The Hamilton International School is one of Doha’s newest and most exciting premier schools, situated on a magnificent campus in Mesaimeer, with world-class facilities, an extensive after school program, and a bespoke international curriculum. At the core of Hamilton’s innovative curriculum are three respected international curricula that work together to excite children and prepare them for later examinations. The International Early Years Curriculum (IEYC), the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), and the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) together provide a range of age-appropriate and exciting learning opportunities. The Middle School will open the next academic year (2020/21) with Grades 6, 7 and 8 (Years 7, 8 and 9).
Hamilton’s International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) is different because it has been specifically designed to support the development of 11-14-year olds – both academically and personally. Building on the foundations of the International Primary Curriculum for younger students, the IMYC considers the changing brains and emotional needs of adolescents, offering rigorous and engaging learning opportunities that are connected, collaborative, and help students to take creative risks with their learning in a safe and supportive environment. As such, the IMYC is now the chosen curriculum of 140 schools across 50 countries worldwide.
Emily Porter, the Group Director of Learning & Education at the International Schools Partnership (ISP), has 20 years of experience in education including the design and writing of the IMYC. In the early part of her career, Emily spent a decade working closely with middle years students and developing a deep understanding of the unique needs of middle school-aged children. Much of this time was spent with different students from a wide range of backgrounds and countries.
She commented: “I have been working with 11-14 years olds for 20 years now, and in this time, I have really come to understand this age group in specific ways. I began noting how teachers and curricula could better support their learning, and I became a passionate advocate about what schools can do to help these students not just survive but thrive in these important but often challenging years. I’m very excited to be supporting the implementation of the IMYC at Hamilton, to ensure our middle years students are supported and encouraged to learn to the best of their potential, and that they truly do experience Amazing Learning.”
“I began noting how teachers and curricula could better support their learning, and I became a passionate advocate about what schools can do to
help these students not just survive, but thrive in these important but often challenging years.” – Emily Porter
The IMYC will develop skills like:
- Self-motivation
- Self-regulation
- International mindedness
- Looking at subjects from multiple perspectives
- Empathy and compassion
- Being able to take positive actions for change
The IMYC supports student agency – that is, their voice, choice and ownership – helping them to develop self-motivation and self-regulation with their learning for middle school and beyond. In addition to this, the curriculum has been intentionally designed and adapted by Hamilton to develop students’ personal attributes and international mindedness.
International Learning Opportunities for Our Students
Both The Hamilton International School and Park House English School are part of the International Schools Partnership, a global network of schools, and students from both schools, have access to international learning opportunities. The ISP Buddy Exchange Programme is one such opportunity. It enables reciprocal exchanges between students from ISP schools for a period of one month, providing students a unique international and cultural learning experience while cultivating long-term friendships across the world.
Although this learning opportunity has been postponed because of the current travel restrictions around the globe, ISP has launched the Virtual Buddy Exchange Programme for its students. This is an eight week programme running from May to June 2020, and brings ISP students and schools across the world together for a unique international and cultural learning experience. The programme is aimed at those students who were signed up to the 2019/2020 ISP Buddy Exchange Programme, so that they don’t miss out on their unique international learning experience.
WHATSAPP
Mesaimeer Area (near the Religious Complex),