Curriculum Framework
KEIS helping you to implement an ambitious curriculum that’s
right for your school.
What is meant by the term ‘curriculum framework’ and how do you create a
good one?
The term curriculum framework or progression model (both terms can be used
interchangeably) provides the underlying structure of your whole school curriculum. It is a
model that sets out the learning journey, from the start point to the end point, for each
primary curriculum subject and the curriculum as a whole.
Why do primary schools need a curriculum framework?
In the not-so-distant past in nearly all primary schools, children’s progress was measured
using levels, then age-related expectations or other arbitrary measures put in place by local
authorities. The goal was to show the ‘expected progresses of every child and group of
children, no matter how small or statistically meaningless. To summarise, expected progress
does not exist. Progress is not linear but is multi-faceted.
Using the curriculum as a progression model simply means that we judge progress based on
how much the children have learned of the curriculum. The more carefully we have
specified what we intend to teach, the more easily we can assess whether children have
learned it.
The more carefully we have specified what we intend to teach, the more easily we can
assess whether children have learned it.
How to write your curriculum framework?
Knowing what a good curriculum framework looks like is one thing. Creating one that works
is another. If this is a task that you are preparing to undertake, you should know that it will
require lots of patience (as you try different combinations) and, as I mentioned earlier,
excellent subject knowledge. It is also crucial that, as a curriculum leader, you don’t work in
isolation. Working in isolation often leads to subject progression frameworks being written
in silos, an inconsistency in style, and major disconnection from other curriculum subjects.
In contrast, working on the framework in multi-disciplinary teams ensures you make the
most of those subject interconnections. You’ll also provide a more rounded approach to
children’s understanding of the key concepts set out in your curriculum.
The following five simple steps, drawn from the experience of writing a
curriculum framework.
• Step 1 Identify your overarching curriculum aims
To know your curriculum aims, ask yourself, ‘What values do we hold dear at this school?
What type of citizens do we want our children to be? What do we want them to know and
appreciate about the world by the time they leave us?’ Asking these types of questions often
help to clarify your overarching curriculum aims. If you’re wondering why this is important
to your curriculum framework, in simple terms, establishing your overarching aims will help
you shape everything else you include in your curriculum and may help you make tough
decisions about what to prioritise in your curriculum framework.
• Step 2 Identify subject concepts
Once you’ve established your overarching curriculum aims, subject leaders should consider
how these aims are represented in their subjects. For example, let’s take the big idea of the
environment.
If we want children to become knowledgeable about environmental issues, we need to
ensure these opportunities are prioritised within each subject discipline. Each subject leader
should, therefore, set out which subject-specific concepts that link to that big idea. As this
work is done, it will start to build your curriculum framework.
• Step 3 Map the programmes of study
When we know how each big idea translates into subject specific concepts, we can begin to
match national curriculum programmes of study to each strand. As mentioned, you’ll need a
solid knowledge of the national curriculum to achieve maximum coverage and appropriate
placement of specific programmes of study. In summary, you should plot the programmes
of study for each subject against your emerging framework.
• Step 4 Map out your progression statements
When you have mapped out the programmes of study as described above, the next task is
to map out your progression statements. These statements should set out the smaller
component parts or stepping-stones that will help children to progress through the
curriculum. Each strand of your progression framework should begin to build a robust and
well-connected learning narrative.
• Step 5 Common misconceptions about curriculum frameworks/progression models
Disappointingly, too many people still believe that a curriculum framework should be a list
of things for children to ‘do and learn’ that can be ticked off.
There are many issues with the tick list approach to the curriculum framework. The first is
that if a framework has thousands of very detailed objectives, there simply won’t be enough
curriculum time to teach them. Having a list of very detailed smaller statements that
children must ‘cover’ puts pressure on the daily timetable, teachers’ planning, and the
children themselves.
Giving teachers a mass of detailed statements to tick off also removes their ability to use
their professional judgement in doing what is best for a child, group or cohort. By providing
broader skills and knowledge statements, teachers are better placed to adapt and refine
them, detailing the smaller steps an individual child or group might need to make progress.
Final word
If I could give one last piece of advice about this whole process, it would be to
know your school well. Know it inside out. Know it back to front. Know what
your overarching curriculum aims are and how they are taught in the
classroom. Make sure that every member of staff knows their part in the
greater sequence of learning. Make sure that they understand how their work
builds on what has gone before and prepares children for what comes next.
How can we help?
• Global Business Solutions
Having to manage payroll, financial transactions, and capital projects with a blend of
local and global staff in an international school setting is complex. Our trained
accounting staff can alleviate local pressure while providing cost-effective processes,
streamlining procedures, and recommendations to maximize your overall budget.
KEIS can help you operate global transactions with the ease of US-centric accounting
processes and management, oversee critical capital projects, safeguard proper donation
documents, reduce unnecessary expenditures, and enhance your school’s overall
financial management..
• Added Payroll and Accounts Payable Support
KEIS can conduct your entire payroll processing function, including safe and reliable US based Direct Deposit payroll processing, as well as local payments, reducing your
bookkeeping time. KEIS can globally execute your vendor payments, minimizing
significant processing time by staff or local providers; and also conduct routine audit and
monitoring functions, reviewing your accounts daily to keep information real time and
helping to prevent fraudulent activities.
KEIS can process and receipt all donations for your capital fundraising campaign,
reducing paperwork and giving you assurance that you are in full regulatory compliance.
Through KEIS you get access to reduced fees, bundled pricing and improved technology,
so your school eliminates individualized expenses that quickly add up.
• Train Your Leadership
The school leaders and Board of Directors play a critical role in a school’s success and
relationship with the entire school community. KEIS’s certified trainers offer governance
seminars as well as services to support leadership transition and policy development
through customized, interactive workshops.
We help you:
• Create efficient governance structures, including clear roles and responsibilities for
fiduciary, strategic and generative roles
• Make a smooth transition into new administrations
• Understand best practices and develop action plans to adopt
• Develop institutional policy
• Enhance school development in areas such as long-term planning, fiscal policy,
endowments, strategic planning, and more.
• Supplying a School
Increase the happiness factor of every supply order for your international school with
top-quality K-12 school supplies from around the globe.
There’s a fresh joy in receiving a delivery of new school equipment and supplies. But
ordering these high-quality materials can be another story, since navigating customs and
juggling vendors is no easy task for any international institution.
Our School Supply team can help streamline your purchasing, save money, and equip
your school with hassle-free and happily-delivered resources every academic year.
By working with KEIS School Supply, you can dramatically streamline the process and
reduce your staff’s purchasing and accounting workload. We’re here to help simplify
your purchasing, save money, and equip your teachers and students with the resources
they need to succeed every day in their classrooms and other learning spaces.
Leadership Searches
KEIS has a deep and long-standing commitment to the international community. We
work with many schools across our suite of services and interact with tens of thousands
of educators and school leaders each year. We are active and constantly involved in
helping schools grow.
Our Administrative Search team has conducted more than 1,000 leadership searches
across 6 continents and is focused on creating positive, productive collaborations
between schools and leaders. The multidisciplinary team of former heads of school and
industry recruitment professionals enables us to create effective, efficient and successful
leadership searches for all involved, anchored in intercultural competency, deep
understanding of international schools today, a commitment to diversity, and an
emphasis on professional outcomes.
We have helped fill school administrator vacancies on six continents. Whether the
school is located in North America, Europe, Asia, or any other corner of the world, we
can help search committees and prospective candidates come together to successfully
fill the next Head of School, Principal, or other School Administrator position!
What is Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is the protection of internet-connected systems, including hardware, software and data, from cyberattacks. In a computing context, security comprises cybersecurity and physical security — both are used by enterprises to protect against unauthorized access to data centers and other computerized systems.
Information security, which is designed to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data, is a subset of cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users; or interrupting normal business processes. Implementing effective cybersecurity measures is particularly challenging today because there are more devices than people, and attackers are becoming more innovative.
You can download our training program from the below link to discover more about Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Training Program
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence has many different definitions. In the headlines of newspaper articles, AI is a machine that thinks, understands languages, solves problems, diagnoses medical conditions, keeps cars on the highways, plays chess, and paints impressionistic imitations of van Gogh paintings. AI is often defined as a computer system with the ability to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. As this definition somewhat problematically requires 105 Us to define intelligence and is inconveniently tautological, artificial intelligence is now commonly defined as a scientific discipline; as the activity that creates machines that can function appropriately and with foresight in their environment. The first explicit definition of artificial intelligence was suggested in a funding proposal to the Rockefeller Foundation in 1955. It was based on the “conjecture that every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it.” This early definition rapidly led to deep controversies.
In practice, logical statements, thus, in effect, defining human intelligence as computation of truth values. This interpretation was historically aligned with logical positivism and attempts to formalize mathematics using purely syntactic means, but it also raised important questions about the philosophical foundations of AI. Three levels of human and machine learning The early developers of AI interpreted intelligence and thinking as mechanical processing of logical statements, thus, in effect, defining human intelligence as computation of truth values. This interpretation was historically aligned with logical positivism and attempts to formalize mathematics using purely syntactic means, but it also raised important questions about the philosophical foundations of AI.
What constitutes professional development?
When people use the term “professional development,” they usually mean a formal process such as a conference, seminar, or workshop; collaborative learning among members of a work team; or a course at a college or university. However, professional development can also occur in informal contexts such as discussions among work colleagues, independent reading and research, observations of a colleague’s work, or other learning from a peer.
How does professional development in K–12 public education differ from professional development in other fields?
In public schools, effective professional development affects students. Student learning and achievement increase when educators engage in effective professional development focused on the skills educators need in order to address students’ major learning challenges.
Why do educators need professional development? Didn’t they learn what they need to know in college?
College and university programs cannot provide the extensive range of learning experiences necessary for graduates to become effective public school educators. Once students graduate, meet their state’s certification requirements, and are employed, they learn through experience. As in all professions, new teachers and principals take years to gain the skills they need to be effective in their roles. The complexity of teaching is so great that onethird of teachers leave the profession within three years and 50% leave within five years. Even experienced teachers confront great challenges each year, including changes in subject content, new instructional methods, advances in technology, changed laws and procedures, and student learning needs. Educators who do not experience effective professional development do not improve their skills, and student learning suffers. Artificial Intelligence on Learning, Teaching, and Education Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently high on the political and research agendas around the world. With the emergence of every new technology, there is always both a lot of hype and Scepticism around its implications for society and the economy. Although acknowledging That the foundations for AI have been already around for several decades, recent technological breakthroughs are accelerating what AI could do. To appreciate the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) creates, we need both good understanding of what AI is today and what the future may bring when AI is widely used in the society. AI can enable new ways of learning, teaching and education, and it may also change the society in ways that pose new challenges for educational institutions.
It may amplify skill differences and polarize jobs, or it may equalize opportunities for learning. The use 104 of AI in education may generate insights on how learning happens, and it can change the way learning is assessed. It may re-organize classrooms or make them obsolete, it can increase the efficiency of teaching, or it may force students to adapt to the requirements of technology, depriving humans from the powers of agency and possibilities for responsible action. All this is possible. Now is a good time to start thinking about what AI could mean for learning, teaching, and education. There is a lot of hype, and the topic is not an easy one. It is, however, both important, interesting, and worth the effort.
Instead of a beginning of an AI revolution, we could be at the end of one. This, of course, Depends on what we mean by revolution. Electricity did not revolutionize the world when Volta found a way to store it in 1800 or when Edison General Electric Company was Incorporated in 1889. The transformative impact of general purpose technologies Becomes visible only gradually, when societies and economies reinvent themselves as Users of new technologies. Technological change requires cultural change that is reflected In lifestyles, norms, policies, social institutions, skills, and education. Because of this, AI—now often called the “new electricity”—may revolutionize many areas of life when it Is taken into use even if it keeps on driving its “one-trick” pony for the foreseeable Future. Many interesting things will happen when already existing technologies will be Adopted, adapted, and applied for learning, teaching, and education. For example, AI May enable both new learning and teaching practices, and it may generate a new social, Cultural, and economic context for education.
WHY Professional Development?
Another professional development day! What an inconvenience!” This Comment rings across kitchen tables, through grocery store aisles, on the side-lines at soccer games, and in the breakrooms in local businesses. Parents expect their children to be in school and rely on schools not only for educating them, but also for providing a safe and dependable place for Students to be each day.
Families and even employers are inconvenienced on In-service days or when the school day starts late or ends early to Provide time for teacher professional development. For business and community leaders, the quality of a community’s education system relates directly to the economic success of the community. School success translates into tax revenues, real estate values, and community satisfaction. When asked what they want for their children, parents, and community members overwhelmingly agree that they want the best teacher possible in every classroom. Research confirms that the most important factor contributing to a student’s success in school is the quality of teaching. While parents may not be familiar with the research, they are united in their desire to ensure great teaching for every child every day.
Professional development is the most effective strategy schools and school Districts have to meet this expectation. Professional development is the strategy schools and school districts use to ensure that educators continue to strengthen their practice throughout their career. The most eff active professional development engages teams of teachers to focus on the needs of their students. 102
They learn and problem solve together in order to ensure all students achieve success. School systems use a variety of schedules to provide this collaborative learning and work time for teachers. When time set aside for professional development is used effectively and parents receive reports about student results, they realize the benefits to teachers and their students far outweigh the scheduling inconvenience. When communities see their schools making steady upward progress, they applaud the role of effective professional development. Policymakers, community leaders, and parents have a responsibility to ensure that educators within their schools engage in continuous professional learning and apply that learning to increase student achievement. Learning forward offers a clear definition and standards for measuring the quality of professional development occurring within schools. By advocating for educator professional learning that meets these standards, policymakers, parents, and community members can do their part to ensure a successful education experience for every child in their community.
John Dewey reminds us about the importance of this role: “What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all of its children.”
The health benefits of Swimming
Swimming uses all the muscles in the body. Whether you swim gentle breaststrokes or hammer butterflies, you will get a full body workout. Exercising in water makes your body work harder.
Thirty minutes in a pool is worth forty five minutes of the same activity on land. Just thirty minutes of swimming three times a week alongside a balanced healthy diet is one of the best ways to stay fit, healthy and to maintain a positive mental outlook. Do it with friends, and it’s even more fun! Swimming regularly can lower stress levels, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve your sleeping pattern. The benefits of swimming only requires a light swim.
Swimming is one of the most effective ways to burn calories. A gentle swim can burn over 200 calories in just half an hour, more than double that of walking. With a faster swim the sugar calories of chocolate bars burn quicker than if you decided to go cycling or running. Swimming is similar to an intense or strong cardio exercise. Swimming for thirty minutes a week can protect you from heart diseases, strokes and type 2 diabetes.
Water supports up to 90 percent of the body’s weight. If you’ve sprained an ankle at a football game or have a long term injury or from illness, swimming is a brilliant way to keep anyone active. Swimming three times a week boosts your energy levels and increase your metabolic rate. If sweating puts you off other forms of exercises, fear not! As a swimmer, the water around you constantly cools you down.
Join our swimming team at KEIS Sports Academy and enjoy the full benefit of this wonder making excersise!
School Olympic Program
Our Branding
Key of Education International School came in second place at the first round of tournaments, and fourth place at the championship It happened that on the day of the program, Al Rayan and Al Sadd sports club were scouting for new football players and they observed KEIS students’ talent all through the games. At the end of the tournaments, Al Rayan club and Al Sadd club approached three of KEIS students and signed them up as club football players. The chosen players were:
Kareem Gabar/G 9A – Al Sadd Club
Abdullah Ali Jawad/G 6B – Al Rayan
Club Khaled Jamal/G 8A – Al Rayan
Club
5C Abdullah Ali Jawad/G 6B
Tawfiq Jamal Jamal/G 6B
Tareq Zabara/G 6B Mohamed Younis/G 6B
Mohamed Flfatih/G 6B
Kareem Gabar/G9A
Kaws Khaled Mahmoud/G 7A
Tarek Khaled zohbi/G 7A
Khaled Jamal/G 8A
Louay Ali Hassa/G 8A
Gyth Al Shaikh/G 8A
Karim Kassar/G 9A
SOME OF THE PARTICIPATING TEAMS:
NETWON INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY Grades 1 & 2
OLIVE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Grades 7, 8 & 9
AL HAMMAD INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Grades 7, 8 & 9
KEY OF EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Grades 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9
SAVE THE EARTH NOW
BLOGGER’S COLUMN
Global warming is the long-term rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s climate system. It is a major aspect of current climate change. Over the past 50 years, the average global temperature has been on the rise and has made quite a record. The rate keeps on accelerating. This situation has persisted for some time now and the effect has been noticeable from the north pole all the way to the south. Scholars have noted that since 1996, the global temperature has increased by more than 0.9 degrees Celsius. Dangerous and destructive effect this heat is causing glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise, cloud forests to dry out and much more.
The main cause of this heat is humans. Humans have triggered global warming by releasing heat-trapping gases. They have powered their modern lives on the expense of nature. Human activities, since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, have produced a 45% increase in CO2. “Plastic, as we know, is everywhere. It is in the waterways, in marine life, and sometimes in our food too. A new report claims that both plastic products and CO2 emissions are catalysts the induce global warming. Our planet is dying and if we don’t act now, I am afraid its going to be too late. We need to stop using plastic. We need to stop exhausting our nature and burning down our forest.
We need to stop using non degradable materials. We need to Reduce, reuse & recycle. Spread the awareness. Let’s get back what once was our bare minimum right to a safe and toxic-free environment.
ELECTROLYSIS
The seventh grade students are keen to learn science through hands-on experiments. They prepared their own water electrolysis apparatus by using pencils, wires, and batteries. They were fascinated with the water bubbles generated by the electric current causing separation of H2O into oxygen and hydrogen.
WHAT’S COOKING A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT MIRROR MAZE
Geometric optics is one of the oldest branches of physics, dealing with laws of reflection and refraction. In our physics lab, the students observed and discovered the two basic types of lenses and explored both the diversion & the conversion of light concepts. The students tried to complete the path of a laser light as it reflected off a series of mirrors to a detector.
BUBBLES
Our eighth grade students discovered that light can be dispersed into different colors of different wavelengths, frequencies & energy. This phenomenon is known as the “ Dispersion of light ”.
MARSHMALLOW AND SPAGHETTI KEIS
is applying the next generation science standards that offer an opportunity to integrate engineering and science. This month, our children applied a process that includes thinking, prototyping, and iterating to build the tallest tower that can support a marshmallow by using uncooked spaghetti noodles.