A Curricular Change at CIS for Middle School As of August, 2013 grades 6, 7 and 8 include a unit of Contextual Learning Beginning next year CIS is including, in addition to the current curriculum, a CL unit that is multi-disciplinary and cross-curricular. CL is a model tailored to the developmental needs of young adolescents. Each academic year the focus is on a different fundamental, in sync with the evolution of the children. Rather than focus on subjects, the focus is on the individual: self-awareness, understanding and compassion. These are core principles that influence our interpretation of all other experience. Students of Middle School age are growing, changing, and becoming adults. This is a critical time for them to be challenged and inspired. Today, young people are exposed to an inundation of information due to Internet, computers and TV’s. The scales have tipped and voyeuristic ‘screen time’ outweighs a child’s hands-on learning. CL helps to rebalance this inequality. The program is customized to allow young adolescents to see the world for themselves. It has been developed to include preparation, experience and reflection time. This is not about being plunged into the deep end. The students will be provided the support needed to interpret and evaluate the world they encounter . On-Site portions are carefully planned according to learning objectives. Learning steps out of the classroom and embraces ‘real’ experience. During the CL unit, students will require academic rigor to learn and study about the places and people they will visit. Next, they will apply what they learn, as they eat, explore, visit, experience, discuss, help, and take risks together. They then have the chance to process the experience under the guidance of mentors, considering the complexity of some of the issues encountered and turning their thoughts and ideas into finished projects. This experience will be life changing. The students will have a real reason to learn, as it is used in context. CIS students will share other ways of living and thinking, to better understand differing points of views. Contextual Learning will help CIS students grow into enriched and thoughtful citizens. CONTEXTUAL LEARNING A TContextual Learning is about Willingness T o Lear n through Experience B i m o n t h l y N e w s l e t t e r o f C o n t e x t u a l L e a r n i n g a t C I S A p r i l / M a y 2 0 1 3
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7/27/2019 Contextual Learning Newsletter- April 2013
A Curricular Change at CIS for Middle School As of August, 2013 grades 6, 7 and 8 include a unit of Contextual Learning
Beginning next year CIS isincluding, in addition to thecurrent curriculum, a CL unitthat is multi-disciplinary and
cross-curricular. CL is a model
tailored to the developmental
needs of young adolescents.Each academic year the focus ison a different fundamental, insync with the evolution of the
children. Rather than focus onsubjects, the focus is on theindividual: self-awareness,understanding and compassion.These are core principles thatinfluence our interpretation of allother experience.
Students of Middle School ageare growing, changing, andbecoming adults. This is acritical time for them to bechallenged and inspired.
Today, young people areexposed to an inundation ofinformation due to Internet,
computers and TV’s. The scaleshave tipped and voyeuristic‘screen time’ outweighs a child’shands-on learning. CL helps torebalance this inequality.
The program is customized to
allow young adolescents to
see the world for themselves.It has been developed to
include preparation, experienceand reflection time. This is notabout being plunged into thedeep end. The students will beprovided the support needed tointerpret and evaluate the worldthey encounter. On-Site portionsare carefully planned accordingto learning objectives. Learningsteps out of the classroom andembraces ‘real’ experience.
During the CL unit, students willrequire academic rigor to learnand study about the places andpeople they will visit. Next, theywill apply what they learn, as
they ea t , exp lo re , v i s i t ,experience, discuss, help, andtake risks together. They thenhave the chance to process theexperience under the guidanceof mentors, considering thecomplexity of some of theissues encountered and turningtheir thoughts and ideas intofinished projects.
This experience will be lifechanging. The students willhave a real reason to learn, as itis used in context. CIS studentswill share other ways of livinga n d t h i n k i n g , t o b e t t e runderstand differing points ofviews. Contextual Learning willhelp CIS students grow intoe n r i c h e d a n d th o u g h t f u lcitizens.
CONTEXTUALLEARNING AT
Contextual
Learning is
about
Willingness
To Learn
through
Experience
B i m o n t h l y N e w s l e t t e r o f C o n t e x t u a l L
e a r n i n g a t C I S
A p r i l / M a y
2 0 1 3
7/27/2019 Contextual Learning Newsletter- April 2013
school fees, as it is a compulsory curricular unit.
There will be an additional fee for the On Site
portion of the CL unit. A great effort is being made
to keep the program costs as low as possible,without sacrificing safety or purpose. Precise costs
will be provided as soon as possible.
Fees will include travel, food, lodging and activities.
There may be pocket expenses that the students are
responsible for (laundry, souvenirs, etc). A packing
list will be provided in advance of the voyage.
The costs will not include medical or travel
insurance. These will be the responsibility of the
parents.
Team Planning
Middle School Teachers have already begunplanning for Contextual Learning. Teachers will beallocated planning time as a part of their teachingload. Students will be preparing and making links tothe Contextual Learning unit in their Strategies forSuccess class and in their academic subject areastoo.
At the end of May, all IB2 and Grade 10 IGCSEexaminations are underway. These teachers will be
available to provide high quality coverage of the
Grade 9 classes, should a teacher attending the OnSite portion of CL be missing those classes.Contextual Learning teachers/chaperones will bethose who teach entirely or mostly Middle Schoolsubjects.
Teaching (On Site and On Campus)
Real teaching and learning will occur during the
Contextual Learning unit. Students will be evaluated
using a rubric. This rubric will be introduced in
August to CIS students and they will become familiar
with the Contextual Learning assessment during the
course of the school year. Elements included in the
rubric: Interpret and Evaluate Input, Synthesize and
Organize Content, Formulate Ideas and Opinions,
Express Ideas, Respond to Feedback, Transfer
Expression from one medium to another.
Whether a student is On Site or On Campus,
learning objectives will be similar. Both are likely tobegin with team building activities focussing on
interpersonal intelligence. Students will develop their
linguistic intelligence by journal writing, by reading
novels or articles during English class that relate to
the contextual learning sites to be visited. Problem-
solving and economics will be discussed as students
explore village life. Whether visiting a hill station, or
remaining at CIS, students will be assigned multi-
disciplinary tasks to complete. At the end of the
day these tasks will be shared and then evaluated by
teachers.
August… November… ... May June
PreparationOngoing
during Strategies for
Success and subject
classes
Qualificationfor On-Siteportiondetermined
Continuingpreparation
Examsfollowed byExperience
(19 May)
On Campus or On Site
Reflection Weekand Presentations
Timetable 2013- 2014
Female and MaleChaperones will bepresent during eachContextual LearningUnit. The student tochaperone ratio willbe 8:1. Each CL unitwill have a minimum
of 3 chaperones.
B i m o n t h l y
N e w s l e t t e r o f C o n t e x t u a l L e a r n i n g a t C I S