Secondary School Update (2/2018-2019)

School Update

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he Secondary School has been very busy since the last update. Both the Middle School and High School have had a Sports Day, Spirit Week, and various other House competitions or activities. Grade 6-10 went on Week Without Walls trips and the Grade 11s completed their School Build. The HS clubs have been active as well with both Habitat for Humanity and Operation Smile up and running and helping the communities they support. And speaking of service, we’ve completed two service days and the G8 Community Project is getting ready to start their activities. However, the best way to let you know what is happening the the Secondary School is from the students themselves.

Thanks, Mr. Bill, Secondary School Vice Principal

Middle School Lina: Throughout the first semester, I have been working with the Middle School Student Council as a class representative for grade 7I. We had our first house competition at the amphitheater during the L block and I was one of the organizers. It was pretty fun to see how students from different grades collaborate in order to play the game. Since it was the MSSC’s first time to run a game for all middle school students, it was kind of chaos.

Overall, it was really fun and entertaining to watch. I really enjoy hosting the games and to also see students working together. It was a very successful game because we all had very good feedback and everyone was always laughing. It was great on how we wrap up the game with teachers vs teachers round.

Huihui: The Middle School Student Council is working to create laughter and fun for all middle school students.

Everyone loves activities, games, and house competitions. We hosted activities throughout the first semester and the highlight was definitely the Spirit Week.

The week truly showed the “true spirit” of all middle school students. Everyone participated, some dressed up and some played our crazy games. They cheered for the teachers as they smudged their face with a watermelon, they celebrated as their friends got smacked with whip cream, they laughed as they got themselves wet. As a student council member, I am very happy to see everyone so happy. So if you ask me what is middle school life, I would probably say “it is time to enjoy life.”

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School Update

Khaojao: I feel like the most precious thing that you should be proud to have is having friends. Friends will lift you up when you feel down. Friends will help you even when they are the ones who need help. Friends will always be there when you need them the most. Friends will never truly break your heart; you might be arguing with them one day, but the next day you’re back to being friends. Friends will guide you throughout your journey of life, both academically and socially.

I am proud that I have many friends in Concordian International School whom I can trust and chat with, especially in middle school. Middle school is hard and stressful, but by having friends, it is already a million times better.

William: On the first day when we stepped into MYP, things have become tougher for us having a feeling of being shifted up to a whole new level. Having to carry a greater responsibility as we transition into young adulthood, to learn and become an independent person. Despite the obstacles and difficulties faced, IB teaches us Poj: This year has been my first year in the MYP, the to persevere and be risk-takers, striving to do our best MYP is way different from the PYP. In the MYP there no matter the situation. is much more pressure for you to deal with. There are a wider range of grades from 0-8, and they In middle school academic adjustments have changed; really do matter! There also more rules and you are having more subjects also means having more work, expected to be more responsible. Many of my friends resulting in a total of 9 subjects (English, Chinese, Thai, got stresses and needed more encouragement to do I&S, Science, Design, Art/Music/Drama, PHPE, Math). better. Therefore support from peers and teachers Even so, during language classes, we are broken up (or is necessary. If you are being mean or inappropriate separated) into levels to cater for each individual’s level. to your friends you probably know that, it isn't really Having so many levels and subject, the work has also supportive of them. Especially, when you are gained by a large amount. transitioning to a higher educational level with more Work in middle school is challenging and can be stresschallenges. Luckily, our community is most welcoming ful when you add in things such as Community Project, and encourages a positive learning environment. Our Summative Assessment, or Formative Assessment. teachers are also most welcoming, many of them are Especially when we reach grade eight, the community fun and funny, and I think they make us improve in a project is a time consuming yet fun project. Although fast but fun way. The MYP can be stressful but if you it's a long-term project, every week we have to do bit have support from your friends and teachers it can be by bit. Therefore, the skills of TIME MANAGEMENT is fun and interesting! extremely important for middle school. One key to success in middle school is to never, ever, PROCRASTINATE. Procrastination can lead to an extremely horrible habit in middle school. Whenever you procrastinate for one day, work will stack up. Example if students don’t finish homework on the day it was given, they will have more work for the following days. The students will start to give sloppy work. One thing I’ll promise is that the teachers only want your best, show them what you are capable of.

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Although middle school is extremely stressful, despite all of the obstacles faced, I believe Concordian International School not only provides us with skills to achieve academic excellence, but also provides a wonderful environment for learning. One more thing that pushes you through middle school is your friends: being able you share the pain together as friends, cry together as friends, laugh together as friends, pass or fail the test together as friends. Remember having a truly understanding friend will be a major key to success in middle school because they will always be there for you and you will always be there for them. “TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.”

School Update

High School How do G9 students feel about highschool?

“I feel like the teachers here are very supportive of the students, even though we are still adapting the changes from middle school to high school and it has been going well so far.” - Peem “I feel that it is very challenging because it's the part where we transition into adults.” - Peak “I think that it is a new and exciting experience and it will really prepare me for DP. The learning environment is not that different from what it was in middle school, but because there is more work, projects and exams it makes me much more stressed than I was in middle school.” - Amy “I am both nervous and excited because I believe that this is the stage where we are transitioning into adults.”

- JL The High School Student Government and our High School Clubs continued to thrive and make our High School a better place to learn.

When is the spookiest time of the school year? SPIRIT WEEK! Or perhaps your detentions, but that’s not the point. Each day of spirit week high school students gets to dress-up and compete in a minor class competition.

Students are given prompts to dress as and win class points for their participation and best dress.

“It is a fun experience for students to show their creative side and be able to show class pride.” quoted a high school student. The aim of spirit week or all activities hosted by the Student Government is to create a fun learning environment, to encourage students to have confident and be a risk-taker, and lastly strengthen their relationships with their peers.

This year, the freshmen made an astounding effort on the early stage of the competition: winning all of our eating competitions. However, thanks to our sophomores, juniors, and seniors who never gave up and fought back to earn points the competition is getting tight again. The Class of 2019 has managed to continue their success and are in first place, as the class competition edges towards the biggest event of the year: Sports Day!

Spirit week was a fun experience that really spiced up the high school life, seeing other students, in something Another event that will be held later this year is other than the school uniform, seeing how far they’ll the Annual Talent Show, which will be held on dress up and see how committed they are to their class. February 14, 2019. This incredible event will be the result of a collaboration between the High School Student Government and the Middle School Student Council. As it is Valentine’s Day, the theme of the Talent Show will be based on the concept of Love. In addition, there are more talents and surprises to be exposed in this year’s event as well.We thank our amazing and risk-takers ahead for sacrificing their precious time with very fun and inspiring upcoming performances.

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We would be remiss if we did not thank Mr. Eulalio, who advises the High School Student Government as well as continuing to lead our incredible club program.

Elections for the new Student Government will take place during March. We are confident that student life in our high school will only continue to thrive and grow.

- High School Student Goverment

Activities & Events

Chinese Guest Speaker Reflection O

n October 18th, Mr. Tian, the father of our librarian, K. Neng, was invited as a Chinese guest speaker for Grade 9, 10 and 12 students. Mr. Tian was born in 1934. Before retirement, he worked in the Thai police and joined ambassador group as Chinese translator for Thai Prime minister, King Rama 9 and Chinese chairman.

His pictures have been printed on a Russia stamp, the Thai newspaper and the King's birthday billboard on the Raj-chadum-neon road. During the interview, Mr. Tian told us about his experience learning Chinese.

He also explained the development and changes that he has witnessed during his visits to China over 40 years. Students showed great interest in his interview and got to know history through Mr. Tian’s life story. This experience taught us the importance of every stage of life and how one person’s experiences can make you see things with a different perspective.

- Ms. Celina, Chinese Teacher

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hroughout my many years of joining the Chinese Speech contest in Concordian, this year’s contest was another one that I can never forget. I have found my love for public speaking and have used this competition as a medium in which to not only improved my speaking skills, but also to improve my Mandarin.

During the process of writing my speech, I had gone through many edits which allowed me to apply the skill set of language. It is not only the writing part that enhanced my skills, but the competition itself.

Whilst standing in front of 300 pairs of eyes, it is not surprising that I was indeed very nervous. As I waited behind the curtains and as the sound of clapping started to warm me, my heart was pounding louder every second. The fight or flight mode started to kick in. However, I was able to walk through the back of the stage and fully immerse myself into the audience.

In the end, most of the skills that Concordian taught us, especially communication, allowed me to finish my speech with confidence. I had not only developed my skill set in many ways, but I also understood the power of hard work and ambition. When I won this contest, I understood that a simple dose of sheer dumb luck is not enough - it was the ambition that dwelled in me, and it was the hard work that I put towards the speech. For a competition, winning is merely ten percent The theoretical skills practiced is worth forty, but the value of hard work that pays off, is what fulfills the other half.

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oncordian International School held its first ‘Chinese Summit of International Education’ on the 28th and 29th of September 2018. A total of 110 attendees from 35 Asian institutions, including international schools, Chinese language education centers, and individual educators, attended the summit.

Unlike other Chinese summits held in previous years, the Concordian summit added an entire school day for classroom observations. Each participant could choose four classes of different grade levels to observe during the day. These observations enabled participants to clearly understand how classes at Concordian are conducted, and how Chinese can be taught in a language immersion program under IB curriculum, tailored to various age groups. The participants were so impressed by the Chinese language level of Concordian students, demonstrating that the methods of Chinese teaching in the school are quite successful.

The organizers invited the famous language and curriculum educator Ms. Ma Yamin to lecture on the topics of ‘The Essence of Concept-based Learning and Teaching’, and ‘Implementing Concept-based Learning and Teaching’. Through Ms. Ma Yamin’s vivid teaching methods, and intriguing content, the participants learned practical methodology that can be applied to their own classroom teaching.

After six months of preparation by a professional team, the first Concordian Chinese summit was a great In addition to the interesting lectures, success. Not only was the excellent Chinese Concordian set up several workshops operated by its language teaching at Concordian acknowledged by own outstanding Chinese department. The workshops most of the educators, but a wonderful network was built included ‘PYP Creative Writing’, ‘Concept-based to exchange relevant experiences and information, Learning and Teaching in PYP’, ‘Inquiry-based benefiting everyone who is committed in high quality learning and Teaching in the Secondary Chinese education.

Classroom’, ‘Creating Visible Thinking Routines in The Chinese Classroom’, ‘The Chinese Classroom - Simple, Let us look forward to the next even more thoughtProductive, and Mindful’, and more. During the provoking and inspiring “Chinese Summit of workshops, participants were asked to engage in International Education’! hands-on learning, rather than listening and learning passively, which made all the workshops livelier, and trained teachers to be active problem solvers.

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6 students engaged in a reading activity during the first quarter to review the 800 most frequently used Chinese characters. Students borrowed Happy Chinese picture books from the MYP library and took quick quizzes after school as their challenge.

Students from the same homeroom were evaluated as a group and all their scores were summed up for the final competition. More than 70% of G6 Students joined this activity. Students were excited to be able to compete for their homeroom as well as become more familiar with these frequently used Chinese characters.

Zen K: I think the challenge is very fun because we can race and see who is better. I am also very excited about the reward. My class tried very hard to win.

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Trips & Expeditions

Pam: I really liked the trip to Sukhothai because I didn’t only get to learn about Sukhothai architecture, also got to touch, feel and experience. I now know more about my country and myself. The activity that is the most important for me is cycling in the history park, because I get to see many priceless artifacts.

I was very impressed and I will never forget the feeling.

Baitoey: I like Sukhothai because we get to go biking in the historical park because we get to see ancient things like temples, play games in the function room and also I really like going swimming at the hotel swimming pool. We also went to ride water buffalo and grow some rice and play in the mud. We went to Sukhothai Museum and Dinosaur Museum. The Airport is very small but it has almost everything the bigger airports have (Example: Suvarnabhumi airport). There is even a Zoo in the area. On Wednesday we had Kantok and on Thursday we had country style food: somtam, pad thai, fried chicken wings, cotton candy, old style ice-cream (so yummy), etc. On the last day we watched the movie “Howl’s moving Castle”.

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DouDou: This was my first week without walls trip and also the first time I ever been to Sukhothai so I was really excited. At Sukhothai, I learned a lot about the history of Sukhothai. Also we got to spend more time with our friends and we got to work together as a team. My favourite parts of this trip were the biking and rice planting.

I really like biking because we get to exercise and we got to see different types of architecture from not only Thailand but also from Khmer. At first I didn’t want to bike because when I was at grade 5 I fell when I was riding my bike. But, at the end I did ride a bike it was really fun. My favourite one only the biking trip was the Wat Si Sawai because our group (the pink and grey group) found a cave that we explored but we didn’t find anything but we did learned that themes of the caves connected to the inside of Wat Si Sawai.

We also learned that Wat Si Sawai was gilded for the 3 gods from India.

I also really like the rice planting trip because we learned about rice planting and we got to cook too. We cooked fried chicken and eggs it was really good. After we finished lunch we got to rice plant. At first I was really scared then when I first stepped on the mud I thought I was going to sink in but I didn’t. Instead, suddenly I felt something I realised that I haven't been in mud seen I was 6 and now I am 11 years old. In an instant I just started planting. For some reason all of the rice I planted most of them fell in the mud. Then when I turn back some of the boys were swimming in the mud, I didn’t want to do that so I just sat in the mud, it felt nice and I felt like a little kid again.

I was really sad that we need to go back. But I learned a lot of thing not only about Sukhothai but also about teamwork. I think that this is a really good experience for me and also others.

I can't wait for the next week without walls trip!

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Kimi

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his year’s G7 Week Without Walls excursion to iCamp Kanchanaburi was definitely a great way to spend time and muck around with friends, being based on enjoyable team-building activities and excursions. As being a fairly new student and having gone to multiple camps at a different school in a different country, this camp definitely does not fall short, even if it was a completely different style of camp. This year’s favourite activities include a water obstacle course, getting soaked from a jet ski while on a raft, waking each other up in ways that I thought no one could never think of, and just messing around dorms in general. Even though most students can agree that the trip was plagued with long bus rides, but because of the company we had, it wasn’t all as bad as I expected. Throughout the the trip there were multiple excursions planned for us. This includes the ‘death railway’ war cemetery and museum, the local elephant haven, the bridge over the Kwai Yai river, and “bamboo” rafting.

Even considering that this is a purpose built camping ground for international schools, I was really impressed by how much consideration the staff put into constructing the camp. Every station or small ‘building’ suggests to be purpose-built to meet some kind of need that campers might want.

The dorms along with their bathrooms, which fit up to 12, give generous space and are nicely cleaned. It seem to be designed with the incentive encourage conversations with most members of the dorm, which to me is an essential thing for a good camper’s dorm. The iCamp also have fantastic staff, that are all very energetic and kind, which really makes for a better experience overall there.

Really, it was a truly enjoyable trip that I don’t think will be forgotten easily for us all.

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eek Without Walls; the amazing adventure that brings the best out of you. My name is Natalie from Grade 8 and I am proud to say that I have experienced one of the best trips of my entire life. During WWW, we did so many different activities which makes this experience different. This year, our grade went to Hua Hin. We did so many fun activities such as bike riding to Black Mountain water park to Sandcastle Building at the beach and end up with karaoke back at the hotel late at night. These were by far the best and craziest memories from the trip. This trip was such a memorable experience that I will never forget and hope that someday, other kids get to experience the same thing. :) - Natalie

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his year, the class of 2023, 48 students and 12 adults, went to Hua Hin during Week Without Walls. Not only is Week Without Walls a five-day trip where we students and teachers get to go on a trip together, but it also provides many real life lessons that we might will never learn about at school. I personally see it as a chance to renew lost friendships with your old friends and also make new ones. We learnt how to solve problems more maturely, and learnt more about other students’ personalities. We also learnt about the history of the different foundations we visited. Every night, when I lie on the chair at the balcony and look up to the night skies, finally having peace after the long and exhausting day, I use this chance to reflect about life, my mistakes, my past, and the infinite possibilities that lay ahead of me.

- Khao Jao and William

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eek Without Walls...The time of our lives. It always feels so good to be free and away. It only lasted a week, but the fun made it feel as though we were atop of cloud, rising higher to the peak of our lives. We all got some refreshing coconut milk that brightened our spirits. We got to learn about how the mangrove forest used to be a shrimp farm, but after it was abandoned, the chemicals in the water, and the trash flowing in from the sea caused most of the mangrove trees to die. The teachers helped us demonstrate the perfect tableau. They shouted “Three! Two! One!” then all the teachers went to lie onto the ground. They asked us to guess what they were trying to interpret. I happily said “TEACHERS ARE TIRED OF STUDENTS” that was probably one of the smarter moments of the trip. Nothing could have beaten that tableau, it was a masterpiece, it was amazing, wonderful and spectacular. We thanked all our chaperones, teachers and the people working at the hotel, because they helped provide us with such a fun and wonderful trip. All of the fun trips we had all around Hua Hin made us more aware of the world. We learned to cooperate better with each other in the team building activities, while still having the best of times - Elia and Poon

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oncordian has successfully held the second Chinese exchange program with the No. 2 High School of East China Normal University (ECNU) in Shanghai, China on Oct 14-27, 2018. The No. 2 High School is one of the top four prestige high schools in Shanghai that is famous for its science program, great facilities and most selective students nationwide. Selected grade 9 Concordian students had opportunities to study together with Chinese students in normal subject classes, had one Chinese cultural class everyday, explore Shanghai on weekends and showcase Thai cultural performances. Students only paid for airfare, visa fee and travel insurance. Concordian sponsored the cost of two teachers as chaperons and everything else.

Student Reflections

Nicky

Over the course of the trip, I learned and gained understanding of different aspects of China that makes it the place it is today. I not only experienced the Chinese education curriculum, but I also have gained immense appreciation for Chinese culture and its neverending history.

PunPun

In my opinion I truly believe that it was a great experience.

Not only did it give me more knowledge in the Chinese language and culture, it was a good experience to understand the lives of living in a dorm and also the lives on the students there. Also it was one of the best bonding trips ever and we made stronger bonds with our friends and even made a lot of friends with the Chinese students there.

Prae The first day we arrived, it was a bit late, so Kru Amy and Ms.TingTing decided to let us go have dinner at a shopping mall near by with some of the chinese students. It is really good where Shanghai school assigned a chinese student to be our buddy, with their help, everything is a lot easier. That day all I remembered was everyone was really tired and having fun in the same time.

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Trips & Expeditions Nae Nae We got to experience a new environment and Chinese culture.

For instance, literature, martial arts, cuisine, architecture etc.

Going to an exchange program is a real opportunity to improve our language skills where we can apply these experience to the future. I really enjoy eating the Xiao Long Bao and Xiao Long Xia. We went to many places. My best one is Shanghai Disneyland and Yu Garden. Yu Garden has many areas. Each area is separated by "Dragon Walls". I really enjoy this trip because not only we have fun, but also got to learn something new.

Kamlai

Prior to this trip I have been to China for summer programs in the state of Nanjing and Sichuan but I have never been to Shanghai before. I thought that the experience would be challenging but since I had previous experiences from my summer programs, I didn’t expect it to be much of a difference.

Boy was I wrong. I found out from the first day in class that it was very different from the Chinese classes we took at school or those in Nanjing or Sichuan. We were actually learning with the students there and even though they were younger than us I found that the words coming off the teacher’s mouths were almost foreign to me. Sure, I understood most part of it (thanks to all those years of chinese classes here in CIS) but woah, I was not prepared for such high diction. I had little to no problems communicating with the students and teacher there since I speak chinese relatively well but when it comes to class work in chinese I almost died. With the helping hands of my classmates at East China I was able to limp from class to class.

Overall, I would recommend everyone who are presented with this opportunity to accept it and apply for this program. I am so glad that I applied for this trip , even though it was a challenge but I became more fluent in Chinese, I learnt so many new things about China and its culture. I made many new friends and also got to teach them more about Thai culture as well. Going to this exchange trip was like inserting myself into another person’s shoes and getting put into a new perspective on China, on learning, and about opening myself up. I will miss my Chinese friends dearly, and look forward to them coming to Thailand.

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JL

When we got on the plane headed to Shanghai, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. What I was focused on upon arrival was getting the treasured adventure of being out of country with my friends. I soon realized that we were not only going to be able to have fun within the 2 weeks, but together, we are going to be able to see the urbanized cityscape of Shanghai. All of the cultural elements having been carefully woven into every piece of ar chitecture.

Moreover, we also got the chance to have gained familiarity with the environment of the classrooms and the people that filled them. We were assigned buddies that would help show us around the school during our stay. I was lucky to not only get one, but two lovely twins that assisted me when I needed the help. They were able to help me comprehend some of the specific vocabulary used in the classes taught in Chinese, while I was able to support them in their English language classes.

To wrap up my thoughts on this experience that will be 27 remembered, I was lucky enough to be offered this opportunity to go on a cultural exchange. I will admit that I was hesitant in the beginning, but now I know that there will not be a moment that I will ever regret committing two weeks of my time in learning the most meaningful lessons of my life.

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Fiona

During the trip, I was having so much fun. I really enjoy going places I never been before. My birthday is during the program, I was so touch of the teachers who help me celebrate my birthday. I REALLY love the food. Especially, when the teacher order food deliveries, the hotpot, and every other food. I also like the Disney trio we went to. It was REALLY fun too. Everything is very good except the learning environment. The learning environment need some improvements, for example, the Chinese teacher should also prepare some worksheet for the Thai exchange students too.

They should give us something to do, instead of leaving us there doing nothing. However, the culture class that we took is also INCREDIBLY FUN. I really like the cup painting activity and martial art. And the Chinese students there are very nice and friendly, they are willing to talk to us and help us. In conclusion, I do enjoy the exchange student program.

AngAng

Not only was I immersed in the motropolitanized Shanghai, but I was also taken back in time during the visits to cultural and historical sites such as the Yu Garden which was built in the year 1559. The concepts and thinkings behind the creation of the garden and its architectural buildings is very fascinating. The juxtaposition between all the urbanized sites and historical sites have proven China’s development and urbanization accomplishments.

Lastly, during my two-weeks stay at the school, I received the opportunity to use the Chinese language that I have studied in Concordian for 11 years. All of the students there were skilled in math which this learning environment has challenged us to study better and reach our potentials. All the students in China were friendly and welcomed us with warm gestures. To conclude, the education in China is a system that crafts out knowledgeable and friendly individuals that will continue to develop China into a place where it is an origin of influencers.

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ABond

The most memorable experiences are the new friends we met there, the first day was all around a bit awkward, but a familiar face greets me at the airport, my “student tour guides”, and 2 of them, is students that attended the exchange program last year, we immediately catched up on what happened over the year we didn't meet. And, after a few days, we’ve started to make more friends, meeting 2-3 new people, and at the end of the 2 weeks exchange, we’ve memorized everyones name, and got to know everyone in our class.

The shanghai trip was a golden experience, and it will always be in my memories.

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his year, G9-10 team planned the Chinese and Arts site-based unit on the theme “Chinese Arts and Traditions: An Exploration of Nanjing-Suzhou-Shanghai, China.” Students have engaged in activities that enabled them to understand the importance of Chinese arts and traditions and utilized their Chinese language.

G10 Emmy This trip to China was amazing. I have learned different lessons including new vocabulary, new sentence structure and many other several things.

There were lots of times when Chinese people talked to me, therefore, there were a lot of times when I cannot respond to their questions. I can read some Chinese characters, but I can read only some of them which are considered to be basic ones. They brought us to many interesting places where we gained more knowledge. It was fun to be part of this wonderful trip. I bonded and talked to friends and teachers. I wish I have another trip with these people.

G10 Beibei This WWW trip to Shanghai was very enjoyable.

Not only did we get to visit different beautiful places in China, but we also got a chance to acquire a better understanding of the variety aspects of the Chinese culture. We visited ancient cities, rural markets, as well as museums that kept important elements which contributed to the history of the development in China. This trip showed me a wider view of China and how developed it is, which is something a lot of different countries should learn from and follow to obtain a more developed economy.

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G10 Sybert During Week Without Walls 2018 Grade 9 and 10 were able to travel to China to learn about its culture, history as well as to bond with each other and have fun. One of the highlights of the trip was our exploration of Suzhou’s Watertown. In Watertown we learned much about Suzhou’s agricultural way of life revolving around the water. We were divided into groups and took a boat ride where the lady boat rower provided us with beautiful Watertown singing. Afterwards we shopped around Watertown, viewing the beautiful architecture and products of Suzhou, such as its fans, tea, sculptures and more. Finally, we were treated to a show of lights, colors, and dancing which represented the four seasons that Suzhou goes through and how each one impacts Watertown. Overall, this China trip was very much enjoyable and educational, and if given the chance I would definitely go again.

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G9 Palmy For our 2018 WWW trip to China, please note that this was Class 2022's first WWW abroad. We as student discovered many skills needed to both travel abroad but also study abroad, and time management was one of them. We had to manage our time during the walk to the actual railway station and the time we manage to walk and skim through the stores at the station. You can start to see how time-management works because we visited Lao MenDong 老门东 and we had to meet up at 6:00 so we had set alarms to reminds us that we had to walk back. In summary, one of the most important ideas we as a class got was time management and taking risks. The reason that the school took us on this trip was to let students practice their Chinese and accept and understand Chinese culture. We are grateful we had this opportunity to go to the actual country to practice our third language.

G10 TK This WWW trip to China was my first ever WWW trip and my first time ever going to China. I didn’t know what to expect from this trip, I’ve never been on one before, but then I was still really excited for the trip.

This trip was incredibly insightful and enjoyable as I was open to new experiences and places. It was the perfect opportunity for me to develop bonds with my classmates, since I am a new student this year.

I was very grateful to be able to explore such a beautiful country and the teachers were incredibly supportive and organized, making this an overall wonderful trip for me. I would like to say thank you to the people who were responsible for organizing this trip, for giving me a chance to be with my friends.

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G10 Wandy The diverse group of people, culture and surroundings of Shanghai makes it one of my favorite cities to visit. After hearing that Grade 9 and 10 would be visiting multiple cities in China, including Shanghai, I was so excited! Nanjing, Suzhou and Shanghai were the three cities we visited. All three places allowed us to explore Chinese culture and get the best experience out of China. In school, we were taught how to speak, read and write in Chinese, however, I was not yet able to actually use the skills and knowledge I gathered from class. Being in China, I felt like I was able to talk to store vendors and locals with ease.

I was able to read the menu and order the bubble tea and dumplings I wanted. To add on, the best part of China was the food! My favorite was Sheng Jian Bao, I tried it for the first time in a local store in Ping Jiang Lu (Suzhou). Sheng Jian Bao has such a distinct and juicy taste to it. It is a type of Chinese bun that is fried and then steamed in a pan. It is then filled with minced pork and various seasonings.

Another cool experience we had in China was the train. Being in Thailand, I am used to the BTS or the MRT, and we don’t tend to take trains when travelling far distances. On the first night, we were able to ride the high speed train from Shanghai to Nanjing. It was so interesting to watch the spedometer increase from 100 km/h to 300km/h.

The seats on the train also spun around, so that we were able to face our friends. In both Nanjing and Suzhou, we visited historical sights and attractions, like the Sun-Yat Sen Mausoleum and the Humble Administrator’s Garden. Both places were really pretty and had a story behind it. The tour guides did a very good job explaining both places. In Shanghai, we also visited universities and museums. The university visits really expanded my views on possible choices. It gave me an insight to the process of university applications and living in college. The museums in Shanghai were also very interesting, the science museum had a lot of cool experiments and exhibitions. Overall, this was one of the best weeks without walls! I made so many memories with my friends and I felt like I was able to integrate myself into China.

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Trips & Expeditions

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Activities & Events

Loy Krathong festival 2018

wan-loi-gra-thong (river goddess worship festival) Loy Krathong Day is another important day in Thailand.

This tradition has been carried on since the Sukhothai Era. The Loy Krathong date is not fixed. It varies every year depending on the full moon. It is on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon in the twelfth lunar month of the transitional Thai calendar. It usually falls in November according to the international calendar. This year it was held on November 22, 2018.

Loy Kratong at Concordian Students wore the Thai traditional costumes to participate in the Loy Krathong activities.

The Early Years students made krathongs with their parents and floated them in the swimming pool, this year they EY has been encouraging the eco-friendly environment in school so, we promoted reusing a plastic bag to take their Krathongs home.

The Primary Years held a Loy Krathong Assembly. In the morning of Loy Krathong Day, the PY Thai classical music band had a great performance to welcome parents and students to our fantastic festival in the lobby. Then, in they PY assembly, G5 students had a beautiful show called “The auspicious river of Loy krathong” which was about the legendary Himmapan Forest and the Anodard.

Grade 9 and Grade 10 held a Krathong Contest. It The performance included the glamorous was the first year they created BIG Krathongs for Kinnaree dance to celebrate the Loy Krathong festival. the competition in the 50 metre-pool! Many thanks to Everything was arranged and prepared by our G5 Dr. C and Mr. Markus for supervising them. students. Their work is so artistic and culturally Grade 6, Grade 7, and Grade 8 held the a touching. We are so proud of you, our G5. variety of Thai activities. The theme of their event was, “Tie, Taste and Tour.” They were so excited to present their activities and make good memories on stage by releasing a lantern together.

Happy Loy Krathong Day! Thai Department

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Ka

with

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a rin

Showcase

ca st

Mamma Mia (Abridged) Kia Ora,

OK – so YES I am an Abba fan – their tunes are catchy and I am old enough to have some of their albums on 12 inch vinyl! Following on from The High School Play that goes wrong was always going to be a challenge – comedy IS the most demanding style of theatre to direct – but it IS what I enjoy working on. Hence this year I was struggling to be inspired – but had in the back of my mind the idea of a shortened version of Mamma Mia. Auditions were tricky and the process took longer than I like due to other commitments – however after some juggling roles fell into place. It was great to see grade 6 boys auditioning – very brave!

So you see, as it stands, I did very little – BUT I did enjoy every moment – the cast (grade 6-12) and crew were delightful to work with and once they found their confidence and voice there was a show to perform! Special thanks to the cast for their lovely gifts for Karina – the one here is Sophia the Giraffe – her favorite as she is teething – great choice and many thanks on her behalf!

Te Arohanui Mr. Clynt, Director

This production relied heavily on our musical director Pound and her dedicated musical ensemble; I requested 2-3 songs they played ALL but one and did so expertly.

I should also mention Mew as she was a key to our success – with her voice, stage presence and choreography – charming to work with and 100% reliable – we are going to miss you! Other technical help was very welcome – Santi and his crew and our set designers and painters – terrific! Mr. Martin is the consummate professional & his experience, humor and advice are invaluable – thanks again for supporting us.

C

oncocordian hosted this year’s AISAA Orchestra Festival October 31st - November 1st, 2018. Participating schools included Ekamai International School, Wells international

School,

Berkeley

International

School, Mahidol University International College, and, of course, Concordian International School. The culminating event, the Gala Concert was held in the Grand Theater. The festival was an excellent opportunity for students and teachers of music to connect and collaborate! Many thanks to Ms. Hyseun for making this exchange and performance opportunity possible.

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Activities & Events

M

any things have happened since school started but one of the most memorable events for many was this year’s moon festival.

A main attraction of festival is games, including one most of MYP students played during the first part of the moon festival celebration. We carried ping pong balls, nuts and other objects with spoons, and chopsticks. This is repeated with 2 pairs of carriers and whatever pair switches balls/ nuts first wins. I feel this game was mildly competitive yet brought everyone together.

As with any festival, it must be remembered when you wake up the next day, so the MYP decided to write down our memories, on a leaf with a traditional Chinese brush. To reinforce them, we laminated them. This way, our memories could double as bookmarks and make perfect souvenirs or gifts for family.

The festival itself was memorable but I feel there could have been more mooncakes.

Prinn, G7

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Activities & Events

T

he Ploenchit Fair is the British Community's annual fund-raising blockbuster fair held every year with a lot of fun activities at the British Embassy, Bangkok. It is organized by the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy (BCTFN).

This year, on Nov 24th 2018, our students who participated in the booth from Concordian International School were happily and proud of being a part of the team. We had a great time organizing games for the kids including Fly Rocket and Face Painting. Although it was a long and a super sunny day, the children’s smiles brought us so much joy! Thank you everyone and see you again next year!

Khun Prinz Graphic Designer

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Trips & Expeditions

If you’re interested, two of our classmates Poom and Ken created two short films documenting the trip, and they can be found here: [link or qr code to videos]

By: Poom G11

T

he week before going on the School Build trip, there were mixed feelings amongst the class.

Some were excited to leave the stressful studies at school behind, while some were a bit held back at first.

On the Sunday morning of our departure, we left the busy Don Muang airport and landed at a quiet airport in Tak province. As we sat on the back of pickup trucks journeying up the hill to a remote village, we were heading into unfamiliar territory. As the 4G signal on our phones disappeared, we knew we were there. It was quite an experience for us all, living together outside the comforts of Bangkok city.

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By: Ken G11

Our task was to renovate the two school buildings, and we did. With some Thai pop music and the occasional jazz or rap song, we all worked on the school. The tasks ranged from drilling wooden planks to creating the walls of the school to painting a gigantic tree at the front of the school. Sometimes it got a bit messy, especially when people who didn’t know how to paint tried to paint. However, we still ended up with art. It was a good experience working on something together with friends that didn’t involve calculating the sum of a and infinite geometric series or writing a lab report. It was some quality bonding time.

At the end of the day, some of us would go play with the kids. We would bring out a football, and as soon as we placed it on the ground a swarm of kids just rushed in. It’s awesome that just a single football can create so much joy. The kids were really excited to play. Every time the ball rolled down the hill or into a pipe, the kids would jump down barefooted (equivalent to about a one floor building) or climbed into the pipe to get the ball back. We didn’t speak the same language as some of the kids, but we didn’t need to to have fun. On the last day, we gave the football to the oldest kid so he could bring it out every time they were going to play. What they did was very surprising, they did the “O-noi-ock” game to decide who should keep the ball. It was a memorable experience

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When going to an unfamiliar place, perhaps one of the major problems which people have but rarely publicly discuss is using the restroom. Once we arrived at the build site with the old torn down school, there was a little structure made of 4 concrete walls to create an enclosed rectangle with a door. This was the toilet. Inside, there was a squat toilet, and it was hard to use at first. I am sure everyone has developed their own techniques of using this contraption. Nowhere was a toilet bowl to be found. The point here is not to describe to you this natural human routine, but to point out that we are actually living a privileged life. Maybe these kids have never seen a toilet bowl before, but we just take toilet bowls for granted every day. The lesson: we have a lot of luxuries (even if we may not have considered them luxuries before), so appreciate what you have. Realize that we’re - Mammoth lucky to be born this way, and don’t waste the opportunity.

Trips & Expeditions

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Trips & Expeditions

Angie I thought this trip was interesting because I was able to experience the lifestyle of Thais living in rural areas.

Fern Throughout the trip, we as a class worked alongside the children in the village, our teachers, and our alumni. Because of all of the commitment and excitement shown, I felt that this is a memorable school build trip that we will forever cherish.

Laura This was an eye opening, life changing, meaningful and unforgettable trip. I came back from the trip more empathetic and appreciative of nature, rural lifestyles and cultures and simple yet happy pleasures.

Pim It was beyond my expectation. This trip allowed me to see so many new things from the outside world.

Taro During the trip, I not only earned new experiences but also got the chance to bond with my friends.

I will keep the trip as a good memory that I will be able to look back when I am older.

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Jaokha Going into the trip I didn’t have many expectations and thought that it would be a very boring week where we would all complain. However, it was much much better than that. We played with the kids, observed life in that area, but most importantly we bonded a lot more.

Trips & Expeditions

Muk I thought that this trip was very interesting because I went there without any expectations. I learned a lot from this trip because I was able to experience things that I have never done before. Also this trip gave me good memories about our class, class of 2020 because we were able to spend more time together during day time and night time, and while building the school for those children.

Kib I felt that this trip was really interesting since we learned how the people in Tak live their lives. School build truly was an enjoyable trip as we bonded with classmates and made new friends.

Tata It was really interesting to actually witness the before and after of the school we built, from the first day when there was only the unfinished structure of the building, to the last day, where the school’s construction was completed with wood panels and decorative wall art that we as a class have collaboratively painted. Not only did the trip enable us to bond, but also allow us to give back to the society, in which we are helping children up in the mountain have a brighter future.

Pol I thought that this trip allowed us as class of 2020 to be able to spend more time together and be able to learn even more about our friends.

Chan This trip was very interesting and fun. At first I expected it to be mundane and boring, but it was very exciting. I was able to bond with my friends and gain new experiences throughout the trip. 10/10 would recommend.

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Trips & Expeditions

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Trips & Expeditions

ibeam I learned how to build the school, providing a new learning area for the students to study in a great atmosphere.

Tang Tang Inspirational. Grateful. Motivated.

Elim Through this trip I was able to bond with my friends and make new friends with the children at the village. When interviewing with the villagers I learned that even though the villagers live far from the city and don’t have electricity, they still are happy the way they are.

Lily I thought this trip was an eye opening experience for me because before I was only really involved in the fundraising aspect of the projects. This time I got to see the full impact so I really liked seeing how the project came out and I really learned a lot about finding happiness in giving to others and not from getting things.

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Trips & Expeditions

W

hen people are asked why they give, the readiest answers include: God wants me to; I feel better about myself; It’s only right to share; other needs. The next question I would like to ask is: How do you feel?

It has been my experience that when you are focused on the act of giving, you are less likely to become consumed by your own concerns and challenges. Giving provides an opportunity to look beyond our own world and see the bigger picture in life.

A great perspective can be achieved through stepping out of our own world and venturing into the world of others, and on November 18-23 we did just that.

[Location: Tak, Mae Sot District Thailand | จังหวัดตาก อำ�เภอแม่สอด] I knew wifi would be a struggle, which is why I committed to a digital detox. For our entire trip, we had to be in the moment, with no social media, a complete focus on what we were doing and where we were. Our mission? To build a school.

For someone who is continually connected to the internet, this was a challenge.But after the plane ride, going through rocky, steep roads and finally arriving at our destination, I learned something new. There was a certain level of beauty, solitude and happiness in exploring the village. It was refreshing, seeing the open night sky and endless fields of lush green, uninterrupted by skyscrapers and freeways but rather, just the exposure to nature.

For the next three days, we - the class of 2020, along with alumnis, teachers, staffs and with the help from the children in the village, worked on constructing and painting the interior & exterior of the school. Some of us created murals and painted the walls, while some helped to drill wooden boards for the wall of the school. It was a fascinating sight to behold: everyone being in the present moment, working towards a common goal, for the betterment of these students future.

The night before we left, we organized a talent show. People from the village, young and old, came to perform their traditional songs and dances. What really touched me was their genuine nature: these individuals dare to dream. Despite their circumstances, they work hard for it and believe that one day their dreams would come true. I’m sure it will, as life holds special magic for those who dare to dream.

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Thank you to everyone who were involved in this project, for bringing about such an incredible experience.

For it is in giving that we receive; this trip shall reside in my memories forever ~ a timeless treasure of the heart.

Thank you.

Kavin (Ken)

Trips & Expeditions

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Showcase

Sornthong Contest A

t Kasetsart University yesterday, December 2nd, Hui Hui (G8) passed to the finals round of the Ranad-Ek (solo) in at the Sornthong Contest 2018-2019 for the trophy in honor of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun" (Middle school level). There were more than 300 competitors of in the first round and 76 competitors from semifinal round. The finals round will be comprised of the last 30 competitors and will take place January 19-20, 2019.

Kru A PY Thai Teacher

S

aturday the 29th of September saw Concordian Diploma visual art students show their artworks at the River City Complex. It was an exciting event where our talented High School artists exhibited side by side with students from ten Bangkok International Schools.

'Thailand Art Talent' was also a curtain-raiser for the Bangkok Art Biennale, and part of the 10-year anniversary of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).

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The aim of "'Thailand Art Talent' was to share the skills and creativity of senior art students with the community, to empower this talent, to inspire other students and to promote the international schools' art programs. It truly achieved this and, of course, the work of our students was outstanding in the company of many other leading schools.

Martin, IB Diploma Visual Arts Teacher

Athletic News

O

n November 30 th, 2018, Concordian held the grand opening ceremony for the brand-new Sports Complex facility.

The new on-campus sports facilities include a full-sized football field, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a 100-meter running track, 4 squash courts, 2 tennis courts, a fourth indoor gymnasium, a fully equipped fitness center, a table tennis floor, a design technology floor, a Thai music room, a Yoga and dance room, and much more. The school has invested significantly the Sports Complex because of our passion to keep the students healthy and strong in mind and body.

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At the ceremony, Mr. Robert Kovach, "Coach K", our Athletic Director thanked Khun Varnnee for her vision and said that with the wide variety of activities now offered, each student will be able to try different sports and games,choose a couple they really like, and be healthier. "It is fantastic that a student can enjoy hybrid racketball, boxing, fencing, triple jump, and table tennis in the same week. Those are in addition to swimming in a 50 m pool, basketball, volleyball, squash and tennis. I am very proud of Mr. Laurent's attention to student athlete safety and keeping green by maintaining one of the highest quality grass football fields around."

We hope everyone will enjoy the new facilities!

Athletic News

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Activities & Events

And then, what we heard next was the sound of the MC’s voice, loud and clear, echoing again and again in the Grand Theatre: “And the winners of the MYP Phan making contest is Class of 2024!”

From where we sat, you could only hear shouts of glee and screams of joy. Finally! We made our teachers happy and proud. We knew that we still owe the teachers a lot, because they treated us like we were their own children. We truly hope that the Phans that we made for them had given them happiness, because the Phan symbolizes students who respect teachers at heart.

After this experience, we learnt about teamwork and helping each other. Normally, the whole grade would not team up together and do something with so much determination, but if it is for our teachers, we would gladly do so. This is why we worked together so fluently and created a competent Phan.

Thank you, teachers, for bringing us success, guidance and happiness to our life.

Hi! We are Lina and Eclair from Grade 7. very student is always looking forward to the Wai Kru E day, because it is the day where we have a chance to pay respect to the teachers. Every Wai Kru day for each year is the day we commemorate the knowledge and life-long lessons that our teachers give us. Before Wai Kru day arrives, students need to design and create the phan for teachers in order to pay respect. Our grade has gained experiences of creating the phan last year. So, this year we think we have more potential and we are more serious about creating the phan, because we wanted the teachers to have the most honorable phan.

The reason that we had so much potential for creating this phan is because we wanted to make our teachers proud.

Also showing them that we can work as a team and never give up on making the phan, influenced us to design the phan ahead to time. We made a total of 3 designs, and then we took those 3 designs and presented them to our friends in the grade. As a grade we came up with a conclusion of making a phan that has the Concordian dragon on it and to have the number 7 on the phan, which represents every grade 7 student.

Before the Wai Kru day, the Thai teachers gave us 1 hour to create our phan by working as a grade. It is very fortunate for us, because 2 students had already drawn out and colored the dragons. Everyone was very dedicated and we worked really well with each other to create the phan.

Our final design plans guided for us in completing our task.

As usual, there were some problems during the working process, but we did a pretty good job on solving it and moving on. We were able to create both boy and girl phans before the time limit that the teachers gave to us. Everyone was happy about the final results, because every single person tried their best and gave their whole heart on completing this assignment.

Teachers are like second parents who look after us in school, do not only teach us things in textbooks but also give us morals and important lessons. Wai Kru Day is a day where students respectfully honour the teachers and receive blessings from the teacher.

During this event, students are required to make a Phan (decorative flower plate.) The Phan is decorated before the ceremony and offered to teachers. Each grade decorates 2 Phans, one form the boys and one form the girls.

The boys decorate a Phan called Parn Toob Tien (candles and incense decorative plate.) The girl’s Phan is called Phan Dok Mai (decorative flower plate.)

Each student personally brought their own flowers and some even brought bouquets to give to teachers as a symbol of respect. Different flowers represent different things such as dok khem (needle flower) symbolises students being sharp as needles.

Students also vowed that they will be good students with docile manner and respect teachers and we hope that the Concordian Community progresses towards a brighter future.

Grade 9 Students

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On the day we would be celebrating Wai Kru, the whole grade was really excited because we wanted our teachers to enjoy our product, which we spent a long time making.

We chanted the Student's Promise to the Teacher proudly, because we truly want our teachers to have the best. After Matmee and Jade had given the “Phan” to the administrator's board, the MC started to announce the winners of the Phan making competition. We eagerly crossed our fingers and hoped that we were the winners….

ai Kru Day is an extremely important event. It is a W tradition for Thais to understand how important teachers are in our life and that they are the guiding lights.