Shared Programmes

At the heart of the SOIS vision of “Two Schools Together” is our Shared Programs.

SIS English speakers and OIS Japanese speakers can join first-language classes offered by their sister-school and, similarly, those requiring extra support with either language can benefit from the second-language courses available across the two curricula.

Our Shared Programs, as well as being challenging academic courses therefore offer a diverse environment in which to experience different approaches and build new friendships. They enhance the learning experience of our students promoting both educational and personal development.

The coming together of OIS and SIS students for art, music, PE and some language classes has numerous benefits for both schools and fosters learning that goes far beyond that of subject content alone. For today’s students, the importance of developing empathy for and openness to other ways of thinking is paramount. Our Shared Programs naturally promote this as they bring different cultures and perspectives together into one classroom. Through collaboration, SOIS students experience first-hand how diversity inspires open-mindedness, how open-mindedness leads to new ways of thinking and how this, in turn, leads to growth and innovation. With English as the language of instruction, native and beginner-level speakers learn side-by-side, honing their language skills, expanding their subject knowledge and developing their capacity for open-mindedness and flexibility. The Shared Programs also enable us to accommodate the wide range of language needs a diverse student body brings with it.

Sports & Clubs

Sabers Athletics & Activities

The SOIS athletics program follows a season-sport schedule (see diagram below). Each Sabers sport is practiced and played for one athletic season, 8-12 weeks for high school, 6-8 weeks for middle school. This differs from a year-long sports system in which athletes participate in only one sport throughout an entire year. Student-athletes benefit from the season-sport system because it enables them to participate in a variety of sports with more than one group of fellow students and to become better all-around athletes. Students are not committed to participating in a sport the entire school year, allowing them time to pursue other interests and concentrate on their studies.

Activities Office Staff

Toshifumi Mitsuhashi

Campus Activities Director

Jennifer Drew

Assistant Athletics Director

SABERS SPORTS WEBSITE

For information about our sports programmes and tournaments, please go to

https://sites.google.com/soismail.jp/tournaments-at-osaka-sabers/home

Art

The Shared Art Program

Exploring new ideas, experimenting with different ways of self-expression and pushing boundaries are central goals for any art program. In SOIS art classes, these objectives can be comprehensively pursued thanks to the diverse student body which makes up each class. Exposure to other points of view, other cultures and other tastes in the classroom means that learners are continuously forced to reflect on their own values and ideas in their quest to find their own voice and develop their creativity. Collaborative projects encourage the sharing and blending of ideas and open students’ minds to new ways of seeing, thinking and doing.

English & Japanese

The English and Japanese Programmes

Offering some language classes across both schools means more levels are available and students can be placed in classes that more precisely meet their particular needs and abilities. Between us, we are able to cater for any level of English or Japanese, from complete beginner through to native speaker. As with other shared classes, being exposed to a variety of cultures and ideas in these lessons helps students deepen their understanding of and respect for other viewpoints while gaining the skills to express themselves clearly and confidently. Students in these classes forge valuable friendships that deeply enrich their middle and high-school experience.

Mariri took OIS IB English classes all the way from Grade 9 through to her graduation.

The best thing about taking English through OIS was the wide range of texts that are covered throughout the whole course. I really enjoyed reading such a variety of plays, poems, novels and other texts.

Sara has taken OIS IB English classes since Grade 9

Being in an OIS class has given me the chance to work in English at a high level.

Mizuki has taken OIS IB English classes since Grade 9.

Taking OIS English means that I can learn new vocabulary and participate in high level discussions. It has been challenging to keep up with the vocabulary required at times though.

Music

The Shared Music Program

The larger number of students involved in a shared music program enables us to offer a wide choice of high quality courses. In middle school not only do we have three types of music classes (band, strings and chorus), but also three different levels of proficiency within the instrument classes. In High School we can offer an even wider selection of courses for students to choose from. Music enables communication between all cultures, it is the universal language and working together in band, orchestra or choir builds teamwork and camaraderie between the students of the two schools. Our strong focus on performance means that our music curriculum stimulates the imagination of our students, helps build their confidence and improve their communication skills. It also encourages students to become more disciplined and to take responsibility as they learn how improving individual skills enhances the group as a whole.

PE

The Shared PE Programme

Being a Shared Program has many advantages for a Physical Education curriculum. Interaction and collaboration are key skills in PE and mixed classes greatly increase the opportunities to develop these. We can offer a wide variety of activities which develop the physical, social and emotional growth of the students. The Middle Years Program (MYP) stipulates that a PE class should, amongst other things, focus on respect and cultural awareness and our unique set-up at SOIS enables these values to be reinforced on a daily basis. Students in the shared program are taught by English and Japanese speaking teachers thus regularly exposing them to different approaches, cultures and languages. The PE faculty acknowledge the critical importance of the notion of valuing and enjoying movement and wish that all students, regardless of actual physical competence, can enjoy their time in the program and will become voluntary lifelong movers.

A Healthy Balance

The PE faculty here at SOIS believe that the notion of developing physical literacy in students is vital to developing active, healthy lifestyles. Physical literacy is a holistic view of a person's knowledge of how to move and the ability to do so with competence, their understanding of why activity is important, and the willingness and desire to be involved in physical activity on a consistent basis. Whilst accepting that the development of fundamental movement skills in order to move with confidence and competence is of great importance in the development of physical literacy, it is equally important to consider that students participate in things that they enjoy. From an educational perspective, we know that students' participation rates in movement experiences tend to be higher when they value and enjoy movement experiences, choose to participate rather than being coerced, and have adult role models such as teachers. With this in mind, the PE courses offered at MS, HS and SNR levels have been developed and continue to evolve to meet current needs, cultural trends and government regulations.

In the MS and HS Physical Education Program at SOIS students are exposed to a broad variety of opportunities to develop their knowledge, understanding and competence in a wide range of movement and health associated activities. Safety, movement concepts, vocabulary, rules, fine and gross loco motor skills, non- loco motor skills, manipulative skills, games strategies and physical fitness are all covered throughout the years of the program. The Physical Education program involves the total child and includes physical, social and emotional growth experiences. It is hoped that the children will acquire and develop fundamental skills to enable them to be confident and capable in a variety of situations including lifetime, individual and team sports so as to enjoy and continue to be active throughout their lives.

Units

Most units in MS involve 3-4 week units while HS units adhere to a 6 week timetable. In MS the emphasis is on Social Skills and Personal Engagement as prescribed by the MYP with a focus on cooperation and collaboration, concentration, respect, cultural awareness and active participation. In HS the current MYP assessment criteria are followed with added emphasis on Knowledge, Performance and Movement composition. HS curriculum emphasizes health and fitness with all students undertaking compulsory courses in swimming, endurance, weight training and Performance. Other units are optional and varied and are chosen by students on a 2 year cycle basis.

Activity units run for approximtely 3 weeks for MS and 6 weeks for HS. PE faculty change groups every unit so students get a mix of native English and Japanese speakers. This switching of teachers involves some internal moderation to ensure parity and clarity for assessment. This is done between the HS PE teachers involved in teaching that particular unit of activity (eg Badminton) so there is agreement on levels of achievement reached. All MS PE teachers are involved in the moderation of the MS students as all the students rotate through the 4 activity stations being studied that trimester and thus will spend some time studying under each teacher’s style and guidance. Whilst this occasionally results in rather lengthy discussions, it ensures a “best fit” for each student. Progress reports are written every 6 weeks in addition to the end-of-trimester reports.