Booster Club Executive Board School Year 2013-2014
President Terri Alexander VP/Spirit Events Lynn Jones Treasurer Terri Thomas Secretary Mary Turner Academics Dana Whiteley F & PA Wendy Cole Athletics Noy Milan Banquets Cathy Miller Booster Hut Anita Gopalaswamy Andrea Modlin MS Liais Kim Curlin ES Liaison Andrea Modlin Pancake Breakfast Nicole Cano Shana Dehaven Panther Pops Rachel Neale Recognitions Sally Kemper Purchasing Mary McCarthy Touchstone Kim de Keijzer JV Coordinator Karen Mitchell
International School Bangkok Parent-Teacher Auxiliary Executive Officers School Year 2013-14 President Cory Fox 1st Vice President Andrea Spira 2nd Vice President Kim de Keijzer Treasurer Kristen Garrett Secretary Sara Ayala ES Coordinators Niciole Wright Sharane Sherman MS Coordinators Andrea Puck Carrie Lin HS Coordinators Charlotte Hallengren Renee Rutledge Communications Heather Ferguson Hospitality Jo McGregor Host Country Rep. Yupa “Mam” Rattanajan Veeramol Chindasook “Mol” Adult Education Ginger Duval International Family Fair Kim de Keijzer Welcome Wai Coordinators Graduation Coordinators Lost and Found Coordinator
Karen Schneider Helen Hodges Mid-year: Ken Ohashi End-year: Cheryl Ohashi Renee Rutledge
Country Representatives
Australian/New Zealand Cathy Sackett Bangladesh Jesmin Tarana British Heather Powell Canadian Mare Harvey Chinese Carrie Lin Dutch Sophie Gerritsen French speaking Rep Cristina Platzer Indian Mamta Shukla Vani Alva Israeli Livnat Ziskinder Japanese Eriko Osumi Mayumi Yamamoto Korean Sookyung Han Latin Community Gabriela Alvarez Anita Palazuelos Singaporean Sheryl Ang-Chisholm Phillipines Ruby A. Lazatin
Message from the Head of School, Dr Andrew Davies Developing a Growth Mindset intelligence will always hold sway, or become disillusioned or discouraged when they do not understand something or perform below expectations. According to Dweck, “Praising students› intelligence gives them a short burst of pride, followed by a long string of negative consequences”.
ALL SCHOOL
Far more effective is to praise students for their effort, perseverance and processes. Dweck writes:
Once upon a time, it was believed that we were born with a ceiling on our skills and talents, that we were dealt a single set of cards we had to make the most of. Thankfully, relatively recent research has revealed this is not the case and that we can indeed continue to develop and make progress - if we have the right attitude or mindset. The work of Professor Carol Dweck of Stanford University has been particularly influential in the distinction made between a “fixed mindset” and a “growth mindset” and the very positive benefits of the latter. With respect to the fixed mindset, Dweck writes: “Some students believe that their intellectual ability is a fixed trait. They have a certain amount of intelligence, and that’s that. Students with this fixed mindset become excessively concerned with how smart they are, seeking tasks that will prove their intelligence and avoiding ones that might not. The desire to learn takes a backseat”.
1
On the growth mindset, however, Dweck states: “Other students believe that their TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
intellectual ability is something they can develop through effort and education. They don’t necessarily believe that anyone can become an Einstein or a Mozart, but they do understand that even Einstein and Mozart had to put in years of effort to become who they were. When students believe that they can develop their intelligence, they focus on doing just that. Not worrying about how smart they will appear, they take on challenges and stick to them”. One of the guiding principles of ISB’s 2020 Vision states that, “ISB will endeavor to develop a growth mindset, instilling a belief in our students that dedication, resilience and a positive attitude will bring success”. So, one might ask, how do we achieve this? Perhaps the greatest influence we as teachers (and indeed as parents) can have is to be intentional in the messages we give students regarding performance. Dweck’s research has revealed that praising a student’s intelligence, although well intentioned, can often prove counterproductive. Students may, for example, believe that natural
“Praising students for their intelligence, then, hands them not motivation and resilience but a fixed mindset with all its vulnerability. In contrast, effort or “process” praise (praise for engagement, perseverance, strategies, improvement, and the like) fosters hardy motivation. It tells students what they’ve done to be successful and what they need to do to be successful again in the future”. The kind of praise we should use might look like this: • You really studied for your English test, and your improvement shows it. You read the material over several times, outlined it, and tested yourself on it. That really worked! • I like the way you tried all kinds of strategies on that math problem until you finally got it. • It was a long, hard assignment, but you stuck to it and got it done. You stayed at your desk, kept up your concentration, and kept working. That’s great! • I like that you took on that challenging project for your science class. It will take a lot of work—doing the research, designing the www.isb.ac.th
Message from the PTA President, Cory Fox machine, buying the parts, and building it. You’re going to learn a lot of great things. A key learning here is that we should always be giving kids the message that if they persevere at something, rewards will eventually come. Intelligence is not fixed (in fact the brain shows more plasticity than we ever imagined) and we all have the capacity to keep developing and improving. This is something we can do at school and at home.
Early Intervention at Every Age Pages 34-39 “The Perils and Promises of Praise” by Carol S. Dweck
Interested in becoming part of the PTA? “…reach out to current volunteers, ask questions, offer suggestions, take a chance…”
Cory Fox ISB PTA President www.isb.ac.th
ALL SCHOOL
Citations: October 2007 | Volume 65 | Number 2
As my tenure as PTA President is coming to an end, I look back on the great experiences I have had as a member of the PTA team, and my family’s time here at ISB. It has been a privilege to work with so many wonderful parents and to see just how creative and dedicated they are. I believe my stay here in Bangkok, and my son’s experience at ISB, has only been enhanced by my involvement with the school and I encourage all ISB parents to seek ways to volunteer at ISB. There are many opportunities throughout the school, for all personalities, schedules and interests. Through my involvement I have seen the hard work of the teachers, leadership team, coaches, instructional assistants, building and grounds, guards, nurses, and everyone who makes ISB work seamlessly each day. One trait that links all of the ISB community is the focus on providing the best schooling experience for our children. I must also admit that I have had FUN, it is not all hard work and meetings. It’s laughing with and getting to know other parents while bagging cookies for cookie day, learning about different cultures and eating amazing food at International Day, seeing the pride of our students’ families and cultures on display at IFF, getting to meet so many students and to see them truly enjoying their days at ISB; these are just some of the ways my time at ISB has been enriched by having the opportunity to be involved with the PTA. In May the ISB PTA will hold its annual general meeting where I will turn the reins over to the President for the 20142015 school year with joy for the time I have had here and with some sadness about moving on. If you are interested in becoming part of the PTA here at ISB, I encourage you to reach out to current volunteers, ask questions, offer suggestions, take a chance, and I believe you could have as much fun and enrich your time here just as I have over the past two and half years. Thank you for letting me represent you as ISB parents.
2 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
Country News
ALL SCHOOL
British Community We kicked off 2014 with a Coffee Social at Blue Sky Café to welcome new families and in February we had an evening Social at Breeze. This year it was exciting to see our Community participating at IFF. The Punching Power game attracted over 240 visitors! Thank you for supporting us. For more information about our group contact Heather Powell (heather.wyn@gmail.com or 083 293 2169), ISB British Rep. Chinese Community Many parents of our Community were involved in celebrating the Chinese New Year at ISB. Thanks to all of you who worked hard that day. It was a wonderful celebration! For more information about Chinese Community please contact Carrie Lin (carrielintw@gmail.com), Chinese Rep. Latin Community A Huge thanks to all who worked hard for an unforgettable 2014 IFF, to Argentina, Brasil, Colombia and Italy who did a great job cooking delicious food to represent us. For more information about the Latin Community contact Gabriela Alvarez Fourcade (gabilux1969@gmail. com) or Anita Palazuelos (anita85ue@yahoo.com), PTA Latin Reps. Bangladeshi Community Our Bangladeshi community organized an event during IFF, an amazing festival for international community. Thanks to the hardworking team who made it a big success. For more information contact Jesmin Tarana (tarana. jesmin@gmail.com), Bangladeshi Rep. Indian Community The Indian community celebrated the spring festival- Holi, also known as festival of colors with fun, frolic and colors. Indian PTA Reps- Mamta Shukla and Vani Alwa.
Epicure by Michelle Mueller Ihrig The Story behind Jasberry Rice
A local, young, inspiring idea which made its debut at ISB and soon to stretch beyond Thailand… It was early 2011 where 3 Thai Students at the Sasin MBA program were challenged to come up with a business plan with a key focus on social and sustainable responsibility. Having found a scientist who had just come up with a new, utmost healthy kind of rice, plus sharing a common goal of transforming the lives of poor Thai farmers, Jasberry Rice was born. They found the properties to reflect – “the taste of worldfamous Thai jasmine rice combined with the antioxidant benefits of berry fruits”- by being high in fibre and claiming to have more antioxidants than blueberry and green tea. Jasberry rice is grown in Thailand’s poorest farming area, Esaan, allowing them an alternative crop to grow where they can get better financial return and are taught organic rice farming practices and sustainably. Currently there are over 500 organic farmers growing Jasberry rice under the project. Siam Organic’s vision for Thailand’s rice industry is one where best-practice organic agricultural methods put rice farmers ahead of the pack financially, in quality of product and in environmental sustainability. Because of their current success, Jasberry may soon start to export their product outside of Thailand. At ISB we are proud to announce we were the very FIRST to place an ‘official’ order of Jasberry rice, hence supporting such a fantastic initiative. If you have not yet given it a try, be warned, once you do, will never go back to regular rice again. Enjoy. Michelle Mueller Ihrig - cafeteria@isb.ac.th
3 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Visiting Author
by Ary Bhai An Author to Remember spoke of her adventures with passion, capturing the attention of those who were listening. When asked how her first ever visit to Thailand had been going, she replied saying, “It’s been incredible. Bangkok and ISB have exceeded my every expectation.” ISB has been very lucky to host such a talented author. It is with great confidence we can say that it was an amazing experience for everyone; students, teachers and parents alike.
HIGH ALL SCHOOL
A lot of stories and accounts have been exchanged about Ruta Sepetys, the visiting author of this year. Many did not have the opportunity to hear her stories, but the lucky few who did, walked out captivated by the eloquence and inspiration rooted in her words of wisdom. ISB was lucky enough to welcome Ruta Sepetys, the phenomenal author of New York Times bestseller
“Between Shades of Gray,” which follows the life of a teenage Lithuanian girl living during the Genocide of the Baltic people, as well as “Out of the Easy,” which comprises an inspiring story of a blooming girl living in 1950’s New Orleans, fighting for her worth. Sepetys visited ISB for a week and met with different English classes throughout the school. She hosted a writing workshop where different students and English classes learned of simple methods that many writers might use to enhance their plots. By the end of the week, she left students and adults in awe, through her exceptional stories of the lengths she took in order to discover facts that tied her tales together. Ranging from speaking to mob gangsters to being forced to spend two years in a wheelchair due to a mishap, Sepetys
Tournament of Minds by Selena Gallagher
On Sunday 2nd March, ISB hosted the Bangkok Final of the Tournament of Minds. Around 200 students from ten different international schools came to compete in this creative, open-ended, team problem-solving competition, including three teams representing ISB. On Tournament Day, the teams were required to participate in Challenge areas that make up Tournament of Minds: the Language Literature challenge and the Math Engineering challenge. The volunteer judges and audience of parents, teachers and other supporters were treated to imaginative presentations including pendulums, dominoes, beans, www.isb.ac.th
marbles, balloons, two meter tall picture books, pop-up books, puppets, singing, dancing, miming … and twerking donkeys! ISB was represented by three teams in the competition. The Elementary Math Engineering team included Vera, Zoe, Talha, Grand, Angus, Prang and Alex who have been working enthusiastically all semester to prepare for their first experience in Tournament of Minds. The Middle School Math Engineering team of Ahmed, Faisel, Sarah, Som-O and William gave the audience one of the most humorous performances of the day, and the Middle School Language
Literature team of Sophie, Mackenzie, Janita, Elly, Guy and Elyas took out First Place in the Secondary division with their problem-solving performance and phenomenal effort. Well done to all of the teams. In addition to these students, a volunteer ‘press corps’ of Middle School students Daiki, Mia, Helena and Samuel were busy capturing all the action and excitement of the event. Selena Gallagher is the PK-12 Challenge and Enrichment Specialist at ISB. See more at http://inside.isb.ac.th/challengematters/
4 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
It’s Hot Out!!! Prevention Strategies for Avoiding Heat Illness
ALL SCHOOL
by Rick Nelson, ISB Safety Consultant
5
Avoiding the dangerous symptoms of heat illness starts with good prevention. Heat illness is when a person’s natural cooling system begins to fail, allowing internal heat to build up to dangerous levels. Heat illness progresses from symptoms associated with heat cramps, to heat exhaustion, and in it’s most severe form, heat stroke. Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical assistance. To avoid any of these forms of heat illness, encourage your children and each other, to follow smart preventive strategies in the heat and humidity. Here are just a few strategies: • Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water (cool, not cold) before physical activities or being outdoors. Avoid caffeine and high sugar, carbonated drinks. • During activities, drink cool water and increase the number and length of rest breaks. • Make sure your diet contains an adequate amount of salt. • Take breaks in the shade or out of the heat environment. • Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitted clothing. Shade the head and back of the neck to decrease heat gain from the sun. Wear a hat with a brim. • Protect from sun exposure, use a sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher). Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going out, and reapply frequently. • Wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection. • Take extra precautions playing on concrete or asphalt. • Acclimatize to the heat. It takes approximately 10 days to two weeks for your body to acclimate to high levels of heat and humidity. When returning from cooler climates, readjust to the tropical environment by gradually increasing your time and exercise in the outdoors. • Keep an eye out for each other. Know the signs and symptoms of heat illness and assist others when you see any of the signs. To learn more, go the Center for Disease Control and Prevention TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
website on Emergency Preparedness and Response for Extreme Heat – go to http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ disasters/extremeheat/faq.asp • Keep a very close eye on young children (under 4 years of age) and adults over 65 years of age, as these groups are most at risk and vulnerable to heat illness and extreme heat conditions. Sources: Schimelpfenig, Todd, Wilderness Medicine, National Outdoor Leadership School. 2008. Pollak, Andrew N, Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2005. Harrow International School, Bangkok, Thailand Singapore American School, Singapore, China
Green Paddlers
by Kerry Dyke I am VERY pleased to announce GREEN Paddlers: Paddling 4 the Planet!
Ten days, four teachers with kayaks and cameras that care about the environment and conservation. Over Songkran we will paddle around Phuket to raise awareness of ocean issues such as coastal development, mangrove forests, turtle protection sites, anti-shark fin soup, and reducing plastic pollution. We have several hotels and other business lending a hand already and ISB is also offering some support. If you are interested in our journey more information can be found below. Check out episode 1: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vn2fwRC9F4A Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/GreenRidersSouthEastAsia See our website: http://greenpaddlers.com Follow us and stay tuned for more adventure and updates!
www.isb.ac.th
What are Your Personal Strengths? by Mr. Davy – 9th Grade Counselor
If you were asked, “what are your personal strengths?” would you be able to reflect and answer with confidence? In my past experience with students I have observed that this question has been awkward and difficult for them to answer. Quite often the answer will be something like “I am good at math, I am good at sports etc”. Just recently though, I have been happy to hear answers extended from our 9th graders, with responses such as “ honesty, curiosity, social intelligence, love, kindness…”
Our Middle School this year has also embedded strengths based lessons into the wellness curriculum. MS Students are taking the VIA survey and are becoming familiar with vocabulary and language used when talking about strengths. Dr. Seligman is renown for his work on Positive Psychology and Well–Being Theory; he has an excellent website to browse over (listed below). There is a free VIA survey for Youth (ages 10-17) and a free VIA survey for adults (listed below). Maybe consider the whole family taking the survey and discussing times when you have maximized or drawn upon your identified strengths. Viame.org (free VIA survey / profile) http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu (Dr. Seligman)
HIGH ALL SCHOOL
With our 9th graders completing an online VIA (Values in Action) survey they were able to reflect upon identified personal signature strengths. On reflection, most students found their results to be very accurate. The survey created by Dr. Chris Peterson and Dr. Martin Seligman (University of Pennsylvania) has been taken by vast amounts of people all around the world. After their years of scientific research they identified 24 classifications of strengths and values that we all have, some are stronger within us than others. The survey results are great, but the real value is when individuals can really recognize their strengths and choose to optimize & utilize them. Sometimes we can get caught on the things “we want to fix” instead of focusing on the gifts we have and how best to use them. Drawing on and utilizing our strengths can
result in a greater sense of well-being.
IFF Gratefully Acknowledges the Support of Our Sponsors
6 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
International Family Fair
ALL SCHOOL 8 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
HIGHSCHOOL ALL SCHOOL
International Family Fair
Girl Scout Troop 40007 Interview with Dr. Davies by Maya Lobland and Laxmi Giri
Girl Scout Troop 40007 interviewed Dr. Davies on February 26. Our scouts are Ellie, Ashley, Emily, Kira, Laxmi, Jiin, Rebecca, Nina, and Maya. Here are some highlights of the interview. “What inspired you to become head of school?” Dr. Davies: “My father was a head of school. But before that I was an English teacher, then a vice principal. After that a principal and also a department head.” “Do you have any female role models?” Dr. Davies: “My mother. She is strong and intelligent, and she played lots of games with me when I was a child that helped me love to learn.”
9
whole bunch of upset e-mails.” “Did you want to be who you are right now when you were a child?” The answer was a surprising yes! He is exactly what he dreamed of becoming! He also told us about his favorite sport (rugby!), and we learned that he once coached the sport at ISB. In conclusion, our meeting was successful and helped us earn our “Try It” scout award. We would like to thank Dr. Davies for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with us. Go Girl Scouts!
“What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?” Dr. Davies: “I gave a presentation once about how bad backpacks are for your spine. Then I said backpacks will be banned from ISB. I had the student council bring out wheeled backpacks with ISB black and gold on them. I told them that those were what we were going to use for ISB next year. But the thing was I forgot to tell them it was a joke. So the children told their parents, and I got a TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Girl Scout News
by Sara Ayala, Girl Scout Treasurer backpacks, assorted school supplies and baby items for the children living in the Nichada Workers Camp. In addition to these items, we had toiletry care packs kindly donated by one of our Girl Scout moms, Marlene Heese.
back to the 1950’s, where more than 200 moms and girls twisted the night away. Epicure was on hand to keep the crowd fueled up with yummy food and delicious shakes and soda floats. Our prestigious judges, Diane Parker, Cory Fox, Mary Turner, Helen Weir, Megan
by the winners. Our extraordinary MC, Charlotte Hallengren, and our super cool DJ’s, Lydia and Abby Rutledge, kept the evening rocking and line dancing to all-time favorites like the Cupid Shuffle and the Macarena! A big thank you goes out to Cherry’s Sweet Kitchen for their cupcake vouchers donation. But the evening was not just about a good time, our “Change for Change (C4C)” campaign was very popular
The C4C campaign continued on World Thinking Day (WTD), February 22nd, when the Girl Scouts celebrated this year’s theme: “education opens doors for all girls and boys,” by making recycled paper eco-notebooks and packing all the goodies into the backpacks. They also heard about education around the world, made some SWAPS and enjoyed songs and dance performances.
ALL SCHOOL
The second annual Mother Daughter Sock Hop on December 7th was a huge success! With the help of an army of wonderful volunteers led by Loraleigh Daum, Rajendra Hall was transported
Then, on March 10th, a few scouts and leaders headed over to the Nichada Workers camp to deliver the backpacks. They were met there by Scott Roman, Nichada’s customer relations manager, and Khun Toon, head of security for the camp. Everyone worked together to distribute the backpacks and the scouts were thanked by lots of smiles and “wai’s.” Thank you to our wonderful community for helping the Girl Scouts make all this possible!
Coming up ... Meyer and Karlie Barness, did an incredible job picking the crème de la crème in the tightly fought bubble gum blowing and twist competitions with trophies and bragging rights being well earned www.isb.ac.th
and we were moved by the generosity of our party-goers, who donated almost 18,000 baht in coins and bills. The Girl Scouts added 40,000 baht, the profits from the Sock Hop, and purchased 200
Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet April 26th Cub Scout Siam Ocean World Sleepover May 31June 1
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
10
Choral Bash
ALL SCHOOL
by Anthony Giles, Director of Choirs
“Why do we sing?” asked one of the four vocal music directors during a rehearsal for this year’s biggest choir concert. The responses from a few of the over 250 singers involved included the following: “We sing because it’s fun...” “We sing to express ourselves...” “We sing to connect with others...” “We sing to learn about other cultures...” and “Singing makes me feel good!” The annual Choral Bash was held on Wednesday, March 19, in the Chevron Theatre and featured all singers involved with choirs in the ES, MS, and HS. Now in its fourth year, this concert celebrates singing through individual choir performances and festival repertoire sung by all of the choirs combined. The program opened with the Panther Chorus singing the Thai “King’s Anthem” and “Consider Yourself ” from the musical, Oliver. Following the ES choir, the MS choirs performed a set of songs closing with the blockbuster hit, “Let It Go,” from the award winning Disney film, Frozen. Next the HS choirs shared a set of songs featuring music from Brahms to the Beatles. Singing to a capacity crowd, it was interesting to hear each group’s unique sound and then hear them all together for their closing set, which included a Cameroon Processional Anthem, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Perhaps the best answer to the question, Why do we sing? was answered with another question in the last song of the evening, “How Can I Keep from Singing?”
11 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Choral Bash
ALL SCHOOL 12 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
ISB Takes another Step toward Sustainability with Biodigester by Chris Tananone and Jon Nordmeyer
ing considered, but a gas operated lamp has already been ordered.
ALL SCHOOL
There is no waste in this “closed loop” system: food waste is converted to energy and fertilizer which can be used to create more food. However, ISB produces about 200 kg. of food waste per day, including waste from the kitchens. Since the biodigester can only process 30 kg. of food waste at full capacity, the question remains what to do about the remaining 170 kg. One possibility suggested by students is composting; another is reducing our food waste – a campaign which the Green Panthers intend to undertake during Earth Week. Five hundred kilos of cow dung arrived at ISB on Sunday, January 26th, in preparation for “kickstarting” ISB’s newest eco improvement – a biodigester. Mr. Ajay Dalmia, of DriveChange, a Singapore based organization focusing on energy and education, visited ISB in January to oversee the installation of ISB’s first biodigester and to meet with students and teachers. About 35 classes, including all of grades 5, 6, 8, and most of grade 9, met with Mr. Dalmia during the installation to learn how the biodigester operates, what the chemical reactions are, and how it produces a sustainable form of energy.
The biodigester is not only producing methane and
The biodigester has no moving parts. Basically, it operates like our own digestive systems. As Mr. Dalmia says “If you can eat it, it can go into the biodigester; if you can’t, then don’t put it in!” The food waste is first ground fertilizer, it is producing learning. Students are exploring waste management, chemical reactions, organic gardening, alternative energy and policy advocacy. It is clear that the biodigester is a powerful tool for ISB students to understand how sustainability can benefit our school – and our world.
13
and mixed with water, then flows via gravity through a pipe and into the digester. There, bacteria break down the food in a series of chemical reactions which result, ultimately, in two by-products: organic liquid fertilizer and methane gas. The fertilizer will be used by both the Middle School Green Panthers for their organic garden and by the school gardeners. Uses for the gas are still beTOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Traffic Jam - Benefit Concert by Lauren Nelson, HS Senior
Yoga Stops Traffick by Napisa C. Pant
ALL SCHOOL
On January 26th, Annika Odegard--a young vocalist from Canada--performed at Traffic Jam’s Benefit Concert: The Freedom of Others. The purpose of the concert was to raise awareness for and educate the community on the very real issue of human trafficking as well as to raise money to donate to an organization that is proactive in aiding the victims of this horrible crime.
Annika sang beautifully, and her thoughts and music moved us all. In the end, we were able to raise over one million THB which went directly to aid those suffering from human trafficking. The night was a huge success.
Yoga Stops Traffick raises awareness and funds supporting women and child victims of trafficking and violence. On March 15 we held our fifth annual event. 32 students from G1 to High School, teachers and parents joined in our 90 minutes of family oriented yoga raising 40,070 THB to help rebuild lives. Photos by Garima Joshi Supported by PTA, Thai PTA, Traffic Jam, Central Department Store, Twist, Petite Sweet by Nat and the Entire Community of ISB and Nichada.
www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
14
ALL SCHOOL
Gymcat News
Tennis
by Kristin Simpson, President ISB Gymnastics Club
New Tennis Courts give ISB the Advantage
The ISB Gymnastics Club recently hosted the Black and Gold Invitational during the weekend of March 1st and 2nd. Over 325 competitors from the area Bangkok schools were in attendance. International Schools from Manila and Singapore were set to attend but in the wake of the political unrest, they decided to play it safe and not compete. The ISB Gymcats club is still very excited, as this is the first opportunity that other international schools outside of Thailand have entertained the idea of joining our competition. This will hopefully open the door for future competitions that will challenge our gymnasts and further the sport of gymnastics here at ISB. During the course of the Black and Gold many of our ISB Gymcats took top honors. Several first place team awards were received, as well as, gold, silver and bronze medals for individual apparatus. The coaches and I were so proud, not only for the top accomplishments, but for the hours of dedication spent in the gym perfecting routines! Well done everyone!! There is no rest for our gymnasts as now we are busy preparing for future events. We currently have over 200 gymnasts participating in our ISB club. Not all of the children compete as many are beginners learning the fundamentals of the sport. Gymnastics is a great tool for developing strength, flexibility and an overall healthy body. If anyone is interested in joining all the fun and benefits gymnastics has to offer please send an email to isbgym@gmail.com. Happy Tumbling!
There was great excitement in the air in February as we opened the new tennis courts at the Sports Complex. Our Varsity boys and girls teams managed to train first on the courts just before they left for IASAS. Soon after, our Panther Tennis Team was able to start using the courts, with their first event being the DTAC Fun Games day for our tennis community and the start of their session three. The courts offer our Panther Tennis Team & Physical Education classes a shaded tennis venue, which will be a welcome relief for the temperatures that are approaching in the coming months. With the addition of a knock wall the facility accommodates a greater range of players than our current courts. Our current program is led by the competent team from Advantage Academy with the support of our Panther Tennis Committee, and we look forward to seeing how these courts improve our current enrolment in tennis and the future quality of our tennis program.
15 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Message from the Principals
by ES Principal Kelly Armitage and Vice Principal Diana Drummond Habits and Attitudes for Learning
Collaborative Learners • Works with others to achieve a common goal • Respects the rights and feelings of others Engaged Learners • Regulates behavior and copes with obstacles in learning • Self-reflects and uses feedback to deepen learning Responsible Learners • Uses strategies and persists when solving problems • Actively participates and completes tasks The next step was to breathe life into our words by making these ideas tangible for our students. Assessing www.isb.ac.th
these habits and attitudes became important work, so that students could reflect and have feedback on their growth. Assessment of this learning is now reported to parents and students in our ES report card each trimester. Recently, some of our work has centered around the social and emotional learning involved for our students during unstructured playtime. It was John Dewey who said; “We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience.” When students make poor behavior choices, our approach is to help them work through the situation, reflecting deeply on their actions, the consequences for themselves and for others, and considering possible solutions to restore or repair relationships. In the case of more serious discipline situations, we act quickly, following up with parents and providing support when required. In helping students understand how collaboration, engagement and responsibility look when resolving conflicts on the playground, and by focusing on mistakes being opportunities for learning, real social and emotional growth can and will happen. Teachers and IAs have examined how we help students when problems arise: we know that consistent approaches and language are key to ensuring our students internalize the social learning goals.
This is just one of several ways we are embedding our Habits and Attitudes for Learning into daily practice: HAL crosses all types of learning, from social and emotional, to academic. We look forward to sharing more with you about HAL and how we use them to help students achieve their academic potential as citizens in our rapidly changing world.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
You might remember reading about Habits and Attitude for Learning (HAL) in our first issue of Touchstone this year. Since then, our ES community has made some remarkable progress toward our goals. Looking at current research such as Guy Claxton’s learning dispositions, Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, and what we value about learning at ISB, a team of ES teachers worked to articulate descriptors for each of the three school-wide HAL categories. These descriptors give us common language to discuss, analyze, assess and teach what we value:
16 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
ES Musical
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
by Nicole Sandman Doctor Dolittle Jnr
Antelopes loped, ostriches fanned, kangaroos did what kangaroos can, polar bears wore top hats and leopards with spots wore spats! On the 20th and 21st of February 2014, ISB ES students presented Doctor Dolittle Jnr in the Chevron theater with two sold out shows to a very appreciative audience. This whimsical musical follows the adventures of a small-town doctor in Victorian England who uses his special gift of being able to talk with animals to learn more about the world. Doctor Dolittle JR. is part of the Music Theatre International (MTI) Broadway Junior Collection. In this musical, Doctor Dolittle becomes the world’s greatest animal doctor by learning how to speak the thousands of different dialects of creatures. This ability to connect and communicate sets him off on a fantastic life adventure. Similarly, through the common ‘language’ of musical theater, 90 ISB students from
17
graphed, fabulously costumed and smoothly produced show to the ISB community. With music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, Doctor Dolittle JR. is based on the Doctor Dolittle stories by Hugh Lofting. With the help of his friends Madeline, Tommy, Emma, Chee Chee the Monkey, Jip the Dog, Polynesia the Parrot and a PushmePullyu that helps him in his fundraising efforts, Dr. Dolittle makes good on a promise to help a seal escape the circus and reunite with her husband. This act of friendship lands Dr. Dolittle in court and he must find a way to free himself, so that he may find the great pink sea snail and gain a greater understanding of the world and its inhabitants. With great songs such as “ Talk to the Animals,” “ Fabulous Places,” and “I’ve Never Seen Anything Like It,” our Elementary Students had a wonderful time bringing this story to the stage.
Quotable quotes! “Wunderbah! I made a lot of new friends and the costumes were so much fun to put on!” Maya, Grade 4 “I liked performing to an audience because I know they appreciated what I did.” Angus, Grade 4 “ It couldn’t be better. One of the best things that has happened to me.” Aiden, Grade 4 “Outstanding and EPIC!” Caelyn, Grade 4 “I’ve never seen anything like it!” Sasha, Grade 5 “At first I thought it would be good, but it turned out “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!” Kira, Grade 5 “It was better than I thought it could be.” Carissa, Grade 5
Grades Four and Five worked together as a team to present a well rehearsed, imaginatively choreoTOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
ES Musical
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 18 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
ES Art Show
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
by the ES Art Department
We hope you had the chance to see the Elementary School Art Show. From March 12th to March 21st, hundreds of artworks were on display in the Chevron Theatre foyer. Kindergarten through Grade 5 art classes filled the space with creations ranging from printmaking to papier mache, from claywork to caricatures, and from painted paper to photographic drawings. The students were very excited to see their art displayed under bright lights for everyone to admire.
Here’s what some kids had to say: “I loved everything!!” “I can’t wait to make that when I’m in that grade!” “Those pictures were so beautiful!” “How did they do that??” Thanks elementary schoolers – you are very talented!
19 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
ES Art Show
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
PE Celebration of Learning
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
by Monte Major
Once again our annual Elementary School Celebration of Learning for Physical Education was held on the 24th and 27th of January 2014. It was two days filled with fun and games. Our students were able to showcase their skills in a variety of activities and games. Some of the games and skills on display were throwing, running, catching kicking, balancing, jumping and landing, climbing, rolling, shooting, and dribbling with feet and hands. Also on display were cooperation, communication, teamwork and sportsmanship. All in all it was a
fantastic two days. A big thanks goes to Khun Boom and our B&G staff for all of their hard work and assistance. We would also like to extend a special thank you to Twist for providing a healthy and refreshing drink for each Elementary student, and to all of the parents who came out in support of the ES Celebration of Learning for P.E. Finally, please check out our ES PE blog at http://inside. isb.ac.th/perrype/ for all of the pictures taken over the course of these two days.
21 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Visiting Authors in March
As a visiting author, Ralph delivered a mesmerizing mix of poetry, storytelling, and readings from his books. Students laughed and even cried along with the major events in his life. He helped us understand that we ALL have important stories to tell in our writing. Elementary students, parents and teachers still can’t put down Ralph’s entertaining picture books, poetry books and chapter books. His memoir and memoir-inspired novel Fig Pudding and Marshfield Dreams are now all-time favorite books to check out and enjoy at our ISB ES HUB!
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
by Nat Whitman ISB Welcomes Award-Winning Author Ralph Fletcher In March, ISB hosted award-winning author, poet and writing teacher Ralph Fletcher. Ralph Fletcher has been writing delightful novels, picture books, and books on how to teach writing for over 20 years. His genuine care for the reading and writing lives of students is evident in all his work. Ralph’s multifaceted talents made him a valuable and inspiring guest for a range of interest groups at ISB. He worked with students, faculty, administration and parents. He shared an enlightening parent training about the challenges faced by “Boy Writers.” For faculty, he offered several workshops on writing instruction.
Visiting Author Margaret Read MacDonald This March, the ISB ES HUB was fortunate to host renowned folklorist, storyteller, librarian, and author Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald. Dr. MacDonald is the author of over 60 books for teachers, librarians, children, and scholars. Noted for her lively and fun audience participation storytelling style, Margaret’s books are beloved around the world. Dr. MacDonald worked with all of the ES classes and gave workshops for parents and faculty. If you wandered into the HUB during one of her visits, you would have seen students singing and chanting along with her stories. ES students of all ages delighted in helping to perform and play with folktales. She also asked for feedback from students www.isb.ac.th
to help her shape some of the stories she is working on now for future publication. We can look forward to seeing the story Croc Party published in a couple of years – it will have many ideas from our own ISB students incorporated into the tale! The parent and staff workshops were rapid-fire storytelling clinics with participants telling folktales in small and large groups. They were absolutely fun, with the purposeful twist of providing participants with three ready-to-tell tales to use with the children in their lives. Thanks, Dr. MacDonald, for inspiring us to tell more stories! Look for her wonderful folktales and collections in the ES HUB.
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
22
Kindergarten 100th Day Celebration
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
by Mrs. Whitman’s Kindergarten Class In February, we celebrated the 100th Day of School in ISB Kindergarten. We dressed up like we were one hundred years old. Some people wore glasses. Some people had walking sticks. Some people put baby powder in their hair to make it look like old, gray hair. Everybody acted very, very funny because they were pretending to be old. We wore 100’s Day hats. They were made out of 10 strips with 10 dots on each strip. We made 100’s Day glasses that were shaped like the number 100. On the playground at first recess, there were 100 cupcakes in the shape of 100. We ate the yummy cupcakes and then we played. We took pictures and it was fun because we tried to be old and smiling. We played a 100 tally mark game. We counted our 100s col-
lections. We all worked together to read over 100 books in our class in one day! We sang 100’s Day songs all day long. In the afternoon, we went to all of the Kindergarten classrooms and looked at our Kindergarten 100’s Collection Museum. There were lots of different 100’s collections. People collected 100 bracelets, 100 pieces of rice, 100 sweets, 100 cheerios, 100 fingerprints, 100 seashells, and much more. There were so many different collections! We looked at everyone’s collection through our special 100’s Day glasses and we said, “Hip, Hip, HOORAY!” It felt like a crazy day in school. We had so much fun on the 100th day of school!
Grade 2 Service Learning Project for Prasert Islam School by Susan Giles
Service learning combines community service with classroom instruction and focuses on critical, reflective thinking as well as personal and civic responsibility. Service learning programs involve students in activities that address local needs while
developing their academic skills and commitment to their community. This year the Grade 2 servicelearning project focused on building classroom libraries at Prasert Islam School. The students began the year with a unit on Peaceful Communities and from there they learned about Global Communities and their roles as community members. The students chose and designed their own fundraising project to purchase books for the classroom libraries. This project goes much further than just buying books. It
involves learning about their community and deciding how they could work to make the community better. Students had bake sales, car washes, bike washes and many other activities to earn money. Once the money was earned, we had a book sale here at ISB where each class purchased 60-70 books. Our visit to the school was full of laughing, talking and reading books together. The grade two students have been reflective about what we did and many of them do believe they can make a difference.
U-11 T-Ball 2014
23
by Coach Emily Marshall The U-11 T-Ball team is off to a great start so far. This year we are a mix of boys and girls as well as t-ball rookies and veterans. Our team has a lot of potential and great positive energy. Even though it is a short (and hot!) season, we are making the most of it. We have some upcoming practice games to help prepare us for our BISAC tournament at the end TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
of April. During practice we focus on throwing, batting, and learning game strategies. We are always welcoming new additions to our team and we encourage fans to come cheer us on at our games.
www.isb.ac.th
Grade 4 Cultural Exchange with Prasert Islam School us were even holding hands and smiling together. “It was really fun playing games, especially using the parachute. But, it was hard to communicate. I found that if I used hand signals and talked slowly, this helped to be understood,” explained Bella Modlin from Ms. Hamlin’s 4th grade class. We’re looking forward to another exchange at the end of the year!
Grade 3 Field Trip to the Thai Red Cross Snake Farm by Paul Dobrowski
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
by Students Maggie Marsh and Nanna de Keijzer On February 26-28, 2014, Prasert Islam School came to ISB to play with our 4th grade classes. They came to see what our school is like, build community, and have a fun cultural exchange. We were excited at the idea of having to communicate with others that may not understand English. The ISB 4th graders taught Prasert Islam students how to play parachute and different relay games. “It was awesome to run into the bubble of the parachute and look up out of the hole in the middle!” exclaimed Miguel, a 4th grade student from ISB. Prasert Islam’s students taught the ISB students how to play “Drop the Hankey.” This was a lot like “Duck, Duck, Goose.” Before they left, we had snack and exchanged name tags so we’d have a souvenir from our day together. When both schools first met before going out to the soccer field, we were really nervous. But after a few minutes of playing together, we were all happy, running around and having a lot of fun. Even though it was difficult to communicate, we found that just by smiling we could make everyone feel more comfortable and safe. Some of
During the first week of March, Grade 3 was able to visit downtown Bangkok’s Snake Farm. This field trip has been one of the highlights of third grade for many, many years. It ties into students’ understanding of their Structures of Life science unit and our Nonfiction reading unit on becoming experts. The snakes come from all over the world, but particular attention is given to snakes found in Thailand. Students enjoyed seeing the museum, serpentariums, and the venom extraction. Third grader Diego Barria Esquivel commented, “it was cool to watch how they milked the venom from the snakes because you could see the color of the venom, which was transparent yellow.” The highlight, however, is always the Snake Show. Third graders were at the edge of their seats as handlers worked with a variety of snakes, including kraits, vipers and several deadly cobras. Several students commented on the fearsome Siamese Cobra, noting how it hissed at the handler and opened its jaws to strike. To end the show, most left their seats to get a little close up time with an enormous python. For many, this was their favorite part of the visit, with the students universally expressing surprise at how very heavy the python felt around their necks! It was a terrific day of fun and learning. Ask any third grader and they can tell you a thing or two about snakes. www.isb.ac.th
24 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
Parent Workshops
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
by Sharane Sherman, PTA ES Coordinator
Ever wondered why your child was doing strange things with boxes and matrixes on their math homework? Or if you could find some way to track your child’s library books or see if they had a copy of Gregor the Overlander available in the library without having to go up to school? Have you struggled with how the curriculum differs so much from how we learned in school and why that is? Or how to maximize your child’s time on the iPad? On a weekly basis I hear parents discussing these types of issues and concerns. The Elementary School offers monthly parent workshops that bring in the key players on these topics and others. They are a fantastic starting off point for wrapping your head around what goes on in the classrooms at ISB. One of my favorite workshops this year was a chance to hear visiting author Ralph Fletcher talk about writing and boys and how we as parents can help our boys (and girls) become the writers they are destined to be. My kids had come home talking excitedly about Mr. Fletcher and how funny he was and recounting the stories he told to them. Combining what we heard in the workshop with what the kids were saying, we were able to help guide them to come up with some of their own stories, funny things that happened to them that they could put in a writer’s notebook to elaborate on later or incorporate in their writing.
25
My kids like their electronic devices. I like my electronic devices too. But, how can I maximize their use so it’s not all about Candy Crush or Temple Run (although I will admit a Candy Crush addiction in our house but I won’t name names). The iPad workshop offered by our wonderful ES Learning Coaches Mary Bellone and Sarah Fleming explored how children are using these devices in class, recent research on screen time and Apps to support learning. TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
The training also discussed ways to build healthy and safe habits around iPads and technology in general. iPads and other Tablet devices are a part of our lives and they had some great insight into paid and free Apps that are fun and have learning value as well. They presented a great video on Coding Skills and talked about how they worked with some groups on computer coding. Last year, I was able to attend the Metacognition Workshop. I was a little skeptical because I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant. I was fairly certain that whatever it was didn’t apply to me. It turns out it just means how we think and process information. Recent studies give us a better insight into how our children process learning and how the ISB curriculum tries to maximize teaching opportunities using this new information. It made me really think about how we help our children navigate a future that is impossible to envision. Attending this workshop, as well as many of the others, has helped me to shift my expectations about what a typical learning environment should look like and it looks nothing like my elementary experience. The workshops in April and May are called ‘band’ workshops. Parents are grouped for a specific age range and meet about a specific topic (like math and literacy and technology). For those of you with questions about teaching and learning in these areas and how they look at ISB, please come to these workshops and listen to other parents’ questions, meet with the coaches and talk to the ES leadership. We understand that as a parent, you may not be able to attend all of the workshops and ISB will work on how to capture this information so that parents who work or are otherwise unavailable can get this information. There is a lot of information at ISB. It can be challenging figuring out how to get access to all that there is on offer. The ES Parent Workshops are a great resource for parents to learn more about education in the 21st century, better understand the school and meet the people who are interacting daily with our kids. Hope to see you at the next Parent Workshop! (Workshops are usually held the first Thursday of the month.)
www.isb.ac.th
Digital Literacy & Citizenship in the Middle School
by Tom Burgess, Middle School Principal “improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology.”
When students join the ISB Middle School, at or near the top of their list of most exciting things they are looking forward to in Middle School is getting their own computer. We do remind them that the school owns their computer, but in their mind and for all practical purposes it belongs to them. We provide each student with a MacBook Pro computer as a tool for learning, but of course students see it as much more than that. The computer is a magnifier of learning, of social communication, and of distraction. As a school, we have an important responsibility to work in collaboration with parents to maximize the computer’s capacity to magnify learning and social communication that contributes to learning, as well as to minimize the computer as a tool of distraction. To meet this responsibility, we are implementing a Digital Literacy and Citizenship (DL&C) curriculum across the Middle School. Rather than re-invent the wheel, we have identified Common Sense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org) as an excellent resource for our DL&C curriculum. Common Sense Media is a non-partisan and not-for-profit organization with the Mission of www.isb.ac.th
Our teachers are working together to implement our DL&C curriculum at each grade level in various ways. Some lessons may be delivered in Core classes aligned with, for example, Humanities or Science learning objectives. Other lessons may be delivered in our Learning to Learn classes or through our Wellness program. We have also delivered some lessons in grade-level assemblies.
Ultimately, our ISB Mission includes: to “inspire students to be caring, global citizens.” As we implement our Digital Literacy & Citizenship curriculum, our goal is not just to guide students to meet the learning and behavioral expectations we have as a school related to computer usage, but to be able to successfully navigate their social and virtual world. As ‘digital natives’, this social and virtual world is, to them, the real world, and we look forward to working with our ISB families to guide our students to be caring, global citizens in their world.
Recently our MS Technology Coordinator, Mr. Miguel Zambrano, and our grade 7 teachers met with all grade 7 students in an assembly focused on online social communication and forms of cyberbullying. After Mr. Zambrano’s presentation, the students discussed in small groups the types of cyberbullying they have witnessed, which include these six types identified by mediasmarts. ca: Insults, Targeting, Identity theft, Uploading, Excluding, and Harassment. Following the assembly, Mr. Zambrano conducted an online survey with the grade 7 students and we learned that Insulting is the most common type of cyberbullying behavior occurring in their grade level. While we would like to think that our children are always kind and considerate, we know from research that all adolescents can be cruel at times as a method for trying to gain acceptance. By providing students with a voice as we implement our DL&C curriculum, we will be better able to address those issues that they
MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL
The Common Sense Media curricular scope & sequence identifies eight curriculum categories that spiral over multiple years, including topics such as Internet Safety, Relationships & Communication, Cyberbullying, and Digital Footprint & Reputation.
are facing today.
26 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
MS Olympics 2014
by Lien Indigne On Thursday, December 18, the annual Middle School Olympics were held. Host country for this year’s event was Japan! The Opening Ceremony showcased much MS student talent including: gymnastic ninjas, kendo fighters, fisherman dancers, flag bearers, singers, speakers, sumo wrestlers and artists. Once the Olympic Team lit the Olympic Flame with the torch, Mr. Tsutomu Nakagawa officially opened the Olympic Games. All of the MS students rotated through 3 different stations with their color team to compete in Track and Field events, Team Games and Cultural Games from Japan. Thanks to the incredible number of parent volunteers, especially from Japan, all the games and activities went smooth and easy. A big success were the Cultural Games with games like Tama Ire (put the balls into the basket), Kendama (put the ball on top) Daruma Otoshi (knock the blocks underneath the giant) and Hanetski (Japanese badminton). Many records were broken on the track and field events and students, parents and teachers all collaborated wonderfully to make this day a fantastic day of spirit building, learning and healthy activity. The day concluded with a wild Tug of War between the 4 teams and 3 grades. The color of the winning team may be long forgotten, but the benefits and rewards of participating in such a day are so incredibly obvious and tangible, nobody ever even wonders‌
27 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
MS Olympics 2014
MIDDLE SCHOOL 28 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
MS Decades Dance
MIDDLE SCHOOL
On February 21st, ISB Middle School students got the opportunity to represent their favorite decade at the Decades Dance. The retro themed social was a huge success!
29 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
AMIS Asian MS Honor Girls’ Choir Festival
by Coleen Peterson The AMIS Asian Middle School Honor Girls’ Choir Festival, conducted by Dr. Angela Broeker from the University of St, Thomas in Minneapolis, MN, took place on February 19-23, 2014 at Hong Kong International School. Over 100 girls from 12 different international schools around Asia participated. Eleven ISB singers from Grades 6-8 participated and had the opportunity to sing alongside some of the best singers in Asia, to learn from a master teacher who inspired them as musicians and young women and to make new friends through music. The choir’s technique in their delivery of each piece of music was excellent and their display of joy and passion while singing had audience members laughing, smiling and moved to tears throughout their performance. It was a beautiful and joyful experience that our girls will not soon forget!
MIDDLE SCHOOL
AMIS Asian MS Honor Band Festival 2014 in Shanghai by Kentaro Udagawa
24 ISB MS band students passed a competitive recorded audition process and traveled to Shanghai, China, from February 12 to 16 for the AMIS (Association for Music in International Schools) Asian MS Honor Band Festival. At the Shanghai American School Puxi campus, 87 student musicians from 12 international schools in Asia and the Middle East rehearsed for two and half days, polishing their ensemble techniques and fostering friendship. ISB sent the most students from a single school. Guest conductor David Papenhagen, band director and co-head of performing arts at The American School in London, served as guest conductor for the honor band. Mr. Papenhagen shared his love of music and motivated students during rehearsals. “He is amazing! His attitude toward music makes us want to play even better!” commented Lulu Schmitt, grade 7 clarinetist from ISB. The festival concert was held on the evening of February 15. For the opening number—“Arabian Dances,” composed by Roland Barrett—ISB grade 8 clarinetist Seung Won Paek (second-year festival participant and first-chair clarinetist in the honor band) played an offstage solo, accompanied by ISB grade 8 percussionist Pin Kanjanachusak (also a second-year participant). The festival proved special for student musicians as they performed the world premier of a commissioned piece. www.isb.ac.th
This year, Yale University student Jordan Plotner composed a lyrical and beautiful piece entitled “Jasmine,” based on the melody of “Mo Li Hua (Jasmine Flower),” a Chinese folk song. Student musicians Skyped with the composer to ask questions about the piece. The band performed a total of 7 pieces at the festival concert, including “Children’s March” by Percy Grainger, a classic of band literature. The concert concluded with “Fantasy Adventure at the Movies,” featuring music from Star Trek, Back to the Future, and E.T. ISB participants grew and gained valuable experience through the festival, which they have since shared in the MS musical ensembles at ISB.
30 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
From the Principal’s Desk
HIGH SCHOOL
by Phillip Bradley, To Travel or Not to Travel?
31
Why the question and what was the context for asking it? Typically the first part of my second semester involves travelling to teacher recruitment fairs; Bangkok, London, Toronto, Boston and San Francisco are some of the venues ISB has used in recent years. At the fairs hundreds of teachers seeking new teaching positions gather from across the globe along with recruiters from international schools. The next 48 hours is a very intense period of sign-ups, first interviews, reference checking, second interviews, and hopefully offers of employment and handshakes of commitment.
references with first hand observations from most of the schools our candidates are coming from. When we think of the impact technology is having in education we quite rightly think of the classroom and learning environment first but it is also very clear that other important aspects of running a successful school are evolving in our increasingly connected and technological world.
This year, despite the fact that HS had several positions to fill, we did not travel to any fairs (except for the local ones on our doorstep). Why? In short, recruiting options for candidates and schools have increased and there has been a trend for strong candidates to present themselves electronically first semester, well ahead of the traditional recruitment season in second semester. Candidates use a variety of methods to showcase their experiences and strengths including: email, electronic portfolios, short video presentations, blogs, social networking groups and web pages. Also this year ISB started using a new online application system, which has allowed us to better sort, categorize and handle the vast amounts of information from prospective candidates (almost 3000). Consequently, a team of HS administrators and teachers were able to conduct multiple online video-interviews and hire our first choice of candidates during first semester. Intuitively we might imagine a formal sit down faceto-face interview would offer the best results. But the advantages of avoiding the pressure of fitting everything into a 48 hour time frame and being able to extend an interview process over at least a week is considerable. “Meeting” online with different teams of interviewers, processing and reflecting between interviews, interviewing at different times of day, sometimes unannounced, sometimes with observers listening “off camera” and being able to ask follow-up questions that surfaced from previous conversations is very powerful. In some instances we were able to invite selected candidates within the region to visit ISB. ISB is also fortunate to have an extensive network of connections that allow us to check TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
TED Talks
I was one of the hosts that night and no matter how many times I watched the rehearsals, I could not help but be enthralled by each talk and each moment in-between. The theme of each talk was being a catalyst for change, and each student represented this theme phenomenally. The event was kicked off by a performance of the amazing VOX,
who sang the King’s Anthem followed by an incredible dance by Boon Wongpaisan. A brief explanation by the hosts of TED talks were followed by the TED talk presentations. There was a short intermission of a TED talk by Adora Svitak on “What Adults Can Learn from Kids” and the night was concluded by another talk by Mark Besos. Every idea of the night was student generated and the whole night was really centred on the students. None of it could have happened without our fantastic teachers and coordinators of the event though, making it flow without a hitch. I, along with everyone else who had the privilege of seeing the event live, am very proud of our ISB speakers and can only wait in anticipation for the next one.
Each speech can be seen online at: http://www.ted.com/tedx/ events/11002 The amazing people who put the night together were: The Hosts: Sean Davy and Edward Smutharaks The speakers: Cole Whiteley, (Val) Tananivit, Tanat (Mac) Rojanapiensatith, Ryan Jones, Katie Kim, Eefa Shehzad, Kitipapa (Ciel) Sriprasert, Kimberly Remijan, and Sam McPherson Grade 11 English Teachers: Tim Pruzinsky, Ronna Stefan, Brad Augustine, Conor Duffy Event Coordinator: Christopher Bell Special Thanks to: Kerri Fitzgerald, Mischele Jamgochian, and Jaleea Price
HIGH SCHOOL
by Sean Davy, HS Student On the night of January 23, ISB hosted its second annual TEDx event. Nine fantastic speakers from each 11th grade English class were selected based on impact and delivery to speak at the event. Each and every Ted talk presented that night was well presented and was on awe-inspiring topics. They ranged from “Censorship in Comedy” to “Muslim and Middle-Eastern Stereotypes”. It was truly a night demonstrating the superb abilities of some of the best ISB speakers.
32 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
ISB Robotics Team Returns Victorious!
by Alessio Amaolo and Jia Shi, HS Students Photos by Christian Pellegrini, HS Student
ISB’s Steel Panthers travelled to Taipei on December 5, 2013 to participate in a two day regional VEX competition hosted by the Taipei American School (TAS). The first day saw ISB’s two teams competing with 20 others in a round robin format to determine seeding for the knock out rounds. One of our Steel Panther teams finished in third place and became allied with Argo, who was ranked first, for the second day of the competition.
HIGH SCHOOL
The Argo/Steel Panther alliance managed to win through the quarter and semifinals. And in the finals, they were greeted with the HaXXOR alliance - HaXXOR had ranked second in the previous day’s matches. The top two ranked alliances moved on to the final best of three matches which were very competitive with each team stacking up many points. The alliances split the first two games and ended up with a dramatically tied third game thanks to a last gasp score by our Steel Panthers. The match had to add a fourth game which was decidedly won by the Argo/Steel Panther alliance. Although our Steel Panthers won the tournament, only Argo will go to the World Championship competition in 2014 because the overall competition is based on more than just the game matches. Argo also excelled with outstanding engineering journals, programming and driving skills. But now that ISB’s Steel Panthers know what they are up against, they like their chances for next year’s competition!
33 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Capture the Chicken
On January 31st, high school students flooded the field in excitement for this year’s Capture the Chicken event. Each team represented their grade level and competed against other teams to prove their class dominance. In the end, it was the senior class team, Kevin and the Milkshakes, that ultimately won the battle of the classes.
HIGH SCHOOL 34 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
HIGH SCHOOL
High School’s Global Citizenship Week
by Pete Roback, HS Dean of Students Experience the Unexpected Students once again had the opexploration (Bali, Bhutan, Camboportunity to experience the world dia). The possibilities and choices outside of traditional classroom for students continue to be both settings during Global Citizenship diverse and rewarding. Week (GCW) from February 1422. High school students embarked Another critical outcome of GCW on journeys across sixteen different countries and three continents. They courses is to serve as safe and conwent as far north as Japan and south trolled environments for students to take risks and to learn experienas New Zealand. However, not all courses traveled great distances from tially. The concept of “disconnect to connect� allows students to fully ISB as 23 unique options took place immerse themselves in the moment in Thailand including 11 in Bangwithout the constant disruptions of kok. technology. Students also gain conA mission point of ISB is to inspire fidence in themselves and learn to students to become caring, global live independently and also bond as citizens. Learner outcomes for a group. Gaining an understanding GCW include providing students and appreciation of their own lives with the knowledge, skills, and unand privilege is a valued objective of derstanding to live in and contribute all GCW courses. positively to a global society. Most GCW experiences are rich in service while others aim to help students All HS students and teachers parmake connections with issues that ticipate in GCW, which is an ISB transcend national borders. Stugraduation requirement. GCW dents participated in repairing and courses are divided into three main painting schools (Painters with a categories: Within Thailand, OutConscience), using art and activity side Thailand but Within Asia, and to teach English to disadvantaged Outside Asia (Career Exploration restudents (Setsatian School for the mains a separate category). Students Deaf ), constructing and implanting must complete at least one course artificial ocean reefs (Koh Tao Reef from the Within Thailand category Restoration), trekking through the before graduation. Himalayas (Nepal and India), and Students are required to complete a engaging in new culture through art
reflection of their experience upon their return, for this is an essential component of the GCW learning process. In other words, students take time to think, process, and evaluate the learning that took place as individuals and as members of groups. When connections are made and learning is transferred and applied to other situations, GCW has achieved intended outcomes. If given the opportunity, please take time to visit with HS students and ask them what they learned during GCW week!
35 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
High School’s Global Citizenship Week
HIGH SCHOOL 36 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
HIGH SCHOOL
IASAS Swimming
by Akiko Nagamine As always, this year’s Varsity Swim season was filled with excitement. With the best pool at IASAS, our swimmers trained hard for weeks for their biggest meet of the year. Under our new head coach, Coach Day and senior Captains Sam Smith and Martin Brekke, our team was ready to swim our fastest- not only physically, but mentally. Almost all of our swimmers swam personal bests at IASAS, which resulted in a silver medal for the girls and fourth place for the boys. Over the course of the season we broke nine ISB records. Senior Martin Brekke broke the IASAS record for 100 breaststroke and sophomore Sidney Smith broke the IASAS record for the 50 free. With only three seniors on our team, we look forward to a strong performance from our team again next year.
37 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
IASAS Tennis
by Bruce Melhorn The girls played well, winning bronze and coming within a single game of playing for gold. It was definitely a quality team effort with each girl winning at least 2 matches- most notably, Lily and Jaja at #2 doubles going 6-0 and earning all-tournament honors in their very first tennis IASAS.
HIGH SCHOOL
IASAS Rugby and Touch For Those About to Ruck, We Salute You: The boy’s rugby and girl’s touch teams approached this year’s IASAS tournament in Singapore with realistic finals expectations and although both fell short of their ultimate goal, all players and coaches should hold their heads up high. The vicissitudes of sport mean that sometimes results fail to truly reflect the quality of play and both squads played some exceptional rugby/touch. The boy’s ended a tough three days in fourth after a narrow, last-minute loss to Manila while the girls finished as bronze medalists with a stirring, come-from-behind, extra-time victory over the same opponent. All-tournament selections were Andy Real, Katie Henderson and Cha Patra-Yanan.
38 www.isb.ac.th
TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
HIGH SCHOOL
FPAC-The Fine and Performing Arts Council “Whether you know it or not, you are an artist. The Fine and Performing Arts Council (FPAC) here at ISB works with the administration and the student body to help every student discover their love for the arts. Every year, FPAC works hard to start initiatives that will allow the arts to gain greater exposure in our school community and to host events that will allow students to showcase their performance abilities. In January, we hosted our annual Artists on the Roof initiative, where we create an intimate performance setting on the roof of the CCT to give students who do not usually perform the chance to safely explore their creative abilities in a supportive environment. For promotion of arts events, FPAC members have many duties, such as to facilitate and usher at different events to ensure that the audience receives the best possible experience. The FPAC is a necessary presence at ISB because we allow the power of the arts to continue touching the lives of every student in our community. Eng O-charoenrat, President of the Fine and Performing Arts Council�
39 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
www.isb.ac.th
Developing Successful Young Adults by Phil Roger, HS Dean of Academics
An academic program that delivers only admission to university and colleges is bereft of foresight and understanding of the needs for our global society as it tackles the challenges of the coming century. The iY generation, are those born in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, they have many positive attributes but also some worrying deficiencies, as recent data indicates a significant divide in the workforce between the current global leaders, who are Baby Boomers or Generation X, and Generation iY. This is evident in new recruiting trends and personal characteristics needed to be successful as future leaders.
1. “Emotional Intelligence – self awareness, selfmanagement, social awareness and relationship management 2. Character Development – self-discipline, personal values, emotional security and personal identity 3. Leadership Perspective – possessing vision, problem solving skills, priority setting skills and execution skills.” (Elmore, 2013 There are few who will argue with these traits as being critical elements in success within leadership roles and he goes on to say that the following gaps exist between the two generations: 1. “The gap between how young employees learn and the way leaders teach. 2. The gap between Generation Y’s expectations and the realities of the business world. 3. The gap between the instant world of technology and the at times grinding world of adult responsibility.” These claims are supported by a recent article that appeared in the New York Times, and globally, where Laszlo Bock, Senior Vice President of People Operations at Google stated there were 5 hiring attributes that are critical for success. Including:
This raises the point, so what is ISB doing to help our students raise there ability to meet the demands of the future and be successful at university and more importantly in working life. Critically we are looking for better ways to support learning to learn and within that context building resilient characters that are prepared to tackle challenging courses on the understanding that it will help to develop skills to be more open-minded, accept failure and rebound, appreciate the need to grow emotional intelligence and problem solve using multiple intelligences. Universities want to see students tacking challenging courses and understand that learning is not linear in nature, where growth can be seen through meeting failures head-on, prioritizing and leading when not necessarily at the front. This raises the question to the ISB community, where do you see these skills being developed and how can we grow our future leaders? References: Tim Elmore, “Managing the Toughest Generation – How generational Diversity is impacting today’s workforce”, p9, e-book, 2013 Thomas Friedman, “How to Get a Job at Google”, New York Times, 22 Feb 2014
• Demonstrating “learning ability” which is seen as more important than IQ. It is the EQ combined with a good IQ that provide a window into “general cognitive ability” where people can process on the fly and link together disparate pieces of information. • Leadership where it is not always being the leader of a group, more importantly working collaboratively and then stepping in to lead when appropriate. • Humility and Ownership through taking an www.isb.ac.th
HIGH SCHOOL
Tim Elmore in “Managing the Toughest Generation” summarizes this into three key needs for Generation iY to be successful leaders:
open-minded approach to appreciating that other ideas may be right and helping to generate a range of perspectives and ultimately taking personal responsibility for an outcome. • Ability to overcome failure and admit that sometimes we get things wrong and need to bounce back from these mistakes with strong character. • Finally, content expertise, which is still important but not as much so as the earlier attributes. (Friedman, 2014)
40 TOUCHSTONE 2013 - 2014 Issue 3.
Students in Ms. Ducharme's class holding the bookmarks they made with their new friends at Prasert Islam School. On February 18, the entire Grade 2 class visited Prasert Islam School, located just outside of Nichada, where they delivered over 400 books to children in grades K-2.
Students in Ms. Hamlin’s class pose with their friends from Prasert Islam School after enjoying fun games and relays on the soccer pitch. On February 26 - 28, the Grade 4 classes hosted the grade 3, 4, and 5 classes at Prasert Islam here at ISB in the second Friendship Exchange.