Bonn International School Magazine | Autumn 2014 | magazine@bonn-is.de
MEET
SIMON DAVIDSON GRADE 12 IN
BERLIN THE BIS MUSICAL
INTO THE WOODS
On the cover: When students from Bonn International School heard the story of the golden toad of the Costa Rican Monteverde cloud forest – perhaps one of first species believed to have gone extinct as a result of climate change – they sprang into action. Almost 600 students from age three to 18 worked together to create a powerful collage made up of 594 small blocks of wood, on which they painted various messages and images. Not surprisingly, toads of all shapes and sizes figure prominently in the piece. The collage was presented to UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Christiana Figueres, who often talks about her childhood memories of the golden toads as the spur to her lifelong mission to protect the planet. The art is meant to be a traveling piece, to accompany Ms Figueres on public talks and stand as a visual reminder of the urgency of climate change. There was a team of teachers involved, including the school’s early years teachers, primary art teacher Suzanne Kaegi, and secondary art teachers Jo Tilton and Leilani Dela Cruz. Art teacher Jo Tilton created an information/discussion sheet, which was shared with the students. Each teacher discussed the idea and causes of extinction with the students and then asked them to create a response to the loss of the golden toad. Excerpt: newsroom.unfccc.int
Imprint:
Bonn International School e.V. Martin-Luther-King-Strasse 14, 53175 Bonn
Contents Chris Müller - One School 2 BISSV Update 3 Sports at BIS - Results 4
Magazine Volunteers:
An Interview with Mr Davidson 6
Agnieszka Boud
Teacher Feature - 8 questions to get to know our teachers 8
Kate Carey
Primary Years Programme 10
Anuradha Koratkar
Primary German 10
Mitra Maroufi
My Trip to Ellis Island 12
Geraldine McMillan
A Trip to The Mathematicum 13
Natalie Niklas
Grade 5 Sailing Trip 14
Students:
Bicycle Safety in Grade 4 15
Alisa Bokhanova
Middle Years Programme 16
Elissa Filozof
Help, I have an iPad! 16
Helle Huisman
A Trip to Essen Coal Mine 17 MYP - The Next Chapter for Design 18
Layout and Design: Janet Hannah Editing and Proofing: Steve Arrowsmith Kate Carey Owen Elias Photography: Thank you to the many community members who share their photos.
Diploma Programme 19 Grade 11 Orientation 19 The Group 4 Project 20 OroVerde Film Contest 21 Grade 12 Berlin Trip 22 BeethovenfestBonn 24 Digging Holes 25 Musical Theatre at BIS 26 Into The Woods 26 Irish Dancing Feis at BIS 29 Association for Music in International Schools 30
Printing:
MUN 31
The Happy Printer, Bonn.
Mother Tongue Programme in the MYP 32 Profile of a Poliglot 34 Science Skills Needed for the Future 35 Unsung Heroes 36 Ms. Correa - Science Lab Assistant 36 The Welcome Family Program 37 Alumni Reunions 38 Sodexo 41 University of Bonn... FOR KIDS 42 Just Say Yes! - How I Became PV Chair 43 Parent Corner 44 Becoming an Expat with a Large Family 44 Cub Scouts Bonn 44 Academic Awards 2013 –2014 45
1
We cannot discover new oceans unless we have the courage to lose sight of the shore. Anonymous
One School The transition from one school year to the next is marked by a series of celebrations designed to highlight individual and collective achievements while honoring the unique nature of our communities. Such celebrations represent a period of key student celebrations and transitions, such as kindergarten to Primary School, Grade 5 students to the MYP years, and then to the Diploma years. The graduation of our senior class at the end of May represents a culminating experience for BIS students as they move on to new challenges and growth opportunities. While these important events in our lives are still some time from now, it is also important to prepare for them. At BIS we attempt to make transitions smooth and without too much disruption in the lives of our students. However, what if we are presented with the most profound and enlightening experiences associated with who we are, and what we value, during such a transition? In our desire to move through transitions as seamlessly as possible, we may be ignoring the important lessons that crossing life’s bridges has to offer us. Author Danaan Parry in her book The Parable of the Trapeze has articulated this through the use of a trapeze bar metaphor: 2
Sometimes I feel that my life is a series of trapeze swings. I’m either hanging on to a trapeze bar swinging along or, for a few moments in my life, I’m hurtling across space between trapeze bars. Most of the time, I spend my life hanging on for dear life to my trapeze-bar-of-themoment. It carries me along a certain steady rate of swing and I have the feeling that I’m in control of my life. I know most of the right questions and even some of the right answers. But once in a while, as I’m merrily swinging along, I look ahead of me, and what do I see? I see another bar swinging towards me. It’s empty and I know, in that place in me that knows, that this new trapeze bar has my name on it. It is my next step, my growth, my aliveness coming to get me. In my heart of hearts I know that for me to grow, I must totally release my grip on the present, wellknown bar and move to a new one. Each time it happens to me, I hope that I won’t have to grab a new one. But in my knowing place I know that I must totally release my grasp on my old bar, and for some moment in time I must hurtle across space before I grab onto the new bar. Each time I am filled with terror. It doesn’t matter that in all my previous hurtles across the void of knowing I have always made it. Each time I am afraid I will miss, that I will be crushed on unseen rocks in
the bottomless chasm between the bars. But I do it anyway. Perhaps this is the essence of what the mystics call the faith experience. And so for an eternity that can last a microsecond or a thousand lifetimes, I soar across the dark void of “the past is gone, the future is not yet here.” It’s called “transition”. I have come to believe that it is the only place where real change occurs. And so, transformation of fear may have nothing to do with making fear go away, but rather with giving ourselves permission to “hang out” in the transition between trapeze bars. Transforming our need to grab that new bar, any bar, is allowing ourselves to dwell on the only place where change really happens. It can be terrifying. It can also be enlightening, in the true sense of the word. Hurtling through the void, we may just learn to fly. As we plan for smooth transitions between school years and our personal transitions, it is hoped that we will have the opportunity to savor the transition itself. If we follow Danaan’s advice about the importance of embracing transitions, then we may just experience, “the most alive, most growth filled, passionate, expansive moments in our lives.” http://www.earthstewards.org/ESN-Trapeze.asp
UPDATE
The Bonn International School Sportverein (BISSV) is a club providing sports activities throughout the year. Teams compete in local German leagues. Although the vast majority of current participants are BIS students, the BISSV is open to any English speaking child with an international background who has been recommended by someone at BIS. There are already some non-BIS members.
Football
Running
BISSV now has two mixed football teams which will officially start competing in the Fussball-Verband Mittelrhein league from February 2015. The teams train twice a week on the pitches adjacent to BIS.
The running club started in the middle of September and trains twice a week with coach Gary Wilberforce on the fields adjacent to BIS. The club is open to primary children and currently has 11 members. It has been registered with the local running association, Leichtathletik-Verband Nordrhein, through which it will be invited to compete in year-round runs in the Bonn area.
Tobias Goebel is training the 19 strong E Jugend squad (Grades 3 and 4). The F Jugend squad (Grades 1 and 2) is coached by Simon Kepka and currently has 28 players. They recently had a convincing 6-1 win in their first friendly match against Preussen Bonn. Other friendly matches are scheduled for later this semester. As interest has been so high for this age group, it is planned to eventually run two parallel teams so that all children have the chance to compete.
Future plans BISSV has also been offered the use of tennis facilities by the Bonner Tennis- und Hockey- Verein in Dottendorf and is currently gauging the level of interest for this activity within the school.
Anyone wishing to participate in or help with BISSV should contact Tobias Goebel on tobias.goebel@bonn-is.de or bissv@bonn-is.de 3
Results During the spring, BIS teams compete in football (soccer), rugby, track and field (athletics) and softball. Season ending tournaments are organised by the Northwest European Council of International Schools (NECIS).
Girls Football and Boys Rugby On a beautiful weekend in May, BIS again hosted nine schools
While fewer schools competed in the rugby tournament,
for a successful NECIS girls football and boys rugby
the competition was no less fierce. In the U16 Boys rugby,
tournament. Rugby matches were played on the fields adjacent
BIS came second and was voted the Most Sporting Team.
to the school and soccer matches at Sportpark Pennenfeld and
The U19 Boys rugby team was third with Sean Paton being
at BIS.
named BIS’s most valuable player.
The U15 Girls football team placed fifth out of the eight schools competing. The Varsity Girls football team came in second out of seven teams in their competition. Ana Romilia Reumann was named BIS’s most valuable player of the tournament.
NECIS Results U15 Girls Football
5th
Varsity Girls Football
2nd
Under 16 Boys Rugby
2nd
Under 19 Boys Rugby
3rd
Softball Mixed Varsity and Junior Varsity teams competed against five other schools in the NECIS softball tournament in May at the American International School of Rotterdam. Our Varsity players placed second and Junior Varsity third. NECIS results Junior Varsity
3rd
Varsity
2nd
4
s n o g a r d o G
Track and Field BIS took its largest ever team of 37 athletes to this year’s NECIS track and field championships at Copenhagen International School. There is no team score at this event, only individual results. BIS returned after a very successful meet with a haul of 30 medals.
Anton Terhaag Raphael Schwegler
NECIS results
Under 16 Girls
Under 12 Girls
Andrea Jonsson
Joyesha Shrestha Natalia Murcia Cencerrado
2nd 3rd
800 metres
2nd
1500 metres
3rd
80 metre hurdles
2nd
Standing Long Jump
1st
Under 16 Boys
100 metres
3rd
2nd
2nd
Anthony Sandlin-Veikalas
Shot put
200 metres
Discus
2nd
Standing Long Jump
2nd
Tinashe Mukwashi
100 metre hurdles
2nd
800 metres
1st
1500 metres
1st
3000 metres
1st
Under 14 Boys Erik Jonsson
Discus 100 metres
100 metres
3rd
200 metres
3rd
Tristan Stewart
Cricket The first full season of cricket at BIS was a great success.
Results
The team won all of their matches, playing with great
vs St Georges English School
WON by 54 runs
vs Cologne Cricket Club
WON by 12 runs
vs St Georges English School
WON by 45 runs
vs Luxembourg Cricket Club
WON by 10 runs
vs Luxembourg Cricket Club
WON by 57 runs
sportsmanship and a high level of skill against different schools and club teams.
5
An Interview with Mr Davidson Simon Davidson (re)joined BIS in August 2014. Elissa Filozof and Helle Huisman from Waves Magazine (WM) spoke with our old and new Primary Principal about his life, thoughts and experience in a rock band. “We need to include de people, and to inclu people you need to d to understand them, an u understand them yo ” need to listen to them
SD: English, French, Italian, German, a little bit of Spanish. When I was working in the Middle East, I tried to learn some Arabic—took a five-week intensive course in Morocco—so I can understand a little bit of that, write basic things.
WM: Can you share with us a little bit of
WM: Does such language
your background to begin?
comprehension help you as you work
SD: I’m from Scotland, as I think most
in an international environment?
people know. Some people don’t know
SD: It does. And also, the fact that you
that my family is also fairly international.
can understand the language is also like
My grandmother was born and brought
an acceptance of the culture; saying that,
up in Shanghai. My dad was born and
‘I’m going to spend some time to learn a
brought up in Jamaica because my
little bit more about this culture’ comes
grandparents had gone there to set up
off as respect.
and run a school in Kingston. I was born and brought up in Scotland, except for a year spent in Montréal, Canada.
WM: So to shift subjects, are there any quirky personal facts you’d like to share? SD: Yes—what might be interesting and
WM: How many countries have
unusual is that the first time I came to
you lived in?
Germany was actually on tour with
SD: I was in Bonn before, from 2004 to
a rock band.
2008. Then after that I had some time when I was doing quite a lot of different things. I was doing some writing, wrote a few books, and a lot of consultancy in schools, especially in the Middle East and also Singapore. Because of the Jamaican connections, I helped set up some of Jamaica’s National Educational Inspectorate; how they can assess the schools, what’s good about them, what needs developing. WM: And about the books you wrote? SD: They were about education—the Primary Years Programme. There are always a lot of good ideas in education. What’s important for us as an IB school is draw on, and make sure we’re in touch with the best ideas around the world.
6
WM: What languages do you speak or understand?
WM: A rock band? SD: Yes, called Hugh Reed Explosion. So a rock band, quite punk, quite loud, big shows, lots of props, lots of costume changes from the singer. Very lively shows. We even played in Hamburg. There’s some seedy rock stuff in Hamburg. Then we worked our way down to the Black Forest area before we went on to Geneva and played there. So then you see one side of German life. The time after that I was in Hamburg for an education conference, so I saw a very different, refined side. I returned to work in Germany partly because I find it so diverse.
WM: The school has changed a lot since
SD: Very much so. I was working at
you first left in 2008. Which changes did
about twenty-five schools a year, about
you find the most significant upon
half of them IB schools and about half of
returning?
them a mix of other systems—English,
SD: The biggest one? Well, they’ve got a
American, an Iranian school, some Indian
big building sitting over there!* So, there
schools—so I have seen a whole lot of
are better facilities. When it was smaller
things. Having such a load of
it was harder to get the learning as well
experiences is very helpful to me.
resourced as we wanted, and now it’s a very well resourced school. Obviously there’s more staff, more students, so it has filled up. What is important, though, is that there is still a strong sense of community here. Sometimes when a school expands it splits up into different pockets and can become too impersonal, but there is still a really good ‘family sense’ to the school.
WM: Alright, now little bit more about you, Mr Davidson: you work with primary students daily. Can you remember any outstanding memory from your primary school years? SD: So, some of my best primary school experiences were when I ended up in Montréal, in Canada. Well, I’d always played football—and then, that’s not important there: just ice hockey. And I
WM: What is a typical day’s agenda for
couldn’t even ski! And ice hockey was
you?—is it typical, or does it change
a thing, and I thought, ‘Well, you need
every day?
to get some ice hockey shirts.’ Then
SD: Changes every day. I try and make
obviously, you learn to fit in with the
sure I am in most classes most days, but
classmates, you learn to ski, and then
it’s different each day depending on what
you trade hockey cards and get to
meetings there are, what I’m having to
know the players, and then you
do. That’s, I think, part of the enjoyment
become absorbed and excited about it,
of the job: that it’s quite unpredictable,
and then it becomes just a really neat,
and that it never gets dull because I’m
fun thing to do.
always doing something different.
WM: And when you went back to
WM: So are all of the PYP students
Scotland…
familiar with you, then?
SD: I wanted to try and do the same
SD: I hope so! That’s what it’s about, I
thing—but there’s no ice hockey there!
think: getting to know all the different students, to talk with them about their learning and to see what learning is going on in the classrooms, because that’s the heart of the school.
Another side of Mr. Davidson during a school talent show in 2008
WM: What are some of your hobbies and
WM: What are some personality traits of
interests, likes or dislikes?
yours that you think help you to do your
SD: I like doing sports and music. As far
job well?
as sports go, I quite like running. The
SD: I listen to people. I think that’s very
longest race I did was a couple of years
important, because we’ve got such a
WM: Do you find that having experienced
ago in South Africa, a 56 K. At the
diverse school; we need to include
a wide variety of schools in different
moment I’m trying to see if I can do an
people, and to include people you need
countries serves as an advantage to you
80 K race in Paris—so I’m planning on
to understand them, and to understand
in your current post here at BIS?
training through the winter for that.
them you need to listen to them. *Construction of the new Agora building was completed in 2012 *Some responses were edited for clarity
7
Teacher Feature 8 questions to get to know our teachers
Scott Knicely Other than teaching, what else did you want to become? 1. I wanted to be a professional musician. I played in many bands whilst in high school and university. 2. A pro athlete. I played baseball, American football, basketball and lacrosse in high school.
Other than teaching, what else did you want to become? An attorney/politician. I majored in Political Science, completed a political internship, joined the Coast Guard Reserve, graduated from law school, and attended a political academy.
Which fictional character did you want to be as a child? I always wanted to be a Jedi Knight.
Which fictional character did you want to be as a child? Dirk Pitt, an adventurer with a love for the sea. He is a character in Clive Cussler books.
What is the naughtiest thing you did as a child? When I was four, a friend (who was five) and I walked alone about 3km each way along a busy, hilly road, with no sidewalks to buy some candy. I still remember my mother driving up in the car looking for us when we returned to our neighborhood. My first time in ‘real’ trouble… If you had to choose a last meal what would it be? My American family’s traditional Thanksgiving meal: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole (my grandmother’s recipe), frozen strawberry salad (my great-grandmother’s recipe), pumpkin and pecan pie. What three things would you take on a desert island and why? A book: “The Jewel Ornament of Liberation” by Gampopa - lots of time to contemplate Enlightenment. Music: a guitar to create my own music. Other: a Swiss army knife; goes without saying. Which chores do you hate the most? Washing dishes. We love our dishwasher. What are your favourite spare time activities? Spending time with my wife Romy and daughter Annabella, backcountry snowboarding in the Vorarlberg, Austria, music, photography, travel, reading. What is your greatest achievement to date? The proudest/happiest moment in my adult life was becoming a father. People often ask me about my surname. My father’s family name, Knicely, was originally “Nussli/ Kneissle/Knicely. My Nussli/Kneissle ancestors lived in Eggiwil in the Emmental Valley of Switzerland with records of the name change dating to the early 1600’s. The entire extended family emigrated to the Americas in 1717. I also have German, Norwegian and Scottish heritage on both sides of my family 8
John Haskell
What is the naughtiest thing you did as a child? When I was 12 years old, my friends and I had a fort in the nearby fig orchard. Once, we had a pretty big fire burning in the fort. I think we were trying to cook beans. My dad showed up because I was running late for a dentist appointment. Needless to say, he was not happy to see what we were doing. If you had to choose a last meal what would it be? Lots of appetizers: Lomo ham, Spanish potato omelet, miso soup, California sushi rolls, mussels, Manchego cheese, prawns and hamburger sliders, followed by a nice steak (Villagodio de Buey) with french fries and green beans. I would finish it up with a warm chocolate brownie covered in caramel with vanilla ice cream. Ein Pils bitte! What three things would you take on a desert island and why? Book: The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell Music: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers Other: Fingernail Clipper...enormously underrated invention Which chores do you hate the most? Here in Germany, I have a new chore called trash division. It starts in the kitchen with questions whether something belongs in the blue or the yellow bin. Then continues outside where you hope to find a definitive answer by scanning the other trash. Instead, you see the same type of trash in three different bins and become even more confused. An enjoyable brain puzzle or a big waste of time? I wonder if someone divides the trash later anyway. What are your favourite spare time activities? Taking my son to the park, planning holidays, and going to the movies. What is your greatest achievement to date? Being in the right place, at the right time, to meet my wife.
EXPERIENCE OUR EXTRAORDINARY SELECTION AND STATE-OF-THE-ART CRAFTSMANSHIP
Address: Alte Bahnhofstr. 12, D-53173 Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Germany
Phone: +49(0)228-362331
email: info@juwelier-schumann.de
www.juwelier-schumann.de
9
s s e i s e r i e r i o St StoStor The students of the Grade 2 German proficient class
enjoyed reading the book of “Irgendwie Anders“. Irgendwie Anders is a book on tolerance and friendship. The students liked the story so much that they decided to write a text of
Irgendwie Anders In diesem Haus – auf einem hohen blauen Berg - lebt ganz allein Irgendwie Anders. Irgendwie Anders ist sehr traurig. Keiner möchte mit ihm spielen. Die anderen Tiere sagen: „Du bist nicht wie wir. Du bist irgendwie anders. Du gehörst nicht zu uns.“ Irgendwie Anders tut alles, um wie die anderen Tiere zu sein. Er malt und spielt wie sie. Aber die anderen Tiere sind
PYP
“Irgendwie Anders“ on their own.
The Grade 3 students worked on their narrative writing in their German classes. This is an example from a story by Sarah Rahmeh with her own illustration.
immer noch böse zu ihm.
Das verzauberte Haus eine 7-Teile-Geschichte Es war einmal vor langer Zeit ein großer Drache. Er war schon sehr alt und einsam. Der Drache lebte tief, tief im Wald in einer dunklen Burg. Jedesmal, wenn jemand nachsehen wollte, was wohl in dieser Burg passierte, rief der Drache: „Wer ist da? Haut ab!” Er war ziemlich gemein, aber niemand hat je herausgefunden, dass es ein Drache war. Und jedesmal, wenn die Menschen schreiend wegrannten, fühlte sich der Drache schlecht und fing an zu weinen: „Warum habe ich das nur getan? Warum muss ich immer alles vermasseln? Warum muss das immer mir passieren, warum nur?” Eines Tages kamen zwei Kinder gerade von der Schule zurück. Plötzlich standen sie vor der Burg und überlegten, was wohl darin sein könnte. Da sagte Lily, das Mädchen; „Komm, wir sehen mal nach.” Aber da sagte Max, so hieß nämlich der Junge: „Aber diese Burg ist bestimmt schon sehr alt und sehr dreckig. Da werden doch meine neuen Schuhe ganz schmutzig.” „Ach, das ist doch nicht schlimm, die kann man doch wieder waschen.” „Aber, aber......”, sagte Max. „Ach, bist du etwa ein Angsthase?”, fragte Lily. „Neeiinn”, sagte Max in einem sarkastischen Ton. „Aha, dann ist ja alles OK. Also gut, komm mit.” Sie gingen in die dunkle Burg. Es war dort nicht nur dunkel, es war stockdunkel! Sie erkannten einander selber nicht mehr, aber sie waren tapfer. Auf einmal hörten sie jemanden sagen: „Geht weg, ihr habt hier nichts zu suchen!” Aber sie gingen weiter. Als sie oben ankamen, sahen sie den Drachen nicht gerade bei bester Laune. Langsam kam der Drache auf sie zu. Jedesmal, wenn der Drache einen Schritt nach vorne machte, gingen die Kinder einen Schritt nach hinten. Auf einmal fragte der Drache: „Wollt ihr eine Tasse Tee?”, so, als ob nichts passiert wäre. Max sagte: „Nein danke!” Jetzt wurde der Drache sehr sauer und versuchte, die beiden zu ergreifen. Da rannten die Kinder schnell weg.
10
Sie sagen: „Du gehörst nicht hierher.
Irgendwie Anders weiß, dass
Du bist irgendwie anders.“
es einen Fehler begangen hat.
Irgendwie Anders geht traurig nach Hause. Er will gerade schlafen gehen,
„Warte! Geh nicht weg“, sagt es, „Du bist nicht wie ich, aber das ist egal. Wenn du möchtest,
da klopft es an der Tür. „Hallo“, sagt
kannst du bei mir bleiben.“
das Etwas, „nett, dich kennen zu lernen. Kann ich reinkommen? Ich bin genau
Das Etwas und Irgendwie
wie du. Ich bin irgendwie anders und
Anders sind Freunde geworden.
du auch.“
Sie malen Bilder zusammen, sie essen und sie spielen.
Irgendwie Anders ist verblüfft. „Du bist doch nicht wie ich! Du bist überhaupt
Und wenn jemand an die Tür
nicht wie irgendwas, das ich kenne.
klopft, sagen sie nicht „du bist
Ich will, dass du gehst!“ Das Etwas ist sehr traurig!
nicht wie wir“. Sie sagen: „Komm herein und nimm Platz!“
Primary Years Programme Als sie zu Hause ankamen, haben sie beim Abendessen alles
Mutter auch, und von dem Tag an waren die Kinder und der
ihrer Mutter erzählt. Die Mutter hatte sich große Sorgen um die
Drache die besten Freunde. Die beiden besuchten den Drachen
Kinder gemacht, weil es ja auch eigentlich keine Drachen gibt.
jeden Tag, und sie lebten glücklich und zufrieden.
Sie meinte, dass Kinder heutzutage eine große Phantasie hätten und sich nie um die wichtigen Sachen kümmerten. Da sagte Lily trotzig; „Doch, das tun wir!” In dieser Zeit war der Drache ihnen gefolgt und hatte
Aber niemand hat jemals herausgefunden, wie das Haus wieder an seinen Platz gekommen ist. Sarah Rahmeh, Grade 3
ihnen zugesehen. Weil er so sauer auf Lily und Max war, wurde er sehr, sehr böse. Plötzlich holte er tief Luft, und spuckte Feuer auf das Haus. Lily hatte immer noch diskutiert. Aber dann waren sie ganz stumm. Plötzlich fühlten sie ein Schütteln, rannten nach draußen und sahen zu, wie ihr Haus zerstört wurde. Da dachten die Kinder an den Drachen und machten sich auf den Weg zu ihm. Der Drache sagte nur: „Nein, ich habe nichts gesehen”, als die beiden ihn unruhig fragten. Aber der Drache hatte irgendwo Mitleid und fing an zu weinen. Er sagte: „Ich war’s. Ihr habt mich erwischt. Ich war doch nur wütend, weil ich nicht weiß, wie man mit Menschen kommuniziert.” Da sagte Lily: „Aber das ist doch nicht schlimm. Trotzdem wünschte ich, unser Haus wäre wieder heil.” Auf einmal stand das Haus picco bello auf seinem Platz, und die Kinder rannten zurück und erzählten es ihrer Mutter. Da sah es ihre 11
My Trip to Ellis Island Hi! My name is Sara Brazil and I am in Grade 5. Last year we had a unit on Immigration. Part of it was about immigrants going to America! In the summer my family and I got to visit
Ellis Island where the immigrants had to go through. Imagine yourself being on a boat for weeks/months without seeing any land!
PYP In the museum there was a big hall
where it showed pictures of the people,
who they were, what their jobs were, did they get in or not, and were they sick. We watched a documentary there on the
distance, it’s the Statue of Liberty! You
information about them.
of the prior knowledge I gained before
We also visited Liberty Island, where the
the visit.
Statue of Liberty stands. We went into
My cousin and I looked up different
and the different ideas on the design and structures. The person who
hear shouts of joy as everyone leans
constructed it also constructed the Eiffel Tower, Gustav Eiffel. We got to feel and
over the railing. You have arrived in America, the Land of Freedom. You get
touch the different parts of the statue. When you stand at the bottom of the
off at a small Island, called ‘Ellis Island’.
statue and look up, you see really how
You are not allowed to enter New York
happened a long time ago in the history, I could really feel the emotions and experience of the people who went
the statue and also how they made it spot a small figure on a rock in the
My favourite part was the boat trip to and from the Islands. Even though it
people who immigrated to America through Ellis Island and it gave some
the pedestal and we got to see parts of After many weeks/months at sea you
documentaries related to the topic.
high it is.
through there. It was certainly because
names of the people who went through. There is a special area with computers where you can put in names and see who arrived. Some peoples’ names were too difficult so they sometimes got changed by the officers to make it easier to say and read. We put in some random letters and couldn’t believe it when we got two matches! I tried my own name but there was no Sara Brazil, but I put in
unless you are checked over, and if you
I found this trip more interesting and
have $10. On Ellis Island you had to wait in a building for hours (at least) to be
easier to understand as I could connect
Sara Dillon (my mum’s surname) and found some matches. It was really fun.
this to my prior knowledge. In Grade 4
checked over if you are healthy and if
we studied about migration with the
I would definitely go again because it
you have enough money. If you were
central idea human migration is a
sick and the hospitals were full or if you did not have $10 you had to go back.
response to challenges, risks and opportunities. I studied about the migration to Ellis Island as my personal inquiry. During that time I had a chance to read many books and see
12
was an interesting and educational trip, and there is also a lot of history behind it. Each time I go I am sure that I will see many new aspects from different perspective. It was the best trip EVER!!! Sara Brazil, Grade 5
Primary Years Programme
A Trip to the Mathematicum All Grade 4 classes went to the Mathematicum in Giessen on Wednesday, 1 October 2014 to learn more about math. First we went on the bus for two hours. After that we went inside the math museum. There were some guides to help us and to explain how to do the activities. Next we started looking at experiments and observed them. During that time I answered my questions, which were prepared by my teacher. Each activity had a mathematical idea behind it. Some were easy to understand and some a bit difficult. But the best part was everything was hands on. So everybody had fun trying it out. Later we ate lunch and talked with our friends. After lunch we took a Grade 4 picture in front of the museum and started our journey back to school.
Before this visit I thought that math is only a learning subject at school and that it is not fun and really hard. Now after the museum experience, I think that math can help you at different real life situations, that it’s REALLY FUN and not so hard. Now I look forward to my math lessons and see things differently. So if you get a chance I recommend you visit this museum. I am sure you will have lots of fun too. Kalina Todorova, Grade 4
13
Grade 5 Sailing Trip
PYP If you ask the BIS Grade 6 students, who graduated from the Primary Years Program last year as to what was the most interesting thing they did in Grade 5, they will either say that it was the PYP Exhibition or the Sailing Trip in the Netherlands. Both these events enabled them to learn a lot and work collaboratively in a team. I would like to present to you a short description of our week of sailing in IJsselmeer.
Our adventure began on an early Monday morning, when we took a three hour bus ride to Makkum in the Netherlands. On the way there, we had to stop at a market to buy groceries. From the very beginning, we were put in charge of everything, right from buying groceries, to preparing our food, cooking it and serving it. When sailing, we had to raise the sails ourselves and navigate the ship in all types of weather. What an experience! We sailed to different ports everyday depending on the weather. Our favourite had to be Texel, where some of us played sports and others went bike riding or explored the local culture. We had the opportunity to sail in the canals during stormy weather and visit Franeker, where we saw the most amazing planetarium built by a sheep farmer in the 1700’s. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and
14
it still works after 300 years. A beautiful presentation of the solar system that everyone should see! We also had loads of fun! We not only had fiesta nights but also siesta times! There was so much that we did, that it is too much to list here. However, one thing that some of us enjoyed very much was just lying on the deck and doing NOTHING but read. Yes, it does sound a bit weird but personally, I thought it was the best thing on earth! Swimming and lying on the net under the front sail and watching the seawater rush by, was also wonderful. The sailing trip was amazing because it let us build great teamwork skills and it allowed all of us to get to know each other much better. We created a caring community, where we were able to feel comfortable doing things in front of people and to be ourselves without being judged! It was an unforgettable experience, where we had lots of fun and learned that we can take risks and try new things. When we do things that adults tell us to do, it is not always the best way to learn. Sometimes, we just have to try and do it ourselves. I truly think that our sailing trip gave us the opportunity to do this and to discover new things on our own! Honoka Kishimoto, Grade 6
bicycle safety in grade 4 In the month of September 2014 Grade 4 students had the opportunity to take part in a bike safety-training program led by the German Police. The officer that lead the program focused on teaching the children how to navigate their bikes safely on roads and amongst traffic, as well as how to use proper signals and safety measures that should be followed. Inspecting the children’s bikes concerning basic aspects of traffic safety was also done. Safe bikes got the plaque “2014” for proper bike safety. The training took place mainly on school grounds, with some riding around the property and through the local streets.
Primary Years Programme Matilde
I was the last child in the line. It was ok
Jakob M
The bike training was really fun and I
but I was a little bit sad. It was very fun
The bike training was a nice little
learned a lot on how we keep safe on the
with Morris. Now I know that we need to
fun thing. We went around the
road and riding in school. Doing fun
look back. It is called a blind spot and I
neighbourhood and learned the signals
obstacles and learning how to do cool
learnt that we need to ride one meter
of the road like signal and blind spot
stuff and learning a lot of different ways
away from the car.
and to get on and off your bike on
of riding and having fun and riding alone
Celeste
the right side.
I thought bike training was so fun but
Kalina
then when me and Matilde rode, I was so
I had so much fun at the bike training.
scared but it was so fun, I wanted to go
I now know about all the safety rules and
again. I loved it with all the obstacles. I
learned about the signs. I was surprised
Vladislav
am much more comfortable on my bike
when the policeman showed us the
I love riding a bike. It was very fun. I
and I was terrified when I saw the broken
broken helmets and explained to us why
learnt how to ride it properly because my
helmets. I learned to get off my bike on
it is important to wear helmets. Now
bike is very big. My teacher was very
the right side.
I know why I need to wear my helmet
kind. His name was Peter but I call him
Sanjeev
every time I ride my bike. It was so much
in the road and with Celeste. And the police guy was really nice and he was really funny and made things easy and difficult.
Mr Peter and he was super funny sometimes and I called him super Peter, the funny hero. I have my friend Morris.
First I thought it was going to be hard but
fun going on the road.
it was easy. I had lots of fun. It was a great experience for me.
15
HELP, I have an iPad! iPads are around to stay, and love them or hate them, they
appropriate tools and guidance to facilitate good learning.
do have a role to play in our lives and learning here at BIS.
This implies a different type of teaching, but in no way
In the words of our director, Dr Chris Müller, “Schools
trivialises the role of the teacher.
can no longer deny the core function of technology in
Whether we use iPads, laptops, androids or any kind
21st century education and research. If we keep those
of mobile devices, makes little difference. It is the
doors of learning closed, students will find their own exit,
accessibility and availability of information that is critical.
and begin using technology outside school to educate
Kids are tending more and more towards the use of small
themselves. We should all be cognisant of the way the
tablets or mobile devices. That’s why I like iPads. But they
digital generation learns, and we must give them the
all do the trick.”
MYP
But they do the trick only when students get familiar and skilled in using them and when they are used effectively as a teaching tool. Simply sticking an iPad in each student’s hands does not ensure better teaching or learning. A strong support system is needed to ensure teachers and students have the skills at their disposal to be successful.
When we rolled out the iPad programme, we also rolled out a support programme to ensure this success. Teachers participated in a number of training workshops in the last year and that will continue. Students go through iPad orientation, are learning in class under the guidance of teachers and exploring through tutorials. Students and teachers are also often learning by playing and exploring different apps available and sharing their knowledge and skills. Like learning any other new skills, some people learn faster or slower than others. Relevant newcomers and Grade 6 and 10 students got an iPad for the first time this year while their peers had already used one last year. This can lead to a learning gap that needs to be addressed.
16
So where do you go for help when you need it?
We have two full time staff members who are involved in helping students upload apps, deal with broken iPads and teach skills when needed. They are Mr JJ and Mr Brady. Mr JJ’s primary function is to liaise with students about their iPads. He runs the ICT helpdesk office in the Agora (iPad office), offers in-class support, provides remote support via our iPad management system and phone support. He also offers student training when required, staff in-house training combined with Apple’s Professional Development (APD) training, parent workshops and one to one staff workshops on specific subjects. Mr Brady is also on hand to help and his role is to provide iPad orientation and training for new students and parents. He is also actively involved in communication to parents new to digital learning, as well as training parents and students with iPad problems. He also supports teachers and administrative staff on upcoming IT projects, acts as a liaison for teachers between secondary systems like youTube, google, weebly, typing master etc and is involved in a host of other troubleshooting roles to do with IT systems, smart boards, projectors, Managebac, Wikis and testing new systems with the entire school.
In addition to the two iPad specialists, there are also a number of teachers who offer support to students. Mrs Van der Steege runs a walk-in help session on Friday lunchtimes in room 120 for any MYP students. Mr Vaughn, Mr Dow and Mr Conway have a homework club on Mondays and Wednesdays between 15.30 and 17.00 in room 120 and can also assist students with learning how to use an app or help with completing homework in a prescribed app.
By the end of October, a number of teachers will also have become Apple APD trainers to support the continuous training needs of teachers, parents and students. They are Miss Tilton, Mrs Szalay, Mr Vaughn and Mrs Van der Steege. As with each new programme, the iPad programme needs careful monitoring and will continue to grow and develop to ensure it provides both experienced and novice users and learners with the skills needed to utilise it as a tool to enhance learning. Jackie Van der Steege, Teacher
A Trip to Essen Coal Mine Middle Years Programme
Zeche Zollverein in Essen Three students from Mr Tiemo Duarte’s Grade 7/8 German Phase 1 class write about the Field Trip to the Zeche Zollverein in Essen On 2 September 2014 the students of Grade 7 and Grade 8 went to the Zollverein coal mines in Essen to find out a little bit more about the German culture. We all then split up and took tours through a building of the mines. We saw a lot of things. We saw railway lines and carts. We also saw the rollers and the belts going down into the mines and up again. We also experienced about 6% of the sound, which was produced at the time of work. We had some rest at the cafÊ and then we went to the botanical
garden near the mines. The garden was really beautiful and we all had a nice picnic near a man made waterfall. We had a nice time until it was finally time to go home. Vishnu On 2 September 2014, the students of Grade 7 and Grade 8 visited Zeche Zollverein, Essen. It is a coal mine. It was founded in 1847. We all saw the huge buildings and it was tidily kept. We heard about the buildings and how the miners had to go naked from the outside to the changing rooms. Our guides showed us a video on how the elevator was used and how it functioned. We heard a clip that had the noise that the mine created during the working times. We all saw the tools that were used in the mine, some of them were extremely heavy and weird. We all enjoyed this trip to Essen very much. Vrushali
The coal mine was a pretty cool place. In front of the building, there was a tall crane, which was used to carry the wagons up and down. I learned many new things about the coal mine. For example, I saw the tools that the workers used in the mine. They were so big and heavy. Even lifting them was hard for me. I also heard the sound that comes out when the coal mine is operating. The sound was so loud and I could feel the ground moving a bit. Actually, it was really nice and a kind of precious experience to me because during the 1960s and 1970s, many Koreans went to Germany to earn money and help Korea to have better finances. And the majority of them went to Essen and coal miners. Eunsol
17
MYP THE NEXT
CHAPTER FOR DESIGN
MYP
First, why change:
• To create a simplified points system for grades • To support more interdisciplinary projects and tasks
In Design (previously called Technology) there have been a number of important changes. As with all the other subjects there are now four grading criteria with the same maximum of eight points per criteria, meaning a maximum of 32 points.
Whether we are doing digital or product design, the design cycle is the process that students follow to develop and document their product. The design cycle has also changed to conform to the new four criteria changes and now consist of the criteria: Inquiring & Analyze analyzing, Developing ideas, existing Creating the solution and products Develop a Evaluating. design brief
• To develop a stronger emphasis on global contexts.
Identify and prioritise the research Explaining & justifying the need Explain the impact of the solution
In Iniquiring & Analysis, the problem to be Inquiring & solved is identified Analysing and justified, Explain how research into all Develop the solution design areas related to could be ideas improved Developing the problem is Evaluating Ideas undertaken and Evaluate Present the success a design brief is the chosen of the design created based on solution the conclusions of Creating Develop the research. A Design planning the Solution testing drawings & research plan is now methods diagrams a required component Justify and should identify changes Construct a made to the Follow the logical plan both the primary and design plan to Demonstrate secondary research make the technical solution undertaken. skills
18
The International Baccalaureate in Geneva recently launched changes to the grading criteria and the way the different subjects interlink in the MYP years. You might be wondering why these changes were introduced and how they will impact students and their achievement.
The Development Section starts with the creation of the design specifications. This should be a list of clear single fact statements to describe all the attributes the product should have in order to solve the problem. This section should include a range of different solutions to the problem. These solutions are normally presented as drawings, diagrams, storyboards or scripts. The best idea should be identified and presented as the final solution and should include planning drawings or diagrams. The Create phase starts with the construction of a logical plan. Good technical skills should be shown during this phase. Students should clearly follow plans and justify any changes made to them. During the Evaluation phase, students start by designing testing methods to evaluate the success of the end product. They must evaluate the success of the product and identify how it could be improved. Lastly, they analyze the impact of their product on the client/audience/ world. Jackie Van der Steege, Teacher
Sources: MYP Unit Planner. Proc. of MYP: The next Chapter, Croatia, Zagreb. The Hague: IBO, 2014. Print. MYP grading boundaries. Proc. of MYP: The grading boundaries, Croatia, Zagreb. The Hague: IBO, 2014. Print.
GRADE 11 ORIENTATION
DP
Just like previous Grade 11
used to. On Wednesday we broke into four groups, two of
students at BIS, the Class
which spent the day canoeing (three people on a small boat
of 2016 got the chance to
going down a river), while the other two went canyoning (hiking
enjoy almost a whole week
down a stream), or geocaching (walking through a forest
in a nice valley in Tyrol,
looking for treasure). As groups switched around the next day, it
Austria. A whole week off
left Friday for white water rafting! Splitting into big groups of
school and away from
around eight people and getting into big boats, we rafted down
parents. The Orientation
the same river with the help of the guides who made the
Trip didn’t take anyone by
experience even more enjoyable. Everyone seemed to be
surprise, coming up in the
hungry the majority of the time, as we only had proper breakfast
third week of school. In
and dinner. In between activities, people played volleyball or
fact most people had
soccer and in general had a good time outside.
anticipated it since the previous school year.
Spending Saturday on the bus going home, we watched a few awesome movies and complained how this trip should have
No one got any sleep during the 10-hour bus ride to Austria,
been longer. All in all this is probably the best school trip of
but that wasn’t enough to extinguish the excitement of
most people’s lives, as our Grade 11 family grew closer.
spending a week with friends doing extreme physical activities or playing games. The first surprise that met us was that we
Alisa Bokhanova, Grade 11
were roomed with others randomly. Some were shocked that they were forced to become friends with someone they had never considered before, some were lucky, but it worked out fine either way. All tech devices were taken away to ensure social interaction. On the other hand, all of us were lucky with the weather, but the icy waters of the river took time getting
19
4
The Group 4 Project As a welcoming to our first year in the Diploma Programme, the Class of 2016 went on a trip to Austria. Now to be perfectly clear, this was a field trip where we would be doing some sort of school work, it is the Diploma Programme after all. During the course of this trip we took part in many activities: canyoning, white-water rafting, and even canoeing. Ms. Scott, one of the teachers who came to Austria with us, introduced us to our first Science assessment of the year with a poem entitled “What science is not”.
The Group 4 Project was designed so that students majoring in one of the four
DP our memories. One thing I really liked
about the experiment was the simplicity
sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics
of it; we had to come up with an idea of
and Sports Science) could work together.
a product that would solve a problem,
The task we were assigned was to
not develop an actual product. My
produce an idea that could solve an
group, for instance, chose to solve
issue. This problem could be local or
pollution by plant genetically altered
global, and it was up to us to decide. We
algae that have a larger cell size and
not only had to come up with a concept,
more efficient enzymes. This would
we also had to create a short video
allow the algae to take in more CO2
pitching our idea to the government. The
and produce more O2. In the end, the
group with the best idea would receive
winning group designed an idea to
the “grant money” to develop their idea.
help “Save the bees”! In reality we, as
The Grade 5 classes were also involved. They were the ‘government’ that we sent our videos to. The assignment was a two day process. The first day was at the start of our first week back from Austria and was used for doing research and producing our videos. The second day of
Grade 11 science students, would not be able to continue to develop such an idea. That’s why I liked the simplicity of the project - because we could create really unique ideas and not have to worry about developing them farther.
the project was a few days later. The
As a whole, this project was a lot of
Grade 5 classes presented to us the best
fun to start the year, because it eased
finalist videos. They explained to us why
us into what is going to be the
they chose them and told us who had
hardest two years of our high school
the best video. Personally, I enjoyed this project. I got to collaborate with physicists, which was something I had never done before. In addition, this was a great way of starting us off in Science, because we had to use prior knowledge learnt and this refreshed 20
lives, and we became closer friends due to this project. All in all, it was an amazing experience, and it doesn’t mess with your head as much as quantum. Ché Melo, Grade 11
What Science is not...
L. Redemer and L. Scott, Teachers
Science is not a list of facts That you stick on a wall with tacs Or memorize To become “wise” You have to realize It is more than that Science is not just learning from a book To pass a test that you took Just filling in blanks To get your parents thanks Or about following steps 1 through 3 To come to a conclusion blindly Science is not just about convertin g mass to moles I know you feel you lost part of your souls It’s not about newtons laws or follo wing rules Or just Balancing Molecules What I wanted to say Is that I swear science is not this way When you were younger It’s all about wonder You look up at the sky And constantly ask “why?” Science to me is a way of thinking Interconnectedness and linking Learning from problem solving And then evolving You have to be creative If you are to be innovative So today I ask of you to open your mind And you just might find That if you inquire You may just inspire Something in yourself, A fire, An inner desire So ask your questions Consider all suggestions But be sure to Scrutinize Always criticize
CONGRATULATIONS
So Jung Lee winner of the OroVerde film contest
Diploma Programme During the last half of the previous school year, the students in Grade 10 Digital Design took part in a national campaign by OroVerde, an environmental organization in Germany. For the campaign ‘Green movie, green media’, students had to create films to save the rainforest or promote biodiversity. They made films based on one of four limbic types for OroVerde and could choose to make a film that could be used as a TV advert, on the digital display screens in trains, or for social media. Students developed their creative ideas with the support of Björn Miethke of SK Stiftung Jugend und Media, who provided a film director, Felix Hassenfratz, for a storyboarding workshop. From all entries received nationwide, 31 films were chosen to go through to the final round. The final round included ten films from university students and 21 films from school students. Ten BIS students (Harsha Pillai, Elizabeth Hattingh, Chloe McCarthy, Louise Schulze, Mary Dolgoff, Alisa Bokhanova, Claire Smith, Dhillon Welsh, Luana de Lima, Alexey Zakharov and So Jung Lee) earned some of those elusive 21 places and So Jung Lee won with her film ‘Save the rainforest for your children’, which came first in the category for ‘harmonisers’. So Jung’s film can be seen on www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgQg8lvjEaM#t=15 and on OroVerde’s official website; www.regenwald-schuetzen.org/projekte-national/ green-movie-green-media/filme.html All the films that made it through to the finals are also available for viewing on OroVerde’s official website and are still in the running for the public vote through OroVerde’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook. com/regenwaldschutz?fref=ts) Top: Anna Homberg from OroVerde with Mrs. Van der Steege and some of the Grade 10 students that took part in the contest.
21
Grade 12
DP
Grade 12’s trip to Berlin was a truly enriching and exciting experience. The trip was mainly
As an international student, it can sometimes prove difficult to connect with the culture of a host country. Yet, it is important to understand the traditions, social norms and the history of a country to initiate creating a connection with that country’s
culture. Even with the darker parts of history. In that light, the Grade 12 History students study an essential part of German history: Hitler’s Third Reich and the Holocaust.
meant for History and German students and I am neither. Nevertheless, I came back feeling like I had learnt so much and the museums and places we visited inspired me to explore and read many more novels about Germany during and post 1945. For organisational purposes, the 47 students in
By going to Berlin at the start of the year, we were able to see several historical sights and feel more connected to the
our grade were split into two groups, one group
‘final solution’ was drafted and the Holocaust was initiated. We were able to learn from the information provided by the
symbolising periods in German history. It was
material that we were studying in class. To me personally, the Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz stood out most, at which the
museum, and got a greater realisation of Nazi control in Germany.
Apart from being an amazing trip from the perspective of a history student, it was also a great way to bond with fellow students and get a taste of what Berlin is like. We got to eat at a Dunkelrestaurant, stand on the top of the Reichstag at night with fireworks going off in the distance, and travel the city via public transport. I think I can speak for all students that went on the trip when I say that it was a great success. Special thanks to Mr Johnson and Frau Waeder for making it a possibility! Helle Huisman, Grade 12
following German tours and another English tours. On our first day, we visited the Deutsches Museum, which had a wide range of objects extremely interesting as it covered at least 100 years from the late 19th century to the 1990s. The varied collection of items, ranging from artwork to clothing, gave us an insight into different aspects of German history, other than simply factual. After the Deutsches Museum, we slowly made our way towards the Stasi prison, which, for the whole grade, was probably one of the most interesting museums. Seeing the prison cells in which prisoners were kept for simply having opposing opinions or thoughts of fleeing to the west was striking. Our guides described the manipulative ways in which prisoners were tortured, specifically mentally, although the State took care to abide by the European
22
Berlin
Diploma Programme democratic prison standards, as it was still hoping to make East Germany a democracy. The guides all had a specific connection to the Stasi prison which was particularly captivating as they were able to share real stories making the experience much more realistic. In fact, one of the guides had himself been imprisoned in this particular jail for discussing his thoughts of escaping to the west with his partner, who then turned him in. On the second day, we travelled to the
ideology in the protocol was used to
darkness. It was a really strange
Grunewald train station. Track 17, from
eradicate the Jews from Germany and its
experience to be unable to reach for your
which so many people were deported
territories. The house itself was quite
fallen fork or be aware of the food before
to the different concentration camps in
beautiful and contained detailed
you. Some of us needed to return to a
Germany, has been made a memorial.
information on the conference. Probably
bright room after only an hour, making us
The track, now covered by vegetation,
most shocking for my group was a map
realise how difficult some of these
has inscriptions on the platform of the
of Germany with red dots, representing
disabilities can be.
number of Jews deported and to which
concentration camps, scattered
concentration camp. Walking along the
absolutely everywhere.
track it was very disquieting to see the
Coming back from the House of
which we saw different parts of the
total number of Jews deported.
Wannsee Conference, we had time to
beautiful city of Berlin. All in all, the trip
On the last day, we were able to experience a boat ride along the Spree in
Afterwards, we went to the House of
walk around one of Berlin’s nice
to Berlin was fascinating for the whole
Wannsee Conference, where the meeting
commercial districts, Prenzlauer Berg.
grade and brought us together before our
to discuss “The Final Solution of the
After some free time, we made our way
final year at BIS. The trip enriched our
Jewish Question”took place in 1942.
to one of the most unusual culinary
knowledge of German culture and history
Members of the NSDAP and the SS
experiences any of us had ever had. We
as well as being a very good opportunity
attended the meeting, which resulted
ordered drinks and were then directed by
to bond with teachers and other students.
in a 15 page protocol. The anti semitic
blind waiters into a room in absolute
Nisha Dwivedi, Grade 12 23
BEETHOVENFESTBONN
We were fortunate enough to be invited
music. This not only
(Brandt Brauer Frick), for whom we
pleased the people who
organised the concert. During this trip we
came, but also showed us
also took part in a small documentary by
that the hard work we had done
the Deutsche Welle, who filmed parts of
was successful, as the people
interviews that we did with the band in
demanded more.
their studio.
My name is Natalie Adler and I am
crowd with their unique
to Berlin for one day to meet the band
Overall, I highly enjoyed the project and it
Our other public events included a live
proved to be a huge learning experience
interview on the M端nsterplatz for the
for me and for the others who
opening of the Beethovenfest, as well
participated. I highly recommend all
as radio interviews with the WDR.
students from BIS to apply for a chance
in Grade 12. As part of my CAS project
After eight months of preparation and
I applied for and joined the
excitement, the weekend of the
Sch端lermanagerteam of the
workshop and the concert finally came.
Beethovenfest Bonn. This project
During the workshop we invited several
encourages students from all over Bonn
students from schools around Bonn to
to be part of the annual Beethovenfest by
join the live experience of producing
organising a concert solely with eight
electronic music with classical
other students. This project appealed to
instruments, together with the band. This
me, as it allowed me to incorporate my
turned out to be fabulous and the results
passion for organisation and teamwork
of this day were recorded and shared on
with my German skills. I was chosen to
the following day, which was the day of
be the head of the team together with
the concert. The concert itself was met
another student, which required me to
with great excitement by the huge crowd
meet with the sponsors of the project,
of over 800 people, who had come to the
organise meetings and manage the
Telekomforum on 13 September 2014.
budget. The project allowed me to meet
After we had given a small opening
many new people and enjoy unique
speech about the project, the Brandt
experiences.
Brauer Frick Ensemble amazed the
to become a Sch端lermanager. Natalie Adler, Grade 12
Orthodontics ORTHODONTIST DR.MED.DENT
F u n c t i o n
+
A d u l t s
C h i l d r e n
+
R e m o v a b l e
A e s t h e t i c s +
F i x e d A p p l i a n c e s
A d v a n c e d
B r a c k e t
I n v i s i b l e
A l i g n e r s
It
24
ASTRID WELLER-BERGMANN
starts
S y s t e m s
with
+
M o r e
a
smile...
Dr. Astrid Weller-Bergmann Beethovenallee 58 53173 Bonn-Plittersdorf Easy parking at Arndtplatz Bus 614 5 minutes to BIS Fon: 0228 184 73 74 Fax: 0228 184 73 75 www.weller-bergmann.de info@weller-bergmann.de
s e l o h g n i g Dig If it takes two men two hours to dig a hole three feet long, three feet wide, and three feet deep, how long would it take the same two men to dig half a hole six feet long, six feet wide, and six feet deep? 1
When I was growing up through the seventies, my Maths lessons at school were spent considering holes. And baths. Something about water flowing in at this rate and leaking out at that rate, and how long would it take to fill 53 baths. Real Maths, it was called. Maths in a Real Context. It left such an impression on me that as a teenager I began to seriously consider a career in road building or plumbing, such seemed to be the severity of the problems facing our failing transport and piping systems. But, looking on the bright side, there was a question, there was an answer. And there was only one answer, so you knew where you were. Perhaps we should not be surprised if the nature of Maths problems reflects the times in which we live. Consider, for example, this gem from a UK paper for 16 year olds, 1940 (no calculators allowed, obviously): ‘A garrison of 1075 men could exist on full rations for 30 days. After 16 days on full rations the garrison is augmented by 129 men and, at the same time, the stock of the existing provisions is increased by 60% by means of parachute supplies. How much longer can the augmented garrison hold out on half rations?’ 2 We try to equip our children with the skills they require at their particular time in history. So what do our children need from Maths lessons in the 21st century? Are we still digging holes? Well, if you’ve been out and about on the streets of Bonn recently, you may well argue that digging holes seems to feature very highly on the list of skills required by Bonn city council employees - and perhaps a few lessons in speed and efficiency may not go amiss, either. But what situations will our children face in the future, and how can we equip them for these? One thing is sure: many real-life situations just do not have one correct and undebatable answer. Let’s take a relatively straight forward looking question from an
MYP investigation as an example: What date was it one billion seconds ago? 3
Have a guess. Was this a long time ago? In your lifetime? In your parents’ lifetime? Or was it the age of the dinosaurs? (Note: Options 2 and 3 are often seen as the same era by many children, so may need further explanation from the teacher). We then have to model the problem. What assumptions will we need to make? What definition of billion will we use? Shall we consider leap years? What time should we take as our starting point today? Will we all get the same answer? How accurately shall we write down the answer? Does the
teacher happy. But does it make the rate of deforestation easier to visualise? And for a final example of Maths in context, how about this Grade 9 problem: ‘How heavy is the Agora building?’ 5 Is there really only one answer to that? Of course Maths is also about right answers! There are plenty of topics and tests that rely on only one solution, even though there are often several means to reach that solution. Maths is also about practice and drill and recall; these are important components in order to be successful. But if we want our children to gain a deeper understanding of why we are “doing” Maths on a Friday afternoon, we also need to provide them with situations that allow them to explore contexts, concepts and relationships, and to use their skills to model situations. Sure, there are wrong answers, but equally there are often multiple correct answers. And that’s the way it is in real life too. This year we have changed criteria for our Maths MYP curriculum. Interestingly and most excitingly, the biggest change is in criterion D: Applying mathematics in real-life contexts. If you look in our MYP student portfolios in the next few weeks, you will see phrases like: “select adequate mathematical strategies to model the authentic real-life situation” “explain the degree of accuracy of the solution” “explain whether the solution makes sense in the context of the real-life situation”
answer make sense? And does it help us to grasp the concept of a time span of one billion seconds? Now here’s a more complex question some of our Grade 10s recently faced. ‘In the year 2000 the deforestation rate of the world’s rainforests was around 190000 square km per year. How many areas each equivalent to a football pitch were disappearing per minute?’ 4 Can you visualise 190000 square km? Guess how many football pitches that is! This poses several questions, and not only one correct answer! How big is a football pitch? How accurate is the data we have been given? To what degree of accuracy and with what confidence can we report our answer? How will we model the problem? And what is the point of looking at the deforestation rate in terms of football pitches? At one level, it keeps the Maths
1. Answer: did you stop to think what half a hole might look like? 2. Answer: not telling you - prizes for the first 3 correct solutions with working out handed to Mrs Bailey 3. Answer: your answer should be a date in your parents’ lifetime, but not yours!
When I first moved to Bonn I was impressed at the sheer scale of the hole digging programme on our roads here (coming from the UK I am used to holes just developing over time on their own and being left). I imagined new cables, photooptic fibres, pipes, all part of a grand expansion plan. Now I know differently. The people digging holes are also of the seventies generation: after spending years at school solving Maths problems on paper, they are now ordinary people in their fifties, desperate to find and test out a practical application of their Maths lessons. Here’s hoping that the current generation of children will be able to take with them their concepts and modelling skills and use them practically in the future - without necessarily digging holes! Sue Bailey, Teacher (Secondary Subject Leader for Mathematics)
4. Answer: it’s somewhere between 40 and 45 5. Answer: ask Mr Smith!
25
Into The Woods (Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine) was the most vocally intense musical that BIS had put on. Rehearsals were held after school twice and even three times per week leading up to the September performances. The set was designed and created by the Szalays, Ms. Tilton and Mr. Galagher and featured complex props that were usually doubled. For example, the ‘E’ in the “Into The Woods” sign was flipped on its side and used as a table at some points of the play. For the first time, we used black lights and luminescent paint to add another dimension to the stage. The show was performed to the BIS community, as well as a group of guests from the International School on the Rhine. In comparison to Grease!, the show was more vocally challenging with complex musical lines and more irregular cues and entrances. The casting was also different, with participants being cast characters outside of their usual comfort zone. This led to all, however, better developing their acting skills, always a positive outcome in show business. Three years ago, the BIS Arts Department announced the first ever school musical: Little Shop of Horrors. Auditions for Little Shop took place in the opening weeks of the school year and the cast worked extremely hard, rehearsing several times a week, including a whole-day Saturday rehearsal workshop. The end result was a masterpiece that was presented on the historic Brotfabrik stage in Bonn. Students, teachers and parents attended the matinee and evening performances over the three-day run of the show. This was a moment that will go down in BIS history, a moment that will be remembered when the anticipated auditorium part of the expansion project is complete. A few short months later, the auditions for the second BIS musical were held. Work on Grease! started in the months leading up to the summer holidays so that the cast had most of the show down by the time they set off on their
26
summer holiday. Grease! was more dance-intensive than Little Shop and it tested our actors’ performance skills, endurance and dedication to the project. The set was more complex than that of Little Shop, as were all the choreographies. Our very own Dr. Müller and Mr. Rivera also took part in this project. Now as we look back on the rehearsals and performances of Into The Woods, the third BIS musical that was performed, we reflect on how far we have come since Little Shop of Horrors was performed two years ago. We also realise how much theatre has improved our lives. These projects taught us to be confident on stage, a skill that will extend beyond the theatre. The truth is that every “Project! Project your voice!”, every “Maintain your body tension!”, every dance-induced stitch and bout of breathlessness made these theatre projects invaluable experiences that everyone involved in them will cherish for life. This having been many seniors’ last musical, we are all so happy to see more familiar and new faces getting involved in the musicals every year. Though young, the theatre program at BIS will continue to grow in the coming years and everybody is excited to see how it will evolve. We would like to extend our thanks to Mr and Mrs Szalay, the directors of our BIS musicals, as well as Ms Erendira Acuna, who choreographed our various dance sequences, for all the tireless effort that went in making these shows possible. We are all grateful for the opportunities we were given to explore the art of theatre and develop new and existing skills that we will carry for the rest of our lives. Karim Nassef, Grade 12
27
28
Irish Feis at BIS The Irish Feis was the first ever event held at
groups, from 11 different
BIS by a local Bonn Club; a Landmark event
nationalities, dancing at school.
at our school.
A number of other BIS children
Saturday 13 September was a busy day at BIS with various football and volleyball teams visiting from St John’s, Brussels. The Girl Scouts troop coordinated all the food and
also take Irish dance classes at the other venues run locally by Heike and her colleague Jelena Haramis.
refreshments for the day, and Greenwood
It was great to see the support
Irish Dance School hosted their 10th
offered by the school when the
anniversary Feis in the Waves gym. This
original venue was double booked. What
meant over 150 dancers aged between four
better way for our students to experience
and 60 from all across Germany taking part.
firsthand a large community event, where a
“So, what is a Feis?” I hear you say. Well, a Feis refers to a traditional Gaelic arts and cultural event and is the word commonly used for Irish dancing competitions. In Ireland this is widely known and anyone involved in Irish dancing learns this quickly. Now you are also in the know. “And who does Irish dancing at our school?” Surprisingly quite a few children take part from a multitude of nationalities. Irish dancing is one of the extracurricular activities offered at BIS by the private organisation Halloma. The teacher, Heike Froehling, began teaching at BIS in April 2012. It started with only three BIS children from two nationalities. In March 2013 a group performed at the
number of our own students took part at various levels and age groups. It was also great to see so many families coming to watch and support the dancers and to find out what it is all about. What a ‘win win’ situation! BIS supported the local community. We maximised the use of our facilities. The dance school got to use the great facilities at our school and benefit from all the parental support. The Girl Scouts troop sold food and raised funds for their upcoming trip to India. The dancers of the Greenwood School cleaned up in the medals and the BIS dancers were very proud to perform in their own school. To top it all off good publicity was achieved through a great article in the local paper, General Anzeiger.
school’s Irish Night
Thanks to all the parents and children who
fundraising event.
helped with set-up, donated items for the
Interest was
Tombola and cakes for sale, and helped with
spurred and at the
the clean-up. We look forward to more such
moment there are
events at BIS in the future.
21 children in two
Kerry Brazil, Parent
29
AMIS
Association for Music in International Schools Every year a score of music students at BIS attend workshops,
music. Thomas May (Grade 9), accepted into last year’s
participate in competitions, or perform in festivals, which fall
European Middle School Honor Band, reports that
under the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS)
“participating in it was a great experience.” In addition to being
umbrella. Organized by secondary music teacher Mr Joseph
able to meet many new friends and talented musicians,
Szalay, the many opportunities available through AMIS functions
Thomas writes that “as a band the sound was extraordinary. If
provide students with an extracurricular route to demonstrate
anyone enjoys playing their instrument I suggest you try out!”
skills learned in class. Last year BIS’ers were among the participants in both the European Solo and Ensemble Festival and in the European Middle School Honor Band; this year, the IB Diploma Music Workshop.
European Solo and Ensemble Festival For this AMIS event, eighteen BIS students traveled to the
AMIS IB Diploma Music Workshop BIS recently hosted the 2014 IB Diploma Music Workshop, in which students from Munich International School, International School Luxembourg, and St. John’s International School participated. The twenty-five students spent a weekend at BIS “working on all four areas of the DP Music course,” explains Mr
American International School of the Hague and performed
Szalay, “and workshopping their compositions.” To get a taste
solos and duets in front of professional musicians for ratings
of the performance aspect of the IB DP music course, they
and feedback. For Lea Kuron (Grade 9), the experience was
attended a Beethovenfest Recital and were even invited to a
“really fun and I gained a lot from it.” Not only was getting to visit a new school interesting, but “everything (and everyone) at the festival was simply glowing with positive energy and enthusiasm.” She continues, “The school was quite large and whenever we turned a corner, we saw people of different ages and nationalities with different instruments preparing for their performance, laughing, giggling and exchanging ideas. There was always a constant buzz of music wherever we went. The atmosphere was inspiring and even though it was a completely new experience for all of us, including the teachers, I think we all enjoyed it very much. I felt like I was warmly welcomed by every single person there. The performance part was obviously
round-table discussion with the artist. “I really enjoyed the AMIS workshop,” says one of the nine BIS attendees, Jillian Fox (Grade 12). “We attended an incredible evening of Schubert’s Winterreise, and then had the privilege of meeting with the pianist the following morning. Our dialogue was extremely helpful to our course in the IB, because it helped provide information about the combining of cultures when creating music. The opportunity to meet with other musicians our age from around Europe, and play for them, was also great. The feedback I received was invaluable, and I wish there was another conference to go to!”
bound to be stressful—in a positive way. I was more nervous
Olivia Maxwell (Grade 11) adds, “The AMIS workshop was a
before my solo (performance) than before the duet I played,
well-rounded experience. We listened to a few talks about what
but they both turned out really well. It was great to receive
IB music has in store for us, and for me it was very useful to
feedback from professionals who don’t know you and will
get this information ahead of time
be completely objective. Overall, it was a really motivating
and hear what other students had
weekend and I hope to be able to go there again this year.”
to say. Because I play violin, the
European Middle School Honor Band The top musical performers from international schools located in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa audition for a place in this prestigious seventy-person band. Last year, several BIS students competed for seats. Those who were selected spent four days in Brussels rehearsing an hour-long concert of band
30
fact that there was a music teacher that came that also plays violin was extremely helpful for me. Everyone there was really nice and easy to get along with.” Elissa Filozof, Grade 12
Model United Nations “All those in favour of the resolution as a
from Grades 9 to 12 in world politics.
an incredibly immersive experience, and
whole, please raise your placards. All
The club is completely student run, with
can be compared to method acting. The
those against? All those abstaining?”
support from the MUN directors Frau
students were assigned a country, which
These words sound the end of any MUN
Waeder and Mr Frank. At the end of each
they became during the conference. By
debate, and are equally dreaded and
year, two ‘Chairs’ are elected from the
adopting the foreign policies and
awaited by any of the delegates
students in Grade 11, to lead the club
constitutions of their country, they
participating. After several hours of
in the following year. Additionally, two
reasoned and debated the way that their
making speeches, defending points of
‘Admin’ officers are elected, to aid the
assigned country would. Seeing groups
view, and straining oneself to follow the
Chairs in the running of the club.
of students assume such roles flawlessly
debate, the decision whether that work
Throughout their leadership the MUN
and falling into the persona of a real
was worth the effort is made in a matter
officers organise the weekly meetings,
delegate is the real strength of MUN.
of minutes.
the in-school conferences (BISMUN)
Students are required to present in front
and help in the selection of the
of large groups of people, even here at
delegations that are chosen for the
BIS, which is always exhilarating. At BIS
The United Nations was formed after the Second World War, in order to find peaceful solutions to world issues rather
out-of-school conferences.
we participate in two out-of-school conferences, THIMUN in The Hague and
than start wars. Professors at leading
PAMUN in Paris. At these conferences,
universities created a simulation of the
committees may have up to 150 or more
debates done by the UN and created the
students! Ask anyone who has attended
Model United Nations soon after. MUN
such a conference and they will agree
came to high schools around the 1960s.
that the strangest thing is coming back
Student MUN conferences, such as
to school and being yourself again.
THIMUN, were established in 1968. In Model United Nations students take up
Participating in MUN has been one of
the roles of countries or organisations
the most rewarding experiences in my
represented in the United Nations and
high school career, and I would
debate issues concerning the world.
recommend taking the opportunity to
The goal is to create realistic debates
become actively involved to anyone
and share solutions between students of different backgrounds and ethnicities. Awareness, global mindedness and understanding of the complications regarding international issues are key
This Year’s Officers Chairs: Helle Huisman and Karim Nassef Admin: Victor Castillo and Alejandro Prieto
interested in what happens in the world, public speaking, debate or a wish to experience something new. Debates often provide an expanded perspective of the world, and the other students one
components of becoming a good MUN
BISMUN this year fell on 26 September
meets at conferences always have
delegate and ultimately enjoying the
and was a huge success. Despite
interesting new perspectives to share.
MUN experience.
overlapping sports events, the members
Over the last few years, MUN has grown into the largest Extra Curricular activity at our school, actively involving students
showed extreme dedication and debated the issues of the Russian presence in the Ukraine and of how to prevent the spread of Ebola. Model United Nations is
If this sounds interesting to you, do not hesitate! Join MUN when you have the chance! Helle Huisman, Grade 12
31
Mother Tongue Program in the MYP
We are a true International School, “It is hard to argue that we are teaching Our Mother Tongue Language and the whole child when (…) students leave where English and German as mother Literature program within the MYP has tongues are spoken by around 60% of their language and culture at the started this year in Grades 6, 7 and 8. schoolhouse door.” (Jim Cummins, 2005) the community. Now everyone has a This program allows students to study chance to study their language should their mother tongue as a normal MYP As an IB School, we are committed to that be their wish! Language and Literature (LAL) subject developing mother tongue competence within the timetable. We are currently Thanks to a high level of support from in our students because higher order offering Arabic, French and Spanish as BIS and local communities, we now thinking happens through our students´ school supported languages. Czech, have over 40 students studying LAL in strongest language or languages. Our Dutch, Italian and Russian are offered the MYP in seven languages other than MYP Mother Tongue Program upholds as parent supported languages. School English and German for the first time! that our students, as far as possible, supported languages are fully subsidized That really is a great start. have at least one strong academic by the school, the cost of parent language to ensure their success at Kattrin Merkel, Teacher supported languages are passed on to school and beyond. (Mother Tongue Coordinator) parents. Our students would like to share with you their first impressions.
Il était une fois le cours de français à BIS... Il était une fois une classe où l’on apprenait l’amour de la
de le rendre sain et sauf s’ils parvenaient à escalader une
langue et de la littérature françaises. On y développait le
montagne de cinq mille livres pour atteindre le Paradis des
goût des belles lettres et on y aiguisait l’imagination en ayant
mots. D’abord réticents, les élèves se lancèrent malgré tout
recours à des textes, des images et d’autres outils fabuleux
dans cette épreuve difficile : en chemin, ils entendirent des
que l’école pouvait offrir. Les élèves participaient avec
histoires passionnantes et firent la rencontre de
entrain et leur curiosité était sans borne : les histoires
Shakespeare et de Molière. Après plusieurs jours
merveilleuses peuplées de fées et d’êtres maléfiques les
d’expédition, ils arrivèrent enfin au sommet de la montagne
intriguaient. Ils frissonnaient en entendant la voix de Loïs
où se trouvait le Directeur. Soulagés, les élèves rentrèrent
imitant remarquablement la méchante sorcière du célèbre
chez eux et l’école retrouva sa sérénité. Après quelques
conte « Hansel et Gretel ».
jours, ils se dirent que la folie du monde qu’ils avaient
Mais un soir le professeur se demandait si le talent de ses élèves était sans limite. « Comment savoir ? ». C’est alors
découvert leur manquait et qu’ils retourneraient bien au Paradis des mots. »
qu’elle entendit une petite voix lui suggérer « Pourquoi ne
(Conte écrit en classe avec les élèves de la classe de
pas faire écrire aux élèves un conte qui serait publié dans
français)
Waves et qui révèlerait au monde leur génie créatif ? ». Le lendemain, elle proposa donc à ses élèves d’inventer un conte. Enthousiastes, ceux-ci se lancèrent dans la rédaction. Les jours suivants, elle fut transportée au pays des merveilles... « Il était une fois le monde merveilleux de BIS. Ce lieu n’avait rien d’une école comme les autres : il était bordé par un fleuve de mots et une montagne de livres. Il était composé de deux bâtiments : l’un était en neige et l’autre imitait les vagues. Un jour, une tempête fit rage, emportant avec elle le Directeur. Une fée promit aux élèves de la classe de français
32
Mi classe de español
Nederlandse les op BIS!
En la clase de español somos 14 estudiantes, cinco de sexto grado, cinco de séptimo y cuatro de octavo. Nuestra profesora es Míriam García-Moreno. Estamos aprendiendo géneros literarios, elementos y estructura de la narración. Nuestro primer trabajo evaluable fue escribir una crónica para un periódico de la clase de español. Hace poco que empezamos a trabajar en poemas que también son para el periódico. El otro trabajo evaluable va a ser un examen de todo lo estudiado y aprendido. En general esta clase es para no olvidarnos de nuestra lengua materna como las otras clases de lengua materna.
Sinds het begin van het schooljaar krijgen we Nederlandse les op de BIS. We volgen vijf lessen Nederlands in veertien dagen. We zijn met vier leerlingen: een leerling uit Grade 6, een uit Grade 7 en twee uit Grade 8. We hebben al veel over interviews geleerd, over open en gesloten vragen bijvoorbeeld. We hebben ook geleerd over de sociale wenselijkheid. Het belangrijkste was dat we leerden hoe we met mensen moeten praten. We leren veel en er is hopelijk nog veel meer te leren! Maria, Grade 6. Cas, Grade 7. Milou en Anne, Grade 8
Alejandro, Grade 8
čeština I nebo Y Že prý správná čeština u písmenek začíná. Tvrdé nebo měkké i umí dělat zázraky. Slepýš s tvrdým, to je had, slepíš s měkkým třeba hrad. Jejda, já bych pil, říkám,když jsem žíznivý. Včela zase sbírá pyl, když obletuje květiny
Занятия по русскому языку
صف اللغة العربية
Здравствуйте, меня зовут Валерия. В этом году я начала заниматься русским языком в нашей школе.
، أنا فرح الن عند نا صف عريب يف املد رسة والنني احس بجو عريب ونحن نقدر املعلمة التي تأيت من منطقة بعيدة لتعلمنا. (7 صف،)عبد القدوس
Я думаю, что это здорово! Я учусь правильно писать по-русски, развиваю мою русскую речь и смогу читать книги русских авторов. Моя учительница Ольга помогает мне в этом. Я очень рада, что в школе есть такая возможность, изучать свой родной язык. Valeria, Grade 8
lezioni di italiano re E finalmente quest’anno riprendiamo a studia mo faccia e 8^ l’italiano!!! Siamo una classe del grado e nostr le te lezione con la Prof. Dr. Giorgia Sogos. Duran na italia lezioni leggiamo insieme testi di letteratura poi moderna e contemporanea e li analizziamo per le nostre ziamo elaborare dei temi. In questo modo raffor di ette basi grammaticali. Questo corso ci perm conservare la nostra identità in un contesto possa multiculturale. Speriamo che questo progetto continuare e coinvolgere altri italiani!!!
أحب الحصة العربية ألننا نتعلم لغتنا االم يف املد رسة. (7 صف،)هـاجر وهذا أسعدين كثريا الن ذلك.يف الصف العريب تعلمت عربا جد يدة سيساعد ين يف املستقبل (8 صف،)تسنيم أنا سعيد يف د رس اللغة العربية. (7 صف،)عبدالرحمن أنا أحب الحصة العربية. (6 صف،)حنني أنا سعيد أن هناك صف اللغة للعربية وهناك طالب يد رسون اللغة أنا اشكر املد رسة عىل إتاحة هذه الفرصة لنا وأيضاً اشكر.العربية املدرسة عىل املعلمة املمتازة. (8 صف،)خليفة أنا سعيدة يف صف اللغة العربية ألنه ميكننا أن نحسن لغتنا العربية. (8 صف،)سام
Alice, Cecilia e Pietro, Grade 8
33
profile of a polyglot An Interview with Haemin Choi, Grade 10
Coming from a largely monolingual background, one of the things that surprised me most about moving to Germany was that fluency in two languages, which previously set me apart in my small American town, was nothing special. In fact, I found myself under the average number of languages spoken by any given BIS student (an impressive three to four). The smack to my pride was instantaneous, as everywhere I heard the same students effortlessly transition from English, to German, to Arabic, to Dutch. Surely their abilities were indicative of my intellectual inferiority. Yet, after nearly a year of life abroad, I now realize that language has to do with exposure more than anything else, and, for students who have lived in five different countries before their twelfth birthday (not uncommon at BIS), the exposure has been rich. Both increased exposure and, of course, necessity, are factors which contribute to multilingualism. A European will arguably encounter these pressures during his lifetime. Wisely, most adapt. By contrast, America is one big nation, located on an even bigger continent, of English speakers (the French and the Spanish are only there for good taste, you understand). And despite the continent’s enormous racial diversity, the reality remains that I can drive a thousand miles, ten thousand even, if it’s in the right direction, and still be able to ask for directions in English to the nearest McDonald’s knowing a fluent speaker will point the way.
34
Still, being a ‘language’ person, I find this multicultural, multilingual environment in which I now live wildly fascinating, which is why I sought to learn a little more on the subject. Following the suggestion of a few different teachers, I decided to interview Haemin Choi, Grade 10, who can speak and/or understand a total of five languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and German. For Haemin, a typical day begins at the breakfast table, where she speaks Korean with her parents, although sometimes they “use a little bit of English, because my brother has to learn it.” She then hurries off to school, where lessons are in English but, “with friends who are Korean, I will speak Korean, for example, or Chinese or Japanese.” While in class, she also learns German, and will “speak it outside of school if I need to.” She explains: “Korean is my native language. I learned English because I was born and lived in America. I learned Japanese in school for a year. Then I was in Japan for about a month, and while there, I went to a culture center every day to learn the language. And because I knew I would be moving here, I began learning German while I was still in Korea.”
are many people who come from many different countries. It is important to learn other languages so that you can communicate with and relate to them.” When I asked if she planned to reach fluency in each of these languages, she nodded quickly, and surprised me with her answer: “Yes, and in other languages, too. Actually I am learning a little bit of other languages right now with my friends from other countries.” I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, a girl like Haemin is remarkably internationally-minded, and foresees her proficiency in a number of languages being of professional advantage in the future. “There are so many books and resources written in different languages,” she reasons, “so if I speak many languages, I can access these materials much more easily.” I wholeheartedly agree. Elissa Filozof, Grade 12
How does she feel about being so multilingual, I wondered? “I think it is fun, because here at BIS there
Elissa (right) interviewing Haemin
A light bulb, a lens and the future “What was ‘v’ again, Mr Koch?” “It’s on the board. It’s the distance between the lens and the focused image formed on the screen.” “We can’t get an image on our screen.” “Your distance between the object and the lens is probably
work onto www.turnitin.com during their schooling! BIS alumni often feed back from university that they have an advantage over their peers through their experience in research, essay and investigation writing.
smaller than the focal length. Increase that distance and try
Apart from enabling students to carry out investigations and
again.”
communicating information, how does the MYP Science
“Oh, we would get a virtual image otherwise …”
education prepare students for the future? A simple answer is
Students set up an experiment with lenses to get to grips with
that students should be equipped to study a science based
the thin lens formula. Afterwards they will write up the
subject at university. But an understanding of the scientific
investigation using their results. Why do we take this approach at BIS? Autonomy and hands-on
process and how to apply it is a critical tool to possess in our technological society. For example, in the news and elsewhere we tend to be presented with arguments which are “supported” by
experience with science
data. Often people are swayed
apparatus is always welcomed
by how data is presented,
by the majority of students. It
and fail to ask the
tends to motivate them and gives them a degree of ownership of their learning process. The freedom to develop their own design (assessed through criterion B) also allows them to think through the scientific concepts and to come up with a setup they understand at a deeper level. When students then process and evaluate the data collected (criterion C), they compare their findings against the theory learned in class, which again reinforces their understanding. Furthermore, the process of designing an experiment gives the students a glimpse of what it might be like to work as a scientist. From my experience of the educational systems both in the UK
essential questions: What are the possible error sources? Does the data truly support the argument? Being able to effectively research a topic, answer critical questions related to the topic and its data and finally to present a clear understanding of the subject are essential characteristics that we want our students to develop. These skills will be key in problem solving in many fields beyond technology and science. “So, Mr Koch, this was quite hard at first, but now I get how the camera in my iPhone works.”
and in Germany, one of the strengths of the MYP is to give
Speaking on behalf of my colleagues in the Science
students vast experience in research and scientific essay
department, we hope to inspire students to enjoy our subjects.
writing, including correct citation of sources (criterion D). If you
Those who discover a gift for it can consider career paths
have followed the news in Germany over the last years, you will
related to Science.
have noticed that a few German politicians would have had
Veit Koch, Teacher
longer careers in politics had they experienced uploading their
35
Unsung Heroes Our regular feature where we put the spotlight on those working behind the scenes to make enormous contributions to our school community. This edition’s Unsung Heroes: our Science Lab Assistant and The Welcome Family Committee
Even with the rapid expansion of the
For our Lab Technician, no day of work is
school, BIS continues to stand out to me
the same, since there’s always a wide
for the acceptance and celebration of
range of experiments to prepare. This
diversity found inside its walls. The
may range from making some solutions
strength of a community is built up
to providing all of the equipment needed,
from its individual members and their
and there is always variety. She helps in
cooperation. At fortnightly assemblies
all the sciences, with most preparation
we hear about prominent CAS groups,
needed for Chemistry. One of the
House leader events, exceptionally gifted
weirdest things she’s ever needed to
members of the student body and
prepare, however, was for a dissection
initiative driven teachers. We should not,
lab in Biology, for which 40 pig hearts
however, forget those who are mentioned
were required. She was expecting that
less often, even though they are a
the butchers would think she was crazy,
valuable part of our community.
but they said: “OK. Is tomorrow too
One of our unsung heroes this issue
early?” Ms Correa laughs in
is the secondary school Lab Technician,
remembrance, “I really thought they
Ms Correa. Ms Correa first came to Germany in 2011, when she and her husband moved from
Outside of work Ms Correa loves
Puerto Rico to Germany. Having studied
photography, especially when taking
industrial microbiology and having
panoramas, and travelling. So far, she’s
worked for several pharmaceutical
travelled to many European countries,
companies, she originally was looking for
Mexico, the USA, Russia, and the
a job in a German microbiology lab.
Ukraine, her husband’s home country.
When she found the job opening at BIS
When asked which country she sees as
she was intrigued by the English working
home, Ms Correa replied, “I miss my
environment, and applied. When asked
family in Puerto Rico. I miss the
whether she misses working in a more
Carribean weather. Puerto Rico is home
scientific environment, Ms Correa replies
to me, but now I have two homes. Bonn
laughing, “I don’t want to go back to the
is home too.”
lab just yet! I enjoy working at the school more, as it is more fulfilling. I have direct contact with students and teachers every day, and the results here are instant! Here, there is a direct reward.”
A selection of Ms Correa’s landscape photography is featured on these page 36
would be surprised, but maybe ordering 40 pig hearts is more normal here!”
On behalf of the BIS community and all its Science students, thank you Ms Correa! Helle Huisman, Grade 12
If you know of an unsung BIS hero or heroine who deserves to be sung about in future editions of Waves magazine, please contact magazine@bonn-is.de.
The Welcome Family Program
When a family arrives in a new country with a different language and culture and children have to attend a new school, they can feel lost, stressed, lonely. However when you arrive in Bonn, and at Bonn International School, you join a community with people from around the world, some of who are likely to come from your own nation. At BIS we are fortunate to have a group of volunteers who make up what we call our Welcome Family Program (WFP), which offers to help new families transition to BIS and the Bonn community. The team is responsible for organizing welcome activities, and matching new BIS Families with current BIS “Buddy Families” who volunteer to support and connect with the newest members of our community. A Buddy Family makes themselves available to answer questions, shows their new family around, and invites them to some social activities. The goal of the program is to help wherever possible to ease the stress for our incoming BIS families.
Who Are They? The Welcome Family Program is included under the umbrella of Parent Volunteer (PV) activities. It is an international group of parents from the school who are willing to help organize activities for new families. Mitra Maroufi Germany Katherine Page Canada Christine Vanderkelen France Michele Evans USA Ana Ramirez Spain
What Do They Do?
The aim of the program is simple, to offer support to new families during their time of transition. Some of the ways this is accomplished are: • providing an opportunity to make contact with current families with a similar cultural background and/or children of the same age • informing about activities in and around Bonn that may be interesting to families • organizing social events that help new families meet other members of the BIS community and enjoy their lives in Bonn.
How Is It Done? To organize and manage the program year after year, the WFP uses a couple of tools: • a database with Buddy families ready to be matched with a new family that the WFP uses to initiate relationships • a website to share information relevant to expats living in the Bonn area - especially those with children. It provides up-to-date information that is not easily available elsewhere. http://bonnexpats.wikispaces.com/ The WFP also tries to create opportunities for socializing and integrating for the entire BIS community, not only newcomers, by organizing events that allow families to gather in a relaxing and friendly environment. So far this school year, this has included:
• a walk to the Rheinaue park with a stop for coffee and cake • a tour of Bonn centre and explanation of the public transportation system • a guided visit (in English) to an art museum for a very special exhibition about the relationship between August Macke and Franz Marc. Upcoming events already in the works: • international cooking workshops (French, Spanish, German, LatinAmerican, …) • wine tasting • discovering wonderful places to hike in the Bonn area; and • a group visit to one of the wonderful Christmas markets in the area. These events and activities will be announced in the Newsflash and on the boards at the school entrances. Keep an eye out for details and be sure to spread the news to anyone who may be interested.
How To Get Involved? • If you are a new family and wish to be put in contact with a buddy family, or if you are interested in becoming a volunteer family, please email the WFP at welcome.family@bonn-is.de. • Please feel free to send us any ideas you may have about interesting events/ activities that we can organize for socializing. • If you are interested in organizing a social activity, please contact us, at the above email address. We can always use the help!
37
Alumni she has settled with her Polish husband and two young daughters; Johannes made the trip from Vienna where he is a lawyer and Puleng took a break from her fundraising work for WWF in South Africa to join in the fun. The weekend passed fast in a blur of flea markets, town tours and shared meals. We talked about Thai revolutions over brunch, swapped gossip on old teachers and students while swigging beer from the bottle and exchanged experiences of our different working lives in crowded clubs. It was a heart warming reconnection of old friends, who all agreed we should not wait another 15 years before meeting again.
Class of 1999 Reunion Had you stumbled over our little group in a Berlin park one Saturday morning in July this year, you might have thought we were a group of local friends, meeting for our regular weekend coffee and chat. It wasn’t obvious that this little group was made up of people who 15 years before had parted ways and left the international school in Bonn to explore the world, some not meeting at all in the intervening period. Prae, all the way from Thailand, has gone into making businesses more sustainable; Sarah, the artist, has been drawn to Berlin as a hub of creativity and opportunity; Manuel, the only one not to have left Bonn, has joined the UN; Alex has also stuck with Germany but has made his home in Munich; Stephanie is an illustrator involved in local social projects near her home in Edinburgh; Becca is running an EU-funded project from Brussels where
Rebecca Jasinska (nee Steel), class of 1999 After graduating from BIS in 1999, I studied Psychology and Philosophy at Leeds University. Following this, I stayed on and undertook a masters in European Legal Studies. This led me to Brussels to a couple of internships - the European Commission and Terre des Hommes. I then spent a couple of years in Warsaw, involved in projects working with refugees, and returned to Brussels with my Polish partner. Here, I run a project (www.trialog.or.at) that supports development NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe to be active at European level - infuencing policy and sharing experiences across the EU. I’ve been involved in the project for six years and live with my husband and our two daughters in a Brussels suburb. We return to Bonn sometimes for walks along the Rhine - it’s only a couple of hours away!
Anticlockwise from left: Stephanie, The 1999 Graduating Class, Diploma Art Students (including Rebecca, Prae, Stephanie and Sarah), Manuel
38
Reunions postgraduate degrees in English and Popular Literature. During this time, my family relocated to Antwerp, Belgium, where my sister, Claire, graduated in 2011. I joined my family in Antwerp in 2010 and taught at AIS for a few
Me and Claire in 2002
years. After graduation, Claire attended University of Warwick and UC Berkeley, and graduated in June 2014 with a degree in Politics and International Studies. Having left the USA at age 5, she seemed to enjoy reconnecting with her American roots and fell in love with Californian life. This July, she returned to Berkeley, California with an
Me and Claire in 2014
internship for a government organization and has her sights set on working for an international NGO. As for myself, revisiting my teenage haunts, and my first
Leigh Redemer BIS, class of 2003
could have foreseen but one that has been fulfilling in so
It’s been just over 11 years since I left Bonn as an IB graduate,
BIS is a lively and loving community. Since I started teaching
and never once had it occurred to me to return to BIS as a
here last year, one question I get asked most often is this: ‘Is
teacher. That is, until May 2013, when I heard about a possible
it weird to work alongside your former teachers?’ Yes and no,
job opportunity to teach English at my own high school. In the
and maybe ask them! If anything, it makes BIS feel even more
intervening years, I attended University of York and Trinity
like home. And now, I am impatiently waiting to see which of
College Dublin to complete my undergraduate and
my students will return to be one of my colleagues!
Ivan Ryzkov, class of 2009
Wow, time is just flying by... can’t believe it’s time to write an alumni note! Ok, so here we go: I spent two years at BIS from 2007 until 2009. It’s been an amazing time that left me with
many lifelong friends and memories. Even though now we are all spread around the world, we still keep in touch and have reunions every now and then. The last one was in London a couple of months ago. After BIS I ended up studying Economics at Oxford (thank you Mr Owen) and then working for Google. Yes, the perks are just like in the movie :) Just as you would expect from such a diverse student body as the one at BIS, my classmates are all
international home has been an experience that I never many ways; Bonn is more beautiful than I remembered, and
over the world doing all sorts of different things now... just to mention a few: producing/directing at Hollywood, starting kindergartens in Switzerland, or studying things like medicine and architecture. My advice to those in Grades 11 and 12, thinking about what to do in the future: follow your interests and your passion. Try out different things and see what suits you best! The IB will open
many doors for you. Quick exam tip: know the syllabus, do all the past exam questions and you’ll do great! And one last thing: don’t forget to have fun :) If you want career or Uni admissions advice, just find me on Facebook or LinkedIn.
39
Alumni
BIS Class of 2004 10 Year Reunion 5 July 2014 marked the BIS class of 2004
The reunion was very well attended with
ten year school reunion. The majority of
more than half of the class of 2004
the class of 2004 alumni returned to
joining the fun, a few travelling from as
Bonn to explore the new school, catch
far away as New York City and Houston,
up and celebrate the ten year anniversary
Texas to attend. Some of the former and
of our graduation. The day kicked off with
current teachers and BIS staff also
an excellent tour of the new BIS facilities,
managed to find time to come along to
which were widely seen as an amazing
celebrate with us, which was hugely
improvement on our old school at
appreciated.
Friesdorfer Strasse ten years ago. The
Melissa Langenhan, class of 2004 After graduating from BIS as part of the class of 2004, I had a gap year to take time to determine what and where I wanted to study at university. I chose the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham and finished my Bachelors Degree in Human Resource Management in 2009. After spending some time in
I would like to take the opportunity to
industry working both for a major London
thank BIS for helping to organise our ten
insurance broker as an HR generalist and
year reunion, and of course also a big
a small HR consultancy in West Sussex,
thank you to everybody who managed to
I decided to go back to university to do
come along and make this a hugely
a Masters of Science in Management
successful reunion! It was great to see
Psychology at the University of
The afternoon was spent watching the
everybody again and to find out what
Nottingham in 2011. I am now a PhD
quarter finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup
everybody is up to now in their lives. I’m
Candidate at the University of Bath
in Bonn, which again offered plenty of
looking forward to seeing you all again
researching how supervisor relationship
time for people to get to know each other
- at the latest at our next reunion in five
impacts an employee’s level of work
again after such a long time. Finally we
to ten years time!
engagement, whilst also working as a
tour was followed by a friendly lunch in the BIS staff room, which gave a good opportunity for people to catch up on what everybody has been up to in the last decade.
went to Bönnsch brewery in the city centre to enjoy a dinner of traditional German food, which many of us have
All the best to everybody and let’s keep in touch!
not had the opportunity to eat for
Research Assistant for the University of Bath Management School. I am living with my fiancée, Fabian, a fellow BIS graduate, in Bristol, UK.
many years.
Fabian Bauer, class of 2004 I also graduated from BIS in 2004 and,
In 2012 I fulfilled one of my
after a long struggle with the German
lifetime ambitions: to work
Ministry of Defence, who wanted me to
for Airbus, helping to design
do national service, finally started my
wings for Airbus’
Masters in Aerospace Engineering at the
commercial aircraft in
University of Sheffield in the same year.
Bristol, UK. I have since become a
After finishing my Masters in 2008, I got
chartered engineer and a team lead at
currently enjoying a two week holiday in
my first job as a graduate mechanical
Airbus, where I am now working on a
Canada and the US, where we are
engineer in the defence industry,
major modification to Airbus’ long range
catching up with many friends from our
designing radar systems for Thales UK.
aircraft A330neo. Melissa and I are
time at BIS and beyond.
40
Meet some of our Sodexo Team L to R: Patricia Richardson, Luisita Hose and Jens Berg Seven special people make up the Sodexo team at BIS. Waves caught up with Patricia, Luisita and Jens to learn a little more about three of the people behind the food on your plate. Background (get to know you) Where are you from? Jens: Cologne Patricia: Bonn Luisita: the Philippines What is/are your native language(s)? Jens and Patricia: German native speakers, both also speak English; Jens understands a little bit of French, Italian, Spanish Luisita: Filipino is native language, also speaks English and some Spanish, German. Do you have any family, and if so, where do they live? Jens: I am married with one young daughter. My parents and all my family live in Cologne. My wife is French, so her parents live in France. Patricia: I am married with three kids -11, five and almost three years old. My husband is from South Africa, and we live here in Plittersdorf; my mother and my stepdad also live in Bonn, and the family of my husband lives in South Africa. My husband is a security guard here. Luisita: I have three boys, and they are living here in Germany. My husband is German, which is why I moved here 25 years ago. What are your hobbies? Patricia: I’ve got three kids - young kids! Jens: I don’t like TV, I’ve been reading a lot; Luisita: diving with my family, and Zumba, and sport, and I do Irish dancing, swimming, watching TV. I work at home too.
Any quirky or interesting facts about yourself or your upbringing that would you like to share? Luisita: When I was in the Philippines I was going to school, but at the same time I was working - the whole way through secondary school I had to work with my family. I am very proud of that. Profession What was your first job? Jens: I am a cook. I did not know I wanted to get into cooking until late, though. I went to school, completed my Abitur, but because I did not want to study in university, I did social service and later decided to be a cook. Patricia: My dream was to be a stewardess. To become a stewardess, you either had to be in hotel management or traveling services. After I finished school, I chose to work in a hotel. After a while I had my first child, then went to South Africa and had another two kids. In April I started working here at BIS; Luisita: Before, I studied in the Philippines and worked in a hospital there. When I came here, I worked in a hotel for many, many years, then in a nursing home. I have worked here at BIS for five years now. What countries have you lived in? Luisita: Only in Germany and in the Philippines. Jens: Only Germany. Patricia: I lived for three years in South Africa, where I got married.
What’s the busiest time of the school day for the Sodexo team? Patricia: Lunchtime. I would say when Grades 3, 4 and 5 are eating. What types of snacks sell the best? Luisita: Muffins, Balisto, fruit, pizza sticks, yogurt with muesli. Random questions How lucky are you and why? Patricia: I guess I am very lucky, because I am blessed with three kids and a husband who loves me and does everything for me. I am healthy but my dad has multiple sclerosis, so I know how important it is to be healthy. Also, my family all lives close by. What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently? Jens: Here in the cafeteria, someone complained that the coffee was too hot. I thought... shouldn’t it be? Where would you go in a time machine? Patricia: I would go back to my teens, for sure. You have a totally free one-week holiday. Where would you spend it? Luisita: I think for my kids, somewhere in Uganda or Thailand or in the Philippines.
How do you decide what to serve in the cafeteria? Jens: I get in contact with catering companies to see what they are offering, I consider suggestions from parents and also know from experience what kids will buy.
41
Universität Bonn... FOR KIDS! “Um sich für Wissenschaft zu begeistern, muss man (noch) kein Student sein. Die Angebote (der Uni Bonn) …. richten sich an alle, die Forschung spannend finden, gerne mitdenken, sich für neue Erkenntnisse interessieren oder bloß ins bunte Uni-Angebot hineinschnuppern möchten - einfach mal vorbeischauen!” Uni Bonn website (www3.uni-bonn.de/studium/junge-uni)
Agronomy. These students participate in tutorials and acquire credits toward German university. The title of this program describes exactly what it emphasizes: Support (for student talents and developing them further), Challenge (getting ready for the speed and intensity of university learning)
You don’t have to be a university student to take classes or be a part of the University of Bonn. Bonn’s famous university runs a huge selection of programs for children in German all year long. This institution provides challenging and stimulating activities while giving children their first university experiences. Here is a taste of the Uni Bonn’s offerings: games, world maps, experiments and so
For this age group, the Uni Bonn offers
much more. About a dozen university
courses at the Kinderuni (Children’s
departments open their doors to the
University). The next “semester” starts on
young explorers. At each stop,
Monday, 12 January 2015. The themes
participants solve various tasks related
for these courses will cover a wide range
to each department’s work. More info
of topics from meteorology to medicine
and registration will be available through
to theology. Lectures take place on
www.uni-bonn.de/wissenschaftsrallye.
who attend at least ten lectures during the summer and winter semester even receive an official Kinderuni-Diplom (Children’s University Diploma).
13 –15 years old Calling all discoverers! The 8th Annual Science Rally will take place on 31 January 2015 between 10:00–15:00. This is a Saturday dedicated to GPS coordinates, biological diversity, animal electricity, precious gems, number
42
acquiring experience in scientific methods).
Jugend forscht This annual competition is open to students from Grade 4 to 21 years of age. While there is no specific theme or task
Up to 12 years old
Mondays from 17:00–18:00. Children
and Research (with professors and
to be completed, the goal of this competition is to identify and support special talent in Mathematics, IT, Science and Technology. The Uni Bonn will host the regional competition for Bonn/ Cologne on 27 February 2015 – the winners of which will continue on to state and national level for further testing of their skills. All participating projects will
Pssst! Secret info: the University is
be presented to the public in the
currently working on another rally in April
University’s Main Building on 27 February
with an emphasis on the Humanities.
from 14:00 to 16:45.
Watch the Uni Bonn website for upcoming information!
Over 16 years old
For more information about the Uni Bonn and its programs (available in German, English and French), please go to www3.
Under the title “Support, Challenge,
uni-bonn.de.
Research”, secondary students regularly
For specific information about programs
attend beginner university seminars in
for children and teenagers please go to
Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, IT,
www.uni-bonn.de/junge-uni.
Law, Economics, Earth Sciences,
Photography copyright: Volker Lannert / Universität Bonn
German Language, Latin, Greek and/or
! s e y y How I became PV Chair Just sa I still clearly remember the day I first
say the least. But I’ve also been so
to do the grocery shopping, which meant
walked into BIS. We had just moved to
happy working with all these amazing
we only ever had pasta, cheese and beer
Bonn from California and I didn’t know a
people, making things happen and
in the house. Something had to give, so I
soul. I quickly realised that if I wanted to
learning so many new skills. Sure, it’s
cut my losses and passed my teaching
meet people and make a life here I had
time consuming and it certainly pushes
job onto someone else. After all, I
to be willing to put myself out there and
me out of my comfort zone at times, but I
reasoned, I have more of a vested
say yes to things. And so I put my hand
love the camaraderie. And it turns out
interest in what goes on at my kids’
up to be a co-room parent and was soon
I’m one of those people who thrive on
school. Since then, life has become a
happily getting to know the other parents
getting involved – a trait inherited from
little less hectic.
in the class.
my mother, who knows the business of
Little did I realise the stellar heights to
just about everyone in her home town!
So here’s the moral of the story: don’t be afraid to say yes. It can lead to great
which this “just say yes” campaign would
But with the good comes the crazy and
things. Sure, it may also mean you end
lead! After my time as a room parent, I
between balancing my new role as PV
up with a full time volunteer job, less
then became Vice Chair of the PV Board
Chair and my old part time job at a
money, piles of dirty laundry and kids
– both roles which allowed me to help out but remain happily under the radar. But this Fall, my strategy of not doing
German school, my home became a
who survive on a pasta diet, but chances
disaster area, my kids weren’t being
are your life will be fuller and richer as
bathed properly and my husband had
a result.
Erin Stevens, Parent
much but taking lots of the credit backfired and I suddenly found myself propelled into the hot seat. The wonderful PV Chair, Katie Pintar, unexpectedly returned to the States with her family and I, as Vice Chair, was next in line for the top job. After not a lot of thought, I said an emphatic yes to the role. Katie had made it all look so easy. How hard could it be? During the first few weeks as Chair, I was blindsided by how little I knew about how things were actually done behind the scenes. It was a steep learning curve, to
Orthodontist
Dr. MED. Dent. ASTRID WELLER-BERGMANN
43
“
Moving to the other side of the world is both incredibly challenging and incredibly rewarding
” Becoming an expat with a large family Our journey started in February this year, when a former manager mentioned that a suitable position might be available at our Global Head Office in Bonn. I spoke to my wife and we agreed that the opportunity to live in another country with our children was too good to miss and so I applied for the position. To cut a long story short, after a very interesting interview process (including being interviewed in South Africa) I was offered the position and our move started in earnest. In less than six weeks, we packed up our home and life, rented out our house and hopped on a plane to Germany.
adults it would have been challenging enough, but with four small children, in a country where we don’t speak the language, and the cable TV seldom worked, it was a real test of patience. The Google Play account was a God send – enabling us to stream some English language content to keep the children occupied. The language barrier can of course be a challenge, but also just getting used to little cultural differences can take some adjustment – especially for four rowdy kids from the other end of the world.
The first major challenge was being stuck in a pair of hotel rooms for nearly nine weeks while we waited for our container to arrive from New Zealand (which took two weeks longer than it was supposed to). For two
On the plus side, however, we arrived in late spring and have had the blessing of adjusting to our new home and country during the summer. Bonn is indeed a beautiful city and we have really enjoyed the quality of life here. Being able to take the children to an array of different parks,
all accessed via an easy-to-use public transport system, really helped us endure the hotel stay.
The fact that so many locals speak English really helps, although making the effort to learn Deutsch is well received by the locals, and in my opinion essential to truly understanding the culture. In New Zealand, the language of the indigenous Maori people is so important to their culture it is considered a taonga (treasure). After four months in Bonn, the children are settling in well, we have a very nice apartment, have made some great new friends, and are enjoying the culture and history around us. The challenges have definitely been worth it and we look forward to seeing what the next few years will bring. Aran Brown, Parent
CUB SCOUTS PACK56BONN What is Cub Scouting? How is it different from Boy Scouts? Cub Scouting is a program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), whose overall mission is to help boys, aged 7–10, build character, learn citizenship and develop personal fitness. Boy Scouts, on the other hand, is for boys aged 11–17. What activities do Cub Scouts do? Cub Scouting is an active program – boys learn by doing, and there’s no end to the fun things that Cub Scouts do in their dens, as a pack and at special events. Cub Scouts get out and about with many kinds of outdoor activities, such as field trips, hikes and nature conservation. They learn to live in the outdoors. Camping takes them on exciting adventures into the natural world. They also do service projects together, which is one way that Cub Scouts keep their promise “to help other people”. But it’s not all outdoors – for example Cub Scouts get to design a racing vehicle, such as a car, rocket or boat, and work with a parent to build it and see it perform on race day. Who can be a Cub Scout? Any boy aged 7–10 who wants to have fun.
44
What is my role as a parent? For families, it’s about encouraging your son try new things and ensuring that he is having fun. As he progresses, he will have the chance to get rewards along the way, such as a ribbon for participating in a pinewood derby race, a belt loop for fishing, a whittling badge for showing how to use a pocket knife, or the Arrow of Light, the highest honor in Cub Scouts. How does Cub Scouting work at BIS? How and when can my son join Cub Scouts? The Cub Scouts in Bonn are represented by Pack 56. The “pack” is divided into “dens”, which represent each rank (tigers, wolves, bears and webelos) of the Cub Scout program. The boys in Pack 56 meet twice a month in their respective dens, either at BIS or at the home of the Den Leader; once a month at a pack event, such as a camping trip; and once a month at BIS for the monthly pack meeting to recognize the boys’ achievements. Cub Scouting focuses on boys in Grades 1–5 (or ages 7–10). Anyone who might be interested in joining Pack 56 in Bonn should visit the pack’s website at www.pack56bonn.org or contact Mr Lyndle Lindow (who has three children at BIS) at lyndle@pack56bonn.org.
Awards 2013 –2014 BIS Award for
C&S Award
International
G6
Maxime Legay
G7
Raphael Schwegler
G8
Samantha Busch
G9
Carla A
G10
Gillan Junglas
Understanding
CAS Award G11
G6
Leandra Voss
G7
Raphael Schwegler
G8
Bernardo Rilla Vignale
G9
Kiran Dwivedi
G10
Alexey Zakharov
G11
Victor Castillo
Jillian Fox BIS Award for Student of
BIS Award for Leadership
the Year
G6
Ludovick Bernier Michaud
G6
Joyesha Shrestha
G7
Kaitlyn Fox
G7
Cecelia Martuzzi
G8
Jan Klein
G8
Lea Kuron
G9
Gregori Vartanyan
G9
Carla A
G10
Olivia Maxwell
G10
Jung Ho An
G11
Karim Nassef
G11
Lorenzo Pasanesi
G12 Benedikt Bauer Science Award Windie Lynntha Höfs BIS Award for Community and Service Windie Lynntha Höfs BIS Award for Leadership Geena Kloeppel Principal’s Award for Academic Achievement Christopher Irving Director’s Award for International Understanding Stephanie Hosman BIS Student of the Year for Grade 12, 2014 Mark Schefter
Trunk or Treat