Lower School
The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.
Mark Van Doren
Lower School (Grades 1 – 6)
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Curriculum
The program in place in the Lower School focuses on the development of the whole child - academically, socially and emotionally.
The curriculum is taught in both English and Mandarin (50/50 ratio). Every homeroom class will have two teachers assigned with native language abilities in English and Mandarin. We believe in a "language across the curriculum" philosophy where the two teachers plan in a collaborative mode and deliver the inquiry-based integrated program in both languages.
The Lower School follows the framework of the "Ontario Curriculum: Elementary" set out by the Ministry of Education in Ontario (Canada) and will integrate that with content streams found in the Chinese Primary School curriculum. We will draw much of our pedagogical approach from the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Program and from the Common Ground Collaborative. The program is standards-based and will provide children with a broad range of knowledge, skills and attitudes.
The Lower School Curriculum areas include:
- Chinese Language Arts
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science and Technology
- Social Studies
- The Arts (Music, Visual Arts, Drama)
- Health and Physical Education
- Virtues and Moral Education
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Inquiry Approach
The method used to deliver the program will be predominantly an inquiry-based approach to education. Emphasis is placed on meaning and understanding. Inquiry moves the learner from his or her current level of understanding to a new and deeper level of understanding. Inquiry can take the form of:
- Exploring, wondering, and questioning
- Experimenting, researching and playing with possibilities
- Collecting data and reporting findings
- Making predictions
- Clarifying existing ideas and reappraising events
- Making and testing theories
- Elaborating on solutions to problems
