Faith, Knowledge and Work
KFS Primary Newsletter
Success is not enough. Excellence is required.
Dr Ken Darvall
King Faisal School
The goal of King Faisal School is to develop young people through a rigorous national and international program of study. KFS students are encouraged to attain academic excellence based on a foundation of faith, knowledge and work in order to help create a sustainable, peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. KFS fosters respect for Arab Islamic heritage while embracing an international perspective which is vital to meet the demands of the modern world. KFS inspires students to succeed as world citizens and to be the best that they can be. we were extremely fortunate that there were not more pulled muscles on the day! It was a great event, although talk at dinner time that evening would have been uneasy as fathers were pitted against their sons in 4 evenly matched teams. While the green team was successful on the day, all the boys enjoyed it, while most fathers were trying hard to mend weary and aching bodies and damaged egos over the following few days. The unanimous verdict was a fabulous and most enjoyable morning. I thank those fathers and sons who made this event a special one, as well as KFS PE staff. Extra-curricula activities commenced last week and students appreciate the range of activities that are available in this session (Arabic before school and sport after school). King Faisal School is a very busy place and I’m not referring to the pick-up of students each afternoon at 2.00pm. Two special events have occurred during the past fortnight: the mothers’ meeting; and, the inaugural father and son soccer morning.
The 2nd Young Authors Fair is being held in the gymnasium hall on Wednesday, 26 February. I look forward to witnessing the published work of our young authors, as well as meeting parents on this special day.
The Mothers’ Meeting was held on 4 February and was well attended.This session enabled mothers to discuss their son’s progress with his teachers, as well as raising any issues or concerns they may have. I thank all the mothers who attended this very important event and certainly hope that we can build on this important involvement and participation.
The Primary School Newsletter is published each fortnight and copies of the abridged version will be sent home with students. The full colour edition can be found on the Primary School website: http://www.kfs.sch.sa/pyp-eng/tabid/815/ Default.aspx Skyward, or at http://issuu.com/kfsprimaryschool/docs/kfs_primary_newsletter_180213
Just to ensure balance, the inaugural Fathers and Sons soccer tournament was held on 8 February. The Dads may have received the raw deal that week! It was a cold morning and
I appreciate your support.
KFS Primary School Newsletter: Volume 1, Edition 2
Dr Ken Darvall (Principal)
18 February, 2014
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Faith, Knowledge and Work
KFS Primary School Newsletter: Volume 1, Edition 2
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1A Inquirers
‘If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.’ Antoine de Saint
Grade 1A learners were eager to learn, inquire, reflect and solve resolutions. Their photos indicate their dynamic combination of knowledge, skills, independent critical and creative thought and international-mindedness. In the first six pictures, Grade One ‘A’ learners were engaged in making ‘Gingerbread Man’ cookies. They went to King Faisal School’s kitchen and were partly involved in doing their own cookies. Baking them was part of the summative assessment of the UOI ‘How We Organize Ourselves’ that took place in Building 5. In the next four photos: • the learners were inquiring about ‘Parts of the Plant’. They used many materials such as: pipe cleaners, ribbons, glue, yarn etc. to finish their work successfully. • the learners were engaged in implementing and identifying the names and characteristics of 3D shapes. They counted the flat surfaces, sides and angles of each shape. In the last two photos, one of Grade 1A learners was excited in talking about his project. He was courageous, inquirer, thinker and reflective to introduce himself, present, ask questions and choose some of his classmates to answer these questions. ‘You cannot teach a man everything, you can only help him find it within himself.‘
KFS Primary School Newsletter: Volume 1, Edition 2
Galileo Galilei
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1B Thinkers
Making 3D shapes with toothpicks and play dough When it comes to learning the properties and attributes of 3D shapes, it is essential to involve learners in hands-on activities. Students used toothpicks and play dough to make models of three-dimensional figures. Then they used these play dough figures to observe and count the vertices, edges and faces. This hands-on activity helped the students in identifying the vertices, faces and edges of different 3D shapes, such as rectangular prism, cube and pyramid. It reinforced their understanding of the concept. The students were fully engaged and involved in this activity. They demonstrated being inquirers and thinkers in finding out the attributes of each 3D shape. They were communicators when discussing 3D shapes properties with their partners. They demonstrated fine-motor skills when rolling small balls of dough between palms and carefully connecting the toothpicks. They were knowledgeable when discussing in their small groups the number of vertices, edges, and faces of each shape. Later, the students completed a reflection sheet in their math copybooks.
KFS Primary School Newsletter: Volume 1, Edition 2
Ms Maison Noraddin (Home Room Teacher)
18 February, 2014
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1C Communicators
Student-Centred Learning ‘Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.‘
Benjamin Franklin
Under the trans disciplinary theme, sharing the planet, learners showed enthusiasm about their own learning and were engaged in a variety of activities that expanded their thinking skills which were clear through sorting living and non-living things manipulatives under the right headings, classifying 3D and 2D shapes on a tree and drawing the needs required for the tree’s growth. It was amazing how each learner was able to use his thinking, self-management skills and fine motor skills to reflect upon his understanding in a reasonable way. Thus , in a student centered environment it is acknowledged that students’ motivation is strengthened, peer communication is promoted and positive students-teacher relationships are being built up. Mrs Rana Khaled (Home Room Teacher)
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2C Principled
Science Fair Grade 2C enjoyed a great interactive unit that focused on sharing the planet. The students indulged in inquiring about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling with a particular focus on the significance of respecting the environment and being principled stewards of the Earth. Using literature and hands-on activities, the concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle were explored. The culminating projects included learners (students) sharing their time and talent to understand the process of recycling paper and experienced paper making out of old used ones. The students then celebrated their understanding and shared their projects in the school’s big event, the Science Fair.
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Principled is one of the attributes of the Learner Profile and one of our core values at KFS. Who is principled? They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and
Student Achievement Student achievement at school does not ‘just happen’. There are many factors involved and parents often tend to look at the reputation of the school and the quality of the teaching. These are important, but there are three critical elements that must be in place, if student achievement is to satisfy parental and school expectations. Ready to Learn It is absolutely essential that students arrive at school, ready to learn. This won’t happen if students do not have adequate sleep (10-12 hours, depending on age) or have unhealthy eating habits. If parents don’t have these two factors right, then learning and personal achievement will be a ‘hit or miss’ affair. How much sleep do your children have each night? Barriers to Learning Every child is different. As parents, you know that each of your children is different, maybe in height, interests, behaviour, attitude, strengths and weaknesses. This is what makes teaching so exciting, but so difficult, because there is no single solution that ‘fits’ all children.
rights of people everywhere. They take responsibility for their actions and their consequences. Weekly awards are presented to students who demonstrate Learner Profile attributes. Other attributes include: communicator; caring; balanced; risk-taker; knowledgeable; reflective; inquirer; open-minded; and thinker.
Every child has individual talents, just as they also have barriers to learning. When student achievement is not occurring, or as expected, it is critical that we all ask why? When this issue continues, it is important that a student is assessed by a specialist (paediatrician, psychologist, therapist) to identify the barrier/s to learning. It may relate to a premature birth, skipping a crucial stage in development (for example, walking and not crawling) that may affect gross and fine motor skills, which in turn will impact on the child’s language development. It may relate to a physical condition (for example, sight and/or hearing.) Maximising Learning Achievement Yes, this is the role of the teacher. BUT, teachers will not be able to ensure this outcome, if: • students arrive late (after 7.00am is late) OR leave early (before 2.00pm); • students have not had adequate rest or they are unwell; • students are not able to work at their ability level (differentiation); • a student is not assessed by a specialist, if considered necessary, so that an individual learning program can be developed to ensure the he can experience success; • students do not have a work ethic (attempt everything, always apply best
KFS Primary School Newsletter: Volume 1, Edition 2
effort and take responsibility for own learning); • students interfere with the learning of others; • student absences exceed 10%; or • students lack self-discipline. Please remember Primary School times are 7.00am - 2.00pm. Students should arrive by 6.55am and depart at 2.00pm, unless they are participating in extracurricular activities.
They are Children I investigated an incident that occurred at a student’s home during a weekend. What concerned me was that: • the students were not being supervised by a parent; • each student had an iPhone and an Instagram account; • students were happy to hurt others by violence or words, instead of resolving it in an acceptable manner, or seeking adult assistance; • some students avoided presenting accurate and reliable information; • students thought it was funny to film situations that may reflect poorly on, or embarrass, someone. Why do Primary School students have iPhones and Instagram accounts (and sometimes a Facebook account)? Sorry, but they are too young to use these devices and applications, like adults.
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7 Crippling Parenting Behaviours That Keep Children From Growing Into Leaders 1. We don’t let our children experience risk We live in a world that warns us of danger at every turn. The “safety first”preoccupation enforces our fear of losing our kids, so we do everything we can to protect them. It’s our job after all, but we have insulated them from healthy risk-taking behavior and it’s had an adverse effect. Psychologists in Europe have discovered that if a child doesn’t play outside and is never allowed to experience a skinned knee, they frequently have phobias as adults. Kids need to fall a few times to learn it’s normal. If parents remove risk from children’s lives, we will likely experience high arrogance and low self-esteem in our growing leaders. 2. We rescue too quickly Today’s generation of young people has not developed some of the life skills kids did 30 years ago because adults swoop in and take care of problems for them. When we rescue too quickly and over-indulge our children with “assistance,” we remove the need for them to navigate hardships and solve problems on their own. It’s parenting for the short-term and it sorely misses the point of leadership—to equip our young people to do it without help. Sooner or later, kids get used to someone rescuing them: “If I fail or fall short, an adult will smooth things over and remove any consequences for my misconduct.” When in reality, this isn’t even remotely close to how the world works, and therefore it disables our kids from becoming competent adults. 3. We rave too easily The self-esteem movement has been around since Baby Boomers were kids, but it took root in our school systems in the 1980s. Attend a little league baseball game and you’ll see that everyone is a winner. This “everyone gets a trophy” mentality might make our kids feel special, but research is now indicating this method has unintended consequences. Kids eventually observe that Mom and Dad are the only ones who think they’re awesome when no one else is saying it. They begin to doubt the objectivity of their parents; it feels good in the moment, but it’s not connected to reality. When we rave too easily and disregard poor behavior, children eventually learn to cheat, exaggerate and lie and to avoid difficult reality. They have not been conditioned to face it. 4. We let guilt get in the way of leading well Your child does not have to love you every minute. Your kids will get over the disappointment, but they won’t get over the effects of being spoiled. So tell them “no” or “not now,” and let them fight for what they really value and need. As parents, we tend to give them what they want when rewarding our children, especially with multiple kids. When one does well in something, we feel it’s unfair to praise and reward that one and not the other. This is unrealistic and misses an opportunity to enforce the point to our kids that success is dependent upon our own actions and good deeds. Be careful not to teach them a good grade is rewarded by a trip to the mall. If your relationship is based on material rewards, kids will experience neither intrinsic motivation nor unconditional love. 5. We don’t share our past mistakes Healthy teens are going to want to spread their wings and they’ll need to try things on their own. We as adults must let them, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help them navigate these waters. Share with them the relevant mistakes you made when you were their age in a way that helps them learn to make good choices. Also, kids must prepare to encounter slip-ups and face the consequences of their decisions. Share how you felt when you faced a similar experience, what drove your actions, and the resulting lessons learned. Because we’re not the only influence on our kids, we must be the best influence. 6. We mistake intelligence, giftedness and influence for maturity Intelligence is often used as a measurement of a child’s maturity, and as a result parents assume an intelligent child is ready for the world. That’s not the case. Some professional athletes and Hollywood starlets, for example, possess unimaginable talent, but still get caught in a public scandal. Just because giftedness is present in one aspect of a child’s life, don’t assume it pervades all areas. There is no magic “age of responsibility” or a proven guide as to when a child should be given specific freedoms, but a good rule of thumb is to observe other children the same age as yours. If you notice that they are doing more themselves than your child does, you may be delaying your child’s independence. 7. We don’t practise what we preach As parents, it is our responsibility to model the life we want our children to live. To help them lead a life of character and become dependable and accountable for their words and actions. As the leaders of our homes, we can start by only speaking honest words – white lies will surface and slowly erode character. Watch yourself in the little ethical choices that others might notice, because your kids will notice too. If you don’t cut corners, for example, they will know it’s not acceptable for them to either. Show your kids what it means to give selflessly and joyfully by volunteering for a service project or with a community group. Leave people and places better than you found them, and your kids will take note and do the same. Source: www.forbes.com Kathy Caprino, Dr Tim Elmore,a best-selling author of more than 25 books, including Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future, Artificial Maturity: Helping Kids Meet the Challenges of Becoming Authentic Adults, and the Habitudes® series. He is Founder and President of Growing Leaders, an organization dedicated to mentoring today’s young people to become the leaders of tomorrow.
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Reflect: the future of learning KnowledgeWorks Forecast 3.0
A Glimpse into the Future of Learning
In the future...
MUSEUM
“School” will take many forms. Sometimes it will be self-organized.
MUSEUM
Learning will no time and place — unless a learner wants to learn at a particular time and in a particular place.
Diverse forms of credentials, reputation markers will in which people learn and demonstrate mastery. As more people take it upon solutions, a new wave of social innovation will help address resource constraints and other challenges.
particular interests, goals, and values.
These changes point the way toward a diverse learning ecosystem in which learning adapts to each child instead of each child trying to adapt to school.
Work will evolve so rapidly that continuous career readiness will become the norm.
For KnowledgeWorks’ full forecast on the future of learning, see Recombinant Education: Regenerating the Learning Ecosystem knowledgeworks.org/ strategic-foresight
Learners and their families will create individualized learning playlists
At the same time, geographic and virtual communities will take ownership of learning in new ways, blending it with other kinds of activity.
Those learning playlists might include public schools but could also include a wide variety of digitally-mediated or place-based learning experiences.
> cell structure > french verbs > geography
Whatever the path, radical personalization will become the norm, with learning approaches and supports tailored to each learner.
Educators’ jobs will diversify as many new learning agent roles emerge to support learning.
A wide variety of digital networks, platforms, and content resources will help learners and learning agents connect Some of those tools and learn. will use rich data to provide insight into learning and suggest strategies for success.
..anyone, anywhere, any time.
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Using iPads and apps for learning
..at home and school. KFS Primary School Newsletter: Volume 1, Edition 2
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Use your creative thinking skills to write a book
*
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KFS Primary School
The Learner Profile Risk-Takers
Caring
Communicators Reflective
Thinkers
Inquirers
OpenMinded Knowledgeable
Principled
Balanced
The IB Learner Profile is the at attributes and descriptors th at IB define the type of student th hopes to develop through its programs. KFS Primary School Newsletter: Volume 1, Edition 2
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KFS Primary School Diplomatic Quarter PO Box 94558 Riyadh 11614 P: (+966) 11 4820802
Ext 1101
E: primary@kfs.sch.sa www.kfs.sch.sa
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