2015 ET Journal Winter Issue

The EARCOS Triannual JOURNAL A Link to Educational Excellence in East Asia

Winter 2016

Featured in this Issue EdThought

- Calling for a “Timeout” on Rubrics and Grading Scales - 4 Key Questions to Ask Before Having a Hard Conversation

EARCOS Leadership Conference 2015 Theme: “Think Globally, Learn Locally“

1st Institute on Higher Education Admission & Guidance Special Report: EARCOS: Leading through Learning from its Members

The EARCOS JOURNAL The ET Journal is a triannual publication of the East Asia Regional Council of Schools(EARCOS), a nonprofit 501(C)3, incorporated in the state of Delaware, USA, with a regional office in Manila, Philippines. Membership in EARCOS is open to elementary and secondary schools in East Asia which offer an educational program using English as the primary language of instruction, and to other organizations, institutions, and individuals.

Objectives and Purposes * To promote intercultural understanding and international friendship through the activities of member schools. * To broaden the dimensions of education of all schools involved. in the Council in the interest of a total program of education. * To advance the professional growth and welfare of individuals belonging to the educational staff of member schools. * To facilitate communication and cooperative action between and among all associated schools. * To cooperate with other organizations and individuals pursuing the same objectives as the Council.

EARCOS BOARD OF TRUSTEES Margaret Alvarez, President (ISS International School) Tarek Razik, Treasurer (The International School of Beijing) Stephen Cathers, Secretary (Korea International School) David Toze, Past President (International School Manila) Anna Marsden (International School Suva) Diane Lewthwaite (Fukuoka International School) Norma Hudson (International School Kuala Lumpur) James McDonald (NIST International School) Stephen Dare (Hong Kong Academy) Andrew Davies (International School Bangkok) Office of Overseas Schools REO:

Dear Colleagues: The 2015 EARCOS Leadership Conference (ELC) had over 1200 delegates! Our return to the Shangri-La, Bangkok provided an excellent venue for the 46th EARCOS Leadership Conference. Keynoters Loung Ung and Catherine Steiner-Adair were great.

Loung Ung gave a emotional summary of her family, and childhood as an immigrant from Cambodia to “Vermont America”. Catherine shared research on technology and the effects on children. The breakout and preconference sessions were well attended and practical. A Survey Monkey was sent out to solicit comments on the conference, this feedback help us plan for future conferences. Please see our conference write-up in this issue.

Welcome to the newly elected EARCOS board member Andy Davies, I.S. Bangkok, re-elected member, Steve Cathers of Korean International School and to Stephen Dare of Hong Kong Academy, who was officially elected after serving as an appointed member of the board. Thanks to the many EARCOS school heads that attended the AGM on October 30.

Read the “Special Report” on pages 12-13. We will follow this call for feedback with a brief survey, so that we can better understand change initiatives being planned, currently underway, and successfully implemented in your schools. We will share the results, which might provide opportunities for collaboration and help with common content.

The ETC scheduled for March 31 to April 2, 2016, at the International School of Manila has a huge slate of great presenters in the special strands schedule. Keynoters are, Jean Blaydes Moize, Mark Jenkins and Doug Goodkin., We appreciate the hard work of the ETC teacher representatives who help coordinate registration and on-site logistics. We need your support!

I look forward to seeing many of you in the next few months while visiting schools and attending various conferences and recruiting fairs. We are here to serve you! Have a great holiday break.

Dr. Larry Hobdell (ex officio)

EARCOS STAFF Executive Director: Richard Krajczar Assistant Director: Joe Petrone Consultant: Bill Oldread Vitz Baltero Ver Castro Robert Sonny Viray

Letter from the Executive Director

Dick Krajczar Executive Director Check out our updated website at www.earcos.org and read our E-Connect blog at earcos-connect.tumblr.com

Elaine Repatacodo Edzel Drilo Rod Catubig Jr.

Editor: Joe Petrone Associate Editor: Edzel Drilo

East Asia Regional Council of Schools Brentville Subdivision, Barangay Mamplasan Biñan, Laguna, 4024, Philippines PHONE: 63-02-697-9170 FAX: 63-49-511-4694 WEBSITE: www.earcos.org

(L-R) Rod Catubig, Edzel Drilo, Elaine Repatacodo, Dick Krajczar, Joe Petrone, Vitz Baltero, Robert Viray, and Ver Castro

In this Issue

contents

2

“Think Globally, Learn Locally”

39

Middle School Student Art Gallery

6

1st Institute on Higher Education Admission & Guidance

44

On the Road with Dr. K

9

ETC Advisory meets at The International School Manila

10

Faces of EARCOS

12

EARCOS Special Report Leading through Learning from its Members

Press Release Forensic Science at American Pacific Int’l School - see page 19 Mechai Viravaidya Opens the Learning Commons at NIST International School - see page 36 Triple the Fun at Bangkok Patana School! - see page 37

14

15

16 17 18

22 23 24

Curriculum Canadian Academy inspires students to inquire, reflect, and choose to compassionately impact the world throughout their lives Use of technology to ensure students are prepared for a world beyond school Leading with Body, Mind and Heart Raffles American School Piloting the New Frontier: Big Data Analytics in K-12 Program Innovative Golf Program at the American School of Bangkok (see page 38) Sensory Fun at nanjing International School (see page 32)

26

Learning2 Asia “Disrupt-Rethink-Change” Robots. Middle school dances. Men in Black.

28

Service Learning Inspiring Genuine Action

30 31

Green & Sustainable Sustainability Matters at ISKL Grade 4 Design and Construct a Lost and Found Property Centre as Part of their Inquiry

32

Community Service Mon’t Kiara International School

34

Student Contribution Student on Ice

35

36 37

Campus Development Billion Baht Project at Berkeley International School in Bangkok ASIJ’s Creative Arts Design Center Here We Grow Again!

EARCOS Leadership Conference 2015

EdThought 4 Key Question to Ask Before Having a Hard Conversation Making Mission Meaningful at Seisen International School Calling for a “Timeout” on Rubrics and Grading Scales

Approved Weekend Workshops SY 2015-2016

One of the services EARCOS provides to its member schools throughout the year is the sponsorship of two-day workshops and institutes for faculty and administration. The topics for these workshops are determined according to the needs of members. Workshops are hosted by EARCOS schools. (see back cover page)

Front cover photo by Sebastian Pothe The EARCOS Action Research Grant

In an ongoing effort to implement the EARCOS Strategic Plan, specifically Strategy E, to conduct, communicate, and archive relevant data and research to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices, grants will be made available to encourage our teachers, administrators, and professional staff to conduct action research to improve educational practices for the purpose of enhancing student learning. Action research is a reflective process, conducted in the school setting, to solve a real problem, or to improve and enhance the instructional process.This research may be undertaken by an individual, or by several people collaboratively.

It is our belief that the results of such research will impact not only the researchers’ practices but also those of others with whom they share their findings.To that end, grantees will be expected to publish their findings, which will be made available to all EARCOS members on the website. Some researchers may elect to present their work at a subsequent ETC, ELC, or publish it in the EARCOS Journal. Please visit the EARCOS website for more information. www.earcos.org

Contribute to the ET Journal

If you have something going on at your school in any of the following categories that you would like to see highlighted in the Spring issue please send it along to us: Faces of EARCOS - Promotions, retirements, honors, etc.

Service Learning Campus Development - New building plans, under construction, just

completed projects.

Curriculum - New and exciting curriculum adoptions.

Green and Sustainable - Related to campus development or to

curriculum efforts.

Community Service Student Art - We showcase outstanding student art in each edition.

Press Releases

Winter 2016

Thank you for your help in allowing us to highlight the great things that are going on in EARCOS schools.

Winter 2016 Issue 1

EARCOS Leadership Conference 2015 “Think Globally, Learn Locally”

EARCOS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2015 MEMBERS GATHERED IN BANGKOK TO “THINK GLOBALLY AND LEARN LOCALLY” The 46th Annual EARCOS Leadership Conference (ELC) convened 29–31 October 2015, along the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

More than 1200 members enjoyed the stunning contrasts of a meandering river amid the towering skyline of Bangkok. The grounds of the Shangri-La Hotel provided a fitting locale for thinking and learning in support of students.

ELC pre-conferences saw over 300 hundred participants enrolled for an entire day and, in some cases, three days. Delegates joined in groups numbering between ten and 100 to deeply study topics, or collaborate with colleagues on matters of common interest.

On Thursday morning, Loung Ung masterfully delivered the first keynote address. Her message evoked a wide range of emotions.The story of her young life in Cambodia was heart rending and her experience transitioning to Vermont, America was captivating. She shared poignant snippets of her award winning book, First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers and shared a powerful message that everyday heroes do extraordinary things to change our world “one life, one limb, one person at a time”. The remainder of the day provided delegates nearly 70 choices of workshops. And, all enjoyed the poolside evening welcome reception.

Day two began with Catherine Steiner-Adair sharing her research and professional observations regarding how technology places a child’s development at risk. Dr. Steiner-Adair’s deep and rich knowledge base on the subject of raising children in the digital age was relevant to our work as educators and responsibilities as parents. She definitely caused the audience to “push the pause button” and reflect on the possible psychological fall-out of our fast-paced adaptation to technology. A fuller treatment of her impressive body of work on this subject is contained in her book, The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age. For the remainder of the morning, special speakers and practitioner presenters hosted more than 30 topical workshops. The afternoon was dedicated to Job-Alike sessions during which like-minded professionals shared best practices and sought solutions to common challenges.

The final day of the conference convened with a group of courageous leaders sharing their inspiring stories. Delegates heard Rami Madani’s extraordinary life journey from Syria to his current work as an educator at International Kuala Lumpur. Riki Teteina shared about his chance introduction to mindfulness and the consequent role it now plays in his school community. He dared and succeeded in taking all of the delegates to a meditative state of mind. Tarek Razik captivated the crowd with his story of change leadership, which he described as delicately collaborative, yet necessarily direct and deliberate. Finally, Anna Marsden shared her story about “second chances”, career redirection and people in her life that influenced the rich and rewarding leadership path she has chosen.

Amid the diverse and quality workshops, dedicated professional collaborations, and generous networking opportunities there was ample behind-the-scenes support that did not go unnoticed. The staff at the Shangri-La Hotel was vigilant to the needs of delegates, and for this extraordinary attention and service, we are grateful. Many “thanks” go to Andy Vaughn for leading the fun run on Saturday morning; those participating were a model of wellness and health for all delegates. The golf outing on Sunday would not have happened without Chad Bates; “thanks” go to him too, for his organization of this event. A special “shout out” to the ever present, competent and kind Ruamrudee International School audio-visual technologist for their assistance throughout the conference.

We hope you have placed 27–29 October 2016, into your diary, which are the dates for next year’s conference. And, we hope you have completed the evaluation of this year’s ELC experience. Your timely feedback is extraordinarily helpful guidance as we plan next year’s conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dr. Joe Petrone EARCOS Assistant Director

2 EARCOS Triannual Journal

NIST International School opening performance “Lost in Space” the musical.

Rami Madani International School Kuala Lumpur

Riki Teteina Phuket International Academy Keynote speaker Loung Ung Keynote title: Upstanding Citizens: changing the world through activism, volunteerism, and travels

EARCOS president Margaret Alvarez with Dr. Larry Hobdell, U.S. Department of State Regional Education Officer, East Asia

Tarek Razik International School of Beijing

Keynote speaker Catherine Steiner-Adair Keynote title: Lost in Connection: How The Tech Effect Puts Children’s Development at Risk

Anna Marsden International School Suva Winter 2016 Issue 3

EARCOS Executive Director Dick Krajczar welcoming the delegates to the 46th Leadership Conference.

Dr. Larry Hobdell, Regional Officer, Office of Overseas Schools, U.S. Dept. of State welcoming the delegates.

46th EARCOS Leadership Conference 2015

Virtual Reality Cardboard being used on Chris Betcher’s workshop on Teaching and Learning in Digital World.

Mina Merkel workshop on Governance and Strategy.

Douglas Ota workshop on Student Transitions.

EARCOS board Diane Lewthwaite, Fukaoka International School and Norma Hudson, International School of Kuala Lumpur.

4 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Sheri Stice on Management Strategies and Organization Techniques.

Cory Willey on Getting Advisory Right: Developing a Culture of Social-Emotional Support.

“Think Globally, Learn Locally“

James Stronge workshop on Hiring the Best Teachers: What Works and What Doesn’t.

Dr. Joe Petrone, Dr. K, Loung Ung, and Bill Oldread.

Chris Jansen and Andy Vaughan, International School Bangkok.

EARCOS Team at the Gala Reception.

>> More photos of the conference at http://tinyurl.com/n9kj4pl

Winter 2016 Issue 5

EARCOS - CIS L-R Paul Greene, CIS Director of Higher Education and Dick Krajczar, EARCOS Executive Director

1 Institute on Higher Educati st

On October 2-3, Bangkok played host to the first annual EARCOSCIS Institute on International Admission and Guidance. In his opening remarks, Dr. Dick Krajczar, Executive Director of EARCOS, noted that the Institute was a great collaboration between CIS and EARCOS that had been discussed for almost five years. Everyone was excited to see it fully realized this year. This event united 160 university guidance counselors from 108 schools in the region, and 114 admissions representatives from 110 universities around the world.

Over the course of the two days, these professionals participated in professional development workshops and cultivated collaborative relationships. In conjunction with the institute, EARCOS and CIS hosted a university fair for students which attracted 565 students, plus many parents from 20 schools across Bangkok and beyond.

This first EARCOS-CIS Institute provided an excellent venue for conversations about international higher education mobility. As Paul Greene, Director of Higher Education Services for CIS, remarked, “this may well have been the largest collection of universities gathering for a single event in Bangkok.”

Participants in the institute had the opportunity to choose from 32 professional development workshops. Topics varied from “Wanna be a Naviance Ninja?” to “Cultures Collide: When East Meets West in College Counselling”. The latest trends in university admission were discussed, such as preparing for the international launch of the redesigned SAT and PSAT tests. The substantive discussions spurred by these workshops provided professionals with thought provoking ideas to enhance their university advising toolkits.

6 EARCOS Triannual Journal

The organic opportunities for networking that the EARCOS-CIS institute offered attendees should not be understated. Whether it was a discussion during a workshop or a side-conversation during one of the breaks, there were many chances for individuals to network. The networking highlights were the university fair for counsellors, where school counsellors were able to walk around and talk to universities; and the school fair for universities, where university representatives were able to walk around and talk to school counsellors. Through these instances, the institute created an environment for new connections to be made and old relationships to be strengthened.

“Bringing a professional development opportunity to Asia on the topic of university admission has been a priority for both CIS and EARCOS for several years”, said CIS Executive Director, Jane Larsson. “We wanted to focus on aspects of higher education admission and guidance unique to this region, with a second objective of reaching smaller schools that typically receive fewer visits from university and college officials or don’t have the funds to travel to higher education events outside the region. Based upon our conversations with counselors and university admission officers who attended, we believe we achieved both objectives.”

Taking place on the final day, the university fair for students was a fine way to cap this wonderful experience. The fair drew students from as far as Laos to interact directly with the university admissions representatives. This was a great reminder of the entire purpose of the institute. All the workshops and networking opportunities are ultimately designed to forge strong links that will improve access for students to universities all over the world.

EARCOS - CIS

School and University Fair

Workshop Session

ion Admission & Guidance Global citizenship is a goal of both EARCOS and CIS. The Institute on International Admission and Guidance was a resounding success in sharing knowledge and developing relationships that will inspire the next generation of global citizens as they navigate through their choices for higher education. We hope that participants left the conference emboldened, and rejuvenated to continue in the essential work of university counselling. EARCOS and CIS are already planning for next year’s institute. We look forward to seeing you there!

Paul Greene CIS Director of Higher Education

L-R Dick Krajczar, Paul Greene, and Joe Petrone Welcoming the delegates at the Shangri-La Grand Ballroom.

Winter 2016 Issue 7

1st Institute on Higher Education Admission & Guidance

Paul Greene (CIS) assisting at the registration.

Pauline O’Brien on Counseling the Counselors Workshop.

Dick Krajczar (EARCOS) assisting at the registration.

L-R David Toze, I.S. Manila, Jane Larsson, CIS, and Jacqueline Vogl

Royce Mussman workshop on Why Jakarta Is Ripe for Student Recruitment.

Michael Clancy workshop on Managing Letter of Recommendation.

Jacqueline Vogl and Mary Adam’s workshop.

Jeremy Burgess, Student Recruitment Officer. Univ. of Warwick.

Workshop session.

Linda De Flavis, University Advisor, UWCSEA.

Jane Larsson, CIS Executive Director.

School and University Fair.

School and University Fair.

Paul Greene(CIS) and Dick Krajczar(EARCOS) at the Closing Reception.

ETC2016 ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Christine Freitas International School of Kuala Lumpur (Behind Bronwyn Weale) Front row L-R: Skylie Bevear (Hong Kong International School), Sylvain Jacques (The International School of Beijing), Bronwyn Weale (International School Bangkok, Curriculum Coordinator Representative), Paul Swanson (United Nations International School of Hanoi), Ben Robertaccio (Singapore American School), Dick Krajczar (EARCOS Executive Director), Kathleen Nickle (The American School in Japan), Elaine Repatacodo (EARCOS), Noel Madrid Valdez (International School Yangon) Back row L-R: Christine Freitas (International School of Kuala Kumpur), Keith Allerton (Jakarta Intercultural School), Adam Teather (Seoul Foreign School), Joe Pertone (EARCOS Asst. Director), Andrew Krumland (Shanghai American School), Colin Aitken (International School Manila), Sam Cook (Curriculum Coordinator at International School Manila), Christopher Bell (International School Bangkok)

ETC Advisory Committee

ETC Advisory meets at The International School Manila The EARCOS Teachers’ Conference Advisory Committee convened August 28-30, 2015 at the International School Manila. EARCOS Advisory committee met with Dick Krajczar, Elaine Repatacodo, and Joe Petrone to ensure this year’s conference will meet the diverse needs of the EARCOS community.The 14th annual EARCOS Teachers’ Conference will take place March 31 to April 2, 2016 at the International School Manila.

ETC 2016 is graciously hosted by International School Manila. The school facilities are well suited for providing all the ETC needs. With a plethora of large and small spaces available, the ISM school environment is well prepared to accommodate the smallests workshops to the largest keynote gatherings. Manila, being a bustling large city, is also well suited for the ETC. There are many hotel choices located relatively close to ISM available. Manila also has countless eateries available in close proximity to accommodations.

The ETC 2016 will broaden the dimensions of the educational understanding, advance professional growth in the region, facilitate professional communication and cooperation, while focusing on “innovating arts and motion.” The Advisory Committee met to assure

these qualities are experienced by all those that will attend the 2016 ETC. The Advisory Committee also started to plan the 2017 ETC. The 2016 ETC theme is “Innovating Art and Motion”. The conference will host many well renowned keynote and workshop presenters. Our Keynote presenters include Jean Blaydes Moize, Mark Jenkins, and Doug Goodkin who will further participants’ understanding of Brain Health, Photojournalism, and the Humanitarian Musician, respectively. In addition to the featured keynote speakers, the conference offers a wide range of special presenters the breath of which would be difficult to find anywhere else but the EARCOS ETC. The strands this year will include physical education, visual arts, performing arts, design technology, counseling, technology, and general education.

The 2016 ETC is shaping up to be an intellectually stimulating conference with opportunities for professional camaraderie in a vibrant setting. The EARCOS Advisory Committee looks forward to your participation.

By Ben Robertaccio, Singapore American School Winter 2016 Issue 9

Faces of EARCOS Welcome New EARCOS Board >> DR. ANDY DAVIES Andy is Head of School at the International School Bangkok. Andy’s interests are improving student learning, international education, inclusion and rugby.

New Head Of School >>

Britannica Digital Learning (a division of Encyclopaedia Britannica) Service Offered: Online Education Center for the Advancement & Study of International Education Service Offered: Professional development for educators East Carolina University Service Offered: University Rising Tide Asia Service Offered: Education Consultants

DANIEL WATERMAN, Head of School Access International Academy Ningbo

Solution Tree Service Offered: Provider of educational print and digital resources, professional development, events, and services

SHELLY LUKE WILLE, Head of School Chadwick International School

Synergetic Management Systems Service Offered: School Management System

COLTER STEPHEN WATT, Acting Principal Garden International School

Texthelp Service Offered: Information Technology

DERON MARVIN, Director International School Yangon

New Individual Members >>

New School Member >>

David Bedford Lisa Biasillo Mary Chua David Hall James Helbringer Alexey Metelev Xiaohang Sumner Geoffrey Ward

Stonehill International School (Affiliate Member) Dr. Beverly Sortland, Head of School

Special Announcement >>

New Associate Members >>

International Community School, Bangkok announces the promotion of Stephen Ladas as the Assistant Headmaster and Lucas Lemley as the new High School Principal.

GARY MELTON, Head of School Mont’Kiara International School GRAHAM BOWKER, Principal Nakornpayap International School

Adolescent Success Service Offered: Teachers Association Athletes Dream Pty Ltd Service Offered: USA College Scholarships (Academic & Athletic) and USA College Tours

E-CONNECT

Stay in touch with many current ideas and trends in education at EARCOS Connect Blog.

Welcome to EARCOS E-Connect.Teachers, counselors, and administrators are extremely busy people.You don’t always have time to search for articles, blogs, videos, and books that will educate and enhance your practice.This blog will offer links to relevant educational discussions, articles, book reviews, and videos that you may find informative and useful. http://earcos-connect.tumblr.com/ 10 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Cambridge IGCSE gives our students a head start for the next stage of education.

NG ENG CHIN, PRINCIPAL, STB-ACS (INTERNATIONAL) JAKARTA

Cambridge IGCSE is our most widely taken qualification in the world. Our learners choose from over 70 subjects, in any combination, acquiring knowledge and understanding as well as skills in creative thinking, enquiry and problem solving.

Cambridge International Examinations prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge.

Find out more about Cambridge IGCSE at www.cambridgeigcse.org.uk

facebook.com/cie.org.uk

EARCOS ad Apr15.indd 1

14/04/2015 15:14

EARCOS SPECIAL REPORT

EARCOS Special Report >>

EARCOS: Leading through Learning from its Members

By Dr. Joe Petrone, EARCOS Assistant Director

The essence of the EARCOS mission is aimed at inspiring adult and student learning through leadership and service. And, our mission compels us to foster intercultural understanding, global citizenship, and exceptional educational practices within our learning community. These purposeful directives require intentional vigilance over five action items found in our strategic plan. All of these strategic objectives relate to improving professional practices and three are most relevant to this discussion. They are: 1. Provide targeted and differentiated professional development opportunities to member communities; 2. Connect schools, communities, and individuals through the use of technology to promote collaboration, communication, intercultural understanding, and access to broader educational opportunities; and 3. Conduct and communicate research and archive relevant data to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices.

Targeted and Differentiated Professional Development Opportunities In an overarching sense, the three yearly-strands rotation for the EARCOS Teachers Conference (ETC) is a planned and deliberate opportunity for educators in the region to pursue individual growth goals and align learning with school-wide initiatives. Also, the facilitated job-alike sessions at EARCOS Leadership Conferences (ELC) and ETC connect professionals in conversations about common interests, initiatives, and promising evidence-based practices. And, these planned interactions assist us to understand the subjects of these topical collaborations.

We invite feedback from job-alike facilitators and participants in order to collect and categorize persistently pertinent subjects, so that we might adequately match these needs with future conference presenters. Our aspiration is that this feedback and other sitebased needs assessments lead to recommendations for sub-regional EARCOS Weekend Workshops (WW). We believe WW opportunities - nearly 50 scheduled for 2015/16 - serve as one catalyst for the introduction, or reinforcement of common content, intended to assist with systemic implementation at the school level.

EARCOS believes that school change leaders understand the significance of uniquely tailored professional development processes, which are carefully designed for their individually unique school context. When these process and context standards are understood and stand on content inseparably linked to improved student learn12 EARCOS Triannual Journal

ing, substantial and meaningful change will occur. (Chung Wei, Darling-Hammond, Andree, Richardson & Orphanos, 2009).

Use of Technology to Access Broader Educational Opportunities The spontaneous connections made among professionals in EARCOS regional schools are remarkable and increase yearly. All of these collaborations possess the commonalities of aligned unwavering commitment and deep dedication to the students and international communities we serve.

Digital technology, including the plethora of social media options, provides valuable avenues to expand our reach as an international educational services association. EARCOS hosts a Google+ Community and E-connect blog, which are linked to the EARCOS Twitter and Facebook accounts, so that each blog posting generates a message on these two social networks. The EARCOS “Triannual Journal� online version will be published in the familiar format, which readers are accustomed. This winter online edition will include an interactive social media feature permitting reader posts and direct connectivity with Google+ Community, Twitter and Facebook followers.

We recently invested in online conferencing software to accommodate any large group meeting aimed at strengthening communications, expanding intercultural understanding, and promoting and enhancing professional collaboration. We invite our members to contact us at the EARCOS office, if you would like to use the conferencing software solution as a platform for an upcoming regional collaboration.

Conduct and Communicate Research As you know, each year EARCOS plans for five action research grant awards, which are intended to encourage teachers, administrators, and other members to conduct action research aimed toward the improvement of educational practices, which ultimately enhance student learning.

EARCOS believes that action research is a reflective process, conducted in the school setting, to solve a real problem, or to improve and enhance the instructional process. This research may be undertaken by an individual, or by several people collaboratively. It is our belief that the results of such research will impact, not only the researchers’ practices, but also those of others with whom they share their findings.

Data captures from participating members occur after EARCOS events and these survey results assist greatly to inform us about the relevancy of topics and overall conference logistics. This data is collected annually, compared longitudinally, and studied carefully fol-

Professional Development: Content, Context, and Process There always will be a case – and well there should – for increased quality, improved, more aligned, expedient, and effective professional development, which we at EARCOS define “as a comprehensive, sustained, intensive, and collaborative approach to improving teachers’ and principals’ effectiveness in raising student achievement”. (Ames Slabine, Nancy, 2011) This urgent and moving target for professional development excellence motivates us to serve you at progressively higher levels; we accept this formidable challenge.

At EARCOS we know, as do our members, that such excellence is most frequently reached when the professional development is supported within a ready context, through a deliberate process, and focused on clearly chosen content, all aimed toward the improvement of student learning. (Learning Forward [previously National Staff Development Council]; 2001).

We believe that our members expect EARCOS to directly and to strategically assist with the sourcing and delivery of relevant content. In large measure, the selection of content is accomplished through formal and informal feedback loops we coordinate throughout the year

lowing each EARCOS conference, event and workshop to maintain relevancy and alignment for future conference planning.

Finally, much research and even more practitioner testimonials confirm the relevance, utility and impact of professional development occasions that are aligned to a teacher’s self-determined professional growth goals (The Mirage, 2015). Armed with this fact, it becomes more incumbent upon us at EARCOS to understand the needs of our member schools and the educational professionals, who work in them. We invite and encourage you to share those needs, which undoubtedly align to professional development targets intended to improve learning for all students.

and described above. And, of course, EARCOS delivery of content occurs through conferences, collaborations, weekend workshops, and individual networking moments – personally or virtually. However, for necessary teacher ownership, positively altered classroom practices, and systemic change to transpire, our member schools know that an understanding of their unique context and deep commitment to develop a distinctly tailored school-based process is essential.

These known ingredients for “comprehensive, sustained, intensive and collaborative” professional development are success factors, which cannot be overlooked.

Furthermore, we understand that many of our schools share parallel contexts and processes upon which they have launched successful change initiatives. Most mature contexts and processes include ample resource capacity and rich collaborative structures, e.g. mature professional learning communities, planned time for peer observations/feedback, provisions for data dialogues to analyze student work/achievement, empowered action research groups, designated instructional coaches, induction and orientation mentors, etc. When such critical process elements are present and adequate resources are available, the introduction, education (educator training), and systemic implementation of a chosen initiative (content) have an elevated likelihood of success. Fortified with this understand-

Conclusion EARCOS accepts the responsibility as a “primary resource for the professional development” of member schools. EARCOS embraces the requisite commitment needed to understand the variability of the professional development needs inherent in such a richly active learning community. Therefore, EARCOS remains nimble and alert to the unique contexts of the schools it serves. And, it applies a measured vigilance over prevailing evidence-based practices and promising practitioner-tested innovations, so that our mission to inspire “adult and student learning” is advanced daily through advocacy for your students and service to the learning communities you delicately lead.

ing, we are reminded of our responsibility to connect member schools with similar contexts and with an aligned content-focus, so that they are invited to collaborate.

Please know, we want to hear from you regarding the initiatives in which you are currently engaged, those you are planning, and, as importantly, others successfully implemented. These latter successes, when studied, might offer others a comparable direction to follow on their path toward higher levels of student learning. And, the knowledge of collective and common regional pursuits, will allow us to serve as a collaboration clearinghouse to assist you in making relevant and mutually beneficial connections. ____________________________

Evidence of Effectiveness; Ames Slabine, Nancy; Learning Forward, Oxford, Ohio, USA, 2011. http://tinyurl.com/qystbo2 Professional Learning in the Learning Profession: A status report on Teacher Development in the U.S. and abroad – Technical Report; Chung Wei, Ruth; Darling-Hammond, Linda; Andree, Alethea; Richardson, Nikole; & Orphanos, Stelios; National Staff Development Council, 2009. http://tinyurl.com/o9j6sr8

Professional Learning in the Learning Profession: A status report on Teacher Development in the U.S. and abroad – Technical Report; Chung Wei, Ruth; DarlingHammond, Linda; Andree, Alethea; Richardson, Nikole; & Orphanos, Stelios; National Staff Development Council, 2009. http://tinyurl.com/o9j6sr8 The Mirage: Confronting the hard truth about our quest for teacher development; by Dina Hasiotis, Andy Jacobs, Kate McGovern, and a number of other TNTP researchers, leaders, designers, and editors, published by The New Teacher Project (TNP); August 4, 2015. http://tinyurl.com/pphmws4

Winter 2016 Issue 13

EARCOS SPECIAL REPORT

EARCOS action research grantees are expected to publish their findings, which will be made available to all EARCOS members on the website. Some researchers may elect to present their work at a subsequent ETC, ELC, or publish it in the EARCOS Triannual Magazine. We encourage our members to access the application materials on our website to learn more and perhaps participate in this rewarding opportunity.

CURRICULUM

Curriculum >>

Canadian Academy inspires students to inquire, reflect, and choose to compassionately impact the world throughout their lives.

By Liz Durkin, Secondary School Associate Principal Canadian Academy, Kobe, Japan

At the end of grade 12, students need to demonstrate that they have met the mission outcomes by completing a Mission Accomplished! reflection that celebrates their learning and growth according to the school’s mission statement rubric. The format is completely open, as long as:

Photo credit: Stephen Taylor, Canadian Academy Director of Learning

Our Mission Statement sounds nice. It attracts prospective parents, students and teachers and is ubiquitous on school walls and websites. But how does the school mission statement become more real than a pithy statement displayed online, in brochures and around the school?

At Canadian Academy(CA), the school’s current mission statement was first adopted in 2007? and then reconfirmed at the most recent strategic planning meeting in April 2015. The Mission Outcomes were also reconfirmed, and stipulate the following.

By 2020, each student will embody our Core Values and the IB Learner Profile thereby: * continually generating challenging and meaningful questions, thinking critically, and creating novel responses. * purposefully reflecting on thought processes and experiences to inform subsequent thinking and actions. * enthusiastically and continually engaging in actions that positively impact the world.

The school is therefore charged with ensuring that students meet these outcomes. In the elementary school, students illustrate how their learning and actions connect to the IB Learner Profile attributes. During the middle school years, students display and celebrate learning and achievements in the full range of curricular, extra-curricular areas and service, having set annual goals connected to the Mission Outcomes. In high school, goal setting, logging, and reflection on learning and service continue, and students are able to see their development over the years. Most of these reflections are housed on students’ blogs, although in grades 11 and 12, once students begin the IB Diploma Programme, most reflections move over to Managebac.

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* the students self assess against the student mission rubric, referencing artifacts for each domain of the rubric: inquiry, reflection, compassion; * the students respond to prompts addressing their growth while at CA and the impact of their learning on their futures.

Each student is assigned a teacher mentor to guide them through the requirements and deadlines, and to ensure a consistent quality of Mission Accomplished!

The class of 2015 was the first cohort to graduate from CA with Mission Accomplished! as a requirement. The scope of choice in format saw students addressing elementary school students, the Entrepreneur Club or Student Body Council of which they had been president, sports teams of which they had been captains, even speaking at full school assemblies, or conducting one to one discussions or presentations to teachers. Other students preferred to write an essay, fold their Mission Accomplished! presentation into their IB Visual Art exhibition or cook a meal while speaking with a younger class.

Data obtained from student and mentor feedback indicated that those students who presented to particular groups, clubs and teams in which they had a leadership role, were more inspired and inspiring than those who chose an alternative vehicle for reflection. The same data also revealed that students had been honest and realistic in their self-assessments, and as a result, we are able to use their selfassessment data in our KPI scorecard.

When a student leaves high school, they receive from the school, and other organisations, a GPA, testimonials, an IB Diploma, SAT scores, and many more measurements. The real power of a final reflection such as Mission Accomplished! lies in that it is the student’s own evaluation of their journey and achievements at school, rather than someone else’s. That is the real cause for celebration.

Use of technology to ensure students are prepared for a world beyond school

By David Hellier, Director of Learning Technologies Alice Smith School

different types of technology and how they can be used to best support their learning and fire up their interest and enthusiasm.

As one of our Year 6 student puts it; “Children love using their technologies so much that if you put devices into school time, they don’t even know they are learning.”

Technology is used at every school to support the already diverse curriculum and to help develop students as individuals and thereby prepare them for a world beyond school; for university and, ultimately, the world of work.

Our curriculum at the Alice Smith School, in conjunction with our learning technology vision, sets out to create students who are problem solvers, who are tenacious and confident and prepared to take risks in their learning. We encourage in them an independence which enables them to make decisions about when and how it is appropriate to use technology to support their learning. We also ensure our students are able to make considered judgements about when - and where - it is not appropriate to use technology and to be mindful of how much they are using technology. We foster creativity, invention, innovation and anytime, anywhere mobile learning which allows students to assess how their learning fits into the wider world and to extend opportunities to collaborate beyond the school community.

By doing this we hope to better prepare them to be responsible global citizens with an interest in, and respect for, the wider world.

Students of all ages get to experience a wealth of technology; hardware and software ranging from iPad to PCs to Google Apps to 3D printing.

The immediate access to technology affords has broadened and enhanced what is possible in the classroom. This could be something as simple as looking up the share price of a company to explaining their changing fortunes, using online learning tools, collaboration via Google docs or more extended projects such as creating digital content for others to peer-review. All valuable skills that will stand our students from Year 5 and up under our KLASS 1:1 iPad and ‘Bring your own browser’ programme in good stead when they leave school.

The use of all these technologies is targeted and purposeful with the aim of providing students with a range of opportunities to explore

By giving students experiences of dealing with a wealth of different technologies and different platforms, we are enabling them to learn the skills to adapt to the changing world that they are faced with.

Crucially, we also equip them with digital literacy skills to help them make sense of the world in which they live. To be critical users of digital technology but also to be responsible digital citizens, who can not only contribute to the online world but to also help shape it.

Technology also enables students to interact with professionals in a way that they could not previously. For example, you can have Skype conversations with authors around the world or question a scientist in some other part of the globe.

Google apps also offer a range of tools for students to work with.

This could be collaboration on a shared document to produce a group presentation, or it could be using Google Hangouts to engage with their teachers when they are unable to have face-to-face lessons within school. Teachers also engage with their classes via Google’s Classroom. This enables them to set work and have ongoing dialogues with students away from the traditional confines of a classroom. Google Classroom helps students to stay organised as well as to interact with their peers and their teachers.

“Learning technology has made school fun by unlocking new ways to discover and learn. As well as this, it is easier to ask teachers questions and give in your homework if we’re not in school the next day,” shared another student.

We are aware that the pace of technological change is fast moving and that parents need to be kept informed as to how to support their children. A range of workshops are offered aimed at helping parents navigate their way through this changing technological landscape.This could be hands-on sessions or discussions on screen time and distractions or best practice in online safety. It is important to help parents feel empowered to know what technology is out there and how to best support their children in their use of it.

Technology is one of many facets we use at the Alice Smith School to help equip our students with relevant and necessary skills as they make their way on this successful journey both during their time at the school and beyond.

Winter 2016 Issue 15

CURRICULUM

Curriculum >>

CURRICULUM

Curriculum >>

Leading with Body, Mind and Heart “Tips, tricks and techniques are not at the heart of education fire is. I mean finding light in the darkness, staying warm in the cold world, avoiding being burned if you can, and knowing what brings healing if you cannot. That is the knowledge that our students really want, and that is the knowledge we owe them. Not merely the facts, not merely the theories, but a deep knowing of what it means to kindle the gift of life in ourselves, in others, and in the world” - Parker Palmer As educators, whether we acknowledge it or not, we lead with our bodies, our minds, and our hearts. This illustrates how critically important it is for us to nourish our own “fire”, our own sparks, in order to teach our students from a place of passion and enthusiasm.

This, in turn, makes it possible for us to show up and more skillfully respond to our students’ needs and help them to “kindle the gift of life” in themselves. With stress levels rising in schools around the world and the World Health Organization indicating that by 2030, depression will be a global epidemic, how do we develop such communities around wellbeing and care?

In considering this, we must first remember to cultivate joy in our profession and in our classrooms. However, in order to do this, we must remember to make room for joy in our own lives. As is often overlooked in the busyness of our days, it is we, the adults, who create the ethos of the school. This is why at Phuket International Academy, teachers are encouraged to first focus on themselves so that they can develop more presence and emotional balance in the classroom which will better equip them to teach from the heart, from this place of passion and enthusiasm. So much of creating this type of ethos and climate comes down to relationships – the most obvious ones being the relationships to students, parents and colleagues. However, throughout my years of teaching, the relationship we first develop with ourselves has everything to do with the quality of the others. How we engage with our own thoughts, emotions, sensations – and the interrelationship of these – provide a founda16 EARCOS Triannual Journal

tional and rich form of knowledge for us as educators and, ultimately, as human beings.

In developing this ethos, it also takes committed adults who want to seek out and nurture the best in themselves, as well as be an example to others by helping them to reflect on their own innate goodness, ability, and growth. Venerable Matthieu Ricard highlights this in his recent TED talk, “How to Let Altruism Be Your Guide.”

In the talk he defines altruism as: “the mental state that seeks to actively develop the wellbeing of others, both at the individual level and societal level.” When we let altruism be our guide, we can better understand a child’s cognitive, affective, and social perspectives, and we see them as whole human beings.

We can then share and embody such practices as mindfulness, conflict resolution, respectful debate, and community building activities with much more authenticity. This type of culture of caring is the responsibility of all stakeholders in a school community. Chip Wood, author of Yardsticks: Children in the Classrooms, Ages 4-14, highlights this well, “However we go about deepening the connection between social and academic growth, in the end, the outcomes will depend on the nurturing that classroom teachers, staff, and school leaders provide for their students.”

To cultivate such a culture, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mindfulness offer important roadmaps. Social and Emotional Learning is a set of five core competencies focusing on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. Mindfulness, according to the Oxford Mindfulness Centre in the UK, is: the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, with compassion, and openhearted curiosity. At its root, mindfulness means “to remember” so ultimately, this is what it is about - to remember our core values and our motivations, bringing all of these into our awareness in order to approach situations, whether they be good or bad, in a more

To bring such practices into a school, here are a few suggestions to consider: 1. Start small – remember to begin with yourself - deepening your own capacity for awareness, presence, and joy is always the first step.

You might consider developing a personal mindfulness practice.Your “way of being” will speak for itself and will have an impact on those around you, both personally and professionally.

2. Group practice – start a daily morning or afternoon group mindfulness practice time with other colleagues. The practices can be based on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which has an official online programme. Or you might consider a book club on Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark and Danny Penman, which comes with a set of guided practices.

3. Launch a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mindfulness Steering Committee – Bring together colleagues who are interested in integrating more school-wide efforts in SEL and mindfulness practices. But remember it all begins with the adults; research shows that any SEL and mindfulness programme is only sustainable when teachers and parents are also actively nurturing these qualities in themselves. And again, it really comes down to one thing – relationships, relationships, relationships.

As Jon Kabat-Zinn points out, “listening is an act of love.” Let’s all do our part to listen more to ourselves and those in our care, in order to reflect and respond to not only the bigger issues but, more importantly, to skillfully attend to all of the small events, struggles and celebrations that make up the gift of life.

“After all, we are human beings, not human doings.” Jon Kabat-Zinn

By Krysten Fort-Catanese Director of Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness at Phuket International Academy Email: krysten.fort-catanese@pia.ac.th

Curriculum >>

Raffles American School

Submitted by Kerstin Mockrish Admissions Director/Registrar

Raffles American School Grade 7 students studied the various forces that interact on objects. To apply their understanding of forces and develop their engineering understandings, students were challenged to put their learning to a test.

Students learned how to describe force vectors in scaled vector diagrams and more complex kinematics. They also learned how to add different forces acting on an object in order to determine the resultant vector of that object in the real world. Students made predictions about and described resultant vectors as mathematical functions which were tested for accuracy.

Students also learned about the six classical machines of antiquity which introduced them to their culminating project, using applied engineering skills to design and construct a large Rube Goldberg Machine. They utilized the simple machines, as well as magnets, to transfer energy across 19 meters distance, changing form 24 times, and sharpening a pencil at its finish.

Raffles American School Grade 7 students, guided by Mr. Owen, studied the various forces that interact on objects.

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constructive and healthy way. It brings us out of automatic pilot and sets us up to approach life with a spirit of inquiry, equanimity, and compassion. Mindfulness also helps us not only to savor the good but also learn how to turn towards difficulties as well, which is where it can support mental health. When SEL and Mindfulness curricula are integrated in meaningful ways across a school, and practiced by all stakeholders, the school’s climate can be dramatically enhanced.

CURRICULUM

Curriculum >>

Piloting the New Frontier: Big Data Analytics in K-12 Program

By Peter Tong, Ph.D. Department of Mathematics and Science at Concordia International School Shanghai

During the 2014-2015 academic year, Concordia International School Shanghai spearheaded a new elective course called Big Data Analytics. This pilot course, the first of its kind offered in the international schools in Asia, was created to meet the needs of high school students in order to better prepare them for their university education.

The work to develop BDA for high school students has been carried out with the understanding that it will be further developed for middle and elementary school. The pioneering of BDA at Concordia arises from the need for the specific development of Big Data in K-12 programs to enable an adaptable and progressive education for future generations.

The Big Data Boom Data in its raw form is like an unpolished diamond: it is of no value until it is analyzed, tabulated and presented in a form that is 18 EARCOS Triannual Journal

understood. Big Data Analytics (BDA) is the current term used to describe the process of harvesting raw data and transforming the data into valuable information that can be comprehended. People in diverse fields ranging from business, economics, social sciences, arts and humanities, and the sciences are realizing the need for understanding how Big Data can be applied to benefit the commercial, industrial, academic fields, as well as research and development, to name a few.

Progression in the field of BDA has exploded in the last few years. Within the last decade, universities have been offering courses in Big Data at the graduate level, while undergraduate courses specifically on Big Data were only offered in the last year. There is still, however, a vast shortage of data scientists in comparison to the high demand of the current job market. The inability to meet this demand lies in the lack of a structured K-12 Big Data program—one that is fully able to prepare students with the proper set of critical thinking, inductive reasoning and analytical skills required to form a conceptual understanding of Big Data and its applications in the STEM and liberal arts fields.

Guided Approach to Student Learning Due to the accessible nature of Big Data in today’s learning environment, where new subject matter and information are constantly evolving, the pedagogical value of Big Data provides an opportunity for a paradigm shift in teaching from a “sage on the stage” to “guided on the side” approach, as coined by Alison King. Through this method, students are empowered by their independent learning abilities and, as a result, they feel a greater sense of achievement in both their education and in themselves.

Teaching BDA is most efficient when the teaching method reflects the open-ended and perpetual nature of information as it currently materializes. The teacher is required to have a structured framework of clear guidelines, objectives and goals for the course. This teaching method also allows the teacher to bring out the strengths and

colors of their students while allowing students to make improvements to their areas of weakness, through the students’ investigation of the subject matter.

Pilot Course Takes Off Each spring, Concordia offers a two-week “eXploration” program for ninth and tenth graders at the end of the academic year, where teachers are encouraged to teach subjects or to explore new courses for which they have a passion. Initially, BDA was proposed to be an “eXploration” course; however, while it was being developed for eXploration teaching, the eleventh grade was completing an internship with IBM’s Cloud Development Lab in Shanghai, where the students were introduced to Big Data through DemandTec’s Retail Challenge.

Based on new interest and student demand, Concordia’s high school BDA was fasttracked from the two-week “eXploration” trial course to a new, one semester elective course.

The main content foci of this course were to create awareness, exposure, the applications and a general conceptual understanding of Big Data. One of the tasks in creating the curriculum for this new course was to develop content guidelines and essential questions. For example: What is Big Data and how valuable is it? Why is Big Data a game changer? What is the vehicle for Big Data and where can it be applied?

Students were given in-class time for peer discussions and to further research the materials taught after each lecture. At the end of each subsection, the students orally presented their knowledge and comprehension of the material by creating PowerPoint summaries of the topic, which included a different perspective of delivering the contents with different examples than the lecture.

While the general concepts of Concordia’s Big Data pilot course were taught through lectures and peer discussions, the practical learning of this course occurred through its applications. The teacher incorporated both group and individual projects in coor-

Application, The Key to Authentic Learning In the BDA course, students were required to complete project work as a class and individually, thereby covering the application, analysis and synthesis course goals. One class project required students to use heartbeat monitors to collect and analyze fitness data for the grading purposes of a Concordia middle school physical education (PE) class.

Not only did this project encourage students to recognize the practical applications of Big Data within their school community, it enabled them to use the tools and concepts of Big Data to identify flaws in the data collection system. In the execution of the project, the students subsequently worked towards improving the techniques to more accurately chart and grade the learning progress

PRESS RELEASE >>

Forensic Science at American Pacific International School

By Mr. Calvin Atkins This fall, the American Pacific International School in Chiang Mai added a new elective for students – Forensic Science. Over the course of a year, students enrolled in the course will learn the science behind crime scene investigations, focusing primarily on collecting and analyzing physical evidence.

Units of study will cover topics ranging from blood spatter analysis to DNA sequencing to the study of insects involved in the decomposition of corpses.

In the first unit of the year the forensics students learned how to process a crime scene using notes, sketches, and photography. To

of PE students. This was a successful practical learning opportunity for the students as they provided new insights to the middle school PE department on how to optimize instruction and what kind of data to collect, in order advance their PE instruction and coaching methods. Since this course was designed to be student-centered and to highlight the students’ strengths and interests, students were required to research their topic of interest on Big Data applications.

However, the final presentation was more than a summation of their research interests; it required a large-scale (1.8m x 2.0m) poster and PowerPoint presentation to the school’s administration team, the head of school and the parent community, many of whom are industry professionals. The opportunity to present these findings to an audience greater than the school community added an unexpected level of achievement for the students: professionalism.

The course connects students to their school, local and global communities, in addition to the academic community. Throughout the course students have opportunities to converse via Skype with guest lecturers, namely professors teaching university-level courses in Big Data. The guest lectures are an important part of this course as they provide feedback from academic experts and give the students a prime opportunity to learn the relevance and potential of Big Data in post-secondary education and beyond.

Encouraging Outcomes A preliminary framework for Big Data Analytics in the K-12 curriculum was developed and successfully tested through the pilot BDA Concordia high school course in combination with the “guide on the side” teaching method. Evidently, the success of this course encourages further development of a K-12 BDA program, and especially highlights the need to introduce fundamental background skills at the elementary and middle school levels. For example, future developments might include programming tools and data visualization. As the field of Big Data continues to evolve, the K-12 curriculum should reflect these changes, and expose students to greater potential and possibilities for the future.

Special Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge and express my gratitude to Concordia International School Shanghai’s high school principal, Mr. Nick Kent, for his encouragement, support, commitment, and willingness to embrace the risk of being the first international school in Asia to pioneer a course on Big Data Analytics.

I would also like to thank William Wang (Concordia Class of 2015) for initiating the idea of a BDA course and for preparing and delivering the daily lectures.

Visit Concordia’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/ user/concordiashanghai) to see student presentations from the 2014-2015 BDA pilot course on Big Data and its applications in the areas of microcredit, engineering, physics and statistics.

provide context for the knowledge learned through lectures on CSI techniques, the forensics teacher, Mr. Calvin, and several of his colleagues set up the first mock crime scene of the year.

The crime took place in the APIS high school girl’s dorm where a fictitious teacher named Ms. Rose had been murdered in her shower.

Through careful observation, measurements, and meticulous note taking, the APIS students prepared scale drawings of the dorm crime scene that could theoretically be used in a future court case.

As the year progresses, students will learn techniques useful for collecting and processing the evidence necessary for convicting the killer of Ms. Rose.

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CURRICULUM

dination with the BDA course educational goals, which reference Bloom’s taxonomy as checkpoints: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation.

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EDTHOUGHT

EdThought >>

4 Key Questions to Ask

Before Having a Hard Conversation We all struggle with challenging conversations in the workplace.

Performance reviews, teachers not meeting standards, classified staff snafus, parent calls. The conversations are awkward, difficult and emotional. And, the conversations have to be had. If something is educationally unsound, physically unsafe or emotionally damaging, and if coaching or inquiry is not the best way of communication to get the point across, you need to have a hard conversation. If you want to be effective as a leader, you need to not only have hard conversations, but to make them humane and growth producing ones as well.

Four top questions that make a difficult conversation more professional and more humane are: Question 1: Is this a hard conversation or a clarifying conversation?

We think we have been clear. So, it makes sense that we should be able to speak up and express our concern, but a warning. Take pause. Did we actually make it clear from the get go what is and isn’t part of the job or task? Are the standards evident? Did the job description get reviewed and discussed? Have we revisited the group norms for how we work together? Often times we think everyone is on the same page and yet clarification hasn’t happened.

I worked with one new principal who was frustrated that the team leads at his middle school weren’t doing their jobs, and then discovered there was no job description. We need to be two feet in the present and clarification conversations need to take place before hard conversations. Clarity before accountability.

Question 2: have I thought about how what I want to say can be professionally stated and tied to job descriptions?

Saliva moments happen. I often made them happen. A saliva moment is when something is said too pointedly; it is too generalized and too opinionated. The other person grimaces, sucks in a breath and saliva is heard. It is the moment of the too harsh statement.

When we get frustrated, we go emotional with our language. Too or Very, Always or Never – adverbs that inflame. Do I know how to say what I want to say but in a professional way? And can it be tied to language of the job description? The standards? The expectations?

One principal said, “This teacher needs to be told she just doesn’t care and she isn’t supporting students.” We brainstormed a more professional way to speak to the teacher. Moving away from the global and the inflammatory to a specific standard about creating an inclusive environment in the classroom and language to support that standard. Moving out of the emotional isn’t easy, but it is the more mature way to voice a concern. Know your standards and expectations and be mindful of your language.

22 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Question 3: Do I have an answer, if asked, “What do you want me to do about it?”

Many a principal has been infuriated with me because I ask them to consider responses to this question. Haven’t we hired a professional? Doesn’t the adult we have in our employment know how to do the job? Why do we need to spoon-feed them by providing responses to this question?

It is understandable to be frustrated, but at this moment in time, the person is looking for some takeaways and you want to see a different behaviour. They want to get a more specific sense of what actions they need to take to have you see them as effective in their role. Consider the frustration one might feel when told that they aren’t collaborating effectively, and yet the person sharing this information with them can’t describe one action they could take to help fix the problem. Many times we are too broad with our suggestions. Engage more. Infuse more technology. Be a better colleague.

Instead it is more effective to say, Here are some behaviours that indicate what I mean by engagement. Here are some ideas of what collegiality could look like. Being prepared with some doable answers is the humane and growth producing thing to do.

Question 4: have I been too suggestive in my language when I actually need to be more direct?

Traditionally Baby Boomers often have hard conversations in very diplomatic ways. Asking folks to consider or telling them just something to think about when they have time or just a thought to keep in mind when what one really means is DO IT! This is read by some of other generations as too fuzzy or even a bit passive-aggressive.

Many Boomers are just being kind in their approach and expect you to appreciate the suggestiveness of the language but still get the hint. Not all generations read between the lines in this way. If you have an expectation, a non-negotiable, a must, a this is how we do things here, state it clearly. It isn’t mean or too blunt to be clear in one’s expectations. Xers and Millennials will thank you, and the hard conversation you won’t need to have later as a result of your clarity will make you thankful too.

Becoming more communicationally savvy and being more linguistically flexible is a stretch for many, especially with regards to having hard conversations. Working on making those conversations more humane and growth producing will benefit all who learn, teach and work in and with our schools.

Jennifer Abrams is the author of Having Hard Conversations (Corwin, 2009) and The Multigenerational Workplace: Communicate, Collaborate & Create Community (Corwin, 2013). And EARCOS presenter. She can be reached at jennifer@jenniferabrams.com or on Twitter @jenniferabrams.

EDTHOUGHT

EdThought >>

Making Mission Meaningful at Seisen International School “Quick! Can you recite the school’s mission statement?” Based on my limited experience, such a challenge gets posed in one form or another once or twice a year at most international schools ­ more if it is an accreditation review year ­and is typically met by sheepish grins and stumbling attempts to string together the key ideas that we remember. If we as teachers struggle to keep the school’s mission at the forefront, can we really expect our students to engage with it?

Although finding avenues for ongoing reflection on mission is a challenge for many international schools, mission matters. One manifestation of this concern came to the surface at a recent gathering of educators from faith­based schools in the Tokyo area. There the questions took the form, “What difference does it make for a student to attend our school? How can we preserve and highlight our unique (religious) identity among the many international school options available?” While this happened to be a gathering of faith­ based schools, I suspect that many schools face similar challenges and would value the chance to foster a greater sense of identity, pride and purpose among their students.

This year at Seisen International School (SIS), we have taken a new approach to bringing the school’s mission to the forefront of student experience. As a Catholic international school, SIS includes religious studies in every year of the curriculum. But with Grade 11 and 12 students already dealing with the loaded schedules that come with pursuing an IB diploma, we were faced with the challenge of designing a religious studies course that added value ­ rather than simply one more time demand ­ to their Seisen education. Initial guidance from the administration urged that the course emphasize social justice, as that has been a central focus of the school since its beginnings more than fifty years ago. As we began to contemplate the topics that such a course would address, we were drawn back to the school’s guiding principles as a framework.

The outcome of our planning is a two­year course with units developed around seven of the eight guiding principles of SIS. The social teachings of the Catholic Church provide the foundation for the

• • • • • • •

to educate women for social and cultural transformation; to shape international mindedness and celebrate international diversity; to side with the poor; to reach out to the world with hospitality and hope; to act as leaven for worldwide community building; to reverence creation; and to share all that we are and have.

(We regard the eighth guiding principle, “to nurture faith development,” as an umbrella under which we can pursue the other seven principles.)

At the beginning of each unit, teacher and students collaborate to unpack the guiding principle and identify topics for further exploration. Then we look at our present priorities and investigate future possibilities for action in relation to each topic. The overall objective of the course is to encourage each student to consider the extent to which she has been shaped by and integrated into her own life the ideals proposed by the school’s founding sisters and their successors. In other words, we will have succeeded if each young woman has thoughtfully considered what difference her Seisen education has made, what difference it makes to be a Seisen graduate.

This project is only in its infancy, but we are encouraged by the initial results. We see our busy senior students engaging in meaningful discussion and thoughtful reflection about such topics as the roles of women in promoting social change and the obstacles they need to overcome. Student feedback about the course thus far has been positive, expressing enthusiasm for what the girls perceive to be a refreshing approach to interacting with significant ideas. We look forward to working together with the students as we continue to engage with and look for ways to apply the Seisen mission.

Submitted by Eric Usher, Religious Studies and Mathematics Teacher Seisen International School Winter 2016 Issue 23

EDTHOUGHT

EdThought >>

Calling for a “Timeout” on Rubrics and Grading Scales

By Rick Wormeli

Basic Do’s and Don’ts As we turn away from percentages and the 100-point scale in the modern education world and instead embrace rubrics and smaller grading scales, let’s shed light on some of practices that are hitting or missing the mark. Here are a few basic Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to rubrics and grading scales:

Do’s 1. Do use fewer levels. Three, four, or five levels is enough.The fewer the levels, the higher the inter-rater reliability (a 3.0 in one teacher’s class describes the same level of content mastery as a 3.0 in another teacher’s class), especially if teachers have personally vetted and calibrated the evidence for each level.

We’ve been rubricizing everything students create these days: writing, reading comprehension, artwork, math problems, science labs, online practice, physical skills, collaboration, and even their degree of empathy for others.

To quantify the messy business of learning and to provide tools for analysis and accountability, however, we’ve developed some unhelpful habits, limiting rubrics’ positives while enhancing their negatives.

Before it gets any worse, let’s throw a flag on the play and call a time out.

If we must grade students’ work, standards-based grading is better than traditional grading. To use rubrics and grading scales in an evidence-driven way, however, teachers must negotiate with each other about what evidence they will tolerate at each level of performance: What in students’ work constitutes a label of emergent, developing, proficient, or mastery? Robust to one teacher is superficial to another; one student’s “extended effort” is another student’s “barely lifted a finger” whiffle. How do we define adequate, satisfactory, and superior when it comes to knowing the constellations in the night sky or appreciating the poetry and power in ballet?

To be fair, we really can’t hold such conversations until we have taught the subject. There’s an intimacy and clarity that comes with teaching our disciplines that we can’t achieve in undergraduate programs; we must be intimate with a subject before we can argue the merits of its elements. In addition, it’s scary to reveal the extent of our personal knowledge base to respected colleagues because we may come up lacking.

The problem here is that students’ futures are built or destroyed by the outcome of these deliberations with our colleagues. We can’t leave evaluative criteria to chance or teacher indifference. The conversations must happen. They can be awkward and exhausting, but they are ultimately clarifying and liberating.

24 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Imagine the ridiculous nature of writing evidence descriptors for every level of the 100-point scale. There aren’t enough words that mean slightly lesser degrees of each other to write descriptors. Instead of increasing objectivity, such reductivity creates subjectivity and arbitrary sorting, claiming a precision that doesn’t exist.

2. Reference the same domain all the way through. Rubrics and scales are about clear communication, so let’s not muddy the waters.

If we describe a student’s level of strategic thinking in one descriptor, we refer to different proficiencies in strategic thinking in all levels.

It’s not helpful for one level of performance to describe whether certain portions of the project were completed while another level describes only the degree to which the student demonstrated strategic thinking.

3. Keep the evaluative criteria for each level authentic to the learner’s experience. If we have students practice one way in class and at home, but we test them a different way at the end of the unit, the report of their learning is invalid. For example, if we don’t ask students to make novel applications of content and skills during their learning, but we ask them to do so on the final assessment, it’s really not an assessment of what they learned. After wordsmithing our rubric descriptors, let’s audit them for how authentic they are to the student’s experience during the unit.

4. Test-drive the rubric on real student work before giving it to students. This prevents headaches down the road! If descriptors were so generalized students could interpret them in a dozen different ways, far from the true evaluative criteria, and we would still have to accept their responses. In test-driving rubrics, we find elements we forgot to include in the criteria, so we add them to the mix, and we find elements that really aren’t that important, so we remove them.

6. Ask students to design the evaluative criteria and rubric themselves. Let them examine exemplars with a partner, searching for what qualifies them for excellence. Then ask them, as a class, to design the rubric to be used for the project under way. When the class agrees on an acceptable rubric, ask them to apply it to the assessment of another exemplar to see if it holds up. Help them adjust the wording and criteria if it doesn’t. This process moves those criteria into students’ internal editors, and they reference them in real-time while working on their own efforts.

7. When providing multiple choices in projects or assessments, create and use only one rubric. When we differentiate instruction, we often create a menu of three or more options for students to demonstrate final proficiency. Some of us have created eight different scoring rubrics when incorporating multiple intelligences in student assessments—one for each intelligence. This is not necessary, however.

Instead, create a list of criteria that should be expressed regardless of the path or vehicle used to present them. For example, students can create a video, an essay, a speech, a diagram, a 3D model, or a series of metaphors to demonstrate their learning, but no matter which one they choose, they must demonstrate accurate content, a thorough understanding of the topic, attention to craftsmanship, respect for the viewer/reader, at least two pieces of evidence for every general claim, references to the sources of their thinking, a strong voice, and anything specific to the topic.

8. Reflect on the rubric’s use and quality. Use these mentoring questions with yourself or colleagues: • • • • • • • •

Does the rubric account for everything we want to assess?

Is a rubric the best way to assess this product?

Is the rubric tiered for this student group’s readiness level?

Is the rubric clearly written so anyone doing a “cold” reading of it will understand what is expected of the student?

Can a student understand the content yet score poorly on the rubric? If so, why, and how can we change the rubric to make sure it doesn’t happen?

Can a student understand very little content yet score well on the rubric? If so, how can we change that so it doesn’t happen?

How do the elements of this rubric support differentiated instruction?

What should we do differently the next time we create this rubric?

ing in relation to others. If we’re criterion-referenced, we report student performance in relation to the lesson’s goals, the standards: Can he use and interpret a Punnett Square? It’s not helpful to hear that a student’s work is “above average” when the average could be anywhere and doesn’t identify specific content and skill targets.

2. Don’t write out every level of descriptors for most assessments. For some students this is helpful, but in their busy, selectively attentive lives, many students barely register a rubric, let alone think seriously about each level. When they do look at them, they’ll settle for the wording of the lower levels: I don’t have to be “exemplary,” they think, I just have to be “satisfactory.” If all they see is the fully explained descriptor for excellence, however, they’ll know nothing else. They rally around that vision.

3. Don’t let reports of compliance distort reports of learning.

Helpful rubrics are not reports of what students did; they are reports of what students learned. Double-check that the rubric isn’t merely reporting what students completed so much as where they are in relation to learning goals.

4. Don’t use symbols with a natural sequence. In standards-based grading, using evidence-reporting rubrics, we inappropriately worship at the math altar, thinking the math adds credibility. Actually, it corrupts the original goal: clear and accurate communication. On a 4.0 scale, for example, a 2.0 is usually equated with the letter grade C, but that’s not supposed to be, “C out of A,” because that would be a 2 out of 4, or 50%, and that’s usually an F grade.

The grade, number, or symbol is supposed to be a placeholder for a much longer description of evidence. By itself, it is nonsense, communicating nothing without the evidence associated with it. Yes, you can use letter grades in standards-based grading.You can also rubric numbers as long as they directly reference evidence descriptors.

Rubric Revelations The conversations we conduct on rubrics and grading scales are some of the most liberating and inspiring ones we have. They often lead to serious revelations about instruction and learning, and with each conversation, we find one more reason to get out of bed in the morning and teach. Our students can’t help but learn something useful those days.

Rick Wormeli is a long-time classroom teacher turned writer and education consultant and previous EARCOS keynote speaker. He is the author of several books, including The Collected Writings (So Far) of Rick Wormeli: Crazy Good Stuff I Learned about Teaching Along the Way (AMLE). He lives in Herndon, Virginia, and is currently working on a new book on homework and his first young adult fiction novel.

“This article was originally published in the October 2015 issue of AMLE Magazine. It is reprinted here with permission from the Association for Middle Level Education, www.amle.org.”

Don’ts 1. Don’t use average, above average, or below average for the descriptor at any level. These all speak to how the student is performWinter 2016 Issue 25

EDTHOUGHT

5. Provide exemplars for each level. Students and parents need to know what constitutes each level of performance. There should be no surprises. The key here is transparency. Ask students to analyze their final product in light of the standard of excellence cited at the top of the rubric scale and to make a prediction for their final evaluation. Their predictions should come close to what is actually recorded.

LEARNING2.015

Learning2 Asia “Disrupt-Rethink-Change” Robots.

Middle school dances. Men in Black.

by Gitanjali Paul , HS Social Studies, International School Manila

These three seemingly obscure and disparate topics actually quite aptly capture the creative and innovative conversations that permeated this year’s Learning2 Asia Conference, hosted at the International School Manila October 1-3.

When I was invited to attend and help coordinate student workshop presenters for this year’s conference, as a Learning2 noob, I had no idea what to expect. Who were these smiling, enthusiastic Learning2 coordinators that I had only met through Google Hangout who could apparently navigate Google Docs and Twitter speak more easily than I could navigate my walk to work?

Like others before me, I initially assumed that I was preparing students to present at a tech conference. After all, the story on their website does say that the conference focuses on “leveraging technology to support learning globally”.

Over the course of the conference though through observation, my own learning and conversations with the amazing Learning2Leaders, speakers, workshop presenters and participants, I realized that this conference was unique and valuable because it actually focused on so much more: a dynamic, ever-evolving conception of what the best teaching and learning should look like in our schools.

Whether encouraging us to embrace the awkwardness of a middle school dance1 to encourage risk-taking, innovate in new and fun ways with robotics2, or take a step back in order to lead real change like the Men in Black3, these thoughtful talks sparked discussion on what good teaching and learning should be.

The conference also gave us time and space to rethink our own personal contexts and teaching practices. One could have the freedom to walk into a participant lead workshop on using Twitter in the classroom or finding balance and then actually have the time to inquire more through an “unconference” session or reflect on how to implement this learning during a peer-facilitated cohort discussion. Also encouraging us to “rethink” were student-lead workshops.

Students from international schools across Manila ran workshops on how they felt technology could enhance their learning on subjects ranging from holograms and Makey-Makey to “Googliness” and coordinating an online student publication. One student speaker 4, discussing his cocurricular involvement, even called upon us as teachers to “…use tech to make us [students] better and more concerned members of society”.

Thus, the theme of this year’s conference, “Disrupt-RethinkChange”, resonated with me.

The conference disrupted participants thinking by exposing them to new and innovative ideas. Participant-lead workshops on topics ranging from teacher evaluation and student choice to 3D printing and app creation generated a peer-to-peer learning environment rooted in participant choice. Some participants even engaged in a “Disrupt strand” where their key emphasis was to develop innovative project proposals for learning, like “disrupt days” focused on student passion projects. Especially challenging to the norms of education were the Learning2Talks from the conference leaders.

26 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Jason Tiefel (NIST Conference Coordinator L2Asia 2014) enjoying being a participant this year.

I found engaging in Learning2 this year to be a very meaningful and worthwhile experience. I would highly recommend attending to any educator seeking to learn and enhance their teaching practice because you will walk away from a dynamic conference, as I did, with a renewed motivation to take risks and innovate in the classroom.

As another student claimed during the conference, shouldn’t part to the aim of education be to create “super empowered and hopeful individuals”? What better way to do that than to learn with a community of passionate and supportive innovators?

LEARNING2.015

Significantly, Learning2 also empowered us as participants to change our teaching practices by building community. It’s easy to go to a conference and feel inspired, but what makes that motivation last and that drive sustainable? Community. The conference included lots of cohort time, social events and a vivacious, vast Twitter community for sharing ideas and resources. These facets, in addition to the general fervent buzz, created a truly enjoyable atmosphere that helped rejuvenate participants and build a foundation for continued collaboration.

Ringo Dingrando (ISM) tells us about the magic of robots

Learning2 is an innovative, engaging and constantly evolving face-to-face conference with a focus on leveraging technology to support learning globally. Since it’s inception in 2007, Learning2 is considered to be one of the leading annual educational technology conferences in the Asia region and has expanded into new regions including Africa, Europe and South America. In 2015, Learning2 become a not-for-profit organization with the mission to ‘innovate social learning globally’.

Applications for schools to host Learning2 Asia 2017 are now open: (http://learning2.org/application-host-learning2/). “To have hundreds of forward thinking educators on our campus engaging with dozens of our teachers and staff was incredibly positive...,” James McDonald, Head of School, NIST International School, Learning2 Asia 2014 Host School.

If you would like to learn more about the Learning2 Conference, how to become a Learning2Leader, workshop presenter or facilitator, follow the Twitter hashtag #learning2 and check out the website, http://learning2. org/.

David Lee facilitates a typical Learning2 session where learning is a hands-on and social experience

Please join Learning2 either f2f or follow us online in 2016: * L2Europe, hosted by American School of Milan, Italy (April 7-9, 2016) * L2Asia, hosted by Saigon South International School, Vietnam (Oct 6 – 8, 2016) * L2SAmerica, hosted by Colegio Menor, Quito, (Oct 13-15, 2016) see links 1

http://tinyurl.com/okaoc8n , 2 http://tinyurl.com/oq58x7j , 3 http://tinyurl.com/op52r7v, 4 http://tinyurl.com/ooc7cxa

More photos available at Learning2 Flickr page at http://tinyurl.com/ndd95yp Winter 2016 Issue 27

SERVICE LEARNING

Service Learning >>

Inspiring Genuine Action

By Shantini Saberi, International School Suva and Jillian Young, International School of London ‘Let deeds, not words be your adorning.’

It conquers all human endeavours. It is the cause of our progress and egress. When coupled with choice and free will and not driven by instinct, it is what distinguishes us from all creatures, great and small. Actions.

Most importantly, ‘We learn best by doing.

We have known this to be true for quite some time. More than 2,500 years ago, Confucius observed, “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.” (DuFour, p.1) The whole business

of education is founded on the premise that human beings should be schooled to be able to know and understand so that they can take action or ‘do’ that which will benefit their kind.

Contrary to the known fact that the process of learning is consolidated when theory is tested through practice, is the idea that practice is a more valid and valuable mode of learning and hence should occupy a significant portion of what is currently taught in schools a reality in our students’ school experience? Taking action is a direct or indirect display of the connections made through the inquiry process that acknowledge students as active participants in their learning.

It provides them with a chance to exemplify leadership and exhibit positive attitudes in a meaningful way. Genuine action comes from the students so what role do teachers play?

Recognize it- Teachers should start by considering that there is a wide spectrum of actions that can be considered ‘taking action’ and that age group, where your school is located and a multitude of other factors can influence the actions being taken in your school. Taking action involves students applying creative and critical thinking to solve real world problems and it is a teacher’s responsibility to recognize when their students are displaying genuine care and concern. Action can be big and deliberate such as writing and submitting a proposal to the school council to fix solar panels onto the roof of school 28 EARCOS Triannual Journal

buildings or running sports clinics in areas that show need. Simple actions can include a student learning about water conservation making a conscious effort to only fill his glass with what he knows he will drink after he recognizes he is always taking more water than he can finish. Students learning about organization systems suggesting new classroom monitors and a line order roster to make the classroom better organized and efficient is still recognized as action- taking what they have learned and using it to make their world better.

A great deal of action happens outside of school. Communication between home and school is essential. Parents should be educated about the role of action in education and encouraged to celebrate it with their children and their teachers.

Action is a valuable form of assessment.

An example of a student learning about children’s rights, writing a letter to the government expressing her concern that all children should go to school, gives valuable insight into the concepts the student already understands and a foundation to build on and take further. Action initiated by the students themselves can demonstrate that a provocation was successful in sparking the emotional engagement necessary to sustain the eagerness to apply the knowledge and understanding gained throughout an inquiry.

Model it- While it may not be student initiated, action can be modelled and undertaken as a learning engagement to develop understanding in any inquiry. After all, could not learners who have not made connections be ‘taught’ concepts and ideas by taking action? Participating in clean ups, setting up recycling or composting systems, planting trees are examples of real world learning where students can also feel proud of the difference they have made. Writing letters or making videos voicing support or concerns help students identify relevant stakeholders, consider perspectives and present their knowledge and understanding in creative ways.

Teaching lessons incorporating guest speakers, stories and videos of others taking actions can be powerful especially when those examples are seen as peers. Active modelling by teachers, learning engagements and role models can motivate students to choose to act and provide inspiration when deciding on their actions.

Contextualize it and promote reflectionOn a water treatment plant excursion, as part of an inquiry into water conservation, students insisted on reporting a leaky pipe the manager. He laughed them off and told them it was ok. His lack of concern caused the students’ jaws to drop, “but you’re wasting so much water!” Teachers should be there to contextualize and provide support if, in the real world, students’ efforts to make a difference are not met with the same enthusiasm and commitment. Students should recognize that while all efforts to take action are worthwhile, not all will be successful. It is important to congratulate learners when action is taken and encourage perseverance and consideration of different perspectives.

A valuable part of the action cycle is to help students to recognize what they have accomplished through their actions and where they could go next. Reflections can be an occasion for students to recognize their personal and social growth, the importance of being socially responsible and how it makes them feel. It is an opportunity to build and test a personal set of values. Through reflection students can begin to recognize that even small or individual actions can make a difference.

References DuFour, R & R, Esker, R & Many, T., (2006), Learning By Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work, Solution Tree.

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GREEN & SUSTAINABLE

Green & Sustainable >>

Sustainability Matters at ISKL

By Laurence Myers Sustainability & Service Learning Coordinator International School of Kuala Lumpur Ensuring a bright future for our students is not the same as it was previously in education. Where in the “old days” teaching the basic three Rs was enough to get them to a good university and, perhaps, a well paying job, now the concept of education and the connections to engaged citizenship are much more global. International schools, like ISKL are focused increasingly on guiding global citizens toward taking action for their communities and beyond. This can be done in class, of course, but increasingly, and appropriately, it is taking place in all manner of educational settings. Between our Education for Sustainable Development curriculum standards and benchmarks, and on-going conversations about sustainable practices we hope to provide increasingly important tools for ensuring a sustainable present and future.

An example of out-of-class sustainability conversations can be found in our Global Action Program (GAP) trips. The trips themselves are, of course, one of the major highlights of our students’ high school learning adventure. GAP offers a chance to see new places, interact with different cultures, to partake in community engagement opportunities and for personal growth. But to get to the location of choice, way before any foot is stepped onto any plane, train or bus, students are asked to make their choices of destination based on skills and interests while considering their personal carbon footprint.

Carbon footprint? At ISKL GAP trips also include carbon emissions “cost” in the decision making. It’s part and parcel of the recognition that environmental costs are varied and omnipresent even when the educational benefits are obvious.

The GAP program has offset its carbon emissions for the past five years. It heads a growing list of carbon offset-supporting programs at ISKL which now include the HS Activities and Athletics, MS Activities & Athletics and Performing Arts trips as well. As carbon emissions are a key sustainability indicator for ISKL the trips (and participants) are recorded and carbon offsets purchased through Climate Care or Carbon Friendly, both reputable and well-established organizations. Funding for this comes from the participating students themselves and/or through the Sustainability and Service Learning Office.

For the GAP trips, in particular, teams are able to choose alternate carbon offset programs if they are more appropriate for their location. A ninth grade trip to Cambodia, for example, chose to support a small cook stoves project and were delighted to realize that one such cook stove was being used by the family for whom they were supporting the construction of the house. It was a perfect and opportunistic chance to connect the dots!

The trips are the epitome of an experiential education program with direct links to ISKL’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) standards. Developed over two years and infusing UNESCO, Australian standards and a number of sustainability education plat30 EARCOS Triannual Journal

forms, ISKL has developed a new set of ESD standards. These standards now include the additional connection to the newly introduced United Nations Global Goals for sustainable development. These standards, of course, support the formal education of our students but also serve to link the experiential educational opportunities such as GAP and Malaysia Week (our Middle School flagship program for outdoor education) with the formal curricular structures.

In developing these standards we are also recognizing the power of collaboration and, as such, have been fortunate to utilize the tools and/or consultation of experts in sustainability, experiential education and service learning such as Compass Education, JUMP Foundation and Cathy Berger Kaye. Collaboration is also taking place at the national level, with ISKL present at the table of the recently created National Working Group for ESD, aimed at supporting the development of a sustainability education framework for the Malaysian national curriculum. All these collaborative relationships are essential to making our programs meaningful and effective.

These standards, in turn, are aimed at supporting a series of core ESD competencies, (originally developed by the Cadwell Collective).

The competencies are the following: o Ecological knowledge o The ability to think systemically o The ability the think critically and to solve problems creatively o The ability to assess the impact of human actions and decisions o The ability to envision long term consequences o A deeply felt concern for the well-being of the Earth and all living things

These competencies take on a more practical role of generating global citizenship, developing the skills for actively engaging with ones community and, ultimately, empowering our students to be change makers in the world. In the end, isn’t that what our mission statement is all about?

Whether in a classroom on the second floor or roaming the streets of a remote village in Thailand ISKL is putting sustainability conversations “on the table”. It is part and parcel of the ongoing commitment that ISKL has made toward supporting “socially responsible global citizens” where “care follows closely behind”. The present, and future, of our world depends it.

ISKL Sustainability related online resources: • Sustainability Best Practices @ ISKL: https://sites.google.com/a/iskl. edu.my/sustainable-iskl/the-vision/best-practices-iskl • ESD Standards & Benchmarks: https://sites.google.com/a/iskl.edu. my/sustainable-iskl/educational-resources-1/esdsandb • ISKL Blog: http://sustainableiskl.blogspot.com

Green & Sustainable >> Grade 4 Designs And Constructs A Lost And Found Property Centre As Part Of Their Inquiry

By Preeti Singh Grade 4 Homeroom Teacher, Bali Island School

Grade 4 and the almost complete Lost and Found Property Centre

The children first decided to brainstorm ideas of what had to be considered before starting the project. They looked closely at the lost property in the school to see what they had to plan for. Many questions arose that ranged from which building materials would be the most suitable to how to decide the right measurements.

They wondered how different kinds of lost property would be best stored. What if it was a wet swimming costume and towel? Should they have pegs or a bar with hangers for clothes? Did they need drawers to lock valuable things or should they stick to shelves? They decided to measure bottles, bags and lost kits to understand the shelf size needed. They considered the average heights and arm lengths of the children and teachers to decide on how tall the centre should be and how deep.

The grating sounds of saws at work and of nails being drilled into hard bamboo filled the air as children totally immersed in their project, carried 30 foot poles of bamboo to makeshift stands made from chairs, measured them carefully into different lengths and sawed, drilled and hammered away.

Each child came up with a design using scale and the final decision was left to the primary principal who chose a design that represented a mixture of the best ideas from all the children.The children decided to use bamboo as they had learned that it was strong and sustainable as well as recycled wood from broken school furniture.

It had been an exciting few weeks. The Grade 4 children at Bali Island School had been looking at how the design of buildings and structures was dependent on environmental factors, available materials and human ingenuity. As part of the inquiry, the children had met and interviewed two well-known architects in Bali, visited an indigenous Balinese compound, as well as a marvelous centre for yoga, built completely from bamboo. The children were curious to find out why certain materials were used for building in modern and traditional Balinese structures. So they devised many scientific experiments to test a variety of building materials for strength, insulation and water proofing qualities. This helped the students to understand their properties better. They were astonished to learn that bamboo was as strong as iron of the same mass!

The fourth graders couldn’t wait for the time in the day when they could work on their project. Their enthusiasm to ask questions, to analyze and find solutions to problems as they came up, to apply their newly gained mathematical and scientific knowledge, to discuss their project work with anyone who would care to listen and to write about it, was palpable. In an effortless way, the children were synthesizing all their learning experiences and reaching all their ‘academic benchmarks’ through real life trans disciplinary learning.

The next question was how could they apply their newfound knowledge to an authentic, real life situation? The result: A desperately needed Lost and Found Property Centre for the Primary School.

What else did the children gain from this experience? By being challenged and actively engaged in tasks that were authentic, relevant to them and significant to the entire community, this project helped to promote self-management, perseverance, and a willingness to adapt to different roles and collaborate over different ideas respectfully and assume responsibility. In short, many of the skills necessary to help our students thrive and succeed as responsible citizens in a changing world.

Winter 2016 Issue 31

GREEN & SUSTAINABLE

o Empathy and the ability to see and appreciate multiple perspectives o A commitment to equity, justice, inclusivity, and respect for all people o Skills in building, governing, and sustaining communities o The ability to assess and adjust the uses of energy and resources o The capacity to convert convictions into practical, effective action

COMMUNITY SERVICE CURRICULUM

Community Service >>

Mon’t Kiara International School

By Sonia Laureau, Service Coordinator, Mon’t Kiara International School

Dr. Jane Goodall said: “​What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”​ In our rapidly­ changing world where we witness daily acts of horror and degradation to humankind and Mother Nature, making the right choices is the key to a more sustainable and peaceful living. Every individual and every little action counts. In a large school community like ours, reaching out to all ages and impacting in positive ways on student learning can be challenging at times, but so worth the end results! As testimony to this, a group of M’KIS students was invited last January to attend Dr. Jane Goodall’s Talk “​Reasons for Hope”​here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Seeing and listening to the world­famous anthropologist and​ primatologist​will leave a long-­lasting memory in the lives of those who were fortunate to be there, an event that officially marked the opening of the first “Roots & Shoots” Jane Goodall Institute in Malaysia.

Curriculum>>

SENSORY FUN at Nanjing Int’l School

By Cassie Smith, Betina Mello, and Bob Buhler

A “sensory diet” (coined by OT Patricia Wilbarger) is a carefully designed, personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input a person needs to stay focused and organized throughout the day. While most of us use sensory strategies without really thinking about it (drinking coffee to stay alert, listening to soothing music to unwind, jogging to release tension, etc.), some children and adults have sensory needs that require a more intentional approach. A sensory diet is a plan, usually established by an Occupational Therapist, to meet the needs of people with sensory processing disorders so they will be able to engage in social interactions, focus on their education, self-soothe, and sustain attention to task more effectively.

32 EARCOS Triannual Journal

To build up on this unique experience, our Middle School Global Issues Network (GIN) club recently joined Roots & Shoots W​ild About Arts: An Awareness Campaign of Endangered Malaysian Wildlife​ p​roject to learn more about endangered animals like the Asian elephants and the orangutans, in the greenest possible way, as students learn to only use recycled materials to design sculptures of those precious animals. As a result of this, our students were empowered to make a difference within our larger school community and to spread the message of Dr. Jane Goodall.

There is no greater reward to know that together, as a school community, we have made a difference thanks to our joint efforts and partnership with NGOs like World Wildlife Fund, Malaysia. Following our awareness and fundraising efforts during our annual Conservation Week, WWF was able to plant a tree in a degraded forest area in northern Sabah. We made a small difference, some might say, but one that will pave the way for more action towards rainforest conservation efforts and teach our students to be aware and responsible global citizens. To echo Jane Goodall’s words, “​Ev​ ery individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” M​ont’Kiara International School’s GIN students are making a difference for others and for their own lives through their choices to be involved in greater global issues.

At Nanjing International School we have a newly designed Learning Support area that has an Occupational Therapy room. Ms. Cassie Smith and Ms. Betina Mello started taking our grade one classes and having the students go through a series of Sensory Stations twice in an eight-day cycle. They have started guiding K1 and K2 classes for a total of seven classes going through stations at different times during the school day.

The students line up and a number is written on their hand so they know at which station they are to begin. There are three adults, including the classroom-teaching assistant, on hand to help with management in a small space. Some of the sensory stations include; laying on a scooter and pulling themselves across the floor with a big rope, being blindfolded and walking across special sensory discs and then guessing which disc they stopped on by touching similar smaller discs, balancing on a balance board, crossing the midline to pick up a bean bag and toss it into a basket, and also a sensory crash pad where students put on noise cancelling headphones, eye masks and lay on a large brown soft velvety pillow to be mindful and selfsoothe.

This is the first year of Sensory Groups at NIS and it has been received very well by students, teachers, and parents. Teachers have noticed stronger student cores and gross/fine motor skills, which impact student’s daily learning.

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Provide your students with 100+ core, elective & AP courses from an accredited U.S. high school.

The University of Nebraska is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

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STUDENT CONTRIBUTION

Student Contribution >>

Student on Ice

pated in a workshop led by Assistant Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Daniele Bianchi. We gathered pond water and examined zooplankton and other small creatures. I was fascinated at how these tiny creatures moved.

In Sisimiut, Illulisat, and Uummannaq we visited the local communities. The largest of these three was Illulisat, and all the communities were very welcoming and beautiful.The brightly painted houses contrasted the dusty, dirt roads. The people were all very friendly and because the communities were very small it was like they were a giant family.

As an international school student I have travelled to over 40 countries around the world, but nothing impacted me as much as my two-week adventure to the Arctic this summer. I travelled, along with 100 students and 80 staff members from around the globe to learn about the importance of this unique polar region. Staff members include international educators, elders, scientists, musicians, and artists, all tasked with opening students’ eyes to this region through the lenses of their field of expertise. Students on Ice touts itself as the greatest classroom on earth, and I couldn’t agree more. Each year, it embarks on 2 expeditions, one to each polar region of the world. It is a 2 week ship based program that teaches youth the importance of these regions. I was lucky to be one of the 100 students selected to join the 2015 Students on Ice Arctic expedition.

The expedition began in Ottawa, Canada where we met and got acquainted. We spent 2 days touring the nation’s capital while various staff members peaked our interest with their expertise on the Arctic. Students on Ice is sponsored by the Museum of Nature in Ottawa, so many of our initial activities and meetings were held in their impressive facility.

The third day of our trip was the day we all anticipated. We boarded our flight to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland bright and early. The furthest north I have ever been is Regina, Saskatchewan, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. When we landed, we were greeted by beautiful blue skies. I was surprised that the weather was actually quite pleasant and not too cold. Our first excursion was a short bus tour to see the majestic Greenland icecap. Although the icecap was in the distance, it was still amazing to see the beautiful white ice glistening between the towering green mountains.

Our living quarters for the next 2 weeks was an ocean liner called The Ocean Endeavor. The ship was very big and nothing like I was expecting. It felt like I was on a cruise ship! Over the next three days we spent in Greenland we visited Itilleq, Sisimiut, Illulisat, and Uummannaq. In Itilleq we walked around exploring the nature and split up into different workshops led by various staff members. I partici34 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Having lived in Japan for the past 7 years, I have experienced how massive cities of millions of people collectively and consciously keep the streets clean and virtually litter free. With very few public garbage cans, people carry their garbage and dispose of it at home. I was somewhat taken aback at how in comparison these small northern communities were littered with cigarette butts, plastic, and other waste. Eventually this waste makes its way into and damages the ecosystem. This is one personal action I took from my trip. By making extra effort to and helping others keep our environment clean, we can benefit our planet.

One of my most memorable sights was visiting Jakobshavn glacier in Illulisat. During our zodiac trip to shore we weaved in and out of impressive icebergs of all sizes.The closer we got to shore, the more icebergs there were. When we reached the glacier, it was amazing to see ice that looked like went on forever. I was shocked to hear from glacial specialists about the alarming rate at which this glacier is disappearing. Sadly I learned the glacier losses over a kilometer of ice each month when 100 years ago it would lose this amount in a year. We often hear about the effects of global warming, but when I saw first-hand the devastating results of people’s actions, it made a huge impact on me.

After a full day crossing Davis Straitthe last part of our trip was spent in northern Canada. We spent a couple days visiting various areas of Pond Inlet. We learned about Canada’s national parks and got to visit Sirmilik National Park which covers almost all of Bylot Island.The national parks are created to protect wildlife and their habitats in their natural regions. We also visited the community of Pond Inlet where we enjoyed some cultural throat singing, Inuit drum dancing, and traditional Inuit games. We also spent some time at Sirmilik National Park with a few elders from Pond Inlet. They showed us different aspects of their culture such as how they make clothes from animal skins, food they eat, drum dancing, and throat singing.

Another interesting site we visited was Beechey Island, a small island almost attached to Devon Island. The island was so barren there was no way you could shelter yourself from the cold winds. Here we visited the graves of three men from the Franklin expedition.

The three men were frozen in the ice in 1845-1846. We also visited another grave on the island of a sailor who died during one of the many attempts to find the Franklin.

You too can have this experience, whether you are a student, or an educator. To learn more about Students On Ice and how to apply you can visit their website: http://studentsonice.com/ The process itself is quite simple and straightforward. There are numerous scholarship opportunities, and I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from the SCHAD foundation.

I feel so honored and privileged to have been part of this expedition. From this experience my eyes have been opened as I was able to experience first-hand exactly how our actions are affecting our planet. Before the expedition I did not know anything about the

rich culture and ecosystems that inhabit our north. Everything I experienced was so much better and grander than I was expecting.

People told me this would be a life changing experience but I never could have imagined just how much.

Taia Steward is a Grade 11 Student at Tohoku International School in Sendai, Japan. Taia is also a polished figure skater that has competed in Canada, the USA, Europe and Japan. When Taia applied to Students on Ice, she confused some people who thought she was joining a figure skating tour of the Arctic! Along with her Arctic explorations, Taia has also traveled to approximately 40 countries worldwide.

Campus Development >> Billion Baht Project at Berkeley International School in Bangkok for use in April 2016. The gym will have 3 full size basketball courts and will be able to cater for volleyball, badminton, indoor soccer and a host of other sports. Gymnastic equipment and a fitness room will also be available. Berkeley will be doubling the size of its campus with these new facilities and will offer our 300 students the best of the best.

The project is estimated to cost one billion baht or 30 million US Dollars. Head of school at Berkeley Ms. Lisa Johnson is incredibly excited about the project and was quoted as saying “these facilities will make our school one of the top 5 international schools in the country, and we are looking forward to the extra sporting options open to our students.�

Berkeley International School in Bangkok started building their new facility structures in February 2015. The project includes a host of sporting and performing arts facilities.

Project is due for completion in April 2016. For more information on Berkeley International School visit their website at www.berkeley.ac.th

The new Olympic sized pool, plush grassed soccer field and international standard covered tennis center will be ready for use early in January 2016. The gymnasium and 350 seater theater will be ready

Submitted by Lloyd Wilso,n, Marketing & Public Relations Berkeley International School

Winter 2016 Issue 35

STUDENT CONTRIBUTION

We saw lots of different wildlife over the two week trip. We saw many different whales such as the smaller minke whales and fin whales which are the second largest mammal on earth! It was amazing to see them come up every few minutes to breathe. It was fun anticipating their misty breaths on the surface of the water. Another wildlife species we saw was polar bears.The first bear we saw was swimming in the water close to many small icebergs. It was very hard to see because it blended in with the ice. When we saw the bears on land it was surprising how small they looked because the mountains were so huge! We also saw various bird species on cliffs, icebergs, or flying close to the ship while we travelled. Although we saw lots of larger wildlife we also got a chance to see very small wildlife as well. We were able to catch and bring small jellyfish, insects, and plankton back to the ship and look at them more closely.

It was very cool to see how such small creatures move and live.

CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

Campus Development >> ASIJ’s Creative Arts Design Center

a permanent practice field for VEX robotics. Students have already put their tools to work to building cookie-collecting robots, creating vinyl cuts for classmate clients and designing 3D-printed characters and props to illustrate a story.

The American School in Japan began the school year with a new state-of-the-art center for design, art and music. Renowned Japanese architect Paul Tange considered the multiple needs of the school and the impact the new structure would have on the surrounding neighborhood when designing Creative Arts Design Center (CADC). Tange’s previous work includes ASIJ’s high school library, the school’s facade and athletics building as well as One Raffles Place in Singapore, Beijing Qingnian Road Project and Dailan Fulljoy Plaza.

He noted that some of his original ideas for the project came to be modified over time as requirements evolved—mirroring the design process that students explore in the CADC’s design labs.

The award-winning Creative Arts Design Center has bright, open, flexible spaces that might house a robotics challenge one day and a strings practice session the next. The three-story building includes five design labs, robotics lab, strings room, two elementary art rooms, two elementary music rooms, a large multi-purpose room. The design labs, which are equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, precision mills and fabrication tools, provide places where students’ ideas can become reality. A dedicated robotics lab expands the robotics program’s ability to innovate and develop world-class machines with

PRESS RELEASE >>

Mechai Viravaidya Opens the Learning Commons at NIST International School Over a hundred NIST parents, teachers and students joined together on Thursday, 8 October 2015 to celebrate the opening of The Mechai Learning Commons, an educational space created to support information technology, online learning, tutoring, exploration, content creation, reading and study. The facility, made possible through the generous funding of Khun Mechai Viravaidya and family, builds upon the more traditional library model. In addition to standard reading materials, it also includes a community café, mini-amphitheatres and reading nooks— all designed to facilitate shared learning. During the opening ceremony, Head of School James MacDonald recognized not only Khun Mechai’s generous contributions to NIST academically and 36 EARCOS Triannual Journal

The building’s third floor features the Japan Center, which will strengthen ASIJ’s connections to the local community and enrich the Japanese program. It also houses a technology center and professional learning suite. Each space is designed for flexibility, allowing for movement and adaptation for a range of uses, in addition to their primary functions. Already the Japan Center has played host to a number of exciting cultural experiences including tea ceremonies, shamisen and tsuzumi music recitals and performances by Nihon buyo (traditional dance) masters.

“The CADC is a statement about where we’ve been and where we’re going. It says: We’re embracing creativity, innovation, and collaboration—in developing new teaching and learning practices, in seeking new and exciting cross-cultural opportunities, in using design and fabrication to solve real-world problems,” says Paul O’Neil, Director of Learning Innovation.

The CADC’s spaces are a physical expression of ASIJ’s strategic objectives which encourage students to be risk takers, pursue personal pathways, develop the capacity to understand diverse perspectives and become adept at solving problems using design thinking. “We asked: What skills and habits of mind will our students need in the future? We set out three strategic objectives that encompass those skills,” says Head of School Ed Ladd. “Now, with the Creative Arts Design Center, we’re bringing our vision to life.”

Submitted by Matt Wilce, Director of Communications The American School in Japan

financially over the years, but also to the growth of NIST’s community during its formative years.

Khun Mechai served as the Chairman of the NIST International School Foundation from 1993 to 2002 and 2005 to 2009. A well-known figure in Thailand, he is also celebrated for his advocacy in family planning and rural development, and still serves as the founding chairman of the largest non-profit in Thailand: the Population and Community Development Association.

Khun Mechai’s work includes a strong focus on the need to support disadvantaged communities and children, particularly those in Thailand’s rural regions. His passion for helping others strongly impacted NIST’s own mission and values, leading to the creation of many of the school’s community initiatives. These programmes—student-initiated and driven—include Dreams We Believe In, the NIST Development Bank, FairNIST Coffee Co. and the Maeramit Development Group. Each of these have allowed poor com-

munities to access NIST’s facilities and resources, share and learn from NIST students and staff, and grow through educational and financial support.

Through the vision, inspiration and generosity of the Mechai family, NIST has not only been able to support continued academic and personal excellence for its students, but also extend this mission into the surrounding community, empowering and enriching others.

“Three key words that are taken from our philosophy statement are provoke, extend and enrich. We feel that these words can truly be attributable to Khun Mechai, as when teaching and having conversations with our elementary students, he always provokes inquiry from the students and helps extend their thinking, and eventually our students go on to enrich other people’s lives.”

- Mr. Brett Penny, Head of Elementary NIST International School Submitted by Jared Kuruzovich NIST International School

Raffles American School Malaysia (RAS) has grown from a start up school with an enrollment of 4 students in August 2012 to a WASC accredited school with an enrollment of 120 students in just 3 and a half short years! The entire faculty and staff of RAS takes great pride in the learning environment which has been created through dedication and partnership between parents, students, faculty and staff. News and Views – Inside Schools in Malaysia, published by ITS Education Asia writes, “ During our school visit, you could see the process of Problem Solving and Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Research and Organization Skills, and Interspersonal Skills unfolding, no matter what class we observed. Every classroom exuded the expertise of the teaching staff, from the carefully planned layout, to the engaging display boards, to the varied and exciting lessons we saw in progress.”

Raffles Education Corporation (REC) of Singapore has developed the RAS Brand through collaboration with International School Services, (ISS ). ISS has been instrumental in providing both human

and curricular resources which have culminated in a truly American school, in Malaysia. REC planted the seeds for the birth of RAS in 2011 with the hiring of a New York Architectural Firm, SOM. SOM developed an inspirational educational plan which won second prize at the Architectural Festival in 2012 for Best New Educational Design. The 46 acre campus plan incorporates the slope of the land from hill to wetland through the construction of 19 terraced levels and flowing roof lines which channel water toward the wetlands.

Students enter the top of the campus as four year olds and graduate from the Performing Arts Center at the south end of the campus.

Secondly, the classrooms are nestled in the middle of the 46 acres with the indoor suporting facilities surrounding and the outdoor supporting facilities forming the outer ring. An undeveloped 6 acre wooded hill will serve as outdoor education space.

Construction is underway and the first phase of the campus will be ready for occupancy in 2016 with full completion scheduled for January 2017. RAS will boast a 30 seat planetarium, 700 seat theater, Gymnasium Complex, 25m and 50m swimming pools, tennis courts, baseball diamond, soccer pitches, stadium track, boarding facility and state of the art science laboratories and classroom spaces. As REC and administration focus carefully on the construction plans and specifications for completion of the purpose built campus, RAS continues to enjoy and celebrate the fantastic learning environment which exists in our small temporary campus. As one of our 2nd grade students wrote as a cinquain poem: Raffles American School busy, kids kids are learning smart and happy kids School

PRESS RELEASE >>

Triple the Fun at Bangkok Patana School!

Head of Bangkok Patana School, Matt Mills took time to say a fond farewell to the first set of triplets he has seen graduate in 31 years as an educator. George, Hugo and Piers Illing are all now attending universities in the UK following their successful completion of the IB Diploma. “Not only are they unique through being a set of triplets, the Illing boys have also had a high profile at school through their involvement in drama, sports and charity work, with a lot of their time being volunteered outside of the school timetable; they will be missed” explained Matt.

Bangkok Patana School is the original British international School in Thailand. Established in 1957, the not-for-profit school has remained at the forefront of education for nearly 60 years and is today one of the most leading educational establishments in South East Asia. Enrolment is currently around 2,200 students from over 60 different nationalities and the school prides itself on its guiding mission “…to ensure that students of different nationalities grow to their full potential as independent learners in a caring British international community.”

Submitted by Emma Goligher Development, Alumni & Marketing Manager Winter 2016 Issue 37

CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

Campus Development >> Here We Grow Again!

CURRICULUM

Curriculum >>

Innovative Golf Program at the American School of Bangkok Kurt Greve, IPGA Co-director agrees saying, “Students in this program benefit in life and athletics from our technology and mental and physical fitness.”

The benefits are hard earned.

Mornings students attend classes, and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. have golf activities including technology, sports psychology and twice weekly nine-hole rounds. Saturdays demand another18 holes.

There’s more to come.

ASB will expand the golf program to include students as young as 8 in upcoming ASB-sponsored tournaments in Hua Hin and Bangkok.

The winners will be offered full scholarships.

School Year 2015-16 at the American School of Bangkok features athletic and academic curricular developments unique to international schools in Thailand. The progress is attributable to the school’s founder.

It’s doubtful that person, Mrs. Lakhana Tavedikul, has ever had breakfast with the blues. From the school’s inception in 1983 as a kindergarten with a handful of students, until the most recent developments that have brought athletic and academic acclaim, the school’s director has begun each day with optimism.

That spirit underscores growth of ASB which now spans pre-school to high school on two campuses with 897 students and 111 teachers from 49 countries.

These citizens of the ASB nation will tell you that expansion is par for the course. Literally so in some cases.

The Green Valley campus neighbors a 7000 yard, Bobby Jones-designed golf course, and the founder incorporated these serendipitous surroundings into the curriculum.

To date, nine ASB students have earned golf scholarships, and the curriculum has begun an affiliation with the PGA of America. This innovation was recognized on Oct. 15, 2015 when the Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Singapore honored Mrs. Lakhana for “passion and vision” in establishing the IPGA in Thailand. The program combines education and golf affording students a pathway to universities.

This IPGA curriculum is unique to ASB in Asia and has helped senior Panat Bodhidatta earn a golf scholarship to the University of Washington. He says, “The (ASB) program with the new facilities, has helped me win 10 tourneys, earn a scholarship and prepare me to join the PGA.” 38 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Beyond golf accolades, four days after the Singapore award Mrs. Lakahana received the Quality Persons of the Year 2015 Award from the Foundation of Science and Technology Council of Thailand. The FSTT recognition “honors and celebrates lifetime accomplishments of exemplary individuals, who have succeeded in personal and professional life, and have dedicated their organization’s activities for the benefit of the society and country.”

Such science and technology will highlight ASB’s next curricular development, inclusion into Collegeboard’s Capstone program.

As with the IPGA, ASB is the only international school in Thailand offering the elite course. Students who complete the rigorous academic program requiring success in five AP classes and scholarly research earn a Capstone Diploma. Could one student hit an ASB “whole-in-one” by completing the IPGA and Capstone? It would be hard, says Mrs. Lakahana, rather like building a school from a postagestamp sized kindergarten into a world-class school with programs unique to Thailand.

Submitted by Gil Mueller Assistant Principal, The American School of Bangkok

STUDENT GALLERY

Nanjing International School Still Life | Jin Bu, Grade 6 Medium: Oil Pastel

International School Bangkok Art Title: Dragon Fruit | Zai Limwatanakul, Grade 7 Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Korea International School Jeju Art Title: Owlet Jessy Eum, Grade 8 Medium: Red clay Yokohama International School Self-Portrait Sari Yamagata, Grade 6 Medium: Pencil on paper

Garden International School Alexander Lim, Grade 7

Middle School G a l l e r y

Concordia International School Shanghai Middle School Installation Piece Marc Mathyk, Grade 5 Brent International School Manila Jiyeon Park, Grade 6 Medium: Oil Pastel on craft paper

International School Manila Contour Nina Block C | Nina Cobankiat, Grade 8 Winter 2016 Issue 39

STUDENT GALLERY Ekamai International School (EIS) Art Title: “A Little Bird” Grade 6, Medium used: Clay and Acrylic color

International Christian School, Hong Kong Eveyln Wong, Grade 8

Middle School G a l l e r y

Kaohsiung American School Art Title: City Landscape Katherine Chen, Grade 8

Kaohsiung American School Laura Kuo, Grade 8

International School Beijing Students in “WILD PAINTING FOR PURPOSE” painted the set for the MS production of SUESSIFICATION of ROMEO AND JULIET, Grades 6 – 8, Acrylic and Latex paint.

Alan Sun, Grade 8 Ashley Liu , Grade 8

40 EARCOS Triannual Journal

Canadian Academy Art Title: ‘Self-portrait” | Eun Bi Cha, Grade 8 Medium: Coloured pencil on washi paper

STUDENT GALLERY

Kaohsiung American School Art Title: Tessellation and Self Portrait Heloise Wu, Grade 6 Kunming International Academy Self Portrait, Photoshop Coco Ke, Grade 6

Shanghai American School, Puxi Campus Art Title: Rainbow Flower Galaxy Cherry Wu, Eugene Cheung, and Sean Macnamara Grade 6, Medium: Acrylic

Shanghai American School, Puxi Campus Art Title: Tessellated Earth Han Seung Cho and Emily Zhuang, Grade 6 Medium: Acrylic

The American School In Japan Art Title: Untitled Jeehoo Yoon, Grade: 8 Medium: Acrylic Paint on Canvas Prem Tinsulanonda International School Art Title: My Bedroom JunĂŠ Tiamatakorn, Grade 8 Medium: Colored Pencils on Paper

Kunming International Academy Self Portrait, Photoshop Tim Gan, Grade 6

STUDENT GALLERY

Saint Maur International School Art Title: Portrait Yuka Sooda, Grade: 7 Medium: Pencil and watercolour paint Shanghai Community International School Hangzhou International School - Hongqiao Campus Art Title: “Darkeness” Mong Koo, Grade 7 Medium: Oil Pastels on Paper

Shanghai Community International School - Hangzhou International School - Hongqiao Campus Art Title: “Night in the Sky,” Susan Sima, Grade 8 Medium: Acrylic Paint on Canvas

Middle School G a l l e r y International School Manila Contour drawing 1 block C Joshua Dreese, Grade 7

Oberoi International School Art Title: Metamorphosis | Grade9 | Medium: Water Colors

Wells International School Monochromatic Painting “Evening Sky” Suphakorn “Best” Phuripichet, Grade 7

Osaka YMCA International School Art Title: Blind contour and wire drawing Kaito Mizutani, Grade: Grade 6 Medium: Color marker and wire

STUDENT GALLERY

Vientiane International School Nan Khamsy and Ukiyo-e, Grade 9 Medium: Linoleum print on paperÂ

Vientiane International School Collaborative Project Ukiyo-e, Grade 9 Medium: Colored pencil on paper

Yangon International School Art Title: Cubist Violin Gyee Gyee, Grade 7 Medium: Colored pencil

United World College of South East Asia Hiroki Muneyoshi, Grade 7 Medium: Pencil

International School of Kuala Lumpur Julia Tavela and Charlotte Harris Grade 6

United World College of South East Asia Jae Eun Cho, Grade 7 Medium: Pencil

Yangon International School Art Title: Cubist Portrait Chelsea, Grade 7 Medium: Oil pastel and collage

On the Road with Dr. K

On the Road with Dr. K

Klingenstein Advisory Committee gather (hats and all) at Columbia University Teachers College for its annual Klingenstein Center meeting November 15-16, 2015.

Back row L to R. Mark Reed (Charlotte Country Day, NC), Andy Klingenstein (President of Klingenstein fund), Patti Donahue (Klingenstein Centre) , Stephanie Levy Lipkowitz (Albuquerque Academy), Dick Krajczar (EARCOS), and Julie Klingenstein (Director ‘Interviewing for Excellence) Front row L to R. Jim Scott (Punahou School, Hawaii), Carolyn Chandler (Metairie Park Country Day, L.A.), Pearl Rock Kane (Director Klingenstein Center), Mark Tashjian (Burr and Burton Academy , VT), and Nancy Simpkins (Klingenstein family)

Formal opening of new International School of Phnom Penh Campus. Dick Krajczar, EARCOS Executive Director, Michael Hodgson, ISPP Operations Administrator, Barry Sutherland, ISPP Director, and Terry Hamilton, Head of School, Hanoi International School.

Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen with Mr. Barry Sutherland and Bun Rany first lady of Cambodia leading the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Veterans Day celebration at the American Cemetery at Fort Bonifacio Manila, Philippines. Dick Krajczar, David Toze and Joe Petrone.

Siesen International School and St. Mary’s International School (Back row L to R) Colette Rogers, head of SIS, Ann Kagei, MS Principal, Sab Kagei, Headmaster SMIS, Bro. Michel Jutras, SMIS board chair. (Front row L to R) Sister Asuncion Lecubarri, former head of Siesen International School, and Dick Krajczar.

14th EARCOS

Teachers’ Conference 2016 We are pleased to announce the 14th annual EARCOS Teachers’ Conference (ETC2016) in International School Manila, Philippines scheduled for March 31 - April 2, 2016.

Theme: “Innovating Arts and Motion.”

We have a host of excellent keynote speakers and workshop presenters. Our keynoters are: JEAN BLAYDES MOIZE, MARK JENKINS and DOUG GOODKIN. We think the conference will prove to be professionally stimulating and will provide you with an opportunity for networking and building camaraderie.

STRAND Physical Education Visual Arts Film Design Technology Performing Arts: - Choral Music - Dance - Drama - Strings - Band Technology Counseling General Education Topics

PRE-CONFERENCE Alec Couros Melissa Cox Marilyn George David Gleason Kristi Mally Barbara Sunday Ted and Carolyn Temertzoglou

SPECIAL PRESENTERS Maria Eleanor Barlongay Rolf Becker Christopher Bill Jean Blaydes Moize Peter Boonshaft Andrea Capranico Ashley Casey Matt Chadwick Alec Couros Melissa Cox Ringo Dingrando Steve Dodd Christina Dy Robert Gillespie David Gleason Terry Goetz Doug Goodkin David Gran Jennifer Hartley Dinah Helgeson Mark Hill Kevin Honeycutt Toym Imao Mark Jenkins Gerry Leonardo Kristi Mally Cameron McHale Breen O’Reilly Joan Pipkin Brian Russell Rencie Santos Barbara Sunday Carolyn Temertzoglou Ted Temertzoglou Andy Vasily

TOPIC

Technology AP Music Theory Accreditation Counseling Physical Education AP Studio Art Physical Education

Dance Film Band Physical Education Band Film Physical Education Design Technology Technology AP Design Technology Physical Education Art Strings Counseling Dance Music, Orff Film Drama Choral Drama Art and Technology Artist Photo, Adventure Art Physical Education Action Research Film Strings Design and Technology Art AP Physical Education Physical Education Physical Education

If you have any questions, please contact the EARCOS office or email Elaine Repatacodo, ETC Coordinator at lrepatacodo@earcos.org www.earcos.org/etc2016/

Approved Weekend Workshops for SY 2015-2016

One of the services EARCOS provides to its member schools throughout the year is the sponsorship of two-day workshops and institutes for faculty and administration. The topics for these workshops are determined according to the needs of members. Workshops are hosted

by EARCOS schools.

DATE

HOSTING SCHOOL

CONSULTANT

TITLE

JANUARY Jan 16-17 Yokohama International School John Rinker Jan 16-17 Shanghai American School Shaun McElroy

Jan 16-17 International School of Kuala Lumpur Cathryn Berger Kaye Jan 16-17 Brent International School Manila Faye Brownlie Jan 16-17 Thai-Chinese International School Wesley Przybylski Jan 16-17 Shekou International School Holly Reardon Jan 22-23 American Int’l School of Guangzhou Dana Watts Jan 23-24 International School of Beijing Mark Church Jan 23-24 Brent International School Manila Faye Brownlie Jan 23-24 International School of Bangkok Bronwyn MacLeod Jan 23-24 Singapore American School Cathy Berger Kaye Jan 30-31 International School Manila Kathy Collins

Using Maker Spaces to Build a Culture of Design Thinking Flourishing in Schools: Utilizing Groundbreaking Research and Tools from Positive Psychology to Improve Student’s Wellbeing.

Service Learning Elementary Assessment Leveraging Technology and Innovative Strategies in the Math Classroom Inquiry and Assessment for Learning, Pre-K through 2 Mobile Learning. Mobile Devices Making Thinking Visible Assessment in Middle School and Upper School Gifted Education and Reaching Highly Able Learners Integrating Service Learning Into Curriculum Writing Workshops and Close Reading in the Inquiry Classroom

FEBRUARY Feb 13-14 Korea International School Jeju Feb 13-14 Bali Island School Feb 20-21 International School Manila Feb 20-21 Bandung Independent School Indonesia Feb 27-28 Busan International Foreign School

Differentiated Activities and Assessments Using the Common Core Standards Growing Global Citizens (new dates) Literacy Institute Inquiry-based Maths learning and teaching in the Primary Years Supporting Language Learners through differentiation

Carolyn Coil Deidre Fischer and Kenny Peavy Bonnie Singer Mignon Weckert Virginia Rojas

MARCH Mar 4-6 Korea International School Jeju Mar 18-19 Seisen International School Doug Goodkin Mar 19-20 Internatioanal School of Beijing Jill Bromenshenkel

4th Annual KISCA Conference 2016 Music in the Integrated Curriculum Putting Language at the Center of Your Instruction to Support Language Acquistion

APRIL Apr 9-10 Concordia Int’l School Shanghai Apr 23-24 Teda International School

Dr. Bob Bain Kim Cofino

Teaching and Learning History Transforming Your Classroom

MAY May 2-3 International School Suva May 21-22 UWCSEA

I.S. Suva Teachers Chris Spetzler

Themes in Education Engaging Youth with Decision-making and Leadership

For questions about the Weekend Workshop Grant application you may email Edzel Drilo at: edrilo@earcos.org or visit our website at www.earcos.org

EARCOS Global Issues Network Conferences 2016 Welcome to “EnGINeering Our Future” 2016. This year’s Middle School Global Issues Conference will be centered around designing a safe, prosperous, and sustainable future. Students will experience a collaborative and interactive two days where forming new friendships, and strengthening relationships built from past conferences will happen throughout the weekend. We look forward to seeing all of us come together to share what we are all so passionate about – leading by example through our action projects!

EnGINeering Our Future will take place March 5-6, 2016 @ Shanghai Community International School in Shanghai, China.

Coordinator: Tina Santilli: SCIS Hongqiao Middle School Principal (tsantilli@scischina.org) Visit our website https://hq.scis-his.net/gin2016/ High School Global Issues Network Conference Bali Island School, formerly Bali International School We welcome any student with a passion for making a positive change in their community!

Grades 9-12 | March 11-12, 2016 Turn On The EnGIN. Make it Work!

Coordinator: Sakina Brik, Secondary French/GCP Coordinator (gincoordinator@baliis.net) Visit our website http://gin2016.baliis.net