Term 1 Magazine December 2016

The Termly Magazine of Bangkok Patana School Bangkok Patana Magazine

Bangkok Patana

Magazine

Issue 50 Term 1, December 2016

Secondary

Primary

Cross Campus

The Importance of Collaborative Space

Multidisciplinary Learning

Creating Global Learners TERM 1 – 2016/17

Bangkok Patana School is an IB World School, accredited by CIS and NEASC

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NEW PROBL EMS ARE SO LVED BY

NEW

T H I N K I N G.

For more information contact: Insight Education Consulting T: 081 870 6760 E: montakan@insight.in.th LINE: insight1 CRICOS provider: Monash University 00008C

SECONDARY

CONTENTS

Issue 50, Term 1, December 2016

16 6 Foreword SECONDARY 10 The Importance of Collaborative Space 12 Girl Rising: Education and Empowerment 14 What Can We Learn from History?

PRIMARY 18 Digital Learning in the Primary School 20 Multi-disciplinary Learning in the Primary School 22 Celebrating Roald Dahl’s 100th Anniversary

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22 CROSS CAMPUS Celebrating a Brand New Set of Guiding Statements HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Visits Bangkok Patana School Alumni Profile: Pong Trairatvorakul, Class of 2014 Creating Global Learners Focus on the Athletics Council

Front Cover Artwork: Aishwarya Bagaria, 13J

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Bangkok Bangkok Patana Patana Magazine Magazine

In Remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej 1927 – 2016 “My place in this world is being among my people, the Thai people.”

On behalf of Bangkok Patana School, it is with great sadness that we express our profound condolences on the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on 13th October 2016.

The Bangkok Patana community have often looked to the many examples of his kindness, dedication and leadership as inspiration in our work and studies and will continue to do so as his memory lives on.

Our community observed a respectful minute of silence and have been signing the Book of Condolence situated at the front of school. In December (after this publication went to print), the whole school gathered to remember and pay tribute to the remarkable King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

T E R M T1E R–M2 011–62 /0 11 7 6 /•1 75 •

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FOREWORD

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t is hard to imagine that after 15 years at Bangkok Patana School, our journey here is almost over. We entered the school as young, wide-eyed nursery students and are about to leave as discerning Year 13 seniors, nurtured into young adults ready to move beyond the comfort and safety of the Patana bubble. The direction we were headed was not always certain, but the best journeys always include a couple of wrong turns along the way. Our experience at Bangkok Patana has been one that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives, and as we begin preparation for the transition into our journeys beyond Secondary School, it is important to reflect upon these.

The commitment to helping each student unlock their full potential as independent learners can be seen in all aspects of school life, both within and beyond the classroom. Fifteen years at Bangkok Patana has given us the privilege to witness significant developments to our learning environment – it would be an injustice to say we merely learn in a “classroom”. As Bangkok Patana students, we’re given the opportunity to utilise such state of the art sports facilities, cutting edge science labs, well-equipped libraries, a modern arts centre... the list goes on and on. We’re already nostalgic for having such an extraordinary environment and are excited to return as alumni to see how much more the school will progress.

At Bangkok Patana, students’ learning and development goes far beyond the syllabus. Although the rigour of learning has given us diligent and determined attitudes that can so often be attributed to a Bangkok Patana student, it is the multitude of

opportunities we have been given outside of the classroom that have guided us into the kind and compassionate student body for which our school is recognised. From performing in Year group productions, being members of sports teams, to participating in fundraising events, the opportunities to develop communication, leadership and organisational skills have been immense. For us, this has culminated in our leading roles in the World Food Project Community club, in which we have really enjoyed raising awareness and funds to help eradicate world hunger together.

So, as the Graduating Class of 2017 prepare to take on the new challenges that await us, we will fondly remember our time as Patana Tigers. Although many warned us that our time here would pass by unbelievably quickly, it is still almost impossible

to comprehend that our journey is almost over. Our final message to the caring student body we leave behind is to truly make the most of your opportunities at Bangkok Patana School. Work diligently, aim high, and act compassionately in both your academic and extra-curricular activities. Take each challenge as a valuable opportunity and reflect on everything you learn. Involve yourselves in the things that you are passionate about and turn maybes into realities. Whilst it is a cliché, time really does fly incredibly quickly and to everyone who has helped us along our journey – the six-day staff, our teachers, friends and family – we are deeply thankful for all you have done to make our Bangkok Patana experience as amazing as it has been.

– Annie Flint Smith, 13B and Pemika (Pepe) Chirakiti, 13H

643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna, Bangkok 10260, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 Email: reception@patana.ac.th www.patana.ac.th

Editor: Rebecca Meadows Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Email: reme@patana.ac.th Advertisement: Finn Balslev Tel: +66 (0) 2943 7166-8 Email: finn@scandmedia.com

Design & Production: Scand-Media Corp., Ltd. Tel: +66 (0) 2943 7166-8 Fax: +66 (0) 2943 7169 www.scandmedia.com

Bangkok Patana Magazine is the termly publication of Bangkok Patana School published three times per year and distributed to 2,000 members of the School community. Reproduction of articles, artwork and illustrations by written permission only.

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Bangkok Patana Magazine

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CELEBRATING A BRAND NEW SET OF GUIDING STATEMENTS Matt Mills

Head of School

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s Head of School, I’m delighted that we have finally got a complete new set of Guiding Statements. These were completed at the end of last academic year, after a lengthy process of review involving community members, including a Vision Mission Values review committee made up of teachers, administrators, parents and a Year 13 student.

What underpins all we do as a school learning community is articulated in our new Guiding Statements. You will notice that the school’s Mission Statement has

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remained unchanged as the committee felt that it had been in place less than ten years and any successful Mission Statement needed a lot more time than that. We all felt that a clearly defined Vision Statement about where we want our students to end up was vital and we are thrilled with our new Vison Statement that is far reaching, optimistic and attainable.

We also have three newly-defined ‘Values’ Statements that all start with ‘We are’ which confirms that it is not only the students and the teachers but the whole school community who are aspiring to

enact all of these incredibly important virtues. The committee had a great deal of discussion on whether ‘Learning’ should go first or ‘Well-Being’. We decided to place ‘Well-Being’ first as quality learning is only going to take place if a student is feeling happy, secure and safe.

Each year as part of our Development Plan, we will focus on two or three values statements that we will really explore with our students in class and at assemblies to make sure that our Guiding Statements are real and our students live and breathe them.

mission

vision

well-being Protected, safe and secure Motivated and engaged Responsible and honest Kind and compassionate Balanced and fulfilled

values learning

Rigorous Inquisitive and creative Collaborative and confident communicators Critical, reflective thinkers Passionate, resourceful and resilient

global citizenship Committed to integrity Active volunteers Diverse and inclusive Ethical and informed Empowered by our interculturalism Inspired to improve global sustainability Respectful contributors to digital and local communities

Bangkok Patana is an IB World School, accredited by CIS and NEASC

SECONDARY

THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATIVE SPACE Suzanne Lindley

Secondary Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Assessment

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t may sound simple, but collaborative spaces are important for collaborative learning. Therefore, to understand why here at Bangkok Patana we have deliberately designed and planned for collaborative spaces to be integrated into each faculty area across the Secondary School, we need to understand the significance of collaborative learning.

Knowledge is a social construct and so students working together to solve problems and discuss concepts is an important mode of learning. Two, three or possibly more heads are better than one, so it makes perfect sense that we provide students with opportunities to develop the ability to teach each other; and they do it very well.

Having a high calibre of independent and active learners, along with the area and space, has meant that our range of specially designed zones enhance the learning experience on a day-to-day basis, making it more memorable and enjoyable. Deeper 10

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learning is shown to take place when it is student-owned, social, active, contextual and engaging; our collaborative spaces allow for exactly that.

What are the benefits of collaborative

learning for students? • Development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills; • Increase in self-esteem, and responsibility;

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• Exposure to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives; • Preparation for real-life social and employment situations; • Students who learn in small groups generally demonstrate greater academic achievement and express more favourable attitudes toward learning.

Of course, collaboration does not only take place in collaborative spaces, it happens inside classrooms, on the steps by the Reflection Pool, in the corridor, in the lounge areas. Collaborative learning is not new but, with our purpose-built areas, we have greater range and flexibility to further enhance the experiences for our students.

So, what do our students think?

“The colours and the space create a vibrant atmosphere which enables us to think better.”

“Having the space and the different seating arrangements, lets us hear

more when we are working in groups or with a partner.”

“The spaces enable us to be more interactive and think more.”

“We have screens in Mathematics where problems can be shown to us…. whiteboards in History where we can plan out essays…. space in English and World Languages where we can practice our speaking…. this makes learning more enjoyable.”

With our collaborative spaces, we now have areas in every faculty whereby the seating is flexible, often moveable, so that the work space can be redesigned every lesson, even within the lesson.

Collaboration is not only between students, but teachers too, as they co-plan lessons (two heads are better than one) and enable students from across groups to work together, further developing social skills and confidence.

The spaces have been planned to

... we have spaces that promote social learning and maximum engagement. Both inside and outside the classroom, we allow more creative and exploratory learning opportunities to further excite and inspire students to become skilful co-constructors of their learning.

accommodate 21st century learners who are increasingly mobile, highly networked, interactive and social and have quick access to information. Therefore, the learning environment needs to be multi-sensory, adaptable and provide choice and variability. The spaces are cleverly themed to make the learning experience even more memorable, for example, our London Underground Tube Map in English. These spaces have been designed to support the learning of skills needed for the interconnected world that our students are facing.

Through developing our pedagogical approaches, along with advancing technology, we have spaces that promote social learning and maximum engagement. Both inside and outside the classroom, we allow more creative and exploratory learning opportunities to further excite and inspire students to become skilful co-constructors of their learning. In addition, the collaborative spaces support the growth of the values we want our students to develop in terms of well-being, learning and preparing them as global citizens.

So, whether it be to drop a parachute down the Science Centre mezzanine, to complete a treasure hunt in a foreign language or problem-solve in technicolour on a giant blackboard wall in Mathematics, collaborative spaces have allowed us to make richer, more memorable learning experiences for our students.

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SECONDARY

GIRL RISING: EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT Mimi Thompson, 13B

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oday, around the world, 62 million girls are not in school. What can we, as a community, do to change this?

This has been the impetus for my CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) project this past academic year. I also wanted to tackle the issue of what I felt was a lack of discussion of gender inequality at school and to try to address this gap.

Girl Rising was my opportunity to affect a change.

I did not intend for this project, this social campaign, to take up such an immense part of my school and extra-curricular life. As a young female in today’s society, I have always been interested in any discussion involving gender inequality; I take time to read articles about girls or young women who have succeed against all odds and I feel pride in this. I understand how fortunate I am to fulfil many personal expectations within my education, knowing that many girls do not have the same opportunities I do. I think my upbringing, combined with my inner thoughts and perspectives, stimulated my immediate connection to Girl Rising, a global film campaign advocating for equality of education for girls in developing nations and recognising the difficulties in overcoming barriers to education.

This CAS project, however, did not always have a clear route. We had started out with the plan to raise funds for charity by screening a children’s movie at school, to engage the whole community in one enjoyable afternoon. I spent weeks trying to establish contact with a movie licenser, going over the legalities of screening a film for public viewing, and sending numerous emails, but after many fruitless meetings regarding the complexities surrounding the process plus the expensive costs involved, it was evident that a light hearted movie could not be shown.

In her role as CAS coordinator, Ms 12

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Ferguson directed me to the website of Girl Rising. Upon watching the first few seconds of the trailer, and hearing about the “simple dream” of “the bright, white shirt of a school uniform”, I knew that my CAS project would be invested

in sharing this dream. I was passionate about sharing this documentary with the Bangkok Patana community. Public relations and event planning within a social service framework is an area I would like to pursue as a career and I knew

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that organisation and planning were key qualities in order to make this event happen. Thanks to partial funding from our very supportive Parent Teacher Group, I bought the screening rights to the film, reserved the theatre, coordinated with my supervisor on equipment bookings and met up with several technical assistants testing the sound, projection and lighting.

And I also promoted: with the assistance of my CAS project group we set up a stall at the CAS/CAT fair, speaking passionately of the motivation behind the film and why everyone should be encouraged to see it. Again we pushed the facts: economic growth will reach its highest potential if we educate girls, these girls will be able to develop the skills needed for work, cases of child marriage will decline.

The promotion was oriented around the fact that ‘learning’ is not the only product from educational opportunity. In addition, empowerment is achieved from having an intellectual platform which leads to an audience to listen to you and your ideas. The final product of this ‘learning’ is respect.

Girl Rising has been the mode to spark discussion at school into the movement of battling gender equality through education. I am delighted and incredibly proud that the school has responded so well to Girl Rising both as a film and as a campaign of equality of education. These responses have taken the form of students wanting

to show the film to their entire Year group, teachers finding ways to incorporate the stories into the curriculum and discussions taking shape about emotional connections made to the film. I believe connection to a cause is essential in order to make a change.

Girl Rising creates a multitude of valued connections through the form of human rights, education, gender equality and female empowerment.

An integral part of my life, inside and outside of school, involves commitment. I extended my commitment to Girl Rising in a TED-style talk at the Global Learner Conference on October 20th, where I discussed the very same topic and its relevance to me as a student. I can only urge and hope that this commitment stays present within Bangkok Patana and within the world, in order to strive for this educational change. I have learnt from engagement and perseverance that without a true connection to a cause, change will not be implemented. However, by creating these connections, personally and on a widespread scale, the possibilities for positive changes are endless.

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SECONDARY

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM HISTORY? Julian Brosnahan

Curriculum Coordinator, History

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s a History teacher, I have often asked my students “What can we learn from History?” Frequently, their answers are that “We learn mistakes from History so that we do not repeat them”. This has certainly been the case at times. US foreign policy after World War II was all about containment of what President Truman saw as the Soviet threat.

So, whilst the US took an isolationist view in the 1930s, by the 1940s they had learned from the mistakes of appeasement and isolationism. Instead of remaining aloof, the US reacted in 1948 with the Marshall Plan’s $17 billion of aid to Western Europe.

The US aimed to prevent another world depression, having witnessed the rise of the Nazis as a result of the collapse of the world economy in the 1930s.

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However, to say that events from history should always serve as a guide for the future is problematic. In the 1960s in Vietnam, the US applied those same lessons of the 1930s. As with the Soviets in Europe, they felt they needed to intervene. So, Ho Chi Minh became Hitler and South Vietnam the line in the sand (or jungle) which the US would “defend”.

This analysis did not take into account the different conditions in South East Asia and, as a consequence, millions of people were affected by a vast folly.

Perhaps the real lesson that history teaches us is that we should never fail to be surprised by the ability of people to do stupid things but then also to forgive, rebuild, to cope and to hope. It would have seemed unthinkable to a generation raised on

images of the Vietnam War that Vietnam would one day be a major tourist destination and indeed a strong ‘friend’ of the US. Last summer, I was fortunate enough to travel through the Balkans region, formerly Yugoslavia but now seven independent countries. The history of distant conflicts and more recent ones is everywhere in these stunning locations. Game of Thrones may be filmed in Croatia but it is the ghosts of other real-life monsters that still haunt the region. I have always wanted to stand on the spot where Franz Ferdinand was shot; the shots that sparked World War I. It was an amazing moment, but the bullet ridden buildings still scarred by the 1990s civil war were equally moving. The way in which Croatians, Serbs and Bosnians interacted showed me that

Bangkok Patana Magazine

we can learn from history. There are still tensions at times but it is hard to imagine a return of armed militia to replace the armies of tourists.

Calls by some to make their country great again fail to note the irony in such a statement. What exactly was great?

Were the ‘great days’ great for everybody?

Some politicians try to use a glorified version of history to inspire patriotism. This is not the job of history. History should teach us that tolerance and understanding of those from different places, who speak different languages and have different beliefs is the key to our survival. The night before he was shot, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his ‘mountain top’ speech.

In that speech, he declared that “It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world but non-violence or non-existence.” However, it is another of

his quotes that is my favourite: “I want to be the white man’s brother, not the white

“It is no longer a choice between violence and non-violence in this world but non-violence or non-existence.”

– Martin Luther King Jr.

man’s brother-in-law.” Inclusion and not exclusion is the key to our survival.

In 2013 and 2014, I organised History visits to Beijing and Moscow.

These trips underscored to me the amazing capacity of Bangkok Patana students to relate their classroom learning to the world around them. Their excitement at touring Tiananmen Square and humility at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow clearly showed their attributes as global citizens. To be excited, respectful and interested in different cultures, peoples and history is what it is to truly be a global citizen.

However, along with such opportunities comes great responsibility. Our students may think it is normal to travel the globe but really, it isn’t. In life after Bangkok Patana, they will discover that not everyone has been involved in the International Award. Not everyone has travelled to exotic locations and not everyone understands the importance of thinking globally and respecting other cultures.

It will be their job to teach them. In History, they learn about the danger of docility in the face of those who want to transfer blame onto innocents. They learn that there are different sides to a story.

In our History classes, students learn the importance of argument. They learn the importance of debate and the danger of demagogues who are willing to label whole groups of people as evil. These are indeed some of the key lessons to learn from History and ones that our Bangkok Patana students will take with them for life.

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HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Visits Bangkok Patana School 4th November 2016

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PRIMARY

DIGITAL LEARNING IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL Peter Howe

Leader of Learning, ICT

Brian Taylor

Assistant Principal, Cross Campus Curriculum Technology Integrator

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arlier in Term 1 at the ‘Digital Learners and Digital Literacy’ workshop for Primary parents, Peter Howe, Max Hopwood and Brian Taylor presented a snapshot of some of the ways in which the digital ecosystem is transforming learning in the Primary School. This article focuses on the significance of technology as a tool for learning, both in school and our daily lives.

Building Positive Digital Citizens What is the best way to learn to drive a car? From a text book? Watching a YouTube video? Or getting behind the wheel with a driving instructor giving you real-time feedback in a controlled environment? Information Communication Technology (ICT) is like learning to drive; the driving instructor is the ICT teacher. After we learn to drive we ask where do you want to go? The possibilities are endless, and with all/most of them, the technology (car) is merely a (transformative) means to an end – simply a tool. As educators and parents, we need to continually set our sights on the destination of the car; the journey of learning, rather than focusing too much on the pot-holes or dangers of the road.

“In life, we all make mistakes. School is a place to make mistakes and learn from them. FAIL is simply a First Attempt In Learning.”

The debate on whether we bring technology into our classrooms remains divisive. The research and advice is continually changing. For example, The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) 18

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recently changed their recommendations on the amount of screen time it suggests for a child under two. What is certain is that technology is now an integral part of our and our children’s daily lives, and that our students will be digital citizens for the rest of their lives. An integral part of our role has always been to guide our students

towards responsible citizenship. By introducing technology into our classrooms we can better help our students become responsible digital citizens. We can address cyber-bullying and build a sense of online community so that our students understand that hurtful words online are just as painful as words said aloud. We can increase our students’ ability to think critically by teaching them how to differentiate between reliable and unreliable websites. We can help our students stay safe by educating them about the dangers of trusting people they chat with online, or the information they send to one another over the internet. By bringing this technology into our classrooms we can help our students learn the best and most responsible way to use it, to become better and lifelong digital citizens.

Laptops for Learning in Year 6 The Laptops for Learning scheme (1:1 laptops) has been in place in the Secondary School since August 2011.

This year, the programme was extended

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into Year 6 where students and teachers have embraced the scheme, and we are beginning to see the positive impact in many areas of learning already.

“Now we have all the devices registered on the school network, with software and virus protection installed, the Laptops for Learning scheme in Year 6 has really come alive. The students managing their own devices saves time, improves understanding and prepares them for Secondary School in the familiar and safe environment of their Primary class,” said a Year 6 teacher.

The class teachers are able to make literacy, numeracy and connected learning more exciting and engaging. Keeping up to date with the constant redefinition of ICT in modern life and linking this with students’ learning whilst accessing cutting-edge technology, software and resources are all benefits of the introduction of the scheme.

Helping the students embrace the excitement whilst tempering the potential addictive and immersive nature of the digital world are all very important.

It also provides a vehicle to promote an increased awareness and understanding of good Digital Citizenship, one of the most important areas of study.

“I believe the students’ use of their own laptops, where it will enhance learning, is invaluable. It prepares them for further study and allows them to manage and learn with the tool that will almost certainly play a large role in their future lives,” said a Year 6 teacher.

It promotes independence and provides even more opportunities for students to choose the direction of and co-construct their learning. The development of the School Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Firefly also increases the benefit of having 1:1 laptops.

The students are beginning to create their own online presence with the introduction of an E-Portfolio: an electronic copy of learning evidence and reflections that can be shared and viewed by the student, their teachers and their parents. This portfolio will potentially be taken with the students as they move up through the school showing their progression,

thoughts and reflections on all areas of learning. The best thing about the E-Portfolio scheme is that the students are in control of the evidence and reflections which are all stored in each student’s personal section of Firefly. Teachers and parents can comment and give feedback but ultimately the students are in charge of their own learning journey.

The benefits have been seen not only in the classroom and in their ICT lessons, but also in other specialist lessons.

Already the devices are regularly used in MFL and the Art department have used them to create digital art based on Roald Dahl’s work. It has also opened a whole world of digital features for the music department to augment their learning.

“This scheme has huge potential to develop many key skills in Patana students.

As well as the obvious ICT and device management skills, the students develop independence and a deeper understand of their learning and how they develop and make progress,” noted Brian Taylor.

Practice makes perfect permanent; acting on feedback makes perfect.

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PRIMARY

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LEARNING IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL Jason Cooper

Primary Assistant Principal, Learning and Curriculum

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n the Primary School at Bangkok Patana we use a ‘connected learning’ approach to develop subject-specific skills. Our connected learning approach is similar to multidisciplinary learning, interdisciplinary learning or an integrated learning approach where the goal is to help students see the connections in their learning. The benefits of a connected learning approach are: • Increased understanding, retention and application of general concepts.

• Better overall comprehension of global interdependencies, along with the development of multiple perspectives and points of view, as well as values.

• Increased ability to make decisions, think critically and creatively and synthesise knowledge beyond the disciplines.

• Enhanced ability to identify, assess and transfer significant information needed for solving novel problems.

• Promotion of cooperative learning and a better attitude toward oneself as a learner and as a meaningful member of a community.

• Increased motivation.

(The Logic of Interdisciplinary Studies: Sandra Mathison and Melissa Freeman. http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/ mathisonlogic12004.pdf ) When students study discrete subjects in isolated blocks of time, it is difficult for them to see how their learning can be applied in other subject disciplines. It is also difficult for the students to understand how the skills they are developing in Geography, for example, may be applied in their learning in Science. By utilising a 20

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connected learning approach the students are able to make these links while developing skills that are transferrable across the different subject areas.

To give an example of what this looks like in practice, let’s look at the current Year 5 unit of learning – Rivers and Settlements. Judging by the title of this unit alone one could assume that it would be heavily focused on Geography.

However, if we look at the ‘big idea’ (this unit studies the impact of the world’s rivers on people and landscapes in the past, present and future), we begin to see that the learning in this unit will delve into socio-historical, as well as environment learning. As we start to look even closer at the unit we begin to see even more connections: Science – investigate water as an energy source, revisit the water cycle, as well as make systematic and accurate measurements from observations Geography – investigate environmental issues related to water and rivers, know how people affect rivers and how rivers affect people, as well as noting similarities and differences between specific rivers History – inquire into historical issues and their effects on people’s lives, as well as looking into how rivers have been important to civilisations throughout history.

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The students will also share their learning and understanding through writing poems and non-chronological reports in Literacy, while using their Mathematical skills and knowledge to study river depths and flow speed.

When we learn in this way, the students don’t necessarily know that they are learning Geography or History or Science. They do know that they are learning about rivers and how these geographical features have impacted societies over time. They further develop their understanding of the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature, and further their intrinsic motivation to look after the environments in which they live.

Learning through a connected approach allows the students to focus on the skills they are developing and the knowledge they are acquiring, and to see how this can be applied to their everyday lives. It is more about developing relevant and usable learning rather than simply focusing on the subject discipline.

The Education Scotland website points out that: The curriculum should include space for learning beyond subject boundaries, so that children and young people can make connections between different areas of learning. (http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningandteaching/thecurriculum/howisthecurriculumorganised/ interdisciplinarylearning/) Through our connected learning approach, we create this ‘space’ and ensure that our students are making connections and seeing the relevance of what they are learning. This approach to learning also provides opportunities for students to collaborate through group learning and problem solving, thus developing and improving these important 21st century skills.

It is important for us to provide opportunities for students to see and make connections in their learning, as the students do not experience their world in disconnected chunks. They do not have a ‘Mathematics part’ of their lives, or a ‘History part’ of their lives. If we want learning to be meaningful and relevant to our students, then we must help them experience the connections and give them opportunities to apply their learning in real-life contexts.

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PRIMARY

CELEBRATING ROALD DAHL’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY

Sally Flint

Head of Libraries

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n the 13th September we had a wonderful day in our Bogglebox Library celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Roald Dahl’s birth. Whilst there wasn’t a Snozzcumber in sight we did get to enjoy a ‘crumb of cake’ to wish Roald Dahl a very happy birthday. Children from Years 2 to 6 visited our Libraries and took part in the many activities our fantastic library team had prepared for them.

In the spirit of a fun-packed celebration, children were encouraged to dress up as Roald Dahl characters and we had a wonderful array of Willy Wonkas, Big Friendly Giants, Matildas and many more characters parading through the Library.

Mr Murgatroyd, our wonderful Teacher Librarian, made a very dashing Roald 22

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Dahl figure dressed up in his Fighter Pilot costume!

During the celebration, activities ranged from ‘dress up role-play’ acting out scenes

from Roald Dahl’s wonderful stories, to online games, to word searches, to puzzles, to lollipop designing for Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Roald Dahl firmly felt

Bangkok Patana Magazine

that reading should be fun and we think he would have thoroughly approved of the great time that our children had. Our ‘pie face’ game proved to be a real hit and the prospect of being splatted with cream was an entertaining and effective incentive for children to read extracts from some of Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes”. Parents will be glad to hear that no one was lixivated whilst participating in this game! The Library Grand Prix Challenge, which took place in the weeks before our celebrations on his actual birthday, incorporated many Roald Dahl learning experiences and involved the children from Year 3 to Year 6, trying to solve quiz questions about his books and his life, design lollies, hats and flag bunting, create ‘dream’ jars and read his books in Charlie’s grandparents’ bed! Year 6 were the proud winners of this challenge, perhaps taking them one step closer to being the overall cup winners at the end of the academic year!

The students also learned about Roald Dahl’s history and discovered much that they didn’t know about his life. They were thrilled to learn that he had been a fighter pilot and delighted to think that he did all of his writing in his shed, which hasn’t been touched since he died in 1990. Some children were shocked by his untidy desk, which no one was allowed to clean, but

several others thought that this rule should also be applied to their own bedrooms!

A highlight of our Roald Dahl celebrations was having Roald Dahl’s illustrator, Quentin Blake (a.k.a. Primary Art Teacher and Coordinator, David Whittaker), visit

for the whole day and teach the children how to draw and paint in his style. David, oops Quentin, quite possibly could have won a world record for the longest continuous group painting session. Watching David at work was wonderful; the children were encouraged to be free, take risks and let their imagination flow. The resultant paintings are absolutely fantastic and can be seen on display boards around the Primary School.

In our Library we firmly believe: “In addition to educational value, reading for pleasure brings a range of benefits to individuals and society, and can increase empathy, improve relationships with others, reduce the symptoms of depression … and improve wellbeing throughout life.”

(The Reading Agency, 2015) It is exactly this type of library event that entices our children into our libraries and really encourages reading for pleasure.

Having fun with books does so much to promote reading and we are very thankful

to our fantastic Library team for continuously striving to make our Libraries such a wonderful center for learning through pleasure. Our interactive displays looked wonderful and our Roald Dahl books (and we have a lot!) simply flew off the shelves both in the lead up to, and aftermath of, our celebration. It was almost as if our children had been listening to the Oompa Loompas song, as Mike Teavee leaves the factory, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: “Go throw your TV set away and in its place you can install a lovely bookshelf on the wall …”

An idea that, we in the Library think, would be gloriumptious!

Definitions: Bogglebox: a school for young children Gloriumptious: gloriously wonderful Lixivated: to be squashed and turned to liquid at the same time Snozzcumber: a disgusting vegetable that has red and white stripes TERM 1 – 2016/17

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ALUMNI PROFILE:

PONG TRAIRATVORAKUL, CLASS OF 2014 Nationality: Thai Current Location: New Haven, Connecticut Years at Bangkok Patana: 10 What are your favourite memories of Bangkok Patana School?

Where do I begin? Naturally there’s the Noodle Bar which has a special place in every alum’s heart. There’s also the interactions with teachers and friends, as well as conversations with bus monitors as we were stuck in traffic. However, one of the greatest highlights was definitely the Year 9 History trip to Vietnam where we got to experience the histories and cultures of places we learn about in the classroom. I still vividly remember having Phò at a former Vièt Công headquarter. Looking back, not only was the trip, to put it in the words of Mr Wood, “one of the best times of our lives”, but it was also valuable to learn about the regional history.

What have you been doing since leaving school?

It has only been two years since I graduated from Bangkok Patana and I am currently entering my third year of college, majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. This past year I’ve been working at Yale’s Center for Engineering Innovation and Design, leading workshops open to the Yale community in addition to continuing my passion for music, playing in a pops orchestra and also in the Yale University Guild of Carillonneurs (we play the carillon in the bell tower - you should check us out!).

Is there anything that you learnt/experienced whilst at Bangkok Patana that has helped you at university?

An experience I found very valuable was the school’s treatment of multiculturalism. This allowed me to share my experiences and offer a unique perspective when 24

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these issues were discussed on the university campus.

Do you have any advice for students who are trying to decide which

university/course is right for them?

There are so many factors and different philosophies involved with this so I would just share advice I received and found

Bangkok Patana Magazine

useful. I greatly benefited from availability of breadth. My major in college was in constant flux for most of my first two years in college since my exposure to different fields varied greatly between my time at Bangkok Patana and in college. This meant that while I thought I was passionate about something, there may be other things I have not been exposed to before. This translates to advice like having personal conversations with people in the field/university you may be interested in and going into university with a malleable mind-set.

What would you like to be doing in ten years’ time?

There is a possibility that I will still be in grad school. The field would most likely relate to technology, specifically tangible technology relating to human interactions.

Eventually I want to settle in Thailand and contribute to innovations in the region.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not studying?

Playing music has always been a large part of my life and I still continue to do that. I also enjoy tinkering with new technologies and exploring how they can be used. Other things I enjoy also include

watching Game of Thrones and eating Japanese food.

You recently came in to talk to current students about life after Bangkok Patana School, what advice would you give the Class of 2017?

One piece of advice I find very useful is to occasionally take a step back and look at

what you’re doing. Going into college, it is tempting to simply join everything you see.

While exposure to many different things is great, there comes a certain point where doing everything may require 25 hours per day. At that point, take a step back. Ask yourself what you really want to do and why you’re doing it. It is perfectly fine to iterate your set of interests as you experience more things and learn more about yourself.

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CREATING GLOBAL LEARNERS Jackie Houghton

Assistant Principal, Professional Learning

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he Bangkok Patana philosophy is ‘Learning for Life’ and, as such, we place a strong value on continuing professional development (CPD) for all staff. To support this yearly commitment, just before the October half-term holidays, the academic team spend two days involved in professional learning activities. This year, instead of focusing on one area of development, a decision was made to hold a conference based upon our new vision for the school: ‘We develop global citizens who shape their world through independence, empathy, creativity and critical thinking.’

The aim of The Global Learner Conference was to raise awareness and help staff gain a greater understanding of Global Citizenship and their role in supporting students to develop as Global Citizens.

To facilitate this, the conference was composed of a series of keynote presentations and workshops which allowed staff to develop a deeper understanding of global citizenship in relation to the following four strands: • Environmental Awareness and Action: Making informed decisions on, and positive action towards sustainability issues.

• Digital Citizenship: Having a positive 26

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impact on our online communities.

• Community Participation: Volunteering time and effort to meet the needs of a community and learning from the experience.

• Intercultural Understanding: Having positive interactions with people of all cultures by developing understanding, empathy and mutual respect.

Our first renowned keynote speaker, Robert Swan, is a polar explorer environmentalist and the first man ever to walk unsupported to both the North and South Poles. Mr Swan spoke passionately about the plight of the Antarctic in his presentation ‘Let’s Save the Last Pristine Continent’.

We were also proud to have Alan November, the co-founder of the Institute for Education Leadership and Technology at Stanford University, present to our community. Mr November discussed empathy and its importance as a 21st century skill. Both speakers were impressive as they challenged, motivated and enthused participants.

The keynote that really ‘stole the show’ and generated the most comments however, was the ‘Student Voice’. Global Learners from Bangkok Patana were given an opportunity to share their passions starting with

a piece of physical theatre devised by a talented group of students under the guidance of Nita Dewse. Their clever use of shadows, topical references and allegory of Walter Mitty demonstrated to the enraptured audience how small steps contribute to big differences. This was then followed by inspirational presentations on a wide range of topics; two Year 4 students confidently explored ideas generated in a debate on integrity that they had completed in class with teacher Sally Clay; Secondary students spoke with true passion and eloquence on environmental issues, feminism and their dedication to community service projects.

The event went beyond expectations and generated a huge amount of excitement and enthusiasm amongst the staff.

Developing Global Citizens is not an easy task and will take time to achieve but The Global Learner Conference has certainly paved the way for the future.

Special thanks go to the Community Action Teams (CAT) led by Tania Leyland who provided quality workshops, student leaders who volunteered their time to support the workshop presenters and the students who introduced and thanked our keynote presenters.

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FOCUS ON THE ATHLETICS COUNCIL Cindy Adair

Assistant Principal Extra-curricular Activities and Sports this group as I believe the students gain a huge amount from volunteering in the Athletics Council. Having the opportunity to make an impact upon the school community through the medium of sport is paramount for the group. Leadership, team work and creativity are all essential elements to the success of the group.”

In Season 1 you might have seen them out and about volunteering at the Fun Run, hosting a Pizza Lunch for our Varsity teams and organising fun lunchtime fixtures against the teachers. The Athletic Council’s motto is “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Let’s meet the Council:

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he Athletics Council (AC) are a hard working group of student leaders who are passionate about sports.

Among them you have members of almost every Varsity team on offer from swimming to softball, tennis to rugby and everything in between.

The Athletics Council meet weekly to plan activities that build ‘Tiger Spirit’, support and celebrate our student athletes. They bring an all-important student voice to the work we do in the Sports and Activities department. When we host large

sporting fixtures at Bangkok Patana they are the volunteers behind the scenes organising those special touches that visiting teams really appreciate.

The Athletic Council was introduced to Bangkok Patana three years ago and has gone from strength to strength during that time. This year’s Athletics Council is ably led by Year 13 student, Marie Guest.

The AC is mentored by Miss Bebbington, Secondary PE Teacher and Varsity Boys Volleyball and Varsity Girls Basketball Coach. “I enjoy working with

Teamwork makes the dream work.

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Marie Guest, 13M Sports: Touch Rugby and Cross Country Sporting Inspiration: Jessica Ennis Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: Winning GOLD two years in a row at BISAC Touch!

Favourite after sport snack: ‘Patana’ Classic Smoothie, oranges and granola bars Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement” – Matt Biondi Words that describe you best: Supportive, approachable, pro-active

Bangkok Patana Magazine

Abbie Slowther, 13H Sports: Volleyball and Basketball Sporting Inspiration: Jessica Ennis Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: Placing 3rd at SEASAC Basketball and then watching the Boys’ team become champions!

Favourite after sport snack: Cream cheese and salami bagel Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “Look up, get up and don’t ever give up” – Michael Irvin Words that describe you best: Easy, breezy, beautiful (Cover girl)

Satu Pentilla, 13A Sports: Football and Basketball Sporting Inspiration: Malory Pugh Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: I can’t pick one… all SEASACs! Favourite after sport snack: Smoothies Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “The man who has no imagination has no wings” – Muhammad Ali Words that describe you best: Blonde, brave and banterful

Beccy Waite, 13A Sports: Volleyball and Water polo Sporting Inspiration: Simone Biles Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: Varsity Volleyball SEASAC 2015 Favourite after sport snack: Banana cake and a cheesy sausage from 7/11 Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great” – Zig Zagler Words that describe you best: Emoji’s describe me best

Emily Mitchell-Storey, 13A Sports: Touch Rugby, Softball, Track and Field Sporting Inspiration: Richie McCaw from the All Blacks Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: Winning BISAC Touch Rugby for the second time Favourite after sport snack: Cheese toasties and berry smoothies Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “I don’t believe in magic; I believe in hard work” – Richie McCaw Words that describe you best: Motivated, happy and hard-working

Thananuch (Password) Thepkanjana, 12C Sports: Swimming, Gymnastics and Volleyball Sports Inspiration: Simone Biles Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: SEASAC Swimming 2015 Favourite after sport snack: Any type of fruit Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “When you feel like quitting think about why you started” – Anon Words that describe you best: Fab, cool, quirky

Ela Rylichova, 11G Sports: Swimming, Touch Rugby, Water polo, Triathlon and Football Sporting Inspiration: Emil Zatopek Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: SEASAC Swimming 2015 in Hong Kong Favourite after sport snack: 7/11 food Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “A trophy carries dust, memories last forever” – Mary Lou Retton Words that describe you best: Pretty (awesome), jokester, bubbly

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Lucy Thompson, 10G Sports: Volleyball, Basketball, Athletics and Tennis Sporting Inspiration: Coach Jang Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: FOBISIA Favourite after sport snack: Brownies and other sugary things Words that describe you best: Pro-active, nice, determined

Clara Boucher, 9D Sports: Tennis, Volleyball and Cross Country Sporting Inspiration: My Dad (Boucher Sr.) Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: FOBISIA Tennis in Jakarta 2014 Favourite after sport snack: Banana and berry smoothies Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “It never gets easier; you just get better.”

– Anon Words that describe you best: Highly skilled, hard-working, unbeatable

Nicholas Landi, 13A Sports: Rugby Sporting Inspiration: Shaun Johnson Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: Scoring the winning try at BISAC in Year 11 Favourite after sport snack: Bounty bars Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “Look up, get up and don’t ever give up.”

– Michael Irvin Words that describe you best: Lean. Mean. Machine.

Alexandre (Lacross-over/ LaCrush/LaClutch) Lacrosse, 12G Sports: Basketball, Volleyball and Softball Sporting Inspiration: John Wall Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: Winning SEASAC Basketball at Bangkok Patana Favourite after sport snack: Gum Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “Practice like you’ve never won, perform like you have never lost.”– Anon Words that describe you best: Energetic, hyped, hard-working

Aryan Jain, 12G Sports: Basketball, Softball and FOBISIA Sporting Inspiration: Usain Bolt Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: SEASAC Basketball in 2016 Favourite after sport snack: Chocolate milk and cheese Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “If you are afraid to fail, then you’re probably going to fail.” – Kobe Bryant Words that describe you best: Beast/spicy curry, hard-working, leader

Malachi Frye, 11F Sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Softball and Golf Sporting Inspiration: Kobe Bryant Best Sporting Moment at Bangkok Patana School: Getting a block whilst out-manned 2-to-1 Favourite after sport snack: Water Favourite inspirational sporty quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” – Coach Carter Words that describe you best: Team player, dedicated, top notch.

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