The Voice Issue 5

The Voice of Tanglin Trust School

Vol 05 4/2010

MICA (P) 149/07/2009

Feature: Tanglin turns 85 Spotlight on Student Services Sport: Movement Museum

05

Welcome

Welcome to Term 3 and to the start of Tanglin’s 85th year! As the main feature on pages 6-8 illustrate, Tanglin has come a very long way indeed since first opening its doors to just five students back in 1925. Do take the time to look at the ‘History of Tanglin’ exhibition, which will be moving around the school over the next few months - it makes fascinating viewing. Our 85th anniversary logo will appear on all the School’s printed and electronic media for the next 12 months; in fact we like the logo so much we have designed 85th anniversary T-shirts as well. These will be available for sale after Easter in the School shop.

Kicking off our 85th year was Pi Week – an event which pulled together the

Contents

04 06 10 12

Staff News

Feature Tanglin turns 85 Celebrating Circles

Corporate Social Responsibility Creativity, Action, Service

Infant School Healthy Eating P.A.L.

14 12 16 18 20

Junior School Personalising English

Senior School The Reading Trail

Sixth Form University Decisions, Applications and Interviews

Spotlight on...

Student Services

community in a creative and challenging way, encouraging us all to look at Maths a little differently. As you can see on page 9, students throughout the School were very busy with the many activities that were planned during this week. Speaking personally, I have to say the mathematical ability of some students was quite astonishing to witness! Congratulations to Jeremy Hodges, Head of Senior Maths, his counterparts across the school and the many others who had a part to play in making this event such a success.

As you are reading this, we are embarking on the final term of this academic year.

This is traditionally a term when many field trips and expeditions take place – in the Staff News section you have the opportunity to meet the man behind making sure these are experiences that count. Rob Stretch joined Tanglin in January this year and believes passionately that a meaningful Outdoor Education programme can enable our students to better understand, appreciate and enjoy the world they live in and all it has to offer. I must also draw attention to the fact (not that any students will need reminding) that it is examination term and for those studying for GCSEs and Alevels in particular, a very important time.

We wish all students well and on page 18 offer lower Sixth Formers an insight into applying for university and how to prepare for interview.

22

Showcase

28 31

Sport

32

I am delighted once again that a large proportion of this issue has been researched and written by members of our community. The four CAS students, who did such a great job in Volume 4 Dani Guy, Megan Roberts, Harriet Lowes and Stella Talpo - have again juggled their not inconsiderable workloads to find the time to research their topics and present them in an interesting way. (You can also find out more about CAS on page 10). In addition, we have contributions from English Department Heads, Mike Roberts and Zoe Richardson, a review of last term’s fabulous drama production ‘Imaginary Invalid’, by Head of Year 13, Helen Penry, an overview of Sports Days at Tanglin by Head of Primary PE, Chris Rawlings, a review of our first ever dance event, ‘Movement Museum’ by Fenella Woodhouse in Year 12 and finally a ‘Last Word’ from recently appointed Governor, Sim Preston. Thanks to all of you – and also to the Communications team, without whom this magazine would simply not happen.

And remember to send any feedback to communications@tts.edu.sg Happy reading!

Steven Andrews, CEO

As always, we encourage you to read the digital edition of The Voice, which is available under ‘Quicklinks’ or ‘Useful Downloads’ on the school website.

Printed copies will again be placed on news-stands around the campus during the first two weeks of term and you are welcome to take a copy home.

Music • Drama • Art

Movement Museum

PTA

33 35

Book Reviews

The Last Word

by Sim Preston, Tanglin Governor

Editor: Jacqui Edmiston Designer: CleverBird + Anna White Contributors: Danielle Guy, Stella Talpo, Megan Roberts, Harriet Lowes; thanks to members of staff, the PTA + other students Photography: Phil Date (cover), Anna White Printer: Oz Print Services

Creative Writing

by Zoe Richardson “The Voice” herein refers to “The Voice of Tanglin Trust School”

Staff News 04

Curtain rises on Mr Hassall

Year 5 had some colour injected into their study of the Ancient Greeks this term, when they were treated to a performance of extracts from ‘Troy Story’ by Year 6 teacher, Ed Hassall.

Ed joined Tanglin in August 2009 as a class teacher. The son of an archaeologist father and a mother who is a successful writer in her own right, Ed has obviously inherited a passion from each – a love of writing combined with a fascination with the world of the Ancient Greeks. During his 12 years as a Junior School teacher, his fondness for writing has resulted in the creation of several school productions, from his original curriculum-linked musicals such as “Some Sunny Day” and “Greece Lightning”, to annual staff pantomimes – in which he regularly played the Dame – at an all girls junior school in Maidenhead where he taught English to Years, 4, 5 and 6.

Do you recognise this man?

Ed’s most ambitious project, however, relates to his personal mission to convey his love of Ancient Greek myths and legends to a younger generation. In 2002, while working as a Year 4 teacher at The Alice Smith School, KL, he started work on the creation of a rhyming version of ‘The Iliad’, with the aim of making Homer’s epic story of the Trojan War accessible to all. Several years, countless creative interruptions and 6,500 lines (the equivalent of 178 A4 pages) later, Ed has finally completed ‘Troy Story’, the first copies of which are due to roll off the press in May this year.

From the reception his Year 5 audience gave him, there is no doubt that Ed’s style of interactive story-telling appeals hugely.

Whilst the subject matter - war and heroic action, sometimes in graphic detail – tends to appeal to boys in particular, Ed’s style and delivery definitely has a universal appeal. In fact he will test out just how universal that appeal is, when he performs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year.

We wish Ed all the very best of luck and think that we at Tanglin, and class 6.7 in particular, are fortunate to have such an inspirational force in our midst !

Extract from ‘Troy Story’ by Ed Hassall The gathering warriors looked amazing.

Just as a burning forest, blazing, Creates a bright and dazzling glare, So did their shining armour flare And flash up to the very skies.

Just like a seething cloud of flies, Or a massive flock of geese, The battle-ready troops of Greece From their different camps came pouring, Their tramping feet like thunder roaring As out upon the plain they swarmed And into battle-order formed, Great lords in chariots pulled by stallions Marshalling their massed battalions…

Most of us are familiar with the helpful, whistling ‘lollipop’ man who is there every morning and afternoon shepherding our children safely across the road at the Junior entrance.

Wong Weng Wah (or Mr. Wong to most of us) has been a part of Tanglin since 1992. He has seen many changes over his 18 years, the most notable being the addition of and improvement to buildings across the campus to accommodate a steadily growing population of students.

Despite this growth, Mr. Wong still refers to the school community as a ‘family’ and talks about the satisfaction he gains from interacting with the students, many of whom he has seen grow along with the school, some from Infants right through to Sixth Form. Perhaps without realising it, they have all benefitted over the years from the dedication that he, along with the other members of our Operations team, has shown towards his work at the school.

It is the people like Mr. Wong, working tirelessly behind the scenes, who make Tanglin the special place it is.

In the first half of this term, a team of eight teachers and two students participated in Singapore’s first ever ‘Urbanathlon’, a 12.5km race from Marina Square, through Robinson Quay and back to the Singapore flyer. Sponsored

by Men’s Health Magazine, the entirely male race included eight obstacles, “the worst of which”, says race participant and Director of IB, Craig Davis, “was the commando-style swamp swim under camouflage netting!”

The inspiration behind the unconventionally demanding race was ‘Young Heroes’, Swaziland. Team member Mark Bradshaw (Assistant Music Director at Tanglin) and his family had worked closely

Introducing Rob Stretch Rob Stretch joined Tanglin this term as Head of Outdoor Education. With a remit that includes an evaluation of all the School’s residential excursions, including risk, cost and curriculum assessment, he is passionate about the benefits a well-run Outdoor Education programme can offer and is keen to develop Tanglin into a leading Outdoor Educator.

Rob started teaching in 1994. Since then he has developed a clear understanding of what a well facilitated Outdoor Education programme can deliver. He believes that each one of us has an incredible opportunity in life and that how much we make of it simply comes down to our own attitude and decisions.

Rob asserts that it’s all about risk. Risk helps us grow. The less risk we have in our lives, potentially the less we learn and the more sheltered and protected we feel; comfort isn’t always such a good thing.

It’s a vicious circle. If we don’t embrace risk positively, we lose the opportunity to

Before....

....and After with this group whilst living in Swaziland. Their aim is to raise money for and awareness of children who have lost both parents to AIDS. ‘Young Heroes’ provides support for children who have to come home after develop good judgment based on our experience. That’s what he describes as ‘experiential education’, a core component of Outdoor Education.

Having said that, Rob is quick to point out that in all school-run outdoor activities, risk is controlled. Recklessness has no place in a carefully thought out programme. Ultimately, his aim and the aim of the school, is to empower and develop our students as well-rounded individuals who have good common sense and positive attitudes towards themselves and others. We also want them to be responsible and to act with humility and compassion; but above all to possess a positive attitude to life and towards the future that awaits them.

a day of school to cook, clean and take care of their younger siblings.

Joining Craig and Mark in the Tanglin team were Dean Pearce, Anthony Graves (managers), Robert Gulston, Simon Hatton-Burke, Robert Randall, Craig Davis, Ciaran Downs (Year 12 IB Student) and Mark Williams (Alice Smith School, Malaysia). They helped to raise awareness of the Urbanathlon by growing some pretty hilarious facial hair over the Christmas holidays, which all the students very much appreciated. Everyone made it through the race, but the biggest success was the inspiring amount of money they raised for ‘Young Heroes’. ............and After For more information, visit www.youngheroes.org.sz Rob also believes we must inspire leadership in our students. One of his favourite quotes is ‘a leader creates space to empower and inspire others; and to make conscious that which is unconscious in others’. He also talks about his passion for bettering the triangular relationship between child, parents and school and is consequently looking to include family programmes, professional development opportunities for staff and initiatives linked to other international schools in Singapore in his plans.

So, next time you see him, have a chat – introduce yourself and see what you can do together. He is always looking for new ideas!

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Running for Good

Feature Tanglin turns 85!

06

by Jacqui Edmiston, Head of Communications

Tanglin Trust School has come a long way since it first opened its doors to five students back in 1925. 85 years later in 2010, the School caters for almost 2,500 students, representing 49 different nationalities, from 3 to 18 years of age. By 2015, that number could reach 2,900.

Tanglin was established by one visionary woman, Anne Griffith-Jones, OBE. While holidaying with her brother in the region, she perceived the lack of quality British schooling that resulted in the children of expatriates travelling two weeks by sea to attend a boarding school in England, while their parents remained in Malaya.

‘Miss Griff’ as she came to be known, was soon presiding over a school with rapidly increasing student numbers.

In 1934, Miss Griff relocated the school and its then 30 students to the cooler climate of the Cameron Highlands and

operated there until an outbreak of polio, coinciding with the Japanese occupation of the Malayan Peninsula, resulted in the hasty closure of the school.

After the war, the school was reopened in Singapore on two sites - Holland Road and Orange Grove Road. Miss Griff retired in 1958 after 33 years service. To ensure its continuity she sold the school to the British European Association (now the British Association), which later registered the school as a charitable trust called Tanglin Trust Limited.

Tanglin children - Tanglin Club c.1930

The 1960s and 1970s saw a significant increase in demand for schooling for expatriate children.

Tanglin Trust moved the schools to one location; a beautiful black and white house on the corner of Tanglin Road and Jervois Road called ‘Matheran’, owned

by HSBC. The school was renamed Tanglin Preparatory School.

Tanglin Boarding School students c.1940

During the 1960s and 1970s there was a significant increase in demand for schooling for expatriate children from non-service families. To satisfy this demand, Tanglin Trust took over the management of another school called Raeburn Park and set up a new school called Weyhill in 1971. Throughout the 1970s, the trust continued to manage schools on several sites.

Tanglin Boarding School Cameron Highlands c.1934

The early 1980s saw three Tanglin Trust schools amalgamate onto one site on Portsdown Road, the school’s current location. This site previously housed two British schools for children from service

Singapore evacuation WWII

07 1950’s - Tanglin reopens in Singapore after the war at Holland Road.

‘Matheran’ - home of Tanglin Prep School

families due to its proximity to the nearby barracks in Wessex Village.

The schools were renamed Tanglin Infant School and Tanglin Junior School.

New uniforms were introduced for both schools and children entering the Juniors were placed into houses, representing animals in Malay - Harimau (Tiger), Elang (Eagle), Singa (Lion) and Beruang (Bear).

By 1987, the schools were brought together under the direction of one headteacher, Mrs Veronica Goodban.

Did You Know?

• Tanglin started in the grounds of the Tanglin Club

• The first classroom was an unused attap hut – when it rained students simply picked up their desks and moved to the other side of the hut!

• During World War II, Miss Griff started schools in the prisoner of war camps at Changi and Sime Road.

• In 1926, a student called Charlie Wilson came to school by donkey. Other children took rickshaws if it was raining.

• Tanglin had a boarding school in the much cooler Cameron Highlands, which opened in 1934 for children up to the age of 13.

• Tanglin’s school uniform in the Cameron Highlands was brown and gold – the children were known as ‘yellow cockroaches’.

Mrs Goodban had been a teacher and headteacher at schools under the Tanglin Trust banner for 27 years by the time she retired in 1994. A few of today’s Senior School students still remember her from their time in the infants.

• Tanglin quickly re-opened after the war on two sites in Orange Grove Road and Holland Road.

• School bags used to be wicker baskets – not ergonomically designed ruck sacks – in 1960.

• There used to be three separate schools on the Portsdown Road site, where Tanglin is today, which created great friendly rivalry on the adjoining football field, especially between the two junior schools, Weyhill and Raeburn.

• TTS Limited managed a nursery school called Winchester between 1976 and 1996, which was located in a beautiful black and white house in Alexandra Park, now a private home.

• The current Infant School building was completed in 1996 incorporating the Nursery on the ground floor.

• The Senior House names reflect former place names in Tanglin’s rich heritage: Cameron, Wessex, Raeburn and Alexandra.

08 In 1996 Tanglin Infant School

and Tanglin Junior School were renamed Tanglin Trust School and the uniforms we have today were introduced.

In the late 1990s it was decided to extend the age range of pupils right the way through to 18. A new Senior School building was added, as well as a separate Sixth Form Centre and in 2003 the first cohort of 20 Sixth Form students completed their A-levels at Tanglin.

In 2006, Ronald Stones, who had been heading up the school for the past 12 years, retired and Steven Andrews joined as CEO. Under his leadership, the pace of development at the school has been unremitting, with a continuous commitment to expand and improve.

Tanglin now has over 950 Senior School students, an increase of 600 in just five years.

As the school population has expanded, so has the Portsdown Road campus.

In January 2008, Tanglin opened the Berrick Building, a six storey Sports and Performing Arts Complex, which is named after Sandra Berrick, a long serving former Chair of the Board of Governors.

A long awaited Tanglin Sports Complex was opened in 2009 and in September the same year the new Sixth Form Centre was opened by former UK Prime Minister, Sir John Major. Housing, amongst other things, a fabulous state-of-the-art Senior library, this new facility is designed to accommodate a Sixth Form which is

anticipated to double in size over the next few years.

However, it is not just about impressive facilities. Tanglin recognises the need to keep growing on all levels, especially academically. At the start of the 2009/10 school year, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma was introduced into the Sixth Form alongside the existing Advanced Levels (A-levels) qualification, enabling students to choose the academic pathway which best matches their individual strengths and interests.

New subjects have been added to keep the curriculum relevant and in the Infant school, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has been adopted in Nursery and Reception.

Today Tanglin has almost 500 times more students than when it was founded by Miss Griff in 1925 and the campus today is a far cry from the school’s humble beginnings in the attap huts at the Tanglin Club. New faces join the school every year from an increasingly diverse range of nationalities, each adding to the spirit that defines the Tanglin Trust School community. Alongside all the great achievements of the past 85 years, it is this spirit we celebrate on this anniversary.

Miss Griff’s vision - to provide an international education for expatriate families wishing to educate their children in Singapore is now well and truly a reality.

Feature Celebrating Circles The first school-wide event on Tanglin’s 85th anniversary calendar was Pi Week. During the second week of March, students throughout the school celebrated all things mathematical, looking at the world from a numerical viewpoint in all their lessons, as well as taking part in competitions, fund-raising and other special activities.

In order to build awareness of Pi Week and to tie in with the 85th anniversary, decals were produced which included a mathematical calculation adding up to the number 85. Parents were also invited into school for an open evening on 11 March to see for themselves all the work the students had done .

‘Pi’ refers to the infamous mathematical constant or 3.1415926535897932384626 433832795028841971693993 751058209749445923078164 062862089986280348253421 1706798………

World Pi Day actually falls on 14 March, or written another way, 3/14, which forms the first three digits of Pi.

Over 250 circles were hung on the link ways around the campus, representing the number ‘Pi’. Before they were put up, every class in the school had been given a disc to decorate, using the number on the front as a theme. The result was a display of colourful and imaginative designs, inspired by a number in the Pi sequence.

Never before has Maths been so much fun!

e i+ 3

4 + 201

0+

+1

)

/3 2

14

i

85

e

‘The Sixth Form Centre gives students a taste of higher education and the working world.’

09

by Stella Talpo, (12.1)

(3+

CSR Introducing CAS 10

by Megan Roberts, (12.3)

The current Tanglin Sixth Form students have seen a new addition to their studies this year. CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) is a programme that aims to push students beyond the borders of academia and into the realms of emotional development.

Both IB and A-level students can benefit from the rewarding experiences of the CAS programme at Tanglin. David Roberts (CAS Coordinator) and David Meadows (Assistant CAS Coordinator) have put enormous effort into the programme’s development and have worked with staff throughout the school in order to make it a reality. Students are actively encouraged to embrace all three areas of CAS.

Creativity

‘Creativity’ aspires to give students who have limited creative outlets in their

academic options, the opportunity to challenge themselves. Tanglin offers a wide range of electives for students to choose from; Dance, Photography and Cooking, to name a few, all of which cater for a range of abilities.

Action

‘Action’ is also a very significant part of the CAS programme and promotes a fit and healthy lifestyle. Again, electives have been created for all levels of ability and different interests, from Lifesaving to Football and Rugby.

Service

The most rewarding aspect of the CAS programme is that of ‘Service’. Students can choose from a range of different service projects, all of which aim to push them outside their comfort zones in a way that will be beneficial to both themselves and the people they are helping. A number of students have initiated their own service activities, showing independence and collaborative skills.

The service projects under CAS have had a huge effect on all the students involved.

Tanglin students have come to realise how lucky they really are and that a small helping hand can go a long way.

Tanglin offers a whole spectrum of service projects, from helping the youngest child to the most elderly senior citizen. A large group project under the ‘Service’ umbrella is Beyond Social Services (BSS), which provides a support network for disadvantaged young people and their families. Students aim to encourage young people to respect the law, value education and to become responsible individuals.

The Genesis project provides an equally rewarding experience, working with individuals suffering from autism who cannot properly communicate and develop a normal social life. Tanglin students have given these individuals a valuable social experience and have themselves developed emotionally from their time together.

‘Helping Mariani with her work has become something I am truly dedicated to. She’s bright, definitely enthusiastic and has a lust for learning that exceeds that of many people I’ve met. Because of her circumstances, she cannot truly live up to her potential by herself. I intend to help her with her English, focusing on grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Hopefully she will pick up on my corrections as she did today and I can help her to develop into a well rounded student who is ready to sit her PSLE. Never before have I felt so proud of someone I have only just met - I will learn from her. I may not be able to change this girl’s life, but this I can do.’

Megan Roberts, (12.3)

Genesis - A student perspective The most memorable session at Genesis was working in the seeding nurseries where we planted chilli and lemon balm. Not only was this an experience which enabled us to bond with the children in a collaborative way, it was also more fun than I expected! The children were initially shy but a boy named Connor believed I was his mum. He ran up to me and kept following me with his gaze. Some students such as Hans remembered our names but others struggled and building their confidence is something we aim to focus on in our next visits.

Sarah Walden, (12.5)

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BSS - A student perspective

Infant School

Healthy Me Healthy School!

by Danielle Guy, (12.3) and Megan Roberts, (12.3)

12

lunches of the Student Council members, having had the healthy eating initiative in place for nearly a year. Happily the survey yielded extremely positive results! The percentage of students with white bread sandwiches for lunch had decreased from 50% to 18% and the percentage of children with two pieces of fruit or vegetables in their lunch boxes increased from 18% to 31%. A great achievement!

To encourage them to bring healthy snacks, the students are rewarded with fruit and vegetable stickers and fruity hats. The Student Council was also involved in the placement of posters around the school, showing fellow students and visiting parents the results of the PTA survey.

Woven into the curriculum in the Infant School is an emphasis on making our youngest students aware of their responsibilities when it comes to looking after themselves, their school and ultimately, their planet. Two school-wide initiatives that have been particularly embraced by the Infant School are ‘Healthy Eating’ and ‘PAL’ (which stands for PC, Air-Con and Lights).

Healthy Eating The healthy eating initiative was established in the Infant School last year across all year groups. Successful collaboration between the PTA, Infant staff and the Infant Student Council (made up of two representatives from each class in Years 1 and 2) has resulted in many positive changes in the eating habits of Infant students since its introduction.

Fruity Fridays

Fruity Fridays was one of the first ideas to be adopted. Students can try different fruits according to a theme, which has been chosen by the Student Council.

Around Chinese New Year, the theme

was Mandarin Fruity Friday and Ms. Rosy explained why it is a tradition in Chinese culture to share mandarin oranges at this time. As part of World Environment Day, the Infant School celebrated Green Fruity Friday, in which the students only ate locally grown fruit that had not travelled large distances to get to Singapore.

Through this initiative, pupils not only get to try different fruits, but have an opportunity to learn about different, relevant aspects of the world as well.

Healthy Snack Boxes

Through the Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) programme, the children have been learning about healthy options, for example the difference between brown and white bread and why brown bread is healthier. Communication to parents about the healthy eating initiative has also encouraged Infant parents to put healthy snacks in their children’s lunchboxes.

The Student Council has been very lucky to work with two members of the PTA, Leonore Gavan and Linda Snowdon, who both have backgrounds in nutrition and wanted to help improve the eating habits of our Infant students. They carried out a survey at the beginning of this academic year, assessing the ‘healthiness’ of the

Modelling a healthy lifestyle to the children is very important. They are also aware of what their classmates are eating; a sense of positive peer pressure comes into play and eating fruit has become cool. The healthy eating initiative is a truly integrated approach, with support from parents and teachers, as well as the students themselves.

By introducing our youngest students to healthy eating, it builds a good foundation for their future. Infant students moving up to the Junior and Senior Schools will take with them the principles of healthy eating, which will hopefully stay with them for life.

13 PCs, Air-Con, Lights...Action!

The issue of climate change is not new. Awareness of the fragility of our planet is now more heightened than ever before – Time Magazine warned us ‘not to blow it – good planets are hard to find’. Students at Tanglin recognise that the battle against climate change is not one to be taken ‘lightly’; in fact they are now promoting putting classrooms (literally) back in the dark.

Tanglin’s push to become a more environmentally friendly school involves everyone. Staff have worked hard to communicate to students the importance of raising our environmental awareness and simultaneously lowering our ‘footprint’. To make the issue one that everyone could understand and relate to, the acronym ‘PAL’ (PC, Air-Con, Lights) was introduced.

PAL Logo Competition

PAL involves the contribution of every student, from the youngest Infant to the

oldest Sixth Former. To give PAL a visual aspect, students throughout the school were invited to design logos that were later entered into a competition, before four were selected to officially represent PAL. These logos are now displayed in classrooms and shared areas to remind students to switch off ‘PCs, Air-Con and Lights’ before they leave the classroom.

Even the competition had an ecological edge: the winners were given their own plants to nurture, encouraging them to take home the concepts of being environmentally friendly. All children took a sticker home to display as well.

patrol the classrooms, checking that all the lights have been switched off and that the air-con is set no lower than 23˚C. The introduction of Eco-Monitors has really increased the awareness of energy efficiency amongst our younger students.

Our responsibility has now widened into the local community. Infant students who realised that the biodiversity of species in their ‘Eco-Garden’ (located behind the Infant School building) was being reduced due to fogging, wrote to local residents requesting that they mist the plants instead. Some residents have written back to say they are changing their ways!

Clearly Tanglin students are mastering the basics of environmental responsibility at a very young age. The hope is that this exposure will lead them to become true world citizens when their turn comes, aware of their responsibilities and ready to embrace change.

Eco-Monitors

Infant awareness does not stop there.

Eco-Monitors have been introduced for every year group, giving students even more of an incentive to recognise the importance of PAL. Proudly wearing their green sashes, the Infant Eco-Monitors

Junior School Personalising English 14

by Danielle Guy, (12.3) Whilst Mathematics is set according to ability in the Junior School at Tanglin, English is not. As a result the Personalised Learning in English programme has been created to meet the individual needs of every child.

There are several different initiatives within the programme which help personalise English learning for Junior students, including guided reading, spelling, targeted writing and writing interventions.

Guided reading

Guided reading has been in place in the Junior School for several years. It runs throughout all year groups and is supported by parents, who generously give up their time to help. The students are divided into small groups of similar abilities and together they decide on a book which they all must read. The children not only read in these groups, they also discuss the books and are encouraged to reflect on the meanings and themes of their chosen book. James in Year 6 is currently reading ‘The Indian in the Cupboard’ and he explained that ‘before, we studied different genres and we wrote in fantasy, and now we are reading fantasy.’

Spelling

Spelling classes in the Junior School are now set according to ability, however they are extremely flexible, in order to fully benefit the students. For example, it is possible for a student to move between two classes according to the current subject being studied. Classes are adapted to suit the individual learning styles of the students. This structure allows the higher level students to be challenged and the lower level students to learn at a slower pace in a supportive environment.

Targeted writing

This programme has been in place in Year 6 for three years now. Following its success, it has been introduced into Years 4 and 5 this year. Two classes are combined and then divided into smaller groups; these groups in turn receive designated writing lessons, with teaching tailored to target each level of writing.

Writing Interventions

This programme has been introduced into Years 3 and 6 to provide extra support to students who would benefit from further help. Teachers, including Junior Heads, David Ingram and Nick West, work with small groups of students to develop specific writing skills. Hannah in Year 3 explains “I need a little bit more help with writing so I go to Quest group, where we look at all kinds of different books.”

Quest is the name given to the Writing Intervention group in Year 3.

The aim of the programme is to encourage the students to be interested in what they are studying. They are

encouraged to choose for themselves what they want to read and hopefully, as they feel more involved in the process, they receive more benefits from the outcome. The primary goal of the programme is to provide the students with an appropriate level of challenge and to motivate them to move to the next level. In order to achieve this, it is important that the children know exactly why they are achieving their current level and what they must do to reach the next one. The Personalised Learning programme ensures that the students are fully aware of their progress at all times; this is done through layered targets.

Layered targets

Each classroom has a target board in which three targets are clearly displayed; ‘must’, ‘should’ and ‘could’. Every student should be working towards the ‘must’ target, followed by the ‘should’ target, whilst the higher ability students should aim for the ‘could’ target. The target board is changed every term and consists of targets for punctuation and

sentence structure, as well as genre specific skills.

The Voice caught up with several students in the Junior School and they were all able to share with us their exact target for writing. James was proud to say, “I should write in chronological order. I’ve ticked that off!” and Natalie’s target is “to include more advanced punctuation and use a thesaurus to look up different words.”

Library Support

The Junior Library provides a great support system for the Personalised Learning in English programme. It is home to a growing collection of audio and online books, magazines and of course traditional books. There are also computer pods and even a puppet theatre, where students can come and create their own stories. This is an excellent activity for students to unleash their creativity and at the same time enjoy being in the library.

The library is a bustling, vibrant and fun place to be at break, lunch and after school.

Currently the upper section of the Junior Library is being converted into a study area for Year 6 students, providing them with a quieter and more focused space to study in. The librarians work hard to make the library accessible to everyone, hosting activities such as ‘Lego-lunches’ to encourage students to spend more time there. Eliya said “I normally read books about horses, but I also like watching the movies on Fridays.” In the Junior Library there is truly something for everyone!

15

14

In Year 6, students undertake an independent research project on a subject of their choice; this process exposes them to important research skills for the future. By empowering the students to make decisions about their work, they enjoy the process more and are motivated to work harder.

Senior School The Reading Trail 16

by Zoe Richardson (Assistant Head of Senior English) and Megan Roberts, (12.3)

Year 9 students have found a new approach to reading that means reading becomes an interesting journey rather than a chore. Zoe Richardson, a pioneer of the ‘Reading Trail’ project, tells us about her experience with this new initiative.

part of the English curriculum. We aim to stimulate students to take responsibility for wider independent reading and to stretch themselves to tackle more challenging texts and genres, but there is no doubt that this is a tall order.

We needed an exciting, new initiative to encourage and promote reading, preferably without me, or my colleagues, having to dress up as a different book character every day!

reading journey. It provides a tangible evaluation of reading skills so students can target areas for improvement more accurately. Over the course of the trail, pupils would need to read a variety of materials, ranging from graphic novels or picture books, on-line information sources, poems or song lyrics, magazine or news articles, to short stories and classic reads, so it gives variety for every student.

What was the catalyst behind the introduction of the ‘Reading Trail’ project?

It was then that I hit upon my modest Eureka moment and tentatively suggested the idea of introducing the ‘Reading Trail’. Fortunately for me, I shared those thoughts with Jacqui Makselon, Director of Library Services, who was completely supportive of the project. Then the hard work of bringing together all of our ideas began.

Students would be expected to maintain a record of their reading as they embarked upon their reading journey.

Their reading record would be monitored by their teacher and at the end, they would be asked to give a formal oral commentary about their trail, which could be assessed as part of their English course. Their analysis of what they had read, rather than their presentation skills, would be the focus. The vehicle used would need to be current so as to engage this age group. Jacqui and her library team more than delivered by suggesting

The English Department actively encourages students to develop as readers: experimenting by choosing different genres or trying out new authors.

It is important that we persevere with this in Year 9 as we want good reading habits to gather momentum in preparation for the demands of the GCSE course.

Traditionally, this year group continues to visit the library on a regular basis as

What exactly is the ‘Reading Trail’?

A trail is a set of reading resources linked in an interesting way, showing a personal

using web 2.0 technology – the same technology that produced Tanglin’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), ‘Moodle’.

How did the technology fit in with the ‘Reading Trail’?

A ‘Ning’ was used as the platform that would enable students to publish and share their progress. A ‘Ning’ is a private space on the internet where members can make contributions to a specific subject matter – appropriate for a group of students used to ‘blogging’. Whilst it is technically a social network, we ensured that students understood its purpose was purely focused on their reading. It was a protected site, which was not searchable and could only be seen by invited members.

And the big question, how have the students reacted?

The response to the site has been extremely gratifying. Students demonstrated that this was a relevant tool with which to record their reading experience and the sheer number of postings on their blogs showed that they were working hard as well as enjoying their reading. It therefore seemed only appropriate that as part of the Year 9 celebration assembly, we acknowledged those students who had fully endorsed the new reading environment and were more than willing to exchange ideas and learn from each other.

Have any students particularly excelled?

Ethan Jackman (9.1) was so busy on his reading adventure that he even came in

Susanne Goulder (9.6) was commended for providing an extremely extensive and excellent reading list to help and guide her colleagues through the trail.

This generosity of spirit, demonstrated in sharing her knowledge to help others, showed true maturity. One of the requirements is that students need to provide a mind map of ideas for their trail and Alice Lyall (9.2) took the time to provide step by step guidelines on how to use the Picnik programme as an alternative to the Wordle method of presentation. She included screen shots, short cuts and tips that enabled other

students to easily upload mind maps to their pages effectively.

Again, this willingness to go that extra mile really impressed us all.

What next?

This project is very much in its infancy, but we hope it will continue to provide firm foundations to prepare students for GCSE and beyond. It is also an opportunity to provide a closer link between reading done at home and at school.

Most importantly, it encourages students to think independently and to be responsible for their own units of enquiry.

I passionately believe that reading widely in and around the curriculum, across all genres, is not only a necessary skill for success in English, but is a tool for life.

This reading trail is just one step on that journey.

World Book

by Mike Roberts, Head of Senior English World Book is an anthology of students’ creative writing from around the world and I am thrilled that six of our students had their writing published in the 2009 edition. The book features writers from schools in five continents so, as you can imagine, the writing has to be exceptional to make it into the book. Megan Roberts, Stephanie Ng (published for the second year running), Bali Lee, Madeleine Bui, Hilary Samuels and Rosie Grant deserve congratulations for their excellent pieces and for representing Tanglin in World Book 2009.

We are now calling students to start writing for World Book 2010. Work needs to be submitted before the end of May. The writing can take any form, but must not exceed three pages of A4. The themes are: perspectives; secret places of the soul; life is made of marble and mud; laugh deeply, love deeply, live deeply; nature and the cosmos; dreams; who I want to be; and culture. Some of these may sound rather odd or very broad, but students can, of course, discuss their ideas with their English teacher.

We would love to get more Tanglin students published next year. Please encourage your son or daughter to get involved in this project. Entries should be emailed to their English teacher.

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during the Christmas holidays to get new books. He has actively sought advice from the library staff and has significantly extended his reading, all of which has been reflected in some extremely thorough reviews. Grace Roberts (9.3) has clearly enjoyed the challenge and produced an impressive number of quality postings on her blog. The sheer amount of research and her alternative and sensitive analysis of text has been a particular delight to read.

Sixth Form University...

Decisions, Applications and Interviews

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by Harriet Lowes, (12.4) The university application process, including choosing your university and course and preparing for interview, is one that has much time and resource dedicated to it at Tanglin.

The application process differs depending on where you want to go, for example if you plan to apply to the UK you will get to choose five universities/courses to apply to, whereas you can choose a maximum of eight if you want to go to the USA. Generally speaking, applications are submitted (through UCAS if you are going to the UK) by January of the year you are applying for, with the exception being Oxford or Cambridge, which require applications in by mid-October the previous year. In the case of Australian and New Zealand universities, application deadlines are usually during the October/ November after you have left school (and once you have your exam results), as the academic year doesn’t start until the following January/ February.

Although university is now a popular choice as a pathway after Sixth Form, the rate of acceptance has dropped as a result, with only 75% of applicants getting a place on their chosen course (www. bbc.co.uk). Given the competitive nature of the application process, universities are finding it more and more difficult to differentiate between students.

Robert Randall, Head of Tanglin’s Sixth Form, believes that the opportunities that Sixth Formers have here – such as a shared core curriculum that includes Creativity, Action, Service and the Extended Essay or the Extended Project Qualification - give our students an important edge when it comes to impressing universities. Applicants benefit from other advantages too; for example there is an excellent higher education preparation program (for both parents and students) which includes advice, guidance and support at every stage

of the application process anywhere in the world – Tanglin students have gone on to study at universities in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and many more. Students also benefit from the sheer fact of living in Singapore, with first hand experience of cultural diversity and extensive travel opportunities throughout the region.

students who have already been through the interview process, to get first hand information.

IB vs A-level?

Whether or not there is a difference between the IB diploma and A-levels, with regard to the application and acceptance process, is the subject of much debate. The application process is identical for both qualifications, personal statements are written and references are sought in both cases. The question as to whether IB will give a more competitive edge is often posed, but it is important to remember that both courses are merely different routes to the same point.

A-levels are certainly not a disadvantage, they are accepted worldwide. When asked to comment Robert Randall offered the view that it is “about the quality of the qualification, in relation to the outcomes achieved, not the type of qualification”. At the end of the day each path is beneficial and neither has a particular advantage or disadvantage over the other. If any re-assurance is needed with regards to the continued merit of A-levels, this year eight Tanglin A-level students have been offered places at Oxbridge colleges.

Interviews

Not all universities and courses interview prospective students. As a general trend, medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and courses that would require an audition - such as music or drama - all require applicants to attend an interview, as do UK universities Oxford, Cambridge and, for some courses, University College London (UCL). Students needing to prepare themselves for interview can use the resources on offer at school, for example this year a university preparation class has been established. Tanglin also provides the opportunity to meet

However, as the students’ experiences opposite illustrate, it is crucial for those who are preparing for interview to develop reading outside of the course specification, in order to demonstrate their passion for what they wish to study; they are also well advised to work on expanding their general knowledge and to broaden their horizons.

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The Real Deal This year, of the fourteen Tanglin students called for interview by Oxford and Cambridge universities, eight were offered places. We asked Grace Smith, who has been accepted to read Law at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford and Jin Hyung Lee, who has been accepted to read Engineering at Clare College, Cambridge, about their experience with the Oxbridge interview process.

How can you best prepare yourself for interview?

Grace: “With law all they are looking for is your ability to reason. Reading the news and looking up any cases that may be controversial and topical is essential as it shows a genuine interest.

Jin: “Reading around the subject is very important - most of the informal discussion on engineering was based on what I knew about the discipline.”

What form did the interview take?

Grace: “I had two interviews.

The first was with two women

and the second, on the same day, was with two men, though only one was asking questions whilst the other one took notes.

Both took place in the tutors’ offices. It was much more casual than I expected”.

What type of questions did they ask you?

Grace: “The questions got progressively harder but they said if I noticed them getting harder it was because they were trying to push me, so not to worry. Basically we had mini-debates on just about everything controversial; the death penalty, abortion and gay marriage to name a few.”

Jin: “I was given a sealed set of problems and was allowed to work in the library. Afterwards I met the examiner to explain my work and to talk about why I wanted to study Engineering, why I had chosen Clare College and future career aspirations.

My second interview was much more informal. I was set a number of problems specific to my subject, following which I was asked more general questions about my interests outside academia and what I could contribute to the college.”

What did you wear?

Grace: “At the end of the day they really are not interested in what you wear, though it is nice to put in an effort and show that you are serious.

Personally, I wore suit trousers with a shirt, though I met a girl who was wearing jeans and a shirt with a jumper over the top, smart yet casual, and she got offered a place.”

Any advice you can give to future candidates?

Grace: “I’d say your personal statement is pretty important.

Consider WHY you want to do the subject and WHY you should do it. Work experience is useful but not essential. Just make sure you relax on the day and enjoy it.”

Jin: “I think having a true passion for the subject you are applying for and demonstrating this to the interviewer is key.

Although my interviews started with more academic questions, I felt it was more the way I approached the problem and not the answer itself that was important. I did get a lot of extracurricular questions too, probably to make sure I wasn’t a study obsessed nerd!”

Spotlight on Student Services 20

by Jacqui Edmiston, Head of Communications

Do you know what Student Services is? What sort of services they offer your children? Where to find them?

As a preface to a new regular column in the Voice commencing in the next issue, we talked to the professionals who collectively make up Student Services at Tanglin.

First, a definition. Student services, as the name suggests, aims to offers a range of advice and information to students that is ancillary to their academic studies, but equally important to an individual’s well being and future development.

Comprising Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE); Counselling; Careers (and Higher Education) Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG); and Nursing; each area brings direct benefits to students across the whole school.

Their base (pictured above) is located on level 3 of the new Sixth Form Centre.

PSHCE

Led by Sally Gordon in Seniors, Sarah Whyte in Juniors, and Hannah Dovey in Infants, PSHCE covers a wide area and will become a statutory part of the UK schools’ curriculum from 2011. In the Senior School, it covers important topics such as sex education, healthy eating, smoking, the use of alcohol and drugs and coping with stress. Workshops dealing with issues such as bullying

are also on offer and issues that the Counselling, Careers or Nursing teams identify as needing to be addressed for all students can be included in the PSHCE agenda.

Lower down the school, students in Years 1 and 2 have a PSHCE lesson each week, which takes place in a specially designed room. However, it is possible to see elements of the PSHCE curriculum applied on a daily basis within a classroom setting. One example is

teaching students how to recognise

Goals of PSHCE • Developing confidence, responsibility and making the most of their abilities • Preparing to play an active role as citizens • Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle • Developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people

their worth as individuals, by identifying positive things about themselves and their achievements, seeing their mistakes, making amends and setting personal goals. This is something which happens every day in every classroom through children evaluating their own work and acting on feedback from teachers.

Closely linked to the PSHCE curriculum, the School Counsellors offer guidance on a range of topics, including friendship and transition issues, issues surrounding stress, fear and anxiety, building social skills, resisting peer pressure, fostering healthy relationships, sleeping better, managing anger and frustration, maintaining a positive body image, dealing with grief and loss, coping with crisis and trauma, improving personal organisation, goal setting, as well as developing self-esteem and selfconfidence. Our very approachable Counsellors, Kendra Frazier and Claire Holmes, can be contacted by email, telephone or in person.

“Young people today may not want to listen to advice, but they are willing to take in information that can guide them in making their own decisions.”

Steve Kay, Former Director of Counselling Services, TTS. Every last Friday of the month, Kendra and Claire also run an informal gathering open to all parents. The Friday Group meets in the PTA office and provides a forum for discussing a variety of topics related to raising children in a global setting. It is a great opportunity to meet others in a supportive environment, allowing parents to share ideas and experiences.

Careers and Higher Education Advice and Guidance

For the vast majority of students, the culmination of a successful academic and pastoral experience at Tanglin is being accepted at their university of first choice, to study their chosen course.

Whilst Tanglin graduates traditionally have gone on to study at top universities all over the world, there is great awareness of the fact that competition for university places is tougher than ever before. The Careers and Higher Education Advice and Guidance service (located at the heart of the Student Services department on level three of the new Sixth Form Centre) offers comprehensive information on university

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Counselling

courses and entrance procedures, as well as future career choices, along with a workspace where students can do their own research. Isobel Barclay, Head of Careers, also arranges regular visits from universities all over the world and in the second half of last term, organised the highly successful Careers Fair, with mentors from a wide range of industry sectors on hand to give valuable information and advice to students from Years 10 to 13.

Nursing

One of our core aims at Tanglin is to provide a caring environment for our students. We also know that people learn most effectively when they are happy and healthy. It is because of

our dedication to these values that the School features three Health Centres, located on Level 1 of the Infant, Junior and Senior school buildings and each staffed by a team of fully qualified nurses. Through their interaction with our students, (which is extensive, judging by the number of visitors in the Junior Health Centre at break time!) the nursing team play an important role in reinforcing the importance of good hygiene, health education and sound health management to the Tanglin community. A good example of this is the work carried out by the nursing team last year during the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus. Lead Nurse, Sarah Le Grice, reports to the Head of School and co-ordinates the team of nurses, who are listed below.

Contact Us PSHCE Sally Gordon (Senior) (pictured back left) sally.gordon@tts.edu.sg Sarah Whyte (Junior) sarah.whyte@tts.edu.sg Hannah Dovey (Infant) hannah.dovey@tts.edu.sg Counselling Kendra Frazier (pictured front left) kendra.frazier@tts.edu.sg T:6770 3564 Claire Holmes (pictured front right) claire.holmes@tts.edu.sg T:6770 3563 Careers and Higher Education Isobel Barclay (pictured back centre) isobel.barclay@tts.edu.sg Nursing Sarah Le Grice (pictured back right) Donna Smith Lynette Robb Jacki Roache Audrey Bell Dawn Khor Lesley Cowdy Guat Eng Lin Sabrina Lo Infant Health Centre 6770 3120 Junior Health Centre 6770 3141 Senior Health Centre 6770 3160

Showcase: Music • Drama • Art

Music 22

Senior Ensembles Concert Almost 200 students from the Senior and Junior Schools performed at this year’s Senior Ensembles Concert, held in mid-March. A wonderfully diverse range of music was performed to a packed audience in the Berrick Building Performance Hall.

After the TTS Orchestra had opened proceedings with pieces by Grieg and Bizet, there were performances from four different vocal groups, from the Guitar Ensemble, the Flute Ensemble, the Jazz Band, the Ceilidh Band, the Gamelan Orchestra, and making their debuts in this event, the Training Wind Band and Training Strings and Percussion. The concert was a fabulous climax to all the hard work put in by students and staff in Music CCAs, during instrumental lessons and following hours of individual practice.

Thank you to everyone who contributed in making this concert a great occasion; all the musicians, the technical team, and in particular, Mrs Kelly, who coordinated this event.

Congratulations everyone!

Junior and Senior Musicians in Concert

Twelve Junior students and eight Senior students were selected through an audition process to perform at these respective events last term. The musicians performed their chosen pieces beautifully and to a very high standard.

Congratulations to all.

Lunchtime Recitals

The Junior School students have enjoyed the opportunity to perform in lunchtime recitals this term. The performances have been relaxed occasions in which students, who have been learning pieces on their individual instruments, have had the opportunity to play in front of their peers. These have proved a very popular way to spend a lunchtime.

Examinations

Over 50 students from Tanglin have just taken public examinations in Music.

Candidates performed a series of pieces in front of an examiner from the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music from the UK. GCSE students had their performances recorded at a concert in March. The recordings will be sent to the UK and will count towards 30% of their Music GCSE.

Sounds of Asia Wonderful sounds from Asia eminated from the Berrick Performance Hall for two consecutive nights in March as every student in Year 5 participated in this musical spectacle.

All vocal numbers were performed in foreign languages – Korean, Malaysian, Japanese and Chinese - which formed an integral part of Choral lessons last term.

The audience was audibly and visually wowed by these wonderful performances, of which all Year 5 students, teachers and parents should be very proud.

Whatever happened to the Gamelan?

We all remember the beautiful Indonesian instruments known as the ‘Gamelan’, housed in the bale in the open area near the Junior office. But where has it gone?

At the end of last year the bale was discovered to be infested with termites and the instruments had to be rescued and removed. Since then the Gamelan has been in temporary storage, but now it is back on display in its full glory in its very own Music Room on Level 2 of the Junior School.

The Music Department runs a Gamelan CCA on a Wednesday after school where Junior and Senior students can explore and experiment with each instrument. They have also formed a Gamelan Orchestra, which performed at the Senior Ensembles Concert in March.

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There was a combination of different musical genres from all over Asia, ranging from pieces performed the Gamelan range of instruments from Indonesia to an Australian bush-style “polka” and accompaniments from an ecletic mix of percussion.

Showcase: Music • Drama • Art

Drama An Imaginary Invalid

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A review by Helen Penry, Head of Year 13

On February 11 and 12 this year the comedy, ‘An Imaginary Invalid’ bounded to rapturous applause into a Berrick Performance Hall transformed into a sixteenth-century aristocratic courtyard.

The two-act play, laden with satire, mocks the hypochondriac tendencies of Argan, the French aristocrat who cannot be without his ‘muck-bucket’, walking stick and the omnipresence of his doctor, Monsieur Diafoirus. The French playwright Moliere wrote the play during his terminal illness and famously performed as Argan, the hypochondriac himself. During its closing night, he coughed up blood on stage and died later that evening in what came to be known as a bitter irony, given the play’s subject of imaginary illness.

Whilst the stage-spectacle offered a feast for the eyes with decadent sixteenthcentury French costumes, it was the

complete character commitment by every member of the cast that held the audience in a thrall. The musicians underpinned the essential jovial atmosphere and had the audience tapping their feet throughout the performance, whilst gypsy dancers rustled seductively amongst dangling ivy.

Complete character commitment by every member of the cast held the audience in a thrall.

Tom Ridley as Argan was irresistibly hilarious. Maintaining the deep-throated voice of a man fifty years his senior was admirable enough, but the ongoing gargling, spluttering, cursing and guffawing, as well as the hunched stance and ‘grumpy-old-man’ mannerisms were captivating. Aparnaa Balamurali played Toinette, the cunning yet benevolent maid-servant whose relationship with Argan is the pivot of the play’s comedy.

Eilidh Weir played Angelique, Argan’s daughter, who he betroths to his doctor’s son for the sake of his own well being.

Whilst the actress’ golden tresses, defined cheek-bones and delicate jawline made her aesthetically suited to her part, her charisma emanated through a rich array of facial expressions and impressive fainting tumbles matched only by those of her true love, the dashing yet cavalier Cleante, played skilfully by Alex Saloyadoff.

Tom Ridley, as Argan was irresistibly hilarious.

Cameo-appearances included Nick Lang as the Victor Frankenstein-esque scientist who had the audience in hysterics with his eccentric grumbling and his fearful spear-like ‘injection’, enough to make anyone tremble. Talking of trembling, there was plenty of it going on, brought on in the main by the flirtations of Argan’s mercenary wife (Jenny Cuipa) whose hipflicks and fan-wafting were commendably hypnotic. Jos van Doorne as Monsieur Diafoirus flawlessly projected the doctor’s villainous pursuit of Argan’s dependency, whilst Madeleine Bui’s “Yes, Pwaappa!” was nothing short of adorable. Timothy Powell, Daniel Hall, Ruaridh Weir, Jason Le and Hannah Koch rounded out a talented cast.

Jeff Aitken, Head of Drama and the director of ‘An Imaginary Invalid’, succeeded where many other professional productions failed, with plenty of classic comical mix-up and cross-gender hilarity, successfully accelerating the play to its audiencepleasing denouement. Mention of ‘Imaginary Invalid’ in the corridors of Tanglin still generates a smile from anyone who was in the audience. The only sense of tragedy was that the performance lasted only two nights.

An Interview with Rosy Kim, Year 12, Assistant Director Backstage support was critical to the success of the Imaginary Invalid. Three students in particular played significant roles during the three month preparation and on the nights of the performances. Rosy Kim, Josh Campbell and Tom Niven are all studying ‘Theatre’ as part of their IB qualification.

‘The Voice’ spoke with Rosy to find out more about her ‘An Imaginary Invalid’ experience.

What was your role in the production?

I was given the role of Assistant Director, which meant I had a great opportunity to get involved with all aspects of the production, such as movement and direction. Attention to detail was critical especially in the final dress rehearsals when we had to deal with the intricacies of the Renaissance costumes!

What were the other main backstage roles?

Josh managed the set design, sound and also the lighting with another Year 13 student, Jin Hyung-Lee. Josh did a lot of research to make sure

the set was representative of the Renaissance period and studied the Moliere play in depth to ensure the finer details were reflected in the set. He has now developed a new interest in lighting following this experience. Tom was in charge of the costumes and character development. He held workshops for the actors to help them understand their character better. He designed most of the costumes based on extensive research into that particular period of history.

What have you learnt from your experience as Assistant Director?

I have only ever worked in small drama groups before. This role gave me a chance to work with a larger number of actors and backstage support and get involved with all aspects of the production. I have learnt how important it is to develop a bond not only between the directors and the actors but between the actors themselves.

An understanding of each others roles is very valuable especially on opening night when nerves are worst!

What were the main challenges you faced?

‘An Imaginary Invalid’ was three months of hard work so it was

difficult to fit in all my activities and homework so something had to give. I was ready to accept this big responsibility though. I was disappointed that the production was only on for two nights after such hard work.

What was the highlight of your experience?

Actually the highlight was the dress rehearsal! This is because it was the first time I saw all the pieces fit together – the dancers, the actors the music, the sound and the lights.

It gave me a huge sense of accomplishment and will be a lasting memory from time at Tanglin.

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Behind the Scenes

Showcase: Music • Drama • Art

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Art

Maths is Everywhere!

Have you seen the fantastic posters in the Senior Mathematics department in which mathematical shapes, lines and equations have been identified, photographed and presented as works of art?

Both Junior and Senior school students were set a combination of mathematical and art homework over half-term, based on observations they made in Singapore or on their holidays. They had to identify why their observations were mathematical and photograph and present them in an artistic way.

A panel of judges decided which entries were the most creative in their identification and presentation of their idea. Each winning entry was displayed in Café Vive during the Open Evening for parents in Pi Week.

Rarely do we get a chance to see work spanning seven year groups displayed together; it’s fascinating to see the progression.

Art with a Maths theme continued in the Infant school where the children looked at the work of Filipino artist, Pacita Abad, who often based her work around the shape of a circle. During Pi Week, the students used primed canvas circles of varying sizes and covered them with patterns, printed and painted in a range of astonishing colours. These will be exhibited next term and will be hung as banners in the covered walkway in the Infant School as a permanent collaborative art piece.

Kelly Reedy

A group of 32 talented children in Year 1 worked alongside artist Kelly Reedy, also on the theme of circles. The children used a range of stamps and textured surfaces, printing and overprinting onto tissue and felt circles. The results are wonderful and will soon be hung in both the Infant Office and in Year 1 as permanent art pieces.

Artist in Residence

Artist and designer Babette Whittaker worked with the whole of Year 2 on an Asian arts theme. Inspiration came from the art of India, Indonesia and China.

Batik fabrics, mirrors and braids from around Asia were collaged onto canvas elephants, flags, birds and banners, which will soon be permanently placed in the hallway at the entrance to Year 2, transforming the area into a dazzling Asian palace.

Juniors

Students from the Junior School also worked with circles through the art of Vassily Kandinsky. Every child drew and coloured four circles using chalk pastels, blending vibrant colours into spheres, as they experimented with colour combinations.

These stunning circles will be collaged together next term and exhibited on the Junior stairwells, as huge collaborative pieces.

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Infants

Sport Sports Days at Tanglin

by Chris Rawlings, Head of Primary Physical Education

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A real sports stadium

By Year 2 the children are ready for greater challenges; therefore their Sports Day takes place off campus at a sports stadium. All eight classes take part on the same day, starting with a carousel of six activities followed by shuttle relay races and sprint races against children from other classes. All children receive a ‘Well Done’ rosette for participating on the day.

House Competition

In England, Sports Day is synonymous with the smell of freshly cut grass, long summer days and the anticipation of the summer holidays. Here in Singapore we are fortunate to have warm weather the yearround which allows our Sports Days to take place from March through to July.

Starting Out

At Tanglin, Sports Days are designed to be progressive by year group in the development of skills and in the level of competition involved. It is a great opportunity for all the students to have fun, compete with friends and, in Juniors and Seniors, to bond as part of the house system.

Games and races

Infant students look forward to Sports Day each year. After practising events in their PE lessons, they are eager to show their parents what they have learned and how well they can carry out the activities.

As well as running, throwing and jumping, the children also learn about working with others, following instructions, spatial awareness and healthy lifestyles.

Nursery Sports Day will see children taking part in a carousel of activities on the astro-turf, gaining a sticker after each one. These activities help to develop gross motor skills and encourage students to follow simple instructions.

Parents accompany their own child to each activity where they can join in and assist them when necessary. This differs from all the other Tanglin Sports Days, where parents are invited to watch and cheer from the sidelines!

Reception Sports Days in Term 2 take place on two days, with four classes participating on each day. The skills progress from Nursery with all children taking part in various games, a 25m dash race and a fun relay against children from other classes. All students receive a rosette for taking part in the activities.

Competition grows

Sports Day in Year 1 sees all eight classes participating on the same day.

Throwing, jumping and running events now require greater levels of skill and accuracy. They compete in running races and fun relays against other classes after which they all receive a rosette.

Junior Sports Days also take place at a sports stadium. They are held in July and are a blend of House competition and skill development activities, based on an Olympic theme. Each of the Junior School houses (Elang, Harimau, Beruang and Singa) are split into three groups called Citius, Altius and Fortius. Each group takes part in a carousel of field and team events such as long jump, high jump and tug-o-war; they then compete in track races. Children can win individual awards for placing in the top three in the events and can attempt to break school records. In addition, the children compete for the prestigious house trophy. There is a great carnival atmosphere and the tried and tested format ensures all students can enjoy the event, whatever their skill level.

Track, field and fun!

Building on the ‘Mini Olympics’ theme, the Senior Sports Day, which takes place in April, involves both competitive and mass participation house events. Every year group in the Senior School comes together on this day to represent their house. Students are able to choose the track and field events that they would like to compete in. Medals are presented for the top three in each event. Whilst Years 7, 8 and 9 take part in their competitive events in the morning, the rest of the Seniors are involved in a number of fun, house events run by the house captains.

In the afternoon, they switch over. At the end of the day, the points for both the house and competitive events are added together and an overall house winner is announced.

Senior This term has seen SEASAC tournaments taking place in tennis, swimming, basketball, rugby and touch rugby.

Tennis

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Tanglin hosted our first ever SEASAC tennis tournament in February at Singapore Polytechnic. We welcomed nine schools from all over South East Asia including Garden International School, Malaysia, Ruamruddee International School, Bangkok and the Canadian International School, Hong Kong.

The TTS girls team won the plate competition and the boys were awarded the most sporting team award by the other teams. The gala dinner and awards ceremony were held in the Berrick Sports Hall.

Rugby

The U19 rugby team, depleted due to injury, ended the tournament with just 10 players. They made it to the playoffs and came an admirable fourth out of six teams.

Touch

Tanglin entered the U18 touch rugby competition against 11 other teams and came sixth overall and second in the plate competition, a fantastic result for our first year.

Junior

Swimming

Our new swimming training programme has paid dividends, with Tanglin having had a very successful competition in Jakarta. The competition was incredibly tough with some competitors being of Olympic standard. Tanglin achieved 37 personal best times and finished sixth overall. Congratulations to all swimmers for showing great team spirit and commitment.

Basketball

The boys basketball squad were outstanding, taking home the silver medal this year- a massive improvement from last year, beating some exceptional opposition.

The girls also performed very well and finished fifth against a very tough field.

Fobissea (Federation of British International Schools of South East Asia) holds several sports competitions every year, attracting the best of the best from participating schools across the region. Tanglin will host this years Primary Fobissea Games on 9 to 13 June. 18 boys and 18 girls, from Years 4, 5 and 6 have been selected from each of the eight schools taking part.

Each team member has to compete in all four events: football, T-ball, athletics and swimming. Check out the latest event news on the new Fobissea webpage in the ‘Life at Tanglin’ section of the Tanglin website.

Netball

Congratulations to the U16 netball squad who competed in Kuala Lumpur on the first weekend in March. The U16 ‘A’ team took home the gold medal, beating local rivals UWCSEA in a thrilling final and a very determined U16 ‘B’ team came second in the Plate Competition after some fiercely fought matches.

Movement Museum

by Fenella Woodhouse, (12.7)

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On Wednesday 3 March at 7pm, Tanglin Trust School’s first ever charity dance performance commenced, raising over $4000 for ‘Blue Skies Orphanage’ in Thailand.

With over 150 students participating from both Junior and Senior schools, ‘Movement Museum’ was truly a showcase of talent as a fusion of dances from around the world, including Hip Hop, Belly Dancing, Indian Dance and Contemporary, were skillfully performed in the Berrick Hall.

Within seconds of the lift doors opening, the audience were confronted with real life statues, welcoming them into the ‘Movement Museum’. The introduction dance, based on a circus theme, set the standard for the evening as colour, light and energy filled the stage alongside students dressed as mime artists, balloonists and lions. Tom Ridley’s interpretation of “The Ring Master” lent a surreal touch to the spectacle.

One of the highlights of the evening was a performance by “Radikal Forze Crew”, a local break-dancing group, that truly inspired and entertained the audience.

Gasps of amazement could be heard echoing throughout the hall!

Overall, “Movement Museum” was a great success and both performers and audience had a fantastic evening. A huge thank you goes to PE Teacher and Dance Specialist, Aileen Cuthbertson, for making ‘Movement Museum’ such a success and to everyone who made a donation towards ‘Blue Skies Orphanage’.

PTA Here we are at the end of Term 2 already – none of us on the PTA committee can believe how quickly time passes between one event and the next! Our aim for this term was to organise a few low key events designed to foster community spirit and this we believe we achieved with the highly enjoyable ‘Bring the Grandparents to Tea at Tanglin’ and ‘Operations Appreciation Day’ functions featured here.

of the school leadership team and PTA committee members were able to personally thank them. The highlights of the get-together were the visit from the Brownies who sang for our guests and the presentation of the wonderful thankyou cards made by students from the Junior School. Let’s all make an effort to make every day an ‘appreciation day’.

Supper Under the Stars

Our main event this term was the highly successful ‘Supper Under the Stars’ evening which was held in the grounds of a beautiful black and white house in Goodwood Hill. The black and white

Operations Appreciation Day This event, on 4 March, was arranged to recognise the many members of staff who contribute to our daily well being and play such a big part in the day to day running of the school. The smiling lollipop men and the general assistants who help to control the traffic flow in and out of the car parks every morning and afternoon, as well as keeping busy with other duties during the school day; the security officers who keep a watchful eye on the comings and goings on site; the facilities maintenance team members; the many members of the housekeeping team who keep our school spotlessly clean and technicians from various departments who are always happy to lend a helping hand at various events around the school - all these people contribute daily towards making Tanglin the happy place we know it to be.

Everyone was treated to high tea in the Café@Level 3 at which members

theme was carried through to stunning effect with guests making the effort to dress in black and white as well. A feature of the evening was the beautiful music of harpist Eilidh McRae which created such ambience as people arrived. Thank you Eilidh, the musical pieces you played were lovely and we look forward to your performances at PTA events in the future. The menu was varied, upmarket and enjoyed by all.

The party carried on until the wee hours with non-stop dancing to the mainly 80’s music spun by the husband and wife team from the DJ Danceman disco.

Well done and a huge vote of thanks to Karen Davies and her subcommittee – Tracy Betteridge, Philippa Forrest, Jenny Hughes, Ally Kiggell, Maxine McMahonBrown and Susan Peters-Berg – it was a pleasure working with all of you!

Tea at Tanglin Over 30 families who had grandparents visiting joined the PTA in the Café@Level 3 on 12 February for morning tea.

Three generations enjoyed home-made cakes and cups of tea prepared and served by the PTA. Following the tea, they were taken on a tour of the school, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

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by Frances Beretta, PTA President

Creative Writing 32

Winter Woods

by Zoe Richardson

The winter sun Smashed the stone Into dust and frost of ice.

The hills he spliced Into ribs of bone Where rivers sprang to run.

And down these mounds of mottled snow The melted water fell.

Over icicled rock, through bubbling pool Down valley it rushed and spread Bright with the dipper’s dip and song Where hawthorns crouched and bled.

And through the winds of winter thaw I climbed toward the darkening moor.

And driven on by greenwood roar I took for my mark a solitary beech, Stretched like a net on the wind-blown shore Through gathering dark The tree Held me.

Hailed me higher, Entrancing my eye With its holly-spine fire.

Its broom of horn-beams, Sprout of deer.

Was wild in the air, Yet beckoning me near.

Green bark smudges my skin, Leaf and twig Grasp me in, And there I clamber From branch to branch.

Breathless, beguiled; A child, At last, I slept.

Beneath me Winter collapsed and wept.

Artwork on cardboard

by Hannah Baillie (12.8)

Book Reviews Check it Out! Infant School Library Book Reviews Top 5 most popular books and ‘My Favourite Book’ Competition

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Thanks to Tanglin’s librarians, Jacqui Makselon (Senior), Barbara Philip (Junior) and Ben Farr (Infant) for collating these lists.

‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Battle Begins’ by Rob Valois ‘The Cooking Book’ by Jane Bull ‘Princess: The Essential Guide’ by Naia Bray-Moffatt ‘Where’s Wally?’ by Martin Handford ‘Surprise for a Princess’ by Jennifer Liberts Weinburg

‘My Favourite Book’ Infant classes celebrated Book Week in March and many entered a competition called ‘My Favourite Book’. Each entrant wrote what their favourite book was and why, and drew a picture. There was a winner in each class, who received a book as a prize. Here are extracts from some of the winning entries.

My favourite book is ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’. It is funny because the cheeky tiger ate all the food up!

Sasha, 1.8 I love the book, ‘Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy’ because the dogs have funny, silly names. Hercules Morse, Bottomley Spots, Muffin McLay, Bitzer Maloney and Schnitzel Von Krum.

Dileep, 2.1

My favourite book is ‘Pirateology’. I love this book because it tells me all about pirates.

My favourite book is ‘The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me’ because its all about a boy who has a dream and it comes true.

Cosmo, Reception 2.

Raphaela, 2.2

Junior School Library Book Review Most popular books and Red Dot Awards Year 3 – ‘Where’s Wally?’ by Martin Handford Year 4 – ‘Just Teddy’ by Emily Lim Year 5– ‘Singing Sensation’ by Geronimo Stilton Year 6 – ‘Once’ by Morris Gleitzman, a popular book which supports the study of WWII.

Red Dot Awards Last term Year 4 and 5 students participated in the ‘Red Dot Awards’ run by the International Schools Libraries Network (ISLN), Singapore. Depending on their age and reading level, students could vote for their favourite book in four categories; Picture, Junior, Middle and Senior. The winners are shown here but the complete lists of the most popular books, as voted for by children in Singapore can be found at www.reddotawards.com.

Red Dot Award Winners 2010 Picture: ‘Do Not Open This Book!’

by Michaela Muntean Junior: ‘The Diary of Amos Lee’

by Adeline Foo Middle: ‘The Mysterious Benedict Society’

by Trenton Lee Stewart Senior: ‘The Hunger Games’

by Suzanne Collins

Book Reviews (from Senior School Library) Most popular books Years 7, 8 and 9 ‘Flying for Frankie’ by Pauline Fisk ‘Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief’ by Rick Riordan ‘The Ant Colony’ by Jenny Valentine ‘The Vanishing of Katharina Linden’ by Helen Grant ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins

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Years 10 and 11 ‘My Sister’s Keeper’ by Jodi Picoult ‘Innocent’ by Anne Cassidy ‘Falling’ by Sharon Dogar

Wolf Cry by Julia Golding

Romantic, tragic and exciting, this book is now one of my favourites as it has all the qualities I like. It is set in the Viking times and is fun as well as educational.

It gives much detail as to the lifestyle of the Vikings, without going too far as to be boring. The plot is fun to read and keeps you flipping the pages: I could hardly put it down!

Blood Child by Tim Bowler

Blood Child is about a boy called Will who has visions. He can sense something is wrong, ‘a sickness’ in his home, but he doesn’t know what, since at the start of the book, he has lost his memory, having been deliberately run over by someone who doesn’t want the ‘sickness’ uncovered. Will goes through a physical and emotional journey as he tries to unravel the mystery of the little boy and the girl with the shadow faces and battles against those who would see him fail.

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Freydis is a timid yet brave Viking girl who is shunned by her father and only loved by her brother Toki. Enno is a slave with an unbreakable spirit who longs to go back to his country. Despite these differences, the two create a strong, secret bond and must work together to save the nation.

Sabriel is an engaging book about a young woman whose father is Abhorsen, a necromancer - a communicator with the dead. Brought up at a boarding school outside the Old Kingdom, where she was born, Sabriel sees her father in person just once a year. On these occasions he teaches her the skills of necromancy, as she will become Abhorsen after him.

Sabriel is a competent necromancer and is able to enter Death, a parallel place, where the spirits of the dead are swept past the nine gates and into True Death.

One year, Sabriel’s father does not arrive for their annual meeting but sends a spirit messenger instead. This leads Sabriel to become concerned for her father’s safety and she resolves to enter the Old Kingdom, which she has not seen since early childhood, in order to find him.

Once there Sabriel learns more about who and what she is. She comes to understand what it really means to be Abhorsen as she discovers the dead are rising and Abhorsen is trapped in Death.

I like Sabriel because it really engages you. The idea of Death is unique and fascinating. The novel is about growing and learning to do things for yourself but in an interesting way. The story contains many genres, which are all put together in a very intriguing way.

Review by Georgina Robertson, (8.1)

Will’s struggle for the truth is hindered further by the fact that no one will believe him due to the fact that he has had visions of a similar sort many times in many different locations, each worse than the last. In the end he will be betrayed by someone he thought a friend but his quest will have a glorious conclusion in which both his memory, friends and home will be returned to him. This book is great and the author Tim Bowler is a genius.

Review by Tim Baark, (8.2)

One day, while Freydis’ father is away, his enemy raids the village and captures Toki, her brother, leaving Freydis injured and alone. Upon returning with a slave for her named Enno, Freydis’ father finds his son gone and takes Freydis with him on a quest for vengeance. Along the journey, Enno and Freydis fall in love, though neither can admit it; Freydis because she needs to prove to her father that she has authority over a slave and Enno because he made a vow never to show affection towards a Viking. However, when battle looms, Enno and Freydis must work together to save everyone they love. You have to read the book to see if they come through!

I loved this book because it has just the right amount of everything: historical information, that is enough to let you imagine, romance, that makes you feel happy but is not too sickly and enough tragedy to make you sad but not to make you throw the book away. It is a very, very thrilling book.

Review by Kristine Cho, (7. 4)

The Last Word I joined Tanglin’s Board of Governors at the start of this school year and sit on the Education, Staffing and Development sub-committees. I am from the UK but have lived in Singapore for eight years now.

I work for ‘Bain & Company’, a management consulting firm, where I spend most of my time helping companies in Asia with strategy and organisation.

I had three related reasons for signing up as a governor. First – this sounds cheesy but it’s true – I wanted to give something back to the school. I have three children here and they all love it. More than that, they each thrive at Tanglin and look forward to every Monday morning.

That is worth a lot to me so I sought to reciprocate, and believed my background and experience might be useful to the Board.

Six months in, my early sense is that we have many exciting opportunities: to strengthen some curriculum areas; to create truly exceptional departments; to enhance our facilities; to accommodate in comfort a filled-out pyramid of students from three to eighteen; and to improve connections and communications between the Board, executive, parents and community. In short, I believe we have a wonderful foundation upon which to build an even greater and more complete school over the next few years.

As a governor I spend perhaps half a day per week on school duties. A typical week in term time involves one or two meetings at school, a few phone

calls and a fair bit of reading, as well as email traffic. That said, finding time for governor duties has been surprisingly easy. At work I am careful not to sacrifice client time or service, and whilst my consulting teams see a little less of me than they used to, I’m sure they don’t mind that.

I am very proud of Tanglin and excited about what the future holds for the school. I look forward to playing some part in that – and to working with our Board, executive, faculty, staff, students and parents to make it happen.

Tanglin provides a very special combination of learning, community and fun that is all too often lacking in the corporate world.

Second – still cheesy, also true – I wanted to learn and develop in a new field. I’ve spent most of my career advising private companies, and have no experience in education beyond having been a student in the past.

To me Tanglin provides a very special combination of learning, community and fun that is all too often lacking in the corporate world. My learning curve at Tanglin has been steep so far, and I have already asked lots of silly questions, but I am hugely enjoying my new role.

Third – slightly less cheesy – I think Tanglin is an excellent school that can get even better, and I’m keen to help shape its future development.

Hana Preston’s first day at school, September 2009

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by Sim Preston, Tanglin Governor

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