HKIS Question 2

HKIS World Café: Summary Report

Appendix B

Question 2: What adjustments would our school need to make in order to help students achieve what is described in question #1?

1

Compilation of all recorded comments: • more personalized learning • teachers needs to know students really well • continuing/greater emphasis on social

skills/collaboration • "flipped" classrooms • group projects with different roles for students • partnership between home and school • world languages • self reliance • deliberate "turn-‐off" or downtime of the

internet during a school day -‐ HS/MS (UP/LP) to allow air/space/conversation/physical activity in to our children's lives. (they do this in ESF)!!

• Intentional alternative activities -‐ e.g. 3rd grade book club

• Adjustment of our spaces (give HS a playground)

• Providing the "structures" to enable our older children (e.g. G5 -‐ G6 transition) to be able to utilize the freedom of MS -‐ wisely and appropriately

• Intentional teaching of E.Q. -‐ via guidance classes e.g. facilitate group work inside lessons -‐ intentionally enable groups to work together

• The flip classroom -‐ where kids are uploaded with research and info before the class -‐ enabling practical work to take place in the actual class time

• Enable more practical subjects to be taught at HS -‐ design/tech, practical AA to facilitate more HOLISTIC children not just academic automatons!

• consistency among teachers at (within) grade level

• school guidelines/grades • more communication parents -‐ teachers -‐

consistency among grades • consistency on ethical issues/values • adjust/flexible technology program as time

passes on • increase remote technology program at school

and home • aside from competitive sports, offer more

opportunities fro varied levels of sports -‐ sportsmanship for everyone

• encourage areas of difficulties (academics) by teachers to try and stick with it (ex. If a girl struggles in math, give her chances to try and try again with encouragement and patience)

• improvements in communication by teachers in areas of weakness (sooner than later)

• starting by UP, a bit more focus on academic achievement (grade achievement, better understanding of where the child's level is relative to others in same grade)

• better transition from primary to MS to HS • offer courses at MS "time management skills",

but start at UP to lay groundwork (grades 4 and 5), work habits needs to be taught sooner

• "study skills" is something to be taught • more opportunities for lively healthy debates

and healthy disagreements (discourse) • parent-‐school contract to ensure child takes

ownership of school work • instill self-‐reliance and self-‐discipline in values

and reward system of the school community and culture

• opportunities to students to lead, develop and take ownership on how to improve the school, e.g. tutoring LP kids in Chinese, improve curriculum

• for self-‐esteem of girls, single-‐sex classes at MS and HS (particularly if girls have low self confidence on certain subjects)

• developing a culture of homework ownership and culture and responsibility in STUDENTS -‐ starting gradually from grade 2 onwards up to high school

• study groups for students -‐ to develop group accountability and collaboration skills for own school work

• more "seats" better facilities • better use of facilities -‐ IT • teaching using computers at home • restructure outlook of school -‐ collaborative

approach in teaching at school, community environment. Kids to learn to listen to each other

• role of teachers and school • motivate the kids so they want to learn; stop

from getting bored • ?? how do we teach kids people skills • move away from knowledge learning • empowering/engaging the parents (if we do

more remote learning) collaboration with teachers

• adjust to change in technologies, be responsive • Improve the High School "brand", many move

to boarding school ? why • Parents to take pressures off -‐ college

applications!!


Appendix B


2

• Parents education of above bullet • Focus on less pressure, more happiness • Striking a balance • Engaging arts and creativity • retain good teachers • concentrate on teacher retention • more teacher raining/professional development

-‐ grow our teachers • improve art program -‐ using different and more

mediums (clay, collage, 3-‐D art) long term projects

• add more drams/expression of ideas • debate • inquiry embedded into social studies/science • more Mandarin -‐ more frequently (LP daily) • benchmark school against higher standards • curriculum is not competitive • curriculum more cohesive from class to class

and school to school • more personal/staff doing curriculum at each

school • music program -‐ expose children to more

instruments, learn how to read music • guest artists, guest authors for children -‐ bring

in people to enrich curriculum for younger children

• develop website -‐ it is very difficult to navigate and not professional looking

• consolidate information and don't send as many emails -‐ make information easy to get -‐ more streamlined

• helping kids achieve more balanced lifestyle (not just online)

• encouraging students to develop more interpersonal skills

• learning how to interact responsibility online • understanding about all kinds of

communication and when to best use them • more inquiry • having opportunities to learn how to be a risk

taker • opportunities to try lots of great things • develop curriculum to develop students self

motivated learning • lack of recreational sports (vs competitive) in

MS and HS • lighter homework load in HS • UP needs more free time 1 hour/day ... • We like real textbooks! Not online textbooks • Value our children – we need to slow down and

give time to listen to them

• Give teachers time to reflect, share and have a go at new ideas

• Chances for children to think and talk about their faith and ideas and develop them

• School as learning communities, connections between subjects, connections within larger community

• Homework – starting in primary school, make the children responsible for homework everyday, hand it in on time and have it checked!

• ?? inquiry based learning. More, more, more! • Peer to peer, student to adult, this is GOOD! • Team teaching with common goal • Continued professional development • Thematic problem solving approach • Adjust curriculum • Process standards emphasized • Allow for more discovery learning • Deeper content less topics • Inquiry based learning (structured and open-‐

ended) • Classroom design/physical space change • Continual professional development • Freedom in teaching style • Resources (physical) • Appropriate facilities (SPACE), multi-‐functional

spaces, conducive for learning act’s, development appropriate

• Resources (people), PD, coaches, leadership – support

• Programs that will develop SLRs, Arts, Global Awareness. The day needs to support (schedules that allow and support this)

• More indepth studies (quality vs quantities) “process over product”

• Honoring students natural interests • More indepth study of culture • Slowing down/choppy/long breaks/ feels too

fast pace • Defining as a school what success is • Less is more, teachers being able to reflect on

this. Open dialogue between staff and admin • Importance of play for kids • Curriculum coordinator for RB and TT

(integration, specials), if possible curriculum coordinator for each division

• “strategic pause”: review, stop • Standards based vs grade based LP – HS • “parent education” – curriculum (math night)


Appendix B


3

• Common agreement vs teacher flexibility (teachers have different skill set) at what point is assessment the overriding factor

• Too many things on the plate “PAUSE” – less is more for students and teachers

• Flexible time-‐tabling • Interim – lose the hotels and stay in the

orphanage; automatic experience to realize – not paying lip service. Fight for vs entitled. Platform for student leadership and service at lower levels!

• More opportunities for authentic inquiry based learning

• Convergent learning • Providing opportunities (time) for kids to talk

about faith, spirituality in younger grades (religion curriculum, mission statement) – not just religion but to talk about beliefs

• Slow down, give time for teachers to talk to kids and have conversations to help kids know that they are valued and to develop their self-‐confidence

• more cross-‐division conversations about learning and teaching – to see what we all value – not just about academics

• time to go in-‐depth on topics • having the freedom to integrate character

development, social emotional development into the curriculum so that it makes sense for kids

• prioritize, something has to give • kids in UP are young too • a reliable internet connection • closer to 1-‐to-‐1 with technology • computer free days • vary character development • access to outside • more emphasis on cultural awareness and

understanding • less through an American lens – more

international oriented curriculum • balance between learning process and content • more time for inquiry, more flexible scheduling • enhance professional development – to become

more of a learning community • figure out ways to connect the WHOLE SCHOOL

– we need to figure out if we are 4 schools or 1 school

• smoother transition for students between divisions

• space • doors

• provide a platform for student leadership and service – access to real world – help people

• have a real connection to Hong Kong • shift from LP to UP the philosophies seem very

different this is stressful for students • guidance program that carries through whole

school • internal standard (external standard) • move away from excessive grading • environment • change/shift/focus on inquiry based learning or

play or learning by play/having fun • sustainable school-‐ less paper/less printed

material • maintaining consistency in guidance classes

throughout the whole school • teacher training around student character

development • increase awareness of HKIS vision statement,

SLRs in school community (students, parents, etc.)

• one school vs 4 campus school – consistency between divisions

• intergenerational learning • increase time dedicated to learning Mandarin

and Chinese culture (possibly by integrating it into some of the subject areas) or ancillary classes

• incorporate social justice, history and geography into the LP curriculum (the children have a cursory exposure but would benefit from move in-‐depth learning)

• maybe add current events to the daily learning and discussion (that could mean HK, US, world, etc.)

• incorporate IB methods/student led learning so that students learn how to learn; take ownership of their learning; and support each other

• continue the inquiry-‐based/project approach into all grades, not stopping at R1

• change math program and enhance teachers’ ability to add more to the curriculum. Perhaps this means switching to Singapore math which covers fewer topics in more depth, rather than jumping around

• partnership with a local school – increase global awareness, and awareness of social differences

• get away from grading – portfolio of work • keep up counseling! • Allow kids to have an “off” day • Encourages creativity


Appendix B


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• Create safe environments for all learns • Play time – more recess time • Teaching application of skills – problem solving • Buildings need to be conducive to learning.

Space needs to be flexible • Make transition between levels more seamless • More articulation between levels • More time – to communicate with each others –

quality rather than quantity • Alignment with scope and sequence K-‐12 • Parent education, about our curriculum – our

practice • Have a clear idea of what success is • Community wide definition of success, broad

enough to include all stakeholders • Give kids the opportunity to grow their own

learning opportunities • Appreciate the benefits of play (play based

learning) • More opportunity for TRUE inquiry • IB? • Emphasis on service learning – a chance to give

back (more community service) • * emphasize the learning journey – give

students the opportunity to make mistakes they can learn from

• Opportunity to teach students flexibility • Emphasize real world problem solving • Global awareness – how to be a responsible

citizen (sustainable model) • Encourage entrepreneurialship – real work

problem – research solutions – proposal for sustainable solution

• Curriculum needs to be more real world problem/issue based – less “traditional”

• Inquiry and research based curriculum – analyze knowledge

• Slow down the pace of things, choose what’s most important. More time to think (with student, colleague)

• There are a lot of breaks in calendar. Have longer stretches of school time.

• Create a system that can pull in great amounts of learnings in shorter times (eg – projects that do 1 project but hits on several learning objectives)

• Create a more consistent marking system that fairly provides feedback to parent/child. More education to community on (meets vs exceeds etc.)

• Slow down – too much homework; 1-‐on-‐1 computers – kids are too young Gr5, grades go

down, survey parents; find a better balance between computer time and non computer usage – does it decrease attention?

• How is computer usage changing study habits? • Less computer driven and use more as an

adjunct • More physical interaction • More community spirit • More consistent in schoolwide policies (ie

homework) • More articulate grading system • More inquiry based learning, both structured

and open-‐ended • More creative learning and teaching • More teacher freedom • More exploration for children as well • More of a connection to let them be their own

decision makers • Better balance for teachers and students • More adaptable teaching for different types of

students • Rethink 1-‐1, G5 is too early, concerns re

academics, too much time on it, too many off tasks, too much of time

• Work and pleasure all on computer • Has place in classroom, but hard to control • Task switching occurs rather than multi-‐tasking • Make kids smarter about using technology.

Know how and when to use them. School more mindful about how to use/process information

• Evaluate sources • Discipline/responsibility for own work – HW

packets not always checked • Consistent expectations from division to

division, teacher to teacher • Academic integrity • Communication stops/slows when computers

present – student reports • After midnight – boys probably on computer

playing games – Michael Thompson • Seattle – outreach – internet safety – establish

boundaries early on • Flashlight in bed or talking on phone – replaced

by computers? • How to control access? • Slow down! Curriculum coordinator at every

division!!! • Vertical alignment • Teamwork opportunities • UP has a more academic focus but needs to

strike a better balance of reaching the whole


Appendix B


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child – social and emotional (LP does a good job of this)

• Continuity of the LP philosophy of reaching whole child/building community

• Integrated thematic curriculum/project based learning, challenge/problem based system

• Bridge transition from LP to UP • Increased collaboration between staff on

different grade levels • Older students working with/teaching younger

students • Curriculum guides character-‐building,

collaboration, communication etc. planning how we can help students learn those skills. Not focusing entirely on content. Objectives etc. targeting SLRs broken down so they can be translated into daily school learning

• Complete shift in what we value in education – complete shift in values of society (HK values fast-‐paced, brand names, marketing, reputation, financial ... we’re creating citizens of this culture, school reflects local value system – a type of consumer society which values things that are not sustainable) – direction of the whole child :( learn how to be consumers who are not destroying our world

• Continued opportunities to open up students to a bigger world view, not just what I want/need (like interim trips, St. Baldricks, Heifer project etc.)

• Targeting individual talents/passions/POTENTIAL for sparking kids’ creativity and skills and enjoyment = ability to make a positive difference in the world

• Provide students increased chances to explore different things to find their passions and nurture them

• Value the students – listen to them rather than push the knowledge – we need to slow down – move towards inquiry learning more – giving students time to really delve into things, soak in learning not frantically doing projects

• Have curriculum specialists for each division/developmental stage ~ our science/social studies in primary are “bizarre pockets” of knowledge rather than broad areas for inquiry/passion building interest

• space in the curriculum/time to do those things – inquiry takes time to prepare – time to grow new ideas.

• Faculty need to be celebrated to try new things (like students do), need support to do that

rather than to check off everything we’re supposed to do – to thrive rather than just survive

• Global mindedness by connecting with other schools (could be done online) – even just cross-‐grade level collaborating, cross-‐divisional collaborating

• Curriculum coordinator at every school • Collaboration across grade/levels • Less literacy-‐focus • More inquiry-‐based learning (encourage

curiosity in students) • More access to other classes • More flexibility for teachers to follow interests

of students • Time for teachers to reflect/meet to experiment

with new ideas • Create safe environment to encourage

innovative learning, even if it does not always work – it is a learning experience

• Focus on play-‐based curriculum (LP & UP) • Increase learning space; reduce class sizes

(especially Chinese classes) • Broaden definition of success for students • Help children be more aware/responsive to

current events • Focus on long-‐term/committed service-‐learning • Project based/inquiry based curriculum • Authentic learning/assessing • Resources/materials to implement above • Knowledge of current events/discussion • Fever things better vs many things poorly • Allowing teachers to lead genuine collaboration • Cross-‐sectional collaboration (LP – UP etc.) • Fostering inhouse PD • Communication • Open attitude towards change • More intentional implementation of new

teaching methods (evaluated/tried/tested prior) – encouraging experimentation of methods/pilot programs vs automatically adopting

• Space/facilities – need to match teaching/learning needs

• Less assessing/pencil-‐paper • Smaller class size (esp in Chinese) • LS for LS students (more) • Portfolios instead of tests/grading • Service projects – more of an integral part of

curriculum • True genuine service learning


Appendix B


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• Environmental awareness • Slow down! • Balance intensity with reflection • More time for reflection and processing vs

driven • Diversity – recognize IT diversity – work

consciously with that recognition – step families – inter-‐racial, adoptive families -‐ many religions

• More dialogue about cultural identity – TCKs (help children know their cultural pluralism)

• Schoolwide anti-‐bullying curriculum (education about “what is bullying” for all)

• More service opportunities and other opportunities to help students realize their advantaged life style

• More parental involvement, less helper involvement; more time with parents!!!

• Helpers-‐parent education • less is more – curriculum – quality, not quantity • higher tolerance (differentiation) of children

with different learning styles/needs • continue to employ and support passionate

teachers • time – allow teachers more time to master or

gain confidence in teaching practice and students enough time to move at their own pace

• clear and explicit communication for parents on philosophy and expectations (wht does it really look it)

• “physical environment” MUST be conducive to learning

• Needs to be student centered with more time for inquiry so “depth” of understanding is gained

• Process versus product – which will help students achieve and do what we really do

• More collaboration across the schools and different grade levels

• More opportunity for inquiry based learning • Teach kids to be independent and teach them

how to learn themselves • Peer-‐peer/student-‐adult • Use community as a resource for “career”/real

work opportunities • More exploration self and community • Technology knowledge for everyone • Comfort and confidence with technology • Continue to support professional development • Exposure to different teachers and teaching

styles • Team teaching

• Succinct communication from the school • Generate more community spirit/involvement • Maybe smaller communities within a

“community” • More opportunity for face-‐to-‐face interaction • “slowing-‐down” a bit for reflection/thought –

less is more, focus on quality • School/Policy/Philosophy: • Common philosophy for technology (connects to

program/curriculum) • Integration and review • Strong integration of faith with program of

study – use or texts to teach reading skills, compare and develop values

• Program/curriculum: • Goals and objectives of learning – pace,

outcomes, and the school/life balance • Homework load – heavy (in HS) – quality vs

quantity • Process vs product learning • Global curriculum – less US based? • Classroom: • Integration of technology (connects to

program/curriculum) – enhancing learning and communication; empowering: more tools

• Fostering a sense of balance • Find creative ways to engage kids to talk about

right and wrong, not just through large group assemblies where students tune out.

• Help develop sense of spirituality and sense of community in creative manner.

• Understanding the impact of harm done to others, not just the individual himself/herself.

• How to teach better communication and relationship building, more group/team activities where everyone can benefit and participate.

• Teach persistence by allowing students to come up with answers themselves.

• Fun, educational group activities where it isn’t about getting a good grade.

• Develop stricter punishment for cheaters, not just a lenient policy where students get probation. Need a policy that gets taken seriously and imposed fairly and justly, especially for constant repeat offenders.

• Developing resilience, allowing students to fail.


Appendix B


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• More independence in middle school .. too structured.

• More lab work in Middle School. • More collaboration between the divisions, too

much of a big transition between the levels and grades.

• Better communication between the divisions, admin versus staff/faculty/admin. Too many people operating in a vacuum.

• If better communication, we can better develop their academic skills and build steps towards graduation.

• Too much variation between the teachers lesson plans, need same standards and benchmarks, or at least more consistency among the classes and teachers at all levels.

• Smaller class size. • Differentiation – ability for teachers to be able

to identify different student needs and capabilities.

• Instill greater consistency between one students track versus another’s.

• Multi division continuity. • Allow special needs students to be part of the

community. • Training the school management to run the

school like a “business” – focus on training faculty and staff in a consistent manner, understanding client needs (e.g. parents concerns), keeping up with competition (making sure you are making same level of investments).

• Perception that there is middle school gaps regarding project based learning – students don’t have chance to build diversified skill set.

• Building blocks within context of project (learn research skill with an objective).

• Balance of depth versus breadth. • Teach cooperation and team work. • Respect for individuals. • Differentiation of students (ability, interest,

time commitment). • Begin research in Upper Primary – currently not

enough. • Language – curriculum needs tweaking –

cultural experience.

• Business training for senior faculty (principals and assistants) to be more effective leaders. Professional skills training to deliver the most effective organization possible.

• Follow “corporate culture” best practices ... open/honest conversation, collaborative working, improved people management skills.

• How can HKIS become the most professionally run school in Asia. How do we measure where we are today, what is our goal, what is our plan to improve and reach goal.

• Howe can we leverages our “business professional” parents to build “HKIS Management Team”.

• Does HKIS have more days off per year than other international schools.

• Board/Leadership of HKIS is heavy with business skills, where more educators should be on the board.

• More focus on handwriting and creative writing skills at every level.

• More extra-‐curricular activities funded by the school with support from active parents and volunteer faculty.

• Class elitism and Parental resistance. Need to somehow educate parents, bring them along.

• Lacks in promoting, nurturing, advancing student achievements.

• Fostering school spirit. • Promote more community involvement. • Reform non-‐sport school trips closer to home. • Direct school activities and have more

interaction with local community and schools (continuous growth, relationships).

• Lack in fine arts, other activity recognition. • Develop rewards system – broaden recognition

– establishing role models. • Enhance integrity. • Counseling side : “Its okay to be good at a few

things”. • Kids are terrified of making mistakes. • Kids are not “risk takers”. • Huge emphasis in grades. • Fear of failure and the need to be successful at

college applications.


Appendix B


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• Clarify grading system, especially at middle school.

• Structuring a curriculum that fosters more curiosity and risk taking.

• Try to expose kids to more learning opportunities OUTSIDE of the classroom.

• Fostering more team learning/achievements (eg. More intramural sports).

• Hand holding – allow students out on their own more often – independence.

• Funding – other than sports programs (i.e. theatre, math competition).

• RRA – drive harder on “core academic learning” skills especially in LP and UP.

• Balance – dealing with learning needs of gifted/enriched students as well as students that are challenged (each level of students should be stretched).

• Chinese – improved Chinese – for non-‐Chinese families, enrichment for native Chinese family students, must be compulsory (Chinese is “cool” to learn)

• Typing and tech skills. • Mindful of student capabilities in computer

skills (pre registration skills) for students and teachers.

• Accountability. • More individualized education so kids reach

their potential. • All kids should reach potential not happening

right now. • More attention to individual students in high

school to reach potential – more support. • Create more effective system to support kids to

reach potential. • Maybe less pastoral care in HS. • Too early introduction of computers hindering

emotional development. • Management of computer/tech. • Must be able to type – they cannot at the

moment. • IB – needs to be possible as an option. • AP – re-‐evaluate rules when they are

introduced.

• HSL – start later – start of day 9am – buses to HS later in the day –developmental appropriate time.

• Lunch time in UP too short – boys starving and can’t concentrate.

• Regarding valuing health – reduce workload. Children must also learn goal-‐setting/priority-‐making in order not to push themselves too hard in the name of good health. Parents should be included early on to show support for the health of their children. Focus on “The Whole Child”. Balance between a focus on academics and other priorities (such as guidance topics, physical, mental, emotional health).

• Re-‐evaluate importance of homework. • Re-‐evaluate the way we have always done

homework. • Student body has more responsibility, has a

useful voice. • Find a way to make schedules more flexible to

all for these extracurricular options for students to find and follow their passion.

• Tap into alumni and parent network to heighten student knowledge of what is out there. Provide student opportunities.

• Possibly start as young as possible so that students can learn about these things.

• Self-‐Awareness Program to identify strengths and weaknesses.

• Awareness of cultural differences in reaction to behavior.

• Parent training to encourage leading students to function independently and make sound decisions.

• Schedule that allows learning multiple languages and other electives.

• Flexile schedules with extended optimal school hours, for taking electives.

• More work that requires human interaction and less time required on computers.

• Moral education. • Address stress on students both from school

and parents.


Appendix B


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• Accountability to help prevent students from overextending academically and extra-‐curricularly.

• Interim week – real service. • Cultivating Responsibility – parents need to still

be involved as kids get older. • Responding more publically to cheating. • Consequences for poor choices. • Follow-‐through on discipline issues regardless of

parental influence, money. • More warmth by administrators. Kids don’t

want to work with them. • Teach respect for authority – parents need to

back-‐up the school. • Create a stronger bond between parents-‐kids-‐

school. • Smart use of technology, prevent over-‐reliance

– make sure it is balanced. • Reduce pressure on kids. Make sure they know

they have ways to succeed without A+++ grades and going to Ivy League.

• Play for all! Especially young kids. • Teaching students balance, and how to focus. • Encourage kids to self-‐manage and focus – do it

for themselves. • Mental/physical health is critical – encourage

and facilitate students’ exploring different paths. You don’t have to be super-‐Ivy-‐League student to be successful.

• Connect kids to larger community – as developmentally appropriate.

• Integrate courses so that kids can see the “real-‐world” connections. (idea – have a senior project-‐style interdisciplinary project for each year of high school).

• Emphasize critical thinking in coursework. • Consistency across each school division, building

skills for new grade (rude awakening for MS kids at HS).

• Encourage open communication between kids and parents regarding stress, cheating, pressure.

• Flexibility. • Resilience. • Integrity.

• New definition of success, not only Ivy League schools.

• Finding balance. • School should start conversation about balance. • Increase focus on 2nd language in lower levels. • More focus on service trips. • Promote empathy and kindness in the

classroom. • Managing technology. • Self Management. • Focus on grades while other achievements are

not being valued. • At some point, there must be crossover rather

than particular subjects. • Must be more “authentic”, e.g. senior project. • They attempt to educate kids with things like

religion, but to kids it is just another class. • School’s actions are controlled by external

forces (universities). • Senior Project is extend to freshman year.

Choose a passion and explore it for all high school.

• “Different Schools”, come in late, 24 hour projects lead to extreme innovation.

• More diverse faculty. Teachers who contribute to the school development from their perspectives.

• To be compassionate understand yourself and your environment, not necessarily religion.

• Let teaches be diverse, especially in MS. (curriculum is too set).

• How do you balance focus on creative outputs versus GPA to get into university.

• Senior Project – one year thing (long term). • Starting school later : positive (high school age

brain). • Continuity in service related activities in terms

of time/venues/opportunities. • Integrate service programs with curriculum. • Exposure and learning. • Local based – Do we need to travel all over the

work to understand service from the situation of other people.

• Ethics – pick reading/text and teach ethics from all cultures.


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• Helping students with calming down. • Longer lunch hours – give more time to unwind. • Adding new things (clubs, activities, programs).

Not putting alot of attention in those and continuing to make more additions.

• How to make new things sustainable. • Homework load increased with 1:1 program ...

revision of the program. • Apply what you are learning to real life

situations. • Separate HS /MS and LP/UP campuses. • Devote a day to Project-‐based learning

(creativity). • Need time. • Make priorities. • Teacher focusing more on student’s study style. • Start school later. • Aesthetics of classroom need to be improved. • Auditorium remodeling. • Extra credit opportunities. • More group work/project/ activities. • Interactive learning. • Not focus on college, but think more of career. • Classroom atmosphere / teachers should be

fair. • Remodel school campus. • Board school / common room. • Less content. • Project-‐based learning. • Finding meaning in their learning. • Teachers with experience beyond a classroom.

Possibly provided through Pro-‐D. • Flexible school schedule. • Parent community involvement. • Robust grading system that leads to qualities

such as responsibility, perseverance. • Inspire passion. • Computer usage and habits vary too much

between divisions in the school. • More skills taught at the high school level for

computer discipline. • Specific skills taught for taking test, SAT’s,

ACT’s. • More access to sports, more tennis teams, more

development at mid year grades to increase

options – e.g. Grade C basketball, 1 bigger teams to feed into JV.

• Sports program at high school needs to be better managed – better coaching.

• Integrity – lead by example in the high school especially from administration.

• AP exams – more consistency in teaching standards.

• Where are the ethnic parents are this event? • Track for balance – choose from opportunities. • Track what now involved in. • Track balance between academic and extra

curricular. • Stricter monitoring of technology • Proper use (focus, no multi-‐tasking). • Revive social skills (no computers between

people). • UP and LP – should not have their own

computers so young). • Tech education is still very important but

children can easily misuse if they have their own computer.

• “filtering” through “bad” or misleading trivial tech information (in response to barrage of information from internet, phones, etc.)

• Analyze and adapt/apply learning styles to curriculum and class schedule.

• Small dose learning (especially language, math).

• Shorter periods (daily classes). • Intensive semester courses (college format). • Consider other school systems. • HKIS too competitive. • Focus on “the number” rather than “education”. • HS students stressed about “college” instead of

gaining knowledge. • Physical well-‐being – related to balance. • Healthy living. • More facilities (PE Department) – independent

fitness. • Performing Arts Center. • Arts too much on the periphery of school. • Need new facility. • More emphasis on musical, artistic, drama. • To address tech problems.


Appendix B


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• Program that allows teachers to view each students computer screen (activated during class time).

• Teach students how to be more responsibly balanced/disciplined on their own.

• Get rid of tests. • Counter intuitive to values/ qualities in Question

#1. • Online quizzes, test, immediate feedback. • Different climate. • Online teaching good for maths, science. • Some systems developed for humanities,

writing, immediate feedback from comp. analysis.

• But also need human feedback. • Conversation and contact. • Read physical books. Can’t loose touch. • Rooms! Whyte boards all around the room,

everyone can write everywhere. • Feedback and not grades – get students to

collaborate. • Deemphasize scores, fights cheating – quizzes

at home not a problem. • Tech only a tool. • Not only for its own sake. • SATs, APs, disconnect from actual learning,

problem with the system. • Ideas during the HKIS experience. • Getting into college stage acts as a barrier to

many things – removing tests, etc. Still need SAT’s, etc. even if HKIS changes.

• Doesn’t prepare students for life (HKIS and college).

• Teachers need to teach students to be learners. • Transfer knowledge, relate things effectively. • Outside teachers come in, give insight to real

life outside school. • School good at doing service activities. • Teach students to manage stress, learn

MEDITATION. • Learn to manage life issues, who they really are. • Less examinations. • Opportunity for exploring passions. • Less emphasis on grade importance. • More opportunity for failure.

• Non-‐GPA elective. • Re-‐evaluate calculation of GPA. • Standards based up through grade 10. • Exposure to people who are living/expressing

their passion. • Encourage excellence, don’t guarantee

mediocrity. • Need to allow administration to back the

decisions and qualities of the teachers they hire. • Connect the expectations of the next level of

teachers. • Teach like we did back in kindergarten. • Drop AP program. • Need exams for college preparation. • Experiential learning, mixing up the assessment

rotation quality of learning, project based, integrate subjects, communicate, collaborate, co-‐teaching them how to learn , more experience in real-‐world situations – internships.

• Interim as internship experience. • Utilize the parent community. • Public health education. • Rea-‐world sex education for upper levels of HS. • Drop AP – move to IB. • Take the course – not forced to take the test. • Have a look at Swedish education system. • More public speaking opportunities. • Greater emphasis on experiential learning. • Service opportunities, cultural integrity, Chinese

and multi-‐cultural. • Personal integrity – honor code. • Reduction of stress. • Change perception of what they value – goals in

life – rather than focus on what university they get in to.

• Focus on talents – athletic, arts, public speaking – not just academics.

• Broaden scope of sports and arts rather than making such competition. More facilities to accommodate.

• Adjust school day to incorporate special interests.

• More emphasis on inter-‐personal relationships to build greater sense of community.


Appendix B


12

• 4 division – more harmony of continuity. • One campus rather than four schools. • Continuity between class instruction. • Mix of students – MS & HS. • Better stress management. • More involved in local community. • Cross international exchanges. • High School – standardize class teaching and

grading. Teachers are teaching and grading differently.

• Languages – Cantonese – (Social) semester offering.

• Create positive risk-‐taking environment. • More interaction with HS graduates. • Benchmark against the schools – in US and

across Asia. • Parent education of stress levels and learning

environments. • Do away with GPA. • Collaboration – not linked to grades. • Provide lots of opportunities for leadership

opportunities. • Examine value of travel while keeping up with

their academics. • Requiring kids to play on a team incorporated

into the school day. • HS uniforms. • Honor code. • Obstacles – faculty, implementation, varying

assessment system • Breaches of integrity – forgiving and punish. • Mobility is inhibitor to instilling morality over

time. • Creativity and Innovation • Are arts programs emphasized enough? • Is instruction encouraging creativity and

innovation of just towards goal of achieving good score on exam?

• Teacher as facilitator • Benchmark curriculum versus comparable

schools. HS out of touch with what is going on in comparable US schools.

• ERB – do parents know how to interpret statistics? Questions around results and implementation.

• Combat anecdotal evidence with data. • Facilities. • Cultural – exposure to diversity. Socio-‐economic

diversity exposure at early age. • Learning to Fail – no grades until HS. How does

EE, ME, MEA scale impact motivation. • More focus on current practice in US. • # of AP courses offered , test scores,

matriculation. • Interpersonal Skills, Resiliency, Team Work are

all in opposition of 1:1 laptop program beginning in 5th grade.

• Being comfortable with solitude. • Introduce one day per week where there are no

electronics. • Greater focus on character development. • Grades and scores don’t necessarily help a

student be successful in life. • 12-‐year to 10-‐year math curriculum more

efficient. • Not enough time spent on character and

personal development. • Integrity. • Need to know how to interact and be with other

people and help each other. • Less superficial service – limit service clubs.

Instead of having too many students just having their names on a list.

• More encouragement of students to take opportunities provided.

• Emphasis on qualities developed. • End result : more accountable for charities,

clubs, etc. • Interim-‐ trips need to be tied to curriculum. E.g.

scuba diving, must take marine biology, so it is applicable.

• PE, Adventure Learning – safe environment for learning skills in working with other people.

• Taken out of your comfort zone. • Stress and pressure of grades can cause

cheating. • Interim : put of your comfort zone. People need

to allow their character to develop. • Timetable – scheduling. Some electives clash

with language classes.


Appendix B


13

• Consistent expectations. • Activities and opportunities to develop

leadership skills. This is in high school. Have more in Middle School.

• Chinese language and culture – priority if it is in school mission.

• Time set aside for creative time, collaborate, explore different areas.

• HS student – offer internships. Mentor/student relationships. Alumni and parent network.

• Balance in health. • Less homework. • Take pressure off grades and tests especially in

high school. Give more time to learn and explore.

• Educating parent community – structure in academics, need to expand to other areas of life.

• Re-‐think using time in school and outside of school.

• Emphasize things we value (reflection, problem-‐solving).

• Unified approach to reaching the community. No mixed messages.

• Most important are teachers – qualities, role models, willing to listen to and learn from.

• HKIS already require a lot from teachers (too much administration, too many meetings).

• Teachers are factors to course selection. • Quality of teachers. • Given raise in tuition fees – hope teachers are

effective. • Need for evaluation system. • More collaborative work, but all graded, in a

way that is not stress. • Collaborate as a team, perhaps as Pass/Fail. • In future all need collaboration. • Integrity – how to prevent cheating, moral

compass, stress is perhaps the reason for cheating.

• Promoting the Honor Code. • Family should take responsibility to integrity. • Too competitive now. • Perhaps take out GPA. • Exam without proctors.

• Perhaps free teachers from everything – just focus on teaching.

• Not over lengthy meetings. • Meaningful meetings with purpose. • Teacher quality – range very big gap. • Improvement on teacher force. • Demanding stress/ intensive survey . • Evaluating for teachers. Comprehensive

already but need more time. • Resource location – Class is bigger and better.

More revenue spent on teachers. • Chinese subjects – more priority subjects.

Should be core class, not elective. How much weight on Chinese. Scheduling. Resources.

• Drop AP, or grade 9 and 10 should not be expected to take AP.

• Don’t teach to the test. • Advanced topic classes. • School will provide information to fill gap for

students who want to take test. • Different curriculum program – IB. • Don’t introduce 1:1 computers until high school.

Kids in middle school don’t have self-‐control to know when they have had enough of the computer. This distracts from free thinking and building interpersonal skills.

• Social skills. Note taking. • Teach time management skills (monitored,

measured). • Addressing parent and student expectations.

Students don’t have free un-‐structured time. • Experiential learning/authentic. • HKIS culture of being busy/schedule. • HS Science good instruction in writing lab

reports • HS separate English from Social Studies to

enhance/increase strict writing focus – need more volume of writing

• Writing especially delivery skills • Focus on writing in all classes • More frequent feedback • Reflection on learning • Work habits • Students don’t choose what they learn, “it’s

pretty much laid out for us ...”


Appendix B


14

• Too much emphasis on getting the right solution. Need to praise the process.

• Base skills: read, write, math, technology – spend more time in class working on grammar and math

• What are we going to be the best at? Teaching Chinese? Green/environment? Service learning? Intercultural competence?

• Integrate learning embedded into project based, student directed learning. Less content more process. Need to understand student will learn “less” but gain more useful soft skills, applied learning, problem solving, communication etc.

• When does the school day end? Students learn through play. We need to value human development, that is what is in charge. Do we expend too much energy, trying to “energize” this development? Who is that for? Students or parents?

• In order to envision a new “great” future we need to understand the past. What from the past is worth continuing? What is on our “don’t do list” for the future?

• Scholarships • More sports offered (also for those who are less

athletic e.g. aerobic dance) • More spirit • PE in HS should give some credit for

independent fitness to students participating on a sport team

• HS homeroom is too short an irregular timing makes it less effective

• Asian history in Action • Scholarships? To preserve diversity • Adjustments school needs to make: • Provide leadership opportunities apart from

Academic successes • Dilute nepotistic patterns established in middle

school that carry through to high school • Admission process, parental expectations

• Class analysis – meet SLR like “Humanities in

Action” requirement • Continue to weave into Everyday School

experience

• SLRs – spirituality, character development, contribution to society

• Find new opportunities to integrate • Creativity? Find balance • More sleep • Review HS homework load • Develop strategic relationships with non-‐profits

who will effectively work with HKIS to meet its learning outcomes for service activities rather than service for service sake

• Exploration of spirituality connections to service and how spiritual, cultural values inform peoples’ attitudes to service

• Adjustments to achieve qualities and skills our students need to be successful in the world today

• Research does not start/end with Wikipedia – teach students to pick up the phone and talk

• No school needs to align curriculum from K-‐12. Math is not a continual development – jump from MS to HS is too big

• School needs to act as one school, not four individual schools

• HKIS needs to be led by HOS, not principals at a local level that seem to push/pull at will

• Support of Arts with Performing Arts Center! • Presentation skills – big difference at HKIS than

at schools in U.S. poise and deliver as well as content need a focus – give them confidence in expressing their ideas

• Inter-‐cultural competence – navigate multiple cultures with a deeper understanding, fundamental absence of judging acceptance of universal truths.

• Add case studies/world problems into class to improve critical thinking/problem solving

• Build the comprehensive guidance program K-‐12

• “be transparent and upfront about cultural differences and celebrate rather than managing and judging”

• Don’t let post-‐secondary (i.e. college) results drive the learning of the students

• Commitment to human resources • Don’t let governance get in the way of learning


Appendix B


15

• No more schoolwide initiatives until we report on the ones that are undertaken already

• PD for teachers beyond techniques • Accurately portray the reason for the founding

of the school! Mel Keischnick • Suburban/age specific/learning • LP-‐UP-‐MS-‐HS-‐College/University-‐World of Work • Are we preparing our students for

college/university or world of work • Pressure from college/university onto HS • A focus on Social/interpersonal skills • Professional development on how to integrate

these skills into lesson plans • Physical structure • More places to encourage collaboration • more interdisciplinary work • more overt incorporation of SLRs (PCBs?) • helping student body become more active

participants – not silent bystanders • also develop service to complete learning goals

of HKIS rather than service for service sake • broader sense of service from a focus on fund-‐

raising to a broader view of being a member of a world community and contributing talents where needed

• better development of sense of “vocation” and how each person contributes to society/community through all roles from street sweepers to CEO

• development of tackle skills. How to use technology as another tool rather than a crutch

• focus on spiritual identify and knowledge as a foundation of self-‐identity and integrity/values

• continued place (and development) for faith-‐based education

• laptops in class creates distraction fro students and takes away opportunities for them to develop interpersonal and communication skills

• school must have more monitoring of how students use laptops/technology in class

• change from lower primary – upper primary, upper primary-‐middle school, middle school-‐high school very big – need more preparation for students

• qualities

• handle time well/time management • have a good attitude • vocational skill options • how do we bridge the LP, UP, MS, HS as a

community? • Change focus from formula (theory) to

experiential (practice) in the classroom • More scheduling flexibility – x time for math, x

time for foreign language. Some types of classes need to be bigger and others smaller. Some classes need to last longer and some need to be shorter.

• Teamwork • Learning for tests is not useful • Survival skills • Technology is good, but a distraction • Tech is a tool • Praise beyond grades • Depth over breath – always new initiatives at

HKIS instead f working on a few very good tasks well. Make the “good” that exists great instead of making so much change to find “great”.

• Moral character • Students learn, right vs wrong • Building relationships • Skills • Resilience • Independence • Delimiters might have merit • The old story is sometimes (no, not always)

bigger and more effective • Good is great; how do we define great • Change is good if effective; looks at historical

data and looks for a way forward, not just for the sake of change!

• Integrity: administration shows real action and resolve to STOP cheating – zero tolerance!

• Assembly: more meaningful and effective, engaging

• Recruitment on the qualified teachers • More specialist learning support teachers to

stretch all students • Higher academic and learning targets and

expectations • Stronger curriculum


Appendix B


16

• Stronger integration of Chinese program • Stretch the smart kids and not just special needs • No more old stories • Understand your clients • Small better teachings training • More structural academic core curriculum • Programmatic • Continuity • Integrity development • Spirituality • Having continuity in Chinese program for

example use same set of text books for lower primary and upper primary

• Add IB options at grade 11 and 12 as kids nowadays are more international they may want to go to college in other countries other than US

• The school is still very “American”, hope to be more “international”

• Inquiry activities • Communication skill development • Business training • Year round school? 180 days • WASC • Integrity: “walk the talk”: zero tolerance! • Field trips should be more locally grounded,

connected to local community, schools nursing homes, shelters etc.

• Sports recognition • Wall of fame • Letterman jackets • Full circle from 20 years ago • Reform school, trips closer to home • Sports – recognition minimal • HKIS bubble • Parent role • School role • Entitlement attitude of parents/students • Rules are for others • Redefine failure • Fear of mistakes • Mandarin – needs to be core in MS • Chinese: lower skill – high skill • Whole student – balance • HKIS SLRs is conflict with 1:1?

• Design an iPhone app: what if our students created things like this, failed repeatedly, possibly succeeded, and ... made money, changed lives, etc.

• Computer paradigm shifts • How do we use a computer? • How do we shift our attitudes about how we

use our computers • Dilemmas: We want lots of cool innovative

things to prepare students for the future • But, we need to prepare students for college,

which is rigid • 4 classes intently for a semester • Change after 10 weeks • For UP, LP: programs (on computer) that only

contain educational matter • 8 hours school day • Get rid of tests ... yes, what about that GPA?

College? • HKIS experience (remove tests etc, how do we

get kids here); college (rigid set of acceptance rules); Life – no one knows what this looks like so how do we adjust

• How to distinguish kids who goes to Harvard or another uni

• Scores – how important? • Grading – school testing system • Conversation contact • Library • mission and core values they stand firm on

“New York Times” • self manage • open discussions • resilience • flexibility • integrity • how do we celebrate achievement? Success? • Real life situation • Programs need to be sustainable as new

programs are added they need to be accompanied by other programs ending

• Homework increases with 1:1 laptop – need to re-‐evaluate program with faculty and align expectations


Appendix B


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• Faulty classroom teaching structure does not support learning for understanding “teaching to the test” apply to real life applications

• Be open to new ideas • Don’t let past practice inform the future • Offer differentiated learning starting in LP

• Focus of academic excellence -‐ that SLR is lost • Need to have a focus on reading skills earlier than

currently. Reading should be focused much more in R2 and reading skills need to be taught

• Science and social studies should be taught as an all-‐year program (both) starting G2 and definitely G3

• Kids should be encouraged to have deeper thoughts -‐ too much superficiality of thoughts

• The step up between different school levels -‐ LP to UP, UP to MS is not smooth

• Chinese program needs more levels to straddle between MSL and MNN levels

• Mandarin program needs more time and integration (into overall curriculum i.e. art, music)

• School needs best practices b/w, east & west, blindly following American curriculum is short sighted

• There is not consistency of practices (between different classes of the same grade)

• School needs to raise academic bar • School results attributed to outside tutoring and

parental support rather than what is being taught/handled in school

• Teachers need to hold kids accountable for work consistently. To help in work ethic

• Enrichment program should include kids that have the aptitude at grade level that have not necessarily being tutored beyond grade level (more relating to UP)

• Enrichment program is largely ineffective and obtuse/not transparent in UP)

• Teachers are not checking home work in UP, kids checking homework is not as effective

• Need more feedback from teachers on assignments in math, Chinese and writing

• The school is getting too big; the school needs to scale down

• Quality of education should be independent of the teacher. Should be only enhanced by the teacher, not brought down by the teacher

• Higher standards for faculty selection -‐ teachers need to model better

• Kids need to learn time management through

modeling • Benchmark to the top US private schools -‐ not

public schools • Managing parent expectations e.g. disruptive

children in class • Teachers/admin assisting with facilitation

amongst parents in clusters e.g. rather than just bilateral (teacher-‐parents)

• Teaching children coping skills i.e. soft skills/life skills e.g. to handle bullying -‐ team building skills (how to organize teams)

• Teachers that develop each individual child -‐ generally good experience so far but need to emphasize across all teachers

• Ongoing professional development of teachers to keep them "fresh" and showing/demonstrating to parents how the "new" learnings have been implemented -‐ what's the full year development plan and why?

• Resilience • Conflict management e.g. internal conflict,

dealing with people face to face e.g. not just online

• Practical organization skills e.g. multi-‐tasking of setting up binder, files, lockers, managing computer -‐ need for more multi-‐tasking in the future

• Recycling learnings online • Engagement of older students with younger

students e.g. buddy, young-‐old connecting • Set a higher bar/tailoring educating • flexible abilities to differentiate in scheduling

and testing • Is the gap too big between division • Integrated curriculum and bridging • We are one school but with four divisions doing

things differently is confusing • Is it better to have a seamless grade school. K-‐

12 in one building (structural change). • Need to take advantage of the community

outside of school – local school exchange. • Integration of more service learning. • What is the right number of students? Adding

more students per class when new LP opens, is bigger better? What is the right size of school?

• How can we better creativity and problem solving?

• Greater emphasis on social and emotional issues for students; teachers and parents need PD on this. Cultural empathy integrating well.

• Teach less in terms of content and more in terms of critical thinking.


Appendix B


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• Too much emphasis on results and recognizing other achievements and building self-‐esteem.

• Teachers are there but why are kids going to tutors?

• We are not taking advantage of our knowledge (HS comment).

• Looking at academic day, especially in Upper Primary – The daily schedule -‐ kids are tired when they get to school, not prepared to work

• Weaving onto the day – community, integrity, weaves values into the classrooms.

• Multi-‐Lingual – do more about teaching Mandarin

• Not just namely as a form of service and not just a once a once a year trip (peak, interim etc)

• Life skills • Thinking about money and money management

as a finite thing • Can we bring people from corporate work to

discuss real life issues like team work, current issues etc. – bring this into the classroom?

• Real world applications • Recognize different people – tailor to each

person • Integrate one to one • Teaching large groups difficult? • Thinking globally, acting locally • Eco friendly • Connect with locals • Learning to care • China and Hong Kong • Interim is key? • Outreaching – Travel, Energy • Not everyone needs it tailor it to each person • Community as a whole school • Bridge across divisions -‐ getting to talk like this*

– world cafe* • Vocational skills options • More Humanities in Actions • More affect than info/knowledge • Teaching flexibility, more open classroom

format • Class driven not by academic department but

general break down of compartmentation by pursuit of essential questions

• Questions drive a course • School have more common place to gather,

during and after school. • Cross-‐divisional alignment in more than just

Mandarin • More academic review

• Move beyond theory and numbers to more in depth discussions surrounding real life applications

• Recency/more current topics. • Up to date curriculum • Re-‐evaluate how technology is used in school • Technology for effectiveness and efficiency not

just for the sake of using it. Also effect social skills (from students) and make it hard to connect with other students

• Create an atmosphere of student-‐to-‐student empowerment where students feel their opinions and beliefs are valued.

• An environment where students feel valued and can identify at least one adult who advocates and recognizes their achievements

• Praise and recognitions beyond grades • More focus on social and interpersonal skills • More flexibility in scheduling stop everything

and • Write a letter • Meet grandparents • Talk to an adult • Solve a problem • tell a story • As much emphasis on character and

responsibility as grades • More community areas for learning (library,

couches) • Stronger learning programs • Stronger art program • * Writing and grammar focus especially in

primary grades rather than interdisciplinary content. Less emphasis on facts.

• All teachers really teach it – five paragraph essay as example.

• Take a step back, tech free break • Standardize teaching in Humanities so all

students get writing/grammar instructions. • Read though the content stimuli that bombard

our children daily and humanize the idea of “success”.

• Keep it focus on the learning process, not only the end goals.

• To help kids identify their own sense of success, success beyond careers.

• School should create these “different” ideas/slots of success, and encourage and make them into them

• more interdisciplinary work. • More onset incorporation of own SLRs.


Appendix B


19

• Open up the little nepotistic clubs (e.g. paper....) by using more faculty guidance to dilute these club, hence more opportunity and diversity and acceptances, the right adult push at the right time in social and academic situations.

• Helping the students body become more active participants in a larger variety of school activities instead of just being a bystander.

• Broadening the sense of service. • Streamlining and engaging fundraising process. • Guardianship on technology and the use of it.

Learn to be the master, instead of being reliant upon it or worse, addicted to it.

• Challenge kids to take risks, yet nurture them through mistakes.

• Opportunities for them to own up to the future, good and bad and steer it towards a better outcome.

• Students • Giving more moral values. • “Power school” lower their morals, affect their

social roles, some kids even cheat to get good grades

• School needs to humanize students • Tell them what they have done right, instead of

how they are not perfect enough. Life should not be defined by grades

• Grades makes kids take less risks on tech issues • On Tech use: Exercises tighten control over tech

use, sites access. • Limit access of use. In order to encourage

human contact or learning on a human level. • Set tech boundaries. • Have ethics courses for students, for High

School students. • Find ways to enhance communication skills

across all disciplines. • Specific performance standards metrics in

Upper Primary -‐ teachers should be responsible to make sure kids meet those standards. When they are not performing well, but allowed to move up in the grade to Middle school and find they can’t cope academically, their confidences are affected which will affect there learning.

• Take stock of our own policies i.e.: sustainability/energy/recycling.

• Fostering local long term service opportunities for students to develop relationship/cultural bridge.

• Look at removing international services opportunities/ looking at impact on environment.

• More opportunities for students to care for each other in school/to celebrate/connect/build bridges across divisions.

• Enhancing natural helping skills inherent in students.

• Presentation skills: poise, word choice, presentation, leadership, collaboration.

• Take a look at priorities for kids, develop age-‐specific curriculum.

• Have a build-‐on effect where kids gradually build their presentation skills, raise comfort level with adult intervention.

• Learn less content and learn more process • Greater focus on basic writing and grammar

skills • Spelling • Punctuation • Structure • basic math • “RRR” FOUNDATIONS!! • When you add something, what do you take

away? • More writing versus multiple choice • Re-‐asses do less. • We cannot be all things to all people • Too much technology, in place of core skills. • We should have kids “needing” or “taking” all

those excess classes. Be it UP level math or HS SAT/College App classes. We as a school should be taking care of this.

• More Culturally Awareness! Utilize World Fair and infuse in curriculum.

• Integrate and build on learning throughout all divisions.

• Be creative and flexible in implementing and meeting goals.

• Greater curriculum flexibility. • Think global but act local. (Review interim and

peak purposes and implications). • Retaining, evaluating and developing the

human resources at HKIS. • Evaluate own commitment to the environment

of HK (i.e. green thinking and action). • More inter-‐connectedness to initiatives across

divisions. • More focus on process instead of content • Work habits • Ability to work in groups


Appendix B


20

• Grade them more frequently instead of at the end of semester.

• Milestones along the way in a project. • Check in with teachers e.g. grade after the

research is complete then a grade on the first draft.

• Math – explain how they got the answers – their rationale.

• Explain their thinking more • Reflect more. • Focus on writing in middle and high school is

not enough – not enough volume. • Combining English and SS into humanities

doesn’t help – there is not enough writing and feedback on writing

• Need more presentation opportunities too. • More writing courses – not just summer

programs • Research skills – many students ‘gather’ but

don’t analyze • Ethics course in the High school to learn about

honesty, justice, issues in the world. • More live interactive presentation opportunities

to practice skills. • Encourage students to use available helps-‐

teachers available but student don’t go. • Teachers should be more approachable so

students will go to extra sessions. • Kids fall through the cracks in UP they move on

to new material before old material is mastered.

• Increased spelling, grammar and vocabulary • School should do more community service –

once a year trip. • Students shouldn’t rely on outside tutors • The school should have good quality teachers in

terms of their knowledge and teaching skills and a good, well qualified administration to foster that.

• Information for students who are interested in getting athletics scholarship for US colleges, guidance for that.

• HKIS should be more in tune with some of the selective private High School in the US.

• From a middle scholar’s perspective, students need more feedback from teachers on language arts, and process of learning. The current grading system is not good for math and science

• The school offers a lot of activities and sport selections.

• Technology – HKIS should concentrate on developing hybrid learning skills (as a core middle or high school class)

• Interview skills • Research skills (not Wikipedia) • Synthesizing or analyzing data • More clinical work • Integration between school is paramount (four

schools vs. one school) • We need thematic alignment • We need communications between campuses • We need alignment of curriculum • Teachers between schools don’t coordinate (i.e.

math curriculum, Mandarin) • I.e. flexibility for school to integrate new

students without holding back old students, (re: mandarin) Mandarin must be more of a focus at HKIS.

• We need town halls, communication, planning between campuses

• Number 1 Issue: School must be aligned from top to bottom as one school in all ways.

• Transience of teachers must be addressed – keep good ones, keep old ones fresh (stimulating change without losing quality).

• Student agrees that lack of alignment is a major issue

• Different learning styles are not being addressed as much as necessary

• Student/home communications should be improved so students are better supported, this would involve –

• Personal communication rather than newsletters (message of availability throughout year).

• More parent/teacher face to face opportunities • More parent involvement in class in upper

schools. • Balance should be struck to learn with and

without technology in all classes. We need to better weave missing skills in better throughout schools (good example of this is in ‘Humanity in Actions course’. We need more like these where there is a clinical component, writing component, service component, etc.)

• School already does a lot. • Make Humanities in Action a required course in

High School. • Require one or two interims to be a service one. • Review curriculum to ensure it meets

Spirituality, Self Motivated Learning, Contribution to Society SLRs.


Appendix B


21

• Further increase collaboration in classes. • Make service not just a compartment of school

(which is done and forgotten) but integrated into all aspects of the kid’s education.

• Find classes that never need the computer – have the kids “unwire”.

• How do we encourage creativity and adaptability when our kids lives are so programmed?

• Do more problem solving, case studies -‐ more open-‐ended works – Humanities in Actions provide this.

• Some kids are very scheduled. The tutored kids know everything makes it difficult for non-‐tutuored kids to ask questions.

• Improve writing and grammar skills in middle school.

• Allow kids to sleep more. • Review High School homework load. • Age appropriate education to address goals

according to life stage and age groups. • Opportunity for public speaking/

teamwork/leadership. • Chinese studies progression • Perception in Chinese program is underrated

but not necessarily true • Value of language as view to the world. • Agrarian calendar • Adolescent brain doesn’t start until 9.30am • Discipline/education issues often comes down

to sleep deficiency • Starting from 6am • How do you prepare for the workplace? More

flexible. • Classroom structure • Individual desks vs. collaborative environment • Four walls Vs exposure to outside world. • Communications to students regarding the

future. • How do we address world economy and

practice skills for future jobs opportunities? • Too academic (9th grade) • Focus of basic skills for communication • Grammar/reading and writing/presentation

skills. • Multi-‐ lingual • Learning how to learn • Less content • Fewer multiple choice • More process • Writing skills

• Research methods • Draft 1 and 2 etc – feedback • Being succinct (ready for workplace). • Balance the acquisitions of social emotional

skills with academic skills, integrating it within the curriculum.

• Address the issues of inter-‐cultural competence • Caring adults community -‐ for each student to

be “real” to a caring adult within as relationship.

• Professional development in the area of helping the kids with social-‐ emotional growth.

• Helping students feel acknowledged • Classroom is not curriculum based but student

based, and start at R1. • Being transparent about cultural differences,

celebrating differences and acknowledges/ works with these differences.

• Parent workshops to help parent understand that resilience trumps academic performance in success.

• Bringing back a balance of spiritually within the community

• Do not let grievance get in the way of learning. • Integrating would issues/justifies at everyday

class lessons. • More fusion classes take humanities/math,

integrated subjects • Mentoring concept between adults and

students. • Maintain the high expectations, but develop

community awareness on differences, manage expectation.

• Grading system patterned to a student’s level -‐ providing awareness.

• Re-‐education for use of learning centers. • Teaming of student helping to not come across

as too intimidating to younger students • Community building among different grade

levels for better community feel • More one on one help offered.

HKIS Question 2

Documents

Transcript of HKIS Question 2