The international School of Choueifat?

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

Hi Keza, In the end did you take the job with SABIS? If so, how is it going ? I'd love to know. I'm thinking about lower elementary there.

i know, i know, "calm down" - all are telling me this at the moment, too much happening too little time.

thanks

I do not think there is much of a challenge here. Always look at it as a positive point by getting exposed to various nationalities. Usually people here are nice. Also teenagers are the same everywhere with the widespread of internet and satellite TV. So I do not see anything to worry about.

Hi KellysHeroes

thanks for the response, love the story so typical of children. I guess I am going to have to wait until I get out there in the next couple of weeks and get some indication that she is not going to be the only EAA in her class. The school has been vague on this point. She is nearly 13, and although I am very keen for her to have the Choueifat education coming from rural Scotland (where being international means you live 10 miles away!)I dont want her to have too much of a challenge fitting in given the emerging teenage angst.

Good day.

Glad to see your positive reponse. At least some of the teachers belong to EAA.

I have faced a different experience. At some point I had to send my family back to Lebanon. The first school day for my daughter there (Lebanon) she came home crying. When we asked her what's wrong, her reply was "There is no A/C in the classrooms and also all the students are Lebanese" :)

Hi KellysHeroes

thanks so much for the reply, dont mind being in the minority so long as not the only one, I was in the monority EAA (thanks for the abbreviation) but feel that it was a fantastic opportunity nearly 20 years ago and even more relevant today.

The school is international, but the EAA (European, American, Australian) is much less than Middle Easterns and Asians.

i posted a thread on another forum site and go no response about choueifat so here goes.

I am a graduate of choueifat and so fully understand the system and want my daughter to attend but what I am unable to find out is the mix of nationalities ie. whether is it truly international including European, Australian, American etc as well as the Middle Eastern mix.

Any input would be gratefully received and Keza I apologise in advance for kind of hijacking your thread.

You are right. Eventually we get concerned more than necessary. We look for perfection but it does not exist.

The students and the adminstration talk mainly if not only English. Also studying Arabic is optional.

Concerning GCSE, what I know is that their system allow the students to select the subjects at school, depending on whether they are in scientific section or arts section. THere are certain rules and pre-requisits. Guess you do not have to worry about this issue. Also there is a minimum number of subjects to take but still your kid can take more subjects if he wishes and the schedule allows.

Have a nice day

You are right... even if we manage to put him in the chosen school, he will face the same problem. What we need is the support class that can help him to improve gradually. We might explore into this school once arrive in Doha. For my eldest who will be in Yr 9, my concern is to prepare him for his GCSE. I've read the website but one thing I realized is that the school have many arabs students than other foreigners. It's ok because I myself comes from Malaysia (Asian country). My boys are used to be surrounded by all kinds of foreigners. Does the students speak more arabic or they speak more in English?

P/S: If your children is doing fine in the university, then getting the disastrous grades is not a big deal... right!

Good Morning anmn1524.

Reviewing what I wrote while yawning and partially snoring is not bad.

Your second boy will face the same problem everywhere (am talking about serious schools).

Choueifat have the system of providing booster sessions (free) after regular hours and on Saturdays (weekend here is Friday and Saturday). But to make it clear. If you are talking about special needs, then 99% of the schools here do not have such system.

Whan I was talking about disaster, I mean you get the end of semester report with disastrous grades.

Wonder if you check the sites:

http://www.sabis.net/

http://www.iscdoha-sabis.net

I think they have added the system of parents interaction through their website. Such facilty was not there 3 years ago.

Sorry, I do not have any idea about Cedars Tutorial Centre.

Will keep providing whatever info you want.

If you need specific question, you can email the school (I think you did already)

Regards and have a nice day.

Hi, sometimes it really makes me crazy everytime I have to find the right school for my children. Adapting to the new culture is not a problem but it seems that finding the right school is a BIG problem. All this while they have been following the British system. I don't see a problem for my eldest and my third. Because so far any school that they go, they always do well and they are hardworking. But my utmost concern now is my second boy. He is a slow learner and it really puzzle me whether this school can help him to progress. Does their system cater for students who are slower than the other peers?

We will be in Doha end of August. Still waiting for the visa to be settled. So if Choueifat is not the solution, then I might have to send them to Cedars Tutorial Centre while waiting to get them into the right school.

P/S: What do you mean by 'disaster'?

Hi.

The formula and issue is simple.

1. You need to check the available options.

2. Select the most suitable, or as I always quote "the least worst".

Choueifat School (SABIS) adopts a hybrid system. It is a mix of American and British Curriculla. PersonallY I did not have any problem with my kids coz they came from Lebanon and the system there is very serious with emphasis on Mathematics and Sciences, even in Arts they are good also.

Eventually the school or the network of schools is a profitable firm. So you might find some shortcomings every now and then.

Personally I had many fights with the management bt honestly they are keen about each student.

If your kids are serious and hardworking, they should find their way eventually. The beginning is not easy. You need to keep this in mind. They might need to work double or triple their classmates initially but with time they will be fine.

If your kids or yourself cannot sustain the initial pressure then Choueifat is not the good selection for you.

The school policy (which I do not agree with) is "send us your kids and we will take care of them". There are short comings in this system in my opinion. I hope they have changed their policy coz one big issue is that there is no fool proof reporting system that keeps the parents aware of their kids performance. Sometimes you would know about a disaster after the fact. Unless your kids are honest enough to tell you everythings ( my kids are not and they were cheating me sometimes). So this is the point you need to concentrate on to monitor your kids status on weekly basis.

Hope I have provided a clear idea and did not add to your confusion.

To conclude: for serious kids and parents, Choueifat is the school, otherwise look for another one.

Again, plz feel free to bug me for any doubt.

Forgive me for any mistake or inconsistency. Am writing this thesis after midnight.

Regards.

Hi KellysHeroes, this August my children will be in Yr9, Yr6, Yr5. I am worry for my eldest since another year he has to concentrate for his GCSE. The current international school that he attended in Singapore doesn't emphasize on exams. He complained about it because he always want to do well in his exams. With due respect, I am of the opinion that exams can help us to identify the area that he is having difficulties and can help him to improve it gradually not instantly. Please highlights any important point about this school that I should know in order to help my children to cope with the system. GREAT HELP! Thanks.

I highly recommend the school. My kids got their highschool from there and they did not have any problem with TOEFL, SAT I & II. They are doing very well now @ universities.

Mind you, there is no school that satisfy everyone.

If your kids are enrolling into lower classes (KG, Grade 1, 2, 3) then it is a easy and smooth start for them. If they will be enrolling in middle classes then they (and you also) would find it difficult at first, but with serious work and extra efforts at the beginning they should be okay.

rthg - i was in the same situation... when i read about their 'methods' as a teacher it was so perscriptive...

after an australian education... this isn't for you.

it is totally product orientated and nothing on the process are their learning.

anmn - all due respect I dont think weekly testing is positive.

the children dont actually retain much knowledge - they just become test machines and is very stressful for them as they constantly assessed on performance and a grade not what they actually did.

it allows little development of the individual and their talents.

think of what you know and your best knowledge probably comes from deep experiences not rote learning facts.

actually i am a dab hand myself at passing exams but in my experience students and my learning has always been more meaningful when there has been a process of assessment like a group project.

Hi All, I would like to get more info about this school from the parents who already have children in this school or from anyone who has friend connected to this school. It's gonna help me in making the decision. I don't mind that they have tests everyweek because I think my boys need that. They hardly do their own revision because normally exam is only end of the term. Thank you.

Hi Keza,

we will be arriving in Doha August 18.. coming from Alice Springs in the NT (at least living in a desert won't be a shock to the system!!) It's all getting perilously close now - we are looking forward to the change, but sad to leave what has been "home" for 15 years. Look forward to meeting/making some new friends.

Cheers R

Hi Ruthg

I live in Western Australia and will be in Qatar in July/August. We are still waiting for the final dates to be finalised but it will be around July or August.

Yes, I will love to meet up one day.

Keza

Hi Keza, I am a teacher, but sorry can't recommend any good schools in Doha - I'm in the research stage myself.. still living in Oz, but I've accepted a job at Al Jazeera Academy and am hoping it will be a good school to work at (if it's not I intend to work hard to make it better!!). My teaching background was horrified at the info they gave me about the SABIS system, but that's coz it all went totally against my personal educational philosophy, on my limited understandings it is not my place to say whether it is effective or not. I'll check out the website you found for more info so I can make more informed comments..

Where are you in Oz and when do you arrive in Doha? We are going in August and would be interested in catching up with other "newies"

Cheers R

Hi Ruthg I just found a web site which has heaps of info on the school of the International schools of Choueifat. It made some interesting reading.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_School_of_Choueifat

I think I may need to do a little more research and have a good look at the school when I get to Doha.

Thanks for your advice.

Thanks for your reply, Ruthg.

I'm not to worried about the testing. As I mention in my reply to Winine they have a test from their distance education school every two weeks. Even though the test maybe weekly and properly a lot different. I think they will be ok with the test but yes will find it a lot different then home schooling.

They were in school for a few years before they done home schooling and are really keen to go to school in Doha. I'm still looking into all the schools in Doha.

Can you recommend any?

Thanks for your help it was a great help

Thanks for your reply, lili. Arabic is one of the reasons I like the school. I would like my children to learn Arabic while they are in Doha. I have brought the Arabic before you know it CD ROM and my children have been practicing and loving it.They are very keen to learn Arabic.

Once again thanks for your reply it was very helpful.

Thanks for your reply.

I'm looking into all the schools in Doha.

I like this one for a few reasons and they are the only one that has got back to me when I emailed them for information,the others have not.

The SABIS Educational System seems like a great system. I like the idea of testing.

My Children get tested by their distance education school every two weeks Which is great because they enjoy the test and I can see how they are going.

It might take a little for my children to get use to. They were in school for a few years before they done home schooling. I think any school they go to in Doha will be a big change.

Thanks again for your advice

I agree the poor teachers have loads of research reading etc to do......But the weekly tests are no big deal, the kids get used to them and it becomes part of their daily routine....i think the testing is a good idea because you can then identify problems early on

They are very big on discipline and accountability though ...It has it's ups and downs.lili.

I applied for job with the international schools of Choueifat & the info I received back from them was amazing - seemed to be very regimented & teacher dominated with incredible restrictions on teachers and demands on students. They apparently test all students on a weekly basis - even 3 yer olds...I suspect that if your kids are used to the freedom of home schooling, they would eitherbe total rebels or completely overwhelmed by the school's way of presenting curriculum... but then again this is only my opinion based on what they sent me as a potential employee - I have no first hand knowledge.. might also add that on the basis of this info i did not pursue a career with them...

My I ask if Arabic is a priority ?(because the school is one of a few internationl schools in Qatar that offers Arabic.

Personally I think it's a good system.....Despite all the assessments they have the kids seem to do a minimal amount of work at home, they also have excellent facilities....sports and otherwise..lili.

Winnie

Google int'ntl sch. of c in qatar. I just did. Looking at schools myself for my two kids. What is special about this one?

If your children are used to the flexibility of home schooling they might find this school claustrophobic.