Courses 
Establishing Middle School at OIS
Since the school was founded in 2003, OIS has been consistently aiming at establishing a high quality international school in order to offer a world class education in Okinawa. As a result of our efforts, the graduating students of the PYP (Primary Years Programme) from the elementary department will have their commencement exercise in March 2012.
However, high quality international education like the International Baccalaureate Programme in Junior and High school levels is not offered in Okinawa yet. Only after the Diploma Programme (DP), the final program of the international baccalaureate education is established, it becomes possible for Okinawa to send students to the world class universities. To achieve this goal there is an utmost need to establish junior high school department.
Through the visitation and instructions from the two IB authorized schools in Tokyo and Shizuoka, it has been found that acquiring the Middle Years Programme (MYP) with OIS is highly possible. In Okinawa there are a great number of students who cannot spend their time meaningfully at their current schools despite the fact that they possess high learning ability. MYP is defined as a programme for these students to face challenges and find joy and delight in learning and achieving their goals.
Education specialists from and outside Okinawa will jointly establish a quality English education. This global curriculum will prepare students to pass the entrance exams of high level senior high schools.
Junior high school department of OIS offers (1) International Course, and (2) Bilingual Course. The former adopts the MYP (Middle Years Programme) which aims to prepare the students of OIS for the fast changing world. The latter focuses on bilingual education that prepares the students for entering public or private high schools in Japan and for studying abroad.
OIS implements an educational programme of international level which separates it from the Japanese public education system. Consequently, a student attending OIS is registered at the public school of his/her residential area. The record of attendance and report card are issued to the public Junior high school regularly.
Characteristics of International Course
International course is vitally needed now to create indispensable human resources who could take realistic and pragmatic actions and give significant social contributions to our ailing world. Okinawa International School (OIS) will implement the inquiry based curriculum of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). This is to cultivate the power of communication, inquiring mind to explore untapped areas of discipline, creativity, global awareness, etc. Instructions are mainly in English. We no longer use the traditional type of education that has been based on rote memories, textbook-teacher centered instructions, or entrance-examination oriented programs. Instead, OIS offers global standard holistic education in which students learn on their own to be able to take actions with responsibilities through inquiry learning.
By utilizing the curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP) whose ranking is a world top level, Okinawa International School (OIS) is going to cultivate in the part of our students the power of communication, the inquiring minds to explore the untapped areas of discipline, creativity, the global minds, etc. Instructions have been mainly conducted in English. We are no longer using the traditional type of education that has been based on rote memories, textbook-teacher centered instructions, or entrance-examination oriented programs. Instead, OIS offers global standard holistic education in which students learn on their own to be able to take actions with responsibilities through inquiry learning.
- It is based on International Baccalaureate Middle Year Program (MYP): The first grade of junior high-school through the first grade of senior high school.
- Cultural understanding.
- Holistic learning through global curriculum and interdisciplinary approach in inquiry.
- A focus on high level communication skills.
- Extra-curricular activities and community involvement.
- eight basic subjects (Japanese, English, mathematics, science, social studies, arts, physical education, and home economics) are taught all year round.
- 25 students per class.
Requirements
- Understanding of Okinawa International School's mission and vision.
- Understanding of International Baccalaureate Programme.
- English Skil （Eiken level 2 and up）
- Interview and Examination
- School record （Grade 6）
- Characteristics of Bilingual Course
- The national language, mathematics, science, social studies, art, music, and arts & homemaking are taught according to the textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education & Science.
- English course aims at acquiring the second class of STEP at the end of the third grade of junior high school.
- To improve communication skills in English, all of the 50% of the class is taught in English.
- Five main subjects are taught to prepare students for taking entrance examinations to enter prestigious private and public high schools throughout Japan. We use the following methods: * Correspondence curriculum.
* Classes taught by the expert teachers of distinguished preparatory schools.
* International understanding by sharing the common programme with the international course. - Three-semester system.
- Class size of 20 to 25 students.
Requirements
- Student who has aggressive target
- From 7th grade to 9th grade in 2012
