Grades 1 to 5
The Learner
At Universal American School Elementary, our goal is to ensure that each of our students leaves our program with a love for learning and the skills necessary to become a lifelong learner. In order to accomplish this goal, the development of the whole child is essential. Universal American School has been an authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) school since 2010. Through the PYP, students develop academic, social, and emotional well-being, as well as strengthen international-mindedness and the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. In addition, learning experiences focus on problem solving, thinking critically and creatively, collaborating, and communicating effectively with others.
Teaching and Learning
As an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and American school, we incorporate the knowledge, skills, and concepts from the New York State Standards (NYSS) and UAE Ministry of Education standards and learning outcomes into the PYP framework to construct a rigorous and challenging curriculum that is engaging and relevant to our students. This combination provides UAS students with a unique international and American education, while also celebrating our host country and its culture. Please click here to see the UAS PYP Program of Inquiry.
Our PYP Curriculum is…
Inquiry-based
During units, we build on learners’ knowledge and interests, with a focus on how to learn: asking questions, finding answers, and making sense of new information. Students have opportunities to inquire into areas of interest and share their learning with their peers and the wider UAS community.
Integrated
Our PYP units of inquiry incorporate local and global issues that include multiple subject areas. The integrated nature of the units allow students to make connections between the subjects, which lead to the understanding of big ideas or concepts, resulting in more effective and transferable learning.
Individualized
We recognize that children develop at different rates and that each student is an individual with needs that may differ from others in their classroom. We use a variety of assessment techniques to create a learning profile for each student and design personalized classroom experiences to meet each individual student’s needs.
The Learning Community
At UAS, we believe that students are most successful when our community is strong. We encourage our students to participate in After School Activities (ASAs) and families to attend or volunteer to assist at school events. In addition, we invite parents to join us at school for Back to School Night, Parent Conferences, Coffee Mornings, and workshops. Participation may look different for every family, however, students and our entire community benefit when a true partnership between students, parents, teachers, and school leaders develops.