The Academyati Educational Model

Academyati, located in the heart of Qatar,aims to be a beacon of Islamically grounded progressive education, dedicated to nurturing a new generation of students who are rooted in their Islamic heritage while being fully equipped to engage with the modern world. This unique institution recognizes the crucial role of Islamic education in preserving the rich cultural and religious values of Islam, and it strives to prepare its students to contribute meaningfully and effectively to contemporary society. At Academyati, the educational journey is more than just academic; it is a comprehensive experience that fosters intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual, artistic, and social growth, ensuring that each student develops into a well-rounded individual.

The educational approach at Academyati is characterized by a holistic, personalized, gradual, and systematic approach. This methodology is carefully designed to cater to the intellectual level, capacity, and readiness of each student, ensuring that education is not a one-size-fits-all process but a tailored journey that respects and nurtures individual potential.

Academyati aims to follow an educational model that is intricately designed to encompass several key elements: it is anchored in an Islamic worldview while fostering intellectual independence. This approach emphasizes a deep-rootedness in Islamic identity, which is seamlessly integrated with community engagement and an awareness of historical context. The model advocates for innovation, encouraging continuous self-renewal and a forward-thinking mindset to prepare for future challenges.  It places a strong emphasis on excellence, holistic development, and academic rigor. Additionally, the model is committed to nurturing altruism in students, encompassing service learning, ethical practice, and a dedication to social responsibility. This multifaceted approach ensures a well-rounded, progressive education aligned with Islamic values and contemporary relevance. Welcome to Academyati: Nurturing the Leaders of Tomorrow Academyati is a beacon of progress deeply anchored in the rich tapestry of Islamic tradition and Qatari heritage. Our educational philosophy is underpinned by a set of core values that foster a nurturing, inclusive environment. We celebrate bilingualism, tailor learning experiences to each individual, and foster strong foundations in numeracy and literacy through our interdisciplinary curriculum.

Small Classes, Big Dreams

Our commitment to educational excellence is reflected in our ideal class sizes. With the majority of our classes hosting just 8 to 9 students, we ensure personalized attention and a deeper connection between educators and students. This approach not only fosters meaningful interactions but also prepares our students to flourish in a global society.

A Progressive Approach to Learning

Academyati’s pioneering educational model is designed for customization and flexibility. Our unique phase system allows students who excel to advance beyond their age group, learning alongside peers who match their level of understanding and curiosity. This approach ensures that every child’s educational journey is as unique as they are.

Culture and Values at the Heart of Learning

Our curriculum seamlessly integrates Qatari culture and Islamic values into our approach to teaching all classes. This integration ensures that our students not only excel academically but also develop a strong sense of identity and ethical grounding.

Engaging Parents in the Learning Journey

At Academyati, we believe that education is a collaborative effort. We welcome parents to actively participate in their child’s education, from accessing the school freely to joining classes and even leading sessions based on their skills and interests. This open-door policy fosters a strong community spirit and enriches the educational experience for everyone involved.

Quest Times: Fueling Passion and Creativity

One of the most exciting features of our program is ‘Quest Times.’ These sessions are dedicated to helping students pursue their passion projects, ranging from woodworking and mechatronics to exploring civilizations and traditional Sedu weaving. During these times, students work towards creating a tangible end product, a testament to their creativity, dedication, and skill.

Our reporting system is qualitative and narrative in nature because we do not follow a traditional grading system; however, it is comprehensive and gives a clear picture of each child’s skills, character and interests.

We do not have traditional classes or grades at Academyati. Children learn in mixed age groups as they are naturally inclined to do so in real life. This is a key aspect of our philosophy as a school. Contrary to conventional methodologies, our learners do not learn from an adult teacher alone, rather mix with each other and learn from one another. Learners motivate, observe and support each other.

Instead of the grades, our learners are divided into five phases:

Phase 1.1: ages 3 and 4

Phase 1.2: ages 5 and 6

Phase 2: ages 7, 8 and 9

Phase 3: ages 10,11 and 12

Phase 4: ages 13, 14 and 15

Phase 5: ages  16,17 and 18

Currently we are accepting children in phases 1, 2 and 3.

Academyati is currently accepting children between the ages of 3-12, with the intention of growing to higher age groups in the future.

Although no day is “typical” at our school, we do have a schedule for each of the phases, and this is what they look like currently for each phase.

Our day is split into the following blocks:

•     Core skills
•     Learning Experience
•     Discovery
•     Gym / Movement
•     Reflection

Yes. We believe that every child leaving Academyati will be able to integrate to other environments. We build their autonomy and problem solving skills which will help better navigate their new environments.

Parents should inform the school ahead of time of their intention to move their child. The child has to fulfill the other school’s requirements. Academyati will provide a transfer certificate that can be attested from the Ministry of Education if the child is moving to a different country.

Students will be transferred to other schools based on their registered grade with MOEHE and fulfilling the admissions requirements of the new school.

Academyati will continue to give its children the opportunity to be active participants in their own learning process and we will also honor children’s passions. The changes will be in being more deliberate in planning and in the exploration of a curriculum which will have a clear focus on Islamic values. It will also have a component in which critical thinking and the various disciplines are taught through a lens which is in line with Qatar’s direction where emphasis will be put on Arabic, Islam and Qatari culture. A child who is non -Arab and non- Muslim is welcome to attend our school as long as the parents realize that teachings will emphasize both.

As children express various interests, teachers do their best to customize various learning experiences that continue to spark students’ interests. When students are interviewed at various intervals their core skills are assessed and accordingly, specific skills are targeted to ensure that all gaps are filled.

This is an ongoing process. We do not have standardized tests or exams, but we do have ongoing formative assessments. These vary from one phase to the next. Children are compared to themselves and not each other and based on that, phase mentors and teachers along with the children help create experiences which will target different needs and interests.

We have multiple ways in which parents can communicate with the school. We welcome parents to call or drop in and they have access to our teachers and staff. We also have formal parent teacher meetings twice a year. There is a monthly newsletter that goes out with all the events and important news going on at school and on trips. We have instated regular monthly coffee mornings where parents can come in, ask questions and listen to the latest developments. We also ask for parent feedback through surveys.

Yes

Yes

Yes. At Academyati parents are partners.  They are encouraged to come in and offer various activities and sessions if they share their ideas with us in advance. They can also participate in trips and special events.

Currently our student to teacher ratio across the school is around 4:1. This ratio varies from phase to phase.

We are ensuring that all incoming teachers to Academyati are trained in their field and that all existing ones undergo the kind of professional development needed for them to thrive and take our children to the next level. Professional Development is an ongoing process for teachers at Academyati.

Teachers at Academyati come from various fields. This allows the students to have access to individuals who are knowledgeable in different fields. Most of our teachers are bi-lingual (English and Arabic). Academyati also focuses on teachers’ professional development and provides need based training so our teachers can provide the best learning experience to our children. Teachers were originally called collaborators at Academyati; however, we will revert to calling them teachers again since teaching in its very nature is a collaborative process.

Physical Education (PE) is one of the required sessions of every child’s day because it is through the building of gross motor skills that fine motor skills are developed. Students spend around 2.5 hours per week on PE.

Teaching Islamic values is part of the school philosophy and this is closely connected to character education. There is a practice of religion such as congregational prayers, Quranic recitations, Ramadan and Eid celebrations.etc. Islamic values and teachings are also embedded throughout the day at Academyati such as during meal and prayer times; however, direct instruction occurs in the form of halaqa in phase 3 and also in the form of stories and the teaching of Quaranic verses.

Although no day is “typical” at our school, we do have a schedule for each of the phases, and this is what they look like currently for each phase.

Our day is split into the following blocks:

• Core skills
• Learning Experience
• Discovery
• Gym / Movement
• Reflection

Although we do not have a set curriculum for literacy and numeracy, we are ensuring that certain standards are being met. We are using various resources to do this. Academyati uses a progression scale/ continuum for the core skills of Arabic and English literacy, and numeracy.

We are also becoming more intentional regarding our students’ experiences and try to embed literacy and numeracy in the child’s project/quests. For example, if a child expresses interest in building the replica of a stadium, we are ensuring that along with fulfilling this interest, core skills are being targeted such as design, math, writing, art, public speaking…etc.

There is no set curriculum at Academyati. Instead, we offer a personalized learning journey that caters for each child’s needs and interests. We do not limit children’s knowledge to a standard curriculum, rather we keep their horizons open for exploration and questioning. As core skills of literacy and numeracy are an important element for the overall learning, Academyati uses a progression scale/ continuum for the core skills of Arabic and English literacy, and numeracy.

Free play is also a main vehicle for learning, especially in the younger years, and we use additional instruments to foster learners’ agency in learning. This includes projects/quests, activities, field trips and more.

Quests/projects for example are key in our learners’ self-led discovery every day at the school. Quests/projects could be planned or improvised. Planned quests/projects come from the teachers as a result of their observations and knowledge of our learners’ interests. Spontaneous quests/projects are created in the moment, following a child’s sparked interest in a topic or a thing using the rich and diverse resources and expertise available in the school.

The main criteria for transferring a student from one level to the next is their age; however, if we find that a particular student has spent more time than usual in a certain phase or if they have demonstrated skills that will allow them to succeed in the next level, we will form a committee and discuss this on a case-by-case basis. This type of situation is rare, and we would prefer students to remain in their appropriate phase to get the maximum benefit from it.

Admissions decisions are made thoughtfully, based primarily on the family’s and school’s vision alignment in terms of educational approaches and practices.

The decision will be emailed to you within 2 weeks from the date of the interview.