February Newsletter 2016 From the Principal
Dear members of our school community, The days are getting longer and we are heading toward the important moments of Sakura. With its symbolic meaning Sakura can always help us to gain a better understanding. Carnival, end of first term, project week, parent night cafe and movie night and other bigger or smaller events had happened and we are looking forward to all upcoming activities that are connected with spring and summer. The reoccurring of Sakura every year has much similarity with reoccurring events in the course of a school year. The events are somehow the same and at the same time they are always different. Our IB educational goals and learners profiles are in many ways always the same but how we get there is always different. There is a connection with our German/European profile and and as well with our mission statement. „ Our school has a foundation built upon its German heritage and European values and beliefs. As a school community we strive to be lifelong inquirers inspired by and challenged through authentic and meaningful learning experiences. Being committed to providing an exceptional education, we foster international mindedness, critical thinking, inclusion and respect for diversity and the willingness to act with integrity and compassion.
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
When I was a student in Primary School, teachers taught the way they were taught when they were young, which meant that they had the assumption every student had to learn the same content at the same time with the same books and material. And they did the same every year again. At that time teachers did not care much about the outcome of their teaching. They just had to secure the input. Our educational philosophy differs significantly from that. We want lifelong learners and we respect diversity. Our approach is orientated on output, which means we need to respect that there are many different ways to learn and to teach. And we respect that learning happens in many places not only in school. We also know that best learning happens in situations that are meaningful. Concerning single subjects we are dealing with the same content and goals of understanding that teachers had to deal with years ago. But in a world of globalization we need individuals who have more available than reproducing facts. We need individuals who can inquire, who can process information, who know how to communicate results of inquiry and who know, what they have to do to be more successful. To make this happen, we need to respect diversity of teaching and learning. And that is what we are doing and thanks to Sakura it reminds us of the things that are important. Best regards Gerhard Lebherz
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Events - Carnival
This February everyone turned into princesses, animals and their favorite characters. There were lots of wonderful costumes, fun, laughter and games as we had our school carnival. Thanks a lot to PTA for organizing that event! All children were happy about celebrating this traditional event and catching some candy on the way.
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Events - Project Week
More than 40 parents joined the final presentation of our project week. They visited all the classrooms to get an overview of the learner profiles and attitudes demonstrated in many different ways by our students.
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Early Years Early Years got a new toy from Germany. All Early Years children were very excited!
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Pre School
The Preschool was introduced to their new Unit of Inquiry. Transdisciplinary Theme Sharing the Planet Central Idea: Local Environments are used and valued in different ways. Lines of Inquiry 1. Natural and human-made elements of the local environments. 2. How people use local environments. 3. Actions that benefit or harm the local environment. They took a trip exploring the different parts of Rokko Island. Who knew it had so many sides to it; almost swept away by the windy seafront and then getting their hands dirty scavenging on the side of small hills while walking around the Island’s green belt.
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Grade 1
As we concluded our 3rd Unit on Culture, the Grade 1 and 2 students collaborated on a project to create dragons that are an expression of Chinese cultural traditions during the Chinese New Year. This project has been done together with both classes as well as with Mr. Seifert during P.E. time and we are looking forward to performing at the March assembly on Wednesday, March 30.
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Grade 2
In the last week of February Grade 2 had their 100th day of school! They celebrated by working on various activities relating the number 100! Making 100th day hats and glasses... Creating 100th day drawings... Imagining being 100 years old... and measuring and adding numbers up to 100! ‘We were quite proud of our accomplishments!’
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Grade 3
A school of fish A group of fish is forming a school of fish to gain strength in a safe community
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Grade 4
In their Shape & Space unit the students have been learning about nets, plotting coordinates and naming various 3D shapes. The students used a Minecraft environment to display their knowledge in a construction task.
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Grade 5
Color Chromotography ‘During this lesson for UOI we did an experiment about paper chromatography by writing with 5 writing utensils on a filter and dipped the tip of the filter in water and alcohol to see the change in the ink or lead in the writing utensil. I thought that this was very interesting. I think the most change happened in the writing utensils that used liquid ink. Next time, I would like to try more writing utensils.’ -Zeke
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org
Grade 6 & 7
Grade 7's Plankton Project “We gather plankton data to measure the health of ecosystems.” Using their handmade plankton nets, the Grade 7 braved the strong winds and winter weather to gather seawater samples from Suma and Ashiya beach. The students learned firsthand what fieldwork is like for real marine scientists.
Deutsche Schule Kobe – European School 3-2-8 Koyochonaka Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 Japan Tel.: 078-857-9777・Fax: 078 857- 9775・http://www.dskobe.org/・mail@dskobe.org