The demand of the world today is viewed with a lot of optimism now than a decade ago when the world was filled with anxiety. This is more particularly felt in service institutions. The world is looking at and expecting institutions of change to cope with the consequences of the phenomena of globalization, technological advancement, climate change and the fast-paced networking of information. In such scenario, no school can remain docile and lethargic. Schools must be on guard and in line with the transforming society. Curriculum changes must go hand in hand with Information Technology and dramatic changes in the students’ disposition, demands and expectations. To be able to deliver, schools must update and arm themselves with the latest issues, trends and researches in teaching and learning.
Recognizing these forces of change, ICA has re-appraised its system and has formulated its institutional plan to ensure a continuing process to address the needs of its students. Consequently, innovations have been instituted to allow effective changes to flow into the mainstream of the school community.
The ICAns who are of Chinese ancestry but with a rich Filipino background are being prepared for what is foreseen as their global mission in the future, bridging experiences from the Philippines to other Asian countries particularly China.
ICA recognizes that a compassionate environment is essential in developing the learners’ self knowledge and esteem. Interdisciplinary activities that promote collaborative skills are factors of students’ success.
The pedagogical innovations being adopted by the school intends to facilitate learning that is directed towards life-long benefits. ICA as a college preparatory school looks beyond and channels students’ energy and potentials to make them become responsible and independent learners and eventually productive and zealous members of the world community where God’s love reigns.
Significant emphasis is placed on the Math and Sciences; Communication Arts English, Chinese and Filipino; Technology and Livelihood Education. Equal importance is given to Makabayan subjects: Araling Panlipunan, Music, Health and Physical Education.
Values Education, an important aspect of character formation is made possible through Christian Life Education and Homeroom Guidance Programs.
Impelled by Jesus’ mission and inspired by Délia Tetréault, MIC Foundress’, spirit of thanksgiving expressed in her evangelizing mission, the Immaculate Conception Academy with a distinct Chinese Filipino character provides for a human and Christian formation through an integral curriculum to form young women leaders, witnessing to Christ and committed to compassionate service.
The Christian Life Education (CLE) refers to the education in faith through interdisciplinary, deliberate, systematic and sustained activities. Religious instructions are designed to assist students in going through the process of learning and living their faith life. CLE aims to lead the students to a more mature Christian view of human life and progress, grounded on a spirit of prayer and an ideal of service in keeping with the social principles of the Gospel.
The basic principles of the CLE Program are based on the Act of Divine Revelation which states that Man as an image of God is the object of God’s self-communication and loving action. The program emphasizes the three dimensions of Christian faith in its curriculum. These are:
• The CREED or DOCTRINE expressed in Christian beliefs, convictions and truths in the Catholic Church.
• The behavioral dimension or MORAL expressed in Christian conduct and living out of one’s convictions, witnessing and commitment.
• The spiritual dimension or WORSHIP expressed in concrete signs of what one believes and does. These are manifested in prayer, the celebration of the liturgy, sacraments and other symbolic expressions to show and deepen the Christian traditions, beliefs and values.
The CLE program implements course offerings which are relevant, realistic and responsive to the needs of the students and the nation.
This area is designed to teach children to understand written language, develop their reading skills and instill in them a lasting love for reading. Instruction is divided into four strands: decoding, vocabulary, life and study skills, and comprehension. Specific skills in each strand contribute to growth in overall reading comprehension. Reading skills are extended with enrichment, reinforcement and application activities in the other subject areas.
Guided by the principles of Literature-Based Instruction, teachers use quality pieces of literature like short stories, poems, playlets, essays, biographies, and novels to develop pupils’ critical and analytical thinking skills. Such literary pieces are also used as springboards to inculcate in the pupils the school’s core values and the issues of Transformative Education namely: Gender Sensitivity, Justice and Peace, Political Education and Environment Education.
Supplementing the course offering is the SRA Reading Laboratory, which offers a multi-level, individualized, development program of reading skills.
Speech lessons are conducted every week from Grades One to Four, to provide the pupils with more facility and confidence in the use of the English Language.
The Learning Center for English, which is also part of the area, aims to encourage learners to maximize their potentials by providing activities that further enhance their multiple intelligences
(verbal-linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, musical/rhythmic, bodily/kinesthetic, naturalistic/interpersonal and intrapersonal).
Media Education is an important facet of this area. Various forms of print and non-print media are critically used and analyzed to train the children to become discriminating users of media.
The area is designed with a firm commitment to the school’s vision of forming young grateful Chinese – Filipino women of faith with a mission for others and in consonance with the school’s thrust of Transformative Education. It provides for the acquisition of communicative competence at a level commensurate with the pupils’ stages of development and maturity.
The area aims to translate into reality the belief that the young pupils should be involved in an integrated program of thinking, listening, reading and writing, which will nourish their ability to communicate in English effectively and creatively. The area also provides the pupils with personal values and worthwhile activities that are geared towards community involvement and a more conscious awareness of the present society. Moreover, a discriminating and intelligent use of media is acquired or learned in this area.
A clear knowledge of the clientele which the school intends to serve and of the community in which it exists was taken into consideration in designing this area.
Grade School Science aims to inculcate in the learners the spirit of scientific inquiry. Child – centered activities and experiences are provided by the teachers who act as the facilitators of learning and leaders of scientific inquiry.
The Science Area believes that by equipping the learners with the needed understanding and applications, skills and values, they will be able to face the challenges of everyday life, take active participation in the preservation of the environment and share their talents to contribute to the welfare of the community and the society where they belong.
Knowing mathematics means being able to use it in purposeful ways. To learn mathematics, students must be engaged in exploring, conjecturing, and thinking rather only in rote learning of rules and procedures. Mathematics learning is not a spectator sport. When students construct personal knowledge derived from meaningful experience, they are much more likely to retain and use what they have learned. This fact underlies teacher’s new role in providing experiences that help students make sense of mathematics, to view and use it as a tool for reasoning and problem solving. [Adapted from the Curriculum and Evaluation for School Mathematics and Executive Summary of National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Mathematics in the grade school of Immaculate Conception Academy, Greenhills includes the study of whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, percent, ratio and proportion, geometry, measurements, and simple statistics. The grade seven lessons include rational and irrational numbers and the other basic concepts and language of algebra.
The lessons on the four basic operations comprise the study of concepts, mental math strategies, estimation, and exact computations. These are reinforced and enriched with problem solving. The different problem solving skills and strategies are directly taught in the classroom and the focus is not only on the final answer but also on the process or solution used to get it.
Various activities have been considered to motivate students to experience the enjoyment and fascination of mathematics as they gain mathematical power. Students are encouraged not only to solve but also to make or create their own problems. The use of a calculator is adapted primarily for exploratory activities, business mathematics, and for time economy in solving lengthy computations in the higher level.
Values integrated in Math by way of emphasis on truth and its related values: accuracy, objectivity, honesty, justice, perseverance, orderliness, and the different thinking skills such as critical, analytical, logical, and reflective thinking. Flexibility and creativity are also inculcated in the different activities employed in the daily teaching-learning process.
Each of the Science courses takes part in defining man’s role in the preservation and conservation of natural resources and in dealing responsibly with all the issues that come with it. It further seeks to inculcate in the students a sense of gratitude as well as a deeper sense of faith manifested through individual ownership of the responsibilities as stewards of God’s creations.
Laboratory experiments, Investigative Researches, Reading of Science Journals serve as tools for the students to better understand environmental and scientific issues and problems from different perspectives. Teaching strategies and choice of activities and evaluation techniques help in strengthening basic skills to reinforce higher order cognitive skills.
The curriculum in Araling Panlipunan in high school is focused on developing skills and values inherent in the disciplines of history and economics.
Through the study of History, the students will be better able to understand their own society as well as others. By understanding the relationship of past and present, students will be equipped to deal with problems that might arise in the future. Students will understand chronological thinking and connections between causes and effects and between continuity and change. History enables students to see how people in other times and places have dealt with the fundamental questions of truth, justice, and personal responsibility, to understand that ideas have real consequences, and to realize that events are shaped both by ideas and actions of individuals.
Integrated in the course on Philippine history is a brief summary of experiences of the Chinese Filipinos, from the time of migration to the present. The focus is on how the Chinese were eventually assimilated into Philippine culture. First year students work on a year-long project that allows them to explore their own family’s history as Chinese Filipinos.
The study of economics is geared towards understanding the basic economic principles that support the market economy and different economic systems. Through this, the students will learn how to make wise economic decisions about their own lives and become intelligent consumers, employers, and workers. A solid grounding in economics will help students prepare for the global marketplace and the complex world of the future.
Computer Education is designed to primarily prepare the students for the demands of a world where Information Technology is constantly updated. Moreover, it aims to equip the students with the necessary skills needed to cope with the demands of the different disciplines in the academic field. With the computer proficiency students will acquire, independent studies, group researches and presentation of reports in other subject areas will be facilitated.
The Computer program for first year students is a whole year course on MS Visual Basic. Students learn the rudiments of programming and creating interactive applications. The Computer program for second year students is a one semester course on database management. Using office programs MS Excel and MS Access, students are expected to be able to create, design, handle, retrieve, maintain, and extract information efficiently.
Exercises, drills, and hands-on activities are given to the students for them to apply concepts learned.
Fashion Technology provides the first year students with basic knowledge in sewing and the use of sewing machine. This course also aims to develop students’ self-confidence & aesthetic sense through basic concepts on proper care and choice of clothes.
Culinary Arts for first year students covers basic food preparation, food presentation, and use of kitchen tools and equipment. At the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to prepare simple nutritious meals and to have developed orderly and safe work habits in the kitchen.
Baking is offered in second year high school and introduces the students to the fundamentals of Baking as a culinary art. Discussions on the history of baking, current baking industry practices, and basic baking equipment and tools are followed by actual, hands-on baking. The course ends with a Bake Sale where students go through the process of developing and marketing their own products. The Bake Sale challenges not only the students’ basic baking skills but also their entrepreneurial acumen.
Research is given in third year high school. Through this course, students learn basic research skills including writing scientific papers, using statistics to analyze data, critiquing other researches, and defending their own Investigative Research work. Students will be immersed in doing research geared towards the responsible utilization of resources and the preservation of the environment. Ultimately, the course aims to lead the students to realize the importance of research in man’s progress.
Bookkeeping is a course offered to the fourth year students that provides them with basic knowledge of accounting. Discussions on business accounting concepts and processes, coupled with bookkeeping exercises, aim to develop in the students critical problem solving skills leading to sound financial decision making. The course aims to make students learn the importance of precise and accurate data in business. More importantly, the course aims to lead the students to become business leaders and entrepreneurs with integrity and conscience.
The Music and Arts Program seeks to expose students to and develop appreciation for Philippine, Asian, and Western music. Students do not only acquire factual and theoretical knowledge but are also introduced to applications like singing, playing Filipino and Asian instruments, listening to recordings, and reading, writing and creating music.
Physical Education aims to make the students physically strong, well-poised, sound and efficient, mentally alert and active, and emotionally tempered and well-balanced. Each year level takes on a different fitness program such as sports, gymnastics, dancing, and martial arts.
Health Education is designed to keep students abreast with health concerns and issues. Lessons on Health Assessment, Proper Hygiene, First Aid, Drugs and Substance Abuse, Mental Health, Communicable and Non-communicable diseases, Alternative Medicine and Nutrition and Fitness all aim to lead the students to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Citizenship Advancement Training is offered to fourth year high school students. The program aims to enhance students’ sense of responsibility and commitment to the development of their school community. Aside from engaging the students in lectures, discussions, and drills, the course leads the students to render assistance in different school activities and campaigns. By fostering the sense of service, the course aims to mould the students into servant leaders who value discipline, order, innovation, and initiative.
中華文學與語言之編制目的是讓學生研習漢語普通話之技能,，並增進他們能欣賞中國固有優勢的文化。每週五節課，每節50分鐘講解的教材含有中國歷 史，地理，風俗，習慣。學生們都授與朗讀，作文，日常常用便條，短訊，唱歌，每日常用交談的對話。書法不但是一種藝術也是一種品德的鍛鍊，最重要是中國固 有的美德與價值觀都融洽在每日教材中。
The Chinese Language Arts and Communication program aims to hone the students’ communication skills in Mandarin and enhance their knowledge and appreciation of their cultural heritage. Students are engaged in discussions on Chinese history, literature, geography, and customs and traditions. They also engage in various activities such as oral reading, essay writing, singing Chinese songs, practicing basic conversation in Chinese, and learning the art and discipline of Chinese calligraphy. Moreover, traditional Chinese virtues/values that form much of this unique and rich culture are integrated in the daily lessons.
1st SEMESTER
General Mathematics 1
21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World
Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wika at Kultura
PE and Health 1
Chinese Language Arts 1
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person 1
English for Academic and Professional Purposes
Precalculus
General Chemistry 2
Journalism
Philippine Politics and Governance
Fundamentals of ABM 1
Applied Economics
2nd SEMESTER
Earth and Life Science (non-STEM)/Earth Science (STEM)
Pagbasa at Pagsusuri ng Iba’t Ibang Teksto Tungo sa Pananaliksik
Statistics and Probability
PE and Health 2
Chinese Language Arts 2
Introduction to Philosophy of the Human Person 2
Filipino sa Piling Larangan
Calculus
General Biology 2
Psychology
Creative Writing 1
Fundamentals of ABM 2
Business Math
1st SEMESTER
Physical Science (non-STEM)/Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction (STEM)
Media and Info Literacy
General Mathematics 2
PE and Health 3
Chinese Language Arts 3
Christian Social Responsibility 1
Empowerment Technologies (ICT)
Practical Research 1
General Physics 2
Anatomy and Physiology
Discipline and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences
Business Finance
Principles of Marketing
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Principles of Marketing
2nd SEMESTER
Understanding Culture, Society and Politics
PE and Health 4
Chinese Language Arts 4
Christian Social Responsibility 2
Entrepreneurship
Practical Research 2
Selected Topics in Mathematics
Introduction to Organic Chemistry
Creative Nonfiction
Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship
Organization and Management
Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
Organization and Management
General Biology 2 or Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
ICA provides a balanced program of curricular and co-curricular activities designed to provide opportunities for the development of leadership, self-sacrifice and other potential of students. This activities are essential for the holistic development of students. Thus, every student is required to participate in curricular and co-curricular activities of the school.
