Office of Learning

ICS uses an international, standards-based curriculum designed to support our students and teachers with the best educational practices in the world.  The educational program culminates with the rigorous, internationally recognized International Baccalaureate Diploma.    

Curricular units are planned using the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework, a backwards design model in which the curriculum is mapped to ensure an engaging and cohesive curriculum, with a steady progression from EC-Grade 12.

Links to standards:

• English
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Science
• World Languages 
• Visual and Performing Arts 
• Technology and Computer Science 
• Physical Education 
• Library
• International Baccalaureate Diploma Program

At ICS, we use a standards-based, inquiry-oriented pedagogical approach to instruction.

To accomplish this students are taught to ask questions, reflect, critically research and analyze information, and problem solve. This approach to learning not only promotes a curriculum that strives to explicitly teach the thinking process, but it also promotes student choice, self-direction, and responsibility.

• At ICS we belief that all students can learn at high levels.  
• Our Definition of Learning and our Learning Process give agency to our students to play an active role in their learning.

Our assessment and grading practices are designed to create optimal conditions for student learning. Teachers work in partnership with students to enable them to demonstrate what they have learned, assess their progress, identify next steps and specify strategies to maximize student potential. We use a balanced a approach that includes diagnostic, formative and summative assessments. Our varied assessment practices and strategies include authentic performance tasks enabling students to transfer acquired knowledge and skills into the real world.

Using data driven instruction, teachers at ICS, collect and analyze various streams of data to improve student learning and performance. The standards and benchmarks, assessments and grading practices are communicated to students, parents, and the community. 

Click HERE for our Assessment Policy

At ICS, we recognize that our students need to function and succeed in the global, networked modern world. We are committed to providing a variety of technology tools empowering students to create, collaborate and learn.

We believe that technology is a tool that should:

• enable students to learn in more active and individualized ways
• assist teachers in differentiating instruction and creating complex, rich learning experiences
• facilitate communication throughout the community
• help improve productivity and efficiency in the school offices and classrooms

As the technology infrastructure of Ethiopia grows and expands, we look forward to similarly growing and expanding our network and connectivity to the rest of the world. It's an exciting time at ICS!

The technology program at ICS is designed to develop our students' skills in using a wide variety of tools to learn, create, collaborate and contribute. We structure technology lessons to be integrated with other areas of the curriculum, and create learning opportunities for students that allow them to use their skills holistically.

The International Community School of Addis Ababa is dedicated to professional growth in order to increase student learning and performance.

Our teachers are committed to continually developing their capacity, knowledge and  skills by participating in a wide range of professional learning opportunities.  Faculty members are encouraged and supported to participate in a variety of on-going internal and external professional learning workshops and conferences around the world, related to schoolwide professional initiatives and their educational goals.