Check out our Reopening plan here
At BIS Hanoi, we always actively prepare for the return of students on campus by focusing on our two interconnected priorities: ensuring both the continuity of learning and the health and safety of all members of our community. We are one step closer to being TOGETHER AGAIN!
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INTERNATIONALLY MINDED CITIZENS 06 | Virtual Tet Assembly 2022 08 | Our students hosted their first virtual Model United Nations Conference 10 | BIS Hanoi Students get creative for MIT’S latest STEAM challenge 12 | Performing Arts: BIS Hanoi students shine on a global stage
ACADEMIC SUCCESS 16 | The impact of intrinsic motivation and learning agility on academic performance 18 | Year 13 university offers update 20 | BIS Hanoi students achieve ‘Top in country’ awards in the Cambridge IGCSE examinations 22 | Science Week 2022: BIS Hanoi’s young scientists tackle problems large and small 24 | The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) supports the holistic development of young learners
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS 28 | Celebrating the achievements of the BIS Student Council 30 | Primary Student Council roundup 32 | BIS Book Week 2022 sparked the excitement in every BIS reader
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY 36 | How we ensure a smooth transition from Virtual School Experience to on-campus learning 38 | Why students should make a good night's sleep a priority 40 | Our community partnerships
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
To shape a generation of creative and resilient global citizens – a generation that will change our world for the better
As shared recently at our Principals’ Coffee Morning, we as a school team have refreshed our set of guiding statements for further clarity and direction. As you will see from our Vision statement, the importance of shaping our international school students into global change-makers lies right at the heart of why we exist as an organisation. Creativity and resilience are two dimensions of this embodiment that we are particularly focused on. Our school curriculum here at BIS Hanoi is designed, along with our STEAM partnership with MIT and our Juilliard partnership with the Performing Arts, to foster and develop this really well. According to Daniel Pink in his book ‘A Whole New Mind’, “The last few decades belonged to the linear left-brainers. But the keys to the kingdom are changing hands – the future will belong to the creators and the artists.”
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As you will see from our Vision statement, the importance of shaping our international school students into global change-makers lies right at the heart of why we exist as an organisation.
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
OUR BIS HANOI VISION
With that in mind, we must always put a strong emphasis on nurturing creativity among our children and young people. Please join me in valuing this within our school community as we may rely on their skills and abilities to support us in the not-too-distant future! Hand in hand with this is a renewed focus upon resilience. These past few COVID-19 years have reminded us more than ever that to both survive and to ultimately thrive, we have to develop resilience within our student body. This means as parents and educators, we need to work together to create and manage a level of discomfort as it is only and truly in the tough times that we grow from strength to strength. This, of course, is providing we have the support, encouragement and perspective shared by trusted adults who have walked this journey ahead of us. This means offering hope that they will come through, that today’s challenge will be the platform for tomorrow’s achievement and celebration. That failure is a critical part of the learning process. It is not the opposite of success but a part of it. Resilience is a quality that requires our students to walk through a furnace, climb a peak and jog through the valley. Out of this comes the birth of new hope, energy and belief that there is more to do, more to achieve and that as true global citizens, they can indeed change the world for the better. Heres’ to celebrating the failures along the way with our students. Let’s see these as milestones on the journey to success in providing the rounded, personal growth needed in our future planet shakers. Richard Vaughan Principal
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ESPRIT ESPRIT December April 2019 2022 | 5| 5
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS
A WHOLE-SCHOOL CELEBRATION OF VIETNAMESE CULTURE At times it has been a challenging year for our teachers, students and staff with teaching, learning and extra-curricular activities all taking place in a virtual environment. However, at the beginning of this term the BIS Hanoi community proved once again that, no matter the circumstances, we are able to come together to reflect on and celebrate another memorable year together.
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VIRTUAL TET ASSEMBLY 2022
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The BIS Hanoi community proved once again that, no matter the circumstances, we are able to come together to reflect on and celebrate another memorable year together.
The Virtual Tet Assembly 2022 was a vibrant celebration of Vietnamese culture and was packed with creative performances from staff and students alike. A mixture of pre-recorded videos and live performances shared the key messages of Tet, explored the traditional activities that take place in family homes during the festival, and carried Happy New Year messages from groups and individuals from right across the BIS Hanoi community. Video highlights included a memorable dance performance from students in Year 8 and a stunning rendition of the song Như Hoa Mùa Xuân or Like the Flowers of Spring from students in Year 12. In the second half of the assembly, we crossed live to the auditorium on the BIS Hanoi campus to watch spectacular live drumming and dance performances. Finally, we enjoyed a colourful catwalk show starring staff members who were all dressed in traditional ao dai. This collaborative, whole school celebration was a testament to our community’s ability to achieve great things both independently and as a collective. On behalf of the Vietnamese department, I would like to thank all the students and teachers in the Performing Arts Department, as well as the Vietnamese teachers, who have helped us to share a snapshot of Vietnamese culture with our friends from around the world. Hai Nguyen Whole School Vietnamese Leader ESPRIT April 2022 | 7
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS
OUR STUDENTS HOSTED THEIR FIRST VIRTUAL
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
8 | BIS Hanoi
On the 26th and 27th of March, our students welcomed fellow students from schools in Hanoi and across the South-East Asia region to the inaugural BIS Hanoi Virtual Model United Nations (MUN) Conference. The conference was entitled "The Global Goals: Equality, Opportunity and Innovation."
last September, the project was tirelessly driven by our co-chairs Heidy and Ngan Ha (Year 13). As a result of their hard work and inspiration, Heidy and Ha were able to effectively answer all technological and logistical questions in order to put together an excellent conference.
Students from BIS have played increasingly prominent roles in the virtual MUN conferences that have taken place across the region in recent years; thus, it was only natural for BIS Hanoi to seek to host our own conference. Since its inception
When the conference commenced on Saturday (26th March), we were joined by students from schools in Hanoi, and from across the South-East Asia region. The conference consisted of four committees, each of which was chaired or co-chaired by
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The MUN Conference offers an opportunity for students to develop communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills, whilst engaging with issues of global significance.
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a student from BIS Hanoi in collaboration with a student from another school. The BIS Hanoi students who chaired or co-chaired are Thanh Tri Nguyen, Kanta Fujimoto, Tue Minh Nguyen, Tue Nhi Nguyen, and Ngoc Linh Cao. The MUN Conference offers an opportunity for students to develop communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills, whilst engaging with issues of global significance. Participating in conferences gives students the opportunity to collaborate with people from different places
and backgrounds, providing invaluable experience for students when they move to universities and beyond. We are excited about cutting the ribbon on our first conference, in particular seeing BIS students take their leadership roles on an international stage. Simon Hoare English Teacher
ESPRIT April 2022 | 9
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
BIS HANOI STUDENTS GET CREATIVE
FOR MIT’S LATEST STEAM CHALLENGE The unique collaboration between Nord Anglia and MIT continues to provide students at BIS Hanoi with enriching learning opportunities. In Term 2, our students were set a new STEAM challenge by worldrenowned oceanographer Dr Carolione Ummenhofer. They were tasked with learning about the Water Cycle: the continuous movement of water on, above and beneath the Earth’s surface. Students discovered how and why the water cycle plays a significant role in every weather event on the planet. Our Secondary students investigated how the water cycle works by using a weather event which they had studied in their Geography classes as a case study. They applied their new knowledge of the water cycle to demonstrate how it played a role in that weather event. The students also created stop motion videos demonstrating and explaining the water cycle. Year 7 students composed music to accompany the sound of water as it transitioned from a liquid to a vapour, and back to a liquid again. Dr. Caroline was particularly impressed by the video that Olivia, one of our Year 7 students, had created. She praised the video's creativity and how well the music matched the water cycle movement. 10 | BIS Hanoi
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Dr. Caro was part impress video th one of o 7 studen created. the vide and how music m the wate moveme
oline ticularly sed by the hat Olivia, our Year nts, had . She praised eo's creativity w well the matched er cycle ent.
As part of our second MIT Extreme Weather challenge, students in Primary STEAM classes learnt about the water cycle and how it affects extreme weather such as droughts and floods. Year 5 students chose an extreme weather event and created a multimedia Sway presentation in Office 365 to explain how the weather event relates to the water cycle. Year 6 students have been studying the genre of minimalism in their music lessons, exploring minimalist techniques such as phase shifting, note addition and subtraction, rhythmic augmentation and diminution, and writing for a variety of timbres. The music they composed formed the soundtrack for a stop motion animation video based on the water cycle. Term 2’s MIT STEAM challenge was one of the most creative yet - and the stunning variety of work produced by BIS Hanoi students demonstrates just how well they rose to the challenge. David Burke STEAM Teacher & Stephen Labelle Primary Computing Teacher ESPRIT April 2022 | 11
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INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS
BIS HANOI STUDENTS SHINE ON A GLOBAL STAGE
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It's been a busy term for Performing Arts, with so many Global Campus projects to complete.
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Thanks to a series of global festivals, competitions and challenges - it’s been another busy term full of creativity in the Performing Arts department. In Music, our Year 7 students studied Minimalism with Mr Scott and composed pieces based on the water cycle. These were combined with the stop motion animations they had created as part of this term’s MIT STEAM challenge. We were delighted when the judges at MIT recognised Olivia (Dakyung) in 7B for her outstanding work, with the music being specifically praised in the feedback. Year 8 and 9 students participated in the Global Campus Film Festival,
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
PERFORMING ARTS:
12 | BIS Hanoi
which had the theme of ‘The Future’. This was a cross-curricular project, with students in Years 8 and 9 spending all of their Music, Dance, and Drama lessons on it between Christmas and Tet. As part of the festival, the students created impressive videos which conveyed their own visions of the future. Our winning entries have been sent to Global Campus, where they are being judged by award-winning director Lord David Puttnam CBE. We are currently awaiting the results - and will share them as soon as we receive them! Another Global Campus competition in which BIS Hanoi students were heavily involved was
the Nord Anglia Young Musician of the Year 2022. The competition, which started in 2020, features students competing on a range of instruments in both classical and popular music categories. This year, BIS Hanoi excelled among over 1000 entries to take home some of the top prizes for a third year in a row.
Siyoon in 6I received a Special Mention for her string playing, while Tae Hyeon in 6B came second in the brass category. Eric Junypo in 8S defended his title and won his age group’s piano category for the second year running! Mr Scott also won a prize in the brass category of the teachers' competition. He is a great inspiration to all our students
and an outstanding musician who was recognised by all the Nord Anglia judges. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in these global competitions. We are very proud of you all! Rachael Howarth Whole School Performing Arts Leader
ESPRIT April 2022 | 13
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Going even further, at the heart of every flourishing school is an unwavering unified purpose, and at BIS Hanoi this is reflected in our guiding statements. Our vision is to shape a generation of creative and resilient global citizens – a generation that will change our world for the better. We believe that all students should enjoy a well-rounded and personalised education, leading to an exceptional outcome for all students. What we offer educationally is the best of British international education – a focus on high standards in everything we do, enriched learning that encompasses a variety of experiences and subjects, along with outstanding pastoral care and guidance. I hope that this publication will illustrate the quality and variety of the BIS Hanoi educational experience.
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We believe that all students should enjoy a well-rounded and personalised education, leading to an exceptional outcome for all students.
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
As I read the articles in Esprit for this term, I am reminded that academic success is multidimensional. This means numerous necessary conditions must be present for academic excellence to take hold in a school, the interrelatedness of which, in many ways, resembles an ecosystem more than anything else. On the student side, for example, we must have a rigorous curriculum, a positive and safe environment, intentional resourcing, technologies, and facilities. On the staffing side, teachers must be continually developed, and excellent recruitment and selection practices need to be in place. Supporting all of that is community engagement, as partnerships with all our stakeholders are needed for a thriving academic environment.
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IS MULTIDIMENSIONAL
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Chris Newman Head of Secondary
ESPRIT April 2022 | 15
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
THE IMPACT OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION AND LEARNING AGILITY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE Whilst we truly value academic outcomes here at BIS Hanoi and are extremely proud of the academic endeavours of our students, we understand that success in this area alone does not prepare students for success beyond academia. Employers talk about workplace competencies being the key to talent and some of the most commonly mentioned are intrinsic motivation and learning agility. It is important that we embed all skills, but most importantly ensure that students are intrinsically motivated to grow and learn, when there isn’t a specific outcome. A study carried out 25 years ago explored the impact that summative formal assessments (examinations and tests) can have on student motivation and their focus to learn in the short term, seeing the assessment and result as the end point, rather than valuing and engaging in deep and genuine learning experiences (Kellaghan, Madaus, and Raczek, 1996). This research was preceded in 1985 in a study which coined the phrases ‘intrinsic and extrinsic motivation’ (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Students who possess ‘extrinsic’ motivation often engage in shallow learning and study habits such as rote learning. Three decades have almost passed since this research but it is still a focus for educational institutes today and supports our work here at BIS Hanoi in ensuring we equally value skills for learning and most importantly the effort required to learn effectively. Student effort refers to the energy and determination that students demonstrate in a classroom environment. Intrinsic motivation focuses on the feeling of satisfaction derived from a learning activity. Extrinsic motivation focuses on the reward nature of an outcome, for example external examination results. Learning agility requires individuals to be able to think 16 | BIS Hanoi
deeply across a number of challenges. Those that show success in this particular skill regularly demonstrate the following: • Embrace the challenge of the unfamiliar • Take on a new challenge that scares you • Don’t get stuck on first solutions • Make it a habit to push for new ideas In order to achieve success and have the motivation and determination to thrive within learning agility effort is paramount. We talk a lot about effort at BIS Hanoi and celebrate individual successes with students. Effort is not simply about completing tasks that are assigned, it is about students truly stretching themselves and making regular steps forward learning capacity. Mistakes are commonplace as part of this process, but they provide reasonable stretch for the student. It is within this space that the celebration for effort is essential. We are regularly reviewing the effort data of students that is issued on the academic reports that are sent home and ensuring that our Wellbeing curriculum and classroom practice support students with making improvements where needed. We urge these discussions to continue at home, with a particular focus on effective effort and genuine learning throughout all of their learning activities. Finally, I would like to share with you the students who are currently identified as being top of their year groups with regards to their effort. We are really proud of their accomplishments and in particular their learning behaviours and we look forward to seeing more students join them at the end of Term 2. Stephanie Miller Deputy Head of Secondary
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Hwang Dakyung
Kim Sunwoo
Nguyen Hoang Minh Khue
Seo Jimin
Cho Jaewon
Yang Sungwon
Song Jeongyeon
Rie Morisako
Srinjoy Sengupta
Yoo Sohee
Hoang Thai Anh
Kim Hyoeun
Do Tran Thuy Duong
Kano Nozawa
Pham Bui Gia Khanh
Duong An Duy
Kwun Taehoo
Jang Junpyo
Woo Suyeon
Heo Yeeun
Baek Seungwoo
Joshua Jung Muyeol
Kwun Taeyeon
Nguyen Dai Duy Hung
Chloe Bernardin
Son Yuri
Ryu Seojung
Yoo Yehoon
Sim Gyumin
Tran Gia Bao
Tran Minh Hung
Year 11
Year 12
Year 13
Do Ngoc Bao Linh
Do Ngoc Thien Huong
Nguyen Thi Hoang Lan
Doan Tuong Van
Hana Funayama
Nguyen Tue Minh
Kanta Fujimoto
Hong Seunga
Park Chaewon
Tran Bao Anh
Daniel Jung Mubin
Sung Pooh Leum
Vuong Kim Ngan
Kang Yesol
Hoa Tuan Kiet
Yun Hyerin
Nguyen Hoang Phuong Anh
Jung Sangyoon
Luong Kim Khanh
Nguyen Ngoc Ha Tien
Saito Pham Ngoc Le
Pham Bui Gia Han To Vu Hieu Minh
Deci, E.L. and Ryan, R.M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Springer Science & Business Media, p.86. Kellaghan, T., Madaus, G. F., Raczek, A. E., & American Educational Research Association. (1996). The use of external examinations to improve student motivation. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS
Unite Canada
19.
17.8% USA
44.5%
YEAR 13 UNIVERSITY OFFERS UPDATE Offers University
Country
Offers University
Country
1 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada
1 2 1 5 5 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2
Canada Canada Canada Hong Ko Hong Ko Netherla Netherla UK UK UK UK UK UK UK UK UK UK UK UK
Deakin University Macquarie University Monash University RMIT University North South Wales University of Melbourne University of Sydney University of Technology Sydney University of Western Australia Concordia University Emily Carr University of Art & Design Fraser International College McMaster University Queen's University Ryerson Int College (Ryerson University) Ryerson University University of British Columbia University of Alberta University of Toronto
Our Year 13 students have been working extremely hard over the past two years, not just for their IB grades, but also for their university applications. It takes a lot of time to research and finds the right courses and universities, in other words, the best fit. Finding the best fit is time-intensive and can be quite frustrating, especially when studying such a demanding programme as the IB. 18 | BIS Hanoi
University of Victoria University of Waterloo Western University of Western Ontario HK University for Science and Technology University of Hong Kong Erasmus University Rotterdam Tilburg University City, University of London Durham University King's College London MetFilm School SOAS University of London University College London University of Birmingham University of Exeter University of Liverpool University of Manchester Newcastle University University of Nottingham
The best-fit approach takes into account all factors that are important to each student. This means understanding the universities, the courses and other life aspects of the potential home – aiming to maximise the positive experience they will have at university. Ranking can, of course, be one of those factors but should not be the main or only factor.
ed Kingdom Europe
.1%
y
ong ong ands ands
2.7%
Class of 2022 University Offers Update until 23rd March 2022
Hong Kong
2.7%
Australia
13.2%
Offers University
Country
Offers University
Country
1 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1
UK UK USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
1 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 1 1 1 1
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
University of Surrey University of Sussex Case Western Reserve University Cleveland State University DePaul University Drexel University Emory University Indiana University Bloomington Iowa State University James Madison University Michigan State University North Carolina State University Northeastern University Penn State University Saint Louis University San Diego State University Simon Fraser University St. John's University Stony Brook University
Most countries have now closed their university application cycles – except for South Korea and Australia. This means our final year students have slowly but surely been receiving offers from all over the world. I am excited to present an update of the 105 university offers that have been made to date (more to come). This shows a fantastic range of universities
Suffolk University Syracuse University Temple University University of California Irvine University of California San Diego University of California, Los Angeles University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Arizona University of Buffalo University of Connecticut University of Georgia University of Massachusetts Amherst University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Rochester University of Southern California University of Washington
– a statement that our students have understood and taken to heart the best fit principle. Congratulations to all the recipients! Bernd Widemann University Guidance Counsellor
ESPRIT April 2022 | 19
‘TOP IN COUNTRY’ AWARDS IN
THE CAMBRIDGE IGCSE EXAMINATIONS
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
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Three students from last year’s Year 11 cohort have received prestigious awards from Cambridge International Education to acknowledge their outstanding performance in the June 2021 Cambridge examination series.
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CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS
BIS HANOI STUDENTS ACHIEVE
The Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards programme celebrates the success of learners taking Cambridge examinations in over 40 countries from around the world. Cambridge places learners at the centre of their international education programmes and qualifications which are inspired by the best in educational thinking.
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The following students received Top in Country awards, indicating that they received the highest mark in Vietnam for their subjects: &
Bich Phuong Nguyen was awarded the prize for the highest mark in Vietnam for Cambridge IGCSE Art & Design
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Tue Nhi Nguyen was awarded the prize for the highest mark in Vietnam for Cambridge IGCSE Biology
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Hana Funayama was awarded the prize for the highest mark in Vietnam for IGCSE Music
When asked about the achievements, our three students couldn’t hide their happiness: “When it comes to my reward, I feel surreal, yet delighted and proud at the same time. It's the major cause for my delight that I feel that my work has been appreciated and that there are individuals who enjoy it”, Bich Phuong said.
“I never expected to be ranked in the first place, but above everything (above topping the country), I was just proud that I outdid myself”, Tue Nhi said. “I am proud of myself for working hard consistently over the two years, especially in coursework which I found very challenging”, Hana said. Our teachers were also very proud of the top scorers. “Bich Phuong is an outstanding student who only joined us at the beginning of year 11. Therefore, she had only one year to complete both her coursework and exam units in this already highly demanding subject. This makes her achievement even more commendable, and it is such credit to her diligence, perseverance, and enthusiasm throughout the year. I am incredibly proud of her achievement!”, said Ms Eibhlin Goppert “Hana always gives her very best and her effort and commitment to IGCSE music were no exception. She is an inquisitive and thoughtful student, applying this approach to her coursework across performing and composing, achieving the highest mark possible in
each component of the course. With this dedication and intellect Hana is a pleasure to teach and her ongoing contributions to IB Music continue to show why she fully deserves this accolade.”, said Mr Jon Scott “This prize is a great occasion of recognition for the effort and hard work Nhi has put into her studies and we are all extremely proud of her here at BIS. At BIS we encourage students to remember their successes to help motivate them to persevere through whatever challenges they may face in the future. Nhi can be proud of herself and remember this achievement to build her confidence during her future studies. Chúc mừng Nhi.”, said Mr Joseff Loft. In 2021, our IGCSE students (Year 11 cohort) achieved incredible results, with 93% of students receiving A*-C grades and 62% of students earning A*-A grades across all subjects. These tremendous achievements truly reflect not only our students’ continuous hard work and commitment but also the guidance and support of our devoted teachers and parents.
ESPRIT April 2022 | 21
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
BIS HANOI’S YOUNG SCIENTISTS TACKLE PROBLEMS LARGE AND SMALL
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It has been an extremely successful week in both Primary and Secondary and we can’t wait to do it all again next year.
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
SCIENCE WEEK 2022:
Science Week has always been a very special week at BIS Hanoi and Science Week 2022 was no exception, with students across Primary and Secondary year groups taking part in a variety of different activities. In Primary, students were set a whole school science challenge where they were tasked with investigating which biscuit is best for dunking into a nice, cool glass of milk. Each student submitted a video or picture documenting their experiments for a chance to win a super science prize in our Friday Assembly. With so many fantastic entries, it was tough for Miss Colclough to choose a winner!
Well done to everyone in Primary for their amazing submissions. In addition to the whole school assignment, BIS Hanoi celebrated Science Week by allocating each year group a STEAM project linked to scientific objectives from the national curriculum. In Year 1, students investigated buildings and looked at how to protect them from flooding, meanwhile Year 2 students created their own floating garden to help prevent crops being destroyed by flooding. Year 3 students explored ways of making dirty water cleaner through sieving and filtering, as well as how dirty water can be made safe to drink.
Our Secondary students gathered for a movie session in Science Week
In Year 5, students put their scientific knowledge into practice by solving real-world problems when they designed and built a model to help Nepalese people move tomatoes down a mountain. Finally, students in Year 6 studied how to capture rainwater and use it to irrigate crops to benefit a community.
Key Stage 3 students designed their own Mars rover by carrying out research on the environment and conditions and taking into account adaptations that will need to be made in order for the rover to be successful. Some excellent designs were produced and we look forward to sharing these with our classes.
interest in space exploration and the challenges that we face when launching a mission to Mars.
Secondary students also participated in a range of interesting activities. They celebrated Mars Week, a week organised by the European Space Agency to recognise the achievements of those who have worked to send space shuttles to Mars.
Mr Pinnock organised a watch along of The Martian, a film that explores some of the challenges faced when trying to sustain life on Mars and students were able to engage in conversations about the science behind the film. Mr Somerville’s assembly sparked students’
Shannon Colclough Primary Science Leader & Hollie Hudson Secondary Science Leader
BIS Hanoi students demonstrated outstanding subject knowledge, enthusiasm and imagination during Science Week 2022 - and we can’t wait to do it again next year!
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INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS
SUPPORTS THE HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG LEARNERS
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At BIS, we are continually reflecting on and adapting our curriculum to ensure that it is suitable for 21st century learners.
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
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CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
THE INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM (IPC)
Year 1 IPC Topic: "We are what we eat"
Year 2 IPC Topic: "Let's celebrate"
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Year 4 IPC Topic: "Inventions that Changed the World"
Year 3 IPC Topic: "Footprints from the past - DINOSAURS"
The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is an innovative cross-curricular program that ensures learning experiences are relevant, engaging and enjoyable. It is a comprehensive curriculum with a clear learning process and specific learning goals for each subject, as well as an international perspective and personal learning. Although we have studied virtually for the majority of this year, we have seen some very successful learning and development of skills through our IPC units. At BIS, we are continually reflecting on and adapting our curriculum to ensure that it is suitable for 21st century learners. With this in mind, we have been working behind the scenes on developing our curriculum further, which is drawn from the IPC, to ensure that the students are engaged, inspired, and able to make links throughout their learning and develop essential
skills (approaches to learning) which are relevant to their lives. The five skills are: Thinking, Social, Communication, Self-Management, and Research. From the beginning of the next academic year, some changes will take place in IPC lessons at BIS. Throughout the year, each Primary year group will study four topic units, as well as some discrete subject-based learning weeks. Each unit will include an Entry Point for the students to practice their questioning and inquiring skills. The lessons will then develop knowledge and subject-specific skills across different curriculum areas, with their learning culminating in an Exit Point that is linked back to where they began. Each unit will also include a focus on the essential skills in order to further develop these. Donna Whittaker IPC Leader ESPRIT April 2022 | 25
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
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It has been ‘business as usual' when it comes to the opportunities we provide our students with that enrich the curriculum across the Primary and Secondary school.
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26 | BIS Hanoi
Students at BIS Hanoi have experienced a range of virtual, faceto-face and hybrid learning over the last few months. They have shown great agility in adapting to each scenario. Our students always rise to a challenge in whatever form and despite being in Virtual School for nearly a year, it has been ‘business as usual' when it comes to the opportunities we provide our students with that enrich the curriculum across the Primary and Secondary school. Through the Performing Arts, speaking program, assemblies, collaborative tasks and competitions that have been on the calendar in Term 2, we ensure that our students have the opportunity to communicate confidently in a range of areas. Academically, the recent Primary EAL graduation assembly showed that the outstanding teachers at BIS continue to redesign learning, engage students in a virtual environment where students thrive and make excellent progress.
Beyond the classroom, our students have been honing their leadership skills. The Primary Student Council have not wasted any time. They meet online regularly, and their first task was deciding to create an exciting event to give students something to look forward to this year, a performance opportunity for all Primary students. They have been organising a Rising Stars Talent Show, which will take place in Term 3. Ms Clark talks more about the work in the Primary Students Council overleaf. In Secondary school, the Student Council Departments have been busy at work addressing Current Affairs, Student Voice, and Mental Health issues to name but a few. I hope you enjoy reading more from our inspiring student leaders over the next few pages. Rebecca Carroll Head of Primary
ESPRIT April 2022 | 27
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE BIS STUDENT COUNCIL
This term marks the final term with our current BIS Student Council team before students go on study leave. We want to take this opportunity to celebrate another fantastic term filled with some incredible student council accomplishments.
The Current Affairs Department worked on topics concerning discrimination against women. Thanks to the support of Ms Peters and Ms Tran, the team were able to address general types of discrimination but also issues specific to Vietnam.
While there have been some challenges transitioning between in-person and virtual learning at different points this term, we have not let this hinder the team’s progress. In fact, the Student Council team has had a pivotal role to play in easing the transition between inperson and virtual learning.
The Promotions Department has continued to collaborate with other departments in order to create social media posts on topics such as physical care. They have also been working on the BIS Student Council website, a portal which will provide updates to students throughout the school.
28 | BIS Hanoi
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Student Council team has had a pivotal role to play in easing the transition between inperson and virtual learning.
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The Mental Health Department has been busy with both online and in-person initiatives. These include sharing self-care posts on the BIS Student Council Instagram page and - when students were on-site - collaborating with members of the Sixth Form Student Council to create fun, informative activities for students during their breaks. Finally, the Student Voice Department has been preparing for the next student council generation by discussing how the department could be improved further and reviewing feedback from last term's Yale Young Global Scholars webinar sessions.
As we celebrate the achievements of our student council this term, we are also excited to announce that we have begun the process of forming the new Student Council team for the 2022-2023 academic year. We hope to introduce you to our new team next term. In the meantime, we appreciate the continued interest and support from both BIS Hanoi students and staff. BIS Hanoi Student Council & Leadership Team
ESPRIT April 2022 | 29
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
At the end of Term 1, students from each class put themselves forward to be a representative for the Primary Student Council. Each class held elections in which students communicated confidently, shared their ideas for school improvement, and expressed their willingness to listen to others' ideas and provide feedback to their class on Student Council projects. Everyone on the Student Council stood for election because they wanted to do something good for the school and help it become the best it could be. We started brainstorming ideas for their first project after each class representative was elected by their peers. After that, the councillors began their weekly meetings, with students volunteering to be the director of each meet and lead the other representatives through their agenda. They reflected on what impact they wanted to make on the school, by supporting their classmates and inspiring them to be ambitious in our Virtual School Experience. And so, the Rising Stars Talent Show was conceived. Each representative worked hard to create a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the Talent show and confidently present it to their classmates. Over the past semester, the Primary School councillors made numerous decisions regarding the event's rules, prizes, and judging, as well as collaborating with Secondary Student Leaders to ensure they had everything they needed to host the Rising Stars Talent Show. Students in Years 1 to 6 will be submitting their talents for judging over the next few weeks. These talents can be in the fields of art, sports, cooking, writing, or
30 | BIS Hanoi
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
PRIMARY STUDENT COUNCIL ROUND-UP
Everyone on the Student Council stood for election because they wanted to do something good for the school and help it become the best it could be.
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anything else! The Primary Council and Secondary Student Leaders will select a few students from each phase to present their talent during the semifinal on May 20th, when our mystery judges will decide who advances to the final on June 10th. We can't wait to see who takes home the BIS Rising Stars Talent trophy! We also hope to share more success stories with you as the year progresses. Emily Clark Year 3 Teacher and PSHE Leader
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INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
BIS BOOK WEEK 2022 SPARKED THE EXCITEMENT IN EVERY BIS READER
BIS Book Week, held in celebration of World Book Day, is a much-anticipated annual event for the BIS Hanoi community. This year's Book Week was held virtually, but that didn't stop our students and teachers from celebrating. Primary went digital for this year’s Book Week. The theme for Primary students was 'You As The Story Teller', aimed at promoting digital books across a variety of authors. The focus of the week was to broaden children’s reading horizons and for all children to explore new authors with whom they may be less familiar with. Our explosive headliner was the creation of our own digital audiobooks.
32 | BIS Hanoi
Each Phase chose a book written by their focus author and the student had a chance to show off their amazing reading skills to create their audiobook. The Primary students took part in a variety of creative activities throughout the week, celebrating reading at home. ‘Snuggle Up and Read’ was the theme of this week's Library sessions, where the children wore their pajamas and found comfortable places around their home for reading. ‘Dress Up as a Favourite Character’ brought our virtual Book Week to a close, celebrating the student’s favourite books and work from throughout the week.
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BIS Book Week is not only a celebration of books, but of connection. It's a time when our entire school comes together to celebrate and encourage a love of reading.
While the fact that Secondary school was back online for World Book Week was disappointing, our students and teachers made the best of it by getting into the spirit of Friday's Relax and Read time. During Period 1, we stayed in our pajamas for 30 minutes to "relax and read" – a rare opportunity that many of our students and teachers often don't have due to their hectic schedules. During the week, students also took part in a Bumper Book Quiz and acknowledged the benefits of reading from BIS students and worldwide celebrities at the Book Week Assembly. Reduced stress, increased creativity, increased empathy, expanded vocabulary, broader understanding, and improved communication skills are just a few of the advantages – not to mention elevated joy! Thank you
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to all the teachers and students who assisted in the preparation of the virtual assembly, especially Ms Sands and Mr Lindemann. BIS Book Week is not only a celebration of books, but of connection. It's a time when our entire school comes together to celebrate and encourage a love of reading. With this year's virtual format, we truly believe that reading can happen anywhere and at any time. It gave us immense pleasure to see how much our BIS readers enjoy reading. Happy World Book Day! Jasmine Reilly Literacy Leader
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Nerilee Hall Teacher - Librarian ESPRIT April 2022 | 33
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
The well-being of our school community is always treated with the utmost care at BIS Hanoi. This section features some of the key highlights from this term and further demonstrates our commitment to empowering our school community to flourish, no matter the challenges we all face.
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We have detailed plans and procedures to ensure we are ready for all of the students to return when the time comes.
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34 | BIS Hanoi
The first article in this section details some of the plans we have in place to support our students to successfully navigate from the Virtual School Experience to on-campus learning. We have been fortunate to welcome back Year 8-13 students at different points this term, but we have detailed plans and procedures to ensure we are ready for all of the students to return when the time comes. The second article discusses the importance of a good night’s sleep and how this can have an impact on a student’s academic performance.
There is also some excellent advice provided for parents to assist in supporting their children to improve their sleep patterns at home. The final article in this section provides an update from our community partnerships, including our Great Tet Race for charity, collaboration with Blue Dragon Children's Foundation and details about our Friends of BIS workshops. James Trett Assistant Head of Secondary (Pastoral)
ESPRIT April 2022 | 35
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
HOW WE ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM VIRTUAL SCHOOL EXPERIENCE TO ON-CAMPUS LEARNING
36 | BIS Hanoi
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We are very prepared as a school for all students to return to campus at any time, but also to navigate back into Virtual School if necessary.
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At the start of Term 2, it was wonderful to see all students from Years 8 to 13 return to on-campus learning. Our Secondary students quickly adjusted to the school routine and the increased health and safety guidelines.
also created some fantastic resources for the Student Intranet to help students with any concerns they may have about returning to the school campus, as well as strategies to help them deal with any associated anxiety. During this time, our school leaders have demonstrated strong leadership in their roles, meeting and developing ideas to improve the student experience. The application process for our next academic year's Head students and Prefects begins near the end of Term 2. Best wishes to all students who apply.
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YOUR DISTA P N E
It was also delightful to see our Year 7 students visit the school campus to meet with Mrs Brawn, their tutors, and take a tour around campus. Our students have demonstrated amazing resilience this term, and they have adapted extremely well when they have had to return to virtual school. We are all very proud of our Secondary students for their high levels of engagement, determination, perseverance, and support they offer each other. We are very prepared as a school for all students to return to campus at any time, but also to navigate back into Virtual School if necessary.
STAY SAFE
YO U
During this time, our increased focus on well-being provides students with the skills and support they need to successfully manage these challenging times. Mr Greenwood, our school counsellor, has
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Well done to all the students who have contributed to student leadership and voice this academic year. There will still be opportunities for you to get involved in Term 3, such as the BIS Mental Health Week. James Trett Assistant Head of Secondary (Pastoral)
ESPRIT April 2022 | 37
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
WHY STUDENTS SHOULD MAKE A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP A PRIORITY In these high-pressured modern times, getting enough sleep is a serious issue across the world. This has been a major issue for our students, particularly, in the Sixth Form. As the Head of Sixth Form, I frequently speak to students who are struggling with their organisation, meeting deadlines, or motivation to learn, and I realised that they have one thing in common: poor sleeping habits. Many of them work or play online until very late at night or early in the morning. A large number of them get as little as 3 or 4 hours of sleep per night, and some get even fewer. Medical science has established that teenagers require at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Anything less puts them at risk of developing emotional, mental, or other health issues, as well as negatively impact on their academic progress.
night of four hours or less has the same effect as two weeks of less than six hours of sleep. This shows that even a few sleepless nights can have a significant impact. That’s why students who email us with work updates at 1 am, 2 am, and 4 am are seriously limiting their potential to succeed. Common causes of sleep deprivation amongst Sixth Form students Many students complained that they don't get enough sleep because they are constantly studying for IB Diploma work. However, while the IB programme is designed to be a rigorous programme of study, and it is extremely challenging, the workload should be manageable if students are able to manage their time well.
The effects of sleep deprivation on students In a study of two groups, one that slept eight hours and another who did not, the difference in their learning grades was 40%. According to Williamson and Feyer's research, people who get six or fewer hours of sleep per night have the same cognitive impairment as someone who is drunk. Furthermore, one sleepless 38 | BIS Hanoi
At BIS Hanoi, we make every effort to teach all students different planning strategies and tools so that they can allocate their time effectively to complete various tasks required by the IB Diploma. One key strategy is forward planning, as there are multiple deadlines for important coursework across the programme, and these deadlines may coincide at several times in the year. Because of
the nature of the diploma, this is unavoidable, but students can avoid work backlogs if they plan ahead using their assessment calendar. Another cause of sleep deprivation mentioned by our students is homework. We do, however, have a dedicated, caring, and understanding faculty of teachers and tutors, as well as a large support network of staff to support students who are struggling with weekly workloads. Students are encouraged to communicate to their teachers if they are falling behind on their homework, and to see if there is any flexibility in the deadlines for this, rather than working all night and risking their next day's study. The worst-case scenario for students who miss a homework deadline is a detention – which may sound bad for many of our conscientious students but is much better than missing a night's sleep. On the other hand, time pressures can arise from sources other than school. A lot of students have several hours of extra lessons outside of school hours, which means they have to push their IB schoolwork later and later. Lessons for SAT preparation are helpful, but parents and students should check to see if SATs are even required for the universities they are considering. Korean Academy lessons may also add extra workload. IELTS lessons should not be taken by any IB student who is getting more than enough training in spoken and written English from their IB classes to prepare them for the IELTS exam. It is very important that families look closely at the additional pressures that the students’ time is placed under, and prioritise their health, happiness, and schoolwork. After all, university acceptances will be decided on their IB results over any other qualifications. Bedtime use of technology also puts young adults’
sleep quality at risk. Many of our students admitted to playing games online, using social media, and watching videos on TikTok or Netflix late at night or even till the next morning. Using smartphones and other electronic devices is dangerous on its own, but when it deprives a young person of their sleep, it becomes a serious health issue. What can parents do to support their child in developing healthy sleep habits? We have worked hard to try to educate our Sixth Form students on the importance of sleep. It is important for the school and parents to work together on these issues and help support our young people. It can be challenging for the students due to the nature of their workload in the IB programme but maintaining a good sleep habit allows them to focus on their studies while also balancing their physical and mental health.
Parents should open a conversation with them about their sleep habits, look into where their gaming or social media devices are kept after bedtime, and encourage them to keep a sleep diary (the school have provided them with one!) For students who have trouble falling asleep because you are anxious about work, deadlines, or other issues, keep a notepad and pencil by your bed and write down your worries so you can be sure you won't forget them and can get back to work on these challenges fresh and alert the next day. Robert Airdrie Head of Sixth Form ESPRIT April 2022 | 39
PARTNERSHIPS
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS
OUR COMMUNITY
The Great Tet Race 2022 The highlight of our community partnerships and fundraising for charity this term has been our Great Tet Race. This was a wonderful opportunity for every member of the BIS community to raise money for a local charity, get everyone moving and to earn house points for our house teams. All families were extremely generous donating 100,000 VND and more in our special Tet Race fundraising boxes. We travelled around the city to allow for donations, and we also had a special box for donations at the front of the school. All the money raised will be donated to the National Children’s Cancer Hospital in Ha Noi. We were delighted with the support and participation from everyone at BIS for this particularly important charity. We will shortly announce our grand totals of kilometres travelled, house points earned, and money raised. 40 | BIS Hanoi
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Our ongoing collaboration with local charities such as Blue Dragon enables BIS Hanoi students to make a genuine and longlasting difference in our community.
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Donations to Blue Dragon During Term 2, our Year 6 House Captains met with Blue Dragon Children's Foundation representatives to hand over the funds we raised last year. As part of their ‘Express Yourself’ IPC Topic, our Year 6 students participated in a sponsored run, raising over 20,000,000 VND. Being a part of this meaningful event, Year 6s not only brought a positive impact on the local community, but they also gained a better understanding of emotional and physical well-being on a personal, local, and global level. Our ongoing collaboration with local charities such as Blue Dragon enables BIS Hanoi students to make a genuine and long-lasting difference in our community. Friends of BIS Workshops This term our Friends of BIS Parent Workshops started online. We saw a great deal of interest in parents joining our yoga, Vietnamese and book clubs run by our BIS teaching staff. Miss Peters was delighted with the attendance and participation from all in her online yoga sessions. Miss Peter’s commented on how wonderful it was to see families; parents and children alike, taking part in the yoga sessions together. This term also saw our first Vietnamese Language and Culture lessons for parents led by Ms Hop and Ms Mi. The parents received their first taste of the Vietnamese language and learned just like the children would learn a new language in school. Ms Hop and Ms Mi were impressed by the parents’ desire and motivation to upskill their Vietnamese language skills. So far this
term they learned many key phrases to help them when they are out and about and they have learned about some important traditions such as the ao dai. In addition, Ms Hall launched our Friends of BIS Book Club. The parents meet online once per month and in these sessions, they share their recommendations for reading, in any language, and also engage in discussion about the agreed book that everyone has read together. There has been lots of interest so far and it is great to see so many parents sharing their passion for literature together. If you have not already signed up and are interested in taking part in any or all of our Friends of BIS workshops for parents, please send an email to the teachers who are leading them. You will find their details below: • Yoga Class: sophie.peters@bishanoi.com • Vietnamese Language and Culture Class: mi.hoang@bishanoi.com • Book Club: nerilee.hall@bishanoi.com We hope to see many parents join in, make new friends, learn new skills, and enjoy the experiences. Darragh Shanahan Assistant Head Of Primary
ESPRIT April 2022 | 41
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THE LATEST EDITION OF THE BIS STUDENT MAGAZINE IS NOW AVAILABLE!
"The first edition of 2022 is on the theme of Perspective. Content is written and edited entirely by an in-house student team; and there are a team of graphic designers who ensure everything looks fantastic too. I am very proud to work with such a talented and dedicated group of students and hope very much you enjoy reading their work." - John Bliss, Supervisor & Mentor
Scan here to enjoy the magazine!
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Tel: (84 24) 3946 0435 Email: bishanoi@bishanoi.com Website: www.bishanoi.com
