Teaching and Learning - Graded - The American School of Sao Paulo

OUR CURRICULUM

Our curriculum is guided by our mission and core values, providing students with a clear and connected learning journey from start to finish. Grounded in the science of learning, it weaves together concepts, metacognition, actions, and service learning, while also supporting social and emotional growth. It is measurable—using a balanced mix of internal and external quality measures—and driven by ongoing feedback and meaningful assessment. Our faculty continually refine their practice through targeted professional development. The curriculum empowers students to reach their full potential and positively impact the world.

Lower School Curriculum

Middle School Curriculum

High School Curriculum

OUR ASSESSMENT APPROACH

Teaching, learning, and assessment are deeply interconnected at Graded. Students and teachers work in partnership to enable students to demonstrate what they have learned, assess their progress, and develop metacognitive skills.

Our approach to assessment is purposeful, engaging, and designed to challenge all learners. We use a wide range of assessment types, each serving a different purpose in the learning process. From classroom discussions and informal checks to formal quizzes and tests, projects, and self-assessments, students are given multiple opportunities to show what they know in authentic, transparent, and meaningful ways. Ultimately, assessment at Graded is not just about measuring learning—it’s about helping students reflect, grow, and succeed.

OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

At Graded, we believe schools are communities where both students and adults learn and grow. Just as we support our students’ development, we are deeply committed to the continuous learning of our faculty and staff. Through a combination of workshops, study groups, and coaching, Graded provides various on-site and off-site training opportunities for our faculty and staff.

Learn more about professional learning.

OUR LEARNING PRINCIPLES

COLLABORATION

Collaboration is the interdependent effort of two or more people to achieve a goal, solve a problem, or complete a task. This process requires collaborators to communicate clearly, listen actively, take responsibility, and embrace diversity. During collaboration, learners negotiate ideas and rethink their learning based on interactions with others. A sense of belonging is absolutely essential to collaboration.

AGENCY

Learners have ownership and take responsibility for their learning. They are engaged and motivated when they understand and believe in the value of a learning goal. They proactively and effectively regulate (plan, monitor, and evaluate) their cognitive, affective, and behavioral processes in relation to that goal. Agency flourishes in environments that recognize learners’ identities and build upon their curiosities and interests.

CONCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION OF LEARNING

The conceptual organization of learning refers to schemas, the cognitive structuring of information, within an individual's mind. It involves the arrangement of factual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge and conceptual relationships to form a cohesive and meaningful framework. This mental organization aids individuals in comprehending complex subjects, facilitating efficient retrieval of information, and cultivating a foundation for the transfer of skills and understanding to real-world situations.

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Learners enter into learning environments and experiences already possessing knowledge, skills, and beliefs acquired through their previous experiences, cultures, and languages. New learning is filtered through and built upon this knowledge, these skills, or these beliefs, all of which can impact learning in a variety of ways.

MASTERY AS PROCESS

Developing mastery is a process that entails developing the component knowledge, skills, and conceptual understandings necessary to perform complex tasks and engage in complex thinking. This process differs across learners in both time and task. All learners need opportunities to set goals, practice, reflect, and receive specific and timely feedback. They will engage in productive struggle when they believe they will eventually be successful.

TRANSFER AND AUTHENTICITY

Transfer is when students independently demonstrate learning from one situation in a new context. When transfer occurs in new, decontextualized situations, student learning is deep and enduring. Authentic transfer into socially, personally, and intellectually meaningful situations requires the flexible and effective use of knowledge, skills, and understandings. Transfer and authenticity prepare students for the complex challenges outside and beyond school.