, and a body of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Learning Mathematics requires active inquiry that engages students and teachers in answering questions and in solving real life problems. It fosters creativity and imagination in the discovery of patterns of shape and number, the perceiving of relationships, the making of models, the interpretation of data, and the communication of emerging ideas and concepts.
| Mathematical understanding will provide children with a body of knowledge upon which to build and reflect and will include: |
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Number, Algebra, Pattern and Function
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Measurement
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Data Handling and Statistics
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Space and Shape
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| Social Studies and Science |
In the PYP, Social Studies is viewed as the study of people in relation to their past, their present and their future, as well as to their environment and their society. Social Studies encourages curiosity and develops an understanding of a rapidly changing world. Through Social Studies, students develop an understanding of their personal and cultural identities.
Students inquire into and learn about globally significant issues in the Units of Inquiry. Each unit may focus primarily on Social Studies or Science, or may blend the two.
The focus in Science is on "the exploration of the behaviours, and the interrelationships among, the natural, physical and material worlds". The scientific method is a model of inquiry which is crucial to the development of scientific understanding. CIS students are engaged in a Science process which encourages "hands-on experience and inquiry, and enables the individual to make informed and responsible decisions, not only in Science but also in other areas of life". (IBO, 2007)
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| Foreign Languages |
Every child benefits from having access to different cultures, perspectives and languages. Acquisition of more than one language enriches personal growth and helps facilitate international understanding. (IBO, 2001)
English is the language of instruction at the Canadian International School. We also offer both French and Mandarin instruction from the age of four, or additional English support for students still mastering the English language.
Students are required to choose between French and Mandarin from Grade 4.
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| Art and Drama |
At CIS, the Arts are not mere "add-ons", but are essential aspects of our curriculum. We recognize that the Visual Arts, Dance, Movement, Drama, and Music offer children multiple forms of literacy with which they may interpret the world and represent their understanding. We enable children to use the Arts to understand concepts and ideas more deeply, and to share their new learning.
Our Art and Drama specialists work alongside classroom teachers to cooperatively plan and teach new topics of study, and to integrate the Arts with the PYP Units of Inquiry. Visual Arts instruction includes elements of design, art interpretation, and the development of Art techniques. Drama classes develop children's skills in verbal and non-verbal expression and include movement, dance, and drama forms such as role play, mime, and performance.
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| Music |
| Our students pursue Music instruction each week with a specialty teacher. During these classes, students learn the basic elements of music through listening, performing and creating music. | |
Our teacher-librarians work closely with teachers in planning Units of Inquiry in the Primary Years Programme. Our focus is on integrating technology and curriculum to support student learning. Information technology is another way to open up the world to a child.
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The Learning Centre is a changing and dynamic place. It is an integral part of the busy daily life of every CIS student, from the youngest to the oldest. Everything we do is aimed at meeting the educational needs of students and staff members and enriching our PYP (Primary Years Programme) curriculum. We also aim to stimulate interest in literature to meet the recreational reading needs of our learning community, and we encourage independence in literacy. Whether it is for research, borrowing resources, or simply browsing, everyone is welcome in the Learning Centre.
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CIS students in Grades 1 to 8 have opportunities each year to participate in Open Minds. This is an exciting, innovative programme that moves the classroom into real world settings. At sites like the Singapore Zoo, the museums of Singapore, the Jurong Bird Park, and the Esplanade (a performing arts centre) students work with their teachers and guest experts in exploring the mysteries of these sites. These resource rich environments spark curiosity, provide challenges and offer variety for personal choices of topics of interest - all elements critical to making learning engaging and relevant for children.
The Open Minds Programme enhances the inquiry-based learning that is the keystone of the Primary Years Programme. Experiencing the inquiry process in these settings encourages children to take responsibility for their learning and gives them time to focus on the things that matter to them. Children engage in hands-on, minds-on learning which enables them to build on their prior knowledge, and to achieve a deeper level of understanding of their world and of themselves as learners.
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| In exciting real world settings children put their observation, questioning and critical thinking skills into action to interpret their experience. Research skills important to this inquiry include: |
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Observing |
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Describing |
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Building Relationships |
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Formulating and Testing Hypotheses
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Developing Concepts |
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Extending Knowledge |
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Journaling, sketching and reflecting are important to the children's documentation of their learning |
In the Open Minds environment, their skills as writers and artists expand to match the richness of their experiences. Unique, Valuable, Memorable. Open Minds is the ultimate field experience.
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Through community outreach initiatives, the Canadian International School aims to develop caring, well-balanced and responsible young global citizens. Community outreach at CIS is part of our transdisciplinary curriculum and an important part of fostering the IB learner profile. Engaging students in community service projects is a wonderful way of encouraging our students to be principled, caring and open minded. We know that learning outside the classroom and helping others encourages empathy and understanding in our students. This results in well rounded, responsible, and well balanced global citizens.
Community outreach projects at CIS undertake cooperative partnerships between the school community and communities in need, so that our students gain the personal empowerment to effect meaningful change. We work in partnership with development projects in Cambodia as well as with charities here in Singapore. Community outreach projects at CIS undertake Community outreach projects at CIS undertake cooperative partnerships between the school community and communities in need, so that our students gain the personal empowerment to effect meaningful change. We work in partnership with development projects in Cambodia as well as with charities here in Singapore. For over fifteen years, students and teachers have been holding Handicraft Silk Sales and raising funds for Tabitha, a development program founded by Canadian, Janne Ritskes. Twice a year, a group of committed high school students and teachers travel to Cambodia each year to build houses for Tabitha and to undertake various service projects. In 2010, our first house building trip for parents and children of CIS was also conducted. CIS also supports the NHCC (New Hope for Cambodian Children) AIDS orphanage just out of Phnom Penh, and the People's Improvement Organisation, who provide education, food, clothing and healthcare to some of the most poverty stricken people in Cambodia.
Locally, students and teachers are proud to participate in a yearly worldwide cancer fundraiser, the Run for Hope in memory of Canadian hero, Terry Fox. We also join forces with the Canadian Association in December each year to collect teddy bears, educational toys, and raise funds for children with Cerebral Palsy. Other charities and causes are run on a class or grade basis. This includes regular visits aged care facilities by our grade 8 students and other events such as bake sales. CIS also works with the Singapore Red Cross to provide emergency funds during large scale natural disasters.
Over the course of the 2009-2010 academic year, CIS was able to donate over $100,000 through these various channels of community outreach. This includes the funds to provide housing for over 30 families in Cambodia who would otherwise be without shelter.
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At the Canadian International School, the school day runs from 9am to 3.00pm. The academic day consists of seven 40 minute periods per day. Students in grades one to three have a 20 minute break for recess/snack and a 60/50* minute break for lunch/recess each day.
The end of the school day is at 3.00pm. At the Toh Tuck campus, students taking the bus home from school are escorted to the gymnasium, where they are supervised until they are led directly to their specific buses. Students who are being picked up by parents are escorted to the canteen area where there is teacher supervision.
At the Tanjong Katong campus, students taking the bus home from school are escorted to the basketball court where they are supervised until they are led directly to their buses, and students being collected by parents are escorted to the canteen area, where there is teacher supervision.
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Assessment is an ongoing process at the Canadian International School. Teachers use a variety of summative and formative assessment tasks to evaluate student performance and plan for further student learning. Feedback from assessment allows for the improvement of the overall programme at CIS.
Both students and teachers are engaged in assessing student progress. The reasoning behind the assessment, as well as the criteria for assessment, is communicated to the students. Students frequently engage in self and peer assessment activities as they are important stakeholders in this process. All students at the Canadian International School keep individualized portfolios. This is an important way for students to document and reflect on their progress throughout the year.
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| Network Accounts |
Students enrolled at CIS are given a personal network account that includes an individual username and password that allows them to securely log on to the school network and access computer resources such as file servers, software and access to the Internet.
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| Network Storage |
Every student at the High School campus possesses a network account that is used to store school related files. A back up network storage facility is available to protect important student work.
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| Network Accessibility |
The network at the High School campus is 100% wireless. This means that students have the ability to access the network and all of its resources at any time of day, and from any location in the school.
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| Connection to the Internet |
| All CIS campuses possess dedicated high speed internet connections through a local Internet service provider that allows students excellent bandwidth for researching and finding information on the Internet. |
To view the CIS Acceptable Network usage form, please click here. |
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| ACADEMIC RESOURCE |
CIS provides limited services for children with learning challenges. Academic Resource support is available to those students who require assistance with specific aspects of their regular classroom programme. Children may receive special support in the classroom or they may participate in an individual or group setting to maximize their learning.
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| ESOL - ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES |
The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programme offers children who are new to English an opportunity to develop the language skills they need to be successful learners. Following an assessment of their oral language, reading and writing abilities, children may attend ESOL classes in place of French or Mandarin. In ESOL classrooms, children develop their language skills in a dynamic environment with a smaller class size. The ESOL curriculum provides a framework for learning outcomes for children with different levels of ability in English, and links with the Primary Years Program (PYP) followed in home room classes.
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| EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (ECAs) |
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Students in grades one to three have the option of enrolling in after school activities, ECAs. ECAs are run each semester and the timing for pickup after the activities will vary according to the activity selected. ECAs include academic, sporting and creative options, for more information please visit the Activities section on this website. Parents will need to arrange private transport for children engaged in ECAs. For further information on the PYP programme for students in grade 1-3, please contact our PYP and Curriculum coordinators: |
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