Patana News Volume 19 Issue 26

Patana

NEWS

Practice Makes Perfect Permanent Page 2

Why Celebrating Reading is Important / ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’ Bangkok Patana is an IB World School, accredited by CIS and NEASC

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hist Matt Mills is in Japan for the IB Global Conference, I would like to take this opportunity to write his monthly blog post, and use the platform to recommend a book we should all read.

In his latest book, ’Black Box Thinking: The Surprising Truth About Success’, author Matthew Syed compares several large scale organisations and how they deal with failure. For example, in the aviation industry airlines employ ‘black box’ technology which allows them to monitor every aspect of aircraft behaviour, right down to the conversation of the flight crew. In the event of an accident, they can identify and analyse all possible contributing factors, and make changes accordingly. This approach works. In 1912 eight out of every fourteen US Army pilots died in crashes. Fatality rates at army aviation schools were close to 25%. Today, things are markedly different - in 2013, there were 36.4 million commercial flights worldwide carrying more than 3 billion passengers.1 Only 210 people died.

Using a smorgasbord of interviews, gripping stories and data, Syed explores the intimate relationship between failure and success, and shows why we need to transport black box thinking into our own lives. He quotes examples of how companies and institutions have learned from their failures, turning mistakes into learning episodes.

It is with this attitude to failure, many would say, ‘a growth mindset’, that we should analyse our own dayto-day lives. As a teacher, do I create an environment in which failure is acceptable? As a parent, do I place too much emphasis on achievement and not enough on effort? Are we all too quick to admonish a mistake?

As a student, do I learn from my mistakes, do I actively seek feedback so I can improve?

Two of our Year groups are about to embark on what they may regard as the most significant episode in their lives. With the examination season looming, I was invited by Mr Hume and Mr Roff to present to our Year 11 and Year 13 students on my top ten ways to avoid digital distractions/tips for exam revision. In the session, I mentioned recent research from MIT and the University of London dispelling the myth of multitasking. The collective cognitive dissonance of the groups echoed many of examples highlighted in the Syed’s book. It is only through trial, error and reflecting pragmatically on our mistakes, do we learn from them and correct our understanding and beliefs. Without mistakes how would we know what we need to improve? Michael Jordan, the basketball great, is a case in point. In a famous Nike commercial ten years ago, he said: “I’ve missed more than nine thousand shots. I’ve lost almost three hundred games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.” For many the ad was perplexing. Why boast about your mistakes? But to Jordan it made perfect sense. “Mental toughness and heart are a lot stronger than some of the physical advantages you might have,” he said.

Based on this philosophy and what I have learned from Syed’s book I would like to propose an adaptation to a well-known phrase. Okay, I’ll admit that it does not roll off the tongue as smoothly as the original, but nonetheless I do think it’s an evolutionary step in the right direction:

As a school we are in the business of learning. A fundamental principle of learning is making mistakes; if we create an environment (home and school) where it is okay to make mistakes, we foster an attitude of lifelong learning and develop critical thinking. I can honestly say that listening to this audio book has profoundly changed the lens through which I think about my profession and my role as a parent; I cannot recommend it more highly.

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“ATA Safety Report”, International Air Transport Association (2013)

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nesco’s Director General stated in 2016, “The world has changed since 1966 – but the determination to provide every man and woman with the skills, capacities and opportunities to become everything they wish, in dignity and respect, remains as firm as ever. Literacy is a foundation to build a more sustainable future for all.” It is this desire that underpins our five days of book week fun. R.A.P. and READ week starts on the first Monday back after the Songkran break, and will serve to highlight to our whole community how important reading is.

Our celebrations are almost too numerous to mention. Ranging from publishing a Year 1 and Year 2 poetry book, entitled ‘Our World’; to enjoying Readers’ Theatre Performances in Year 3 and Year 4; to competing in a Year 5 Readers’ Cup Challenge; to enjoy-

ing the annual and wonderful Year 6 Poetry Competition; there is so much to look forward to. The children will also be celebrating literature through Zentangle Art and Sculpture; rapping in different languages and translating stories in World Languages.

Our choirs will be performing wonderful thematic rap songs in our celebrations, and our extended learners will be sharing theatrical adaptations of our visiting authors’ stories. In addition, ‘Audio in the Round’ storytelling will be taking place; not to mention our whole community Drop Everything and Read, Dress Up Day and Poetry Police celebrations at the end of the week. Along with our school hosting an inter-school Year 7 R.A.P. Poetry performance competition and enjoying ‘fun library activity days’, including a Super-Heroes Challenge, there really is

something for everyone!

During the week, we are lucky enough to have three visiting authors visiting and spending time with our students. Gail Clarke, a keen environmentalist, will be with our Foundation and Key Stage 1 children.

Janice Santikarn, famous for her ‘Little Blue Tuk Tuk’ stories, will be exploring issues linked to saving elephants with Years 3 and 4 and Donavan Christopher, a.k.a. Rappaman, will be spending time with children in Year 5 and above, exploring important issues such as tolerance and respect. We have called our Book Week R.A.P. and READ (RESPECT ALL PEOPLE) to honour Donavan’s central message of respect. The authors’ books will be on sale at the book vendors’ stalls in school throughout the week.

I have been lucky enough to have my belief, that reading empowers our children to become empathetic and caring people, affirmed when I recently attended an Adolescence Literacy Conference held at ISB School in Bangkok. The guest speakers including many eminent experts in the field of literacy, amongst them Tom Newkirk, Kelly Gallagher, Penny Kittle and Bob Prost, who all discussed the need to ensure our young people read extensively. Armed with statistics and case studies the evidence that reading for pleasure and reading a lot is central to the development of responsible and compassionate people was unquestionably convincing. With this at the forefront of my thoughts I am hopeful that our R.A.P. and READ week celebrations will be one small tool to help motivate and encourage our children to love books and reap the benefits that becoming readers for life brings with it. Of course, a celebration like this doesn’t just happen. Many, many thanks go to our fabulous students, our wonderful Library team, teachers, senior leaders, technicians, artists, musicians and numerous other behind the scene helpers who have promoted, supported and worked so hard so that this event can take place.

Happy R.A.P. and READ Week everyone!

Sally Flint Head of Libraries International Literacy Day, 50th Anniversary, Reading the Past, Writing the Future. 2016. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. [online] Available at: http:// www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-andcelebrations/celebrations/international-days/literacy-day/.

[Accessed 23 March 2017]

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n 24th March 2017, Bangkok Patana School, participated in an event similar to Earth Hour. Earth Hour is a worldrenowned event in which millions of people all over the world are encouraged to turn off their electricity between 8.30pm and 9:30pm on the 25th of March 2017.

As our school is a proactive community, with hopes of sustaining the environment, the Student Environmental Committee decided to incorporate the main message of Earth Hour, to reduce energy consumption, into our own “Earth Day” whereby students and teachers were all encouraged to be creative in reducing the amount of energy consumed. Below are some of the success stories we received.

The Science Centre was built with sustainability in mind and technology within so we are able to track energy consumption.

On average, energy consumption the previous week was 827 kWh, during earth day, the average was a reduced 750 kWh, saving up to 9% energy in one day. This was achieved through action such as the “projector free” lesson organised by Ms Thew for her Year 13 Biology class.

In the Foundation Stage, all lights, air-conditioning, projectors, laptops and more were all turned off for the first time without any detriment to the students or their learning.

Miss Davis’ classes in Secondary English worked for most of the day with out lights or the projector and have pledged to continue their reduced lighting for the rest of the year!

Without the cooperation of Heads of Faculty, academic staff and students this would not have been possible. Therefore on behalf of the Student Environmental Committee, we are sincerely thankful your cooperation and we hope to collaborate with everyone in future events to continue our more sustainable environmental impact as a school community.

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s we head into the hot summer months please be aware that Bangkok Patana has a Heat Management Policy in place which guides staff to take sensible precautions against heat exhaustion and dehydration. This might include indoor lunchtime activity options and extra water breaks during PE lessons.

Occasionally it may get so hot we need to cancel and/or relocate a sporting event or activity indoors. If this happens we will communicate this with you through the appropriate channels and ask for your understanding and cooperation.

To help our learners stay safe in the sun we recommend: 

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Applying sunscreen at home before coming to school, bring sunscreen to reapply Encouraging your child to drink plenty of water at home and at school Ensuring your child has a named hat and water bottle in their bag They seek out shade and air conditioning between physical activity if possible

Sunburn and heat stroke are a very real risk in the coming months, so please look after yourselves.

Three BISAC sporting events took place last weekend including swimming, golf and tennis.

GOLF BISAC Golf was a very fun event. The Bangkok Patana team played very well, and despite not winning our team scored some prizes – Tina in Year 8 won 3rd in gross Under 13, and D.C., Year11 got 3rd place in gross Under 15. Overall our team played some good golf at BISAC.

TENNIS Tennis was very fun over the weekend; we played some great games and our teams finished very well. The Under 15 Girls’ team took champions, and the Boys Under 15 team took home the silver.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

SWIMMING Swimming finished well, the senior team won first place, and overall BISAC champions.

JV BISACs

Follow our Instagram @ bps_athletics_council

BPSSPORTS

BPSSports Tiger Sports Patana Tennis

SEASAC

SOFTBALL WAS AN AMAZING EVENT; THE BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ TEAM’S PLAYED VERY GOOD GAMES. THE BOYS WERE UNLUCKY IN THEIR MATCH AGAINST NIST IN THE SEMI-FINALS. THE GIRLS MADE IT TO THE FINALS AND DEFEATED UWCD TO BECOME SEASAC CHAMPIONS!

SEASAC BADMINTON WAS A VERY CHALLENGING EVENT. THE TIGERS PLAYED THEIR HARDEST, BUT WERE CAUGHT BY BAD LUCK IN THEIR FINAL GAMES. THE GIRLS’ TEAM JUST LOST OUT RD TH AT THE 3 /4 PLAYOFF AND THE BOYS’ TEAM TH TH UNFORTUNATELY LOST THE 5 /6 TIE GAME. HOWEVER, WE WILL BE TRAINING HARD TO REDEEM OURSELVES AT BISAC!

SEASAC GYM WAS A VERY EXCITING EVENT; WE WENT TO SINGAPORE TO COMPETE. THE THREE-DAY COMPETITION WAS FOR THE SENIOR GYMNASTS (LEVEL 4 FOR BOYS AND LEVEL 5 FOR GIRLS). THE BOYS FINISHED THEIR EVENTS VERY WELL; THE LEVEL 4 BOYS WON OVERALL, AND ARON WON HIS WHOLE LEVEL!

Erin Arnold, 12L and Marina Kusumoto, 12B

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s part of our IB course, we are required to undertake a CAS Project, where we demonstrate and develop our skills in leadership and communication. Since we no longer take drama as an academic subject, we wanted a creative and unique outlet from the rigorous IB studies we face everyday. After many discussions liaising with the Drama department, Ms Ferguson and our fellow director Ishita Chatterjee, we came to the decision that we wanted to direct a play for younger students. This stemmed from our love of performing, and involvement in the arts, such as our previous participation in this years’ production, ‘Shadow Girl’ by Paul Gatiss. We wanted to give the younger students the opportunity to learn and experience the enjoyment which we received in hope to inspire their creativity, in addition to completing the CAS aspects of IB. We are directing Year 7 students in a short performance of ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’. Rehearsals for this play began midJanuary and since then we’ve come a long way we have forged a great relationship with the cast. As for us, we have certainly taken away a lot from this experience and we hope to see you at 3:30 on Tuesday April 4th in the Black Box.

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n Sunday, the Golf team had their final tournament of the year, with BISAC at a hot and sunny Suvarnabhumi golf course, hosted by ASB. We had a good finish to the season and all Bangkok Patana players competing with great sportsmanship.

Tina had a fine round and shot an 85 which was enough to give her a third place finish in the Under 13 Girls category, while DC had his best competition to date, scoring a level par 72 which was good enough for third place in the Under 15 Boys category. Alex also had a good tournament shooting well under his handicap with a net 65 (85 gross).

Well done to all the team for participating in BISAC and for completing another year of competitive golf!

University / College

Representative

Location

American University

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Senior Studies, Second Floor 04.04.17

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The University of Edinburgh

Jenny Thakker

Senior Studies, Second Floor 05.04.17

12:15

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Date

Time

alling all parents of children who speak Danish or have a connection to Denmark! Danes Worldwide and the HOLA ECA (Home Languages) programme would like to invite you to a coffee morning on Wednesday 5th April in the green room on the second floor of the Secondary Library where you will have the opportunity to find out more about the Danes Worldwide programme and ask any questions about how you can access the support.

It doesn’t matter if your child is a fluent Danish speaker or speaks no Danish at all – as long as they have a Danish parent, they are eligible to access the language support programme. Please come and join us and find out more about developing your child’s Danish language skills.

Please click here to confirm your participation.

We require one term’s notice of withdrawal, so any families leaving in June 2017 should please submit a completed withdrawal form to the Admissions Department by Monday 24th April 2017.

There is a late withdrawal fee of THB50,000 per student for withdrawals made after the deadline if students are not on the potential leavers list.

If you are unsure of your plans for next academic year please contact Rachel Jones at rajo@patana.ac.th before the withdrawal deadline to join the confidential potential leavers list.

Many thanks to all of the families who have already been in contact with Admissions and best wishes to those families who will be leaving Bangkok Patana this year.

4th April

2nd May

26th May

30th May

Did you know we have an online Lost Property gallery in the Community pages on Firefly, take a look and see if your lost property is there.

Click here for LOST PROPERTY

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Block 3 ECAs finish on Friday 7th April From 24th – 28th April there will be no ECAs, only selective sports and activities will run with 2:30pm and 4:30pm buses only.

Please note that Block 4 ECAs start on Tuesday 2nd May.

Wednesday 26th April – after school th  All Year 1–6 transport users will be scheduled to go home on Wednesday 26 April on their normal bus, at either 13:50pm (Key Stage 1) or 14:30pm (Key Stage 2); For students who have a selective ECA, they will go home on a 4.30pm bus (no 3.45pm buses are running this week).  If your child has a 3-Way Conference appointment on Wednesday afternoon and you do not wish for them to travel home by bus, please contact the Transport Department in advance to cancel.

Thursday 27th April  There will be no school buses running to or from school for Year 1–6 students on this day. You will need to bring your child to school and take them home after their conference.

If you have not already contacted Transport with your requirements for Term 3 please do so as soon as possible. The bus will not stop to pick you up if you have not requested it to do so and if there is no advance request in the afternoon you will not be permitted to use the bus home. Please plan ahead to ensure that your transport runs smoothly during your exam period.

Contact Us The Transport Department’s direct phone number is 02 785 2470. The office is staffed from 6:00am 6:00pm Monday to Friday. You can also contact us via email at transport@patana.ac.th

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ll Secondary students who are on Set Lunch will need to top up for Term 3. We recommend that all students do this before the end of Term 2 to ensure a smooth start to Term 3.

Topping up is easy….. simply go to the Student Lounge with your Patana Card on the following days and times, it only takes a minute or two to tap your card.

Monday 3rd, Tuesday 4th, Wednesday 5th April in the Secondary Lounge—before school, at break time or lunchtime.

Open until 28th April

For daily updates, snapshots and news on life at school you can find us here...

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643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna, Bangkok 10260. THAILAND Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 www.patana.ac.th Email: reception@patana.ac.th