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Patana
NEWS
Friday 9th October 2020
Volume 23 Issue 8
www.patana.ac.th
RESILIENCE IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
BY SUZANNE LINDLEY, SECONDARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
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Also in this issue...
Latest Sports News /Student Successes in Science and D+T/Choral Festival 09/10/2020
Bangkok Patana School News
Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School accredited by CIS
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Resilience in an Uncertain World Suzanne Lindley, Secondary Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Assessment
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his week we hosted a special breakfast for our Foundation Board Award winners and their families to celebrate the excellent progress and outstanding academic achievement from last year.
I was delighted when Plume Plume and Tom readily agreed to take this opportunity to develop their leadership and gave the opening speech. It was great to hear two of our students reflecting on their experience when the exams they had been preparing so hard for were cancelled. The world is full of uncertainties and it’s important to build resilience, show empathy and care, and be ready for change. Natabhorn (Plume Plume) Kashemsri Na Ayudhaya and Tom Evans, Year 12 students “At the start of this year, many of us would not have believed it if someone were to say that the coronavirus would alter our lifestyles in such extreme ways. In January, we saw the first confirmed case in Thailand, but never expected the whirlwind of events that followed...
Close your eyes and try to remember what you were doing on the 16th of March, this year. While many of you may not have the faintest idea what the significance of this date is; I will never forget the moment where everything became so confusing. Prior to this day, the threat of COVID-19 felt like a distant worry. Something to talk about while watching the evening news. Mask-free assemblies were held to discuss our Year’s upcoming (I)GCSE exams (doesn’t that feel like an eternity ago!?). There was no doubt in my mind that we would sit our exams, because of course we would! Never before have formal exams been called off worldwide. But on the 16th, this unimaginable situation became a possibility, as an email was sent out to students and parents informing them that school was to be closed from two days later until further notice. Thus, beginning a future as foggy as it was scary. I don’t need to remind any of you here today the struggles of working-from-home. We all hate it. Trying to revise without the guidance of my subject teachers, while being covered by the cloud that was the possibility of exam cancellations was an awful, almost suffocating experience. Continued Student Learning faced a multitude of problems, be it with technical difficulties or otherwise. Conditions were not ideal to say the least. During the week starting from Monday 23rd March, just as we settled in with working-from-home, we were faced with another rollercoaster of emotions; from nervousness, to relief, to disappointment, we experienced it all. Our exams had been cancelled. And although we had an idea of how our grades were going to be assigned, we all knew that this year was filled with uncertainties and didn’t know what to expect. However, I am so proud to say that the Patana community has more than passed this challenging test. We have flourished. Teachers continued to work harder and harder to make engaging lessons to help students learn, while students remained exceptionally committed to their studies. As students, we both want to thank the parents as well for maintaining the best possible learning environment for us to excel in. There are multiple reasons that I believe Patana has done
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so well over this period and they can all be narrowed down to one word: Resilience. Every single person here today has shown resilience over the past 6 months. Whether it be maintaining revision right until the day formal exams were cancelled, or it be continuing to work to the best of your abilities during online classes, or whether it even was just maintaining your health during quarantine with at-home exercise challenges or finding new hobbies to keep yourself sane. I certainly know that I’ve baked more cookies and brownies in the past 6 months than I have in the rest of my 17 years. We all have shown resilience and determination to keep being excellent. Should we stop there though? No. We’ve proven that we are capable of overcoming so much, and now we need to maintain this level of spirit. Keep on working out and baking! Keep on watching that TV show in French! Keep on finding new things to learn. Coronavirus has been an awful thing, but it has given ourselves a chance to hit the reset button; and so I would like every single one of you to continue on this fantastic start to the new school year and to keep working as hard as you can, not just academically; but on ECA’s, school teams and more. We never got to experience the sense of elation walking out of our last exam, but it’s the entire process that makes it worthwhile, the effort we put in throughout the years and the skills developed over our time at Patana which we will carry with us long after we walk out through these gates with our IB diplomas in hand.” A special message from Alexi Cordoba (ex-Year 11)in Switzerland: Learning is like a mountain here Congratulations to all award winners; we are hugely proud of you all!
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Success for Year 12 Students in International Science Awards
Nick Fieldhouse, Secondary Business Studies and Economics Teacher hree Year 12 students, Patrick Ledoit, Yizhen (Tina) Kong and Yibo (Bobby) Zhao, have been shortlisted for the final round of the S.T. Yau High School Science Award (Asia), a research-based competition emphasising innovation, originality, creativity and persistence in research activities. Bangkok Patana’s team entered into the Economic and Financial Modelling category of the competition. They produced a fantastic research report evaluating the effects of different weighting methods for cryptocurrency portfolios in terms of reducing risk. The competition judges selected Bangkok Patana’s team to progress to the Oral Defence stage of the competition, which will occur online in late October, beating a number of other teams from across Asia.
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Year 6 Student Wins Award in 3D Design Challenge
Lucinda Chen, Parent ear 6 student Edward Tantapakul took home the Craftsperson Award in the Junior Category in the 3D-Tronics Micro:bit Asia Challenge 2020 . Although the competition took place during the summer break, Edward found out recently that his Hand Hygiene Helper project earned him the award out of nearly 500 submissions. The Hand Hygiene Helper has a programmed sensor to auto-dispense liquid soap when washing hands, it reminds people on the official WHO guidelines for the six steps
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for hand hygiene and has a moisture sensor to check that hands are clean and dry after washing. The theme of the competition was “Digital Making for Safe Re-Opening”. Edward used 3D printing to fabricate his wheels and device and Microbit/Aurdino chip board in coding to create his winning project. See details in this video here or these slides on Google.
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A New Kind of Choral Festival
Sophie West, 13F
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would first like to mention how fortunate we were as a school to attend such a lovely event. It was nice to be able to see familiar faces during this time and connect with each other through the use of song. Making a bond with others who are also passionate about singing choral music and making new friends from that is such an amazing feeling. Working with Khun Jodi was wonderful. She taught us new techniques, enhanced our abilities to perform the song and was very patient. The school was very welcoming to all the students and the staff were very friendly as
always. Performing online was a unique thing to do. It felt unusual not seeing or singing to anyone within the audience and not having a round of applause as we usually do. Luckily our masks didn't stop us from singing loud and proud. It made me think about our own successes throughout the performance and appreciate what we had learnt over the two days working with Khun Jodi. Overall such an enjoyable time at ISB and I'm so glad I was able to attend it for my last year as a student in Bangkok.
Visting Conductor Inspires Senior Choir
Raphael Ayrle, 12B
It was a fantastic experience having Khun Pawasut (Jodi) Piriyapongrat at Bangkok Patana to rehearse with the Senior Choir. Meeting her in advance was a great way for the students to get to know the conductor personally, and familiarise themselves with her musically. Khun Pawasut was extremely effective and enjoyable to work with, and the Senior Choir was excited to work with her at the Bangkok International Choral festival at ISB last weekend.
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Art Students Reflect on Visit to MOCA Mihaela Marcovici, Secondary Art Teacher Art students from Years 10 and 12 had the wonderful opportunity of visiting one of the most beautiful galleries of contemporary art in Thailand, The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Bangkok. The trip is an integral part of the Art programme of study at Bangkok Patana and enables students to have an insightful look into contemporary Thai Art to help them further with their coursework development. The impressive private collection of pieces are cleverly displayed in the granite gallery building which has a unique architectural style. The sense of grandeur of the exhibition impressed our students, who approached the art pieces with interest, sketching details of their favourite artworks. They made notes on the techniques used by famous Thai artists, taking inspiration and analysing their creative use of materials and composition. Below are just a few of the testimonials gathered during the return journey and also during the review Art lesson that followed after the trip: “The experience I received from the trip was remarkable! There’s always a fresh feeling when viewing art in person and it creates a feeling that would not be developed when just looking online. To see how people from different cultures relate with subject matter, techniques and media helped create a sense of community and diversity within the art community as a whole.” Sophie Smith, 12H “I felt very inspired by the unique art and I have many new ideas I would like to try.” Mahzabin (Samiha) Mahboob, 12G “The MOCA trip inspired and encouraged me to try and apply the new techniques that I have seen around the art gallery. The paintings were all very different from what I usually do, so it would be nice to explore different themes and ideas in the future.” Kanitkanda (Didi) Mahathorn, 12C The Bangkok Patana students made us proud, demonstrating a mature attitude and approach towards visual art. The trip was a huge success as first hand observation and exposure to art are important elements that will ensure that our young artists and photographers are equipped with the best possible skills and they feel inspired to aim high in their future endeavours.
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Tˑ˞˛˜ˍˊˢ 15˝ˑ Oˌ˝˘ˋˎ˛ 2020 @ ˝ˑˎ 25˖ P˘˘˕ YEAR 4
7:40AM-9:45PM
KS2 SWIMMING
Splashdown YEAR 4
Unfortunately parents will not be able to attend on this occasion.
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CAT CORNER
Providing Smiles to Children in Need: Patana Operation Smile Jiwon Yoo, 12D
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atana Operation Smile is a student-led CAT group that focuses on and raises funds for children diagnosed with cleft lip/palate. Specifically, we work together with Operation Smile Thailand and raise funds to provide transformational surgeries for young children that are unable to afford these procedures. Each surgery costs approximately THB 25,000 and therefore many families in rural areas are unable to undergo this surgery. Children affected with this condition have many difficulties including eating, drinking, speaking and more. Not only are these children suffering from physical difficulties, but they also go through mental difficulties due to the immense amount of stigma associated with this facial deformity. Patana Operation Smile participates in a yearly mission trip to different rural areas in Thailand where students are able to speak with the families that have been affected
and play with the children before their surgeries. This opportunity provides an insight into the difficulties of families living in rural areas but also gives us an opportunity to create a positive atmosphere for the children and their families before they are undergoing the surgery. Just last year, our club members were able to go to Surin, located in lower Northeastern Thailand, where we gave out toys and decorated the hospital wards for the children. Some of the students were also able to observe the surgeries performed by the talented group of surgeons and nurses provided by Operation Smile Thailand. We are very thankful for the possibilities that Operation Smile Thailand has given to us and we are excited to move forward within the school with new ideas and prospects to raise awareness and funds for cleft lip/palate and the Operation Smile organisation.
Karting Success Continues Year 9 student Nandhavud (Jem) Bhirombakdi took home 1st place in the Rotax Max Challenge for both rounds 4 and 5 in the Junior Kart class with first positions for all heats.
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Making Connections in Gymnastics Will Preston, Head Gymnastics Coach
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angkok Patana Gymnastics Academy holds an annual Senior Girls Sleepover for Secondary students. This event is a rite of passage for our gymnasts; many of our Primary students desperately look forward to the day that they can sleepover in the Gymnastics Hall with their teammates. This is the first social event on our Gymnastics Academy calendar. By creating a fun opportunity for our gymnast to sleepover in the Gymnastics Hall together, it helps them connect with each other in a different atmosphere and encourages collaboration and deeper relationships. The ties and bonds formed can support and establish genuine friendships that help to build a team identity and improve communications. Moreover, the fun memories made during the event will be with the students for a lifetime to come. Go Tigers!
Our Young Golfers take on The Vintage Yizhen (Tina) Kong,12T
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angkok Patana golfers competed in the Norwich Invitational at the Vintage Golf Club. For a few of our younger players, it was their first taste of tournament golf, and we are all very proud of how well they performed. Overall, our team played decently, which goes on to reflect the hard work we put in improving our golf games. The main highlight of the day was Lisa Zhang placing 2nd 09/10/2020
in her flight with a gross score of 71 - well done! Although we did not win any team prizes, our team supported each other until the very end, and everyone had a great experience. Last but not least, we would like to thank our parents, teachers and coaches for continuously supporting our golf programme at Bangkok Patana.
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BISAC RESULTS
TENNIS
Dan Ahl, Head Tennis Coach ISAC Under 15 Singles Tennis was hosted at three venues with the Boys A and B draw at Bangkok Patana and the C draw at ISB whilst the Girls A and B were at Harrow. Bangkok Patana was well represented with 21 boys and 9 girls playing.
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Although rain delayed proceedings at all the venues at various points of the day, all the events were completed under floodlights finishing at 7.30pm. Rainer Schestak reached the final of the Boys’ A draw and lost a very tight match whilst Manintorn (Pin) Manavutiveth finished 3rd in the Girls’ A draw. The B draw Boys’ saw an all Patana final with Pete Leenabanchong defeating Tuna Thebpatipat in another tight final. Other notable performances saw Teema Thanunmanee finish 4th in the Boys’ B and Arvind Narula 4th in the Boys’ C.
VARSITY GIRLS’ FOOTBALL Janelle Lourdes de la Cruz, 12T
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e all arrived with a smile on our faces even though the weather was poor. Our first game was against Bangkok Prep; we started the game off strong with a lot of attacks on goal and solid defending. The game ended 5-0, which gave us a confident start to the tournament. Our next match was against Harrow, the team played with a lot of spirit and fight, however in the middle of the first half, our opponent managed to score. Despite this, we continued to try and equalise with Harrow through more aggressive attacks and defense. Unfortunately, the ball couldn’t find its way to the back of the net and the game narrowly ended 1-0. Regardless of 10
this, our heads were still held up high as we approached the next game against ICS. We started the game off with numerous attacks which rewarded us with multiple goals. The game ended 6-0 with our team leaving the pitch victorious, the team went home with a Bronze medal and a lot of smiles. Overall, the team enjoyed being able to play more matches together. Thank you to all the coaches, staff and parents who helped make the day possible!
Bangkok Patana School News
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YEAR 5
Fਨਣਠਸ 16ਲ਼ਧ Oਢਲ਼ਮਡਤ 2020 @ ਲ਼ਧਤ 50ਬ Pਮਮਫ FROM 7.40AM
YEAR 6
Fਨਣਠਸ 16ਲ਼ਧ Oਢਲ਼ਮਡਤ 2020 @ ਲ਼ਧਤ 50ਬ Pਮਮਫ FROM 10.05AM
KS2 SWIMMING
Splashdown
Unfortunately parents will not be able to attend on this occasion.
09/10/2020
Bangkok Patana School News
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Socially Responsible Design Challenge Maitri Jain, 12G
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arshi Sehmar, Director of The Village International Education Centre, visited Bangkok Patana to present to Year 12 Design Technology students about the learning needs of students with autism and the importance of Inclusive Design in today’s society. This presentation marks the launch our IB D+T projects which continue to focus on the theme of Socially Responsible Design. During the session, we discussed the topic of how people with disabilities are treated and societies attitude towards them. We talked about how language plays a big role and how some terms can be deemed exclusive or offensive. Sometimes we don’t realise how the implica-
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tions of our everyday language and how this can impact those currently on the margins of society. We discussed the implications of standardised testing, outliers, and examined the difference between the medical model and the social model. Overall, we agreed that we need to stop the stigma attached to those with disabilities and accept diversity, including neurodiversity and value our differences.
Bangkok Patana School News
We understood that the measure of a society is by its ability to find value and purpose for every individual.
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My Voice, Our Equal Future INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL, 11TH OCTOBER 2020 Suzanne Lindley, Secondary Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Assessment
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ou may have noticed from the list of the recent Board Award recipients, that there was a significantly higher proportion of girls receiving awards, which as a female leader makes me extremely proud. However, we must not forget that we are amongst the privileged.
all familiar with the way women have been treated in film and music industries in the much publicised Me Too movement against sexual abuse and sexual harassment committed by powerful and/or prominent men. Research in 2019, however, showed a disappointing step back in attitudes. For instance, 19% of men said they were relucPre-pandemic, more than 98 million adolescent girls tant to hire attractive women, 21% said they were reluctant were not in school for many reasons including fear of to hire women for jobs involving close interpersonal interdanger travelling to school, inability to afford education, actions with men (jobs involving travel, for example), and stigma around menstruation, or cultural beliefs that isolate 27% said they avoided one-on-one meetings with female women at home. Today, millions more are currently out of colleagues. school as a result of COVID-19, at risk of never returning at all. Each and every girl deserves the opportunity that You may have also read the recent article whereby education provides. Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman gave part of his own salary to Siena Miller to star in 21 Bridges when Two advocates for the ed- the movie industry refused to meet an acceptable salary; ucation of girls are Malala Boseman stated - ‘You’re getting paid what you deserve, Yousafzai and Michelle Oba- and what you’re worth.’ ma. Malala has inspired girls globally with her courage and Studies have shown that unconscious bias exists in many her determination to be able to aspects of life, including gender stereotypes. Female leadhave an education, even in the ers can be affected by a double-bind bias or the problem face of violence. She has since of a mismatch between what is expected of a leader, and created the Malala Fund to what is expected from a woman. Psychology research has help other girls access educa- shown that there are two primary kinds of gender bias that tion that she fought for. Obama affect women, called the descriptive and prescriptive bias. started the Let Girls Learn ini- Descriptive bias is the labels we attach and associate with tiative and Girls Opportunity Alliance to empower girls certain social groups and communities, and prescriptive through education. In this article they talk to a 17-year-old bias is how they are expected to behave. It is important student in India about education, and changing the world that we are ethical and informed of these biases that can for the better post-COVID. exist unknowingly, as well as recognize and acknowledge them so that all our students can live and work in a society It’s not just in education where there is a gender divide; where equity exists and where diversity and inclusivity are in industries worldwide there continues to be a pay and core values. UNICEF International Day of the Girl here gender gap and discrimination due to gender. We are 09/10/2020
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What it’s Like to Race Superbikes Axel Pedersen, 12D I race motorcycles. It sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? You may think, why can’t you just play football or tennis? Ernest Hemmingway once said, “There are only three true sports: Bull Fighting, Mountain Climbing, and Motor Racing. Everything else is merely a game.” I laughed when I heard that quote because it was literature that I agreed with, which for me, a logical minded, and practical thinker, is pretty rare.
I replace Junior Convento in one of the top teams on the grid.
It’s Race 4: My first race with the new bike and the new team. My lap time drops to 1:57. I come 4th again, but instead of 16th overall as in the previous race, it’s 6th. Race 5: Nakorn Chai Si, a track that is mostly corners, the professionals in my class are lapping in around 1:27. My qualifying time is bad as there is a problem with the bike. My first race was in Buriram, I was 5th, and Junior Con- I’m 13th on the grid. The race starts, on the first lap I overvento, the Under 18 Champion, was first. Race 2 was in take five people and hang behind Goyu Nakagawa, Nakorn Chai Si; I qualified with a lap time of 1:35; the a 12-year-old that is the reigning Thai Champion in the race was stopped mid-way as there was a massive crash. 150cc class. He’s probably one of my closest friends in the It’s Junior Convento, he’s hurt bad and goes to the hospital paddock as we frequently train together and joke around with a broken arm and shattered wrist. The race is restart- together. He is lapping in 1:31, without even knowing, I ed, and I’m 5th. Race 3, I’m back in Buriram, I qualify 5th follow his pace and match it. I get tired and start to lose again but it’s a personal best lap time. I finish 4th after time. I finish 10 seconds behind him, Goyu in 7th and me someone in front of me crashes. My bike is lacking top in 8th, in my class that is 5th. I’m 4 seconds off the pros. To speed. After the race, I approach Junior’s team and ask be continued… Upcoming races: Nakorn Chai Si, Octohow I can get my engine as fast as theirs. They tell me I ber 10-11th and November 28-29th; Buriram 17th -18th should be getting 70 horsepower: I’m only getting 43. I October. Stay tuned! ask if they can help me, they just say “Come ride for us”.
New Extended Hours
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The School Cashier is Now Open from 7.00 am to 3.30 pm Bangkok Patana School News
09/10/2020
09/10/2020
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UNI COUNSELORS’ CORNER
Fake news versus Fact in UK university admissions Charlotte Hamilton, Careers and Universities Counsellor
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e all know university admissions can be a minefield. There are so many great options to choose from; destinations worth exploring, and subjects worth studying that offer an alternative to the high school qualifications every student must take. But there are also a great number of myths perpetuated annually – from the word of mouth experiences that must be true because little Johnny was accepted into [insert university here], to chat forums such as the Student Room that speak of individual experience, or agents often lacking concrete facts. Fake news is as alive and well in UK admissions as it is in Trump’s press briefings so I thought I would use this space to dispel some of the myths.
Science. Whilst work experience and internships are valuable for building soft skills and are a great opportunity for students to explore potential career pathways, UK universities admit by comparing applications on equal merit. Work experience and internships are not globally available to every single student irrespective of social or economic status and therefore, do not provide advantage in the selection process. However, reading books is available to everyone and is the evidence that universities are looking for in the personal statement as it is a universal marker of demonstrated interest. Fake news #4: Your course choice should be chosen in accordance with your future career aspirations.
FAKE NEWS VERSUS FACT Fact: This is possibly quite UK specific but no, it should Fake news #1: Students who are predicted below the not, although there are caveats to this. If you want to be entry requirements can still be made an offer because they a Doctor, you must study Medicine – thankfully, another may do better in their IB exams than currently expected. fact – the same also applies for careers in Engineering, Fact: No, they will not. Universities expect students to Design, Pharmacy etc. be meeting the minimum requirements via their predicted COURSE CHOICE IN THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS grades at the point of application. Those who do not will In the UK, the admissions process is built around the bebe rejected immediately. Aspirational offers do not exist in lief that you can move into almost any career irrespecUK admissions. tive of course choice, with few exceptions as mentioned Fake news #2: A subject that asks for, for example, above. Universities are regularly approached by global Higher Level Maths will be lenient if a student is only tak- employers looking for recent graduates to fill posts and ing Standard Level Maths, providing they are getting a their job specification never includes degree course. You high overall score in their IB. can feasibly move into Investment Banking in the UK with a degree in Classics, although there will be an expectaFact: No, they will not. The subject specific entry re- tion you have taken advantage of the numerous career’s quirements are firm and there is no wiggle room here. pathways available to you via the university Careers SerFurthermore, the subject specific requirement also comes vice, such as summer internships. I appreciate this is a with a minimum grade requirement that must be shown as cultural difference that may not resonate here in Thailand, being met at the point of application. for example, but it is an important differentiation to make Fake news #3: Work experience and internships are because it is linked to the UK admissions process. what universities are looking for in the personal statement. Course choice is determined by a genuine interest in the Fact: Only if it is specified within the entry requirements, subject you are applying to study, not career aspiration. which only applies to Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Despite the narrow course choice specification, it is accepted that your career goals may change several times 16
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before you settle onto your final pathway and your degree provides you with transferrable skills that go beyond subject knowledge. Furthermore, you can move onto any postgraduate course in the UK irrespective of undergraduate degree discipline. This is even true of subjects such as Medicine and Law, providing you have also met the High School qualification entry requirements. The moral of this story sits nicely with UK university ad-
missions practices – do your research. Trusting fake news could lead to you making decisions that ultimately impact your chances of being accepted into the university of your choice. Fortunately for you, the Bangkok Patana University and Careers Counselling Team are here to guide you through fact and fiction with over half a century of combined experience in university admissions and school counselling between us.
In the Spotlight... La Salle University, Philadelpha, USA
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a Salle University is a small, private university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Brothers of the Christian Schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Philadelphia is considered one of the best cities to study in the United States due to historical and cultural connections as well as the number of higher learning institutions. La Salle has three schools; Arts and Sciences, Busines and Nursing and Health but it is highly regarded for its undergraduate degree in Political Science. There are around 3,600 undergraduate students. La Salle is also a member of the NCAA Division 1. La Salle is known its small classes, over 55 percent have less than 20 students, giving a student to faculty ratio of 12:1. Notable alumni include actor Peter Boyle, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Charles Fuller, architect of the Pentagon, Jefferson Memorial and Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts John McShain as well as numerous politicians. Sports is well represented with many NBA players including Hall of Fame member Tom Gola, NFL players and six Olympic medal winners.
University Visits UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE
COUNTRY
LOCATION
DATE
TIME
George Washington University
USA
9.10.2020
9.15 am
College of the Holy Cross
USA
Monash University
Australia
2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies
Nagoya University of Commerce Japan and Business King Mongkut’s Institute of Thailand Technology Lad Krabang
09/10/2020
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14.10.2020 7.15 am 14.10.2020 9.15 am 30.10.2020 12.30 pm 23.11.2020
12.30 pm
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STUDENTS SPEAK Procrastination Praewa Taylor, 11B
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Abraham Lincoln
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tween neurons. It interacts with receptors in the brain to regulate emotions so your brain assumes this is a ‘reward’ and will therefore encourage you to continue and repeat the same behaviour.
rocrastination is something everyone does, mainly to As much as procrastination occurs in everyone and is put off doing work that may cause stress or difficulty simply a result of the functions of our brain, in some cases in the moment. But what is the science behind our procras- procrastination habits may depend on the differences in tination habits? genetics. Researchers also determined that procrastinaProcrastination is the result of temporal discounting – tion habits are linked to impulsiveness and they suggestwhere humans tend to over or underestimate the value of ed evolutionary reasons as potential causes for this link. a reward based on its temporal proximity. The motivation Early human life was much more focused on survival – to work is usually quite highly influenced by how imme- like any other animal today. So our ancestors who prioridiate the reward will be so the further away the reward, tised short-term goals could have been better at surviving. the more you discount its value. For example, often teen- These behavioural traits could have been passed down agers will procrastinate by scrolling through social media to their children, either genetically or in upbringing. Howor watching YouTube videos as it is more rewarding in the ever, obviously these days our world forces us to prioritise moment. Once temporal proximity increases the value long-term achievements in order to succeed, so the genetof getting a good grade in a test, one may start to cram ic factor of prioritising short-term over long-term no longer throughout the night. This happens because the activity works in our favour. someone undergoes as a method of putting off work proAlthough, procrastination is not largely dependent on vides small but continuous rewards which the brain prefers genetic traits and behaviour and, as stated before, is over a single future reward from a good grade. present in everybody, there are ways to reduce it – for So, let’s discuss how our brains perceive ‘rewards’. example, the pomodoro method of studying which utilises When something good happens to a person, their body breaks in between working periods to reward your brain releases dopamine – a chemical that transmits signals be- and consequently influence you to continue working.
Contribute your article for publication in the magazine and in the Patana News! 18
Contact scientia@patana.ac.th Check out the latest articles online here
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Fulgurites; petrified lightning
Sonam Okuda, 13M f you’ve ever walked on a beach or through a sandy If the conditions are right (the sand reached above desert, chances are you’ve stepped over the remnants 1800 degrees Celsius), the bolt could instantaneously vitof lightning. rify silica-rich sand, which results in the production of thin branches of glassy solids buried in the sandy ground. The Fulgurites are shards of melted sand, rock and debris branches can reach up to 15m into the ground, but are found on beaches where lightning has struck. As the bolt usually too fragile to remove without breaking. When the reaches the ground, as much as a hundred million volts sand supporting the brittle structure is removed, the glass are discharged into whatever it strikes, where the bolt itself is unable to support its own weight and can shatter. This could reach up to five times the temperature of the Sun’s is why most fulgurites are only a few centimeters in length, surface. with longer ones reaching around 75cm. The longest fulgurite (4.9m) was found in Florida in 1996.
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Fulgurite comes from the Latin word fulgur, which means lightning
Fulgurites can also be formed artificially with high voltage rods, as shown in the video:
Read this article on Scientia Magazine
09/10/2020
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#163: Parent Guide to Watching/ Discussing “The Social Dilemma” A
t the PTG Tech talk this week we discussed a variety of topics related to how we and our children engage with technology in our daily lives. The Social Dilemma, recently released on Netflix, tackles a similar subject. If you have not watched it already, I urge you to watch it, and if you can, watch it with your children if they own their own mobile phone. I have mixed feelings about the messages given in this ‘documentary’, some of which are echoed in these articles: https://www.cyberwise.org/post/parent-guide-to-watching-discussing-the-social-dilemma https://www.netfamilynews.org/beyond-the-social-dilemma-to-social-solutions Nonetheless, what I do passionately believe in is debate, if we want to change behaviours, habits, and ultimately culture, then we have to have dialogue, and at least if nothing else, The Social Dilemma has raised awareness and kick-started that debate. We will be discussing this more at our next PTG Tech morning on the 3rd November.
Have a great weekend. Brian Taylor Assistant Principal, Campus Curriculum Technology Integration
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Desert Island Discs With Craig White, Interim Business Director
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his column follows in the style of the famed BBC podcast which features a celebrity every week – here we feature our own Bangkok Patana celebrities! What eight songs, one luxury item and one book would you take with you if you were stuck on a desert island? Today Craig White, Interim Business Director, is stuck on a desert island. MR WHITE, IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT EIGHT PIECES OF MUSIC WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? Paranoid Android - Radiohead Digital Witness - St. Vincent Not - Big Thief Sutphin Boulevard - Blood Orange Crimson Tide - Destroyer On the Floor - Perfume Genius Sound and Vision - David Bowie
Listen to Mr White’s playlist here
Dance IV (from ‘In the Upper Room’) - Philip Glass PICK ONE LUXURY ITEM YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU. THIS ITEM MUST BE INANIMATE AND OF NO USE IN ESCAPING THE ISLAND OR ALLOWING COMMUNICATION FROM OUTSIDE. A Martin D28 acoustic guitar WHICH ONE BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? American Gods by Neil Gaiman Catch the real Desert Island Discs on BBC. Now that you are stuck at home, what are you listening to? Have a list of your own? Let us know! Contact SHKN with your favourites.
Check the calendar! Thursday 19th and Friday 20th November are not school holidays! 2020/21 CALENDAR
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