The ISM Learning Skills and Dispositions derive from our Mission Statement & Core Values to help guide behavior and learning across the student's entire education. Our Key Learning and Assessment Principles are in place to help focus teachers on planning quality learning experiences, as well as measure the progress of the students, and they enable Learners to build on the solid foundations of knowledge and skills.
Key Learning Principles
Our learning principles anchor us in a common understanding of what learning means within our community. Reflecting our shared values, the learning principles guide how we design, support, and promote learning in our school.
Learning is inclusive.
We create spaces where learners feel a sense of safety, security and belonging. We honor individual differences. We invest time in establishing and maintaining strong communities that invite multiple perspectives and ways of thinking. Learners have opportunities to explore topics and resources of personal interest and relevance that reflect the diversity of the world around us.
Learning honors the experiences of the learner.
Prior knowledge and experiences influence the academic and social-emotional learning of each learner. We value individuals. We take time to discover what individuals bring to a learning situation and support them to make connections to new information and ideas.
Learning is social.
We value learning with and from each other. Through collaboration learners discuss and make meaning in a supportive environment.
Learning is relevant.
Learners see the purpose and value of what they are learning. We engage with real world issues that spark curiosity for deeper learning, meaningful challenges and authentic applications.
Learning is responsive
We meet learners where they are, and provide meaningful, timely and achievable feedback. Learners have opportunities to practice, rethink and adapt ideas to encourage growth.
Learning is dynamic.
Through exploring questions, tackling challenges and seeking ways to solve problems, we learn to take risks and put knowledge and skills into action. Learners engage in opportunities to practice, test, and revise their ideas in order to make connections and deepen learning.
Learning deepens with reflection.
Learners think about their experiences. They have opportunities to express their thoughts, actions, and attitudes to facilitate growing self awareness as they pursue goals.
Learning Skills
They are the tools that learners need to access and demonstrate learning across the curriculum, to develop a deeper understanding through continuous inquiry and action, to become self-directed and independent learners and ultimately to be productive members of a global community.
The teaching of these skills is the responsibility of all teachers in all subjects.
- Collaboration - Students are informed, principled and active; they work cooperatively towards shared decision-making that reflects their responsibility towards others and leads to positive solutions and actions.
- Communication - Students demonstrate effective and accurate communication of their understanding in a particular content area by being able to speak, write, read, listen and use visual media with attention to audience and purpose. Within a specific course of study, students should be able to develop or demonstrate their knowledge about content-specific information through the methods of communication appropriate to the task.
- Creative, Critical and Reflective Thinking - Students demonstrate creative, critical, and reflective thought by analyzing a problem, and exploring and generating ideas. They try different ways to tackle a problem and find innovative solutions and outcomes. They revise their thinking to incorporate new learning and alternative perspectives.
- Research - Students demonstrate skill in the analytical, creative and systematic processes of collecting, organizing and evaluating information.
- Self-Management - Students demonstrate self-management skills through effective goal-setting and organization; they reflect on their progress and take action to improve through meaningful feedback.
Learning Dispositions
Our learning dispositions are the behaviors that guide the learning process.
- Balanced - To behave in a way that is balanced, students make decisions based on their interests and needs and reflect on how to contribute to their overall well-being.
- Caring - To behave in a way that is caring, students listen to others, think interdependently, and appreciate the ideas and emotions of others as well as their own.
- Curious - To behave in a way that is curious, students ask questions, investigate concepts and explore phenomena to enhance learning.
- Ethical - To behave in a way that is ethical, students consider the moral implications of choices made and actions taken, remain open-minded, and are true to their word.
- Persevering - To behave in a way that is persevering, students learn from mistakes, attempt new strategies, and anticipate obstacles.
- Responsible - To behave in a way that is responsible, students strive for accuracy and precision when completing a task, take ownership for their actions and follow through with their commitments.
International School Manila