Patana News Volume 23 Issue 9

Our mission is to ensure that students of different nationalities grow to their full potential as independent learners in a caring British international community.

Patana

NEWS

Friday 16th October 2020

Volume 23 Issue 9

www.patana.ac.th

A WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

BY KATHERINE HUME, CROSS CAMPUS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

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Also in this issue...

Supporting Home Languages in ECAs /Breast Cancer Awareness Month/Students’ Sporting Successes 09/10/2020

Bangkok Patana School News

Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School accredited by CIS

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A Wide Range of Professional Learning (CPL) Opportunities Katherine Hume, Cross Campus Assistant Principal Continued Professional Learning t Bangkok Patana we pride ourselves on being a ‘learning community’. We aim to support the ‘Continuous Professional Learning’ (CPL) of our academic staff to ensure they are lifelong learners. Encouraging them to grow and develop as educators, who provide high-quality learning and teaching experiences, which positively impact our students, enabling them to achieve their full potential.

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We strive for CPL to be high-quality, relevant, sustainable, and future-focused, with rich opportunities for self-development. CPL should foster professional curiosity and creativity, encouraging dialogue and collaboration with colleagues building professional trust. Professional learning opportunities are offered in-house and externally and at a variety of levels - individual, team/faculty, whole school and through wider networks, with an emphasis on collaborative partnerships.

Due to the global COVID pandemic many of the traditional models of professional learning have changed and evolved. We are seeing a surge in professional learning providers and consultants moving their core business virtual and online, as opposed to the normal face to face courses, workshops, and conferences.

This term, academic staff have accessed external CPL through webinars, podcasts, professional reading and a wide range for online and virtual courses and workshops.

EXAMPLES OF EXTERNAL CPL • Several of our new staff in the Primary Learning Support team collaboratively undertook an online workshop, upskilling and preparing them to effectively support their students during Social Thinking sessions.

• The Primary Extended Learning team have been taking part in live webinars delivered by a ‘Project Based Learning’ educational specialist.

• Primary Leaders of Learning and Curriculum have committed to a 4-week self-directed, online course which supports their understanding of how best to assess student learning when teaching online through CSL. • In the Secondary school, IGCSE and IB workshops have also transferred online and this term we will have 20 plus teachers undertaking this training to keep current and up to date with the IGCSE and IB syllabus in their subject areas.

• Several staff across the school have begun their Master’s degree distance learning journey, partnering with universities in the UK. 2

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We are expecting this trend of staff undertaking online professional learning over face to face to continue throughout this year.

IN-SCHOOL CPL PROGRAMME Our in-school programme of CPL continues as planned. We recently hosted Apple Educational Consultants, Ben Thompson and Benjamin Sheridan across two Saturdays in September. They delivered ‘Everyone Can Create’ workshops to support the implementation of iPads in the Primary School. With the aim of moving from students using the devices for consumption to creating content instead. We had over 100 Primary colleagues attend this training. The feedback was very positive, as staff came away with lots of strategies to support teaching and learning, such as the use of Clips, Keynote and Garage band.

Our Secondary Learning and Teaching Advisors, Carly Ellis and Aidan McDonagh are currently launching our annual programme of Teacher Learning Communities (TLC). TLC’s are a great model of collaborative professional learning; supporting our teachers to develop their pedagogy in our context. TLC’s focus on relevant and current teaching and learning strategies and tools which impact classroom practise. These currently range from ‘Flipped Learning, to Cognitive Load Theory, to Well—Being’. We have over 30 percent of Secondary teachers involved in TLC’s across the year.

Bryony Wilson, our Primary Leader of Learning for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is also supporting CPL in the Primary School. She has been delivering CPL workshops to Year 5 and 6, focusing on introducing ‘Literacy Circles’ to supporting reading, and she has also been working with Year 3, focusing on their Team Performance Management objective of ‘Effective Feedback’. Bryony and I are working in collaboration to introduce and implement ‘Microteaching’ in the Primary School. A proven professional learning tool which utilises video analysis as a self-development and reflection tool for teachers to improve their practise.

Leadership professional learning has also been in the spotlight this term, and last week Susan Brosnahan, our Secondary IB Co-ordinator and I facilitated ‘Cognitive Coaching’ training to Heads of Faculty. Research supports the notion that ‘Coaching’ of colleagues is a key leadership skill. If you would like to find out more, you can read all about the training and Cognitive Coaching further on in this addition of Patana News.

The depth and breadth of expertise we have in our teaching staff is huge and we benefit enormously from those staff who passionately share their expertise with colleagues. A huge thank you from me to everyone, who this term has supported colleagues in developing pedagogy. We are very grateful for the contributions you make and continue to make to ensure our learning community thrives.

Looking forward to our October CPL days, at the start of Term 1b, we are very excited to be virtually hosting Tom Sherrington, a UK based Educationalist and author of the Learning Rainforest and Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction.

Tom focuses on evidence informed teaching strategies. I look forward to updating you on Tom’s visit and its impact in my next Patana News article. In the meantime, I wish you a safe and relaxing mid-term break.

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CPL: Using Coaching to Unleash Potential

Suzanne Lindley, Secondary Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Assessment number of our Secondary leaders engaged in the culture can help facilitate productive change in individfirst of three sessions on the vital leadership skill of uals, teams and educational establishments by assisting Cognitive Coaching. This is an essential tool as it enables both leaders and teachers as they uncover their untapped leaders to increase their influence, and efficiency and potential. As an effective coach, you act as a conduit to morale, by listening actively and asking probing, pow- elicit greatness and empower staff. erful questions. It is the most effective way to support a Through coaching, we learn how to optimise the value of person in becoming self-directed. team members. Leadership coaching helps clarify vision, C o a c h i n g beliefs and values, and stretches the capacity to lead and is recognised influence. Additionally, helping leadership to understand as one of the and embrace coaching techniques, gives them the tools ways to gain needed to guide others to do the same. This allows them a competitive to become catalysts for change within their organizations. edge in an Twenty-first-century leaders rely on others, they don’t ever-changing have all the right answers. To be at the front of a comeducational setting.

This petitive market, a model where leaders give support and can be used to help leaders succeed in their own goals guidance rather than instructions, enables the community and objectives as well as way to equip leaders to be to learn how to adapt to constantly changing environments in ways that keep us energised, be innovative and effective as they work with others. fosters commitment to the organisation, its goals and valAdditionally, cognitive coaching is a critical tool for ues. organisational change. Adopting an effective coaching “Having protected time to listen deeply to a colleague regarding their planning for a future event allowed him to move forward with his thinking and gain greater clarity in shaping the event. I found this and the rest of the Coaching CPL to be hugely rewarding experience.”

“I found having someone take the time to be present and really listening to you, is fantastic to experience and a powerful skill set to acquire.”

“Having a coach give you time in a nonjudgmental manner and actively listening and paraphrasing your points, enabling the coachee to self-reflect and work out their own solutions is a powerful process.”

Reflections from Participants

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“Coaching creates a private, positive and focussed space in which the coachee can have their thoughts, plans and beliefs acknowledged and supported.”

“I found the coaching conversation quite

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a bonding experience. I welcomed being listened to and have an honest, supportive and non-judgmental conversation with one of my peers.”

“I really appreciated having the space and time to just listen to my colleagues. Beginning to learn how to do this, and respond in such a way as to be supportive, is a wonderful opportunity.”

“It was great to get the opportunity to practice active listening in a supportive environment. It is always challenging to prevent autobiographical, inquisitive and solution based thoughts coming into your head.”

“It was so good to have the time dedicated to being listened to in a non-judgmental, supportive environment to help articulate thoughts aloud and arrive at possible solutions. I can really see how empowering this is going to be for all colleagues and am looking forward to the next session.”

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Lots of Learning = Year 4 Students Absolutely Pooped!

Duncan Ferguson, Year 4 Teacher

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s part of their learning about chocolate, students in Year 4 have been squeezing in many different subject areas and linking them together. During Science, they learnt about their digestive systems in an extremely memorable way – they made poo! The students were very motivated and engaged in this interactive lesson in the kitchen, with no sitting down; stools were firmly tucked away. Here are the five stages identified in the process:

The students had already learnt about the function of teeth in breaking food down so that it can be swallowed.

Incisors, the sharp teeth at the front of the mouth, act like scissors to cut food while the canines are pointed to rip and tear, and the molars, at the back of the mouth, work to mash and crush food into a pulp that can be swallowed. This was recreated using scissors, cutlery and a potato masher in a small bowl. A side of saliva (water in our model) was also added to help make the food easy 1. First of all, food is chewed up in the mouth, so it can to ‘swallow’. be swallowed.

In the stomach (another, larger, bowl), acid and en2. It then travels down the oesophagus to the stomach zymes (coloured liquid) were added to show how food where muscles squeeze and mix it, and enzymes is further broken down. The mixture was then dumped into and acid start to digest it. one leg of a pair of tights, which was used to represent the 3. Some goodness is absorbed by the body in the small intestines; as the food travelled along this channel, lots of liquid leaked out into ‘the body’ (represented by small intestine. the sink!) – this demonstrated how nutrients are absorbed 4. More liquid is removed in the large intestine. from the intestines. The food was then tightly wrapped in 5. Food that cannot be digested moves to the rectum. towels to represent the large intestine where more liquid is removed. Finally, the food waste passed into a black Finally, waste is excreted through the anus as poo. plastic bag (the rectum) and was squeezed out through a During this very exciting learning experience, the learn- student generated anus (simply a corner cut off the bag!) ers recreated the entire digestive process using a small seAfter all that, students didn’t have much of a chance to lection of kitchen equipment, bread, oats, pretzels, coffee, some rather ripe bananas, a few plops of different colour- relax – some were a little browned off that they had to tidy ed liquids and half a pair of tights. As the food moved up the kitchen, but plenty of active volunteers collaborated through our model of the digestive tract, students logged and were rigorous in leaving everything ready for another the entire process by recording what was happening in class to recreate the amazing journey of food through our bodies. They understood real digestion. each of the five stages.

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Winter Sprint Swimming Challenge Timothy Trip, Head Swimming Coach

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he TigerSharks took on powerhouse rivals NIST at the 13/14 years age group. the 25m pool to set the racing season off in style.

The Girls 15 and Over team were in record breakNIST bought 60 swimmers to race, representing 8 years ing form, clearing both medley (Amelia Golden, Shelly old through to 18 year old seniors.

Kaplan, Kaitlyn Dibayawan and Anna Meller) and freeDuring the morning, Under 10 swimmers took part in style records (Kaitlyn Dibayawan, Praewa Mollison, Ame25m and 50m races before teaming up to take part in lia Golden and Anna Meller). The final relay of the day some fantastically entertaining relays. The swimmers swam saw a titanic battle between TigerSharks and Falcons 15 PB times across more than 92 percent of our entries and and Over Boys. Following the Falcons win at ISB last Nomade great progress in the first part of the new term. vember, the boys were keen to take the title back. In a race that came down to 0.26 of a second, the TigerSharks took After lunch, it was the Senior swimmers’ turn. Led by the win. Max Stockdale, Nicolas Changbencharoen, Patnewly named captain, Thanadol (Zhen) Tam and Kaitlyn rick Walsh and Prin Chantarangkul stormed home to claim Dibbayawan, the TigerSharks produced five individual a new school record in the process and end our first dual and three relay school records! Individual record breakers meet of the year on a high! were led by Kaitlyn as she took an axe to the 100m butterfly all-time record and 15+ 50m freestyle record. Max The team now looks forward to Thailand National SenStockdale was fast on his favoured backstroke events, pro- ior Championships (age 14 and over) back at Assumption ducing lifetime bests in both 50m and 100m events to set University during the half term break! Good luck to the 23 new standards. Shubhankar Patki returned from a broken TigerSharks who have qualified. finger to record a big lifetime best in the 100m Butterfly for

Year11 Student Signs with WTBL Y

ear 11 student Priscilla Jensen was drafted by TOA Young Star BC to play basketball for them in the semi-professional Women’s Thailand Basketball League this season. We are all excited for her and confident she will perform well. Congratulations Priscilla!

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Medal Haul for TigerSharks at Thai Nationals

Timothy Trip, Head Swimming Coach

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fter three long days of highly anticipated competition, the TigerSharks have been represented by eight students at the Thailand Junior Age Group Championships this past weekend. It has been a rewarding experience for both swimmers and coaches to finally see all the hard work and training pay off over a weekend of fast and highly competitive racing.

James Gannicott, a student who is relatively new to the world of competitive swimming, raced to personal best times in all five of his entered events. By doing so, James swam his way to a Gold medal in the 100m Backstroke as well as four Silver medals in the 50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 100m Freestyle and 200m Backstroke.

This set the tone for the meet and was an inspiring effort that fed to performances from all other TigerShark swimmers. A total of 19 swims were performed, where an incredible 15 times were posted as personal best times. Swimmers who represented the school team were Taku Ishizaki, Wilasini (Lisa) Wongwian, Anisa (Panna) Ngamtrakulpanit, Sara Hutchinson, Lancelot Wallin, Narida (Claire) Charanachitta, Levi Stafford and Tanwaar Taylor.

Bangkok Patana School was also represented by fellow students Jaidee Baumann, Nara (Tontoey) Sthapitanonda, Joshua Burkill, Nicha Tongdee and Kiri Hart. Congratulations also to Nara who won Bronze medals in the 50m Breastroke and 100m Breastroke.

Year 10 Junior Golfer Joins TGA Competition

Peter Keil, parent

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ver the past weekend Year 10 student Jenny Keil participated in a three day golf tournament organised by the Thailand Golf Association at Narai Hill Golf and Resort in Lopburi province.

The course is challenging due to its layout along the mountain with fast and slopey greens. For the first time, Jenny competed in the higher age group (1518 years, 6174 yards). She played three solid rounds, with a score of 73, 78, 75 resulting in a T7 rank. During the coming months Jenny will be very busy with many more Junior Golf tournaments, including international school tournaments, keep an eye out and be sure to offer her your support on future successes on the greens.

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OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH CanCure CAT Club

CANCURE CAT CLUB: WHO ARE WE? anCure is a student-led CAT club which aims to fundraise for the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer Foundation (QSCBC) and to increase awareness for breast cancer within our local community. As statistics show that chances of surviving breast cancer increase by 98% with early detection, we strongly believe that funding the check-ups at the QSCBC will make a big difference to the lives of many underprivileged women. Along with the PTG and SILC, we hope to make the best out of this year’s breast cancer awareness month.

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THE QUEEN SIRIKIT CENTRE FOR BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION The QSCBC began an educational and screening project for both breast and cervical cancer over 20 years ago in the slums of greater Bangkok. The team consists of specialized nurses, breast cancer survivors and volunteers whose job is to offer their knowledge and experience.

These volunteers host the teaching program to underprivileged women and their families.

The primary focus and efforts put into The Queen Sirikit Centre have all been utilised in order to reiterate Her Majesty’s vision - “A sanctuary for women in need, particularly those who are underprivileged. ”The combined efforts of the people’s work and Her Majesty’s plan have become a reality and a true center of excellence all through donations.

The concept began many years ago when Dr. Kris Chatamra, a man with a very illustrious career in medicine, MB BS (London); LRCP; MRCS(England); FRCS (England); MD (London) returned from the UK to join King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and Medical School. After 30 years based in the UK at institutions including, the Royal College of Surgeons of England carrying out research and as an examiner, as well as the Marsden Hospital, the UK’s leading cancer hospital, gave him a strong background in the field of breast cancer, Dr. Chatamra knew what was required to construct a proficient unit that could tackle breast cancer in Thailand. In addition to raising funds for equipment, he formed a team of specialists who shared his same philosophy, ranging from surgeons to nurse prac-

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titioners. He organised further postgraduate training for each specialty both in the UK and the US, thus to date, he has built up a team with an abundance of experience and expertise. Patients at the QSCBC are not passed between a list of specialists working as individuals, but rather are treated through the efforts of a collective group. Not only does the centre focus on the breast cancer itself but also on the emotional state of their patients; offering psychological support from both professionals and patient survivor groups, like the Bangkok Breast Cancer Support Group [BBC]. Pioneering breast preservation whenever possible, (rather than automatic mastectomy), in Thailand for well over 25 years, also helps to make the overall experience less traumatic for patients, hence the QSCBC‘s encouragement of early detection. The QSCBC has therefore become a state-of-the-art unit, capable of not only providing the best diagnostic and treatment options for patients, but it also offers emotional support and explanations throughout the care process, so that patients can understand every aspect of their treatment plan.

The screening project is for the most underprivileged women, typically living off an average daily income of 200 baht. This 3-day teaching project is carried out every 3 months when possible and depends on donations. It is conducted in a friendly environment so that the women do not feel scared or pressurised. Those who may have slight trouble with reading and writing are also helped in a supportive manner. Moreover, this project is not only aimed for adults but all ages, as it is vital to instill accurate healthcare information. Thanks to the teaching program, many women have now been enlightened on the topic of breast

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and cervical cancer. This means that they can spread the teers by cosmetic companies while they wait for screening word within their own communities and social circles, and and meals. The Thai Red Cross coaches return the women recognise those who need treatment or check-up. and children to their homes safely after the day. By carrying out this project, the QSCBC and Foundation is reinIn addition to the teaching program, the women are reg- forcing the message that screening for cervical and breast istered to go to the QSBSC for free breast cancer screen- cancer is essential for a woman’s health, and the main ings. This includes digital mammography, ultrasounds and way to achieve this is through education. full medical examinations, depending on their age. A Pap smear, mammography and ultrasound can cost up to THB On behalf of CanCURE, the PTG and SILC, we would 3,700 per woman. The women are also encouraged to like to say a big thank you to the entire Patana community bring their children to the hospital, where volunteers en- for supporting us. We hope that you come along to our tertain and care for them during the day with fun activities, upcoming fundraising events and THINK PINK! games, and crafts. The women enjoy makeovers by volun-

Cancure events 29th October

Non-Uniform Pink Day Sale of masks, T-shirts, bracelets and pins at the Secondary Lounge CanCure, PTG and SILC bake sale at the Secondary Lounge Breast cancer talk presented by Dr. Visutdiphat from Samitivej Hospital during Year 12&13 tutorial session Live zoom talk with Dr. Chatamra, the founder of Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer Foundation All money raised will go to the Queen Sirikit for Breast Cancer Foundation to help women in need receive check-ups and education on breast cancer

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the m o r f t es The lat

PTG

Click here to join the PTG Facebook Group

GET YOUR RAFFLE TICKETS AT THE PTG TIGER SHOP TO SUPPORT THE BREAST CANCER EVENT 1=50THB

5=200THB

sponsored by:

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Calling all bakers PLEASE BRING YOUR HOME-BAKED OR STORE-BOUGHT DONATIONS TO OUR BAKE SALE FUNDRAISER AT PTG ROOM FROM 7:00 UNTIL 11:30 AM OR AT SECONDARY CANTEEN AT 12:00 PM

ALL MONEY RAISED GOES TO QUEEN SIRIKIT CENTRE FOR BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION

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Supporting Home Languages in ECAs

Virginie Turner, Curriculum Leader, Home Languages; World Languages and Theory of Knowledge Teacher

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angkok Patana is very fortunate to count more than script from English.

50 different nationalities among its students. Being in contact with friends with such diverse cultural backgrounds STUDENT REFLECTIONS Our students are proud to be multilingual and they know and languages gives our students a chance to develop as the true global citizens of the future. According to Oxfam, it does not come easily. “a global citizen is someone who is more aware of and “For me, writing in Japanese is important. understands the wider world – and their place in it. They Kanji, which are Japanese characters that take an active role in their community, and work with othcome from pictures, are used in everyday ers to make our planet more equal, fair and sustainable.” life. Each of them has its own meaning...

Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana are all Living abroad and attending a British International used in Japan and if I ever decide to go school is a great opportunity for our students but it can home, I will need them to live there and also bring its challenges. communicate with Japanese speakers.”

For those of you whose first language is not English, you Amy Ono, 7G will probably acknowledge that it can be difficult to de“Learning Mandarin is a long and velop strong linguistic skills in your home language (nachallenging process, so you must be tive language) when this language is not used in any of willing to put in the time and effort – your subjects at school. Explaining your daily activities at learning a new language takes practice.” school in another language than English can be difficult.

Troy Hunt, 6T Parents, imagine spending your whole day talking about History, Math or Science in English and having to discuss Students know that learning their own language is not all this in your native language back at home. Our students only good for communication, it allows them to build their are quite extraordinary when they can do this. own identity. Here is Troy again “I was born in Shanghai and lived there for seven years. My mom is Chinese.

HOME LANGUAGE SUPPORT There are many ways our community can support stu- Hence Chinese is a part of me...” dents in maintaining their language skills and one of them “It is very important to learn to write in is to enroll in a Home Language ECA. Not only do they your home language, there three reasons support the development of skills but also these classes for this; create a real sense of community where language is used Firstly, it helps you when you want to in context and with a purpose. get in a university in your home country; Our ECA providers offer languages in French, Dutch, being able to write in your home Spanish, German, Japanese, Mandarin Second Lanlanguage is a huge advantage as there guage and SMP (Mandarin is a heritage language or is a higher chance of getting into your one of the native languages but may not be dominant at desired university. I think learning at home) and Mandarin HOLA (for students who have lived an early age is very good because you and been to school in a Mandarin environment, have a remember things better when you start high level of proficiency and speak it at home every day). earlier.

Here we are focusing particularly on Asian languages as they present the added challenge of having a different 12

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Secondly, learning to write is better than learning to speak. I don’t think there is 09/10/2020

anyone here who can write not know what they are writing. Writing is also great because when you are writing you think of what to write and sometimes even sound it out. It will also be good reading practice. Furthermore, writing can help you when you’re graduating in Year 13. When you do the test, your home language writing abilities will also come in handy; the more things you can do the better!

Lastly, I think being able to write in your home language (or any language for that matter) can get you a good place later one when you start to have a job as a businessman or woman. You will definitely need to learn to write and read so that that is another reason why I recommend taking your Home Language ECA or just with a tutor. Rinka Bunsokuwan, 7G

home, so try to give them writing activities such as creating a book and writing a letter to family member overseas etc.

Mandarin Home Language – M. Oscar Wang (Oscar.wang@my-edu.asia) • Speak Chinese as much as they can no matter where they are.

• Allow the children to read Chinese books not only on Chinese classic literature but also other areas that the children are interested in, such as life skills, science and etc.

• Encourage children to develop a reasonable routine of learning and spending time on Chinese.

• Attend Chinese events to motivate them to observe, experience and note down what they see and feel as a diary.

Mandarin Second Language / Singaporean Mandarin Primary - Nancy Language Club (nancylanguageclub@gmail.com) • Spend at least 10-15 minutes a day during the week for homework • Make a family’s Mandarin time, for example, everyone speaks Mandarin on Sunday afternoon • Watch movies or listen to songs, read books in Chinese they are interested in.

Take a look at the ECAs we are offering in Block 2 on Firefly and do not hesitate to get in touch with me (vitu@ patana.ac.th) or any of the providers if you require more information before signing up to any of these activities.

Home Languages must be nurtured at home so they can flourish. As our students grow up, they can become reluctant to speak and read or write in their native language.

Here is some advice shared by our providers: Japanese - Ms Hitomi Takeda (hita@patana.ac.th) • Read a story regularly to your child. This will help children acquire vocabulary and natural sentence patterns. There is no app better than lap.

As you can see, our providers strongly agree Reading and Writing are important foci for developing an understanding and fluency of the language. Our libraries are working hard to develop their range of Home Language books and are happy to receive any suggestions you may have for any Home Language. Do not hesitate to pass on your requests as they will be received with enthusiasm.

Why not make a point of visiting the library with your • Children do not have much chance to write the lan- child and borrow a range of books in your home language when another language is mainly used at guage every other week?

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Leaders of their Own Learning Suzanne Lindley, Secondary Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Assessment

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igh on the list for developing students as successful independent learners is creating a classroom culture of shared ownership. Student buy-in and being part of the decision-making encourages deeper engagement.

This is none more evident than in the Key Stage 4 Elective Programme which we visited this week.

The Elective Programme provides students with the opportunity to select a termly programme where they can take more risks and co-create a programme with teachers. Not only do we offer new electives each year, but students have an input into the design of the programme too. Taking time to allow students to develop their ideas fosters student leadership and helps to improve their critical thinking.

BAKING ELECTIVE We have introduced a cooking and baking elective this year and here are Mrs Stuart’s reflections: “As a keen baker, I was thrilled to be asked to offer an Elective course in Cooking and Baking to our Year 10’s this year. The course has proved to be hugely popular with the students and it has been fantastic to watch them in action over the last few weeks. We have had great fun making a range of savoury and sweet dishes ranging from spaghetti Bolognese to chocolate roulade and from chili con carne to banana muffins.”

skills, which will last a lifetime. I’m really looking forward to see what they produce next!”

The student bakers have appreciated the opportunity to develop this life skill and have found it a “fun learning experience”. Students shared with me that they have been cooking more at home since starting the elective and one commented: “I really wanted to cook more for my family so that we can eat together.” Others have linked developing the skill to support their progression in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Students are expected not only to cook independently, but also take responsibility for planning, organising and shopping for the ingredients. In this way, learning is extended well beyond the classroom.

DIGITAL MAGAZINE Miss Lily Ingrey has risen to many challenges this year, being new to Bangkok Patana, and has shown the depth of her own creativity and resilience by offering a highly complex elective, providing students with the opportunity to create a Digital Magazine from scratch, which is almost ready to go live after just nine lessons! Students have really valued “being able to work in a group to set our own goals” and identified that the skills they have developed include “time management, collaboration and cooperation”.

Miss Ingrey: “Digital Magazine is a creative space intended to give Year 10 students a voice. We have various “To produce a great-tasting dish, students need to be roles within the elective, from reporting to investigating to highly organised, need to follow instructions closely, must designing, and each team works together to create and work well together and, of course, manage their timings edit engaging content. to perfection! I truly believe that cooking and baking can make a great difference to a person’s overall well-being.

So far, articles have included film reviews, a thought-proIt is a fantastic stress-reliever, helps to develops focus, con- voking feature about the most effective COVID-19 mask centration and patience and gives our students a range of and a piece discussing the latest fashion trends. We also 14

Bangkok Patana School News

09/10/2020

have short stories, puzzles and commentaries which offer Our stalwarts of the Elective programme continue to the latest sporting news. Whatever it is our readers are generate a high level of interest and enthusiasm from stuinterested in, Digital Magazine will have something for dents including the Music Creation Elective: them. The elective also allows students to get involved in “For this first term, I have been given the creating the website, which has been no easy feat! The pleasure of being a part of the music design team has been working tirelessly to get the magcreation elective. As someone who is azine up and running. Although it has been a mammoth very keen on music and who very much task, they have worked together to delegate tasks and enjoys music- but was unable to pursue solve problems.” it in (I)GCSE - I have been able to find The Elective provides teachers with the opportunity to my love for it once again by being a part stretch their wings away from their subject passion into of this elective. What I enjoy most about other areas, helping to keep a dynamic staff by providing being able to play again in school is new opportunities and fresh challenges. Creative Writthe fact that we have so much freedom ing has been offered for the first time by Mr Mitcheson, a in everything we choose to do when Geography teacher: “The students have produced some performing. It’s your choice what type fantastic work and literally don’t stop writing for the whole of music you would like to play or what time they are in the room; it is awesome to see.” The stuinstrument you would like to learn; the dents have appreciated “a creative space to learn, that’s choices aren’t limited. By collaborating open, accepting and free.” with Mr. Larking, he can help you see where you are at and what type of music Students have been writing short stories which will be you would like to play. Overall, I believe published in an eBook. Here’s a taster before the eBook is that the music creation elective is fantastic finalised later this term: and if students are interested in producing music or even just having fun singing/ ‘In front of me the pier stretched far into the deep obplaying songs together, they should pick scured ocean, every step required more strength, my legs this elective. In the few weeks I have been felt heavy, pinning me down onto the wooden planks. a part of this lesson, I have thoroughly Different suppressed voices interrupted my thoughts, as enjoyed it.” Kiera McKnight-Burrell I looked around a group of tourists were talking, but I couldn't hear them completely. Water filled my ears and In conclusion, providing choices and flexibility, as well my vision - I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into as building positive relationships by actively listening and the thick, deep blue. Then, somewhere in the vast dark- allowing students to lead, makes it clear that they are in ness, I saw three bubbles slowly make their way to the control of their own learning. This comes with added resurface, from some hidden place far below me. I swam to sponsibility for students, but when you add the culture of investigate the source……....’ embracing making mistakes, they become better learners.

09/10/2020

Bangkok Patana School News

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STUDENTS SPEAK

Big O Notation and Search Algorithms Xander van Pelt, 8K

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few weeks ago, I was assigned a task to create a python number guessing game, and It got me thinking, What if the computer guessed the numbers?. I looked on the internet and found something called binary and linear search. Here’s how it works.

Let's say we have a randomly generated number, we need our program to guess the number. We have a minimum value the random number can be, and the maximum.

So if you want to find the number you would probably search through every number from the minimum number to the maximum number using a for loop. On every iteration we can check if it is equal to the random number. This is called linear search.

Here’s some code in python: from random import randint min_val = 0 max_val = 100 random_num = randint(min_val, max_val) for i in range(min_val, _max_val): if i == random_num: print(“number found!”) break

This works, but in most cases it’s not as efficient as binary search.

Now this is where I came across big O notation. Big O notation is used to show how the run time grows as the input size grows.

Something like getting the first item of an array always takes the same amount of time no matter the size of the array, so it’s big O notation would be O(1).

If we loop through an array, the time it takes depends on the size of the array, as the size goes up, the time it takes goes up. The ratio of time to size of the array is 1:1, the big O notation would be O(n), n being the size of the array.

Read more on Cypher Magazine here.

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Bangkok Patana School News

09/10/2020

Cryptology

Zara Mansoor, Bangkok Patana alumna, Class of 2021

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he art of creating and solving codes is used to encrypt messages globally allowing you to send top-secret messages, sensitive information, and day to day messages to your friends via WhatsApp.

Cryptanalysis involves breaking such codes. You’re probably imagining those movies with spies hacking into a “confidential database”. However, cryptanalysis originated long before the flashing of ones and zeros on a computer screen, and a hacker saying “I’m in”. In fact, the very first recording of cryptanalysis dates all the way back to the 9th century, in a book called Risalah fi Istikhraj al-Mu'amma (A Manuscript on Deciphering Cryptographic Messages), published by Arab Abu Yūsuf Yaqūb ibn ʼIshāq as-Sabbāh al-Kindī (known as the father of Arab philosophy).

To fully understand the impact of his work it’s important to understand which cypher he cracked first. A simple substitution cypher is one where every letter of the alphabet is substituted for another. A classic example of this is the Caesar shift, where each letter is shifted a certain number of places down the alphabet e.g. A->C, and B->D, C->E, etc. Although the Caeser shift may be easy to crack, other substitutions (which aren’t limited to shifting and can be substituted with any other letter or character) prove to be a challenge. For years, this type of encryption was used to send messages. That is until Al-Kindi proposed the method on how to crack it, frequency analysis.

Frequency analysis is a method in which the most frequent and least frequent letters in an encrypted text is examined and compared to that of its plaintext counterpart. For example, the most common letter used in the English alphabet is E, followed by T, whereas the least common ones are J, Q and Z. Considering this knowledge, and comparing this to the most common letters that come up in an encrypted text, it becomes much easier to solve.

Of course, after this discovery, cryptologists merely had to find more cunning ways to encrypt codes that were harder to crack as cryptography is the ever-evolving art.

Al-Kindi *The cool kid of the 9th Century*

If you found this an interesting read I highly recommend reading The Code Book, which gives an in-depth look into the evolution of cryptography!

Read this article on Scientia Magazine

09/10/2020

Bangkok Patana School News

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#164: Chrome Extension Awesome Screenshot H

ave you ever wanted to take a screenshot of a whole webpage? In the past I would snip one part of the page, copy and paste into a Word document or email, scroll down a bit, snip again, copy and paste, etc etc. This is laborious. Why not let the technology do all of that for you? Take full page screenshots that you can annotate or make short screencasts with the useful Chrome extension called:

Are you one of the 1 million + users that are more productive with their time?

Have a fantastic half-term break.

Brian Taylor Assistant Principal, Campus Curriculum Technology Integration

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Bangkok Patana School News

09/10/2020

UNI COUNSELORS’ CORNER In the Spotlight...

Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

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hulalongkorn University, the top ranked universities in Thailand, was founded in 1917 by HM King Vajiravudh after changing the Civil Service College to a national university and renaming it after his father, King Chulalongkorn who laid the foundations of modern education, something the King saw as paramount to the independence of his country. The graduate school was established in 1961. The university has 20 faculties and 23 colleges and research institutes. There are over 25,000 undergraduate students, of which about three percent are international students.

Chulalongkorn University has 99 international programmes including 17 Bachelor’s, 48 Master and 34 Doctoral programmes. Bachelor’s degrees on offer include a diverse range such as Aerospace Engineeering, Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation, International Business Management, Psychological Science and Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Engineering. CU is in the heart of Bangkok and yet offers a wonderful green space with housing for international students on campus. Notable alumni include many members of the Thai Royal family. Other notable alumni include Bangkok Patana alum actor and environmental activist Alex Rendell, several SEA Write Award winners, former Ministers, pioneering doctors and two Olympic medallists.

University Visits UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE

COUNTRY

LOCATION

DATE

The American University of Paris, Irish Universities and Medical Schools Consortium Ohio Wesleyan University

France, Ireland

2nd Floor Senior Studies

28.10.2020 12.30 pm

USA

2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies

29.10.2020 7.15 am

OCAD (Ontario College of Art Canada and Design, Canada) Nagoya University of Commerce Japan, France and Business, ESSEC Business School University for the Creative Arts UK Florida Southern College

USA

King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Lad Krabang

Thailand

09/10/2020

2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies 2nd Floor Senior Studies

Bangkok Patana School News

TIME

29.10.2020 12.30 pm 30.10.2020 12.30 pm

3.11.2020

2.30 pm

16.11.2020

9.15 am

23.11.2020

12.30 pm

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Desert Island Discs With Graham Lewis, Primary PE Teacher

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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 Graham Lewis, Primary PE Teacher, is stuck on a desert island.

MR LEWIS, IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT EIGHT PIECES OF MUSIC WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? Superheated - New Order Fool’s Gold - Stone Roses Dakota - Stereophonics Sound of Silence - Disturbed F.E.A.R. - Ian Brown Creep - Radiohead Teardrop - Newton Faulkner

Listen to Mr Lewis’ playlist here

Gravity - Embrace 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. Swiss Army knife WHICH ONE BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? Underworld by Don DeLillo 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 20

Bangkok Patana School News

09/10/2020

CALLING ALL FUTURE LEADERS

BPS MODEL UNITED NATION CONFERENCE

November 22nd 2020, Bangkok Patana School What is Model UN? Just like in the real United Nations, matters of world-wide importance are debated, resolutions are written and delegates work together to find solutions. Taking part in MUN helps students to develop public speaking skills, researching skills and greatly enhances their knowledge of current affairs.

Contact Mr Brooks (mibo@patana.ac.th) or email kata21 & mamb21 for a reply slip *Reply slips are due after half term break. Please return them to Mr Brooks

09/10/2020

Bangkok Patana School News

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Bangkok Patana School News

09/10/2020