IB Curriculum Extension Empowers Students to Develop Multifaceted Skills — CISS's ECA Courses for the 2025-2026 Academic Year Set Sail

As the golden autumn of September arrives, CISS, a world school offering IB education across all grades, continues to build an integrated growth platform for students that combines classroom and extracurricular activities. The ECA courses for the 2025-2026 academic year will officially commence on Monday, September 8, 2025. This year, the school will continue to offer one hour of free ECA courses after school to further enrich the vibrant campus life of CISS students. Since its launch in 2019, CISS's ECA courses have accompanied students through seven academic years, earning wide recognition and praise from students and parents with their rich curriculum, professional guidance, and diverse growth values. This academic year, CISS will continue to uphold the educational philosophy of "empowering all-round development" and meticulously design ECA courses covering multiple grades and fields, while adding special language courses to help students broaden their horizons and enhance their comprehensive qualities through interest exploration.

Precise Planning by Grade, Covering Diverse Interest Areas

CISS divides ECA courses into three sections based on the cognitive characteristics and development needs of students at different grades: kindergarten, primary school (PYP 1-5), and middle school/university preparatory (MYP/DP 6-12), covering five major fields: sports competition, art creation, cultural exploration, logical thinking, and practical hands-on activities, ensuring that students at each grade level can find suitable interest directions.

(1) Kindergarten: Cultivating Basic Skills through Interest Initiation

The ECA courses for kindergarten focus on "fun interaction and basic skill initiation", providing low-intensity, high-participation activities to help children establish a sense of rules, improve collaboration skills, and foster creativity:

Mini Football (Mr. Oscar): In a non-competitive and relaxed environment, basic football knowledge is taught to develop children's basic motor skills, teamwork awareness, and rule understanding.

Art and Craft (Ms. Atheelah): Using fun crafts as a medium, children are guided to discover their creativity and develop innovation and artistic perception through hands-on practice.

Board Games (Ms. Beryl): Various interactive board games are conducted to enhance children's strategic thinking and decision-making skills while building a solid foundation of comprehensive cognition.

(2) Primary School (PYP 1-5): Broadening Horizons and Deepening Interest Exploration

The ECA courses for primary school focus on the "IB inquiry spirit", combining cultural inheritance and the cultivation of diverse skills, providing students from grades 1 to 5 with rich opportunities for practice and exploration:

Sports Competition: Football (Mr. Sven, Mr. Paulo) teaches professional skills and team tactics; Floor Hockey (Mr. Gordon) improves ball control and teamwork; American Flag Football (Mr. Lewis) strengthens physical fitness and team communication.

Culture and Language: Chinese Culture and Literature (Ms. Rachel) leads students to explore the historical roots and literary essence of Chinese culture; Chinese Classical Novels and Drama (Ms. Mia) deepens cultural understanding through the study of classic works and simple drama performances.

Art and Creation: Fashion Design (Mr. Benn) uses clothing as a medium to integrate self-expression and sustainable concepts, conducting cross-grade collaborative creation; Global Art (Ms. Oxana) studies the works of masters such as Da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Monet, replicating classic art masterpieces; Clay and Coloring (Ms. Vanessa) encourages students to create air-dry clay figures, decorate the campus, and enjoy the fun of collaboration.

Logic and Practice: International Chess Master (Mr. Roger) teaches the rules and tactics of chess, enhancing logical thinking through puzzles and friendly competitions; Nature Hiking (Mr. Kevin) explores the campus and beyond in groups, fostering harmony between humans and nature; Lego Building (Ms. Marwa) transitions from small projects to team collaboration, cultivating students' innovative thinking and hands-on skills; Beading Partners Creative Handicrafts (Mr. Evan) revisits classic 90s handicrafts, developing concentration and creativity, and fostering friendships and handmade souvenirs.

(3) Middle School/University Preparatory (MYP/DP 6-12 grades): Focusing on Skills, Bridging Future Development

The ECA courses in the middle school and university preparatory stages emphasize "high-level skill development" and "IB core competency connection", helping students in grades 6-12 enhance their professional skills, logical thinking, and sense of social responsibility:

Sports and Competition: Basketball (Mr. Craig) strengthens teamwork in a competitive environment; Table Tennis Club (Mr. Jon) improves skills through training and friendly matches; Hockey (Mr. Andy) builds physical fitness, discipline, and responsibility.

Critical Thinking and Culture: Chinese Speech and Debate (Mr. Nicolas) centers on discussions of social issues, enhancing Chinese expression, logical coherence, and critical thinking; Calligraphy and Cultural Handicrafts (Ms. Jane) deepens understanding of Chinese traditional culture through calligraphy practice and the making of bookmarks and fans.

Creation and Practice: Story Creation (Mr. Michael) uses the "Save the Cat" methodology to guide students in developing original story concepts, outlines, and three-act structures; DIY Handicrafts (Ms. Hadjar) designs accessories and repurposes handicrafts using sustainable materials, showcasing personal style; Board Games and Dungeons & Dragons (Mr. Marko) enhances problem-solving and collaboration through games like Settlers of Catan and Dungeons & Dragons.

Cross-Grade Extension: Courses such as Football (Mr. Sven, Mr. Paulo), International Chess Master (Mr. Roger), Global Art (Ms. Oxana), Fashion Design (Mr. Benn), Beading Handicrafts (Mr. Evan), Lego Building (Ms. Marwa), and American Flag Football (Mr. Lewis) continue into this grade level, with content difficulty and depth adapted to middle school students' abilities.

German Language Courses for All Grades, Enhancing Multilingual Skills

To further strengthen CISS students' "international perspective" and "multilingual abilities", CISS has launched German language courses for all grades this academic year, taught by experienced German teacher Mr. Sven. The courses will help students master basic German grammar and daily expressions through interactive and systematic teaching, expanding the boundaries of language learning and laying a foundation for future international communication and academic development, embodying CISS's educational philosophy of "cultivating global talents".

CISS firmly believes that quality education lies not only in the transmission of knowledge within the classroom but also in the awakening of interests and the cultivation of abilities outside of it. The ECA courses for the 2025-2026 academic year are based on the IB curriculum, oriented towards diverse needs, and supported by professional instructors, providing a platform for students to explore themselves, develop their specialties, and embrace multiculturalism. We look forward to each CISS student growing and finding joy in the ECA courses, and becoming a "well-rounded IB learner" driven by their interests!