School Design

Key Characteristics of an Asia Society International Studies School

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Each International Studies School (ISSN) has a mission to create a learning and child development environment in which every student is ready to compete, connect, and cooperate within a global community. All students will be ready for college or other post-secondary education of their choice.

To achieve this mission, each school must help students develop the new knowledge and skills that they will need in an ever-shrinking world and to blend it with a core curriculum in ways that ultimately contribute to students’ overall intelligence.

ISSN school design begins with a definition of “what success looks like” in the form of a Graduate Profile. The Graduate Profile delineates the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind needed to be college ready and globally competent. In turn, the School Design Matrix provides a comprehensive approach to school mission and culture; curriculum, assessment, and instruction; school organization and governance; teachers’ professional development; and parent and community involvement. The matrix guides the implementation of best practices needed to achieve the tenets of the Graduate Profile.

The ISSN school design enables schools to develop:

• An intellectual mission focused on international studies that targets educational excellence for every student
• A curriculum that meets state standards and integrates international content throughout all subject areas
• Engaging, inquiry-based instruction and multiple forms of assessment that promote deep understanding
• The opportunity for students to study one or more world languages, including an Asian language
• Innovative uses of technology that support instruction and linkages to schools around the world
• A school culture that promotes a sense of belonging for every student and supports students’ personal growth
• Opportunities for student and teacher international travel and exchanges
• Internships and community service opportunities at internationally oriented businesses, cultural institutions, and universities
• Faculty engagement in continuous high-quality professional development including international travel and exchange