homelocationfaq




















Accreditation

MST is fully accredited by
The International Montessori Council.

Membership

MST is a member of
The Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS).

Assessment

Assessment of Student Development and Academic Progress

MST sets academic expectations in an individualised approach. In designing this programme MST follows an established framework that includes the school’s expectations for basic academic achievement at each level of the school and guidance toward appropriate placement for each child in the next level of his or her education.

Position regarding formal testing
MST does not assess students at the early childhood level (3-6 years) through the use of oral, written or standardized tests. It is felt that children of these ages will not benefit from this type of assessment as trained Montessori teachers are best able to determine their level of development through daily observation.

Students at the lower and upper elementary levels are given standardized tests once a year from the International Schools’ Assessment Testing Programme.  These tests are given to children who, according to their age, would be in grades 3,4,5,6,7 or 8. More information on the ISA programme can be found at http://www.acer.edu.au/isa/

Policy on Student Assessment
Teachers at all levels observe students, noting their strengths and interests, assess their progress with the materials and their understanding of the concepts they are designed to teach in order to plan lessons and set new goals.  Students at the elementary level also create work journals to record work they have finished on a daily basis. This form of self-assessment helps children take responsibility for their work. Teachers meet with the students weekly to discuss their progress as indicated in their journals and help them plan for the coming week.

Teachers share their evaluation of the students progress with parents through report cards. These written progress reports are given to parents 3 times per school year, November, March and June. The first two reports are followed by parent/teacher conferences during which time information in the reports is expanded on.

Use of Assessment Information
Students at all levels are carefully observed and planned for accordingly. At the early childhood level, goals for practice with lessons already given and those to be presented by a teacher are set on a weekly basis. Each child’s progress with classroom materials is monitored and recorded throughout the academic year.  This information assists teachers in setting new goals for the students. Assessment information is also vital in determining any strengths and weaknesses in a student’s cognitive development. This evaluation is very important in identifying any special needs a child may have and provide guidance when searching for support from the community.