The Drum Issue 03

THE DRUM @WOODFORD

Issue 03, April 21 2023

Woodford International School

Welcome Back for Term 2!

After those wonderful two weeks wellearned rest and relaxation we hope you’re all raring to go – we know we are!

We hope to bring a term full of interesting news, topics of interest, pop culture, games and much more… Stay tuned for the next issues of The Drum and a great big thanks to all our avid readers for your amazing support on our journey so far.

Hoping everyone’s start of term went well, and that the good vibes continue throughout the term!

How I Became A Teacher: Mr Stuart Palmer

By: Tafadzwa Machiridza

come along on Mr Stuart Palmer’s education journey and find out how he came to be teaching us at Woodford. Mr Palmer is our resident Geography teacher, and he has had a huge influence on most of our lives. I cannot wait to share the things I learnt from him in this interview.

His favourite subject in primary school was PE, especially soccer, which explains his fierce competitiveness when cheering on Tenaru.

Haven’t you ever wondered how (and why J) our wonderful teachers became teachers? Well, here’s your chance:

Flashback to 1998, we see Mr Stuart at the beginning of his journey. He went to a primary school in Malaita called Fulisango School. Back then, he used to walk 3km to get to school, which included crossing a river. When it was raining, he would give his books to his taller, older siblings to cross first, then little Mr Palmer would have to swim across. This a great example of the determination that our teacher has.

From 2005 to 2008, Mr Palmer attended boarding school at King George for Forms, 1 to 3, during which his favourite subjects were Math and Science. The reason being that, at the time, his English was not very good, so he thrived best, and was easier for him to work with numbers. From there he went on to Selwyn College, another boarding school, but with stricter rules and more discipline, which Mr Palmer quickly got used to. The challenging thing for him at Selwyn were the responsibilities he now had.

(continued on page 3)

A day in the life of a high school student: Y12

By: Tafadzwa Machiridza

It’s Monday. I wake up at 4 AM, make my bed, brush my teeth, then study till 5:30 AM. This is when I go for my daily 4km walk with my mum, which always boosts my energy and gets me ready for the day ahead. I take a quick shower after the walk, get dressed, pack my bag and go have breakfast. Breakfast boosts my overall mood; I love food (lol). Monday is traditional porridge day, which I absolutely love. I also have a cup of coffee; I literally cannot survive without coffee. I take my vitamins and anti-allergies, hop in the car and we’re off to school.

I arrive around 8:00 AM, order my snack and lunch from the tuckshop then I sit in class, writing some notes while I wait for homeroom. At 8:20 AM our homeroom teachers make a couple of announcements and encourage us to study and make good choices. 8:30 AM, I go to my first class of the day which is Chemistry. Here, Mr Randy takes us through a new topic, ‘Reaction Kinetics’, where

we learn the order of reactions and how to use the rate equations of the form rate =k{A}m{B}n

I am usually drained after Chemistry class, so I get a hotdog and a cupcake during recess to recharge my brain, I have no class during 3rd and 4th periods, so I take this time to write notes on the things I learnt from Chemistry class. I try to do these notes by memory first, to make sure I understood what I learnt, before crosschecking with the textbook.

11:30 AM, time for Biology. We start the topic Coordination, and although I love Biology, this is my least favourite topic. Nevertheless, we watch a YouTube animation on Coordination, and Ms. Leleana explains everything so well that I actually enjoy it.

Its lunch time, yay! I get my lunch order from the tuck shop and sit with friends. We all eat our lunch while talking about where we’re going next year, University applications, Netflix shows and movies (which is basically me telling them how ridiculous Marvel movies are J). For the remaining time before homeroom, I attend the weekly Drum Newspaper meeting. We discuss what the next issue is going to be, thoughts, ideas, improvements etc…

No class for the last two periods, so I go to the library to write notes and prepare for the online French course I take. 3 PM, it’s time to go home. From 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM I take a nap, then prepare dinner and play with my cat. 8:30 PM its bedtime. I take a shower, do my skin care routine and then get some much needed rest to be prepared for the next day.

Prepare for Term 2

By: Tumuteku Rore

As soon as the Easter break ended, Woodford’s Form 7 students resumed their classes and began their tests for Semester 1. This can serve as a reminder for the rest of Middle School and High School: Term 2 is mid-year exams, and just like the Form 7 you too will soon be hard at work preparing for exams. Don’t leave it too late to start revising. Study tip #1: Be Organised! Make sure you have your notes prepared and review them regularly and thoroughly, before exam week is upon you. Good luck!

How I Became A Teacher: Mr Stuart

Palmer (continued)

By: Tafadzwa Machiridza

For example, after school all students were required to participate in work sessions, be it building or gardening. What’s more, in all his classes, there was a high level of competition between the students, which only made him want to study more to stay at the top of the class. He then became a science student, and though it was challenging, Mr. Palmer was the school’s overall achiever for Form 7, and he got a scholarship to study at USP in Suva.

After receiving such an honour, Mr Palmer continued to work hard in Suva, where he studied Environmental Management and Geography for 3 years. H echoes this course because he was interested in the environment and how human interacted with it. According to him, it was extremely challenging, but by surrounding himself with the right friends who were just as focused as him, helped him to pull through until he graduated in 2015. Unfortunately, he could not find a job after graduation, so he joined the Youth at Work Voluntary Organisation, where they mostly did community service, training etc… Most of the people part of the organisation were dropouts, and so this was hard for Mr Palmer because though he was the same level as them in the organisation, he, unlike them, had worked hard for a degree. When asked about this he said, “You have to start from somewhere…it’s all about having the right mindset.” Before he could finish the program at Youth at Work, he got a call from Woodford International School, offering him a position as a Geography teacher.

According to him, he never really wanted to be a teacher, his career just went in that direction.

He worked as a Lab Technician and Environmental teaching assistant for 6 months, and the following year, he became a full time Geography teacher. Mr Palmer got a diploma in class management with CIE, which he really enjoyed. He then realised that even though this had not been his plan or even though the pay wasn’t amazing, it was all worth it because he really enjoyed teaching, and the impact he had on students’ lives. Mr Palmer has been teacher for 9 years now and what he loves most is his opportunity to inspire, encourage and guide students to become better, more responsible, and more knowledgeable members of society, and the way he shapes the future of different people and motivate them to reach their full potential.

Upon asking him if he had any advice to either students, or other teachers he said, “Firstly, teachers must aim to have an impact on the future of the children they teach and as for the students, if you’re not willing to learn, no one can help you, but if you’re determined to learn, then no one can stop you. You shouldn’t be lazy or have to be forced, but rather have the desire to learn and better yourself.” Lastly, Mr Palmer’s closing note was, “Work hard, and enjoy school, because learning is a lifelong process, and you never know where you might end up in the future.”

Where’s Wally

Have a go and look for Wally in the image above. You never know where he might be.

Riddle Me This

Take a crack at these fun math questions:

1. If 1=3

Then, 6=?

2. What is the number of the parking spot covered by the car? (above)

3. I am an odd number. Take away one letter and I become even. What number am I?

Tune in next issue for the answers!

Donations to Tamboko School

By: Lang Ying Zhu

In a heart-warming display of generosity, the Year 9 students at Woodford International School made a donation of sports equipment to Tamboko School in West Guadalcanal. This donation is part of a wider initiative aimed at improving access to sporting facilities for children in the region.

The Year 9 students took the initiative to put in twenty dollars each and were able to use this money to provide a variety of sporting equipment, including soccer balls, volleyballs and volleyball nets.

This generous donation was made in response to a request from the Tamboko School which had identified a lack of equipment as a barrier to their student’s participation in sports. Their lack of equipment was noted by the Year 9s last year during their camp. They were able to some communication with the students and staff of Tamboko School from them on,

and, as a class, the Year 9s came to an agreement to donate the equipment Tamboko School lacked.

After a few mishaps on the way to the donation, it was finally able to take place on the 16th of March. On this day, a representative from Tamboko School came over to Woodford International School to collect the sporting equipment, which was handed over by the Year 9 prefects Chris Tony and LangYing Zhu.

The donation was met with great excitement and gratitude by the representative of Tamboko School. The sports equipment will be used to support physical education classes and extracurricular sporting activities at the school. Woodford School, especially the Year 9s, were very appreciative of their chance to do some good in the community and are eager to see the equipment put to use.

White House delegation visits Honiara

An interagency delegation from the White House of the United States of America arrived in Honiara to discuss current bilateral relations, US assistance, potential partnerships in the areas of economic development, public health and other areas of mutual terest, between the US and the Solomon Islands. Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the IndoPacific National Security Council, led the delegation. The US Embassy in the Solomon Islands was recently reopened, and this visit builds on past encounters the Solomon Islands Government has had with the US.

Japan sets up the Overseas Security Assistance programme

On April 5, 2023, Japan announced its decision to provide financial support to help nations strengthen their defences. This announcement marked a radical departure from the previous regulations preventing the use of foreign aid for military objectives. The Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) programme will be run independently from the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme, which finances civilian infrastructure.

《开 k ā i 心 x ī n 的 de 假 jià 期 q ī 》

s三 ān 年 nián 级 jí 司 s ī 徒 tú y泳ǒng 薇 w ē i

Y3 Sophie Situ

二 èr 零 líng 二 èr

三 年 四 月 十 日， 星ng 期 q ī 一 y ī 的 de 早 zǎo

上 shang 八 bā 点 diǎn ， 在 zài 所 suǒ 罗 luó 门 mén 群 qún 岛 dǎo 霍 huò

尼 ní 亚 yà 拉 l ā 举 j ǔ 行 xíng 了 le yí 个 gè 复 fù 活 huó 节 jié 欢 huān 乐 lè

跑 pǎo 步 bù 活 huó 动 dòng 。我 wǒ ， 妈 mā 妈 mā 和 hé 我 wǒ 的 de 朋 péng 友 yǒu 也 yě 在 zài 那 nà 里 l ǐ ， 太 tài 阳 yáng 把 bǎ 地 dì

上 shàng 晒 shài 得 de 金 jīn 闪 shǎn 闪 shǎn 的 de ， 还 hái 把 bǎ 我 wǒ

的 de 头 tóu 晒 shài 到 dào 快 kuài 冒 mào 烟 yān 了 le 。

我 wǒ 们 men 从 cóng 大 dà 球 qiú 场 chǎng 出 chū 发 f ā 走 zǒu

到 dào 山 shān 上 shàng ， 在 zài 路 lù 边 biān 上 shàng 还 hái 有 yǒu

好 hǎo 多 duō 五 wǔ 颜 yá 六 liù 色 sè 的 de 小 xiǎo 花 huā 朵 duǒ，也 yě

有 yǒu 好 hǎo 多 duō 大 dà 小 xiǎo 不 bù yī 的 de 房 fáng 子 zi 。途 tú 中 zhōng ， 我 wǒ 们 men 还 hái 经 jīng 过 guò 了 le 我 wǒ 朋 péng 友 yǒu

的 de 家 jiā 呢 ne ! 过 guò 了 le yí 下 xià 子 zi ， 我 wǒ 和 hé 妈 mā 妈 mā

十 shí 点 diǎn 的 de 时 shí 候 hòu ，爸 bà 爸 ba 带 dài 我 wǒ 去 qù 了 le yí 个 gè 农 nóng 场 chǎng 里 l ǐ 玩 wán 。 首 shǒu 先 xiān ， 我 wǒ 们 men 去 qù 摘 zhāi 又 yòu 大 dà 又 yòu 黄 huáng 的 de 玉 yù 米 m ǐ 和 hé 甜 tián 甜 tián 的 de 橘 jú 子 zi 。 yì 开 kāi 始 shǐ 我 wǒ 以 y ǐ 为 wéi 是 shì 柠 níng 檬 méng ，结 jié 果 guǒ 是 shì 橘 jú 子 zi 。接 jiē 着 zhe 我 wǒ 还 hái 看 kàn 到 dào 和 hé 我 wǒ yí 样 yàng 大 dà 的 de yì 头 tóu 大 dà 猪 zhū 。

我 wǒ 们 men 从 cóng 农 nóng 场 chǎng 离 lí 开 kāi 后 hòu ， 直 zhí 接 jiē 去 qù yì 间 jiān 餐 cān 厅 tīng 吃 chī 饭 fàn 和 hé 唱 chàng

歌 g ē 。爸 bà 爸 ba 唱 chàng 了 le 《 月 yuè 亮 liàng 代 dài 表 biǎo 我 wǒ 的 de 心 xīn 》，而

Cyberbullying Anonymous

Cyberbullying refers to the use of digital technology to harass, intimidate or embarrass another person.

It can take many forms, including sending threatening messages, spreading rumours, posting hurtful comments and sharing embarrassing photos or videos.

Cyberbullying can have a significant impact on a person’s mental health, self-esteem, and overall well-being, leading to feelings of anxiety, depression and social isolation.

It is important to recognise the signs of online bullying and take steps to prevent and address it, such as reporting the behaviour to the appropriate authorities and seeking support from trusted friends and family members

If you or any one you know is facing cyberbullying, do not hesitate to tell a trusted teacher, friend, parent or guardian.

摘

zhāi 了 le yí 片 piàn 芭 bā 蕉 jiāo 叶 yè 来 lái 遮 zhē 太 tài 阳 yáng 。 虽 suī

然 rán 我 wǒ 们 men 太 tài 累 lèi 了 le ， 但 dàn 是 shì 我 wǒ 们 men 还 hái 是 shì

走 zǒu 到 dào 了 le 终 zhōng 点 diǎn 。 最 zuì 后 hòu ， 妈 mā 妈 mā

问 wèn 说 shuō :” 下 xià y ī 年 nián ，你 n ǐ 还 hái 参 cān 加 jiā

吗 ma ?”， 我 wǒ 就 jiù 说 shuō :” 不 bù 了 le 。 ”

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www.wis.edu.sb/thedrum

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charlotte.preeec@wis.edu.sb