IB – Building Bridges For Your Child
Mark Beales
November 25, 2022
At OYIS, we are proud to be an IB World School that offers the PYP, MYP and the IB Diploma.
But what do those acronyms actually mean for your
Year: 2022
Finding Our Ikigai
Mark Beales
November 3, 2022
When I started learning Japanese, I began with the basics.
Saying hello, thank you, ordering food. That kind of thing. And then I bumped into a word that made
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) – Engagement, Value, Transformation
OYIS Marketing
October 20, 2022
Studying, completing assessments, sitting the exams. Sometimes students may wonder if that is all there is to the IB Diploma Programme. This question can especially arise at the beginning of
Sign up for the OYIS Scholarship Exam
Claire Anderson
October 17, 2022
Students who are eligible for Grades 10 or 11 in August 2023 are invited to take the 2022 Scholarship Exam. This exam is the first step to potentially receiving the
OYIS has hosted its first ever SAT exams
October 10, 2022
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) recently completed an evaluation of Osaka YMCA International School (OYIS). It found that measures were in place to support inclusive education and
Fostering Independence in Children
Reese Ishmael
October 4, 2022
In late March of 2022 Japan’s hit program 初めてのおつかい was elevated to the global stage, re-branded as Netflix’s Old Enough. The premise is simple: a toddler, typically between 2 and
Multi-disciplinary Musings on Perspective
Jess Barga
October 1, 2022
It’s not a coincidence that so many of the courses designed by the IB place heavy emphasis on perspective: it goes hand in hand with the idea that learners should
Cross Country Event at Canadian Academy
September 29, 2022
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) recently completed an evaluation of Osaka YMCA International School (OYIS). It found that measures were in place to support inclusive education and
Learning Essential Skills With Robotics
September 27, 2022
From sumo to robot nurses, students at OYIS have a unique opportunity to learn foundational skills in engineering and programming. While Design is currently only offered in our Middle Year
What Makes an IB School Different?
Mark Beales
September 15, 2022
One of the most popular questions I am asked by parents is ‘what makes an IB school different from other schools?
Firstly, IB schools specifically aim to make students
Students hold a jewelry fundraiser
September 13, 2022
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) recently completed an evaluation of Osaka YMCA International School (OYIS). It found that measures were in place to support inclusive education and
WASC Praises Osaka School
Bryan Fawcett
August 31, 2022
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) recently completed an evaluation of Osaka YMCA International School (OYIS). It found that measures were in place to support inclusive education and
Osaka Students can sit SATs
Bryan Fawcett
August 23, 2022
Students in Osaka City are now able to take internationally-recognized tests as they prepare for university.
Osaka YMCA International School (OYIS) has just been given permission to host Scholastic
The Choices We Make: Building School Community
Claire Anderson
June 22, 2022
It was my goal that OYIS would be a safe space for young people and would aim to provide a community where they felt safe, supported, and engaged. I wanted
The Silver Lining
Claire Anderson
June 15, 2022
If there is any silver lining to the last several years, it has been that we have been given time to really understand what we value in life. For me,
Summer Intensives 2022
Emily Donkin
June 14, 2022
We’d love for you to join us this summer at the OYIS Summer Intensives. For three weeks, we will be exploring Art, Books & Authors, and Superheroes.
A Reflection…on Reflection
Jess Barga
June 10, 2022
This brings me to the most difficult question: do I conduct genuine reflection, as I so often ask my students to do?
日本語と英語と生きるということ
Kaori Ichijo
June 1, 2022
言語を学ぶことはその言語を文化理解するだけではなく受容することであるから、異なる見方や価値観に対して敏感かつ寛容になれるのは、異なる文化を行き来する間に経験する葛藤や混乱のおかげなのかもしれないとも思っている。
Be enthusiastic! 何かに夢中になろう！
Chieko Fukumoto
May 25, 2022
“The only thing that can truly move people’s hearts are the deeds and words that emanate from the person’s experiences. This is because knowledge alone is not enough for people
Sports Day at OYIS
May 12, 2022
Sports Day was an event that brought togetherness to our OYIS community. Parent involvement and teacher collaboration made the day especially successful.
How I Learned English as a Kid
April 27, 2022
How do you “immerse” your child in English? As an educator I am tempted to post and quote research from different sources but I feel disconnected when I do that.
Social Media: Avoid the Hook
Thomas Hammerlund
April 20, 2022
Social media addiction is a serious problem, but by following the strategies in this blog you can evade the hook.
Trauma and Resilience
April 13, 2022
My homecoming wasn’t some moral or spiritual victory. I had managed to escape where others couldn’t and I was lucky. I also worked really hard. I took advantage of the
Collaboration in STEM
April 7, 2022
The group 4 project is an interdisciplinary activity in which all Diploma Programme science students must participate. The intention is that students from the different group 4 subjects (Physics, Chemistry
Are Video Games Educational?
April 4, 2022
What, if any, are the applications for video games in educational settings when they are created with the sole purpose of entertainment and making ever-greater sales and turning an ever
Making Projects Personal at OYIS
Patrick Anderson
March 23, 2022
Inquiry works best when people are pursuing something they are truly passionate about, and Personal Project gives them the freedom to do just that. Furthermore, because projects are often directly
Finding Connection: Suicide Prevention
March 16, 2022
Look around at the people in your life and ask yourself, do they have someone they can talk to about serious issues? Let’s prevent suicide by making connections with each
How to Build a High School: A Tale of Collaboration at OYIS
March 9, 2022
Building a school free from established rules and structures can be a very exciting project if you have a great team of people who share a similar vision.
Pink Shirt Day: I’m calling you out, OYIS!
February 23, 2022
It might just be very simple. Be kind. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do small acts of kindness and practice empathy. Really practice empathy
Neurodiversity & Inclusion
February 17, 2022
Neurodiversity is a term that came out of the Autistic Rights Movement and it was coined in about the late 1990s. Judy Singer, a sociologist in Australia, was autistic and
