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Universal Design for Learning and ICHS
As Carol Ann Tomlinson so aptly put it: "what we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals." We all know that each individual student learns in a different way and comes to learning with a different set of skills and needs. This is where ICHS vision for Universal Design begins. We are committed to making sure that all students have the space and resources they need in order to learn to the best of their abilities.
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High School Reform Movements and ICHS
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We believe that there are a certain set of skills that will be of utmost importance in the 21st century world. Students must be able to think analytically about problems. They must be able to interact with others casually and formally. Students must also learn to be creative and to approach problem solving in new ways. At ICHS we of course value the role of technology in the new "Flat World." Our one to one lap top program ensures that all students have access to ICT resources and are computer literate. We have establish a strong budget for technology in our school. All students have access to tech help on campus as well as computer classes in both Mac and PC labs. The importance of learning the computing skills that are required in today's world cannot be ignored. In line with our technology reforms we also have committed staff and resources to the establishment of a Digital Arts program at our school. Students will learn cutting edge skills involved in science and technology. This will see students emerging from ICHS with the knowledge to pursue further education in areas such as biotechnology, digital design, digital media and virtual environments.
cutting edge curriuculumcurriculum and education.

Learner Centered Approach to Learning and ICHS
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ICHS believes be guidance counsellors,counselors, student advisors,advisers, academic support
We believe that by focusing learning on the students' needs and interests we are fostering citizens for the 21st century. In the contemporary world it is very important for students to be able to take control of projects. They must not only respond to directions but also analyze, create, and synthesize information. Student focused learning establishes a school environment from the administration down to the student that realizes that it is the learner's need that must come first!
Additional Resources
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Additional Websites:
http://www.mgdolence.com/resources/ccspm/lcca.aspx
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3673/is_200310/ai_n9332034
http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2005/051129/f051129c1.htm

Since our school is made up of an amazing cross-section of different cultures we feel it is important to allow all of these backgrounds to come forth in the classroom and school community. In a constructivist classroom all students are encouraged to bring their individual thoughts to the table. These thoughts are laden with ideologies that have been passed on from parent and grandparents and so on, which creates a rich tapestry full of different information and ideas about how to solve problems. Our school encourages students to come as individuals and work as groups to explore critical thinking, employing as many different minds as possible. Our intercultural approach to constructivism really establishes unique classrooms that focuses the learning on students' individual responses to the concepts presented to them. Teachers at ICHS are encouraged to use raw data, primary sources, manipulative, physical and interactive materials in engaging and challenging students previously held hypotheses.
In order for a valuable constructivist classroom to take shape it is important that teachers receive appropriate training in constructivist methodology. We encourage teachers to "ease" into constructivism and not to get overwhelmed with the seemingly endless freedom, which can be intimidating. One way that ICHS is really planning on implementing 21st century style constructivism is through our one to one lap top program which will have students from grade 7-12 having access to a laptop. Using all ICT and internet based resources will really open up the possibilities of constructivism taking shape in our school.
light is:
Curriculum Planning: Integrating Multiculturalism, Constructivism, and Education Reform
By Henson, Kenneth T.

Backward by Design and ICHS
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At ICHS it is also important that we have meaningful assessment. Backwards by Design allows for teachers to engage students and the curriculum in a way that makes the assessment authentic. By focusing on the desired outcomes before the unit is presented the teacher then has the flexibility to work with students and guide them in the process of creating rubrics and self-assessing as unit progress. Through quizes, tests, written assignments, dialogue with students, and observational evaluation teachers can assess student learning while keeping the "backwards design" of the unit or lesson intact.
At ICHS we believe that planning time for teachers is a crucial element in running a school in line with Backwards by Design so we guarantee that all teachers have at least 2 hours of planning time per day where they can meet with team members or department heads to focus in on what is important for the students. Teacher planning time not only relieves stress from teachers but also establishes a great collegial working atmosphere. Teachers must be given the adequate time to plan their curriculum in order to really harness the power of Backward by Design.

The International Charter High School Wiki
international charter high school wikispace. have established athis comprehensive website that presents outour ideas about written our school'sICHS school philosophy which
School Philosophy: A Vision for 21st Century Education
Our school believes that students must make the meaning of the curriculum they are engaged with come alive in personal ways. We believe students arrive at and construct meaning based upon all the experiences they have had in the past. Therefore, it is the School's job to create a cognitive and contextually oriented space for learners, by presenting knowledge and insight into key areas of thought pertaining to the subject. Utilizing the tools of the 21st century we hope to develop our core subjects into classes that engage students to become passionate about where they are and all the skills that will take them into the future. We believe that bringing the world into the classroom and the students out in to the world, through service learning, are crucial aspects of current education. Student centered learning will be the focus of assignments that will challenge students to push their individual abilities while remaining true to the standards and benchmarks of the appropriate grade levels. Our school believes that all assessments should encourage students to be reflective about the work they have done, whether through student generated rubrics or journaling while also representing how well they are meeting the standards required for their level. Above all else we believe students should feel personally and academically comfortable, cared for and challenged as they strive to meet the demands of 21st century world.

Evidence Based Practice and ICHS
In a world in which any person can edit and create information on the internet we feel that it is very important to have Evidence Based Practices at ICHS. With the sheet quantity of new information and theory written about educational practice, we feel it is very important to read and research carefully before implementing changes to current education practices at ICHS. When thinking about what makes best practice we, as educators must really examine what information is out there in the world. As we come to decisions that will affect the way students are taught in our classrooms we focus our attention of research that comes from credible sources and provides many real-world examples as evidence.
As we move forward as a school into the 21st century we are obviously increasing our budget for technology in the classroom but we do not do this without first researching what areas of technology are actually worth exploring and which are not. The Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology has been an excellent resource for compiling and examining work that has been done on technology in education (benefits and downfalls). They offer many insights into the importance of having computers in each student's hands and in providing wireless technology throughout our school. Also our students are assigned a blogspot at the start each school year which they will use to interact with teachers, hand in assignments, stay up to date on what is happening in the school community and more. The effectiveness and benefits of student blogging has been researched widely. The use of technology in the classroom has been the main focus of ICHS research lately and we are encouraged to find that there is are large quantity of positive evidence about the importance of computers in the 21st century classroom.

Universal Design for Learning and ICHS
Carol Ann TomplinsonTomlinson so aptly
At our school we have set up a variety of support mechanisms both within the classrooms and outside the daily core subjects. Our academic support team offers aid to students who may be diagnosed with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, behvioral disorders or other factors that hinder their progress in core classes. We also offer a top notch ESOL program with language teachers providing both push-in and pull-out support to English language learners. Because we are an international school with a great variety of student ethnicities we know that English is not the first spoken language for many of our students. We have ESOL teachers for each grade level that work with small classes of students in order to support them in learning English and uncovering some of the finer points of lessons they may have missed in the daily core subjects.
In the classroom we do our best to offer differentiated instruction, so as to accomodate all different learning needs. The integrated classroom is the best place for learners. We want everyone to feel included and to play unique roles in the classroom. Through tiered instruction, we are able to pre-assess student abilities and plan lessons and assignments according to their academic needs. The role of Universal design is directly linked with our constructivist and backwards by design classroom philosophies. Teachers are given the time to assess and plan for students' needs directly. The global nature of our school is to be celebrated and with a Universal Design for Learning we are able to acheive success together!

Universal Design for Learning and ICHS
As Carol Ann Tomplinson so aptly put it: "what we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals." We all know that each individual student learns in a different way and comes to learning with a different set of skills and needs. This is where ICHS vision for Universal Design begins. We are committed to making sure that all students have the space and resources they need in order to learn to the best of their abilities.
At our school we have set up a variety of support mechanisms both within the classrooms and outside the daily core subjects. Our academic support team offers aid to students who may be diagnosed with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, behvioral disorders or other factors that hinder their progress in core classes. We also offer a top notch ESOL program with language teachers providing both push-in and pull-out support to English language learners. Because we are an international school with a great variety of student ethnicities we know that English is not the first spoken language for many of our students. We have ESOL teachers for each grade level that work with small classes of students in order to support them in learning English and uncovering some of the finer points of lessons they may have missed in the daily core subjects.
In the classroom we do our best to offer differentiated instruction, so as to accomodate all different learning needs. The integrated classroom is the best place for learners. We want everyone to feel included and to play unique roles in the classroom. Through tiered instruction, we are able to pre-assess student abilities and plan lessons and assignments according to their academic needs. The role of Universal design is directly linked with our constructivist and backwards by design classroom philosophies. Teachers are given the time to assess and plan for students' needs directly. The global nature of our school is to be celebrated and with a Universal Design for Learning we are able to acheive success together!

High School Reform Movements and ICHS
All graduates from ICHS are encouraged to strive for acceptance into the top Universities in the world. We know that the skills they learn in high school are crucial in establishing the way they will develop into citizens in the workplace and society. ICHS is aware of many reform movements which desire to impart to high school students the real-world skills they will need postgraduation. High school reform can take on many different faces and strategically focus on certain areas involved in student success. In regards to ICHS we are focusing on ensuring that by the time our high school students graduate from our school they have all of the skills and knowledge necessary to survive in the rapidly changing climate of the 21st century. In highschool we focus much of our attention on subject matter that has often been left out or not taught in schools such as financial and economic literacy. We offere a variety of finance classes to students so they are prepared to engage with this global world that is so interconnected by the complex network of financial capitalism. We also offer courses on civics and government because we believe that students must have knowledge of the workings of democracy and the role of government in society.
We believe that there are a certain set of skills that will be of utmost importance in the 21st century world. Students must be able to think analytically about problems. They must be able to interact with others casually and formally. Students must also learn to be creative and to approach problem solving in new ways. At ICHS we of course value the role of technology in the new "Flat World." Our one to one lap top program ensures that all students have access to ICT resources and are computer literate. We have establish a strong budget for technology in our school. All students have access to tech help on campus as well as computer classes in both Mac and PC labs. The importance of learning the computing skills that are required in today's world cannot be ignored. In line with our technology reforms we also have committed staff and resources to the establishment of a Digital Arts program at our school. Students will learn cutting edge skills involved in science and technology. This will see students emerging from ICHS with the knowledge to pursue further education in areas such as biotechnology, digital design, digital media and virtual environments.
At ICHS we believe that constant reflection and reforming is a must to any institution that wants to keep pace with the 21st century world. We see the current reforms at our school as a reflection of our commitment to cutting edge curriuculum and education.