Patricia Puia-Principal

Welcome to XIS, home of the Dolphins, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years, Middle Years Programs and Diploma Programs; and students from twenty-nine countries.

XIS is a special place. Wander the halls here and you will hear a multitude of languages, including Chinese, Korean, English, Arabic,Dutch,Japanese and Spanish, among others. You will see students working together across age, country and gender groups on both academic and social projects. You will find classrooms that are dynamic and welcoming.

Students from around the world take part in a rigorous curriculum, but they also learn to be global citizens and leaders, acutely aware of the challenges that face them and confident in their ability to go out and meet those challenges. These are the faces of tomorrow – and they are faces that give me hope every day that I am here.

We welcome you to our website and hope that when you are “in the neighborhood” that you will stop by for a tour of our campus. I think you'll agree that XIS is a great place for students and adults alike. In the meantime, if I can be of any service, please let me know. I can be reached at patricia.puia@xischina.com. I'll be happy to speak to you further about XIS.

Sincerely,

Patricia Puia
Principal

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Preschool

XIS offers a developmental program for children aged 3 – 5. The preschool program develops the physical, social and academic awareness levels for each student. There is also a strong emphasis on language development.

Classes are small (generally under ten students), with a full time classroom teacher and a full time teacher aide. In a typical day, students will play with puzzles and other manipulative toys, participate in imaginative play and take part in art and music activities.

In addition, the teacher reads to students daily. They also explore letters of the alphabet, play simple math games and learn about numbers and language through the use of hands-on activities.

As part of the PYP program, students also learn about themselves and the world around them. Students work on social skills like saying hello and goodbye, sharing and showing respect and responsibility. They learn to appreciate their cultural and individual differences in an atmosphere that is playful and relaxed.

Although formal ESOL support is not available until kindergarten, the preschool program is very language-rich and encourages the development of communication skills.

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Lower School Program

Lower School Program (Kindergarten – Grade 5)

In their grade-level classrooms ,lower school students learn English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. They also visit specialist classrooms where they learn Art, Music, Physical Education and Information Technology. Students also learn a second language – either Mandarin or English.

All of this is done under the framework of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, or IB-PYP. (XIS became an IBPYP authorized school in October, 2004.) PYP is designed for children between the ages of 3 and 12. The program looks at the whole child – physical, intellectual, social, emotional and cultural. PYP is based on research about best teaching practices from all over the world and helps students learn about the real world in ways that are both entertaining and rigorous.

Aims of the Program

Aims of PYP are expressed as a series of desired attributes and attitudes that characterize successful students. These globally minded young people are:

• Inquirers: Their natural curiosity has been nurtured. They have acquired the skills necessary to conduct purposeful, constructive research. They actively enjoy learning, and the love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.
• Thinkers: They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to make sound decisions and solve complex problems.
• Communicators: They receive and express ideas and information confidently in more than one language, including the language of mathematical symbols.
• Risk-takers: They approach unfamiliar situations without anxiety and have the confidence and independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas, and strategies. They are courageous and articulate in defending those things in which they believe.
• Knowledgeable: They have spent time in our schools exploring themes that have global relevance and importance. In so doing, they have acquired a sound base of significant knowledge.
• Principled: They have a sound grasp of principles of moral reasoning. They have integrity, honesty, and a sense of fairness and justice.
• Caring: They show sensitivity toward the needs and feelings of others. They have a sense of personal commitment to action and service.
• Open-minded: They respect the views, values, and traditions of other individuals and cultures and are accustomed to seek and consider a range of viewpoints.
• Well-balanced: They understand the importance of physical and mental balance and personal well-being.
• Reflective: They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and analyze their personal strengths and weaknesses in a constructive manner.

Characteristics of the Program

PYP draws individual subjects together into a coherent whole, while preserving the essence of each subject. At the heart of the PYP philosophy is a commitment to inquiry as the ideal vehicle for learning. Teachers and students are guided by a series of basic questions as they design curricular units for exploration and study. Throughout the units of study, each child will:

• Develop a deep understanding of important concepts
• Conduct research into knowledge that has local and global significance
• Acquire and practice a range of essential skills
• Develop positive attitudes towards learning, the environment, and other people
• Have the opportunity for involvement in responsible action and social service

As part of PYP assessment, all students keep a reflective portfolio. Students and teachers work together to select samples for the portfolios that best exhibit student achievement and accomplishments. Grade 5 students participate in the PYP Exhibition. Their teachers guide them as they work on small group inquiry projects that require them to synthesize their learning and have a better understanding of all aspects of the PYP.

For more information about the IB Primary Years Program, follow this link to IBO website: http://www.ibo.org

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Upper School

Our Upper School is made up of our Middle School (Grades 6 – 8) and our High School (Grades 9-12).

Middle School

Middle School is a time of transition for young people. They grow physically, academically, emotionally and socially, as they move into adolescence.

To help them make that transition, XIS Middle School offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (see below). In addition to the core subjects - English, Mathematics, Science and Humanities - all students also attend classes in Art,Music,IT, Physical Education, and a second language – either Mandarin or ESOL (English as a Second or Other Language).

High School

Students in Grades 9-10 complete the IB Middle Years Program or MYP (see below). In grades 11 and 12, students work toward an American high school diploma and may also work toward an International Baccalaureate Diploma or IB certificates.

The current program follows the American model where students earn their diplomas by completing credit requirements in the various subject areas. In addition, students can work toward an IB Diploma or certificates in IB courses. Students graduating at the end of Grade 12 can apply to universities worldwide. High school credits earned at other schools may be transferred into the XIS diploma; our Admissions office can help you determine how many credits you can bring in and how many you will need to earn here.

High School students must take courses in English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, Foreign Language (French, Mandarin or English),PE,and Music. In addition, they take electives in art, Business and Management or additional classes in the core subject areas. Each course counts as one credit toward graduation.

These courses – and our entire PreK-12 program – are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), California, USA.

IB Program: MYP

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP).
Grades 6 to 10

The MYP is a course of study designed to meet the educational needs of students aged 11 - 16 years. It provides a broad, traditional foundation of knowledge. At the same time, it asks students to examine the relationships between subjects. Students question and evaluate information critically, seek out and explore the links between subjects, and develop an awareness of their place in the world. The program focuses on intercultural awareness and communication skills as crucial to every student's development. XIS was authorized to offer the MYP in 2004.

The MYP also promotes a holistic view of learning. It uses the Areas of Interaction to forge links between the disciplines, so that students see knowledge as an interrelated whole.

The five Areas of Interaction are:

• Approaches to Learning (learning skills to create more effective learners)
• Community and Service (understanding and helping our local and global communities)
• Health and Social Education (building an informed, healthy next generation)
• Environment (understanding the reasons, consequences and impacts of humans on our planet)
• Homo Faber (looking at the creative genius of humankind)

These are taught through each subject so that students can integrate these concepts across all disciplines. The subjects taught come under eight subject groups.

IB Program: DP Please download PDF files for General regulations(DP) Amendment (DP)

In August 2006, Xiamen International School launched the IB Diploma program and became part of the ever-growing number of schools worldwide who provide this prestigious program to their students. The International Baccalaureate program is a rigorous academic, two-year curriculum for students in grades 11 and 12. The general objectives are to provide students with a balanced education and to promote international understanding through a shared academic experience. The IB fulfills university entrance requirements of various national educational systems.For example ,in 2006 Korean universities, for the first time, have recognized the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

At XIS, students in the 11th grade have to choose 6 subjects from the following list to take at either Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL). Student must choose one course from each group in order to qualify for the full diploma. They must take 3 HL and 3 SL. HL classes have more contact time so that students can either work on additional topics, and/or study some topics in greater depth. How they will decide is based on the requirements for university courses, their ability in that area and their enthusiasm.

Group 1: English A1, Chinese A1, Korean A1
Group 2: English A2, English B, Mandarin B
Group 3: Business and Management, History
Group 4: Chemistry, Physics
Group 5: Mathematical Studies, Mathematics SL, Mathematics HL
Group 6: Visual Arts

In addition to choosing the above subjects, students must complete an extended essay, CAS hours and follow a Theory of Knowledge course.

Students who complete all of those requirements are eligible for both an International Baccalaureate Diploma and an XIS diploma. Two other options for students also exist. Students may opt to earn certificates in individual courses by completing the course work and taking an external examination. Students who earn these certificates are also eligible for a diploma from XIS. Finally, some students may choose not to enroll in the IB Diploma Program. These students may opt to meet the graduation requirements for XIS and earn our school diploma only.

In general, we strongly advise our 11th grade students to enroll in the most academically rigorous program possible in order to build the most competitive “resume” for university applications.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Kirsty Wilkinson, IB Diploma Coordinator, at kirsty.wilkinson@xischina.com.

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English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL)

Students at XIS come from more than twenty-five different countries. They arrive with a wide range of skills in English – from native or near-native proficiency to almost no exposure to English. As a result, we have structured a program of support for students to help them adapt socially and academically to life at XIS, where the language of instruction is English.

As part of the admissions process, all incoming students are tested for language proficiency and are designated as beginner, advanced or proficient.

At the Lower School level, beginning speakers of English work with an ESOL specialist every day for 40 minutes while other students go to Mandarin instruction. In addition, ESOL specialists work with beginning and intermediate students in a team-teaching situation with classroom teachers during English Language Arts instruction every day.

At the Upper School, ESOL support is available through Grade 10. We do not accept students into Grade 11 or 12 unless they are already proficient in English.

In Grades 7 – 10, we offer English language courses at three levels. English B Standard classes are available for students who are just beginning to use English. English B Advanced classes serve students who are still learning English but have advanced skills. English A are for students who are native or near-native speakers. We also offer Academic English classes for students in Grades 6-8 to support their English development in other content areas.