ESPRIT June 2019
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CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
Model United Nations: Secondary Students Attend Conference in Cambodia| P.20
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
BIS Hanoi Recognised for Excellence in the Category of Pastoral Initiative | P.28
The First Southeast Asia Performing Arts Festival in Collaboration with The Juilliard School | P.8
ACADEMIC SUCCESS The IB Journey Towards Success | P.38
Speaking English is very important to us at BIS Hristiyan Totevski (2S)
Mizuki Koyama (9B)
I'm learning English to make new friends from all around the world.
Poppy Perseverance helped me to learn English by teaching me to persevere when I wanted to give up.
Hwa Young Lee (10S)
My teachers and friends helped me to settle in by encouraging me to be more confident and just try my best.
Hai Dang To (11B)
My advice to those who are new to English in our school is, "Don't be shy or you cannot learn".
When I was new to the school with little English, my teacher often stood next to me and explained slowly so I could catch up.
You need to speak English in school if you want to communicate with other students and teachers.
Aleksandra Raspopova (6I) Kyle Lee (6S)
37,743,000
VND
BIS Hanoi AY2018/2019 Term 2 Highlights
raised for the rescued bears at Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary by Year 3 students
WITH CLOSE TO
90
children involved, Year 6 Production ‘Pirates of Curry Bean’ has been a massive success
TOP
3
ALMOST
160
students and teachers from 9 Nord Anglia schools in the region participated in the first Southeast Asia Performing Arts Festival in collaboration with the Juilliard School
OVER
70
Year 2 students came together to perform ‘Stella the Starfish’ to their families, friends and teachers in a dazzling display of music, drama and song
ALMOST
130
in the category of ‘Pastoral Initiative’ for the International School Awards
parents, children and teachers gathered for the Family Spring Brunch
83%
26
of our graduates that have applied to university have been accepted to their first or second choice university
interactive workshops which Secondary students ran with every student from the Early Years all the way through to Year 6 during Science Week
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Ultimately, our “ mindset determines
how we think and act. Global citizens think about the world in a particular way and take action, too.
�
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS
Welcome to our second edition of Esprit for this academic year. You may notice that we have grouped articles in four different sections: the amazing opportunities for developing as internationally-minded, global citizens; ways in which our students are showing that they are confident communicators; the importance of well-being in our community; and our academic success across BIS. All of these areas are very important to us.
2 | BIS Hanoi
I am proud to introduce the first section of articles, which celebrate opportunities for developing an internationalmindset. Ultimately, our mindset determines how we think and act. Global citizens think about the world in a particular way and take action, too. At BIS Hanoi, we have defined Global Citizenship as follows: A global citizen: Celebrates Diversity, Takes Action, Demonstrates Balance, Thinks Critically and Is Adaptable to Change. Since January, there have been many opportunities for students to develop into internationallyminded global citizens. Our Year 3 students really showed the true characteristics of global citizens when they tackled an issue of
national and local concern- the safety and care of the Sun and Moon Bears here in Vietnam. Over 37 million VND was raised for Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary, when they took action by researching and creating products to sell at a school fair. Still focused on wildlife, Secondary students also became more globally aware when they were invited to enter a competition organised by Wilderness Foundation Africa to help save the plight of the rhino. Duc Tuan Nguyen, Year 11, won a weeklong trip to South Africa, and became a Wild Rhino Youth Ambassador. Being part of Nord Anglia Education provides our students with amazing opportunities to compete on a global scale, work
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I must also mention our annual Tet celebration. It always provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate diversity and discover more about our host country. Learning through dance, food, art, song and stories provides a
fun way to learn about our host’s culture and this year’s celebration was once again impressive. Finally, we made sure that our parents shared in the fun, too! An outing to the Old Quarter, offered by our local staff, for our Friends of BIS group, was a huge success. Parents from over 10 nationalities shared a fabulous cultural experience. Sue Hill Principal
Global Campus in Action.................................................................................................................................................................4 BIS Hanoi Pays Homage to Vietnam’s Vibrant Culture During Tet.................................................................................6 The first Southeast Asia Performing Arts Festival in Collaboration with The Juilliard School.........................8 Year 4 Residential Trip: Ba Vi.......................................................................................................................................................10 Year 5 Residential Trip: Cuc Phuong National Park...........................................................................................................11 Year 6 Residential Trip: Hoi An....................................................................................................................................................12 Young Enterprise Project:Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary by Year 3......................................................................................13 Celebrating Great Achievements in the U11 FOBISIA Games 2019............................................................................14 A Successful Tournament for BIS Lionhearts at U13 FOBISIA Games 2019............................................................15
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are highlights of school life for many of our children. Taking part in community projects, understanding the benefits of studying outdoors and engaging in first-hand learning are real benefits which are outlined by Craig Driver, our Phase 3 Leader. In addition, many of our talented children take part in our FOBISIA (Federation of British Schools in Asia) Games. Highly competitive and also a great way of meeting others, these remain an exciting part of our school calendar.
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together on communal projects and access tremendous resources. This stimulating combination inspires BIS students to think critically, as internationally minded global citizens. Some of our Global Campus highlights are outlined in this edition of Esprit; however, I would like to mention a special event held in Term 2. BIS hosted the inaugural Regional Performing Arts Festival in April. It was an extraordinary event. It provided our students with the unique opportunity to benefit from working with children of many nationalities, from nine schools in South East Asia! The outcome of three days working under the guidance of Radu Paponiu, a Juilliard-affiliated conductor, was first class! Residential trips in Primary
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in ACTION
BIS students “ Our have connected
with NAE’s family of schools on the Global Campus platform by thinking critically about this year’s selected UN Global Goals.
”
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Global Campus
In collaboration with their peers, our students have used a range of creative media to interpret their own understanding of what ‘Quality Education’ (Goal 4) and ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions’ (Goal 16) means to them and others around them. These internationally-minded young people have used their imagination in the Creative Writing competition and Comic Book competition to write moving fictional stories, comic strips with superheroes and diary entries to demonstrate what they regard as obstacles to having a ‘Quality Education’. All our classes have worked with others at school and with their family to express ideas in a range of visual arts and photography to illustrate their understanding of these important goals. 4 | BIS Hanoi
In Secondary, students in the ‘Global Goals’ ECA have worked hard to raise money for Blue Dragon. The students decided to focus on Goal 4: ‘Quality Education’ and thought that helping disadvantaged students in another setting would be a worthwhile endeavour. Our students creatively implemented a range of charity fundraisers, such as staff vs students basketball competition, lemonade sale and a Global Goals scavenger hunt around the school. We are delighted to share that, in total, we raised over US$450 for Blue Dragon! This money will go towards buying bespoke bicycles for disabled children to be able to get to class each day. Elsewhere, successful trips to New York City (UNICEF Summit) and Tanzania have taken place. Students
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Global Campus Competitions - highly commended entries:
James Forster & Sally Tong ‘Global Campus’ Coordinators
Visual Arts Under the Sky by Seo Young, 16
Photography of the Year Won Ho, 12 Yun Gu (James), 11 Creative Writing The Miracle of a Book by Phan Duc Huy, 15 Comic book Competition Sharing Crayon Coik by Ha Jun, 6
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have learned more about what it means to be a global citizen by thinking about others and tackling problems of inequality at a range of scales – from looking at how we can support lower-income countries to develop in New York City, to building goat sheds and providing solar lights for poor families in Tanzania. Our students who took part in these initiatives have been an absolute credit to the school and made a real difference. Our students have had the opportunity to think deeply and share ideas with other students to help them understand why these two goals are important to make a better world and build a better future.
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BIS HANOI PAYS HOMAGE TO
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Vietnam’s Vibrant Culture During Tet
On the last day of school before Tet break, students and staff alike were encouraged to wear traditional áo dài, and this turned the assembly hall into a riot of crimson, gold, indigo and silver. What’s more, before and during the event itself, a calligraphist, a staple of Lunar New Year celebrations, brushed oil-black ink onto paper, inscribing messages of peace, luck, and happiness or simply writing individual student’s names. In the assembly, students learned about Âu Cơ, the immortal mountain fairy 6 | BIS Hanoi
who married the dragon king Lạc Long Quân and bore an egg sac that hatched a hundred children and thus became the mother of Vietnamese civilization. Year 10 students kicked things off with an entrancing fan dance before a collaborative performance from Years 3 to 6 students showed how Âu Cơ’s 100 children learned to develop agriculture, fend for themselves and fight their enemies. The biggest audience reaction, however, came
in response to the Year 7 and 9 pupils performing Tôi Yêu Việt Nam, a dance that summed up the humility, gratitude, and pride that has characterized Vietnam’s football triumphs in 2018, and which inspired repeated chants of “Vietnam!” from the crowd. The climax of the entire assembly was a traditional lion dance, in which performers displayed remarkable dexterity, strength, and coordination, and even engaged the audience by
non-Vietnamese and Vietnamese expressed their cultures in different ways and told the story together
”
Jeanette Reeves (7B) prowling through rows of seated students while dragons swirled on stage. For Year 7 student Aarini Sengupta, the event was crucial in helping her appreciate and understand Vietnamese culture. “I’m new to Vietnam,” she said, “so it was great to get to know more about Tet and Vietnamese history. It’s very important to learn about the culture of Vietnam, especially if you are a foreigner here.” For fellow
student Jeanette Reeves, the event revealed the potential of diverse cultural celebrations because some people express their culture through football, some through dancing and others through ancient culture. It wasn’t only students in attendance, though, and Amelia Segura, a Spanish parent who has two kids in BIS Hanoi’s Primary School and is also new to Vietnam felt the assembly helped them connect. “I really enjoyed it,” she said. “We just
arrived in August, and shows like this help us and the kids feel settled.” On the same day, the parents were invited to join our Hanoi Old Quarter Tour to see how Vietnamese people celebrate Tết! They enjoyed a pleasant morning walking around the old quarters, exploring the Hanoi Old House, Dong Xuan Market and Hang Ma Street. After the tour, they had the chance to try many delicious Vietnamese dishes at Ngon Restaurant (Quán Ăn Ngon). ESPRIT June 2019 | 7
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thought it was “ Iwonderful how
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Tet in Vietnam offers a unique opportunity to engage in timeworn traditions
Performing Arts Festival
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL
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The first Southeast Asia
Almost 160 students and teachers from nine schools across Southeast Asia participated in a three-day event for young talented musicians led by Juilliard-affiliated conductor.
experience, Mr Paponiu inspired and encouraged students to explore their creativity, develop their musicianship and learn new ways of working in an ensemble.
The first Southeast Asia region Performing Arts Festival hosted by British International School Hanoi (BIS Hanoi) in collaboration with The Juilliard School ended on a high note with a successful concert at the Grand Hall of Vietnam National Academy of Music on April 5.
The concert showcased what the students learned and experienced over the last three days. Students across Nord Anglia’s Southeast Asian schools captivated audiences with a slew of performances by the Festival Choir, the Junior Strings and the Senior Orchestra. The last performance by the Senior Orchestra conducted by Mr Paponiu was a spectacular close to the show.
The three-day festival which took place from 2-5 April provided students unique opportunities to attend performances and participate in workshops and rehearsals led by talented performers and music educators, including Julliard-affiliated conductor Radu Paponiu. As an experienced teaching conductor and violinist with extensive chamber music 8 | BIS Hanoi
Our Principal, Ms Sue Hill said the event was a celebration of musical talent across NAE’s schools. Before the event she felt unsure about how it would work out, but those concerns were put to rest after she heard students play in their first rehearsal. “I
was a little anxious about what could be produced in such a short period of time — especially as students from nine schools were meeting for the first time. But as soon as I heard them in the first rehearsal I knew that they were going to achieve something very special,” she added. Head of Performing Arts at BIS Hanoi, Ms Laura Rea, who has been leading this event, said she felt the same way too. “It’s one of the best things I have ever done. It was really emotional. It surpassed all expectations. The festival became so much more than getting 160 people together with the aim of a high-quality concert at the end; the teamwork and collaboration, the meaning of it, seeing all of the students acting like professional musicians, working closely with other colleagues, and support each other,” she said.
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Organised for the first time in Southeast Asia, the festival was a dynamic programme for young musicians aged 10 – 18 from nine Nord Anglia
• • • • • • • • •
Dover Court International School, Singapore Nord Anglia International School Manila Northbridge International School Cambodia Regents International School Pattaya St Andrews International School Bangkok British International School Hanoi British School of Kuala Lumpur British School Yangon British Vietnamese International School Hanoi
concert was “ The spectacular;
a true celebration of musical talent across our Nord Anglia Education family.
”
Sue Hill, Principal
NORD ANGLIA PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL Southeast Asia, 2019
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“This is a very exciting event for us, especially our students in Cambodia. We haven’t had the opportunity to practice as part of a professional orchestra so this festival provided a special opportunity for our students to experience that,” Ms Jennifer HarrisLowe, Music Teacher from Northbridge International School Cambodia said.
Education schools to collaborate, create and perform outstanding music together. The participating schools included:
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For Heidy Cho (10S), she really enjoyed creating beautiful music with students from other schools as an event of this nature and scale can’t be achieved by an individual school. “It is really fun to make music with people who share the same passion for music as I do,” Heidy said. “This festival allowed me to meet friends from different countries and learn from different cultures.”
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YEAR 4
Residential Trip:
Ba Vi
Year 4 were excited to return to Ba Vi National park this year. This one night residential provided an opportunity for our students to develop teamwork and collaboration as well as exposing them to a variety of situations outside of their normal environment. Situated just over 70 km from BIS Hanoi, the trip offered an opportunity for children to develop independence and self-reliance. Working collaboratively with local residents, the children were able to improve leadership and cooperation skills through a range of organic farming activities. We were also fortunate to experience a key cultural experience and introduction to the Ba Vi Muong Minority. Activities covered included a visit to an organic vegetable farm; take part in harvesting vegetables; make soup and vegetable spring rolls using traditional methods; cultivate, mill and grind rice; as well as fishing and cooking fish from the river using Vietnamese farming methods. The trip helped continue to build links between our school and the local communities that make Hanoi and the surrounding areas so rich and diverse. Molly Hill Primary Phase 2 Leader
10 | BIS Hanoi
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Residential Trip:
Cuc Phuong NATIONAL PARK
Year 5 explored the natural splendour of Cúc Phương National Park. Away for two nights, the children travelled close to 150 km to the beautiful Ninh Binh province. Located in Vietnam’s Red River Delta, the park is Vietnam’s first national park and is the country’s largest nature reserve and one of the most important sites for biodiversity in Vietnam. The trip centred on key environmental issues and supported the Endangered Primate and Pangolin Rescue Centre. The students also were able to develop their
resilience and strength on a nature mountain hike as well as their empathy and compassion by visiting the Turtle Conservation Centre. Skills used included teamwork, problem solving, independence and self-reliance in a real-life context. Each student learnt not only how important the natural environment is, but also how vital the role we play in preserving and caring for it and its animal inhabitants in the future. To demonstrate this commitment the children also were lucky to take part in a symbolic tree planting ceremony. To celebrate the end of the residential the students also participated in a sing-along campfire session as well as enjoying a fun and exciting disco. Craig Driver Primary Phase 3 Leader ESPRIT June 2019 | 11
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YEAR 5
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YEAR 6
Residential Trip:
Hoi An
Year 6 celebrated the end of their time in primary school by undertaking a four-day trip to H᝙i An. Travelling to Noi Bai Airport by coach, 85 children and 10 teachers boarded a Vietnam Airlines flight before arriving in style at Da Nang by the coast. With the weather warm and sunny, the children began their adventures in H᝙i An by visiting An Bang beach where they ate lunch before competing in beach games and challenges. Once finished the students rested and recuperated at the Green Haven hotel in the centre of the town. Mixing with a variety of local residents and international tourists, the children were keen to develop their English language skills at every opportunity. Over the course of the trip, all students participated in organic farming and a treasure hunt in the old town whilst learning about the history and development of trade and tourism in the town. The students also visited the local night market where they practised their haggling skills and sampled many of the craft items made and sold by local artisans. On the final day, the students visited a silk farm and took part in two design workshops led by a local artist. At all times the students cooked and ate a mixed and healthy diet of local produce. This exciting and fun-packed trip is the culmination of primary school at BIS Hanoi and as such provided the perfect farewell experience before the excitement of joining secondary school. Craig Driver Primary Phase 3 Leader 12 | BIS Hanoi
Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary
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by Year 3
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Young Enterprise Project:
In February, Year 3 visited Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary as part of our Young Enterprise topic. The children had the opportunity to see the bears that had been rescued from bear bile farms and learn about how they are now cared for and enriched. The Young Enterprise Fair was held on March 22. This exciting project involved children planning, collaborating and problem solving in teams to produce goods to sell at a school fair. The objective was to make a profit which would help support the plight of the sun and moon bears.
The children’s hard work and excellent entrepreneurial skills was really successful and helped to raise the staggering amount of VND37,743,000 to support the rescued bears. Thank you to all the children that came along and bought our products, and thank you to all the Year 3 parents that have supported us to organise this event too! Tamara Gosset Year 3 Teacher
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in the U11 FOBISIA GAMES 2019
top of all “ On the medals,
our student demonstrated fantastic teamwork and determination throughout a very tough competition.
”
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
Celebrating Great Achievements
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
After months of preparation and training, including early swimming practise before school, our students set off for the long anticipated FOBISIA Games on May 8. Following the success of last year, our U11 team were promoted into another league which meant the competition would be even tougher. The first day of the tournament is always the most challenging with both the swimming and the athletics events held on the same day. After a good nights’ sleep and a hearty breakfast our team were ready. Everyone performed with passion and perseveration, giving their very best and supporting each other through the heats and finals. The afternoon of athletics got off to a great start with a medal for Trang Ngoc in the high jump and a personal best; from then on the medals kept coming. On the second day, we fielded four teams in T-ball. All students put their skills into action as we played in some very competitive games throughout the day. The B team managed to secure a silver medal and our other three teams were just outside of a medal place, showing determination and resilience to come back from narrow defeats. Football was the main event on the final day of the games. All students showed 14 | BIS Hanoi
excellent cooperation and perseverance after some very tough games. Our students were wonderful ambassadors for BIS Hanoi and we are extremely proud of their tremendous efforts over the demanding three-day competition. In addition to getting the opportunity to compete at such a high level new friendships and bonds were made and our students embodied our aide memoir showing respect, integrity and perseverance on and off the sports arena. Katie Allen Physical Teacher
with a large haul of medals and trophies in Swimming, Athletics, Basketball and Football.
During the first day, students worked really hard to earn their medals. Most of the students achieved their personal bests in their individual events in both competitions. On the second day, the boys competed in basketball and the girls in football. The boys had a clean sweep to victory to lift the 1st place trophy. The boys showed resilience and integrity throughout all 6 matches. The girls had 5 wins and a lost to secure the
1st place trophy on the field. They showed determination and great teamwork. Both teams conducted themselves exceptionally and showed great respect for other competitors and the game.
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What an amazing set of results for our Under 13 FOBISIA Team! They were highly competitive and showcased great sportsmanship during the 3-day tournament. The final results are as below: • Swimming: 3rd Place • Athletics: 2nd Place • Boys Basketball: 1st Place • Girls Basketball: 1st Place • Boys Football: 1st Place
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
”
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BIS LIONHEARTS AT U13 FOBISIA GAMES 2019 Lionhearts “ The walked away
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A Successful Tournament for
The last day was marked with football and basketball tournament. Both teams played exceptionally well; showing tenacity and determination throughout the day. At the end of the day the boys finished 1st in the football tournament and the girls 2nd in the basketball tournament. At the gala dinner the swimming and athletics results were revealed. The team came 3rd in swimming and 2nd in the athletics meet. Well done to the Lionhearts team! They have received podium positions for all the events. Special thank you to Mr. Langford for his dedication to this team. Salome Airdrie Whole school Physical Education Leader ESPRIT June 2019 | 15
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From our youngest learners in Early Years in the role play area to the speaking program in Primary and from Performing Arts productions to Secondary Model United Nations, students across our school are practising and developing a variety of skills in order to become Confident Communicators.
At BIS Hanoi we “ enable our students
to become Confident Communicators and provide a wealth of opportunities, within school life in addition to special events, where our students can perform and present in a range of arenas.
”
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
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16 | BIS Hanoi
Over the next few pages you will have the pleasure of reading from staff across our school sharing just a handful of the incredible experiences our students have the opportunity to take part in. Year 6 students gave an amazing performance in the first Primary Performance of the year, ‘Pirates of the Curry Bean’; Craig Driver explains more about not just the calibre of the show but also the bonds and friendship that were deepened during the rehearsals and seeing the students grow in confidence. Term 2 came to colourful close with the heart-warming performance of our Year 2 students in ‘Stella the Starfish’. Emma Burden, one of our Year 2 team, writes about
this polished performance and how well some of our younger students communicated this story so confidently. One of the many benefits of being a ‘through school’ from F1 to Year 13 is that we are fortunate to see the full journey that our students go on as they develop and grow into confident young adults. Marie Price, from the Secondary English Team, writes about the amazing Model United Conference in Cambodia that our Key Stage 3 students took part in. Researching, negotiating and presenting skills had been honed to ensure strong presentations from our leaders of tomorrow. These are just a selection of some of the incredible opportunities for learning our students get at BIS Hanoi and I hope you enjoy reading more about them. Rebecca Carroll Head of Primary
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The Phase 3 Exhibition.......................................................................................................................18 Model United Nations: Secondary Students Attend Conference in Cambodia..........20 ‘Stella the Starfish’ by Year 2 Students........................................................................................22 Year 6 Production: ‘Pirates of the Curry Bean’.........................................................................24
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The Phase 3 Exhibition
18 | BIS Hanoi
The third floor Primary corridor and Drama Room was bustling with parents and staff from across the school who came to listen and learn more about what learning
Rebecca Carroll Head of Primary
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had been happening in Year 5 and 6. The Drama Studio became a performance arena where our students delivered with passion and confidence. Over the course of a morning our students performed: Talk4Writing Poetry, shared Speaking Program presentations, songs and music. Our students always rise to the occasion and this Phase Exhibition was no exception – we felt proud as we watched and listen to the Year 5 and 6 students communicate with such confidence.
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The Phase 3 Exhibition is just one of many examples of opportunities for public speaking and the quality of presentations and performances did not disappoint from our Year 5 and 6 students in Term 2. Phase Exhibitions are a wonderful chance for parents to come into school and enjoy the showcase of learning that is delivered by students. Learning at BIS engages our students, who are able to articulate their learning, identify where they need to go next and are reflecting on how they learn.
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Model United Nations: Secondary Students Attend Conference in Cambodia From March 22 - 24, BIS Hanoi students attended the third annual Model United Nations (MUN) Conference hosted by Northbridge International School Cambodia with the theme’ Redefining Authority’.
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
The conference began with a rousing opening speech by the UK Ambassador to Cambodia, Tina Redshaw. The focus of the conference was ‘Redefining Authority.’ Ambassador Redshaw invited students to contemplate authority: How it is, and how it should be implemented.
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At the conference, our students were working hard at negotiating and persuading another six delegates to co-sign their resolution. The directors’ office was a hub of activity as students sought approval for their resolution to be debated. Delegates in each of the committees were then making speeches in favour, or against resolutions, asking pertinent Points of Information (POIs), advocating amendments and finally voting. MUN requires students to represent the values and beliefs of the country and government it represents. This can be particularly challenging if those values conflict with your personal opinions. However, BIS Hanoi students demonstrated their maturity and showcased the depth of their research in representing Indonesia, Equatorial Guinea, Morocco, Ethiopia, Togo and Kazakhstan. Marie Price English Teacher
20 | BIS Hanoi
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‘Stella The Starfish’ by Year 2 Students
Over 70 Year 2 students came together on the 11th April to perform ‘Stella the Starfish’ to their families, friends and teachers in a dazzling display of music, drama and song. The story of Stella: a starfish who has lost her family but Sophie and Stephen magically follow her underwater to help her. On their way they meet a host of characters including some rainbow fish, clownfish, scary sharks and a very grumpy turtle! Luckily, it ends well and she finds her family on a shipwreck. As their teachers, we could not be more proud of the performance of each and every child. It was a joy to see how they progressed in their acting and singing skills from the beginning to the actual performance, and also how their confidence in speaking to an audience has increased throughout the process. Students spoke to the audience calmly and clearly showing high levels of communication skills. They used expression, pauses and tone to communicate their 22 | BIS Hanoi
meaning clearly so the audience was able to follow and enjoy the story with ease. This included students who only started speaking English a few months ago which filled us with pride along with other students we have watched flourish during their time with us. The sound of the children singing solos and together was magical and children worked together on accompanying percussion and actions which enhanced it further. The production has provided students with an invaluable range of opportunities to enhance and develop skills and interests that are not covered in conventional curricula. The difference in their confidence in speaking and presenting to the class has been noted and their enthusiasm in similar tasks has increased. I am sure as time goes on we will see more incredible things from this Year 2 group – their talent, attitude and ability to work together will support them in further endeavours! Emma Burden Primary teacher
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Pirates of the Curry Bean talent, “ With integrity, and
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Year 6 Production:
perseverance on display throughout, this truly was a night to remember.
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WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
”
24 | BIS Hanoi
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With close to 90 children involved and over 15 members of staff, the production has been a massive success.
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After all the rehearsals of singing, dancing and acting, the children rose to the occasion and produced an incredible evening full of piratical style. Recognising the opportunity for our children to practise their speaking skills in a live environment, the production has allowed the pupils the space and freedom to express themselves and work together positively. We, as a school community, could not be more proud. The show was a sell-out, with over 350 excited friends, family, and colleagues waiting in the audience. As the children acted their way through the London Docks; sang their way across the high seas; and danced their way through the sands of the tropical island Lumbago, the crowd laughed and joined in with every song and cheesy joke.
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY
Backstage the children were nervous but incredibly excited but the rehearsing paid off, they were ready to showcase their new found confidence and ability. Not only have the children worked incredibly hard to learn their lines, but with every performance, they have come together and strengthened their friendships and resolve to do their very best. A massive thank you to all staff and parents who have helped support the children!
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Craig Driver Primary Phase 3 Leader
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INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY ACADEMIC SUCCESS
WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY On the approach to our campus, you get a true sense of being out of the hustle and bustle of the city. You can hear the song of birds, marvel at the myriad of colourful flowers and gaze at the palm trees swaying in the fresh breeze. Our community is peaceful and it is pretty.
Situated in the “heart of a green
and affluent neighbourhood, with its sweeping wide avenues and high-end amenities, BIS Hanoi commands a truly enviable position of urban tranquillity to promote your child’s safety and well-being.
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Moreover, entering our school site gives you an instant perspective of space. We never feel cramped at BIS; we are a spacious home where we can all feel at ease. Our indoor spaces are not simply functional. We value design, comfort and aesthetics. A walk through our library is a veritable walk of awe and wonder. Our grounds offer the very best of facilities to promote physical and emotional well-being. Our amenities support the breadth of sporting activities for your child to stretch themselves physically and support their health. It does not matter whether your child is a keen footballer, a new-starter at fencing or an avid swimmer, BIS Hanoi will enrich them in and outside of the curriculum.
We genuinely care for the wellbeing of all of our students. Our pastoral care, driven by a range of outstanding professionals, is worldclass and every child is thoroughly supported to deal with the emotions that come with the challenges and expectations of growing up. We connect wholly with one another and build outstanding relationships of purpose, trust and integrity. Our values run like a thread in all that we do. They guide our behaviours towards each other and define our attitudes. They help us to do the best job possible in the best way possible. We succeed but we also care. Well-being in a stressful world has never been more important. At BIS, we are blessed with the serenity our site and location offer. Yet we remain conscious of how we work, how we interact and how we feel. We strive to place well-being at our core and your child’s core too. Jay Graham Deputy Head of Secondary
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY ACADEMIC SUCCESS
BIS Hanoi Recognised for Excellence in the Category of Pastoral Initiative................28 Respect Day at BIS Hanoi...................................................................................................................30 The Friends of BIS Community........................................................................................................32 Family Spring Brunch..........................................................................................................................33
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Pastoral Initiative
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BIS HANOI RECOGNISED FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE CATEGORY OF
December 2018, BIS Hanoi “ Inreceived the fabulous news that our BIS Community Garden and free-range chicken coop area was gaining international recognition.
”
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It has also become a sustainable outdoor learning environment, with teachers increasingly utilising the space, linking to subject areas across Primary and Secondary, as well as a calm, peaceful area for meditation and use of multi-sensory learning. Helping our students reconnect with the natural world and children whose learning style is ‘naturalist’ or ‘intrapersonal’ are given the chance to shine.
Kev Halpin Community Service Manager
‘Thank you so much for the visit! A great way to inspire the pupils!” Kate Wilson Head of English
“One of my students came alive in the gardening ECA. Her passion overcame her lack of English and she excelled in this environment” Stephen Labelle Primary Teacher
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As you enter the spacious campus at BIS following a chaotic journey to school, you are only minutes away from tranquillity. What better place to prioritize wellbeing, our very own community garden and chicken coop provides a special environment to take students outside to connect with a counsellor, mentor or teacher, so that they could recognise it as a place that can help them find balance and perspective. Teachers have reported a positive change in behaviours with regular attendance; homework handed in on time and overall increased interest in school.
Hearing a student diagnosed with depression exclaim that visiting the chicken coop was the best part of her week, confirmed that we were on the right track with our outdoor learning initiative. Couple that with a departing graduate’s yearbook remarks listing the chicken coop as her peaceful place, we realised the benefit that the outdoor areas give to our students’ wellbeing.
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In December 2018, BIS Hanoi received the fabulous news that our BIS Community Garden and free-range chicken coop area was gaining international recognition. With stiff competition from over 200 International schools worldwide, we reached the final three in the category of ‘Pastoral Initiative’. In January, we attended a celebration in London as finalists for the International School Awards. This is a wonderful honour and achievement, showing just how important the wellbeing of our students is to the school.
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Respect Day at BIS Hanoi Respecting oneself and respecting others is key to all of our interactions in life. Being tolerant of differences and respectful of people’s boundaries is even more important in an international community and this is essential for the students’ personal development as responsible global citizens. On the Respect Day, our students were provided with a safe forum to discuss about various different respect themes and learned how they can support each other to be more respectful. Year 7 and 8 students participated in active and engaging workshops throughout the day themed on respect. Students made art canvas displays, video clips that provided e-safety advice for Year 6 students, drama performances, song creation, diary writing using inspiration from historical events and learnt about the importance of sportsmanship. Students also participated in workshops about body image and the importance of using respectful language. They really enjoyed all of the activities and impressed the teachers with their ideas and enthusiasm for the topic of respect. Students in Years 9 – 11 engaged in a discussion about respecting women, respecting differences, respecting consent and respecting themselves. They were empowered to write a code of conduct in their area of research which allowed them to apply their knowledge of these topic areas to situations in school and how incidents of disrespect could be addressed supportively. Students presented their codes of conducts to each other and explained how they would respond to specific scenarios that they could experience in school. One student said that “Writing a code of conduct was the most enjoyable part of the day since I felt like I am actually involved in shaping a better school environment.” The best presentations were watched in assembly and in order to continue to nurture this core value. Students in Years 9 – 11 will follow a life skills programme which looks at different respect themes in more depth during this half term. Sixth Form students spent the day exploring and discussing the issues of respect towards women, in both a global and a local context. They were able to talk about how they as members of a school and local community can try to see a situation from different people’s perspectives and to work
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together to make our school community a happier and safer one for all. The day finished with students making a personal pledge to change their own thought patterns or behaviour. Students’ feedback was overwhelming positive and constructive, setting great goals for the future and showing a genuine appreciation for having the time to work together to explore these difficult issues. James Trett Head of Key Stage 3 Rachel Stevenson Head of Key Stage 4 Robert Airdrie Head of Sixth Form
a code of “ Writing conduct was the most enjoyable part of the day since I felt like I am actually involved in shaping a better school environment.
”
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INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS ACADEMIC SUCCESS
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On February 20, all Secondary students had their normal timetables collapsed to accommodate a significant day of learning, underpinned by one of our core values – Respect.
Since October 2018, BIS Hanoi invited all families to join the “Friends of BIS” with the purpose of building our BIS community, providing more opportunities for families to come together, take action and explore the culture of our host country. After an enthusiastic discussion at the inaugural meeting last year, some excellent ideas emerged and have been put into actions since then. Vietnamese Lessons: Vietnam is the host nation for all foreign students and families at BIS Hanoi. Learning about Vietnamese culture and language adds to the sense of community and home one feels when living abroad. Ms Huyen, from the Primary Vietnamese Department, has been running a sequence of Vietnamese lessons for parents. The group has also visited different places in Hanoi including Vietnamese Women’s Museum and Bat Trang Pottery Village to learn more about the local culture.
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The Friends of BIS Community
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Community Litter Pick: January 20 saw our first Community Litter Pick in a public area just outside Vinhomes Riverside with over 50 volunteers made up of parents, students and staff. With the help of Keep Hanoi Clean, who generously provided re-usable gloves, grabbers and sacks for the rubbish, our hard work certainly paid off, picking up over 220kg of rubbish in just over an hour.
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Cooking Classes: Food functions as a universal language, illustrating the history and culture of the place it represents. Our parents have organised a series of cooking classes introducing the unique specialities from different countries including France, Brazil, Russia and Vietnam. There will be two upcoming Thai and Korean cooking classes in May. Music Lessons: Parents were invited to join our Individual Music Lesson Program which was previously offered to students only. Many parents have been taking lessons to learn different instruments like piano, guitar, saxophone and vocals. Yoga & Zumba Classes: Ms Kaori BrookeSmith, Japanese Liaison Officer, has been organised the Zumba and Yoga classes for the BIS parents & guardians every Wednesday and Friday. “We are not only getting fitter but also making new friends and most importantly having lots of fun!”, said Ms Brooke-Smith.
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Sue Hill, Principal
”
This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a school term and welcome the spring holiday. The very busy second term of the school year was warmly wrapped up by an annual family event, the BIS family spring brunch organised by BIS Hanoi in the first week of sunny April. It was a friendly and homely atmosphere where almost 130 parents, children and teachers gathered together. We had such a great time enjoying a generous and tasty buffet, soft drinks, lively music and different activities for children. The event was lit up by the happy smiles of the kids as they really had fun with character face painting and balloon art while parents and teachers were enjoying the company of one another. The event was supposed to take two hours but it actually lasted longer since everyone truly loved the relaxed atmosphere of sharing and caring. The children seemed to forget the time and many families still stayed till the end.
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The turn-out was fantastic this year which really makes the planning worthwhile. The children loved having their faces painted, playing football and having adventures on the climbing apparatus. So many smiles… so much fun!
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SPRING BRUNCH
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
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Family
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS
It is with great pleasure and pride that I introduce the Academic Success section of our latest Esprit edition. Together, our authors highlight our commitment to learning through enquiry, perseverance and reflection.
“
At BIS Hanoi, learners always aim high and make excellence a habit.
”
How does excellence become a habit? Ms Reilly, Literacy Leader, explains how learning habits are the result of careful planning. Her description of BIS Hanoi’s inspiring Primary Book Week reminds us that learning to love reading is easy when a school plans an exciting learning adventure. Mr Forsythe, Head of Science, reflects on our extraordinary Science Week. The whole school came together on a journey into the world of Science. Students reflected on the journey of plastic into our ecosystem and sought solutions to this real world problem. Mr Duckett, our IBDP Coordinator, writes to remind us that learning is a journey that requires perseverance. If a student wants to reflect from
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ACADEMIC SUCCESS
34 | BIS Hanoi
the summit of International Baccalaureate success, they will need to spend long hours in class and at home, studying. Ms Miller, our Head of Art, points out that this process can be highly creative, too. Please read her article celebrating the wonderful originality of BIS Hanoi’s Art students. Finally, our University Guidance Counsellor, Ms Fairbairn, celebrates the ambition of this year’s graduating class. Their achievements have blazed a pathway to the top universities and colleges in Hong Kong, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. More importantly, she reminds readers of the courage required to follow an ambitious pathway. The amazing learning episodes featured here are a wonderful reminder of the deep and extraordinary learning that takes place at BIS Hanoi every week. Tim Webb Head of Secondary
INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Celebrating British Science Week 2019....................................................................... 36 The IB Journey towards Success....................................................................................38 Perseverance is Fundamental to Our Extraordinary Student Artwork.......... 40 Nurturing a Love of Books Inspires Excellent Learning Habits..........................42 Year 13 Students: Ready to Take on the World.........................................................44
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British Science Week 2019
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Celebrating
talk about “ We developing
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a sense of awe and wonder in science, their faces clearly reflected that!
”
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Kate Fitzpatrick, Deputy Head of Primary
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• How caterpillars, insects and spiders journey around their habitats • How caterpillars can journey into a new body and emerge as a butterfly • How boats can float on water and make journeys across the sea • How plastic makes its journey in our ecosystem and how it affects it • How rockets can journey into space and between planets • How cars can be designed to make your car journeys more efficient Our aim was to enthuse all of our students in the limitless possibilities science can offer them and to try to
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Mr Labelle, Primary Teacher, told us afterwards that “Our students fully understood the science of what was happening. Year 8 pitched it perfectly and our Year 4’s were able to use your vocabulary words in their summary after the lesson with ease.” It appears that our ambition in affecting every student may have been successful.
we follow through life, allowing them an opportunity to discuss these issues and help form strategies to help them progress in their journeys with more security and confidence.
To compliment these sessions, the entire school has also been taking part in a competition to see who could provide a solution to the problem of waste plastic in our environment. The winning entries were on display for everyone to see afterwards.
To finish off the week we ran two assemblies for the Primary & Early Years and the Secondary students where we showed them a variety of demonstrations too big for a classroom and their enjoyment was very clear to see.
However, science is not just about the physical world. Heads of Year/ Form tutors, in the exam year groups, have been using this week to discuss emotional journeys and the journey
We cannot wait to do this again next year! Paul Forsythe Head of Science
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• How worms journey by tunnelling their way through the soil
get them asking questions of their teachers and their parents about anything they are interested in. If we have established more thinking about our world and ourselves then we have succeeded!
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The theme this year was ‘Journeys’ and we have used that theme to run interactive workshops inside the classroom and within the school grounds. Secondary students ran sessions with every student from the Early Years all the way through to Year 6. The Secondary students helped them to understand:
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At BIS Hanoi, we celebrated the British Science Week from March 11 – 15 across all year groups.
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Reflecting from the summit of the IBDP is a hard-earned reward for a BIS Hanoi student
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The IB Journey towards Success During April, we hosted the IB Showcase which has become an annual fixture and celebrates the academic progress and quality of work produced by our Year 13s.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
The IB Showcase provides a fantastic opportunity for younger students to learn about subject content, internal assessment and the IB core. Seeing examples of IB standard work and discussing its challenges is the first step towards a successful IB journey. The breadth and variety of learning experiences offered by studying the IB at BIS Hanoi were on full display. Teachers and parents who attended spoke very favourably about the eloquence and clarity of communication demonstrated by our graduates. To be able to speak clearly and confidently on subjects ranging from
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At the heart of teaching and learning in the IB are the skills that we aim to develop across all year groups in BIS Hanoi: thinking skills, communication skills, self-management skills, research skills and social skills. The IB curriculum develops these skills through the wide range of activities to which students are exposed. The curriculum often requires our learners to step out of their comfort zone and this feature is part of how the IB induces personal development and academic progress.
was great to ask about their IB “ Itexperience, from subject choices all the way through to university applications.
”
Kim Dae Hong, Year 11
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history and performance to physics and ethics is characteristic of the internationally minded IB student. This was the first year that we have students graduating in IB Theatre Studies, and during the Showcase attendees were able to see the thought provoking performance pieces designed to tackle issues of gender stereotypes.
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Our Year 12 students are at the halfway point of their IB journey and currently moving their attention towards important milestones in the IB core. The extended essay is well underway and before the summer term ends, the Year 12 cohort will have written a significant proportion of their personal research project. Within Theory of Knowledge (TOK) lessons, teachers and students have been increasing the focus on essay writing and communication skills ready for the fascinating TOK assessed presentations. Social skills, communication skills and self-management skills are integral to the CAS element of IB, and our Year 12s have now begun their CAS projects. These are independently organised and include sustained service work in the community. I would like to single out a particular learner attribute for special attention – reflection. Learning and personal growth during this important time in our students’ lives requires resilience and perseverance. We encourage students to take part in sustained critical reflection during their IB studies, which even forms part of the assessed extended essay. By doing so our students are capable of taking on any challenge, identifying areas for development and securing a positive outcome. Adrian Duckett IB Coordinator
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INTERNATIONALLY-MINDED CITIZENS CONFIDENT COMMUNICATORS WELL-BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Perseverance
IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR EXTRAORDINARY STUDENT ARTWORK For Year 13 IB students, this was an examined element of their course, which saw them transform an empty room into a top-class exhibition space. As global citizens, students demonstrated that they are able to tackle a wide-range of topics in their work, from gender equality to the transformation of Vietnamese cultural traditions. The exhibition showcased work produced by the students which represented over 12 months of hard work. What was not visible in the exhibition was the process that the students went through to create their outcomes and how they had to adopt a number of different skills including independent enquiry;
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problem-solving to find the best solution; resilience, when things did not go their way; and leadership, when working with a team to present their exhibition space. All of these attributes are supported by the IBDP and are underpinned by the culture of our school. Visitors also commented on how confidently and coherently they spoke about their project enquiry. They were able not only to talk about their own work in an assured manner, but could contextualise it amongst the artists they had studied. The quality of work and the outstanding presentation of the exhibition has prepared the students for their future studies – many of which are continuing with a creative focus.
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Our students have worked across a range of media and processes to produce high quality outcomes and we are extremely proud of the determination, resilience and global links that they have made in their work. The exhibition was a celebration of their hard work and also provided an opportunity for students to talk, with confidence, about their creative journey. Good luck to our Year 11 and Year 13 Art students! Stephanie Miller Head of Art
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In addition to the IB students, we have been so proud of the progress of the work of the Year 11 IGCSE Art students. So much so, that we felt it needed to be shouted about twice! Their most recent exhibition showcased the work from the examined element of the IGCSE Art course. In January, students were set a brief by the exam board and they have had three months to carry out research and explore the theme in full. Titles included ‘Merging Forms’, ‘Sliced and Diced’ and ‘On the Shelf’.
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The examination groups in the Art department have demonstrated a wide range of skills both technical and personal. Both year groups have hosted exhibitions in recent months.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Nurturing
A LOVE OF BOOKS
INSPIRES EXCELLENT LEARNING HABITS
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Our Book Week at BIS Hanoi inspired children to persevere and challenge themselves with stories and books they would not choose themselves. Students reflected on why stories inspired them, as well as experiencing stories in different ways, promoting and nurturing our students’ love of reading. Jasmine Reilly Year 1 Class Teacher/Literacy Leader
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”
Students took advantage of our shared reading spaces in the Library and Theatre by taking part in a ‘Storytelling around the Fire’ workshop and a ‘Snuggle Up and Read’ in the library. Both workshops gave students opportunities to reflect on new and familiar stories whilst giving them the freedom to develop their love of books in varied learning environments.
A ‘school-hosted’ book fair invited local booksellers to come in and promote a discovery of books with the students both independently and with others. It gave students a time to share the books they loved and ask questions about books and stories they had not read. Our philosophy of “Be Ambitious” was promoted, as children were able to walk away with new stories to immerse themselves in.
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in our students and this year’s Primary Book Week theme of ‘Storytelling’ certainly inspired the students to be ambitious through exploring different books in new and varied ways.
We developed the students’ enquiry skills by dressing up as different book characters and exploring the stories these characters came from. We chose different stories in our year groups and used a mixture of Talk for Writing, drama and creative visuals to share and bring our stories to life. Students displayed their skills and stories in a showcase to parents using voices, characters, props and visual aids to tell their story.
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BIS, we nurture “ Ata love of reading
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Year 13 Students:
Ready to take on the world
The reward for our current Year 13s for thinking they could do it, is they have succeeded in achieving top grades in IB. Many people often feel that it is the first people to try something that are the risk takers and pioneers, and I agree that they are. However, I feel it is often the people just behind them that get overlooked for their strength, and determination. The graduating class of 2019 is just such a class. When they were in Year 11, they had to make their choice whether to stay at BIS Hanoi and try the IB program or leave for an easier program elsewhere. Their predecessors made that same decision, but without any tangible evidence and the excitement of something new. This class had been hearing for months how difficult the IB was and they might have made the wrong choice. The students who chose to sign up for the IB Diploma in that environment were saying that they felt they had what it took to succeed, despite all of the challenges, and they have proven themselves correct. The reward for our current Year 13s for thinking they could do it, is they have succeeded in achieving top grades in IB. They have learned to balance their time between sports, community service activities and a demanding course schedule and achieved acceptance to their top choice universities. Perseverance and grit has taken them to this point and they have shown future BIS students that although the IB Diploma is a rigorous program, it will prepare them for their future challenges. We are proud to say that 83% of our graduates that have applied to university have been accepted to their first or second choice university. Our students have been accepted to top schools in the world for fields they have chosen to study in, whether it is the Arts, Hospitality, Science, Engineering or the 44 | BIS Hanoi
Liberal Arts. Next year, BIS Hanoi graduates will be in the top schools in Canada, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. We are still waiting to hear from Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam, as their application system is later. Applying to university itself can be a difficult and challenging task as each country and sometimes each university has their own way of managing that application. Our students with the help of their tutors, Head of Year, counsellor and parents managed to navigate that system while continuing to thrive at school. Many people are aware of how difficult the Korean application system can be. As a result, we will be bringing in a Korean consultant at the beginning of June to help our students and parents and make sure we are on the right track to getting our students into their countries of choice. We are happy to report that all of our Korean students have already been accepted to top universities around the world; however, we understand that some may also be applying to Korea so they can weigh all of their options. Last year’s graduating class realized after their first year that they could meet the challenges of the IB program and successfully completed it and are doing very well at universities all over the world. Many of them have said they felt completely prepared for the rigours of university due to the IB Diploma Program and all of the other opportunities that they took part in here at BIS. One student even stated that in a job interview she was able to connect with her interviewer through a shared Duke of Edinburgh experience. We are excited that our graduates have embraced all that was offered to them, and we are confident they are now ready to take on the world! Lori Fairburn University Guidance Counsellor
Hoa Lan Road Vinhomes Riverside Long Bien District, Hanoi
Tel: (84 24) 3946 0435 Email: bishanoi@bishanoi.com Website: www.bishanoi.com