Hub Learning at ICS and How it Benefits Students

What does it mean to be learning in a hub?

The ICS Elementary School is among a handful of innovative international schools worldwide pioneering the way into the future of education. Housed in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built elementary building, students in Early Years 5 through Grade 5 meet each morning in their home-bases and then journey through differentiated learning spaces and groupings throughout the day.

The shift toward hubs is based on creating a more personalized experience for students. By replacing classroom walls with more mobile physical barriers, teachers can remain more connected with one another and collaborate more effectively to support individual student’s needs. Spaces become more flexible, so environments can be adapted to meet the needs of a given lesson or project, and students can choose to work in an area which better suits their learning styles.

ICS began a phased shift to the flexible hub models with a pilot in Grade 4 in the 2018/19 school year, then began installing sliding doors between classrooms to create connected communities while construction of the new building was finished. The Elementary moved full-time to the hub model in 2022.

Check out the video above to see what learning in the ICS Elementary hubs looks like every day.

“In the hubs at ICS, we have the ability to differentiate and personalize instruction for students so that they are all able to learn at high levels and learn at their levels,” Deputy Principal Yodit Hizekiel said. “With this many teachers in a space, you can have many groups running, each with a specific learning target that the student needs, or a specific area of interest that the student has identified. The space is designed to be flexible already with the variety in both learning areas and spaces, including furniture, and a way to accommodate for different learning experiences.”

With the hob model, students are supported by a network of teachers and educational assistants, giving them access to more expertise, guidance, and inspiration than may be available with just one teacher in a traditional classroom model. Teams of teachers work together to design more effective lesson plans and share their diverse perspectives. Team members can coach one another in specific strategies and collaborate to meet the needs of students who need more attention. In this model, several teachers are invested in and contributing to each student’s success.

"Our teams work hard to develop the cutting-edge strategies and collaborative practices that make these hubs work for student learning," Elementary School Principal Calley Connelly said. "Every team member brings strengths and knowledge, and together, we create safe, engaging, and joyful communities of learning. I'm proud to be a part of this innovative and dedicated community!"

To find out more about learning in our Elementary School, visit our Learn page.