Middle School

QSI believes in 'Success for All' and that all students can achieve at a high level given enough time and feedback. Mastery learning is the instructional strategy used in all QSI schools. Small class sizes allow the teacher to keep working with a student until the student demonstrates a high level of understanding on each topic of study.

QSI curriculum is reviewed and revised by current, expert educators on a seven-year cycle. It is implemented worldwide and is aligned with the American Common Core State Standards. The Common Core Standards were developed to ensure a rigorous and consistent education in USA schools. Likewise, QSI's curriculum amply prepares students for their post-secondary education and career. 

Middle school students are required to be enrolled in QSID’s Chinese language courses as part of their daily course requirements. Much like QSID’s English language literacy and language courses, QSID’s Chinese courses are designed to meet the Chinese literacy levels of each student, from the beginner to the native heritage Chinese speaker.

QSID’s Chinese language courses aim to:   

• Teach basic Chinese literacy (reading, writing, speaking and listening)  

• Instruct at all age levels while leveling out students so that all students can demonstrate competencies towards progress.   

• Instruct towards the final outcome and goal at the secondary level, the completion of the *HSK exams, 1-5.  

* If students desire, QSID’s Chinese language teachers can assist and help schedule HSK exams.  

QSI believes students learn best when they are well placed according to their skills and knowledge. Students are placed in a homeroom based on age, but are able to move up or down grade levels in Mathematics and Literacy. Additionally, students developing English proficiency will be placed in our Intensive English program to support language acquisition.

 

Middle school students follow an eight-period day:*

1. Reading 
2. Writing 
3. Mathematics 
4. Science 
5. Cultural Studies/History 
6. Music/Art 
7. Physical Education/Technology 
8. Chinese

*Once a week, students engage in a Keeping Safe Child Protection Lesson.

 

In addition to focusing on students' academic growth, teachers also strive to teach the importance of lifelong values and characteristics that lead to success. We call these values Success Orientations. They include:

• Responsibility 
• Independent Endeavor 
• Kindness & Politeness 
• Concern for Others 
• Group Interaction 
• Trustworthiness 
• Aesthetic Appreciation

More on Success Orientations

 

The three basic premises of performance-based education are: 

• All Students can succeed; 
• Success breeds success; 
• It is the school's responsibility to provide the conditions for the student's success. 

With this in mind, Quality Schools International does not accept mediocre (grade of "C") or poor (grade of "D" or "F") work. The grades of "A" and "B" are mastery grades, and indicate that a student has successfully mastered the learning objective and is ready to build on that learning.  

In view of the above comments, the evaluations issued in the written status reports are defined as follows: 

A = All essential parts of the outcome were mastered at an appropriately high level. The student consistently demonstrated noteworthy achievement of a high quality, particularly in the higher order thinking or performance skills. 

B = All essential parts of the outcome were mastered at an appropriately high level in which the student successfully engaged in higher order thinking or performance skills. 

P = The student is "In progress" in the outcome (normal status). 

H = This outcome is "on hold" for a legitimate reason. (The student has begun the outcome but is not currently pursuing it.) 

D = The student has not made a reasonable effort and is therefore "deficient" in attaining mastery of the outcome. 

E = "Exposure". The student made a reasonable effort in the outcome and attained a level of mastery consistent with his/her capabilities. (Elementary classes only, but not in mathematics, reading, or writing.) 

W = The student has withdrawn from this outcome. 

 

In middle school, students are granted one credit for mastery of each unit outcome which is credentialed "A" or "B". Thus, ten credits correspond to one "Carnegie Unit" as used by many American middle schools. Because Quality Schools International encourages continued learning, if students receive an evaluation of "B" on a unit outcome, they may continue to work independently in that outcome and request another opportunity to demonstrate a higher level of mastery. If demonstrated, the evaluation may be changed from a "B" to an "A" within the same school year.

 

Office 365

Each middle school student will receive a school Office 365 account. Teachers and Administration will use Microsoft Teams and email to communicate with students. Middle School students also receive a subscription to download the Microsoft Office Suite. 

Email

The school will send communication to the parent emails registered with the school. Every teacher has a regularly accessed work email.: FirstName-LastName@dongguan.qsi.org.