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    The mission of ISA is to challenge all members of the school community to consistently reflect on and question what it means to act at one’s fullest potential as a learner, leader, and global citizen. Students and teachers are asked to use their education to improve themselves, their school, and the local and global community.

    An ISA Graduate

    The International School of the Americas pledges to graduate reflective, lifelong learners who approach each new experience mindful of previous learning and open to new learning and growth possibilities.

    • Lifelong learners are conscientious citizens who actively participate in their local and global communities because they realize they are part of an interdependent world. They are inquisitive and seek to investigate and make meaning of the world around them.

    • Lifelong learners recognize different perspectives and seek to understand the opinions, viewpoints, and philosophies of others.

    • Lifelong learners actively dialogue to resolve conflict, recognizing that discussion and mutual agreement often achieve the most positive outcomes.

    • Lifelong learners are creative in their approach to solving problems. They rely on a wide array of background knowledge and skills from multiple disciplines and creatively combine that knowledge to generate new and productive outcomes.

    Equipped with this knowledge and skills, ISA students are poised to be leaders and change agents in their spheres of influence.

  • English Language Arts Performance Outcomes

    The goals of a globally-focused English Language Arts (ELA) program is to ensure that students are both globally competent and college ready. To achieve these goals, students are asked to understand, analyze, evaluate, embrace, harness, and create the multiple literacies so that they can take action and impact the 21st century.

    Investigate the World  

    Students investigate the world’s complex and significant issues and ideas.

    • Analyze and evaluate the ideas and arguments presented in texts.

    • Examine credibility and synthesize information on a global or cultural issue from two or more sources.

    • Generate a researchable question about a global idea/issue and examine a variety of texts: fictional, informational, and/or digital about the idea/issue.

    • Accurately cite textual evidence and, when appropriate, follow an accepted research format.

    Recognize Perspectives

    Students understand that an issue may be viewed from diverse perspectives, reflecting different values and cultures.

    • Develop and apply a consistent perspective on a global or cultural issue or theme that indicates engaged analysis and critical thinking.

    • Analyze and make connections among multiple perspectives, opinions, or views on a global or cultural issue.

    • Demonstrate understanding of cultural values as well as varied world views presented in texts.

    • Analyze author’s style and distinctive use of language reflective of a culture or worldview including, but not limited to, dialect, figurative language, and rhetorical devices.

    • Understand how texts are situated within cultural and historic contexts, genre, and/or personal experience.

    Communicate Ideas

    Students organize and structure ideas when communicating with a variety of audiences.

    • Demonstrate a coherence and internal structure that supports the writing or presentation including a clear/controlling idea/thesis.

    • Demonstrate a command of conventions of language (grammar, usage, and punctuation).

    • Demonstrate syntactic variety, effective style, and an engaging voice.

    • Use digital technology, communication tools, and/or networks appropriately to access, integrate, and present information.

    • Use effective arguments and persuasive strategies for specific purposes and audiences.

    • Collaborate for refinement of process and integration of ideas.

    Take Action

    Students reflect on their learning and develop a position of advocacy or action.

    • Develop an informed position about a multi faceted global issue that calls for action or a new perspective.

    • Either individually or in collaboration, use language and multimedia to present a clear and compelling position of advocacy.

    • Reflect on new insights, changes in personal views, or attitudes resulting from analysis, inquiry, and/or personal experiences.

    • Demonstrate understanding that choices and decisions are reflective of culture, society, and personal values.

  • Global Leadership Performance Outcomes

    The goal of a globally-focused school is to provide students with opportunities to develop global competence across the curriculum. Students learn to understand the world through the disciplines of art, English language arts, history/social studies, mathematics, science, and world languages and, at the same time, strengthen their understanding of the core subjects in a global context. A well-rounded global curriculum not only opens students’ eyes, but also sets the stage for them to act in ways that are inspired by their course of study and driven by a desire to make a difference locally, regionally, and globally

    Investigate the World: Generate Global Knowledge

    Students initiate investigations of the world by framing questions, analyzing and synthesizing relevant evidence, and drawing reasonable conclusions about globally-focused issues.

    • Identify, describe, and frame questions about an issue, and explain how that issue is locally, regionally, and/or globally focused.

    • Use a variety of international and domestic sources to identify and weigh relevant evidence that addresses a globally-focused question.

    • Analyze, integrate, and synthesize evidence to formulate a coherent response to a globally-focused question.

    • Develop a position that considers multiple perspectives, addresses counter arguments, and draws reasonable conclusions.

    Recognize Perspectives: Apply Cross-Cultural Understanding

    Students recognize, articulate, and apply an understanding of different perspectives (including their own).

    • Express personal perspective on situations, events, issues, or phenomena, and identify various influences on that perspective.

    • Explain the perspectives of other people, groups, or schools of thought, and identify possible influences on those perspectives, including access to information and resources.

    • Explain how perspectives influence human interactions, affecting their understanding of situations, events, issues, or phenomena.

    • Apply an understanding of multiple perspectives and contexts when interpreting and communicating information about situations, events, issues, or phenomena.

    Communicate Ideas: Connect And Collaborate Across Boundaries

    Students select and apply appropriate tools and strategies to communicate and collaborate effectively, meeting the needs and expectations of diverse individuals and groups.

    • Identify and understand the expectations and perspectives of diverse audiences, and apply that understanding to meet the audience’s needs.

    • Select and apply appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to communicate and collaborate effectively.

    • Select and apply appropriate resources— technology, media, and/or world languages— to communicate and collaborate effectively with diverse individuals and groups.

    • Reflect on audience response and/or feedback, and revise communication choices based on the impact of communication.

    Take Action: Enact Global Solutions

    Students translate their ideas, concerns, and findings into appropriate and responsible individual or collaborative actions to improve conditions.

    • Identify collaborators across disciplines and industries, and create opportunities for individual or collaborative action to improve a situation, event, issue, or phenomena.

    • Assess options and plan actions based on evidence that indicates the potential for impact, taking into account previous approaches, varied perspectives, and/or potential consequences.

    • Act, individually or collaboratively, in creative and responsible ways to contribute to improvement locally, regionally, and/or globally, and assess the impact of the action.

    • Reflect on their capacity to contribute/ advocate for improvement locally, regionally, and/or globally.

  • Mathematics Performance Outcomes

    The goal of ISA’s mathematics program is to develop an individual’s capacity to understand the role of mathematics in the world. This includes being able to generate mathematical questions based on patterns observed in the world; use mathematical techniques to model observed patterns; apply a variety of strategies to models to answer a question; and to translate the mathematical solution into useful actions in the real world. In this way mathematics is used to study issues, situations, and events of global significance and support conclusions, arguments, and decisions. Students who are proficient in mathematics are able to connect mathematics to the world around them, solve problems using a variety of appropriate strategies, create and analyze mathematical arguments and proofs, and communicate mathematical processes and reasoning to a variety of audiences.

    Connections

    Students make connections between the concepts and strategies they are learning as well as connecting concepts and strategies to global issues, situations and events

    • Use mathematics to model global issues, situations or events

    • Recognize, explain and use connections among mathematical ideas

    • Use data generated by mathematical processes or models to make decisions

    • Advocate for plausible and responsible actions supported by mathematics

    • Evaluate and defend or refute decisions that are supported by mathematics

    Problem Solving

    Students are creative and persistent problem solvers who are comfortable trying a

    variety of approaches to reach a solution.

    • Select and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to address problems

    • Apply mathematical algorithms (series of steps), tools, and/or representations to accurately solve problems

    • Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving

    Communication

    Students articulate their mathematical understanding using both formal and informal

    language, as appropriate.

    • Explain mathematical arguments, including concepts and procedures used

    • Communicate thinking coherently and clearly using correct mathematical language and visual representations

    • Describe the merits, shortcomings, consequences, and effects of mathematical arguments  and processes

    Reasoning and Proof

    Students recognize if mathematical reasoning is being applied correctly and create their own proofs using proper conventions.

    • Select and use various types of reasoning and/or methods of proof

    • Justify the completeness and validity of a solution mathematically and contextually

    • Validate mathematical arguments and/or proofs

    Language adapted from ISSN Graduation Portfolio System Performance Outcomes and Envision

    Schools Graduation Portfolio Performance Outcomes.

     

  • Science Performance Outcomes

    The goal of the ISSN Science program is to develop an individual’s capacity to research and investigate scientific ideas using the vocabulary, symbols, and conventions of science, and to explain the local and/or global implications of human interactions with natural phenomena. Students analyze, interpret, evaluate, and discuss the significance of biological, chemical, physical, or earth-environmental scientific conclusions in the context of complex global systems.

    Investigate the World  

    Students use scientific procedures and disciplines to investigate natural and human global phenomena.

    • Formulate and refine questions that lead to a testable hypothesis or research thesis about a global issue.

    • Search, compare, analyze, and evaluate background information from scientific disciplines and a variety of primary, secondary, and global sources to support a hypothesis or thesis.

    • Evaluate the reliability, credibility, and limitations of existing theories and models related to an experimental hypothesis or research thesis.

    • Design a controlled experiment to test a hypothesis using appropriate technology and data.

    Recognize Perspectives

    Students interpret and discuss scientific data in the context of complex global systems.

    • Compare multiple points of view or schools of thought, and explain how the interaction of ideas across scientific disciplines, cultural perspectives, or diverse contexts and audiences influence the issue.

    • Identify and interpret data patterns, trends, sources of error, outliers, and inconsistencies to make connections and draw conclusions about an experimental hypothesis or research thesis.

    • Form new questions based on experimental or research results in the context of complex global systems.

    Communicate Ideas

    Students discuss global implications of scientific ideas, research, or inquiry results and personal reflections.

    • Document experimental and research procedures and cite sources so that the work can be replicated.

    • Present accurate numerical and observational data organized in tables, graphs, charts, and/or journal entries following standard conventions.

    • Communicate and collaborate to express and discuss scientific ideas using appropriate vocabulary, symbols, conventions, technology, and media.

    • Discuss the significance of a science issue, including local or global implications and personal reflections.

     

    Take Action

    Students translate scientific inquiry or research results into actions intended to increase awareness and improve global conditions.

    • Develop an individual or collaborative plan using scientific inquiry or research results to identify possible actions and implications for positive change.

    • Determine how selected actions are influenced by available technology and personal or alternate viewpoints of a global issue.

    • Act creatively and innovatively, collect data, and evaluate the impact of actions on the global issue and expose potential unintended consequences.

    • Reflect on the influence of experimental or research projects on personal thinking, choices, or actions.

  • World Language Performance Outcomes

    The goal of a globally-focused World Language program is to develop an individual’s capacity to communicate in a multilingual and multicultural world; to study issues, situations, or events of global significance that call for a multicultural approach or solution, and to use World Languages and an understanding of world cultures to express and support conclusions, arguments, and decisions that lead them to act as reflective, constructive, and concerned citizens of the world.

    Investigate The World  

    Students use World Languages to investigate a global issue, situation, or event.

    • Synthesize facts and ideas to develop a position on a cultural issue.

    • Enhance and deepen the study of other subjects through knowledge of the target language and culture(s).

    • Develop an awareness of a personal world-view as it differs from those of others through the study of language, cultures, and perspectives.

    • Detect patterns in language and replicate them accordingly.

    Recognize Perspectives

    Students recognize the impact of their culture and the cultures of the World Languages on themselves and others.

    • Identify similarities and differences between the target culture and one’s own culture by comparing practices, perspectives, and products.

    • Express cultural sensitivity by using the target language and non-verbal communication in appropriate ways.

    • Identify regional differences by comparing cultural products and features of language.

    • Compare and contrast the nature of the target language with one’s own through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

    Communicate Ideas

    Students communicate their thinking in the World Languages.

    • Interpret and analyze authentic spoken and written information, non-verbal cues, and perspectives on world issues.

    • Ask for and provide information, express feelings, and share opinions as part of culturally-appropriate conversation.

    • Analyze, synthesize, and present information in a way that recognizes and accommodates multiple perspectives.

    • Use language and technology appropriately to access, interpret, and present ideas and information.

    Take Action

    Students translate the results of their language study into appropriate actions.

    • Enrich the language learning experience by applying language skills in real-world contexts and scenarios.

    • Find and engage with communities using the target language locally, globally, and virtually.

    • Demonstrate use of the target language to research and explore topics of study and to express personal opinions clearly based on found information.

  • Arts Performance Outcomes

    The goals of a globally-focused arts program is to develop an individual’s capacity to understand the role of the arts in the world; to study issues, situations, or events of global significance that call for an arts approach or solution, and to use the arts to support conclusions, decisions, and responses that lead them to act as reflective, constructive, and concerned citizens of the world.

    Investigate the World  

    Students initiate an investigation of the world beyond their immediate environment through the creation of personal and collaborative artistic expression.

    • Utilize artistic expression to generate and understand the personal significance of locally, regionally, or globally-focused issues or driving questions.

    • Identify, observe, and interpret a variety of works of visual or performing arts to determine their relevance to globally-significant themes.

    • Analyze, weigh, integrate, and synthesize evidence to create artistic expressions, discern effectiveness, and critically respond to the expressions.

    • Support artistic vision based on evidence that considers multiple perspectives and draws defensible conclusions.

    Recognize Perspectives

    Students recognize and articulate their own and other’s perspectives through the active engagement in the arts through dialogue that includes theorizing, critical analysis, and writing.

    • Recognize and articulate one’s own and other’s perspectives on events, issues, phenomena, and/or situations by creating personal artistic expressions and identifying the influences on that creative process.

    • Contrast various art forms of a period and explain how worldviews are influenced by experience in the arts.

    • Create a visual or performing artwork that is influenced by cultural interaction.

    • Articulate how the consequences of differential access to knowledge, artistic experience, technology, and resources affect the quality of artistic output and influence artistic production.

    Communicate Ideas

    Students communicate their ideas and feelings effectively through the making of artworks with and for diverse audiences.

    • Recognize that diverse audiences may perceive different meanings and reactions when engaging with artistic expressions.

    • Use appropriate artistic language, terminology, and media to communicate an idea or theme effectively.

    • Explain and/or understand how the arts impact understanding and collaboration in an interdependent world.

    • Select and use appropriate technologies to communicate an artistic point of view with diverse audiences.

    Take Action

    Students translate their ideas and findings into artistic expressions intended to increase awareness and improve conditions.

    • Advocate for and contribute to improvement locally, regionally, or globally through artistic expressions.

    • Identify opportunities for personal and collaborative artistic expressions to address events, issues, phenomena, and/or situations in ways that can impact various communities.

    • Take appropriate artistic action based on evidence and the potential for impact, taking into account varied perspectives, aesthetics, techniques, and potential consequences for others.

    • Use the arts to act in creative and responsible ways to contribute to improvements locally, regionally, or globally.