Secondary Newsletter, Edition 4 / Term 2

Newsletter

2015 - 2016

Secondary Edition 4 Term 2

This week in the Secondary School

British Physics Olympiad Regents Students compete at Oxford University Level in Physics ...

Diary Dates Thursday 31st March

House winners Mufti Day and Pizza lunch

Thursday 31st March

Summer Concert in the Globe

Friday 1st April Global Campus and Challenge Based Learning Some may know them as Heath Robinson contraptions, some may know them as Rube Goldberg machines …

Songkran Celebrations and End of Term 2 at 12.30pm

Wednesday 20th April Term 3 begins

Thursday 21st April IB Geography Fieldtrip

Monday 25th April Bucket Drumming This year we have had the opportunity to take part in a Global Campus challenge called “Think Outside the Bucket” ...

Regents’ drama students excel yet once again!

Once again, Regents International School Drama students delivered a set of first class performances ....

Year 7 Outdoor Education Weeks begin

Wednesday 27th April IB Study Leave Begins

The Art of Reflection

I have just returned from the IB Regional Conference in Hyderabad, India and as always after attending such an event, I feel privileged to be part of such an organisation and to have had such an opportunity. It enables me as a Diploma Programme Coordinator to find out about the changes ahead within the IB Diploma Programme and to learn from other IB educators about how they manage the Programme in their own schools. Most importantly, it is an opportunity to reflect on where we are in terms of our own IB Programme – how we are faring and whether there are systems we can put in place to better support the students.

A chance to reflect is rare but invaluable and at times seems only possible when far away from the demands and stresses of our everyday lives. In fact, in our fastpaced, ever-changing world with its over-reliance upon appliances and technology, there seems very little down time or opportunity to simply stop and think. There is always the next job to tick off the list, which certainly in the short term, seems much more pressing and important.

As an organisation, the IB places great emphasis on the need for regular reflection – for example, there is a rolling programme of curriculum review and ongoing research designed to inform educational developments. One example of this is the current research being undertaken to establish whether the IB Diploma Programme places too many demands on young people, examining how we can ease the load without compromising on the challenge and rigour for which the programme is renowned.

Reflection plays a key role within the Diploma Programme itself, with students expected to record their personal reflections following their CAS experiences, using a medium of their choice. Increasingly, students are expected to consider the process and not just the outcomes when undertaking work, by submitting an accompanying reflective statement or analysing the different stages of an assignment. They are asked to pause and think about what lessons have been learned so far, before considering what the next stages should be. The art of reflection needs to be learnt: initially superficial and naĂŻve, with practice, reflection can be pertinent and insightful, enabling us to make enormous progress and develop academically, professionally and even personally.

The IB Diploma Programmes in-built reflection process fits in with Regents own Growth Mindset philosophy and our belief that there are no limits in what can be achieved with time and support. The ability to critically examine and subsequently adapt and refine is a powerful tool. If it is true that the employers of today want to employ young people who can problem solve and think critically and creatively, then we need to ensure that students have acquired the ability to reflect effectively throughout their school life. As educators, we need to make time within our busy schedules to ensure all students develop this important skill.

Rachel Batty Assistant Head of Secondary IB Diploma Coordinator

Rachel Batty

British Physics Olympiad

By Carolyn Neylon, Head of Science

Regents Students compete at Oxford University Level in Physics

Eclipse breakfast

By Carolyn Neylon, Head of Science

Sizzling sausages and a rare sighting of a solar eclipse

Year 9 Options Process

By Philip Kilgallon, Head Of Year 9 / Modern Foreign Languages Department

Cross-Curricular Zombie Based Learning (ZBL)

By Timothy Spear, Head of Geography

Year 9 Outdoor Education

By Philip Kilgallon, Head Of Year 9 / Modern Foreign Languages Department

Quotes:

‘I enjoyed snorkeling, it was a really great experience’ –

‘I enjoyed snorkeling and the beautiful beaches’ –

Elizabeth ‘My favourite part in Outdoor Ed was the hiking to get to the waterfall’ – William

‘I liked the surfing during Outdoor Ed because it was a new experience for me’ – Yoo

Hyun

‘My favourite part of Outdoor Ed was getting to know more people and jumping off the big rock at the National Park’ –

Morgan

Thomas

‘I enjoyed the fact that I stood up whilst surfing’ – Hugo ‘I enjoyed everything!’ – Charles

‘Outdoor Education gave me an enormous amount of opportunities and fun’ – Kaede

Year 13 Poetry Revision Retreat, Khao Chamao

By Sascha, Year 13 IB Student

“None of us is… or else we all are.”

Global Campus and Challenge Based Learning

By Paddy McKenna, Science Teacher / Global Classroom Coordinator

Fantastic Machines in Science!

Secondary Staff Professional Learning during Term 2

Teachers continue to prove that they are life-long learners

Regents’ drama students excel yet once again!

By Mike Thomas, Drama Teacher

Bucket Beats

By Jaz Saric, Pranjali Tiwari and Hyun Bi Shin

Back to Africa – Service Work in Tanzania

By Paddy McKenna, Science Teacher / Global Classroom Coordinator

Save the date - Songkran Celebrations at Regents on 1st April

By Aina Rakotonirina, Round Square Coordinator

Song-kran - A festival celebrating the traditional Thai New Year, held in April and marked by the throwing and prinkling of water

Date: 1st April 2016 Time: 11.30AM to 12.15PM Attire: House T-shirt + flowery shirtďżź Bring a towel, sponges, buckets etc.

Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard - Exclusive Discounts Available!

Click for video

www.naejuilliard.school/summer-arts Performing Arts with Juilliard and Nord Anglia Summer Leadership Academy,

here.

Connect: www.Regents-Pattaya.com /RegentsInternationalSchoolPattaya /RegentsSchool /RegentsPattaya /TheRegentsSchool