In one grade three classroom this month, teacher Nick Roy projected a photo of floor tile. “Where are we?” he asked. In the photo, ceiling lights reflected on the waxed tile and yellow tape marked an indoor recess game. Students laughed and answered, “Our hallway!”

This month grade eight social studies teacher Brian Devine introduced the Socratic seminar as a primary discussion format in his classroom. The student led seminar values all voices and develops academic autonomy.

Transitions are tough. At KIS, the Link Crew program structures a smooth move from middle school to high school. Grade ten, eleven, and twelve students mentor grade nine students through their first year in high school. Link leaders meet with grade nine advisory groups to create a community space foundational to the year ahead.

KIS values service. KIS core values – global citizenship, integrity, adaptability, balance in life, and empowerment – prepare students to respond to others with compassion. The school’s commitment to applied learning and service means that KIS students at each grade level use their knowledge and skills to help others. Justin and Alex knew they could develop a sustainable solution to the problem of recycling ice packs, with support from Mr. Samuelson and a faculty advisor.  

A few years ago, KIS student support teachers proposed co-teaching classes, a natural next step. Already, student support teachers worked with individual students and small groups to provide universal, targeted, and intensive support – running math and literacy labs or joining classes to better support students with learning support plans. These approaches continue to benefit students. But as classroom and student support teachers explored best practices, the idea of co-teaching came up. 

KIS is proud of its AP program. With nearly thirty advanced placement options, the majority of KIS high school students take at least one AP course. This spring, 324 students sat for a total of 824 AP exams. High school associate principal Brian Voeller believes that the rigor of AP classes provides students with the opportunity to push themselves in a variety of subjects.

KIS alum Daniel Kim, a fourth year medical student at New York Medical College, has matched into radiology residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with Harvard Medical School.

This spring elementary PE students learned how to play tchoukball, a game that challenges teams of four or five to communicate and cooperate. Here, a few of Chelsea Williams’s grade four students explain the fun.

Pauses are an important part of the learning process. Pause happens when your brain is learning something new or extending what you are. Take some time to pause to further focus on your work.

Human Rights Week is an annual event at Korea International School featuring guest speakers whose own experiences illustrate the importance of knowing and responding to current social issues.

The KIS Families series shares stories from families in the school community. Meet the Robinsons who arrived in Korea in July 2020. 

In December, at the start of trimester two, elementary design teacher Ms. Vruegdenhil introduced the designtastic project. This is an individual project that allowed us to explore our own interests and share what we learn with others.

The KIS Families series shares stories from families in the school community. Here, Niki Blake shares her family’s decision to move abroad, arriving in Korea December 2019. 

The KIS Families series shares stories from families in the school community. Here, Soma Das shares what she learned about settling in Korea as an expat – twice!

Some of the best learning is experiential. A couple of years ago, two friends had an idea to create an online site for the KIS Phoenix Store. After several semesters of design and computer courses beginning in middle school, Justin and Platt, now seniors, were interested in how they might apply their knowledge. They started looking at their school in a new way. What question or problem could their skill set help answer

Starting a story is a challenge. And then you muddle through the middle. Finally you have to find a way to close the narrative. Middle school creative writers in Meaghan Odell’s class just revised their short fiction and gave in person reading to a small audience in the secondary library. Each student learned more about their own writing process and what it’s like to present their work.

Theater students in Helen Thompson’s introductory class began the year with a timely prompt: write a story about these strange times. The small class divided into two groups and began drafting ideas for a screenplay.

History is an eminently practical subject. It is an excellent way to learn logical thinking and argumentation. Working as a historian is a way to learn both about yourself and those around you: to really know someone is to know their history. And to be bonded or connected with another person is to have a “history” together.

The Phoenix Store will soon carry tote bags featuring student designs celebrating KIS! At the start of the school year the PTO invited students to create art representing OneKIS. Eighty-seven K-12 students submitted designs!

Juggling all of these co-curricular activities made me busier but also helped me become more organized and cultured. But most of all, I actually enjoyed high school more because of my involvement. These activities shaped me into the person that I am today.

All bodies need some movement but growing bodies crave movement. Walking, jumping, and running help muscles and bones develop and strengthen as children and adolescents grow. Restlessness or foot tapping or wiggling might be your body saying it’s time to get up and move for a little while.

Every mis-step, every miscalculation, every outright failure offered a valuable lesson that got me where I am today. I learned to always apply myself, set priorities, and not let strangers give me piercings. I wouldn’t have learned those things without going through those experiences. 

We all have heard that it’s important to eat a balanced diet, but what does that really mean? The foods and drinks we fuel our body with impacts our health and also affects how we interact with others, how we feel about ourselves, our energy, and our mood! For students especially, eating well supports focus and memory for successful school days.

Language and culture are intertwined. Culture is rooted in language and language reflects culture. As China slowly reveals itself to the world, more and more people are interested in learning about this country with a rich history as well as a complex language.

While it was fun staying up late, I would feel sluggish and foggy in the mornings. I had a friend who was always full of energy, so one day I asked her, “How are you not tired?” This is when I discovered the wonders of sleep hygiene!

There’s a strong sense of comfort in having a routine. It’s almost like being wrapped in a warm cozy blanket.

The applied learning department is digging into the new school year. Literally. KIS is rethinking its outdoor spaces to open more learning opportunities to students.

Korea International School believes rigor, relationships, and relevance are primary in education. Content knowledge is important but how we learn matters more.

As KIS finished up the 2019-2020 school year, a group of thirteen educators from Pangyo and Seoul campuses met to develop math and social studies curriculum centered on standards based practices.

Korea International School partners with Suji Love, a program in Suji-Gu dedicated to providing resources to families living in relative poverty. Usually students coordinate fall and spring drives that bring in thousands of non-perishable food items to help ensure families’ food security.