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Bottom-Line Nine is a framework provided by IPC with which to monitor our teaching and learning.

Improving Learning

That in all we do and say, we will embody the mission and ministry of Christ; who through the constant messages of love, grace and truth, inspired and transformed those around him to seek excellence.

Shared Vision

Building on our Vision, Mission, Motto, and Values, Island Christian Academy has developed the following Shared Vision for our Students which informs our day-to-day approach to guiding our students’ development.

Island Christian Academy’s vision for our Primary Years students:

Develop the following personal goals:

LOVE

Respect
Cooperation
Communication

LEARN

Enquiry
Thoughtfulness
Adaptability

LIVE

Morality
Resilience
International Mindedness

Island Christian Academy’s vision for our Middle Years students:

Develop the following personal goals:

LOVE

Respect
Cooperation

LEARN

Enquiry
Thoughtfulness

LIVE

Morality
International Mindedness

LEAD

Communication
Resilience &
Adaptability

We want our students to develop a Growth mindset
Growing in wisdom (academically),
Growing in stature (physically),
Growing in favour with God (spiritually),
Growing in favour with man (socially).
(Luke 2:52)

Classroom Practices

We believe that children will not just automatically pick up the shared vision. Teachers, school leaders, parents and caregivers need to model the vision and provide lots of opportunities to practice and develop. We use practices in our classrooms to help develop students towards the shared vision. As a school we have common practices that can be found in each classroom, and we encourage parents to continue these practices out of the classroom.

Some key classroom practices that develop desired qualities and dispositions include:

Collaboration (group and partner work, family) – which develops communication, respect and cooperation

Enquiry activities which help students develop into enquirers, rather than passive receivers of information

Researching from many sources: Internet, books, magazines, field trips, investigations, family trips to the library, museums and exhibits, family research at home

Reflective time allowing students to develop thoughtfulness towards their learning and life in general, as well as developing the habit of asking questions (enquirers)

International Mindedness

It is imperative that our students understand that they are unique, but also part of a global community. In order to develop this mindset, we offer opportunities for students to learn about their own home country, as well as our host country (Hong Kong / China), to consider how their own actions, the actions of people in the local community and the actions of those around the world affect different people and groups.

At Island Christian Academy we define International Mindedness as accepting, respecting and celebrating the diversity among ourselves and the global community.

Rigorous Learning

The IPC is a rigorous curriculum where children are offered exciting and engaging opportunities to learn. When children are engaged they will learn, and as an enquiry-based curriculum, the IPC offers students the opportunity to follow their interests further, with choice of research topics and home learning.

The Significance of K,S,U

We differentiate between three kinds of learning: knowledge, skills and understanding. Each kind is taught and assessed differently. Knowledge is the facts and information we know. This is assessed through quizzes or tests. Skills are abilities that can be improved with practice. They are developmental, and are something that students may use for the rest of their lives. We assess these with rubrics. Understanding is when the “light goes on.” It is something that we are all developing, even the adults amongst us. Understanding is an ongoing process that takes time, and students need time and space to reflect on what they have learned in order to build their understanding.

Learning Process of the IPC

The ENTRY POINT gets learners excited about the unit. Parents / caregivers are often invited to join in an entry point.

The KNOWLEDGE HARVERST helps learners think about what they know already, firing up the neurons and allowing them to make connections to what they already know.

EXPLAINING THE THEME, allows learners to know where they will be going in the unit and what to expect.

RESEARCH & RECORDING allow learners to find out information and practise skills, and then pass that on in some way to others, thus allowing them to embed the learning further. Parents / caregivers can support their children’s research carried out at home.

The EXIT POINT is a celebration of learning and a way for learners to share with others in the community what they have learned. Parents / caregivers are often invited to join in an exit point.

In each unit, learners follow the learning process which is designed around neuroscience research on learning.

Independent yet Interdependent Subjects

Learners are introduced to subjects such as art, geography, history, ICT, International, technology, music, society and physical education through the lens of a theme. In addition to meeting the different subjects that are normally taught in schools, the students in an IPC education gain multiple perspectives on a topic. This allows them to build critical thinking skills, so necessary for their future in the world.

Assessment

At Island Christian Academy, we are focused on learning, which means we are also focused on assessment. We assess for learning and reporting, both of which are important. Assessment is a valuable tool for teachers and students alike. The assessment for learning helps both teachers and students evaluate what learning is going on and where we need to go from “here.” Students are given learning advice to help them think reflectively about their learning and how they might improve. In the IPC, we assess in three different ways:

KNOWLEDGE learning targets are assessed after the students have completed studies in a particular subject area such as history or science or at the end of a whole unit.

SKILLS targets are observed and assessed whilst the children are actively practising them before, during or after a unit. We use developmental rubrics for these.

UNDERSTAND learning targets are evaluated by a judgement or observations throughout the unit of work.