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Elementary Overview
Welcome to Berkeley International School´s Elementary Division. Berkeley´s Elementary is a close-knit community of learners. Our small classes and caring teachers are welcoming to all children and parents. Students are made to feel “part of the family” as soon as they arrive on campus. Our family atmosphere gives students the confidence to take risks and achieve excellence in all areas.
Our Elementary is dedicated to educating the whole child through fostering lifelong learning and healthy individual growth in a student-centered environment. This dedication can be seen both inside and outside of the classroom. Following the American Common Core Standards, we provide a rigorous program that is differentiated to challenge and meet the needs of all students. Classroom instruction is further extended to home through the use of specialized Internet reading and math resources. Periodic field trips are used to enhance and extend learning.
Beyond the classroom, we provide an extensive extra-curricular program full of activities ranging from Mandarin to Soccer to Yoga to Thai Dance. Through this program, our elementary is busy both during and after school.
Finally, we are fortunate to have such a strong Elementary School faculty. All of our teachers either hold or are pursuing advanced degrees in education. This makes for faculty who continually seek improvement and better ways to educate their children.
GRADE 1
In first grade, students grow and change dramatically. Berkeley teachers strive to cultivate a climate of responsibility and ownership in their classrooms, working toward our Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs). Students develop as Effective Communicators, Independent Learners, and Global Citizens. Berkeley first-grade teachers follow the American Common Core State Standards for language arts and math, NGSS Standards for science, and AERO Standards for social studies.
"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."
John Dewey
GRADE 2
In second grade students develop skills that help them become independent learners in an environment that fosters a passion for learning. Students are challenged in all academic areas and taught to become good members of our school community. Second-grade students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning through activities that recognize the value of their efforts, stimulating their desire for learning. Students spend the majority of their day with the homeroom teacher for core subjects such language arts, math, science and social studies. Specialist classes, including P.E., music, art, IT, Thai, and Mandarin are taught by teachers certified in their respective subjects.
"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire."
William Butler Yeats
GRADE 3
Grade 3 Berkeley students focus on cultivating their independent work habits while engaging in collaborative learning experiences. Emphasizing the integration of technology into daily activities, we aim to captivate students´ interest in various subjects and foster the development of essential 21st century skills. Within their homeroom class, students receive regular instruction in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies, in addition to specialized classes in Art, Music, Physical Education, Information Technology, and Health and Values. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to select either Mandarin or Drama electives and can also participate in a variety of after-school extracurricular activities.
"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
Margaret Mead
GRADE 4
In Grade 4, students apply their developing abilities to self-driven creative tasks. The emphasis is on innovation as students carry out assignments such as collaboratively designing artificial ecosystems in Science; writing original narratives in Language Arts; and designing eco-tourism packages in Social Studies. Critical thinking skills are also placed at the highest priority in Grade 4. Among other tasks, students discuss and debate human effects on the environment in Social Studies. They analyze causal relationships throughout their studies on ecosystems, rocks, electricity, and magnetism in Science. They also make sense of complex themes during Language Arts classes. In Grade 4, students receive tuition of Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies from their homeroom teacher, while Art, Music, Physical Education, Information Technology, and Health and Values are taught by specialists. Students are also able to choose between Mandarin and Drama electives. In addition, a number of after-school extracurricular activities are available for student participation.
"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire."
William Butler Yeats
GRADE 5
At Berkeley, grade five is a year that sees students take on ever-increasing responsibility for their own education. Responsibility for maintaining the classroom, tracking assignments, and monitoring personal behavior gradually shifts from the teacher to the students as the year progresses. Students work independently and collaboratively in all of their core subject areas of mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts, utilizing technology whenever it is authentic and appropriate. In addition to their core subjects, students receive daily instruction in Thai language and culture; twice weekly instruction in physical education, music, Mandarin, and art; and once weekly instruction in information technology. Grade five students are also able to participate in a variety of after school clubs, enriching their educational experience.