dynamic thinking in an international environment

At INTL, we embrace design thinking and the Maker Education movement as a dynamic new way of thinking about teaching and learning.

solutions for real world problems

In our classrooms, or in our dedicated MakerSpace on Cohn Campus, students are presented with real-world problems and given a safe space where they use an array of tools and materials to collaboratively develop and build concrete solutions. On any given day, you can see students in the MakerSpace building musical instruments with wood, glue guns, and cardboard, or creating circuits with LED lights and copper strips.
Students are presented with real-world problems and given a safe space where they can use an array of tools and materials to collaboratively develop and build concrete solutions.

collaboration, communication, and respect

At the heart of Maker Education is design thinking, an educational process in which students are presented with a problem and then given the opportunity to collaboratively come up with solutions. They build and test their ideas, and evaluate what they did well and how they can improve next time. Design thinking helps students learn to communicate and collaborate as a group, and to respect each other’s ideas as they work towards a common goal. Students also develop concrete skills – construction, circuitry, robotics, or coding – to name a few.

resiliency and a growth mindset

While engaging in the design-thinking process, students learn to fail and try again, thereby building resiliency and a growth mindset. Students also develop empathy by looking at problems through another’s eyes, such as designing and constructing prototypes of lights for people who do not have access to electricity.

design in high school

Inquiry and problem-solving are at the heart of the INTL high school Design program. It enables students to develop not only practical skills but also strategies for creative and critical thinking. Students use the holistic approach of the design cycle to solve problems in a range of disciplines, including product design, multimedia, and graphic design. The program is suitable for students who plan to study design or engineering in higher education as well as those who enjoy exploring and solving creative problems.

Notice of Nondiscriminatory policy as to students

Silicon Valley International School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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