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Supportive Environment for Students: Strategies for Parents & Educators

Parents and educators understand the significance of creating a supportive environment that nurtures not only academic excellence but also the overall well-being of students. The Canadian International School (CIS) in Bangalore has taken a proactive approach to this, fostering an environment where students can thrive academically and emotionally. We have successfully devised strategies that can be beneficial for both parents and educators to support the students.

Fostering a positive environment

At CIS, we understand that starting a new school can be a big change. That is why CIS started their STudent Ambassador program to support new students acclimate to their new learning environment.  CIS Ambassadors ensure that new students  connect with other students socially to create a nurturing environment for our new CIS Community members.    as the CIS Student Ambassadors also help students navigate the routines set in classrooms and on campus that contributes to building strong student and teacher relationships. As we welcome new learners across the year through rolling admissions, our students understand how tricky it can be for new students to join a new school and want them to feel right at home.  Our students are the best!.

CIS also understands how a strong counseling program provides individualized attention for learners of all ages. Our Elementary, Secondary, and Boarding counselors have experience working with students and parents from a variety of diverse cultures.. Counseling at CIS involves a partnership between students, our counselors, teachers, school leaders, and parents. We develop trust by listening to students as they express and  explore their  emotions, set personal goals, and are nurtured and challenged appropriately to succeed.

Individualized Attention and Student-Teacher Relationships

Strong student-teacher relationships are the cornerstones of creating our supportive environment . At CIS, we provide individualized attention to students as well as opportunities for peers to work together to create solutions to problems they encounter. The student to teacher ratio averages 7:1 across the school, with class sizes limited to 24 students.  Our advisory program runs with even smaller numbers so that students and adults can form trusting and lasting relationships. .  Our PreK to Grade 12 teachers are experts in differentiating instruction to cater to the unique learning needs of each student in their classrooms. This includes varying the support and oversight a child may need to be successful in a new academic or social learning opportunity.

Our Learning Support (LS) Team helps students help themselves through building strategies to overcome certain difficulties all learners encounter from time to time. This team provides in-class support to identified students across our campus, ensuring that learners receive the necessary help to reach their own full potential. This could be a temporary support to students who may struggle with a particular concept or skill, or a more formalized Individual Education Plan (IEP) that address longer term strategies and needs for the learner.

 

the advantages of a multicultural classroom

Importance of Resources and Emotional Support

Emotional support is an essential component of any nurturing environment. We understand that social language powerful motivator for peers who may not speak English as their home language., Our English as an Additional Language (EAL) program combines in-class and specialized English as Additional Language teachers to promote mastery in the language.

Our EAL teachers work collaboratively with homeroom teachers and subject specialists to support English language learners (ELLs).  This co-teaching method is unique to CIS as daily co-teaching between EAL and homeroom teachers supports all students’ language needs. CIS uses the international recognized WIDA program and their Can Do descriptors  for all learners to develop strong  social and academic English proficiency.  Multi Language learning also contributes to the success of language fluency across grade levels at CIS.

During World Language classes such as French, Hindi, Mandarin, or Spanish, EAL students from Grade 1-10 participate in small-class English language sessions with peers from their grade level to further advance their language skills. Students that require additional support in the IB program in Grades 11 and 12 also may receive additional attention.

Incorporating IB and Cambridge Curriculum (IGCSE)

In high school, CIS promotes conceptual understanding, competencies and character development through two important international recognized programs.  Our grade 9-10 students take IGCSE courses with significant ability to choose a range of courses.  Our Grade 11-12 students may choose to participate in the IB Diploma program, which also provides ample choice and range to suit the needs of all students.  Unlike most schools in India, CIS is internationally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.  This means that the CIS diploma by itself, is recognized on its own to apply to any university worldwide.  This provides significant flexibility for students and families who wish to attend universities where the IGCSE exams or IB exams are not required.

Through a combination of academic rigor, extracurricular activities, and community engagement, our students are exposed to a wealth of experiences that broaden their horizons. Students develop an appreciation for cultural diversity, global challenges, and the importance of collaboration on a global scale. 

The Role of parents and the school community

For a supportive school environment to truly thrive, it's crucial for the parents to be actively involved in their child’s learning. The Student-Community Association (SCA) at CIS promotes a strong school community through inclusive collaboration with parents, teachers, and students. As a CIS parent, you are automatically a part of the SCA.  The SCA team encourages participation from all community members, shares diverse cultures, and helps bridge understanding among the entireCIS community.

At the Canadian International School in Bangalore, we set a remarkable example of how a supportive educational environment is created. By focusing on individualized attention, academic excellence, well-being, and a strong sense of community, we pave the way for students to be empowered with their own future, and for parents to be a part of an educational model that looks very different from when they were growing up.. The success of CIS comes from nurturing, challenging, and empowering students and parents to strive to be the very best they can be to contribute to a sustainable and remarkable future.