Dubai offers a selection of 15 different curricula at its extensive private school network. American curriculum schools are among those available, but what does an American curriculum truly consist of? How might American curriculum schools in Dubai differ from those in the United States?

This is an excerpt from a KDSL white paper which provides an overview of American curriculum schools and highlights key resources for parents who need to know more about the American curriculum.

In this brief, we will explore the following questions:

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What is American curriculum?

In the US, standards, from which curriculum is derived, were interpreted in a variety of ways by the different US states. In June 2009, the US National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), in partnership with a team of nationwide educators, announced the Common Core State Standards Initiative. The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a US educational initiative that details what K-12 students should know in English Language, Arts & Literacy, in History/ Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects and Mathematics at the end of each grade. The initiative strives to establish consistent education standards across all US states, as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit-bearing courses at two- or four-year college programs or to enter the workforce.

What is American curriculum in Dubai?

The overall performance of the 31 American curriculum schools remains largely unchanged since the previous cycle of inspections. One school’s overall performance declined. Over five cycles of school inspections, the proportion of American curriculum schools performing at an unsatisfactory level declined from 20 percent to five percent. The proportion of good and outstanding schools is similar to what it was in 2008-09. DSIB assessed that the curriculum is of good or better quality in around 60 percent of American curriculum schools, and of acceptable quality in the rest. Students’ attainment in relation to American curriculum standards in five key subjects is broadly acceptable and is largely unchanged in 2012-13:

  • Attainment is strongest in English and weakest in Arabic.
  • Arabic writing skills remain generally weak.
  • The ability to write independently in English needs improvement.
  • The skill of applying mathematics to real-world problems remains underdeveloped among many students.
  • There were a noted lack of opportunities for students to perform investigative science.

Teaching in the majority of American curriculum schools continues to be of an acceptable quality overall. Around one-third of the teaching is good or outstanding, and there is less unsatisfactory teaching now than compared to previous years. The overall leadership remains acceptable in the majority of American curriculum schools, with the proportion of good or better leadership slightly higher than last year. Almost all American curriculum schools now comply with the Ministry of Education’s requirements for teaching time to be allocated to Islamic Education and Arabic.

What should parents know about the American curriculum in Dubai?

  1. Parents should familiarize themselves with the new standards in the core subjects. These standards identify what your student should know, understand, and be able to do at various grade levels.
  2. Curriculum is more than textbooks and courses, but also about instruction strategies and assessment approaches. Learn more about Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), which represent an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively via collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Instruction and assessment conversations take place in these collaborative meetings. Many American curriculum schools have been implementing this framework for years. Assessment in American curriculum schools is not exclusively limited to standardized tests. Parents should know exactly where their learner is as an individual and in comparison to other students in his or her grade level.
  3. Professional development is essential for school leaders and teachers in curriculum. Schools should have a comprehensive professional development plan for the whole staff. This plan should be aligned to inspection data, accreditation information and other sources of information gathered by the school leadership team. Your learner’s school should be partnering with US-based organizations to connect with current resources, best practices, and research in American curriculum.

Summary

As can be seen, there is a great deal more to selecting your student’s American curriculum school than a beautiful campus or hearing word-of-mouth recommendations from neighborhood parents. Parents should foster a deeper sense of understanding what uniquely defines an American curriculum school. These components are manifested in a variety of ways in American curriculum schools throughout Dubai. Fortunately, resources exist like those highlighted in this paper to help parents make more informed decisions. In addition, KDSL is available to consult with parents, schools, governments, or educational organizations to provide more specialized consultations on American curriculum schools. Written by KDSL (Know, Do, Serve, Learn) Managing Director Kevin Simpson and KDSL Consultant Abigail Swetz, and edited by Kerrin Ann Barrett, PhD. You can find the full version of this KDSL white paper on the American curriculum here. To learn more about KDSL visit knowdoservelearn.org.