Mission Statement
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The American International School of Mozambique (AISM) pursues excellence by empowering learners to achieve mastery of self, advance their communities, and flourish in an ever-changing world.
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Core Values |
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- AISM's Strategic Priorities are that:
- We will implement educational practices and technologies that challenge and enable all students to fulfill their academic potential.
- We will integrate effective social-emotional learning and support to enhance student and staff well-being.
- We will cultivate opportunities for students to collaborate with diverse communities in Mozambique to create positive outcomes.
- Challenging: AISM will implement educational practices and technologies that challenge and enable all students to fulfill their academic potential.
Our commitment to IB Standards & Practices ensure that we are preparing students for future education and life beyond the classroom, incorporating principles like agency-supportive approaches, transdisciplinary learning, play-based methodologies, and fostering Approaches to Learning (ATLs) and the Learner Profile (LP). This year, we have focused on working to enhance student achievement specifically in the areas of mathematics and world languages by reviewing our curriculum, staffing, assessments, resources, and training. We strive to support all students in reaching their potential, establishing structures for assistance and extension as needed, and continually working to set objective standards for overall achievement to guide instructional planning and assessment.
This academic year, we welcomed Kim Bane and Jason Hicks from Pathways to Inclusive Education to collaborate with our faculty on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiation. UDL guides the proactive design of classroom instruction to be effective for a broad range of learners. The UDL framework challenges us to engage students, represent instruction in accessible ways, and offer a variety of options for expressing learning, thus removing barriers and catering to classroom diversity.
To support this initiative, teachers have been provided extensive resources, including professional development materials, instructional tools, and expert guidance, ensuring they are well-prepared to implement UDL principles effectively.
Recognizing that all students access learning differently, we tailor our teaching methods to meet individual needs, ensuring every student succeeds. Our ongoing initiatives include the development of a comprehensive Response to Intervention (RTI) framework across the school in conjunction with Universal Design for Learning (UDL). RTI is a multi-tiered approach designed for the early identification and support of students with learning, social-emotional, and behavioral needs, supporting all learners through focused, monitored, and documented intervention cycles.
We are committed to continue enhancing teaching and learning through effective use of technology. By providing the necessary tools and training, we enable both teachers and students to make intentional choices about using technology, viewing it as one of many tools to be selected when most appropriate for the task. Our STEM and Design labs extend learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, offering hands-on experiences in coding, Scratch, Python, circuitry, and programming, equipping students with essential technological and problem-solving skills.
Additionally, our teachers are up-skilling in AI to effectively integrate these advancements into the classroom, fostering a forward-thinking learning environment in this ever-changing world. We also utilize adaptive technology tools such as Newsela, Desmos, and MAP Adaptive Testing to support learning and provide universal access accommodations. Adopting the PYP model for technology education—learning technology, learning through technology, and learning about technology—we seamlessly integrate technology into our curriculum, enhancing the educational experience for all students. - Caring: AISM will integrate effective social-emotional learning and support to enhance student well-being.
We have adopted the RULER approach from the Yale Center for Emotional
Intelligence, emphasizing emotional intelligence (EQ) as essential for navigating personal and social relationships, growth, and belonging. Throughout the year, through advisory and the RULER committee, learners from all grade levels have been introduced and taught the following units — Emotions Matter; Community, Safety, & Climate; Self and Social Awareness; and Emotion Regulation and Personal Values.
As part of our aim to foster a sense of safety and belonging, we are developing comprehensive policies on wellbeing, inclusion, child protection, acceptable use of technology, and digital citizenship. These policies provide a framework for faculty and staff, and provide a foundation guiding their interactions with students. Our Child Protection Policies were thoroughly reviewed and updated, and we introduced new tools such as CPOMs (Child Protection Online Monitoring System). Additionally, our Digital Citizenship initiatives extended to the parent community through talks on relevant topics. Secondary learners had the opportunity to engage with Pedro Couto, a lawyer, regarding the Mozambican laws around Digital Citizenship and internet.
We offer ongoing counseling support at the classroom, group, and individual levels, referring students to external providers when necessary. Our counselors also lead child protection teams, ensuring comprehensive support. In collaboration with experts like Prevention Solutions, we engage learners and teachers in strategies for promoting well-being and preventing ill health. This year, our Grade 8 to 12 learners participated in four sessions with Prevention Solutions, while faculty and parents had the opportunity to connect with facilitator Anne McDonald to gain valuable insights. - Connected: AISM will cultivate opportunities for students to collaborate with diverse communities in Mozambique to create positive outcomes.
At AISM, we are dedicated to integrating service learning into our curriculum to foster meaningful connections with diverse communities in Mozambique. By utilizing the MYP Service Learning Handbook and incorporating service learning components into unit planners, we ensure our projects align with curricular goals. Service Learning initiatives this academic year included projects such as:
•.collaboration with Escola Especial I specifically using sign language to explore
different ways to express and communicate,
•.connecting the Grade 9 English unit “Art of Persuasion” with nonprofits ADA and
PATA, where students used their newly gained persuasive techniques to create
awareness-raising content.
•.partnering with learners from a local school, Chiango, and interviewing local
fishermen in order to explore how the earth’s natural resources are affected by how we use them
•.reducing plastic pollution by designing tools to solve the challenges facing
Maputo’s mangroves
•.interacting with students from Escola Secundaria da Polana, to share and discuss
•.migration stores, and showcase documentaries create by AISM students
teaming up with Escola Especial I students to communicate the ‘Unscripted Voices’ in Gaza through sign language, theater, and vocal expression, breaking communication barriers.
•.launching the ‘English For All’ program where students volunteer to teach English to any member within the AISM community.
To foster greater connections and learning approaches, this year we launched the Human Library Database. This initiative allows educators to connect with parents and alumni to share professional experiences, personal passions, and interests, while aligning with classroom activities. We also offer sessions for parents to provide tools for managing their own well-being and that of their children. This academic year, we have integrated Mozambican Studies into the MYP curriculum, exposing all AISM students to the rich cultural heritage of Mozambique. We incorporate service learning and Mozambican culture into our curricular activities from ELC to Grade 12, creating a framework to support student-led service learning initiatives. By developing community relationships, we create opportunities that respond to the needs of our curricular frameworks: PYPx, MYP PP, and DP CAS, ensuring students’ IB-mandated projects are authentic and rich with real-life experiences and connections.
We regularly host activities with Mozambican authors and artists. Along with the many connections throughout our Week Without Walls trips and Service Learning opportunities, this year, we were honored to welcome renowned author Mia Couto, classical guitarist Jaime Jemusse, 17-year-old drone pilot Cleiton Michaque, and others. These engagements enrich our community’s understanding and appreciation of local culture, exposing our staff, students, and parents to Mozambican talent. Through these efforts, AISM enhances the educational experience for our students while creating positive outcomes for the broader community in Mozambique.
DiscoverFind out more about what makes the wider AISM community so special.
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LearnLearn more about the PYP, MYP & DP programmes that AISM offers.
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ExperienceA wide variety of activities, a world class library & endless possibilities after graduation,
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JoinJoin our team of learners. AISM is happy to invite you to join our community!
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