Flexible Studies

The Teaching Internship Program offers high school students, interested in pursuing an Elementary Education degree, an opportunity to gain teaching experience in the Lower Primary as an assistant to the classroom teacher.

Teaching Assistant Expectations

• Teaching assistants are expected to be in class all day every other day from 7:50- 2:50. (If High school has a special day, such as Dragon Day or an Interim preparation day, then students will work with their supervising teacher to to attend HS on these days.)
• Prepare formative learning opportunities for the students
• Design a learning experience for a class or small group
• Serve as a mentor for individual students
• Give individual feedback to students
• Create classroom bulletin boards
• Grade level meetings
• Supervisory duties as assigned
• Assist with other teaching duties as required
• Assist with classroom preparation and cleanup
• Meet with the supervising teacher on a regular basis

Supervising Teacher Expectations

• Give feedback to the intern one time each quarter
• Provide opportunities for teaching experience
• Report to the HS Associate Principal with any concerns
• Read the student reflection journal and provide feedback as necessary

HKIS is a member of the Global Online Academy (GOA), a consortium of independent schools around the world with the goal of offering online courses that are as intellectually rigorous and engaging as their on-campus courses. GOA is dedicated to utilizing approaches to learning aligned with current research in best practice, including collaboration, networking, and online skill development. Teachers for GOA courses come from the member schools, and undergo training in order to adapt their practice to this new environment. Membership in the Global Online Academy gives HKIS students increased opportunity to pursue their passions, or to explore potential areas of interest. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors may register for online courses with the recommendation of faculty, who can vouch for the self-direction, motivation, and responsibility necessary to pursue online learning. Students who successfully enroll in and complete GOA courses earn credit that will be reported on the HKIS transcript, and HKIS academic policies will apply to these courses. More current information on the Global Online Academy offerings can be found at https://globalonlineacademy.org/student-program/student-courses.

Note: Students who pursue a Pathway Certification from GOA learn deeply about their own interests, preparing them to declare a college major or explore careers they might want to pursue in the future. These students are further able to distinguish themselves and create opportunities for sharing their unique learning journey in the college admissions process. GOA’s eight pathways are: ART, MEDIA & DESIGN COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING BUSINESS, ECONOMICS & FINANCE GLOBAL STUDIES HEALTH SCIENCES JUSTICE, ETHICS & HUMAN RIGHTS MATHEMATICS & QUANTITATIVE REASONING PSYCHOLOGY & NEUROSCIENCE.  You can find more details on their website. (https://globalonlineacademy.org/student-program/learning-pathway)

Each semester course costs approximately $750 USD.  Families are billed by HKIS for semester courses and pay GOA directly for summer courses. 

Eligible candidates may elect to apply for 0.5 credit for the year.

Criteria

• Prospective candidates must represent Hong Kong internationally in a sport recognized by the Sport Development Board.
• A student is eligible to earn credit only once (i.e., 0.25 credit) out of the 4-quarter credit courses required.
• Department head approval must be obtained.
• Candidates must have qualified coaches who train them concurrently and are prepared to write an evaluation at the end of the course as well as verify each training session the students attend (a signature confirming they are willing to do this is required).
• Candidates must currently be training more than five hours a week in their sports.
• Candidates must have clear and definable goals related to their sports.

Students in Grades 11-12 may pursue a program of independent reading or research. Independent Study credit is not given for any courses that are offered in the regular academic day, nor is Independent Study an alternative to fulfilling specific graduation requirements. This course is intended for students who wish to study a topic at an advanced level beyond current High School course offerings. Independent Study is not normally approved for the purpose of eliminating scheduling conflicts. All students must complete a proposal and submit it to the Associate Principal for Academics for final approval.

To earn 1/2 credit, 60 clock hours of time are needed.  All students will need an HKIS teacher mentor throughout the study. 

Internship is an experiential learning opportunity that is offered in semester 1, semester 2, or yearlong. Students can pick from a variety of different types of internships and these may vary from year to year. The program provides an opportunity for students to engage with a mentor in a field of interest and receive on-the-job training in a specific industry. Students will gain unique experiences, reflect on those experiences, and apply their learning to influence future decisions and actions in various aspects of their lives.

Types of Internships

• HKIS Marketing (up to 7 students)

  • Gain an introduction to marketing, brand management, PR and communications

  • Contribute to multimedia content creation (eg. photography, videos, articles, podcasts)

  • Assist with ad-hoc projects for Alumni Relations, school events, external vendors and more

  • Experience working in the Advancement Office of a top international school

  • Sharpen existing skills and interests

• HKIS Library (up to 2 students)

  • Learn the basics of librarianship by becoming a library intern! Libraries consist of collections, space, and expertise. Each domain has its own set of skills, and you'll learn a bit of all of them. 

  • Collection development involves choosing books that support curriculum, reflect our community, and expand our understanding and empathy. 
  • Curating those collections includes designing themed displays to tempt readers (both digitally and in the physical library space). 
  • Arranging the library space makes it inviting and attractive, maintaining its welcoming vibe, and keeping it orderly. 
  • Promoting reading and information literacy skills can be done through activities, incentives, and marketing. 
  • Helping to run the library involves shadowing the librarian when she teaches, and guiding student volunteers in the Library Council. 
  • You will design a project that will improve the library and implement it from start to finish. 
  • You’ll also have opportunities to visit the middle and primary school libraries in HKIS to learn about librarianship for younger students, depending on your interest.

Credits: 1 credit per Semester The final two years of High School are a time when students may pursue one of several different courses of study at HKIS as they prepare for university enrollment or for employment. All students are encouraged to consider their future goals and discuss them with their parents, teachers and counselor if they are thinking of pursuing an option in either the Grade 11 or 12 years. The Option allows students who qualify to tailor a planned activity outside of the school campus for part of the year. Students may take a reduced class schedule, for example, and utilize the available time for an alternative activity. Grade 11/Grade 12 Options that have been approved in the past include:

• Teacher aide in lower primary, upper primary or middle school.
• Participation in a commercial training program, e.g., hotel services.
• Work experience (employment or internship).
• Community service (e.g., working a few hours per day in or with a service agency or facility).
• Study in another Hong Kong school.
• Study and/or work with an expert (e.g., graphic designer, journalist).
• Work experience at a consulate.
• Training as an elite athlete.
• Semester abroad experience (studying language in another country).

Another possibility is to concentrate courses required for graduation into one semester in order to spend the other semester off-campus on a Grade 11/Grade 12 Option. Students who wish to do activities such as the following typically use this arrangement:

• Language immersion study in another country.
• Full-time on-the-job training.
• Full-time participation in the work of a service organization.
• Work experience.

Students contemplating a Grade 11/Grade 12 Option need to work closely with their counselors and the Associate Principal for Academic Programs to ensure that all graduation requirements will have been met by the end of the senior year. Forms (to be filled out at registration time) that explain the approval process are available from the counselors. Recognition of these alternative activities will be made on the student’s transcript.

Final proposal forms must be submitted by the end of April in order to be considered for Senior Option for the following academic year. 

The Teaching Assistant role offers students an opportunity to support the learning of peers, gain experience in presenting in an academic environment, encounter teaching and learning from a different perspective, and gain valuable experience in the field. The TA role is student-driven and self-directed, and often based on students’ own interest and growing expertise in a skill or content area they want to nurture further. Students have the opportunity to gain a new perspective by entering the teaching-learning process from the teacher’s viewpoint, developing an appreciation for others who may learn differently while deepening their understanding within the discipline.

TA Expectations

TAs are expected to be in class a minimum of 50% of the time and could be asked to engage with any of the following activities:

• Prepare formative learning opportunities for the students
• Prepare extension material for students able and motivated to go above and beyond the basic course requirements
• Create study packets
• Design a learning experience for a class or small group
• Serve as a mentor for individual students
• Give individual feedback to students
• Collect data
• Direct before and after school sessions
• Create classroom bulletin boards
• Assist with other teaching duties as required
• Meet with supervising teacher on a regular basis
• Meet with other TAs to collaborate and share experiences

Selection Criteria

• The student must have been taught by the supervising teacher in a prior class.
• The student will have earned an A or A- in the course or discipline they will TA in.
• The student must obtain the recommendation from their counselor and the teacher they would like to work with.

Selection Process

• The student will most commonly be self-identified, although a teacher may approach a student with the option if they think the student would benefit from such an experience.
• Interested students will speak to their counselor and request a TA Application Form.
• Application forms will be submitted to the Associate Principal for Academics
• Assistant Principal of Academics will work with sponsoring teachers to finalize a list of qualified candidates.
• Once classes are confirmed (how many classes are running / class block), the Associate Principal will match the TAs to the course and teacher.
  • Not all approved students will become TAs. It depends on scheduling and number of courses.
  • 1 TA per class
• The Teaching Assistant List will be announced for next year at the end of May.