Dresden International School
Middle Years Programme
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is part of the world-wide recognized International Baccalaureate Programme. The MYP covers the age range 11 to 16 (Grades 6 to 10). The MYP is a challenging framework that encourages students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world. It combines academic rigour with the skills and attitudes appropriate to the challenges and opportunities of contemporary society.
Welcome from the Student Support Team
Ana Gonçalves, Secondary School Principal
Welcome to an exciting programme! The Middle Years Programme is a curriculum that allows for inquiry, action and reflection. This programme allows students to develop their soft skills such as collaboration, active listening or communication. It also enables our students to explore service as action and have a real impact in our local and global communities. Learning is not done in isolation either; it is contextual, set in global contexts and meaningful.
Learning being holistic, we also consider the social and emotional development of each student. As a team, we are fully aware that wellbeing is an intrinsic part of learning. This is why, the Student Support Team consists of specialists in different domains who work together to create an effective support network for our students.
Flora Mather, Assistant Principal and MYP Coordinator
The many changes and complexities that young people face in Grades 6-10 make adolescence a distinctive phase in their lives. Our MYP programme is designed to support and challenge our learners to discover aspects of the world and their place within it. We seek to cultivate the skills and dispositions needed for them to navigate the exciting potential and challenges of the 21st century.
Working alongside a strong and diverse teaching team, we offer a rigorous and varied programme that develops our students both in terms of their academic competencies and their social emotional wellbeing.
I value the restorative practice model to which DIS is committed because it promotes awareness, and empathy, prioritises relationships and acknowledges the learning experiences that come from our mistakes. My goal is that DIS is a space in which our young people flourish, equipping them to be positive, inspiring present and future change makers.
Katy McBain, Coordinator of Learning Support
Inclusion comes to life in the beliefs that a community holds about every single member and their right to fully belong. The Learning Support team is dedicated to take inclusiveness at DIS to new heights. We believe that all learners, regardless of their faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, gender, or (dis)ability have a right to thrive in a learning environment that is emotionally safe and honors their uniqueness and strengths. Diversity makes our community stronger!
Who Do We Support?
We prioritize our time and resources to target the needs of students who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities, developmental disorders, or health impairments that affect their ability to access our curriculum. With few exceptions, students with an Individualized Learning Plan have a diagnosis or have been referred for a psycho-educational assessment.
We partner with families to identify and support students with signs of cognitive challenges.
We are supporting recommended Grade 10 students to build their academic and ATL skills in preparation for Grade 11.
We offer short term supports for students who need direct instruction in German Literacy Skills, Social Skills, and Self-Regulation Strategies in order to fully access the MYP curriculum.
Our Committments
INDEPENDENCE: Learners need self-management skills to thrive , and we will create individual learning plans that contribute to their self-sufficiency.
EMPOWERMENT: Learners gain agency when they advocate for themselves. We will teach age appropriate self advocacy skills while respecting the confidentiality rights of our students and families.
FULL ACCESS & TRANSPARENCY: Learners have the right to a non-restrictive environment. Support plans are designed to accommodate the needs of students and will not result in a simplification or reduction to the Middle Years Programme curriculum. If needed, a modified curriculum will be offered with parental consent and clearly stated in the Student Semester Report.
COLLABORATION: Learners benefit from a whole child approach to learning supports. We are committed to working together with families, teachers, professionals, and agencies to optimize the supports for our students.
Angela Runte, Coordinator of English as an Additional Language
All teachers at DIS are EAL teachers. We believe that every student has individual needs and it is our job to fulfil those needs. We aim to create an environment where EAL students have the courage, skills, and support to meet their personal academic goals. Within our flexible EAL programme, some students will take part in small group ‘pull-out’ EAL lessons. Support inside the classroom in the form of a co-teaching model and academic lessons after school are also provided to advance student learning, both in terms of English and academic content.
Learning through an EAL approach:
is a collaborative social process that extends beyond the school day
maintains that students can learn but they do not learn in the same way
can only occur when all students feel accepted and valued
means that students are able to make mistakes in an atmosphere that is free from judgement
DIS teachers understand that EAL Learners have the extraordinary task of simultaneously learning three things at once: a new language, a new culture, and new academic content in school. This is a rigorous and remarkable task and should be treated as such.
Teaching through an EAL approach means that:
the more challenges a student faces in their education, the more a teacher will work to ensure that student’s educational needs are met
teachers advocate for students by teaching them how to advocate for themselves
teachers foster student’s innate curiosity into a love of learning and an ability to problem solve, think creatively, analyze and discover
DIS teachers work together with students to design learning (UDL principles) that can be accessed by diverse learners. Flexibility and choice in learning encourage engagement and allow students to advance their individual strengths and develop in new areas that are not yet secure.
Eleanor Wallace, Secondary School Counsellor
My role as school counsellor includes students from grades 6-12. At DIS we believe in a support system approach whereby we seek to promote student success by following best practices which empower students to discover, explore and achieve their potential as lifelong learners. As a counsellor I work in collaboration with students, staff and families to promote a positive school climate through the delivery of a holistic program which encourages and embraces the personal, social/emotional, academic and the future wellbeing of students.
Starting this academic school year, 2023-2024, I am pleased to also be part of the career counselling team. I will be focusing on grades 9 & 10, developing career planning, interest inventories, experiential learning opportunities, etc. to engage students in planning for their exciting futures.
Provide a safe, confidential counselling environment conducive to students sharing their needs and concerns, creating an atmosphere of trust and rapport with students
Assist students in crisis, provide individual and small group counselling, make appropriate outside referrals and work with outside support services as needed
Communicate effectively with families regarding concerns and suggestions
Communicate with the PYP counsellor to ensure a smooth transition to MYP
Design and implement short-term interventions to support students in areas such as emotional regulation, social skill development, and conflict resolution
Collaborate with DIS colleagues/advisors to support students
Collaborate within the student referral process, SSST to address students’ needs
Report and, when assigned, manage Child Protection cases along with our support team
Create and support curriculum lessons which address the social/emotional well being of students from grade 6-12
Work to improve communication and coping skills and promote optimal mental health of students
Provide knowledge, skills and opportunities to enable students to become empowered, make healthy choices, and self-advocate for their needs
Provide opportunities for career exploration and development