With education being an essential tool to discover a child learning potential, coupled with the aim of preparing the child for globalization era; demand for international education is on the rise.
It goes without saying that students at an international curriculum school are molded to have a healthy international outlook. In addition to taking on their academic pathway, they are naturally exposed to different cultures that promote open-mindedness and tolerance.
In line with the melting pot culture that dominates today’s era of globalization, Academic Colleges Group (ACG) International School has taken a significant step in inculcating its students with high-value international education approach.
Opened its international school in South Jakarta in August 2004, ACG International School offers an integrated learning and teaching approach that allows students from Kindergarten to Year 11 to develop their holistic understanding of learning toward becoming the world citizen.
Using English as the language of instruction, students at ACG International School are prepared to follow global academic pathways. “Our two-way interactive learning and teaching approach takes students into a fun learning atmosphere where they actively develop their self-awareness, teamwork, interpersonal skills, problem solving, critical and creative thinking,” Jude Soper, the principal of ACG International School, said.
Having students come from distinct families and cultural backgrounds, and nestled at a safe and comfortable environment, ACG International School seeks to nurture international values to its students through the school’s integrated approach aimed to promote the intellectual, physical, social, emotional and language development.
Experts will agree that a low student-teacher ratio has the potential to make the class to be outcome-based. With only 16 to 1 ratio in a class, a teacher at ACG International School can therefore focus on each student more attentively, paving the way for better academic progress at a higher level.
As play is the most relevant context for young children, kindergarten programs at ACG International School emphasize on play-based learning activities. Guided by skilled teachers and using various interactive teaching materials, the school’s comprehensive education system takes students into developing their maximum potential and strengthening the skills needed for success in the later grades.
Young children are active learners as they gain their knowledge and operate their motoric skills through their first-hand experiences. “So, it is important that we inculcate in our students positive international values. Knowledge, concepts and skills alone do not make an internationally minded person. So, we include universal values such as integrity, respect, responsibility and empathy into our curriculum,” Jude added.
Correspondingly, the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) at ACG’s Primary Years Program (PYP) has become a value-added factor in determining the quality of the school. “The IB program helps to relate concepts, actions, skills and attitudes into acquiring knowledge in language, social studies, math, art, science and technology, as well as physical education,” she further explained.
In addition, the IB curriculum being implemented in the Primary Years Program focuses on developing students to be internationally minded people who strive to be inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective.
The thinking and creative skills aspects taught in the Primary Years Program are expected to instill students with the ability to think critically and independently as well as to be determined to work collaboratively with others during Middle School (Years 7 to 9) and Senior School (Years 10 to 11).
And through a variety of choices of extracurricular programs such as taekwondo, swimming, tennis, soccer, computer and film-making club; all levels of students at ACG International School can develop their talent and character building.
Having six schools and colleges in New Zealand, two in Vietnam and one in Indonesia; ACG is a worldwide network of schools connected to the University of Cambridge through its international examination program.
Aside from implementing the IB in the school’s Primary Years Program, ACG has a combination of the best of British, New Zealand and Australian curricula. “We therefore prepare our students from Years 7 to 11 for the University of Cambridge IGCSE Examinations,” Jude said adding, “Students passing the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) offered by the University of Cambridge-International Examinations of the United Kingdom has the potential to further their education at reputable tertiary institutions worldwide.”
The two-way outstanding interactive approach implanted in ACG International School also caters to developing programs for children with special needs. “Our customized program is deemed to be effective not only for normal children but also those having learning difficulties. We welcome students with special needs as we are aware that those children are actually given the gifts commonly not possessed by normal children,” the principal of ACG International School remarked.
ACG International School has also organized an array of activities involving both students and their parents, ranging from taking part of celebrations of Anzac Day and Indonesia’s Independence Day to Music Performance and field trips.
As a means of enhancing the quality of education at best, ACG International School is aware that the role of parents is very crucial in educating their children at best. Therefore, the school regularly holds parents-teachers meeting every month. “At ACG International School, the communication between parents and teachers is of great importance as a means of supporting the students’ academic goal. While parents should play their role as teacher at home, our teachers take on their responsibilities in place of parents at school,” Jude said.
Published in The Jakarta Globe, July 22, 2009
