Learning at ASIJ

Definition of Learning

ASIJ believes that learning is a personal, lifelong process that leads to change, including the ability and willingness to adapt. It is driven by curiosity and motivation, occurring in a supportive environment rich in engagement, social interaction, and feedback. Learning is constructed in authentic contexts and results in the development of new understandings and skills for all learners. 
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Engage, Learn, Lead

At ASIJ, we believe that learning should be a personal, lifelong process that leads to change, including the ability and willingness to adapt. We believe that curiosity should drive learning and that a school should provide a supportive environment rich in engagement, social interaction and feedback. We believe that learning should be constructed in authentic contexts, whenever possible, and that it is our duty to challenge students academically, intellectually, and personally and to inspire each student to reach their greatest potential. This culture of learning will help prepare students for the complex landscape of a constantly shifting future, equipping them with the tools they need to face the challenges of tomorrow. 
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Find Your Element

At ASIJ, we believe it is our purpose to cultivate each student’s intellectual and personal passions and aptitudes by creating learning opportunities that build students capacity, autonomy, and self-awareness. We encourage curiosity, model passion and provide a robust academic foundation with opportunities to learn independently. We inspire a lifelong commitment to learning with joy and enthusiasm for life, beyond the walls of the school. This commitment runs deeply through our school and is illustrated by the many opportunities for students to explore their interests and passions in authentic contexts and for authentic purposes, both in the classroom and in over 170 co-curricular offerings across all grade levels. The scale and breadth of our co-curricular program illustrates our belief that students should try new things, take risks and persevere through challenges or failure in order to discover themselves. 
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Make a Difference

The world needs young people who aspire to make a positive difference in their local, national, and global communities. Whether their convictions manifest themselves in concern about climate change, social justice issues, environmental degradation, poverty and hunger, recycling and conservation, or racism and bigotry, we need to prepare young people to be problem-solvers and solution-finders, willing to dedicate their time, energy, and talent to making the world safer, cleaner, and more just. At ASIJ, we believe the skills that students build in and beyond the classrooms should pair with purpose and agency, prompting students to grapple with authentic problems and issues. We want our students to engage with the world, to seek understanding of their connections and responsibilities, and to contribute meaningfully to the various communities around them.  At ASIJ, we believe that purposeful work builds purposeful students. School is more than a series of artificial or isolated experiences, but should instead be a rich and meaningful component of our lives and community. We also believe human beings, by their nature, seek purpose—to contribute and to be part of causes greater and more enduring than themselves.
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