LEARNING AT TIS [ TISで学ぶ ]

Elementary [ 初等科 ]

At Tohoku International School, we believe in the power of learning together. Our community includes teachers, students, parents, and the wider world. Our holistic curriculum encourages hands-on, relevant inquiries into various subjects, giving equal importance to sciences, math, literacy, social studies, arts, and 21st-century technology skills. We cater to diverse classrooms through integration and differentiation, promoting self-expression, reflection, and creativity. Instruction is primarily in English, with a strong emphasis on students' mother tongue development. We also strive to cultivate the IB Learner Profile attributes, represented by our TIS 5 STARs: Risk-Taker, Communicator, Open-Minded, Responsible, and Knowledgeable.

The Elementary School Program of Learning follows the IB PYP framework, encompassing Language Arts, Mathematics, Units of Inquiry (Social/Cultural Studies and Science), Physical Education, Art, Music, and Japanese Language. Computer technology skills are integrated across grades. English as an Additional Language (EAL) students receive support both in regular classes and more focused pull-out lessons as needed. Our Program of Inquiry, built on six transdisciplinary themes, alternates every two years to provide a comprehensive curriculum.

The Transdisciplinary Themes
Each class explores six Units of Inquiry per year. Grade 1/ 2 and Grade 3 /4 are combined classes. Grade 5 and 6 collaborate where appropriate.
Our themes are:

  • Who We Are
  • Where We Are in Time and Place
  • How We Express Ourselves
  • How The World Works
  • How We Organize Ourselves
  • Sharing the Planet
MENU