American schools and Qlive families
American curriculum schools are common across the Gulf, in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and beyond, and many expat families choose them for the broad range of courses and the continuous style of assessment. Families come to us when a child is finding maths hard, needs more support with reading and writing in English, or wants help with a demanding high school or AP course.
How the American curriculum is structured
American schooling runs from Kindergarten to Grade 12, usually in three stages. There is no single national curriculum: standards are set by states, and international schools usually adopt a recognised set, most often the Common Core State Standards for maths and English Language Arts, along with science standards such as the Next Generation Science Standards.
Elementary school (Kindergarten to Grade 5). Reading, writing, phonics and number sense. Common Core maths puts weight on understanding why a method works, using models and explaining answers in words.
Middle school (Grades 6 to 8). Ratios, proportional reasoning, negative numbers and the start of algebra. English moves towards reading longer texts closely and writing arguments supported by evidence. Some students take Algebra I in Grade 8.
High school (Grades 9 to 12). Students take courses and earn credits towards a high school diploma. Maths usually follows a sequence such as Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and Precalculus, and the sciences are taken as separate courses such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Many schools offer honors courses and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the later years.
How assessment works
Assessment is continuous. A course grade is built from tests, quizzes, homework, projects, lab reports and class participation, and those course grades add up to a grade point average (GPA). Because every unit counts, falling behind for a few weeks shows up directly in the report card.
Many international schools also use standardised tests during the year to track progress against grade-level expectations. AP courses end with an AP exam, scored on a scale of 1 to 5, which some universities consider for credit or placement.
Older students often go on to sit admissions tests such as the SAT. We do not offer SAT preparation, but strong school maths and English make that work much easier later.
What students commonly find hard
- Common Core maths in the early grades: explaining reasoning and using several methods, which can feel unfamiliar to parents who learnt maths differently
- Fractions and ratios: the base for almost everything in middle school maths
- Algebra I and Algebra II: equations, functions and graphs, where gaps from earlier grades start to show
- English Language Arts: close reading, essay structure and supporting a claim with evidence
- AP courses: a university-level pace, especially in AP Calculus, AP Physics and AP Chemistry
- Keeping up: with grades built week by week, a missed unit can affect the GPA quickly
How a one-to-one teacher helps
A teacher who knows the American curriculum understands how your child’s course is taught and graded. In class, your child works through activities and problems in Qlive Space, Qlive’s AI-powered learning platform, and the teacher goes through their working with them on Google Meet, catches misunderstandings early and explains them in a different way when the first explanation does not land.
Lessons follow your child’s current unit, so the work in class helps with the next quiz or test. Worksheets and a checkpoint every two to three weeks in Qlive Pulse show which topics are secure. Written answers are photographed and marked with comments by the teacher or Qlive’s academic team.
Your Student Success Partner is the person at Qlive on your side, focused on your goal for your child, whether that is a stronger maths grade or managing an AP course. They bring in what helps, such as extra practice before a unit test or a change of teacher if needed, and keep you updated in the Qlive Learn app, where every class shows in your own time.
Subjects we teach for the American curriculum
Maths (from elementary maths to Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus, Calculus and Statistics), Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, Computer Science, Economics, and languages including French, Spanish, German and Arabic. Families of Indian origin often add Hindi or Malayalam alongside school subjects.
Who it suits
One-to-one tutoring suits students who have gaps from earlier grades, students who have moved into an American school from another board, and strong students in AP courses who want a teacher to work through harder material with them.
Getting started
Start with the free assessment: about 40 adaptive questions, guided live by a Qlive counsellor, with a report on your child’s strengths and gaps. Fees for international curricula are shared after the assessment.
