About Us
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Tirana International School believes in creating an environment which nurtures each student’s desire to learn, by providing the time, resources, instruction, and character education necessary to master the skills and concepts required for a lifetime of learning and good citizenship.
THE ABCD OF TIS
We Are a global community
We Believe everyone can succeed
We Create a supportive environment
We Demonstrate excellence by attitude and accomplishment.
Mission Statement
Virtually every five year old comes to school eager to learn. The mission of Quality Schools International (QSI) is to keep this urge to learn alive in every child in QSI schools. Our schools are established to provide in the English language a quality education for students in the cities we serve. These students are the children of parents of many nationalities who have come to a foreign country, usually for a limited stay of a year or more. Some students are permanent residents, citizens of the host country.
Our schools follow a logical model of education which measures success by the accomplishments and attitudes of our students. We believe that all of our students can succeed, that their successes encourage them to continue in a pattern of success, and that it is the schools’ responsibility to provide the conditions for success. These conditions include
i) developing clear statements in measurable terms of what the student will do to demonstrate mastery of learning,
ii) providing the time and resources needed for each student to attain mastery, and
iii) ensuring that students engage in learning at a level which is challenging and yet a level for which each student has the prerequisite skills necessary for success.
We believe in providing an aesthetically pleasing physical surrounding under the charge of a caring staff who believe their students will be successful, and who use time with the students as a resource for learning rather than as a boundary condition to determine when a unit of learning begins and ends. We believe in providing resources such as books, learning materials, and educational technology. In the world today children need to become proficient in the use of computers and related technology as tools to accomplish a myriad of tasks.
Finally, we believe in working with parents to encourage our students to adopt qualities of living which lead to success long after formal schooling has ended. These include universally accepted "success orientations" of trustworthiness, kindness/politeness, responsibility, independent endeavor, concern for others, group interaction, and aesthetic appreciation.
Statement of Purpose
Founded on the premise that all students can succeed, TIS offers a rigorous, well-rounded educational program which meets the academic, social, and emotional needs of our diverse, multicultural students with an emphasis on mutual respect of ideas and values. We ensure the mastery of skills in a safe, inclusive environment, by instilling in each student a life-long passion for learning as they grow into dignified, global citizens prepared for the challenges of the future.
Core Beliefs
The academic program uses a Performance-Based/Mastery Learning approach to education. This model assures mastery of specific skills and knowledge involving both individual and group instruction. The educational philosophy is founded upon the premises that:
- Three Core Beliefs
- The implications of QSI’s Three Core Beliefs
- Responsibilities of the Staff
- Responsibilities of the School
Three Core Beliefs
The implications of QSI’s Three Core Beliefs
1. All students can experience success in their learning.
QSI defines academic success as performing at a level that would traditionally earn a “B” grade. The system for evaluation is mastery at an “A” or “B” level, or a “P” (the student is still in progress toward mastery in a particular unit).
Rather than employing an extensive grading system, such as A, B, C, D, E, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. to record varying performance levels, QSI believes that the amount of time each student spends on a unit of study can vary considerably as each works toward achieving an “A” or “B” mastery level. A student performing at the “B” mastery level has full understanding of course content. A student performing at the “A” mastery level is able to apply course content with higher order thinking skills.
2. Success breeds success.
QSI believes there is a connection between student perception of their own performance in a subject and their actual performance in that subject. Students who consistently experience failure are unlikely to see themselves as successful. QSI believes it is important to break cycles of failure. Placing students in situations where they will begin to experience success is the QSI goal.
3. It is the responsibility of the school to provide the conditions for success.
QSI believes that more learning will occur if students have a desire to learn, have positive feelings concerning the school environment, and have success in their work. A comfortable atmosphere of caring and acceptance is considered important to QSI. Possibility for success increases when students work at the appropriate level of difficulty and sense positive expectations from well-qualified, experienced, and caring educators.
Responsibilities of the Staff
- To assess the student continually in all areas of learning to ensure appropriate learning tasks leading to challenging work, but work in which he is capable of experiencing success.
- To ensure that the student knows what learning tasks are expected.
- To provide appropriate learning experiences and allow each student sufficient time on a task to be able to experience success while still respecting the importance of a deadline.
- To provide additional learning experiences, if mastery is the goal and if the task is not mastered after the initial teaching/learning experience.
- To reward students equally for mastering learning tasks regardless of the path taken to mastery. Not to give a higher reward to one who required a greater input of energy nor to one who easily and quickly attained mastery.
- To evaluate students in a way in which a student competes against himself rather than against a fellow student.
- To inspire students to help them see what they can be and what they can accomplish with a view to excellence and creativity.
- To provide a positive school atmosphere by working with a cooperative spirit, giving support to one another, and encouraging a high morale and efficiency within the staff.
Responsibilities of the School
- To provide educators who have a love for children, who have positive expectations of children, and who are willing to expend the time and energy necessary to meet the success of individual students.
- To employ educators who maintain core values and who believe their life style should be a positive influence on their students.
- To clearly define, in measurable terms what students need to do in order to be successful. This is mastery learning, not mystery learning.
- To employ enough educators to maintain reasonably small class sizes.
- To provide facilities that support academic and activity programs.
- To assess each student in reading, mathematics, and writing upon initial enrollment to ensure proper placement and instructional achievement level in these courses.
- To encourage parental support of the school with a view toward enhanced learning and the development of positive student attitudes.
- To provide the appropriate materials, resources, and equipment for all areas.
Expectations
We believe that more learning will occur if the student has a desire to learn, has positive feelings concerning his school environment, and succeeds in his work. A comfortable atmosphere of caring and acceptance established by the school is considered important, so that each student is encouraged to strive for excellence and to be creative. This is enhanced by an aesthetically pleasing environment with a view to appreciation of beauty and order. Each student's possibility of success increases when the student works at the appropriate level of difficulty and senses positive expectations from his teachers.
Areas of Learning
- To provide learning situations leading to mastery of appropriate topics in English and mathematics for all students.
- To provide quality instruction in science and cultural studies for all students.
- To offer quality programs of instruction in physical education, music, technology, and art to all students.
- To provide classes in Intensive English as appropriate.
- To offer local and foreign languages as appropriate.
- To offer selected courses in national studies including non-English languages as appropriate, with a view to the needs of particular nationalities and to academic adjustment upon repatriation.
- To offer varied activities and elective classes which are not part of the regular academic program.
- To involve students in field trips and activities related to their classes, but away from school.
Social Behavior
- To encourage an understanding of one's self with a view to developing acceptable values such as patience, kindness, unselfishness, honesty, and consideration for others.
- To provide a positive and secure atmosphere, treating the students honestly and fairly.
- To encourage each student to feel good about himself and to help him promote similar feelings in fellow students.
- To provide guidance in problem solving and decision making situations.
- To develop a sense of responsibility and to encourage leadership.
Cultural Awareness
Evironmental Awareness
- To develop an awareness of environmental concerns such as overpopulation, pollution, waste of natural resources, destruction of wildlife and natural areas, and personal health.
- To promote a concern for the protection of the environment.
- To provide activities and projects for students which involve them in improving the environment.
