FAQ
What is the workload at the SIS?
A difficult question to answer as each child is different. Below are several opinions on the subject.
- Students in the SIS program have 6 extra hours per week for the first five years of secondary school and 8 extra hours in the OIB program in Première and Terminale. Is the workload managable ?
=> The teaching team’s point of view:
Confucius said "If you choose a job you enjoy you’ll never have to do a day’s work in your life!" It is true that the SIS curriculum is demanding. It takes a lot of effort to consolidate a dual culture and both the national and international subjects have to be studied seriously. However the pupils are ready to take on the challenge. Moreover since they don’t study an additional foreign language, which represents 3 hours per week for national pupils, their additional study time is actually less.
The different subjects complement each other. The program in the international and regular history classes is the same but it is studied from different angles.
- Is the workload much heavier in the first year of secondary school than in primary school?
=> Several parents’ point of view:
- Yes. Paul’s mother, 6ème
- Yes, it is more difficult in 6ème because everything changes (more subjects, more teachers, many more students, "vie scolaire" system) and with the second language to study there are more hours in the weekly schedule. But I have the feeling that they take it all on board relatively quickly. And then it is easy to stick with it! Helena Samia’s mother, 6ème
- It’s true that the first year of secondary school represents a big change for the child and the parents. There is more work, but if you are organized the workload doesn’t seem as heavy. The first month after school starts is difficult because you have to find your marks and get the week organized, but once you pass this hurdle it all falls into place. There is the problem of heavy school bags which tire the children physically. You need to help them cut down the contents right from the start by taking advantage of the second set of text books which are available for some classes and by combining the class notes for several subjects in a single binder. My advice to parents: be very available in the beginning of the year to support and help your child in order to lead them little by little towards being independent. Lea’s mother, 6ème
- For children who have been in the SIS primary program on Wednesday mornings, having all their subjects at the same school comes as a bit of a relief. Once they get used to the new organization in secondary school, I don’t think they find the workload that much heavier. Sonya’s mother, 6ème
=> Opinions from some students:
- Non, there isn’t much homework and in 6ème there is lots of revision. Laura
- The weekly schedule is heavier for inter students than for national students, because there are more hours for language classes. But it’s very motivating and you improve your level in the language. Maxime
- There’s as much work in English as in math or in French. Guillaume
So, see you soon?
Dernière modification le 20-11-08 par
