Programs

Learning is our primary activity! You may hear students and teachers say, "Learning is the work, together." This is a reflection of our focus on learning each day.

The curriculum at Middle East International School aims at preparing well-rounded future citizens who are ready for college and for the workplace. At the Middle East International School, we strive toward having students compete in the international community and study in renowned universities worldwide, especially the colleges and universities in America. Our curriculum offers quality education to the students and is a tangible representation of the school’s vision and mission.

The school offers an education aligned to the American curriculum. Indeed, the standards adopted in English and math are aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). As for science (Next Generation Science) and social studies, the standards are aligned to the State of California. The electives such as physical education (PE), art, music, ICT and business are aligned to the state of California too.

Every year, the curriculum is revised by through committees of selected teachers.

 

Curriculum Expectations in the Core Subjects

 

English/Language Arts

The English/Language Arts curriculum aims at producing literate students who are able to read, write, and listen and speak the language fluently as it is the medium of instruction at school. They should also read complex texts critically as appropriate for their age at every grade level. Students are encouraged to express their viewpoints and support them with sound arguments whether written or oral.

Mathematics

The curriculum in math prepares students for real life situations especially that they need and use math in their daily lives. In high school, math is taught as a sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus as well as integrated with the scientific subjects. Students across all the grades handle complex math problems which sharpen their critical thinking skills.

The math curriculum fosters focus and coherence. A set of content standards must evolve from particulars (e.g., the meaning and operations of whole numbers, including simple math facts and routine computational procedures associated with whole numbers and fractions) to deeper structures inherent in the discipline. These deeper structures then serve as a means for connecting the particulars (such as an understanding of the rational number system and its properties). In the middle school, students get a good grasp of geometry, pre-algebra, statistics and probability in preparation for the high school course sequence.

There are eight standards for mathematical practice that all teachers are aware of as they embed them in their teaching. Students across all the grades are expected to:

• make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
• reason abstractly and quantitatively
• construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
• model with mathematics
• use appropriate tools strategically
• attend to precision
• look for and make use of structure
• look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

Science

The science curriculum is inquiry and research-based. Indeed, the students sharpen their investigative skills and exploration of the world around them. From an early age, students are exposed to hands-on activities and practical experiences such as planting seeds and watching them grow, creating mixtures and observing nature. Students grow to become observant of their environment and brave in trying out things.

Throughout all the grades, the science curriculum has the following features:

• There is a strong focus on the 5e’s namely Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate
• Students ask questions and make predictions based on observations and manipulation of things and events in the environment.
• Learners test predictions through exploration and experimentation.
• Students generate explanations and communicate conclusions regarding experiments and explorations.
• Finally, students reflect/ evaluate their knowledge and progression of skills

Social Studies

The curriculum in social studies is related to the United States history and civics. However, the ultimate aim of the learning is to assist students to become responsible citizens who are aware of their rights and duties. They learn from historical events and analyze their impact on humanity. They also become aware of business thinking and skills. The standards in the social studies curriculum ensure that:

• the student develops a basic awareness of self as an individual, self within the context of family, and self within the context of community
• demonstrates awareness and appreciation of one’s own culture and other cultures
• demonstrates knowledge of the relationship between people, places, and regions
• develops an understanding of how people and things change over time and how to relate past events to their present and future activities.(history)
• demonstrates an understanding of roles, rights, and responsibilities

Electives

Physical Education, art and music aim at developing good physical skills and artistic awareness and appreciation.

Advanced Placement Courses

In addition to the regular curriculum. MIS offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These are college level courses taught in high school to students who feel prepared to take a next level challenge. MIS offers the following AP courses:

• Macroeconomics
• Microeconomics
• Biology
• Calculus
• English
• Psychology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Human Geography