Coffee Morning

About International Baccalaureate -IBDP-

Since the establishment of Kansai International Academy Secondary School in 2016, this is our 3rd year as an IBDP accredited school. As IBDP is now gaining recognition in Japan, and as many universities abroad and Japanese universities now offer IB-related university entrance examinations, it is attracting much attention from parents, students and educators. 

In this coffee morning, we would like to share our experiences with our DP students and answer as many questions we receive from you.

• What is DP?
• What are the requirements of a Diploma?
• Core subjects? CAS? TOK? EE?
• TOK mini lesson

From IBDP beginners and advanced, we are open to anything. We would like to answer questions and would like to share updates on IBDP. 
 

Introduction to the MYP

We have been implementing the MYP framework since 2017. We started with implementing some of the elements of the MYP,  and we slowly have built an understanding of the overall framework.

We became an MYP candidate school in November 2021, and we had our consultation in May this year. Our consultant’s overall feedback was very positive as he thought that the school is quite advanced in its implementation of the MYP programme at this stage.

In this Coffee morning, we will invite KIA MYP Coordinator as a guest speaker.

• During our session, we will…
• Acquire knowledge about the MYP programme
• Build a common language
• Have fun with the MYP concepts 
• Learn about the Community Project
   

Career Counselling at KIA Elementary and Secondary School 

  KIA Career Counselling may be different from what you imagine. We support students to plan their future by taking in part of the students' voice, considering individuals’ will, skill and knowledge. 

  At KIA Elementary Career Counselling, students realise what they learn at school leads to their future. Also, it gives an opportunity for students to think about it both at school and at home. Referring to the data of our graduates, we will share what kind of elements they have considered when deciding their junior highschool. 

  Students at KIA Secondary School will start thinking about their future in detail. They plan and decide on their study abroad destination and goals, and the course for G11-12 years with their own will. Career Counselling at KIA Secondary School will begin with brainstorming interests with each student, to find their goals and future dream, to plan a career plan and to create a portfolio. It prepares them to describe themselves outside the world. We will share about possible options for DP students and also available scholarships for both national and international universities. 
 

Theme : Introduction to Study Abroad Program at KIA

Study Abroad programs are an essential part of KIA’s global education, and while they can be one of the most unforgettable experiences students go through at school, they also mean a lot for the families who stay in Japan.

Here at KIA we provide several study abroad programs that maximize learning and growth in each stage, but this time at the Coffee Morning we will focus on the one-year study abroad program for G9 students.

Our new Study Abroad Counselor will be answering questions such as:

• Why do we send students abroad?
• What are the things that can only be achieved through studying abroad?
• How do we choose where to study?
• What are the options?
• How does the study abroad experience relate to potential careers after that?

No matter what grade your children are in, we look forward to your participation!

Theme : Inquiry at home!　~ Let's work with the IB framework! ~

"Inquiry" has become a key word that is frequently featured in the field of education, and we have more and more opportunities to see and hear about it through the opening of inquiry-themed schools and the publication of books related to it.

It is predicted that the knowledge and skills required for globalization and advanced information technology will change in complex ways in the future. For children, who will be responsible for the future, inquiry learning, in which they learn by being curious and asking questions, setting questions and issues, and gathering, organizing, and analyzing information, will take on great significance. We have definitely come to recognize the importance of such learning.

At KIA, we implement inquiry learning using the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework. However, inquiry learning cannot be completed only in the school/classroom. Children experience real inquiry by seeing, touching, and thinking about a variety of things both inside and outside of school.

We have been receiving inquiries from parents asking, "I would like my child to do inquiry learning at home, but what exactly should we do?" Thanks to the parents' strong motivation and understanding of inquiry learning, we are inspired by your passion every day.

To answer those questions, we would like to focus on the theme of "Inquiry at home" and have discussions about "what inquiry is" and "what encouragement you can give to your children at home". Please join us as we share what we know and think about "Inquiry" and deepen your understanding in a workshop style. We will also share knowledge and methods you can try at home.
 

Theme: An early childhood is when the base of nurturing personality is formed in ones’ life. 

Guest Speaker: KIA Curriculum Lab Kindergarten Executive Head Teacher Yuki Miyamoto

We often hear “an early childhood is when the base of nurturing personality is formed in one’s life”. So to think on how to spend the early childhood is very important. In this Coffee Morning, we will introduce the stories behind structuring curriculum to stimulate children’s healthy development. 

This year, we have updated our curriculum so much. With the new schedule, it has improved for children to learn in Japanese English bilingually, through lots of fun while stimulating childrens’ growth and skills to live based on the child's developmental stage. Knowing stories behind the scenes, may give tips for daily nursing at home. We will also introduce our Curriculum Lab, who is in charge of structuring curriculum and training staff to lead and practice our education. 

Theme: Digital Citizenship & Online Safety for kids

Guest Speaker :KIA ICT Coordinator Danielle Shibano

As you know well, due to the school closure and refrain from going out due to COVID-19, children's use of the Internet, such as watching videos and playing games, has rapidly increased.

Furthermore, with no signs that the situation is being brought under control, internet-based learning is being introduced as a new method of learning in all environments.

In other words, for today's children, the Internet is becoming more and more familiar and an indispensable part of their lives.

To protect the safety of our digital native children, it is important for families to set boundaries on proper use while at home. Even though elementary students do not bring their iPads home everyday, they may have other devices at home.  We will share tips on how to help guide families in building a healthy digital lifestyle together. 

Theme: A developmental psychologist on “developmental stages” in the healthy development of children 

Guest Speaker : KIA developmental psychologist Dr,Takeo Asaba

The developmental tasks of children at each stage of their development, from infancy through to adolescence, have been the subject of a number of the leading psychologists of the 20th century, including the developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, and E.H. Erikson, who proposed the concept of identity, and the pedagogue Robert J. Havighurst. Based on the research of these scholars, and many more, Dr. Asaba, a developmental psychologist at KIA, will explain in an easy-to-understand manner the factors that are essential to the healthy development of children in the future.

Last year, under the same theme, he answered many of the parenting questions that we parents had.This is your chance to ask questions to a developmental specialist. Why don’t you ask your questions on this form? We look forward to seeing you at this event.

Theme: Expressive and Collaborative Skills Developed through Drama.

Guest Speaker : KIA Performing Arts Coordinator

What do you think of when you hear the word “drama”? A TV drama? A stage play? A musical? It depends on what you have experienced so far.

At KIA, we offer Drama/Art education, which is a rarity in Japanese elementary schools. G1 and G2 students learn the basics of expression in Drama class, G3 students experience their first audition, and G4 and above students work on creating a system to produce their own musicals. During the six years of the program, the students experience “expression” from various aspects and explore their own unique ways of expression.

We would like to share with you the Drama class in Kobe campus as well as the summer school in Tokyo, and the various expressive education programs that are implemented in our regular classes.

Also, the musical production, in which students from different grades work together to create a performance, will be taking a big step forward this year. We would like to report on the auditions and how the students are working on something new. We would also like to share with you some of the things we would like you to support at home.

Art that can be both unsettling and interesting because it cannot be measured by scores, like the growth of children. Why don’t you take a look at one aspect of it?

Guest Speaker :Hiroko Takagi, Head of School and Marwa Elgezery, Principal Kansai International Academy Kobe Campus

The “English Speech Contest” is held every year in Term 1 at Kansai International Academy, from Elementary G4 to Secondary School. This is one of the events that the students are passionate about as well as the musical production. The content of the students’ speeches is also getting better and better every year.

In the process of creating a speech on a given topic, students are expected to have a variety of educational skills as well as English language skills. It’ s a valuable experience for the students to finally give a speech in front of a lot of people all by themselves, manipulating the slides they have created.

While we have introduced you the actual speeches before, we have not had the opportunity to share the “Behind the scene” of the event. In the past few years, the level of the students’ work has been so high that we have received many questions such as, “Did the students really make this?” We would like to deliver this theme to answer these questions.

The purpose of the contest, the rubric, the struggles and emotions of the teachers and students. What are the actual skills needed for speech?

We will share the behind the scenes of the KIA English Speech Contest with our guest speaker, Ms. Hiroko Takagi, Head of School, Kansai International Academy, Kobe Campus.

Theme: IB Diploma Programme at KIA 

Guest Speaker : KIA IB DP coordinator

Kansai International Academy Secondary School opened in 2016, and this year we have six grades up to G12. 

We would like to introduce you of the IBDP curriculum that we offer to the G11 and G12 students in our secondary school.

There are three main types of IBDP implemented in Japan: English DP, Bilingual DP, and Dual DP.

KIA has adopted bilingual DP in Japanese and English.

We will share with you the framework and structure of KIA’s IBDP curriculum, how it differs from other schools, and updated information about the career paths of IBDP students after graduation.