Al-Asriyya School
Development Initiatives abstracts / Academic Departments in Al Asriyya School 2019-2020
Physical Education Department: Developing Sportsmanship
The Physical Education Department aims to reduce the conflicts that occur between students of all ages after every match, in order to spread sportsmanship and reinforce the noble values of sports among them, hence, spreading these qualities into their own environment. In addition to promoting the concept of enjoying the game rather than winning.
Social Studies Department: Development of communication skills
The Social Studies Department aims to enable students from grades 5 – 11 (both streams) to connect and communicate using proper Arabic language through learning conversation, writing, listening and reading skills.
Counseling and Drama Departments: The counselor Teacher
The Counseling and Drama Departments in Elementary Stage aim to develop the social skills of a group of teachers so they are able to support their colleagues which is positively reflected on their performance to improve the learning of students and help them solve their problems in the right way, and to enable teachers to use drama in academic subjects which will all be reflected in the students’ personalities.
Counseling Department: Developing professional maturity and decision-making skills
The Counseling Department in Secondary School aims to have all 10 graders capable of making the proper professional decision according to their potentials and preferences, and to help them make the right decisions regarding their future career which might positively affect their self-esteem and academic level.
Computer Sciences Department: Boosting students’ abilities in programming
The Computer Sciences Department aims to enable students from grades 3 – 11 to write programmes using Scratch or Python Languages easily without assistance, and applying it through Wedo and EV3, so that our students are updated with the latest technologies and would be efficient competitors in national and international contests.
Supportive Learning Department: Developing handwriting skills
The Supportive Learning Department aims to develop handwriting skills to enable all students to write neatly and clearly.
Art Department: Art production using students’ skills
The Art Department in Elementary and Secondary stages aims to develop an art field in which all Asriyya students participate, and to enable them to use their artistic skills in drawing and other handy-crafts to produce distinguished artwork.
Foreign Languages Department (French & German): Improving oral skills
Foreign Languages Department aims to improve students’ oral skills from KG – grade 10, according to their levels so that each student is capable of using either languages fluently and is able to get distinguished results in Fit & Delf examinations.
English Language Department / Elementary School: Improving fluent reading skills
The English Language Department in Elementary School aims to improve the reading skills of students in grades 2 & 3 to be able to read in a proper concise English language.
English Language Department / Secondary Stage: Students are able to express themselves fluently
The English Language Department in Secondary school aims to enable students from grades 7 – 12 to use their speaking skills according to the desired standards and to combine them with other language skills to express and speak fluently.
Kindergarten Department / English Language: Motor skills development
The English Language team in Kindergarten aims to have students in KG1 & KG2 capable of using their fine muscles effortlessly and in the right way which will be reflected in their achievement of different tasks within limited time.
Kindergarten Department / Arabic Language: developing oral communication skills
The Arabic Language team in Kindergarten aims to make all students in KG1 & KG2 possess oral communication skills so express themselves in Arabic Language.
Arabic Language Department / Grades (1 – 4): A communicative student
The Arabic Language Department aims to enable students from grades (1 – 4) to use the different communicative tools properly in order to facilitate the process of expressing themselves as well as their feelings appropriately without hurting others; applying what they have been taught in different life situations.
Arabic Language Department / Secondary School: I communicate to interact
The Arabic Language Department in Secondary School aims to enable all students in grades (5 – 12) to communicate using intact Arabic Language in conversation, writing, clear handwriting and listening.
Religion Department: My responsibility
The Religion Department aims to enable students from grades 5 – 8 to have responsibilities toward themselves and their community.
Science Department / Elementary School: Investigative Student
The Science Department in Elementary School aims to enable students from grades (3 – 6) to answer probing questions using scientific method then presenting their work and findings.
Science Department / Secondary School: A student with communication abilities
The Science Department in Secondary School aims for students from grades (7 – 12) to possess communication and conversation skills to express their thoughts and ideas clearly using intact language which will positively affect their academic achievement.
Mathematics Department / Elementary School: Development of writing word problems
The Mathematics Department in Elementary School aims to enable students from grades 1 – 6 to write word problems from daily life routines with all the mathematical components (terms, generalizations, skills) after giving them a plan to work it out.
Mathematics Department / Elementary School: Enabling students to apply Algebra in real life
The Mathematics Department in Secondary School aims to enable students from grades 7 – 12 to solve Algebra problems using higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy.
TAMAM Improvement Project (2018-2019)
*This improvement initiative was under the supervision of TAMAM improvement team members as peer coaches and addressed all school teachers.
The leadership team in Al-Asriyah Schools has worked to empower each teacher in Al-Asriyya schools and equip them with the necessary competencies to be leaders of change and to espouse the TAMAM journey as their tool for improvement, within a school culture that is based on TAMAM pillars to achieve the school’s vision and improve student learning.
Titles of Teachers’ Improvement Projects
TAMAM Improvement Project (2015-Present)
Establishing TAMAM culture in Jordan
*This improvement initiative was under the supervision of TAMAM improvement team members as peer coaches.
The school leadership team in Al-Asriyah schools worked to equip all Al-Asriyah school teachers with the necessary competencies within the school departments, and for each department to use the TAMAM journey as its tool for improvement within a culture that enacts TAMAM pillars to achieve the school’s vision and improve student learning.
They also worked to spread the culture of TAMAM in the new schools in Jordan and to establish and install a network community of TAMAM schools in Jordan.
TAMAM Improvement Project (2015-Present)
Strengthening the students’ Arabic language
*These improvement initiatives were under the supervision of TAMAM improvement team members as peer coaches targeting all school departments.
The (first-fourth) department in Al-Asriyya schools works on strengthening the students’ Arabic language along with all the skills that accompany it to create creative students who are capable of expressing their opinion. Our focus on the Arabic language emerges from our belief in the importance of our Arabic language and in the reading, writing, and listening skills that accompanies it. Thus, we believe in the important role of the Arabic language in terms of creating a new generation who have faith in their god, believe in their nation, and are proud of their culture and language.
To achieve this goal, the department is working on assisting students from grade one to four in reading texts that are within their abilities. The work started with the preparation of a comprehensive plan that began with observing a need and collecting the required data. The plan was launched with a group of activities and procedures through which students were divided into different reading levels based on their reading abilities and stories were categorized according to color. Students were encouraged to read more and borrow books from the library.
Raise the Students’ Intellectual and Scientific Level
The English department develops its vision from Al-Asriyya School’s vision that seeks to raise the students’ intellectual and scientific level through training qualified teachers who are capable of achieving this supreme goal. Consequently, the department’s improvement need is to enhance teachers’ classroom management skills through training workshops inside the department, in addition to the development of annual and daily plans in a way that guarantees the achievement of the required academic level.
Developing Students’ Personality
The counseling department in Al-Asriyya School seeks to develop the students’ personality and to instill in them real-life values. It also seeks to develop students’ emotional intelligence by improving their abilities to identify and express their feelings, respect others’ feelings. Moreover, the department seeks to help students determine their future goals and make the appropriate decisions to become active members in the community.
The department’s improvement need is to increase students’ sense of security since it is one of the basic needs required for the individuals’ developmental growth. It is important to note that the sense of security is achieved by providing a safe environment free of threats and bullying and all forms of behaviors that negatively affect the student’s sense of stability. This need was chosen based in the teachers and counselors’ observations in the school.
A comprehensive plan has been made to work on the development of the students’ personality in all psychological, social, emotional and mental aspects. This will be achieved by training teachers on the requirements of the “my character” program, including classroom supervisory hours, and training students on the objectives of the program and many other procedures.
Raising the Students’ Academic Support in Basic Skills
The department of Supportive Learning in Al-Asriyya Schools seeks to integrate students into the school’s programs and train them to stay up to date with the developments of the different domains in the world. It also seeks to make them take an active part in the learning process in order to raise their academic level and increase their motivation.
The improvement need arose from the students’ performance in the monthly tests, worksheets, and their daily performance. The department worked on developing a plan that includes the three basic subjects (Arabic, English and mathematics) to work on raising the students’ academic support in basic skills. The department supports students’ objective thinking to take decisions and face different obstacles in life through the preparation of special programs, lesson plans, and special teaching methods.
Differentiation in Education through Using Technology
The computer department at Al-Asriyya School seeks to achieve “Differentiation in Education” to achieve the subject-specific objectives using assessment procedures that takes into consideration the differences between the students. This is achieved through improving the teachers’ abilities to build tests that differentiate students’ abilities based on the content analysis according to Bloom’s levels.
The department’s need arose from the observation of the teachers’ annual plans that are written as time plans, and do not take into consideration the content of the subject, its different levels, students levels and their interests. For this, the department worked on making each teacher at Al-Asriyya capable of building summative assessments that reflect the subjects’ objectives and are related to the content analysis according Bloom’s levels.
A comprehensive plan was made to make the content analysis according Bloom’s levels that reflect the objectives of subject matter as part of the teachers’ plan. This was electronically programmed through the teachers’ preparation copybooks, rubrics, and analyzing tests.
Implementation Process of the Kindergarten Curriculum
The kindergarten department in Al-Asriyya School develops its philosophy from the school’s philosophy that seeks to offer a safe environment that is rich with different experiences. These experiences aim to raise children who are self-conscious, able to express themselves and their feelings, able to accept others, and act as investigators and researchers who seek to get answers to be used in their daily life.
The kindergarten department’s improvement need is to improve the implementation process of the kindergarten curriculum in which specific places and specific teachers are provided for the following subjects: arts, sports, drama, computer, library, and music. This need arose because children need to encounter different places and people, which help them use their energies. A comprehensive plan was made to reach this goal, especially that having new experiences, being in different environments, and meeting new people have a positive impact on the quality of students’ learning and supports Al-Asriyya school’s kindergarten vision.
Develop School Sport Teams
The physical education department in Al-Asriyya school seeks to help students build positive attitudes and tendencies towards physical education and motor activities. This is achieved through a program designed for each semester that contains group and individual games along with their specific skills.
The department’s improvement need to develop school sport teams arose from the increasing number of students and the emergence of a wide range of talents that require attention. These students should be given more attention so they can have good opportunities to develop and engage in sports competitions. This is to know their ranking among other peers in different schools who have the same age, experience, and talent, and to prepare to send them to clubs that take care of their sports talent and enroll them in national teams.
The department started working on a comprehensive plan to achieve this goal to be able to compete with other school teams and achieve great results in most sport games and to enhance the students’ notion of winning and love of competition and achievement. The department chose to work on this plan because the school has a key function in serving the community and it is the strongest link in this chain and has the greater role in discovering the talents at an early age and in directing them properly towards different sport games.
Make Students Scientific Researchers and Investigators
The science department at Al-Asriyya School seeks to raise a generation that is capable of connecting concepts and skills and building positive attitudes towards learning science, and to enable students of certain skills such as problem solving and decision-making. This is accomplished through focusing on teachers’ professional development and offering continuous support in order to achieve the goals of school improvement. This will be reflected in the improvement of students’ learning and in the increase in their academic level based on the school’s vision, Competencies, and improvement plans that are adjusted according to the need, which is to make the students of Al-Asriyya School researchers and investigators on their own, and this is a key requirement in all subjects especially science.
The department realized this need since all members are aware that science should be taught through asking questions and constantly trying to access knowledge without taking it for granted. For this a complete plan was made to make the student of Al-Asriyya capable of formulating questions that are related to scientific research at all Bloom levels, and is able to answer these questions through the different sources of knowledge to obtain scientific facts.
I express myself in a correct language and appropriate handwriting
The Arabic department at Al-Asriyya School seeks to strengthen the students pride in their Arabic language through the slogan that they are working on applying “I express myself in a correct language and appropriate handwriting”. This is achieved through empowering students to have language communication skills and introduce them to their Arabic heritage and its importance. To accomplish this, the department is following modern and creative teaching strategies as methods to simulate thinking, teach through press, reading comprehension, creative writing, and literary and cultural debates; this allows students to research and investigate facts for the sake of acquiring knowledge to support their point of view.
Consequently, the Arabic department’s goal is to make the student of Al-Asriyya School capable of using the Arabic language skills (reading, writing, speech) in academic and everyday life. Therefore, a comprehensive plan was made, and several procedures were implemented with the focus on enabling students (from grade five to ten) to read different texts correctly, to express their ideas orally using a fluent language, to write properly using good grammar, spelling, and rhetoric, and to understand oral texts.
Increase Teachers’ Motivation at Work
The skills department at Al-Asriyya School seeks to develop students’ artistic and soft skills to enable students to show their creativity in the artistic and vocational education, because this enhances their self-confidence and increase their motivation.
The department need arose from the department’s belief that each teacher is a leader of change by offering opportunities for the teachers of the department to participate in taking daily academic decisions and support them with the necessary tools to make change at the personal level. This will be positively reflected on the development of the educational process in the school.
To increase teachers’ motivation at work and to make them agents of change in their positions, the focus should be on making the teachers self-conscious, have a vision and goal in their lives, help them to possess some developmental skills and provide them with tools to help them grow personally and professionally. This will make the teachers recognize the importance of their role as leaders of change and their influence on the generations they teach to achieve the appropriate educational outcomes.
Based on the main need, which is reflected in the department and school’s vision mentioned above, each teacher chose a special need from his/her position and specialization and work on it following the TAMAM journey. This included schedules for each teacher and then each one implemented his/her own plan.
Transferring Mathematical Knowledge to Real-Life Situations
The Department of Mathematics at Al-Asriyya Schools seeks to train learners to possess the skills and qualities of the TAMAM student, because it has a great effect in raising the students’ motivation to learn. Therefore, the learners will be aware of the importance of knowledge and its connection to their life and thus increase their achievement and become creators of knowledge and able to achieve educational outcomes.
The department’s goal is linked to the school’s vision, which seeks to make the learner updated with modern developments, creative in problem solving, and able to think objectively to make decisions. For this, baseline data was collected about the importance of this need, the degree to which it is connected to the learning objectives and increasing students’ motivation to build knowledge, and its connection to solve oral mathematical problems.
After that, the members took a sample of students and gave them real-life problems that require constructing knowledge to reach a solution and a general weakness was discovered. Therefore, a comprehensive plan was made to make the learners recognize what they are learning to make meaning out of it and be able to transfer the mathematical knowledge to real-life situations. With this, the learners will be able to construct knowledge and conclusions and will be aware of how it was reached to become a seeker of knowledge who enjoys it and is able to identify the mathematical content related to a certain topic or life problem.
TAMAM Improvement Project (2009-2010)
Independent Researcher Student Project
*This improvement initiative was under the supervision of TAMAM steering team.
The aim of the study was to obtain evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of the “Independent Researcher Student Project.” The project used an evidence based action research approach. The methodology used in this study was mainly questionnaires and focus groups.
The study resulted in developing students’ social skills and self-confidence. The recommendations of this study were: to provide professional training sessions for science teachers, to develop teachers’ understanding towards research skills, and to re-examine students’ mechanism towards developing their research skills.