School Programs
The Middle School at the Academy implements the International Baccalaureate Middle School Programme. For more information about this programme, please visit:
The International Baccalaureate Middle School Programme is designed to meet the educational needs of students aged 11 to 15. It provides a learning framework that encourages students to develop creative, critical, and reflective thinking. As described in the International Baccalaureate Organization literature, the programme aims to connect what students learn through academic subjects to the world around them. It also develops students' communication skills and fosters their understanding of diverse cultures. The programme consists of key elements that contribute to developing a deep understanding of academic subjects and their relationships. These elements are learning styles, teaching styles, concepts, and the global context of learning. The programme also focuses on outcomes such as action, including community service, community service projects, and personal projects. The programme includes a range of academic subjects that students study.
The curriculum contains eight subject groups:
Language and Literature: Every student enrolled in the program must learn his/her first language at an advanced level. At AIA, students can learn Arabic and/or English as their first language.
Language Acquisition: All students must learn a second language appropriate to their background in that language. Students at AIA can learn Arabic, English or French as a second language at different levels.
Individuals and Societies: The aim of this course in the MYP is to encourage students to gain and develop knowledge, conceptual understanding, research skills, analytical and interpretive skills, and communication skills, contributing to the development of the student as a whole. The course aims at encouraging students to respect and understand the world around them, and to provide a skills base to facilitate further study. This is achieved through the study of individuals, societies, and environments within a wide range of contexts: historical, contemporary, geographical, political, social, economic, and cultural. AIA focuses on World History and Qatar History.
Sciences: The MYP sciences course encompasses the information, knowledge, facts, and practical applications of the scientific branches of biology, chemistry, and physics.
Mathematics: The MYP Math courses at AIA integrate the four branches of Mathematics study: (Number Systems, Algebra, Space and Geometry, and Measurement and Data). These courses provide a foundation of the basic skills necessary for further Mathematics courses.
Arts: Students in the MYP are required to experience different kinds of performing arts (drama and music) as well as visual arts (visual art and media). In the MYP, the arts challenge students to consider authentic issues and develop their skills beyond superficiality and imitation. Students are provided with opportunities to function both as artists and as learners of the arts.
Physical and health education: Physical education in the MYP is concerned with more than just participating in sports and games. Its primary aims are to encourage the development of "intelligent performers" and to understand the importance of a balanced, healthy lifestyle, develop knowledge, critical thinking, and reflection skills, as well as a sense of responsibility, along with interpersonal and self-motivational skills.
Design: The MYP design course aims at encouraging students to apply creative and practical thinking skills to solve problems. Students learn and implement the design cycle, which involves analyzing problems, developing feasible solutions, creating prototypes, testing, and evaluating the solutions. Students also learn to utilize appropriate technologies to develop effective solutions.
Community Project
The community project focuses on community and service, encouraging students to explore their rights and responsibilities to implement service as action in the community. The community project offers students the opportunity to develop an awareness of needs in various communities and address those needs through service learning. The community project may be completed individually or in groups of up to three students. Students are expected to dedicate approximately 15 hours to their community projects.
