Our goal is to establish a learning environment that is engaging and empowering for our students, preparing them for success in the 21st century. Our approach is focused on the student, promoting critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and social-emotional development.

Middle school students have specific developmental needs across academic, social, emotional, and physical aspects. They require a supportive and safe learning environment that is inclusive and encouraging. It is important for middle school students to feel respected, valued, and motivated to take on challenges in their learning. The curriculum for this age group should be challenging, engaging, and relevant, providing opportunities for exploration, inquiry, and hands-on learning to enhance curiosity and critical thinking skills.

Given the diverse learning needs and abilities of middle school students, it is essential to offer differentiated instruction to accommodate various learning styles, interests, and readiness levels. Adolescence is a crucial period for social and emotional development, and we strive to support our teenage learners in developing self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and healthy coping skills to foster a positive school climate. Identity exploration is also a normal part of this age, and students benefit from opportunities to explore their interests, passions, and values, as well as express themselves creatively within our KOMPASS community.

Establishing positive relationships with peers, teachers, and other adults is important for middle school students to receive emotional support, guidance, and mentorship, fostering a sense of connection and value. Clear expectations and feedback are emphasized, with routines and guidelines in place for behavior and academic performance, along with timely and constructive feedback to support growth and learning.

As students navigate this exciting phase, they acquire essential life skills and begin exploring potential career paths by practicing time management, organization, and goal-setting to prepare for high school and beyond. Formative assessment strategies, including self-assessments, peer assessments, and performance tasks, are utilized to provide ongoing feedback. Additionally, learning in small peer groups is organized to enhance engagement, as students often find more comfort and support in these settings.

The Reggio Emilia pedagogy is an educational approach that originated in the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy.

It has been an integral part of our educational philosophy because it values the unique perspectives and abilities of each child. Children are capable and competent individuals who construct their own learning through exploration, inquiry, and interaction with their environment. The Reggio Emilia approach also fosters a sense of community and belonging, and encourages lifelong learning through meaningful experiences.

Reggio Emilia elements at KOMPASS are integrated into our early childhood learning in various ways:

1. Emergent, Child-Centered Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed around the interests, needs, and curiosity of our children. Teachers observe and listen to the children, incorporating their ideas and questions into project-based learning experiences.

2. Emphasis on the Arts
We encourage children to express themselves through various creative mediums, fostering their imagination and self-expression.

3. Collaborative Learning
We emphasize collaboration among children, teachers, and parents, providing opportunities for children to work together, problem-solve, and learn from each other’s perspectives.

4. Documentation and Reflection
We document children’s learning experiences in our KOMPASS Development Portfolios through photos and written observations, serving as a tool for reflection, assessment, and communication with parents.

5. Environment as the Third Teacher
The physical environment is considered the “third teacher” after parents and educators.

15 YEARS OF PUTTING CHILDREN FIRST

In September 2008, KOMPASS Kindergarten opened its door in the Maadi lush suburb of Cairo Egypt. With 14 children and 7 staff members, they began putting children first.

Instead of giving in to a rigid institutional system, the founders wanted for every child out there what they wanted for their own children. And that was when KOMPASS Education began.

Back then, the kindergarten consisted of one apartment, an outdoor space, and lots of love and understanding. The vision of the founders and staff was that children are complete in themselves, they are capable of learning, they are capable of being independent, they have a choice. Everyone at KOMPASS deeply believed this, and still do.

(PICTURE) * CAPTION: 2008 – KOMPASS KINDERGARTEN

4 month later, in January 2009, the KOMPASS Nursery opened its door for younger children, children as young as 12 months, show interest in things they prefer, they make choices, they have talents, and are able to perform and participate in tasks and activities that may seem beyond their ability to their parents. In the KOMPASS nursery each teacher has a maximum of 3 children, from 9 to 3 these children are participating, cooperating carrying and learning simple life skills like eating completely by themselves, cleaning up before and after meals, sleeping within a group of other children, competing puzzles, doing simple literacy activities, working on their fine and motor skills and being monitored by the Nursery staff that documents every major and minor milestone and skill acquired by the children on a daily basis. In the KOMPASS Nursery toddlers are being giving the chance to be their independent unique selves on a daily basis. A nursery is not only a daycare for this age group, but a place of social, mental and physical growth.

(PICTURE) * CAPTION: 2009 – KOMPASS NURSERY

The 3 year olds who entered kindergarten in 2008 turned 7 in 2012. And they needed a school to attend. By then KOMPASS had already started turning into a community and the staff and parents alike wanted to continue giving to the children the same opportunities throughout their primary school years. The KOMPASS concept and pedagogy were already established and were not going to waste.

Accordingly, in 2012 the KOMPASS Primary school opened its door, and the children were transferred from the Kindergarten to continue their child centered education in a broader and a more comprehensive approach, each according to their level and age.

(PICTURE) * CAPTION: 2012 – KOMPASS Primary School

Throughout the years, from 2008 unto 2012, more parents, Expats and Egyptians – mostly residing in Maadi – were starting to form a child centered community, after all, KOMPASS being a neighborhood school, there had to be collaborations in one way or another between parents and school.

Along the primary years, the KOMPASS Primary school has been dedicated to maintain it’s child lead approach, and it was clear that the school needs to expand! From Kindergarten to Nursery to Primary, it was about time to walk these children to their middle school years.

In 2019, the KOMPASS Middle School was opened, and a whole new journey has begun. With all the challenges that the KOMPASS community faced along the years in sustaining the vision and quality of education at the Kindergarten, School and nursery, it is a proud moment for the KOMPASS School to announce that this coming academic year 23/24, there will be further adjustments and adaptations for the new and rich set curriculum that will take place starting this 

August 2023.

Stay tuned for our next story: The KOMPASS Curriculum and Approach.

Why progressive education is the best schooling system for modern generations

“A child wakes up in the morning dreading going to school” Do you as a parent relate?

Is your child miserable at school? Do they hate waking up in the morning? Are they struggling at school? What is wrong with them? Am I doing something wrong? What else can I do?

Is guilt suffocating you? Have you tried everything possible to make them love learning and failed? Well, we have good news for you… There is nothing wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with your child. There is something wrong with the system!

School should be fun. School should be safe. School should be a child’s second home. And this is what KOMPASS education introduced to Egypt.

So what is progressive education based on? Ignacio Estrada put it beautifully..

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn” Ignacio Estrada.

And this is exactly what KOMPASS Education believes in.

Here are 3 questions about progressive education that will help clarifies things:

So what is progressive education?

KOMPASS’ website was created in a way to simplify the concept and introduce parents and caregivers to progressive education. “KOMPASS is a trilingual progressive school in Maadi (Cairo, Egypt) and in Somabay (Red Sea, Egypt). The nursery, preschool, elementary school and middle school serve children from 1 to 14 years.

Educated and child-centered teachers work in small groups to be able to focus on the individuality of each child, and help him/her be the best version of themselves. By not only focusing on academic success, but also on strong social skills, we aim to prepare children to become responsible members of our global society.”

Does it take a special mindset to put your child in a progressive education school?

Short answer is No. Most parents who joined KOMPASS Education with their children over the past 15 years believed in the new idea. It was new, it was still in progress, but it took such an open and broad mindset to make a parent trust the system.

15 years later, most people who join with their children are more curious than sure. It is when they see the results for themselves they are sure and start advocating for KOMPASS.

Testimonial 1:

“My daughter has learnt in KOMPASS in 2 months, the equivalent of the 2 years she attended institutional schooling” – Luli (KOMPASS parent of 2)

Testimonial 2:

“I have found proper sand and nature in KOMPASS. My daughter is getting the same quality education I got in Norway as a child” – Imaan (KOMPASS parent of 2)

Testimonial 3:

“My child’s grades were very high in institutional schooling. KOMPASS has revealed his actual educational level. And now he is learning properly at his own pace” – Lillian (KOMPASS parent of 2)

Testimonial 4:

I saw how happy my niece is at KOMPASS. So when I gave birth, I knew KOMPASS would be the place for my child”. – Yasmine (KOMPASS parent of 3)

To learn more about progressive education, Check the KOMPASS website.

For further clarifications about the system, email KOMPASS on [email protected].

The KOMPASS crew is on a mission to raise awareness for progressive education. They believe that every child deserves the best education the world can offer.

In their own words:

The KOMPASS system is child-centered, hands-on and inquiry-based. Real learning for children of all ages happens while exploring and experiencing from collecting, analyzing and synthesizing information. Children’s learning is, therefore, process-oriented rather than product-oriented.

We give children the opportunity to recognize and follow their own interests. We encourage them to think for themselves and develop their own individual voices. We have built the KOMPASS system after researching international role models who were inspired by progressive educators like Maria Montessori, Jean Piaget and Lew Vygotksy, and by the experiences of the educational philosophy of Reggio Emilia and the German infans philosophy from which we have derived precious procedures and methods.

Stay tuned for the next KOMPASS Story, Why KOMPASS serves meals to students

Why does KOMPASS serve meals to students?

Food.

Proper nutrition is a crucial part of a child’s mental and physical development, and in its  progressive educational approach, KOMPASS believes that for children to grow healthy, they should have all aspects of their well-being met.

Through KOMPASS Education’s sections and branches, the same nutritional philosophy applies for all ages.

From 1 to 14 years children get 3 meals a day. With different kinds of nutritious meals, that are changed every week according to the children’s interests.

Through 1 to 5 years, meals are decided by the section heads, and starting at 6 years of age, children have several conferences a year to decide for themselves what meals they like and which breakfasts, lunches and snacks they like to have. Along with other needs and demands that they discuss with their teachers in a closed setup.

So why does KOMPASS Education serve meals to children and doesn’t count on the lunchbox model that is applied to most schools in egypt?

First off, By serving meals, the KOMPASS crew minimizes the chances of children bringing non nutritious food to school. Lunchboxes hold the risk of children bringing empty calories to school. Which is something against the KOMPASS philosophy.

When children have the same meal they find a sense of unity and equality through a basic wellbeing activity. No child thinks the other one has better food, no child compares. No comparison is a key component of progressive education.

KOMPASS takes pride in its in-house culinary team who provides three fresh, nutritious meals every day. Fresh fruits and/or vegetables are offered during breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack.  Children are encouraged to try new things, and are reminded on a daily basis how important fruits and vegetables are for their wellbeing.

Like in a family, KOMPASS teachers take their meals with the children. They consider their meals an extension of our curriculum. Teachers encourage the children to talk about the food that they are eating. These conversations provoke more awareness about food and table manners and encourage healthy choices as well as the culture of eating together.

Teachers at KOMPASS are fully aware of each child’s nutritional needs. Allergies are being taken care of and every child is treated individually. The team makes sure that all children feel heard and listen carefully to each child’s cravings and needs.

The kitchen staff is fully aware of allergies within the group and special diets for children who need extra attention with their needs. After all, KOMPASS is a place for everyone. And eating the same food doesn’t mean children have to comply with a rigid system. The core of progressive education is built on individuality. And the meal serving process at KOMPASS Education combines individuality with equality. When older children decide what meals they want, they are given a healthy sense of autonomy along with the healthy food. After all, that is what progressive education is all about.

Stay tuned for our next story. 15 Years of putting children first

4 statements about Nursery from KOMPASS moms

When it comes to choosing a nursery for your baby/toddler, your gut feeling is mostly right. But how can someone differentiate between gut feeling, and parenthood anxiety?

Through questions asked to 4 KOMPASS moms, these were the reasons that got them to initially choose, or to switch from another nursery to KOMPASS.

1. It takes a village to raise a 15 month old.

“The amount of guilt mothers have is immense. Single mothers have an extra bit when they decide to send their child to nursery in order to go back to work.

I as a single mom had it hard when I decided to send my daughter to nursery at 15 months old. I kept giving myself all the reasons not to. But I realized that children at this age can actually “learn” a thing or two! I visited KOMPASS and saw children as little as 12 months working on activities with their teachers. I saw skills that my 15 months old didn’t reach yet. Only then I realized I needed help from teachers! As a single mom, after placing my child at KOMPASS, I knew first hand what a village is! It does take a village to raise a child, especially little children as young as my daughter was back then”.

2. My child was frustrated at all times.

“Young children cry for all different reasons, but if it’s more than usual and they keep crying for no tangible reason, this is a warning sign that they are stressed out. It happened to me when my child was two. I kept searching for reasons to explain her off mood, until I discovered she was being mistreated at nursery! It’s very hard to hide mistreatment from parents for long. And that’s why we joined KOMPASS. The difference was directly affecting her in a positive way, that we knew the problem was in her previous daycare”. 

3. My child loves drop offs!

Even though a lot of children find drop off emotionally challenging, a mother of three has another opinion; “The 3 of my children loved their drop offs! Except for my eldest who struggled a little bit at first, both of her siblings were equally excited to join the nursery. Nursery has made my life much easier. As soon as I got over the “guilt” part, all was smooth and worth it”

4. My child used to shout at his toys!

“Children imitate adults when it comes to pretend play. My son used to gather his toys and threaten to hit them if they don’t behave. And this was the last day he attended his past daycare.

When he was one, I had to send him to nursery as I had to go back to work. The biggest mistake I made was that I went against my intuition. I felt children were miserable when I visited his previous nursery but didn’t pay much attention to it at the time. When I visited KOMPASS, the first thing I noticed was how happy the children were! All of them less than 3 years of age and they were happy! I remember going back home telling my family I finally found a place where I can send my child to and not blame myself for it”.

The worst fear of a mother of an infant/toddler is child abuse, while the child cannot express themselves verbally. So here is a tip or two to help you identify if there is any kind of mistreatment at your child’s nursery:

A child who is being mistreated will not be able to articulate it verbally. But there are behavioral signs to look for. Shouting at toys is one of them. Frequent nightmares, extreme discomfort at drop off that cannot be consoled by the parent or teacher, and lastly, if you have a gut feeling that your child is being mistreated or abused, you are most likely right. It’s never too late to change nurseries and find new solutions. PS: it is normal for children to be clingy after going home because they miss their parents. So this sign may not be reliable in evaluating the situation.

But after all there are definitely places out there that really care for children, and provide them with all the love, care, and education they need.

    5 Facts you didn’t know about KOMPASS.

When KOMPASS Education opened its door in Egypt, the founders – being parents themselves – were determined to solve every obstacle that hindered them from finding the school they needed for their children. A trilingual, progressive school in the heart of the beautiful lush suburb of Maadi, Cairo, Egypt.

Accordingly, expats who move to Maadi, looking for the same experience for their children, are being advised to enroll them in KOMPASS.

So why has KOMPASS become so popular among expats and like-minded Egyptian parents in Maadi? And why do some parents from outside of Maadi choose KOMPASS for their children? Here are 5 facts that make parents choose KOMPASS Education for their families.

             1. KOMPASS IS TRILINGUAL

Children can learn 5 languages fluently up to the age of 5! And KOMPASS is dedicated to introducing the first 3 to its young learners! Language immersion is such a strong pillar and a unique aspect the sets KOMPASS apart from other schools in Cairo. Starting from the age of 1 and up to 6 years of age, children are exposed to German, English and Arabic equally. Accordingly, children who start their educational path at KOMPASS reach a level of fluency in the 3 languages early in life. Alot of KOMPASS’ young learners acquire 4 and 5 languages if they come from a household that speaks 2 other languages than the 3 taught at KOMPASS. While all children at KOMPASS speak and understand German, English and Arabic, some of them speak French, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, Italian and many more languages other than these three.

            2. KOMPASS IS THE FIRST PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION PROVIDER IN EGYPT

What is progressive education?

In progressive education, teachers work in small groups with a child centered pedagogy. And the sole purpose of this approach is to focus on the individuality of each child. Through doing that, children can grow up to be the best version of themselves. Not only as adults, but as the children they already are. This doesn’t happen only through focusing on academic success. As much as this is important, strong social skills are equally important, in progressive education, all aspects of teaching and raising a child work in harmony. This is why KOMPASS Education works in close relation with parents. To ensure that all the child’s needs are being met.

            3. KOMPASS DOES NOT PERFORM ASSESSMENTS ON CHILDREN ENTERING KINDERGARTEN

The question that is almost never asked in Egypt: On what basis are 3 and 4 year olds being assessed to redeem being worthy to join a school?!

Assessments in KOMPASS Kindergarten are out of the question. Children are children. Children are being accepted after conducting a meeting with the child’s parent/caregiver, to ensure that the KOMPASS team and the household are on the same page and have the same goals, approaches and intentions when it comes to raising and teaching a child. Because as mentioned before, education at KOMPASS is a collaborative process, between teachers and parents, and between teachers and teachers within KOMPASS.

          4. KOMPASS HAS A BRANCH IN SOMA BAY RED SEA  

In (November 2021) KOMPASS Education has opened its first Kindergarten branch in Soma Bay Red Sea, and started accepting children aged 2.9 to 6 years old. With the close proximity to the sea, the formula was complete by adding the —- of nature immersion. Children at Soma Bay, Hurghada, Safaga and neighbouring areas are automatically privileged by the option of living among nature. And KOMPASS Kindergarten Soma Bay has added to this formula an extra level of wellbeing to these children.

           5. KOMPASS IS A SCHOOL, KINDERGARTEN & NURSERY

From 1 to 14.

KOMPASS Education, and along the years, has evolved from a Kindergarten, to a Nursery, to a Primary School and eventually to a Middle School.

While KOMPASS is well known among Egyptians for being a Kindergarten, for it’s progressive approach and laid back atmosphere, parents are often skeptical about applying the same values when it comes to Primary and Middle school. Concerns differ between lack of structure, lack of discipline, and worries about children catching up around high school.

Stay tuned for the next KOMPASS Story, Why progressive education is the best schooling system for modern generations.

5 Reasons why KOMPASS Education is the most child friendly school in Egypt

For 15 years KOMPASS Education Maadi has been steadily and sustainably maintaining its educational approach, with more and more confident teenagers graduating and transitioning to international schools in Egypt and abroad.

SO WHAT IS KOMPASS? AND WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT ABOUT THE KOMPASS APPROACH?

    1. KOMPASS GREW WITH ITS CHILDREN.

It all started in 2008, when a group of passionate educators had a dream, and that dream was to bring truly progressive early childhood education to Egypt. For expatriate families to be able to find what they seek for their children, and for like-minded Egyptian families to enjoy what was never available in the country.

As KOMPASS children grew, KOMPASS grew with them. Accordingly, KOMPASS evolved from a kindergarten, to a nursery in 2009, opened a primary school in 2012, and expanded into a middle school in 2018. The sole purpose that drove KOMPASS to expand every single time was that children and parents did not want to leave. The KOMPASS team did not want them to leave either. And this is how KOMPASS evolved over the years, hosting today children as young as 1 up to adolescents at the age of 14.

    2. TEACHER TO CHILD RATIO.

As KOMPASS Nursery and Kindergarten evolved to a school, the unique child-o-teacher ratio remained as important as it has always been. And with its organic expansion, the KOMPASS team has always been and still is committed to their quality objective which is to offer individualized education to guide each child to become the best version of themselves.

KOMPASS adhered to the provision that sets them apart:. 1 teacher for every 3 nursery children, 1 teacher for every 5 children in the kindergarten aged 3 to 5, and 1 teacher per every 10 learners at the school.

It is this particular setup that allows the KOMPASS team to see the individual child, and to observe and document as a necessity for customized learning. At KOMPASS, every single child is seen as an individual. No child is another number. Teachers know what each child likes and dislikes, food they adore and food they average, their family members by names, and every detail that makes an individual unique themselves. The KOMPASS philosophy acknowledges that traditional education where all children of the same age should achieve the same goal at the same time, with the same teacher, using the same materials, at the same pace, equally well, will not sufficiently prepare for the challenges of the 21st century. The learning environment and the teacher provision at KOMPASS reflect that.

    3. WEEKLY COACHING TALKS.

KOMPASS children know from an early age that they have a voice, and this voice is always heard. Starting at the age of 5, children at the primary school have a personal weekly coaching talk with their coaching teacher. The child gets to express their feelings,  and tell their stories. The teacher listens, offers feedback and advice, and they agree on how best to move ahead. This is an effective way for teachers to learn about their students. For young learners, coaching conversations are shared with the parents. And this is one of many aspects that make KOMPASS a teacher-parent collaborative environment.

    4.SMOOTH TRANSITIONS.

As children progress on their learning journey through KOMPASS, transitions had to be defined.. Transitions within KOMPASS are targeted to ensure a smooth move from one section to the next, taking into consideration the child’s individual readiness and needs. Especially younger children spend some time between both sections, until the child is completely ready to transition happily. 

    5. FOOD IS AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

Enjoying healthy meals together is part of the educational concept. Three nutritious meals are offered each day children and teachers enjoy the diverse, homemade KOMPASS cuisine for breakfast, lunch and the afternoon snack. Alterations are only made for children who have allergies or intolerances. Teachers role-model and practice table manners, address healthy nutrition and encourage children to try all kinds of food. Early independence is an educational goal, particularly for the youngest KOMPASS children; they learn how to serve themselves, clean after their mealtime, and of course help teachers and kitchen staff prepare whatever is necessary before the mealtime begins.

Primary and Middleschool learners participate in menu composition. They share their feedback and discuss what they would love to eat during their weekly children’s conferences. Changes are made according to their choices and collaborative efforts of setting the menu with their teachers.

Stay tuned for the next KOMPASS Story, 5 Facts you Didn’t Know About KOMPASS