The Voice 26

of Tanglin Trust School

26

Working Towards Sustainability Yoga for Children The Future of Learning

MCI (P) 014/07/2016

Vol 26 06/2017

Welcome Our Vision Statement says ‘To be the best school in the world with a dynamic learning community which nurtures and inspires everyone to be the best they can be’. I think I can say with some certainty that Tanglin has a ‘dynamic learning community’. Keeping up with the challenges and opportunities for everyone to ‘learn and do’ is at times mesmerising.

I love the recent ParentWise workshop ‘Helpful helpers – supporting children with reading’, which recognised helpers play an important role in caring for and looking after our children. Another favourite of mine is the 20/20 programme where our Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) students help some of our Housekeeping staff to learn to read English.

In this edition of The Voice we celebrate 10 years of ‘Tanglin Caring for Cambodia’ - as we all know, learning occurs as much outside of the classroom as it does within it and this is a fine example of that. In line with this project, I am particularly keen to nurture a sense of service in our children where they choose to serve of their own conviction and volition. We already have a number of opportunities to serve through the Junior School High Commissioner’s Award (HCA), the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) (international version of the Duke of Edinburgh Award), and the CAS, element of Sixth Form life. Alongside these, we are developing opportunities through our Alumni and TTS Foundation and through service elements on Student Councils and student responsibilities. The commitment to serve doesn’t happen overnight, but I hope that by the time our students leave us they have an informed conscience and the will and motivation to act upon it.

Among the other interesting articles in this edition are a look at the ‘Future of Learning’ in the Junior School (supported by the PTA), and ‘Yoga for Children’ in the Infant School. It’s also lovely to read a catch up with some of our Alumni who are now working and studying in interesting careers such as ‘Football Analyst’ and ‘Ethical Hacker’! Read on to find out more!

Editor Louise Colbridge Design Jay Valentine

Finally, I can’t ignore the touching comments about Julie Barlow who is leaving us at the end of this year. I have worked with Julie both here and at my previous school, the British International School – Jakarta. Julie adds enormous value to any school she works in and suffice to say she will be greatly missed here. I wish her and her family well as they return to the UK. I hope you have an interesting and enjoyable read!

Contributors Students, Staff and PTA Photography The Communications Team & other contributors ‘The Voice’ herein refers to ‘The Voice of Tanglin Trust School’ All students’ year groups referenced in this issue are accurate at time of print.

Peter Derby-Crook Chief Executive Officer

Contents

News from our Three Schools

Infant School

Celebrating 10 years of Tanglin and Caring For Cambodia

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Yoga for Children

Showcase

PTA

Going Green

Junior School

12

Sports & Activities

Alumni

Our World Update

9

What Your Children Are Doing on the Internet

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16

Student Services Keep Calm and Eat Sleep Play Revise

Sporting Round Up

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Creative Writing A Selection of Infant, Junior and Senior Writing

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Our World

Working Towards Sustainability

Senior School

The Future of Learning

Art/ Dance/ Drama/ Music

20

6

Feature

Preparing Students for Jobs of the Future

Beyond the Classroom

Infant, Junior, and Senior Reviews

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Year 3 Zoo Trip

30

Book Reviews

35

Sixth Form

10

32

The Last Word

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Goodbye and good luck Ms Barlow!

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Tanglin Talk

News from our Three Schools Welcoming the Year of the Rooster!

In celebration of Chinese New Year, we launched the week with an extravaganza of an assembly! Our Infant and Junior children came to school dressed in red and gold for the day. It was an amazing event full of colour, dance, drumming and martial arts. Thank you to the TTS Foundation for supporting the assembly. Children across the three schools were also delighted to see the Lion Dance performed on the playing field.

Supporting Entrepreneurs in Need

The Junior School Lend with Care Week was a great success!

Thanks to the generosity and philanthropic nature of the children we raised an amazing $4,024 from activities including magic tricks, drama activities, story-telling, mask making and nail painting. This, combined with the $2,361.30 from a mufti day, has given us an amazing total of $6,385.30 which will help fund entrepreneurs in need. www.lendwithcare.org

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ParentWise has Launched ParentWise is the new umbrella term for workshops, courses and presentations for Tanglin parents. Events last term included an engaging talk by TTS Foundation Inspirational Speaker, Sir John Jones, an information evening on the support and guidance Tanglin offers Year 9 students in their academic choices, and tips on helping your Infant child manage the digital world.

To keep informed of upcoming events, please log onto the TTS Parent Portal / Engage With Tanglin / ParentWise or scan here.

Celebrating Young Filmmakers

In March, Tanglin hosted the first ever Across Asia Youth Film Festival (AAYFF) which saw over 250 film submissions from 13 countries across Asia. A glittering red-carpet event showcased the shortlisted films which were judged by representatives from HBO, Disney and MediaCorp. To find out more, log onto www.aayff.com.

Play @ onenorth Year 2 students have painted new life into an old piano which was donated to JTC as part of the Play @ one-north community-building initiative. The piano has been painted by children during their ‘Children’s Uni’ weekly activity sessions and will be handed back to JTC once the art-masterpiece is complete. Look out for the beautifully decorated piano in Biopolis Epicentre for everyone to enjoy and play.

Inspiring Visitors Thank you to the TTS Foundation for funding visits to Tanglin by Simon Purse, actor and director Dan Sully (award-winning British Film director) and Low Strung (classically trained cellists from Yale University who make up the largest all-cello all-rock band in the world).

Making Canine Friends The Reading to Dogs programme is a reading programme designed to help shelter dogs better acclimatise to society and help prepare them for when they are ‘adopted’. A first in Singapore, a group of Year 7 students visited the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), their Year Group charity, to read to the dogs in the shelter.

Tech Tips Useful Apps for Families by Google 1. YouTube Kids Parents worried about their children and inappropriate YouTube content now have a handy parenting companion. The YouTube Kids app makes it easy to set up a walled-garden of kid-safe videos on any Android or iOS device.

2. Google Keep Google Keep makes it easy to capture a thought or list for yourself and share it with friends and family. Quickly capture notes on your child’s theme days, information evenings or trip kit lists and get a reminder later at the right place or time. Record a voice memo on the go and have it automatically transcribed!

3. Google Trips Planning a family holiday during the term breaks?

Google Trips makes it easier than ever to plan and organise your trips. It automatically maps out a half day or a full day with suggestions for things to see and do.

You can download any of these apps from your Apple App Store or Android Google Play.

Follow us!

tanglintrustschool

@tanglintrust

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Feature

Celebrating 10 years of Tanglin and Caring For Cambodia or leadership groups for an intensive and relevant two days of training looking at areas of the Cambodian curriculum identified by the CFC team. The third day of training involves travelling between the CFC schools observing and supporting the teachers, as well as identifying areas to focus on in subsequent training programmes and to plan next steps for each individual school. The trip ends with a community presentation at one of the schools where local dignitaries, headteachers and CFC representatives speak to the parent body delivering key messages to the community. Hygiene packs are also distributed to a grateful audience, in what can be a very humbling experience.

How it all began

by Katie Sansom, Nursery Teacher, Infant School In 2006 as part of my role as a volunteer, I was invited to Siem Reap with Liz Bicknell to review the education practices in the pilot schools Caring For Cambodia (CFC) had begun to support since being established in 2003. The biggest barrier to learning was immediately obvious, after years of oppression under the Khmer Rouge the teachers were in desperate need of training in fundamental pedagogical skills and required basic teaching equipment.

The first project I was involved in was with two teachers from the Singapore American School (SAS) to set up Kindergarten classrooms and train teachers in Early Years (Nursery and Reception) practice. This was to set a strong foundation for our successful partnership with CFC that has spanned over ten years.

Over the subsequent years, the training expanded rapidly incorporating all grade levels from the Early Years to Grade 6. Our most recent trip combined the three Tanglin schools for the first time, offering training from pre-school (Nursery) to Senior School with a team of 24 staff. Over the past ten years over 75 TTS staff have made the trip to support their counterparts in Cambodia, working either in Primary or Secondary roles. We are fortunate that teachers at Tanglin now have access to TTS Foundation teacher training grants to help support the cost of these voluntary trips to Cambodia.

The training has expanded over the years to include not just classteachers but everyone from pre-school parents, support staff, administration leaders, headteachers and government officials. Identifying exceptional teachers for added responsibility and leadership opportunities has been a recent focus.

Typical training trips span over three days and start with ice breaker activities for over a hundred Cambodian teachers that can be used in classrooms. These range from creative ‘Trashion Parades’ and circle time games to PE skills. Groups then break off into grade

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Thank you to the TTS Foundation for supporting Tanglin’s work with CFC by providing grants for teachers and teaching and learning assistants to travel to Cambodia

The High Commissioner’s Award

by Victoria Scott, Year 5 Teacher and Caroline Rushworth, Head of PSHCE, Junior School

Junior and High School Training

by Mhairi Aluthge-Donna, Assistant Head of Humanities, Senior School Senior School involvement began six years ago, when Diane Ayres, a former Infant School teacher at Tanglin began working at CFC and identified a need for the training to be extended into the Junior High and High Schools. The trips followed the same schedule of ice breakers, training, observations and the community presentation. Initially, we focused on teaching strategies in Mathematics and Science. It became apparent that many teachers had never seen science experiments performed and were uncertain how to manage them in the classroom setting. Over the coming years, we worked on formalising scientific practicals and identifying a methodology that could be successfully integrated into the curriculum. Over the ensuing years, we also delivered training on strategies in Humanities, English and development of the Art curriculum and the use of iPads in lesson observations.

It soon became apparent that the teachers and specifically, the mentor teachers and technical grade leaders that we were working with, had integrated, enhanced, and created a wide breadth of strategies that had been embedded into their lesson planning. This year was the first time that we trained in Leadership and Management and was in fact, the very first time that middle leaders in the high schools had been offered such training.

Our focus was on creating a shared vision within the schools, teams and department areas and then using that vision as a starting point for a schedule of lesson observations and feedback.

We sat in on leaders running team meetings and we practised giving constructive advice following observations and even began to deal with handling difficult conversations. The Ministry of Education attended one of the sessions and they were incredibly positive and complimentary about the training and resources.

The High Commissioner’s Award (HCA) is a Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) for Junior School children in Year 5 & 6. The programme offers children the opportunity to develop environmental, community, service and philanthropic awareness. Started in 2011 by a teacher who had been inspired on a teacher training trip to Siem Reap, the original group of 24 children from Year 5 became the basis for a programme that acts as a foundation for the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) and the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programme in the Senior School.

The British High Commissioner in Singapore has always been a great supporter of the Award from its initial inception and at the end of Year 6 the children receive their awards at His Excellency’s residence, Eden Hall. Over the last five years more than 200 children have been to Cambodia to volunteer at the CFC schools and have taken part in a number of activities leading up to the trip.

Our ever strengthening link with CFC is something we are immensely proud of. The students raise the profile of their involvement and links to CFC by running stalls at the Christmas and Summer Fairs. In addition, the Year 6 students undertake individual fundraising projects outside of school which are donated to the Bricks & Mortar Fund for CFC. Over the last 5 years Tanglin HCA students have fundraised to provide CFC schools with classroom furniture, paving, paint, water tanks, a sports storage facility and an orrery as well as digging trenches for pipes for sanitation in the High School at Aranh. The children have also helped collate hygiene packs from the community, donated school bags and contributed to the Teaching Fund, which is also supported by our teachers.

This year, the children raised over $12,500 USD - a phenomenal amount! In March, 66 students and staff made their way to Siem Reap and involved themselves in many projects: from Food For Thought (giving breakfast to all students who attend CFC schools) and the village ramble to laying paving stones and painting classroom furniture. It is always a wonderful sight to see our students working as a team and even better when CFC students join forces with them in their break times to improve the CFC schools and enjoy a bit of fun with an annual football match.

“One of the many reasons CFC is so special is the students. They are so enthusiastic, always smiling and ready to participate in anything - such an exceptional group of kids!”

Joy Wee (Y13.12) 7

“Working alongside CFC was a new and incredibly fulfilling experience for me. One of the most inspiring aspects of the trip was when we were given the opportunity to conduct lessons at schools supported by CFC. Despite the significant language barrier, the positive classroom atmosphere created by the students and teachers immediately made me feel welcome to their school. The enthusiasm and dedication displayed by CFC students allowed me to understand both the value they place on education and their devotion to learning.” Roxana Forughian (Y13.3) Support from CAS

by Dave Roberts, Head of Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) The Sixth Form CAS programme at Tanglin encourages students to take on new challenges and develop relationships with people and organisations in the local and international community.

The close bond that we have with CFC embodies what the best CAS experiences are about. It is a symbiotic relationship where both parties learn from each other. Students have been visiting Cambodia for seven years and the programme has evolved considerably during that time.

A party of approximately 25 students visit Siem Reap in June each year. To begin with, they carried out infrastructure projects, but in recent years the focus has changed. Students now develop carefully planned learning programmes that are designed to run alongside and support the existing CFC curriculum. To ensure all runs smoothly, preparations begin about eight months before and students are involved in discussing what curriculum input is required and what resources are necessary to successfully deliver support. The resources are created at TTS over a period of about four months. In addition, as CFC is funded by voluntary donations, we also endeavour to raise funds before we leave. Students also attend lectures on the history of Cambodia so that they are able to understand the wider environment in which CFC is working.

Preparation is key to the CAS experience because students have invested a considerable amount of time and effort before they leave for Siem Reap. When they arrive in the classrooms this is not a separate experience, but the culmination of a great deal of hard work.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without our partnership with Tanglin Trust School. The commitment and professionalism of the teachers, parents and students has taken CFC to another level. I believe this partnership has given Cambodia and its children hope for a better and brighter future. Thank you!” Jamie Amelio, Founder and CEO, Caring For Cambodia 8

Hygiene Packs Donation Drive

by Angela Dawson, Assistant Head of Infant School Hand-in-hand with the teacher training programme is CFC’s aim to offer continuous support for families in the surrounding community by providing parents with information on hygiene, nutrition and nurturing skills. Since 2009 our Tanglin community of students, parents and teachers, have been fully involved in the creation, collection and packing of family hygiene packs which comprise of toothpaste, toothbrushes, a flannel and soap. On average, 1,500 packs are created each year and hand delivered by our teacher trainers.

The distribution of hygiene packs continues to be the highlight for the community as hundreds of family members walk or ride in from the surrounding villages to collect the kind donations. Due to unfailing support and fundraising by the TTS community, all CFC students now receive a daily nutritious meal, school uniforms, have well maintained classrooms, clean drinking water, toilets and bicycles for transport to and from school.

Alumni

Working Towards Sustainability

by Nellie Rogers, Alumni Manager

This issue we feature two Tanglin Alumni who are pursuing their dream of working towards a more sustainable planet. Read on to find out how TTS Alumni Miranda and Caroline have turned their passion for the environment into the beginning of an exciting and rewarding career path.

Environmental Law is a relatively new field and I hope that the combination will enable me to influence the future of our planet. At the end of it all, in a nutshell, my plan is to save the world – yes really! As an environmental lawyer or an environmental government policy maker I would like to make a real difference to sustainability goals.

Miranda Wyeth – Environmental Science and Law, Queensland University of Technology, Australia After graduating from Tanglin with an IB Diploma in 2013, I applied to Queensland University to read Environmental Management. Once I started my course I realised it was quite different from what I had expected. There was much emphasis on sustainable development in terms of town planning and eco-building, but it wasn’t until I did an assignment related to the Australian fishing industry that I realised how important the connection with the natural world is to me. After some agonising soul searching I decided to switch not only my course but also my university.

Caroline Daumich - MSc Sustainable Aquaculture Systems at Plymouth University, UK

I’m currently studying MSc Sustainable Aquaculture Systems at Plymouth University, having completed my undergraduate course in BSc (Hons) Marine Biology there too. Since I was 10, In February 2016 I started again at I had the career path of marine biology in Queensland University of Technology and the back of my mind, however growing up I am now in my second year of a double I changed my mind a lot. It was my passion Degree in Environmental Science and Law. for the environment and seeing the related In addition to the core science course there challenges we face with regards to the are lots of interesting electives to look oceans and coastal habitats, as well as forward to. Moreover, to complete the Law the increasing reliance we have on these Degree I will have to complete a six month habitats, that settled my decision to choose attachment with a law firm. marine biology.

After graduating from my undergraduate course, I wanted to specify in a certain problem area. With an increasing population and a need for increased sustainable food sources, choosing to continue my studies in sustainable aquaculture systems seemed like a valid option. As I am currently halfway through this course, I have already benefitted from modules based around fish health and nutrition, sustainable uses of resources in biological systems and contemporary issues surrounding aquaculture. My final project is based on trialling new types of fish feeds on rainbow trout to investigate their potential in benefitting their health. This will hopefully lead me to a job in the aquaculture industry in developing innovative fish feeds for aquaculture companies. Since this is the first feeding trial I have conducted, I will require more experience in maintaining the aquarium systems and animal husbandry.

I would love to be involved in a job that leads to positive changes to the environment, whether that’s working for NGO’s or in the aquaculture industry to promote sustainable farming techniques. TTS taught me to think outside the box and to acknowledge the many problems our earth faces, and how to take initiative to challenge them and find solutions. My uni course has helped by providing the knowledge needed to find the solutions, which will then bring me forward to a job that will help make our planet more sustainable.

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Our World

Our World Update Opening of the TTS Foundation Eco Vista Wall by Caroline Patterson, Content Producer – Communications Last term excitable children and staff gathered for the official opening of the Eco Vista Wall, a 76 metre long outdoor corridor connecting the Infant, Junior and Senior Schools. A month in the making, the project supports student-led initiatives inspired by Tanglin’s Antarctica visit in 2016.

Company information: TANGLIN TRUST SCHOOL FOUNDATION LIMITED Incorporated as a Public Company Limited By Guarantee in May 2012 Registered as a Charity under the Charities Act in June 2013 UEN NO. 201212078W

The ‘graffiti art’ mural was designed and produced by professional artists, Geeksigners, working with a representative group of students and staff, so that it reflects the ‘Our World 2041’ sustainability agenda. This lead team of students had the responsibility of explaining the project to younger participants; coordinating their involvement and explaining the significance of it to the community.

Sections of the mural represent land, sea, air and space and are splashed with colourful elephants, pandas, Antarctica explorers, astronauts, birds, penguins, whales and even a merlion!

The creation of the wall has been a wonderful opportunity for our children to engage with issues of global importance whilst developing new creative skills.

Groups of children from all three schools collaborated with the artists to paint, spray and write messages on the wall. In addition, all schools were involved in collecting recycled plastics to create collage work that was added to the main mural. Contributors have seen their individual efforts coming together to quite literally form the ‘bigger picture’.

The wall is an engaging and highly visible focal point for Tanglin that will go on to inspire reflection about Our World for generations to come. It will be a daily reminder of the importance of looking after the planet, and our responsibility to do so.

Thank you to the TTS Foundation who have made this project possible by funding the school’s collaboration with Geeksigners.

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Earth Hour – A 10-Year Anniversary

by Angela Dawson, Assistant Head of Infant School Earth Hour is the largest ground-up environmental movement in history and this year it celebrated its 10 Year Anniversary. It famously started as a ‘lights off’ event in Sydney where for one hour individuals, communities, households and businesses were encouraged to turn off their non-essential lights as a symbol for their commitment to the planet. With the continued support of WWF, it has grown into a global event across 178 countries and territories, and in 2012 was even celebrated in space!

Now 10 years on and with the Earth Hour Global headquarters in Singapore, it

engages a massive mainstream community on a broad range of environmental issues and the one-hour event continues to remain the key driver of the now much larger movements.

On Thursday, 23 March Tanglin took part in a whole school ‘Earth Hour’ from 11.00am -12.00pm where all classes and departments switched off their lights, computers, projectors, iPads, mobile devices and ACs, a visible sign and message of support of what can be achieved if we all work together.

And finally as part of the global ‘lights off’ event which took place on Saturday, 25 March between 8.30 – 9.30pm, our Operations Team ensured, as always, that Tanglin was in darkness too!

Senior School Eco Week – An interview with Antarctica 2041 CAS students

by CAS Communications students Franka Odenwaelder (Y12.8), Dunia Mando (Y12.3) and Reynard Conradie (Y12.9) What is Eco Week and why is it important?

Eco week is a week where the school focuses on raising awareness for the environment and why it is important to do so. Each day of the week was themed to bring student’s attention to a different aspect of preserving and protecting the environment. Different events took place each day to bring focus to the theme of the day.

Meatless Monday All food options in the Senior canteen were vegetarian

Having had the privilege of being the first organisation in the world to screen the now critically acclaimed ‘A Plastic Ocean’ in August 2016, it was great to see so many Tanglin families attend our second screening in February 2017, keen to find out how they can make a difference. In the film, a team of scientists and film-makers explore the shocking effect of plastic on marine ecosystems and human health.

Trash Tuesday Recycling games to raise awareness of limiting waste at school and home Water World Wednesday Campaign to encourage students to bring their own refillable water bottle to school Turn Down Thursday Acknowledging Earth Hour across the school where all electronics were switched off Car Free Friday Community encouraged to car pool or use public transport to get to school

What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve had to encounter with regards to educating students about caring for the environment?

Often people aren’t particularly engaged and focused on saving the environment, and we encounter many people reluctant to change their lifestyles - but after some persuasion many people realise that it doesn’t take a lot of personal change to make a difference. It’s not that people are lazy, but many people think that saving the environment requires a lot of effort, but in reality it is very easy to make a difference.

Who took part?

Students played a key part but teachers also got involved. Our personal highlight of Eco Week was a concept called ‘Pedal and Blend’. This is where students made their own smoothies with a blender that powered by energy created by the students - they had to pedal in order to get a smoothie!

What was the purpose of the week?

The events were designed to draw focus towards the idea of how vital it is that we as a community do our part in conserving, protecting and preserving our world. We hope students and teachers alike were made more aware of how important the environment is, and that in turn, our school becomes more sustainable as a whole. We want to get the discussion going amongst students, teachers and parents. Our group, Antarctica 2041, also plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the week and we sent out surveys that will help us reflect on how activities have affected students, and which ideas and concepts we should carry on next year.

Who came up with the idea?

Eco Week was a collective idea which was devised by the Antarctica 2041 CAS group.

What do you think was the best part of Eco Week?

The best part of Eco Week was ‘Trash-Free Tuesday’ where students in the Senior School took part in lots of games to highlight how much waste we all produce.

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Infant School

Yoga for Children

by Charlotte White, Reception Teacher, Infant School

It was about a year and a half ago when I realised that my interest in a healthy, balanced and mindful lifestyle could be reflected in my teaching. I am no yoga expert, if anything I am as rusty and as unbalanced as the next person, however, yoga has always been so much more to me than manipulation and pose conquering, although of course I am in awe of anyone who can do so!

As a busy full-time Reception teacher in my third year at Tanglin I strive to find ways to release stress, grab time for me and clear my mind of busy thoughts. Space and time on my yoga mat allows me a moment to breathe. In a yoga session I am no longer a teacher, no longer thinking about assessments, data or what needs to be

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done next. I am able to just be, to connect with myself and my mind-space.

It was in January 2016 that I began to wonder how I could replicate my experience on the yoga mat with my class. Like all 4-5 year olds, my class were full of life and a love of learning, however, I was aware there was a need to increase self-awareness and the ability to regulate their own emotions. The more I read into self-awareness the more yoga for children appeared.

Yoga is everywhere, featuring on all social media and after reading much research I could see how the benefits were invaluable for the children in my care. So after a little more exploration, it was time to try the theory, I knew my class would be keen and willing participants and so we began a yoga learning journey together.

I started with some basic breathing exercises and through reading and innovating I increased my knowledge of poses, partner work and ‘quiet time’ activities to help the children to relax. The

more we found time for yoga the more the children loved it and the more I could see the benefits. Soon we all wanted to do yoga everyday. Yoga was a HUGE success!

Alongside the yoga came an unexpected awareness of my learning space, my

classroom, where we spent our days.

Soon questioning if the bright colours and vast amounts of hanging items were needed? Thinking, how I would feel at 5 years old walking into a room so full of life, stimulation and choice, was there a sense of overload? Throughout the rest of the academic year I slowly began to strip back my classroom, focussed on centring it all on the children, what was important to them?

What did they notice? What did they need?

The results spoke for themselves.

It was at the end of the academic year that I realised that not only had I achieved the ability to support the children’s self awareness, that they knew how to breathe in a conscious way, but I had also reevaluated seven years of a teaching style.

My classroom was a child-centred learning space and my own well-being felt so much more at ease. Yoga really had impacted my day to day thinking, but what now? How could I keep the momentum going?

It is thanks to the openness and support of the Infant School here at Tanglin that I have been able to continue and grow with this journey. I am now completing a National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership, which is a research based qualification. My research project is: ‘How Yoga and Mindfulness affects the Behaviour and Development of Children’. To further my skills, I took the opportunity to travel to Brisbane, Australia in my October half-term break to attend a three day yoga teacher-training course with Rainbow Kids Yoga. Yet again, I was blown away by the passion and dedication shown by my trainer and the attendees on the course, who shared likewise real-life experiences about the power of yoga and self-awareness with their own classes or children. The course furthered my confidence and I gained a wealth of knowledge, I was so excited to get back to my class and to my daily yoga practise.

It is with great thanks to my ‘Yoga Advocates’ in the Infant School that I am running a project with 11 classes across both key stages. The teachers I am working with are busy trialling yoga sessions and activities with their children on a weekly basis. The project will run from January to the end of Term 3. The feedback from the Yoga Advocates has been positive, Jen Ticehurst from the Monkey Class states, ‘During parents evening so many of the parents referred very positively to the yoga programme and how the children were coming home and talking about the poses

they had done that day. As a teacher, I am finding that the mindful moments we share especially whispering into our hands about what we have learned that day or what we would like to find out about or what kind thing we have seen that day is calming and positive and a great way to start or end the day.’

Children’s yoga takes on a totally different format to adult yoga. I was trained to teach in a four step way incorporating activities to connect as a group, practise poses, have fun and at the end relax with some quiet time. Along with some props, instruments, speaking objects and music, each session can be tailored to the class needs, interests and age. The advocate teachers in Nursery are focusing on listening, repetition, copying an adult, interacting, sharing and developing awareness of their own bodies. Whilst the children in Reception have mastered some of these techniques, they are able to learn more specific poses, participate in active quiet time and have even begun learning simple sequences.

As the yoga sessions progress through to Key Stage 1 the development of pose knowledge continues, the sharing of ideas and co-teaching sessions with the students.

As the children are a little older they are able to participate in partner work and some simple guided meditation.

I feel honoured to have found yoga and to have been given the opportunity to share my passion within the Infant School. Yoga is certainly a skill I will continue to use within my own teaching and one that I will continue to share with others.

It has been wonderful to hear so many parents commenting on the success of introducing yoga in the classroom and how their children are keen to continue with it at home, so here are some simple yoga ideas to try with your children.

Go to Yogabearsblog.wordpress.com or follow @yogabearsblog on twitter for ideas of how to incorporate yoga at home with your child.

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Junior School

The Future of Learning

by Lucie Scott, English Specialist, Junior School

Fostering a learning community is no new concept at Tanglin, indeed it is central to our school’s aims and values which state that, “We value teachers who learn and learners who teach”. With this in mind, the Junior School have been redesigning our thinking around traditional classrooms and the manner in which we engage learners.

The design of our Future Learning Room (FLR) is based upon principles considered to be the best educational designs to support deep and collaborative learning by encouraging student and teacher interaction. The integration of technology to support students in sharing their learning with peers, both within and beyond the immediate learning space, is also vital to the concept of the FLR. We were delighted to welcome Joanna Flint, Managing Director of Google Singapore, to speak during the launch of the FLR last term. Her words echoed our shared priorities in which collaborative behaviours are essential for tomorrow’s workforce.

By adopting a collaborative approach to learning, we aim to enable our students to attain the skills needed to operate in a fast-changing, dynamic world; in jobs that currently do not exist.

Joanna distilled these priorities into three

winning elements; perfectly harmonious with our vision for the FLR. Techniques – From ‘Sage on the Stage’ to ‘Guide at the Side’ ‘When one has knowledge, one knows how to make sense of information, knows how to relate information to one’s life, and, especially, knows when information is relevant’ (Charles Morrison, 2014).

The FLR is crucial in shifting our understanding of the learning environment and how the space provided, and the use of integrated technologies, can positively impact learning. Its design places learning in the hands of the learners, demanding high levels of personal responsibility and engagement from individuals by creating an exciting learning environment that moves away from the traditional notion of teacher at the front of the classroom imparting knowledge to the ‘empty vessels’. This

“It (collaboration) means that you work as a team.

You use everybody’s ideas and it’s like having one enormous brain.” Ryusei Okada (Y6.1) 14

traditional style of education is physically deconstructed by the use of space, with the teacher becoming instead the facilitator who enables all students to take an active role in constructing their own knowledge.

Fresh ways to collaborate, create and explore are encouraged. Learners collaborate towards a common goal, share expertise, clarify misunderstandings and assume personal responsibility for the group’s success, knowing that each member of the community has a different role to play.

Tools - Collaboration ‘Digital technologies offer new opportunities for learning in an increasingly connected society, in which learning to work with others and collaborate has become an extremely important skill.’ (A García-Valcárcel Muñoz-Repiso, 2014) In a world overflowing with information, the workforce and leaders of the future will require more than just information when they enter the workplace. They will need to be equipped with the skills to transform information into knowledge. A powerful aim of the FLR is to set learning within an

“The PTA are proud to have enabled the funding of the Future Learning Classroom.

The space embraces where our children find themselves in terms of the technological revolution. The opportunity for collaborative learning, the idea that ‘two heads are better than one’, is also something we wished to support.” Kate Saynor, PTA President environment in which social and leadership skills can be practised and refined.

Equipping students with these tools leads to social gains; students are required to view situations from different perspectives, thus broadening their horizons. They develop new ways to communicate with others, fostering empathy. To achieve this, the physical tools provided in the FLR consist of Learning Pods; break-out spaces in which small groups are invited to collaboratively construct understanding.

There are multiple surfaces, including the table tops, on which students plan, write, draw and develop their thinking. A flexible central space, that incorporates height adjustable, modular furniture, encourages larger groups of learners to regroup and refocus in order to deepen their learning.

Technology – Towards a digital canvas The concept of an online global community is a difficult one to grasp, however, the FLR encapsulates this within a single room.

Our vision sees individual Learning Pods connecting with the other pods, all of which connect remotely to other spaces within the school and beyond. Students embrace the power of this connectivity and the world opens up to them; their knowledge no longer constrained by the four classroom walls.

the students’ common goals are. The teacher’s interactive whiteboard is mirrored by a large non-touch panel. A Samsung 360° camera, used for training and demonstration purposes, has been hooked up to a Galaxy device for 360 streaming too. The students have a multi-touch panel (currently a Wacom Cintiq) to write and draw on. This can synchronise to the teacher’s board via various applications, including the Google Suite and Classroom.

This vision is realised by the use of specialist kit to be implemented in three phases. The first stage being the room itself and initial equipment: multiple, synchronised screens both from the teacher’s multi-touch screen to Learning Pods with screens to demonstrate what

The next stage is to make the Learning Pods easier to write on and turn handwritten objects into digital replays.

This is being trialled with a SMART Kapp glass panel laid flat on a desk. Once a single pod is set up with a syncing mechanism, our aim is to work all four pods within the

space as a single canvas. Products such as Google’s Jamboard will be utilised for this, so that the devices the students use can join in to the Jamboard session and collaborate in one digital space. This phase will also see the HTC Vive brought into the learning area for grouped Virtual Reality sessions coupled with steady use of the Google VR (I AM Cardboard) on mobile devices.

Phase three is to implement an independent audio solution for each pod and introduce mixed reality recordings.

We are so thrilled with the outcome and incredibly grateful to our active and supportive Parent Teacher Association who have financially supported this exciting innovation.

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Senior School

What Your Children Are Doing on the Internet

by Clare Butler, Head of Personal, Health, Social and Citizenship Education (PSHCE)

In the last 5 years the internet and what it offers has changed beyond recognition. Our children are far more aware and active on the internet than we ever had the opportunity to be.

It can be tough to keep upto-date with websites, social media and apps that our children are accessing but it is imperative that parents make themselves aware and informed so they can monitor what their children are doing online.

Whilst researching the topic of what young people are accessing online, I found some really useful websites and apps that can help parents monitor internet usage at home. Below is a summary of what parents should be cognisant of whilst their children are online.

Youtubers Apparently our kids don’t just love playing Minecraft and other such games, but

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they love watching other people play them too. I used Common Sense Media (www. commonsensemedia.org) to find out more. Common Sense Media is a useful tool for parents to help research and evaluate all types of media and technology as to whether it is appropriate (or not) for their child.

According to Common Sense Media, these are the OK and not-so-OK Youtubers: Great, no problems

Not really appropriate

iBallisticSquid

Captainsparklez – plays some violent games such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto

Stampy Ethangamer PopularMMOs UnspeakableGame Logdotzip OK, but be cautious

Jacksepticeye – seems quite suitable on the surface but plays violent games such as Resident Evil and Sword with Sauce LtCorbis – one of the most popular Youtubers.

Known for her “foul-mouthed rants”. She is only in middle school and plays games while discussing school issues she has had but beware, her language is choice!

PewDiePie – one of the most famous Youtubers danTDM – reviews between games and sometimes lets out a (apparently!) but he is known for his anti-Semitic and offensive content swear word but bleeps it when editing VanossGaming – according to my Year 11’s (who are Markiplier – no swearing but the experts after all!) there is quite a lot of swearing does review and play some scary and he plays mature games games such as Five Nights at Freddy’s

Social Video-Chatting and Live Streaming

General Social Messaging Safety Guidelines

More and more students have their own smart phones and spend lots of time chatting and messaging with friends. Below is a list of the apps that they could be using:

If your child is using online social media sites or watching videos on YouTube, it is important that you discuss online safety with them; they should understand the boundaries you set them, the potential dangers and who to approach when they have seen or experienced something online which has upset them. Here are my top tips for discussing online activity with your child:

Facebook This is a huge social site which connects people and serves ads.

Users can play games, watch videos, post and tag photos, share favourite product information etc. The key things to remember are that the minimum age for this app is 13 and you should check the privacy setting carefully. See www.facebook.com/safety for more details.

• Follow the rules – stick to the age guidelines for appropriate apps and websites • Tell your kids to think before they post – if they wouldn’t show what they write or post to their granny then it’s not appropriate to post!

• Make sure your children set their privacy settings and check this carefully • Have access to your child’s sites so that you can monitor what they post.

Instagram

Policing Internet Usage

This is a popular site for instantly enhancing photos. Although there are guidelines such as users should be 13 and over and should not post semi-naked or naked photos, this still does happen. Photos shared in Instagram are public and may have location information unless the privacy settings are changed.

There are lots of apps now for monitoring your child’s internet usage. Why not try some of these?

Twitter This is a free micro-blogging and social-networking site. Tweets can be deleted but if other people have retweeted the messages then this does not delete those. Check the privacy settings as it can post the user’s location information with each tweet. There are now video ads on the site and they autoplay unless this has been disabled in settings.

• Famigo – making your iPad safe for your child to borrow • VideoMonster – allows you to create lists of YouTube videos that are safe for your kids to watch • Ignore No More – if your child keeps ignoring your messages and phone calls you can lock their phone until they contact you!

• Checky – keeps a tally of how many times they check their phone • Ourpact – a great control app for parents that allows you to block things on their iPad at certain times of the day.

Messenger Messenger lets users video, text message, send photos or call their friends. Although this is linked to Facebook you don’t need a Facebook account to have and use Messenger. You need to disable location information on settings.

Snapchat Users can exchange messages, photos and videos with other users. The developer says that “Snaps” are not saved on the app and can only be seen for 10 seconds after posting. However, third-party programs frequently intercept posts and save the information or capture the image. The app has gained a reputation as a ‘sexting’ app. Watch out for ‘Snapstreaks’ – which encourages users to snap in a streak for a 24 hour period.

Common Sense Media recommends the following messaging sites:

Play Kids Talk age 6-12

Disney Mix

iTwixie

Marimba Chat

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Sixth Form

Preparing Students for Jobs of the Future

by Caroline Patterson, Content Producer - Communications

Have you ever heard of a Bot Lobbyist, a Big Data Doctor, a Corporate Disrupter or a Meme Agent? Neither had I until I recently attended a presentation by Tanglin Trust School’s Careers and Development Team who listed these professions as the ‘Future Jobs’ of our students.

If these are the jobs of the future, what skills are 21st century employers going to be looking for? Zoe Williams, Head of Careers and University Guidance, suggests the following: • • • • • • •

Critical thinking and problem-solving Collaboration across networks and leading by influence Agility, adaptability and resilience Initiative and entrepreneurialism Ability to communicate effectively Ability to access and analyse information Curiosity, creativity and imagination.

Finding out about potential careers Discussions about potential careers get fully under way in the Senior School through Q&As, 1-1s, information sessions, as well as parent-teacher-student consultations.

Students are supported on a case-by-case basis meaning that we know our students very well and can support them towards achieving whatever university course or career they choose. For those students who have a specific career in mind, the University and Careers team helps them to find out more about the field they wish to enter and the types of jobs that exist. Others are encouraged to keep their options open and to use opportunities such as work experience to explore different interests.

Zoe explained that the University and Careers team keep informed as to the changing landscape through staying on top of trends in the growth rates of different job categories, for example, ageing populations and progress in technology is already causing a shift in the nature of jobs and skills required; maintaining invaluable links with university reps; networking with other university counsellors around the world; listening to inspirational speakers; and remaining persistent when researching a new course or profession.

What have former Tanglin students gone on to do?

Tanglin students go on to study a diverse range of university courses across the globe.

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Below, three Alumni tell us about their journey towards their dream job of the future.

Isak Osman – Cyber Security (with Ethical Hacking), Staffordshire University, UK I studied A Level Computer Science at Tanglin where I developed advanced computer and problem-solving skills. During my lessons I found the security aspect very interesting and after some online research decided it was what I definitely wanted to do.

Both Tanglin and Staffordshire University have shown me what it’s like to really immerse yourself in what you’re studying, to ask questions, do your research and practice things – a mindset I feel is needed to become an ethical hacker.

Chris Overtveld – Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Holland Aerospace Engineering as a course only came into light when I was considering my university applications. As such I decided to write my Extended Essay for the IB Diploma on an Investigation into the Basic Aerodynamics of Flight.

My course includes modules on rocket science and orbital mechanics and requires a lot of research. I use the skills gained from researching my own project every day in technical reports and project sessions at university.

When I graduate, I would like to get involved with the European Space Agency and gain experience in companies such as Airbus and SpaceX which are often at the forefront of new technology.

Omar Chaudhuri – Economics at University of Warwick.

Currently working as a Football Analyst, UK At Sixth Form I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do so I decided to keep my options open and studied A Level Maths, Further Maths, English Literature and Economics, with an AS in Chinese.

I went on to study Economics at the University of Warwick as a means to understand different things that happen in the world and found that the modules that covered econometrics were the invaluable ones. Volunteering for the student radio developed my interest in the media, specifically sports, so I started writing a blog. I quickly realised that I was able to apply the knowledge of statistics to football and that the real demand for this type of analysis was at professional clubs. I now work for a company which provides data to football clubs.

Public speaking at Tanglin was something I enjoyed and it has helped a lot in my current job where I have to present often complex ideas using data and statistics. I advise club boardrooms on how to run more efficiently, including identifying through data which players are undervalued or predicting likely league positions to forecast costs and changes in the squad.

It’s my dream job as I not only work with big football clubs but I also get the opportunity to influence major decisions.

It’s impossible to know for definite what other new jobs there will be in 10 years time, but at Tanglin we are confident that our students have the skills to remain lifelong learners, to thrive in the world around them and to succeed in jobs not yet created.

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Dear Fairy Godmother Year 1, March 2017

Scan to view more photos

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Red and Gold Day

Infant & Junior School, January 2017 Scan to view more photos

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Battle of the Bands

Senior School, February 2017 Scan to view more photos

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Showcase:

ART/ DANCE/ DRAMA/ MUSIC

Trip the Light

Senior School, March 2017 Scan to view more photos

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Sports & Activities

Sporting Round Up

by Junior and Senior Staff and Students

FOBISIA Gymnastics

by Dean Scott, Head of Junior Sport

U13 FOBISIA by Lily Schwemm (Y8.7) Fobisia started with the thrill of packing bags, sharing a room with friends and buying a Starbucks at the airport. Everyone continued to be up-beat when we went to dinner the first night and made friends from Discovery Bay International School, British International School Jakarta and Shrewsbury International School. But that thrill then turned into determination and excitement once we woke up on Wednesday morning for day 1, swimming and athletics.

Once we arrived pool-side the Tanglin swimmers got into the water to start their warm up for the races ahead. As our first racers took off the platform the whole of the Tanglin team started to cheer. The atmosphere was amazing. As we came to the end of swimming, snack bags were passed around and we all started to eat.

We then got changed and made our way to the field where Athletics would take place. We started with the field events, which consisted of jumping and throwing.

An hour later we started the track events.

When all of the running was over we then had a medal ceremony for all the medal winners. Tanglin then made their way back to the hotel where we ate dinner. Day 1 was successful for Tanglin as we managed to secure a nice number of medals.

Day 2 was basketball and all of the athletes were excited for the day ahead. We ate breakfast and then made our way to the school. Once we arrived we walked to the courts, the boys would play their first game

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against the British International School Shanghai. The boys fought hard and came close to winning. Then the girls made their way onto the court where they managed to pull through and win their first game.

The games continued with a well deserved break in between. Once all the games were played we all met in a hall where we had another ceremony. The boys had a hard day and managed to come 5th, the girls were undefeated and came away with a gold medal.

Like a flash of lightning our final day of sports came; football. Everyone woke up that morning full with energy, determined to leave the school with another medal.

We made our way to the school where the boys started off the day with another match against British International School Shanghai. The boys came away with a win and were prepared for the games ahead.

The girls then made their way onto the pitch where they lost against the Shanghai girls. From there the matches only got more difficult as the pressure of the score board was effecting our play. However, at the end of a long day the girls secured the silver medal and the boys won the bronze.

Overall the experience of FOBISIA was amazing and one that the students and coaches will never forget. Tanglin was successful and both boys and girls bonded well together. The support for each other was unbelievable and every athlete should be proud of themselves for the commitment and dedication that they put into every game, event and training session.

Well done Tanglin!

Tanglin’s younger generation of gymnasts travelled to Bangkok for this year’s FOBISIA Gymnastics competition, co-hosted by Harrow International School and the British School of Manila. The Tanglin Titans team did not disappoint and walked away with a stunning medal haul, collecting medals in both MAG (men’s artistic gymnastics) and WAG (women’s artistic gymnastics) from Level 1 all the way through to Level 5.

Besides the medals and trophies, it was evident that the children had been prepared and coached to a very high standard. From the moment they stepped out into the arena to begin their warm ups the children behaved like true young sportspeople showing a great team spirit, respect towards their opponents and most importantly, a real love of gymnastics.

Well done to all 20 gymnasts and a huge thank you to Coach Will, Coach Kate and Coach Rosanna for their continued hard work with our young athletes – especially after surviving a 15-hour day on the Saturday of the competition.

SEASAC Boys and Girls Softball, Patana School, Bangkok by Mark Scoular, Coach Last year Boys’ Softball at TTS came to the end of a cycle; the bulk of last year’s very effective team were missing from trials meaning a fresh start was forced upon the coaches. However, the team soon gelled and with only four weeks preparation they were ready for this year’s SEASAC competition in which they faced very experienced teams, many of whom had many years of playing together. The boys performed admirably throughout the tournament with only the minimum 10 players and their final efforts in the relegation playoff match ensured a win and continued participation in Division 1 next year; a mighty achievement!

The girls were placed in a mixed pool of both 1st and 2nd division teams and although the majority of the team are in Year 10 and Year 11 they more than held their own against older and more experienced competition.

In the knockout stages the girls took on UWC East who they had lost to heavily in the ACSIS competition and managed to win a very close game due to the team’s tenacity and improved skill levels across the season. The girls narrowly missed out on the SEASAC Division 2 title in the final versus International School Yangon but they should certainly be proud of their efforts this year and we look forward to seeing how the young team develops next year in Division 1 as this year’s effort secured the team promotion.

SEASAC Boys and Girls Badminton

by Dave Radcliffe, Head of Senior PE With most girls playing in SEASAC Badminton for the first time, it was very enjoyable to watch them grow into the tournament and finish with a well-deserved bronze medal - the first medals for TTS in SEASAC Girls Badminton. With all but one of this squad available next year, and other good players coming through, we are excited for what appears to be a new chapter in Girls Badminton at TTS. The boys team had consistent strength throughout all singles and doubles, and played after a fantastic SEASAC tournament in Jakarta. We were delighted to bring home silver medals, another first for TTS. However, if it is a new dawn for girls Badminton, then it is fair to say that this is the end of an era for our boys, as five of the SEASAC team played their fourth and final tournament before moving onto pastures new. It was a great way to finish for a great bunch of lads.

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played against UWCSEA Dover in the final for the past four years, we knew this would be a challenging finish to the tournament but with the support of our rugby boys and family behind us we really dug deep and played the best match we’ve ever had, walking away with the Silver medal. We are so proud to have been part of this amazing squad, and really grateful to our coach for all the support she’s given us.

SEASAC Rugby, Hong Kong by Lachie Wood (Y13) This year’s SEASAC Rugby in Hong Kong provided a welcome change in weather with cool, dry conditions.

The first day ended with all games won going into the knockout stages the next day. On day two there was excitement buzzing around the team and the boys knew what needed to be done in order to ensure another SEASAC trophy. We managed to make a clean sweep into the finals having not conceded a point yet and we knew the challenge ahead once we found out that we would play UWC Dover again in the final. The first half ended with the scores being 19-12 so the game was still tense going into the second half. However, much to our delight our fitness levels were able to push through and the final score ended at 55-12, a massive accomplishment for the school. With 9 of the SEASAC squad being in their last year of school, it was a truly remarkable way to end our TTS Rugby careers with the title of SEASAC Rugby Champions for the third year in a row. In my entire time being a part of rugby at Tanglin, it has been an absolute pleasure to wear the jersey and represent the school with the upmost respect. Best of luck to all the boys in their futures outside of TTS and good luck to the school team next year.

SEASAC Touch Rugby Tournament - 9 & 10 February, Canadian International School, Hong Kong by Grace Burton (Y13.5), Amy Russell (Y13.8), Rebeccah McLaren (Y13.4) and Fiona Craig (Y13.7) Our preparation for SEASAC had been more intense than previous years, and so we went into the tournament feeling strong. With an early start on the first day, and a new climate to adjust to, it took the first few games to settle into our groove and we remained undefeated until facing UWCSEA Dover in our final pool game. It was a tough match but certainly our best of the day and although we came away with a loss, we were not disheartened and felt more confident going into the semi-final the next day. Day 2 started with a close game against UWCSEA East, with the only try of the match scored in the final minutes of the second half. Having

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Having been part of the Tanglin Touch squad for more than 5 years, despite teammates coming and going, we have established such an incredible bond amongst us and Miss Paterson which we hope will continue in the future. Travelling from Malaysia, to Bangkok, to Australia and finally to Hong Kong, we’ve learnt that being part of a Touch squad isn’t just about the game, but about the experiences you have along the way. With only four of us going off to university, we know the girls will go into the next SEASAC strong, and we want to wish them the best of luck. We’ll miss you lots!

SEASAC Boys Basketball, 9-11 February, Ruamrudee International School Bangkok by Tim Calalang (Y13.10) This year’s SEASAC Basketball tournament in Bangkok was certainly promising. Entering the tournament with such a young set of basketball players, we stepped up to the plate and played every single game with our hearts out. There were several standout moments throughout the tournament from all of the players, which allowed us to showcase individual skills against our opponents. Even though finishing the tournament in 6th place was slightly disappointing, we definitely gained a lot of joy throughout the event. This was an unforgettable experience for all of us as we kept our team cohesion strong throughout the season. Even though this is my last year of representing TTS in basketball, I am certain that the boys will keep up the good work, raise the trophy in the near future and more importantly be proud of wearing the Tanglin Basketball kit for more years to come.

“I was very excited to play my part as trip leader for this competition.

The boys were a credit to the school and performed with great resilience throughout the tournament. Their final position in the competition did not do them justice, and I can’t wait to see how they perform next year.”

Jon Baker, Senior PE Teacher

SEASAC Swimming Championships 2017 by Naomi Lewis, Director of Activities and Sports

U19 SEASAC Girls Basketball , 10-12 February, United World College (UWCSEA), East Campus by Olivia Almond (Y13.7) The U19 Girls Basketball team have fought hard this year with a range of successes over the season, placing 3rd in the ACSIS season and feeling ready for the SEASAC competition. With a relatively young team and a variety of new young players, the squad was challenged in the ACSIS games. However, the team really began to gel in the SEASAC competition, making overwhelming improvements not only as individual players but more importantly as a cohesive team. Win after win helped to push the team into an electric semi-final battle against Bangkok Patana, where each individual player really stepped up and played undoubtedly the best game of our season, edging the opponents out of the SEASAC final with a score of 39-37. The three ‘most valuable player’ (MVP) awards for the tournament were received

by Emma Hall, Loulya Mekkawy and Olivia Almond. The SEASAC tournament was a hard battled competition and an incredible experience, helping to develop and enhance our ability both as a team and as individuals, allowing for new friendships to be forged and old friendships strengthened regardless of the age difference.

“The girls went from strength to strength over the tournament, playing teams from across South East Asia. They always knew they had the potential and were delighted to get to the finals and to play our local rivals again. The girls held their own throughout the final, playing an exceptionally strong and more experienced team and were delighted with their success.” Emma Watson, Team Manager

In March, Tanglin hosted the SEASAC Swimming Championships 2017 at the OCBC Aquatics Centre. Fourteen schools from Thailand, Malaysia, Jakarta, Hong Kong and Singapore competed for the title of Girls and Boys Champions.

The event was opened with a performance by a Tanglin student band, Common Youth, who really got the crowd going. A good luck message from GB swimmer, Jazz Carlin, prepared the swimmers ready for some great swims.

The swimmers certainly rose to the occasion, breaking 46 of the 102 records over the two days. In the main event, UWCSEA East took the Championship for the Boys and UWCSEA Dover Phoenix for the Girls. Tanglin’s Merlions finished in 9th place in the Boys and 6th in the Girls. The Merlion’s achieved a number of PB’s and medal places.

To close the event, soloist Tamsin Al-Awa (Y10), performed on poolside ahead of the final individual medal presentations. The teams returned to Tanglin, where the 400 swimmers and staff celebrated at a gala dinner. The event was opened by duet, Rachel Alexander (Y11) and Sharanya Das (Y11). After the presentations were finished, schools celebrated with a set from student DJ Ollie Blakey (Y8). CAS students Jing Hye Park (Y12), Arunima Mukherjee (Y12), Michelle Kwon (Y12), Kim Comer (Y12), Melissa Guenther (Y12), Maisie Lawton (Y12) and Joisu Hirayama (Y12) also created a beach themed photo booth for all swimmers to have their team photos in.

Over the two days, student photographers, Shivam Pota (Y10) and Aleksandr Isaev (Y10) shot some great action both in the pool and in the stands.

We look forward to seeing the swimmers, coaches and staff at future SEASAC Swimming events.

A big well done to all the swimmers and thank you to all those who made this such an enjoyable event!

Click here for full results.

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SEASAC Senior Gymnastics Championships 2017 by Naomi Lewis, Director of Activities and Sports and Dean Scott, Head of Junior PE Over the weekend of 25 / 26 March, Tanglin hosted the SEASAC Senior Gymnastics Championships 2017. The event involved six of the SEASAC member schools and one invitational school with a total 130 gymnasts competing across the men’s and women’s disciplines.

The teams came from Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore and the event was hosted at The Yard, in partnership with our Gymnastics provider, Gym With Me. The purpose-built facility allowed the competitors to compete in a top-class venue on world class apparatus.

On Saturday, the Boys kicked off the action in their Individual All Around and Team competitions, where they competed on six apparatus. The Boys competed across three levels of the Australian Levels Programme; Levels 3, 4 and 5. Some strong performances were put in by the Tanglin Titans which resulted in medals and trophies for some of the gymnasts.

The second session saw the Level 5 and Level 8 Girls take to the competition arena across four apparatus. There were some mesmerising performances on the floor, which had the crowd on the edge of their seats, cheering on the gymnasts and encouraging them as they prepared for their complex tumbles. There were some elegant performances by the Tanglin Titan Girls, with the gymnasts and teams taking away some well earned silverware.

The final session of the day was the Level 6 and 7 Girls. The standard of competition was high and again the performances wowed the crowd. It was lovely to see many of the boys and girls from session one and two stay and support their fellow team mates in the final session.

Day two of competition was the apparatus finals where all gymnasts from day one were welcomed back to perform once again. This was the gymnasts chance to show off the piece of apparatus that they excelled on and be rewarded for their efforts at the Gala Dinner, where all the presentations from day two took place.

The student volunteer helpers (all of whom were Tanglin Titans themselves) were of great assistance throughout the

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event and we would like to thank them for the role they played and for giving up their weekends, clearly showing their own passion for gymnastics. After the event, the teams enjoyed a fantastic gala dinner with entertainment including a DJ, art and games.

Click here for full results.

SEA Netball Tournament, 11-12 March, TTS

by Lucy Burridge (Y13.12) With such a short netball season and only a few training sessions up our sleeve, the Tanglin teams went into the competition definitely feeling the pressure. Having come 4th last year in the SEA Tournament, the U19 Lions team were looking for redemption. After losing five Seniors we knew that this tournament would most certainly be a challenge with such a new team.

On the first day, the Lions came 2nd in their pool after narrowly losing to the Singapore Sports School. The teams were tied for a majority of the game, however the opposition scored the last goal, resulting in a final score of 8-9. The TTS Lions progressed into the Cup pool where they faced tough competition. The pool cup was round robin in which we had to place within the top four to advance to the semi-finals. After placing 3rd we moved into the semi-finals where we were faced with one of our toughest competitors, UWCSEA Dover. After establishing some clever tactics, the team managed to win 9-8 with a last-minute goal shot by Mackenzie. In the finals, the Singapore Sports School came out just on top, marginally beating the Lions to take 1st place.

SEASAC Girls Tennis, Yangon, Myanmar, 9-12 February

by Sharan Sokhi (Y10.4) The TTS Girl’s Tennis team was the runner up in the 2017 SEASAC and clinched the Silver through their scintillating performance.

We trained hard for two months under Coach Gabbi who worked on our fitness, technique and the game strategy. We were beaming with confidence and high morale before we left for the tournament.

The lesson learnt this year at SEASAC Tennis was “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” We were always positive going into every match and handled pressure better than our opponents. We were humble in our wins but gracious in our defeats.

Gold still eludes us at SEASAC Tennis. However, being optimists and being runners up will motivate us again to shoot for the gold in the next year. The best is yet to come!!

Many thanks to Mrs Aluthge-Donna, Coach Gabbi and the parents for their valuable support, for believing in us and standing by us.

The U16 B team faced tough competition throughout the tournament, however they maintained admirable sportsmanship and effort to take 10th place in the Plate. After coming 1st in their pool games, the U16 A team fought hard in the cup to achieve 4th overall, narrowly losing to UWCSEA East in the 3rd and 4th play-offs. The U19 B team had greater success, achieving 2nd in the pool games on the first day and 5th in the Cup. With many budding talents featuring in the team, we look forward to their future progression in the sport.

U19 Boys SEASAC Tennis Division 1, UWC Dover, 10-12 February by James Troth (Y13), Boys Tennis Captain This year’s tournament can only be described as a whirlwind of emotions. Coming into the tournament we carried high hopes and expectations, due to the belief that this year’s squad was one of the strongest to compete at a SEASAC Tennis tournament.

As my 4th and final year as part of the squad, I witnessed the most inspired performance by any Tanglin Tennis team, with continued determination throughout the tournament despite the many upsets. Although the outcome of 5th place might not be what we had hoped for, all the boys should be very proud of themselves, taking TTS closer than ever to a medal placing. Next year will see the likes of Tom, Matt and myself depart Tanglin, potentially leaving the squad in some difficulty. However I have no doubt that the team can continue to push on next year, and a top 4 finish for the boys should be set as a challenging but very achievable target.

“The TTS boys once again showed their potential as a tennis squad and came the closest they have been to breaking into the Division 1 semi-finals. Missed opportunities against UWC Dover and NIST on Friday ultimately cost the boys a semi-final spot which on reflection they will feel frustrated by.” James Robinson, Coach

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Student Services

Keep Calm and Eat Sleep Play Revise

by Debra Hennessy, School Nurse

The secret to exam success is preparation, both in terms of revision and physical wellness. Read on for some tips from Tanglin’s Nursing Team on how students can maximise exam performance.

Exams can cause stress and anxiety, which can affect your appetite. But skipping meals won’t do your concentration any good.

Eat Breakfast Eat regularly throughout the day and make breakfast a priority. Try energy-giving oats and also eggs, which contain a nutrient called choline, thought to help cognitive performance and improve memory.

At midday eat foods with a low glycaemic index. Generally, the less processed a carbohydrate, the more likely it is to have a low-GI score. Whole foods that are high in fibre are the one less likely to cause a spike and fall in your blood sugars that negatively impact concentration, cause fatigue and keep you craving more sugary food.

For your last meal of the day make the most of oily fish, a great source of omega-3, an essential fatty-acid, with many health benefits and are believed to help brain function. Not a fish fan? Try chia or flaxseeds, believed to be the best vegetarian source of omega-3.

Snacks If you need to snack between meals, keep yourself going with seeds and fruit rather than binging on sugary snacks. Try to combine food groups such as proteins and carbohydrates that will satisfy your hunger and keep you going for longer.

As a rule of thumb, the more colourful your fruit and vegetables, the greater the number of nutrients are consumed.

Stay hydrated Water allows many of the chemical reactions in our bodies to take place and

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therefore, the speed at which our brains can work and process all those notes will be affected if we become dehydrated. It is recommended we aim to drink around 1.2 litres of fluid a day - water being the liquid of choice to keep your body functioning on top form.

Sleep Pulling all nighters is not a good revision technique…here’s why!

“Memory recall and ability to maintain concentration are much improved when an individual is rested…By preparing early and being able to better recall what you have studied, your ability to perform well on exams is increased.” Dr. Philip Alapat, Medical Director, Harris Health Sleep Disorders Center, and Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine.

So what can you do to help yourself?

Sleep deprivation causes irritability and poor concentration and so it is important to establish good sleep habits at all times but especially several weeks before and during exam season. Remember that teens need approximately 8-9 hours of sleep per night.

• Relax and unwind an hour or two before you sleep and avoid bright lights from your computer, TV or phone screens that can interfere with the body’s circadian rhythm • Do not eat heavy meals directly before bedtime as the digestion process will stop your body from achieving deep sleep • Moderate exercise an hour of two before bedtime may help you to sleep well but avoid strenuous exercise immediately before going to bed • Go to bed when you feel sleepy to avoid that stressed feeling when you just can’t fall asleep • Try to sleep and wake up at roughly the same time every night and morning to establish regular sleep habits • Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, tobacco or alcohol in the evening • Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature and darkened to help you achieve and sustain sleep throughout the night.

Source: https://www.harrishealth.org/en/ news/pages/sleep-key-doing-well-exams. aspx March 2017

Play Perspective, Perspective, Perspective Managing stress during exams is easier if you can keep everything in perspective.

Remember that your exam results do not define you and there are many opportunities still open to you if you do not get the results you were hoping for.

Stress Symptoms Look out for prolonged or extreme cases of the following if you feel the work is piling up: • Difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty waking up • Constant tiredness • Forgetfulness • Unexplained aches and pains • Poor appetite • Loss of interest in activities • Increased anxiety and irritability • Increased heart rate • Migraines/headaches • Blurred vision • Dizziness

Find an activity that helps you relax and switch off from your revision and schedule this into your timetable. A fresh mind will function much better than a tired, overworked one.

If you’ve noticed three or more of the above symptoms and you’ve experienced them for a few weeks you may need to do something about your stress levels.

Physical exercise is an excellent way to combat stress and release your happy hormones.

Practice relaxation and mindfulness regularly. There are apps available on your phone such as Headspace and Inner Balance which you may find helpful.

If stress is getting the better of you, speak to a friend, parent or teacher at school.

Everyone has been where you are now and will understand how you feel.

Revise Devise and Revise Devise a timetable and structure your revision so it also reflects time for you to have regular breaks. Try to keep your revision to times when you feel that your concentration is at its best and if you are having difficulty concentrating or beginning to become unduly stressed, stop!

• For specific help with revision techniques, speak to your tutors who will be happy to help • Find a space at home that you can make into your study area. Ideally it should be light and well ventilated at a comfortable temperature • Sit at a desk or table which will prevent back pain and tension headaches from developing • Think about when you feel you work your best and try to maximise your revision around those times • Have everything to hand to avoid having to break concentration to find notes • Remember to eat, drink, and take regular breaks • Set yourself realistic goals and try to stick to them but do not begin to stress or panic if you go slightly off your revision schedule…there is always tomorrow • Do not feel that you have to compete with peers over revision, work to your own pace and cover areas that you feel you need to concentrate on.

Remember that everyone is here to support you and you should never be afraid to ask for help.

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Beyond the Classroom

Year 3 Zoo Trip

by Leslie Baldwin, Admissions Manager, and Laura Marshall, Admissions Officer

Tell us about the trip and why you went along?

Part of our role in Admissions is to introduce prospective parents to Tanglin and give them a good insight into life at school. We have to be well versed in the curriculum taught in (and outside of) the classroom, after-school clubs, sporting activities, philanthropic opportunities and the values the children will learn.

We often talk to parents about the importance of education beyond the classroom in terms of exposing children to new activities and experiences, creating independence, responsibility and resilience.

The Outdoor Education programme at Tanglin is extensive with so many opportunities for children to explore and learn. We believe that to be able to talk to parents about the types of experiences

their children will have here, that we should take part in those experiences too, so we can genuinely talk about and share what the children do and learn.

What were your expectations and how did they compare to the reality?

The Year 3 Zoo trip is an exciting time because for many of the children, this is their first overnight trip away from home.

We expected to see lots of nerves and tears. However, we were surprised that all of the children were incredible risktakers and we didn’t see any tears. The preparation that took place within the classroom prior to the trip meant that the children felt safe, secure and indeed excited and ready for their adventure. The children’s independence shone, as did their teamwork skills and resilience, especially when putting up a tent!

How did the Year 3 children benefit from going on the trip?

It was great to see the children experiencing their Science topic in action and being able to hold and touch an

32

elephant’s tooth, prepare food for the manatees, feed the flying fish, and see the animal hospital and the vets in action; what a great behind-the-scenes opportunity!

It is clear to see that when the children return from the trip, they are confident, happy and better equipped with important life skills, such as building resilience and being risk takers.

Martin Foakes, Head of Outdoor Education, explains the importance of the Year 3 residential trip: “The Year 3 residential to Singapore Zoo is one of the most important trips we do at Tanglin. It may not be the longest or the most adventurous expedition that we run, but for many children it is their first experience of camping out (in a rainforest!) and also for many it is their first overnight trip away from their parents. The zoo is one of the most iconic and well-loved destinations in Singapore, so it provides a wonderful, secure setting for a child’s first big adventure on a school trip. In addition, the opportunity to go ‘behind the scenes’ and experience the animals together after the doors have closed to the public makes this a really special experience for students and the accompanying adults.

On all our Outdoor Education programmes we try to encourage students to appreciate the importance of environmental responsibility and conservation. At this age the emphasis is on appreciation, wonder and making the connection through simple and enjoyable interactions with nature. On this trip the children experience some amazing hands-on activities with some incredible animals. It was David Attenborough who said “No one will protect what they don’t care about, no one will care about what they haven’t experienced”.

During the Year 3 Zoo trip our children get to experience nature and wildlife for themselves, and judging from the happy faces at the end of the trip – they are already learning to care for the natural environment.”

33

PTA

Going Green

by Kate Saynor, PTA President

For some of my predecessors, the thought of rain during the Summer Fair has been a reoccurring nightmare! But for me, an equally powerful force of nature has been the community’s drive for eradicating single-use plastic from campus. I had no idea when I took on this role that part of my job description would include ‘environmentalist’ with a speciality in plastic disposal!

With Mr Foakes and Mr Thomas’ trip to Antarctica kicking off the sustainability agenda at Tanglin, and the subsequent screening of A Plastic Ocean, the Senior School’s recent Eco Week and the Infant and Junior children’s petition to remove plastic bottles from the parent café and canteens (amongst other initiatives) in all parts of the school we are experiencing a desire for action and change. Part of the PTA’s role is to listen to this feedback and

34

to work with the school to explore what change can take place and how we can initiate and support projects.

When considering changes to the way we hold events or how we fundraise, we consult with parents, staff and outside agencies to work out the best way forward.

In this case, it took a lot of discussion and research to manage our plastic usage at the Summer Fair whilst taking into account making the best use of our resources – both financially and in terms of volunteers’ time.

This year’s Summer Fair was the first to not sell single use plastic bottles. Instead, large water dispensers were placed around the campus and our community were encouraged to bring their own water bottle to fill up during the day. Sweets are no longer packed in plastic and instead we sourced paper bags. We worked hard to try to replace all of our plastic cutlery and plates with corn-ware.

We are supporting eco projects elsewhere across the school too. During the recent Eco Week in the Senior School we provided

‘limited edition’ Make Tanglin Green Again water bottles, which were also available to purchase at the Summer Fair.

Whilst we acknowledge that there is still some way to go, we think we have come a long way in a short period of time. Change doesn’t happen overnight but together we can all do our bit to Make Tanglin Green Again.

We thank the community for their support and ask that whilst they continue to challenge us, also consider joining us to help drive change. Volunteers at the PTA are always welcome!

Creative Writing

Can I write a story?

Once there was a brave penguin called Mr Waddle. He was so brave he could chop a rick! But there was a message from his friend and he said ”Quick my house is going to disappear!” He thought to himself, what could he do? He had an idea. He was going to save his friend! He quickly pulled the house up and he saved his friend. The end.

Manolo Hemnani (Y1.6)

Once upon a time there was a penguin called Mr Waddle. One day Mr Waddle decided to go to the wood, but in the wood there was a wolf with 10 ears. When Mr Waddle got there he saw the wolf and then the wolf said “Are you for eating?” “No!” said Mr Waddle “but I might be for running away.” The end.

George Tsakonas (Y1.6)

Alien Mystery On Thursday, 2 March, very early in the morning, a mysterious creature, possibly an alien, crash landed outside Base 1 Year 2, TTS Singapore. Although none of the students have seen the strange alien, they have seen slime and glitter smeared in lots of places.

A few days after the peculiar discovery the Year 2 pupils found a complicated language which happened to say “We come from a plant a long way from here, you have to help us!” Year 2 children have found evidence that it is an alien because of green fur, spaceship and slime. “I’m scared Adwita, let’s take the other stairs” stated Rebecca Smith aged 7.

Unusually, lots of classes have discovered weird things such as glitter, broken computers, alien aircraft and green three toed footprints. Children are now investigating and if seen, please tell Year 2.

Rebecca Smith (Y2.7)

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I still remember that day like it was yesterday. To be precise it was 7 years ago. After we climbed and climbed and climbed to reach the perfect spot, I was soaked to the skin by the pouring rain. I wished it would stop. This was my first time seeing fireworks.

“When will it come?” I asked my mum.

“Watch the sky,” she answered but as the minutes went by, I grew impatient. Suddenly, it seemed several people screamed, a silver jet of light was darting out from below. It shot up and filled my ears with a crackling noise, then burst into a multitude of sporadic, radiant and blazing clouds. It was as loud as a jackhammer. After that 10 rockets sprinted up, breathing smoke as they cried tears of ash. They were sparkling like a tonne of glitter. Suddenly it exploded.

It emitted an ear-spitting cacophony of noise.

It was a breath taking view. The black canvas was dominated with billowing smoke and then illuminated with a stunning display of distant colours. It was colourful like nothing else.

It was the last day of my life.

Yash Jayaram (Y3.6)

As Lila inched her way further into the darkness, she remembered what her father warned her. “This is no place for a child.” Oh only if she knew what the three gifts were.

The heat was swelling around her and the thick, humid air was rapidly diminishing, leaving her mouth a desert. Hauling herself through the slender tunnels on her bloody hands and knees, she lit up and stammered. “Roy-oyal s-sulphur,” and crawled a little faster, for she really wanted to be a qualified firework maker.

A long time later, she reached an open area of road and a colossal cave that was absent of life. Was this a joke? “Where is the fire fiend, Razvani?” Lila yelled dejectedly.

Her head, which lay sadly in her hands, rose to a sudden rumble beneath the earth. Plumes of smoke appeared from a big crack in the wall. The whole rocky cave shook and grumbled.

Emma Chan (Y3.7)

I am not a huge geek and I am friends with non-Indians I don’t like Indian movies or curries and I don’t live in Little India.

I wear jeans not sarees and I don’t hang out in libraries.

I’m not interested in studying all the time and I don’t say Namaste.

I believe in doing what you want and equality.

I love hanging out with my friends and sports and the history of my country.

I am an Indian.

Shreya Veronica Rajadurai (Y8.5) I am not a nerd or a moody teenager.

I can’t handle spicy food and I don’t like Indian food I don’t listen to Bollywood music I wear casual clothes not sarees and I don’t hang out in Little India I am not interested in over studying or going to Diwali gatherings and I don’t say Namaste I believe in having fun, studying well and the fact that everyone should be equal I love Mexican food and Travelling and sports I am a ‘British’ Indian

Drisana Nandha (Y8.5) I am not a nerd or a super brain and not everyone in Hong Kong looks exactly the same, I don’t like shopping or hong kong noodles and i don’t eat rice everyday, I can’t even speak cantonese, I wear shorts and t-shirts not traditional chum sangs and i don’t hang out in street markets, I’m not interested in jade jewellery or the colour red and i don’t say ni hao ching chang chong, I believe in fun and helping others, I love pizza and fish & chips, I am Cantonese

Sophie Leaver (Y8.6) I am not Scottish or American I don’t like Rarebit or Welsh cakes and I don’t eat Welsh cakes I wear shorts and t-shirts, not dresses and I don’t hang out in cafes I am not interested in football or quizzes and I don’t say cwtch I believe in no God and that everyone is different and the fact that you can do anything I love family and roast dinners and the Earth I am Welsh

Seren Price (Y8.6) I am not moody or a nerd.

I don’t like studying or the colour red and I don’t eat noodles every day.

I wear shorts not cheong sam’s and I don’t hang out in Chinatown.

I’m not interested in taekwondo or jade jewellery and I don’t say ‘Ching Chang Chong’.

I believe in having fun and equality and the fact that sleep solves everything.

I love chips and sweets and Taylor Swift.

I am a British/ Singaporean girl.

Trinity Roberts (Y8.8)

36

Background artworks by Nathalie Wiegele (Y10.5), Qian Wen Kuah (Y12.8) and Vanessa Eisenberg (Y10.8)

Book Reviews

INFANT/ JUNIOR/ SENIOR

TOP

5

Books For Infants

1.The Fairytale Hairdresser and the Princess and the Pea by Abie Longstaff 2. Octonauts and the Growing Goldfish by Meomi 3. There’s a Wocket in My Pocket!

by Dr Seuss 4. Angelina Ice Skates by Katharine Holabird 5. Cookie and the Secret Sleepover by Mandy Archer

TOP

5

Books For Juniors

1. Guinness World Records 2016 2. Dog Zombies Rule (For Now)

by Liz Pichon 3. Stick Dog Tries to Take The Donuts by Tom Watson 4. Goal! : The Full 90 Minutes

by Clive Gifford 5. J.K. Rowling : Creator Of Harry Potter

by Cath Senker

The Great Dragon Warrior

by Ng Swee San I enjoy the dragon rides at Universal Studios and I also like to read dragon stories. This story is about Basmi, a dragon who dreams about being a warrior. One day, he hears an injured dragon groaning in a cave. It has been hurt in a huge battle so Basmi flies for miles & miles to dangerous places for spring water to help him get better. When his friend finally reveals himself, Basmi gets a huge surprise and is very sad when he hears the truth. But the story has a happy ending because Basmi’s friends think he is the real hero and a very brave warrior because he is not afraid to help someone in need. - Syed Mohi-Uddin (Nizam) (Y1.6)

The Switch

by Anthony Horowitz Tad Spencer is an incredibly spoiled kid who makes the mistake of wishing he is another boy. When he wakes up the next day, everything has changed. He has swapped bodies and lives with Bob Snarby – a poor criminal who lives in a caravan at a fun-fair. Through his new persona, he learns some dark secrets about his real parents. Will Ted be able to return to his former life? This book is a very exciting and unusual read. It will keep you at the edge of your seat. Highly recommended to all mystery and adventure lovers alike!

- Alana Brown (Y5.2)

This Moose Belongs To Me

by Oliver Jeffers This is a story about Wilfred and his pet moose, Marcel. Wilfred likes to make rules for Marcel to follow so that he can be a good pet.

It is really funny when Marcel chooses to obey only some of them. One day, on a long walk, Wilfred gets upset with Marcel for disobeying him and sets off for home on his own.

However, he trips and gets tangled up in his ball of string. As he lies on the ground feeling helpless and the sky gets darker, guess who decides to be a good pet and rescues him? It is a simple story but one that will make you smile! - Skylar Perks (Y2.8)

Awful Auntie

by David Walliams Stella wakes up one day only to find herself wrapped up like a mummy and an orphan after having lost both her parents in a car crash. Having inherited Saxby Hall, her cunning aunt (Aunt Alberta), is now on a mission to cheat Stella out of her inheritance. And she will stop at nothing to get what she wants! Along the way, you will get to meet Wagner (Aunt Alberta’s Great Bavarian Mountain Owl), an ancient butler named Gibbon, and the ghost of a chimney sweeper! This mad-caper is full of suspense and adventure. I highly recommend this book to fans of Roald Dahl and David Walliams. - Raphaelle Wade (Y6.6)

Daisy and the Trouble with Kittens

by Kes Gray Daisy is delighted to travel to Spain with her mum. At long last she actually gets to travel abroad on a real aeroplane! In Spain she made loads of new friends (including 6 furry kittens!) She loves feeding and playing with them but when she brings them to her hotel room to stay-over, she is in for a big surprise! Pick up this book to read more on Daisy’s zany adventure in Spain!

- Lauren Hong (Y4.6)

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Book Reviews

INFANT/ JUNIOR/ SENIOR

TOP

5

Books For Seniors

Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9) 1. War Horse

by Michael Morpurgo 2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K.Rowling 3. Auggie & Me

by R.J.Palacio 4. The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas by John Boyne 5. The Reptile Room

by Lemony Snicket

Key Stages 4 (Years 10 to 11) 1. Delirium

by Lauren Oliver 2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K.Rowling 3. Dune

by Frank Herbert 4. Accidental Love

by Gary Soto 5. The Outsiders

by S.E. Hinton

Dead Ends

by Erin Lange

In this book, Billy D is a boy who doesn’t have a Dad. When he moves house he meets Dane, who is totally different to Billy D, he is a bad boy who is always getting into trouble. The Headteacher gives Dane a job to do, and that is to take care of Billy D! Billy D has Down Syndrome. Together they go on an adventure to find Billy D’s Dad. A moving story and would really recommend this book.

I enjoyed this book because it has a really strong theme of friendship, honesty and acceptance. This story really moved me.

- Ralph Targui (Y7.3)

A Wrinkle in Time

by Madeleine L’Engle

A Wrinkle in Time is about a girl named Meg Murry who is trying to find out what happened to her Father!

With the help of her younger brother Charles and her friend and neighbour Calvin, they go through a lot of exciting and adventurous places, which sometimes turns out not so good! They have clues about her Father to help them along the way. Does she find her Father is he alive or is he ……….!

I really liked this book as it was really exciting and unusual. The book made me feel very curious, which made me want to read more and more until I had finished it! I would really recommend this book.

- Aryaa Endley (Y8.8)

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The Last Word

Goodbye and good luck Ms Barlow!

After 6 years at Tanglin, Julie Barlow is moving onto pastures new. Here we capture just some of the testimonies from students Julie has supported during their time in Sixth Form.

“Ms Barlow and Mr Goodliffe were a power duo for my parents and me. They helped all of us to understand me as a person so that they can help me with A Levels and give me the privilege to continue my Maths A Level away from TTS and sit the Maths exam as a private candidate. I hope my poly counsellors will be just like them and help me understand me as a person.”

William Low (Alumni)

“She’s incredibly understanding no matter what the situation is.”

Rebecca McLaren (Y13.4)

“Even before coming into Sixth Form, I have fond memories of the discussions we had in GAPs. What I will remember most about Ms Barlow is how often she smiles; it would always brighten my day. Thank you for helping so many students through Tanglin – of which I am one.” Hussain Abdi (Y13.6)

“Thank you Mrs Barlow for the great pastoral support that keeps the Sixth Form together.” Owen Lee (Y13.3)

“It is said that if the ravens leave the Tower of London, Britain will fall. I’m half worried that if Ms Barlow leaves the Sixth Form, the school will collapse - she is the physical embodiment of the Sixth Form for so many of us and she’s shaped the Sixth Form experience for hundreds of students passing through. Our final year here won’t be the same without her.” Dillon Lim (Y12.4) “Ms Barlow embodies what Tanglin is all about - hard work and dedication to every task she performs. It has been a privilege having a friendly person like Ms Barlow being around Sixth Form and I am sure it will be near impossible to find another individual like her.”

Laughlan Wood (Y13.4) “The advice Ms Barlow gave really helped me before I moved to Tanglin. The suggestions she made, such as changing my subjects, allowed me to move into the school mid-Year 12 and made that transition easier for me. Thank you very much.” Kaushik Srinivasan (Y13.8)

“Ms Barlow is one of the reasons I am where I am today. She made it so easy for me to integrate with the school and has helped me along the way from choosing my A Levels to applying to university.” Jeroen Olieslagers (Y13.8)

“Ms Barlow has been of great support throughout my Sixth Form experiences giving endless assemblies on Tanglin etiquette to helping our every need in our final years. She continuously offers vital advice which has helped to ease the stresses of Sixth Form life as well as guide me through tough areas. I thank her highly because she is truly an incredible person and cares about each student at Tanglin equally.” Gabriel Utama (Y13.8) 39

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Tanglin Trust School Ltd 196100114C Reg. period : 7/6/2017 – 6/6/2023

95 Portsdown Road, Singapore 139299 www.tts.edu.sg Tel: 6778 0771 Fax: 6777 5862 Email: communications@tts.edu.sg