Roula H. Ismail, Head of Primary

A Warm Welcome

At ISL Qatar, we believe in fostering connections that fuel significant learning experiences. James Comer's insightful words, "No significant learning can occur without a significant relationship," echo through the very core of our Primary School philosophy. Building relationships stands as our cornerstone—a vital initial step in nurturing a profound sense of belonging within our school community. We understand the pivotal role strong connections play between students, teachers, and parents. Together, this triad Child, School, Parent. forms what we call the 'Power of Three.

Our spaces are thoughtfully designed to be inviting and welcoming, where your child feels safe, acknowledged, listened to, and embraced. Within these primary spaces, we celebrate learning inclusivity, ensuring that your child has equal access to growth and development.

If this glimpse into our Primary School resonates with you, we invite you to become a part of our ISL Qatar family. Join us on this educational journey where learning is joyful, connections are meaningful, and your child's growth is celebrate.

 

Why Parents Join ISL Qatar

 

Your Child Will Feel Loved

From EC1 to Grade 5 your child will be taught by caring, professional educators who value the social and emotional development of children as much as their academic development. Building relationships with each child is what every teacher strives for right at the beginning of the year and this strong connection becomes the foundation for creating a safe and comfortable environment that will eventually lead to a class learning community. 

Your Child Will Feel Unique

The IB PYP program that is built on the foundation that every child learns in different ways and that our role as a school is to make sure that we provide learning tools, strategies and methods that will allow every child to learn, grow, and develop. This is why teachers will use many different approaches to teaching and learning when introducing information, a skill, or a concept.

 

Your Child Will learn to Question

Children are innately creative and curious. Asking questions is one of the most important aspects of the PYP Program. In fact their questions are taken very seriously and sometimes become the leading inquiries in a class unit of inquiry. The teacher will guide students through the journey of developing strong, open-ended, and meaningful questions and then will provide opportunities for them to look for answers. 

Your Child Will learn to Think

Thinking skills are one of the most highly ranked skills needed in today’s world. Thinking about thinking is the ability to make connections, reflect, analyse, and requires metacognitive abilities. From EC1 to Grade 5 students are encouraged to think and to make their thinking visible through language. When children are able to think for themselves, they are then able to make the right choices independently. We integrate visible thinking routines and Philosophy for Children in all our classes. They help students to not only think but to be able to articulate their thinking clearly.

 

Your Child Will Connect With The World

All learning begins with students thinking big! The teachers give them a big idea, one that can apply anywhere in the world and to all people and places. It can also apply to their life and their context. To find out more about this big idea students use different subjects like: Languages, Maths, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Technology and Visual and Performing Arts.

They also use universal skills like thinking, social, self-management, communication, and research skills. PYP teachers encourage students to make connections within and across all subjects so that they can also learn to think big and under concepts like perspective, causation, and responsibility. When the learning in the class is universal and is connected to the ‘real’ world students start to make their own connections and are often inspired to act in different ways.

Either towards themselves by improving, developing or self-reflecting, or towards others by helping people and other communities, and finally towards the environment by thinking of sustainable actions.

Your Child Will Learn to Love Learning

We like to give our students choices because we want them to become more confident in their learning journey. Most of the learning happens in small groups where students can have a voice and can share and learn from each other. Having ownership over their learning means that children feel empowered and are motivated to learn. We want our students to be excited about learning inside and outside school. Our role is to give them the tools to learn, the confidence to communicate their learning and to be life-long learners in all contexts and not just inside the classroom.

 

How the IB curriculum works for PYP 

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) offers a unique learning experience for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Organized around five essential elements - knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes and action – the PYP gives students the opportunity to explore big ideas in the world around them, and make a difference in their community and beyond.

The PYP is organised around six themes that transcend all subject areas:

Who we are: An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.

Where we are in place and time: An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.

How we express ourselves: An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.

How the world works: An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.

How we organize ourselves: An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

Sharing the planet: An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution

The transdisciplinary themes allow for in-depth inquiry and the development of knowledge, the understanding of big ideas, skills and attitudes. The units of inquiry provide opportunities for students to learn in relevant and engaging ways. Great importance is placed on exploring local, national and global issues, whilst constantly returning to the individual student and considering which issues have relevance for them.

The PYP is a concept-driven, inquiry-led curriculum, which encourages learning for understanding. At ISL Qatar, students learn within and across traditional subjects and where possible, have autonomy over their own learning, developing a range of skills, attitudes and dispositions that enable them to apply knowledge and skills in unfamiliar situations and take action as a result of their learning.

Students at ISL Qatar learn in more than one language and develop knowledge and understanding of international perspectives. Connections with student’s own culture and the culture of others is an important feature of the PYP. Global awareness and the passion to make a difference in the world around them is a fundamental element of the programme. The Learner Profile is central to students developing characteristics of people who can, and will, make this world a better place for all.

Assessment is integral to all teaching and learning. Students have the opportunity to show learning in a variety of ways and apply their knowledge in real-life situations. Evidence is gathered daily and informs the next steps for learning for each child. Reporting is based on student progress gathered from a wide variety of internal assessments. Parents are welcome and invited to meet with teachers during the year to discuss their child’s progress and are invited in regularly to celebrations of learning, student-led assemblies and conferences. Reporting to parents takes place three times a year in face-to-face meetings and twice a year in the form of written reports. ISL Qatar has an open-door policy where an appointment can be made at any time with the class teacher to discuss any issues with regards to children.

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Additional Files
IB Rules for PYP