Primary
Level
PRIMARY LEVEL
We recognize each pupil as a whole person with their emotional, social, intellectual, physical, artistic and spiritual dimensions and provide them personalized learning, respecting their times and their own needs.
We train our pupils for a dynamic and changing world, teaching them the tools and competences that they will need along their lives. These competences are aimed at helping them to learn to be more autonomous, to think and communicate, to learn and to be proactive and sociable.
We developed methodological innovations, including interdisciplinary learning based on projects and problems, teaching for comprehension and working with multiple intelligences, collaborative learning and using scoring rubrics for formative and summative assessments.
We offer active methodologies placing pupils in the center of their learning process so that they can internalize these competences for life.
We offer differentiated and inclusive alternatives, taking into account the learning pace and stages of each pupil.
Hands on” proposals are part of our daily practices, since learning by doing is the natural learning process for children. By means of these proposals, pupils develop different skills in a safe and happy way, which ensures a much more effective learning because they feel emotionally comfortable.
We also offer different learning spaces. Contents and topics dealt with are not isolated or in books, but are part of our environment, our closest surroundings, which we can observe and practise in everyday situations. Thus, we propose using – as far as possible - all our school spaces and of our surroundings.
We encourage pupils to build their own learning through challenges that teach them to be opinionated, curious and thoughtful. We also encourage them to express and relate ideas, solve problems and apply what they know in new contexts.
With a view to enhancing the curricular contents, we added knowledge fields such as: emotional education “Programa Aprender a Ser”, gamification, workshops, genius hour, hands on projects, artistic and scientific languages.
Workshops
Rich and stimulating learning practices that help pupils expand or strengthen topics or skills worked on in class or develop new topics.
At different times throughout the year all pupils take part in previously chosen 3-day workshops dealing with a wide array of topics, which require of an adjustment in the regular timetable. Pupils of different ages participate in each workshop, and the results are presented to the school community.
Scoring Rubrics
Assessment is a growth continuum that helps pupils learn. Therefore, children are assessed mostly through scoring rubrics that clearly specify the goals of each subject and what is expected from them to reach such goals. In order to train our pupils in a long-life learning we work on self-assessment and co-assessment as a way to assume responsibility for their own and others’ learning.
Genius Hour
Pupils work on individual projects focused on topics or activities they are keen on. Thus, they devote part of their class time to researching, thinking, creating and sharing ideas and projects related to what they want to learn or know in more depth. This is a very personalized proposal, based on curiosity and self-directed learning.
Comprehension Projects
Inter-disciplinary projects that place pupils at the center of their own learning process and help them achieve a deeper understanding of the topics dealt with through Multiple Intelligences activities.
Design Thinking
Pupils become responsible for the project design, and of finding the problem they must solve or the challenge they must face.
Reading Workshop
In this teaching model pupils read diverse literary genres. These workshops may vary in terms of duration and include time to select and read books, write reviews and share ideas on books.
Cultural Outings
For our pupils to learn with their fellow mates and teachers both in class and in the city out of the class.
Learning Spaces
This proposal is intended for pupils to learn outside the school, directly in the city. Guided by a teacher and following a work plan they find out about scientific, artistic, creative or natural aspects of the city they live in.