Emirates Literature Festival

By Yasmina Faqih, 6X

On Monday the 6th of February 2023, the whole of Grade Six attended the Emirates Literature Festival. We went on the coach, and soon arrived to the Literature Festival held in Festival City. We walked through an outdoor pathway where there were a variety of books being sold and stands selling food. We walked through a magnificent red carpet, to reach the large shelter where there were hundreds of chairs soon to be filled with many students coming from different schools from around the UAE. Everyone’s hearts were racing with excitement, and I along with many of the other students were wondering what was going to happen next. Why were we all gathered here today?

We were all pleasantly surprised to see Onjali Q Rauf enter the room. Onjali Q Rauf is a famous and inspiring author who has written many enchanting and captivating stories, such as The Boy At the Back of the Class, Hope on the Horizon, The Night Bus Hero, and many other amazing books, some of which I have personally read before and found incredibly interesting, so my cheeks flushed with excitement when she arrived. Onjali Q Rauf had a very inspiring and interactive presentation, about the backstory behind her amazing stories and why she focused on the theme of refugees in many of her books. She told us about her experiences with Syrian refugees and what her stories are based on. She told us about how these problems are serious, and are still taking place now, and why this means so much to her.

We all left the shelter feeling inspired and recharged with new information, and what was behind our favourite stories. We all felt thrilled to have met such an incredible author. She had motivated me and so many other students to read and write more, and taught us about how serious war actually is, by giving us examples about what she has witnessed herself. After the talk, we returned to school and went back for our afternoon lessons. Overall, this was a phenomenal experience.

By Rameen Ali, Grade 10

This year's Emirates Literature Festival provided a unique opportunity for the Literary Society to host renowned British poet and performer, Harry Baker at NLCS Dubai. He is known for his unique combination of mathematics and poetry. He gained popularity after he won the 2012 Poetry Slam World Cup with his poem "Paper People." Baker has performed at several international events and festivals, such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Glastonbury Festival.

It was a rare opportunity for our students to witness a live performance from such an accomplished artist. During his visit, Baker performed some of his best poems to the grade 5 students, incorporating math concepts and puns that left the students in awe. The students had a wonderful chance to immerse themselves in art and poetry and develop a greater appreciation of its diverse forms.

What made Harry Baker's performance so special was not just his talent, but his ability to connect with the students. He was able to captivate them with his words, his energy, and his humour. The students were engaged and entertained throughout the performance, and they left feeling inspired and motivated to explore their creativity. Additionally, Baker also shared his experiences and insights with the students.

He talked about his journey as a poet and performer and discussed the ways in which poetry and math intersect. It was an eye-opening experience for the students, who were able to gain a deeper insight into the creative process and the possibilities that exist within it. Overall, Harry Baker's visit to our school was a truly memorable and enriching experience.

Thomas Jacobs, Head of Mathematics

The mathematics corridor has been bustling with activity and excitement this year, and it is time to reflect on our accomplishments. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all students for their hard work and progress in class, with special recognition for our grade 10 and 12 students who completed the MYP and DP examinations. I would also like to express my gratitude to the mathematics teachers for their dedication and support, which has enabled our students to thrive in the subject.

This year, all senior students had the opportunity to participate in the UKMT Mathematics Challenges. I am proud to say that all students who participated received a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award, and a special shoutout goes to Ali Karim in grade 10 for qualifying for the Maclaurin follow-on round – an incredible achievement.

Under the guidance of Leo, Bingyan, and Junhao, the mathematics society accomplished many firsts this year. They published the inaugural edition of the 'Infinity maths journal', which showcased student articles on a range of topics, including Klein bottles, the mathematics of lying, and the Riemann Hypothesis. Additionally, the society invited Dr. Karol Sikora, the CEO of Neacemka, to speak about the real-life applications of mathematics in engineering. It was an inspiring session that demonstrated the practical value of mathematical knowledge.

The Nicholson lectures were a highlight of the year, with two excellent contributions from the mathematics department. Miss. Morgan gave an informative talk on maths anxiety, exploring how this condition can manifest itself and offering useful techniques to mitigate its impact on performance. I also gave a brief history of the number zero, which is not only a story about a number but also about humanity's struggle to accept new and controversial ideas.

While the classroom is where the magic happens on a daily basis, maths week was an event where students and teachers came together to showcase something extraordinary. The theme for the week was 'Applications of mathematics,' and during the opening assembly, I discussed 'knot theory,' an area of mathematics that had no application when it was discovered 200 years ago but is now a principal theory used to cure some forms of cancer. The student-led assembly by the mathematics society continued this theme by highlighting modernday applications of mathematics, such as probability in the stock market and using quadratic equations in sports.

To support our students, we introduced the use of Myimaths, an online platform that allows students to review lessons and practice their skills with immediate feedback. The usage of this excellent resource has been impressive, with over 1,000 tasks completed per week on average by our students!

Thank you to all students and teachers for making this a fantastic year in Mathematics!

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By Helin Wang

It has been an amazing year full of learning and growth, and we are excited to look back at all the achievements of our society.

At the beginning of the year, we organized MYP help sessions to provide support to our members who were taking the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. We believe that these sessions have been immensely helpful in aiding our members to excel in their studies.

We also organized various interactive activities throughout the year, such as Math Jeopardy and puzzles, which helped to enhance our members' problem-solving skills and fostered a sense of camaraderie among the members.

Furthermore, we spent time preparing for the UKMT competition. Our members were provided with comprehensive training, and they were able to put their knowledge into practice during the competition. We are proud to announce that we had some members who were able to achieve exceptional results.

Additionally, we were honored to have invited Dr. Karol Sikora from the University of Wollongong to present about mathematics in the field of engineering.

Lastly, we hosted a critical thinking training session that aimed to develop the analytical and logical reasoning skills of our members. This training proved to be beneficial, as it not only enhanced our members' math abilities but also their critical thinking abilities in all areas of life.

Overall, it has been a successful and memorable year, and we thank all the members who made it possible. We look forward to continuing our work in promoting mathematical knowledge and excellence.