Patana News Volume 25 Issue 23

FFUN UN DDAY AY

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Decision Making

The WhaT, Why, hoW and Who?

Alice Curwood, Cross Campus Assistant Principal, Extra-curricular Activities and Sports

Throughoutour lives, we are constantly encouraged to think critically and strive for excellence. For our students here at Bangkok Patana, whether it is achieving high grades, participating in extracurricular activities, applying for a job or developing essential life skills, they are always striving to do better. One tool that can help us to achieve our goals is the application of four key questions: What, Why, How and Who. By applying these, we can make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcomes.

and focused on the end product. For example, it is important to understand that it can lead to better opportunities in higher education and the workforce.

The third question, How, is about determining the steps needed to achieve our goals. How can we achieve our objectives? By breaking down our goals into smaller, more manageable steps, we can create a plan of action that will help us reach our end goal. For example, we might need to study for a certain amount of time each day or seek additional help from a teacher.

The fourth and final question, Who, is about identifying the people who can help us achieve our goals or who will be impacted most by it. Who can support us in achieving our objectives? By identifying our support network, we can get the help and guidance we need to succeed. For example, reaching out to teachers or seeking help from your peers.

At some stage we will all be required to make decisions that influence those around us. For example, implementing a new idea or strategy in the workplace. If you apply the four key questions to this, it could increase buy in and create positive change.

1. What are you going to do?

Describe the project or initiative you would like to undertake.

2. Why are you going to do it?

What are the goals of the project or initiative and how does it fit with the overall vision or mission of the organisation?

3. How are you going to do it?

Determine the steps needed to achieve the objectives. Outline specific strategies and tactics you would undertake.

The first question, What, encourages us to define and clarify our objectives. What is it that we want to achieve? By having a clear understanding of our goals, we can better plan and execute our actions to reach those objectives. For example, if we want to improve our grades in a particular subject, we need to know exactly what we need to learn and master in order to do so.

The second question, Why, requires us to understand the purpose behind our goals. Why is it important to achieve our objectives? By having a clear understanding of the purpose behind our goals, we can stay motivated

4. Who will benefit from this?

Who would this benefit and what positive impact could it have if successful?

Another example would be to apply these to being physically active in order to benefit your physical, mental and social health.

1. What would you like to do more of?

What activities do you enjoy?

Individual or team sports?

Competitive or non-competitive?

2. Why would you like to do it?

Do you enjoy it?

Do you have an end goal to become fitter or increase your performance level?

3. How could you do it?

Where is the nearest provider of your chosen activity?

When can you start?

4. Who might this impact?

How might taking up the new activity impact your physical and mental health?

Where might you see these benefits in your daily routine?

By applying this framework, we can demonstrate our ability to think strategically and make informed decisions. It can be applied to professional endeavours, personal lives, setting goals for education, hobbies and relationships. By asking these questions, we can gain a deeper

understanding of the situation at hand and consider all relevant factors. At Bangkok Patana we are always encouraging students to make their own decisions, improve their understanding and stimulate new thinking. If we adopt this approach, it could lead to more effective decision making and drive positive change in many areas of life, influencing how we approach different situations we may face at different times.

I would encourage you all to sit down for 10 minutes and focus on a key area where you would like to make a change, a challenge you are currently facing or a choice you are having to make. Apply the four key questions before making your decision. See if it changes how you plan on approaching the situation. There is no right answer, but if you know what, why, how and who, it might lead to a better outcome!

HOME LANGUAGE BOOK CLUB: BOOKS AND BISCUITS

Save the Date!

8th March 2023

This club was established as a way for our school community to share their favourite stories from their home countries, cultures and languages. Usually, we do this by bringing our favourite stories in, coming together over a cup of tea or coffee, some fruit and a few lovely biscuits and sharing books that our children (of all ages) have loved to read. These can be picture books, non-fiction books, graphic novels, or stories … anything that has enthralled and entertained your children in their home language.

Not only have our parents loved sharing their favourite stories, but the opportunity also provides Mr M and the Library staff the chance to see the books, grab important details such as ISBN numbers and author names and then buy the books to help grow the Home Languages section of the Primary and Secondary libraries with books that are relevant, popular and recommended by our community members.

We have enjoyed hosting a wonderful group of parents in the past, who came along and have helped us to develop our Home Language resources meaningfully, and now we’d love to invite you back. If you’d like to share any Home Language reading recommendations for our library and larger community, please put Wednesday 8th March at 08:00 in your calendars and come along to LIB 207 (the Library Green Room) for our next ‘Books and Biscuit’ Club meeting.

If you are planning on coming along, then please complete your details in this Google Form so we can cater accordingly. In the meantime, it would be great if you would add any new books that you’d like to share here. Simply click on the pink circle with the ‘+’ sign in the right-hand corner and add your information. Please remember to include a picture of the book too! Many thanks and see you later.

Stephen Murgatroyd, Cross Campus Head of Libraries

step Up anD stanD oUt

Caroline Ferguson, Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) Leader

“…if you believe in something, you must not just think or talk or write, but must act.” (Peterson 2003)

Central

to the IBDPs Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) programme is the belief that active engagement in service is essential if students are to develop the “abilities, attitudes and values” embedded in the IB Mission Statement and Learner Profile. Through engaging in service students are given the opportunity to engage in “decision-making, problem-solving”, to take the initiative, and take responsibility, and be accountable for their actions (IBO, 2015). All this contributes towards their holistic development, promotes self-confidence and the development of skills which can be used in their future lives and careers.

Direct-action service, which involves interactions with people both inside and outside the school community, is particularly empowering. When such service experiences meet a real need in the community there is the potential for students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of global issues through engagement at the local level. These experiences

also build relationships between the students and the recipients of their service, and so students develop empathy and respect for people and communities who are less privileged than theirs. The knowledge that one can make a difference, even at a very small scale, for many produces a thirst to bring about change at a more profound scale. All characteristics of the global citizens we seek to produce at Bangkok Patana School, the citizens needed to forge a “more just, secure and sustainable world” (OXFAM, 2015)

This year our Grad24 students CAS students are stepping up and getting involved in direct action service. Over the next few weeks, Patana News will be publishing a series of articles about these experiences and how they make our students stand out.

References:

International Baccalaureate Organisation, (2015). Creativity, Activity, Service Guide.

OXFAM (2015) Education for Global Citizenship: A Guide for Schools. Oxford.

the Likhit Daycare

Likhit Daycare is a direct service activity that runs twice a week. As students we are responsible for planning and running activities for the children, from a local daycare centre, who come to visit our school for the hour and a half long sessions. Sometimes we set up art and craft activities for them to engage with inside the Foundation Stage classrooms, while at others we play with them in the school playgrounds, or plan baking activities for them to make and enjoy eating.

Our main aims are to be able to provide these local kids with interactive, happy learning experiences by connecting with them through the many facilities our school is privileged to

have. Facilities like the playgrounds which are incredibly large and varied, or the indoor areas with lots of quality supplies to use. All of which they do not have access to in their own school.

Participating in Likhit Daycare once a week has been extremely rewarding for me. Every time we interact with the children, we have fun conversations with them, which is one of the biggest reasons we enjoy it. This is a great opportunity for anyone who would like to work with children in the future and wants to give back to the community.

Lydia Chan, 12S and Katie Chen, 12J

RorDor Field Training

Pinkarn Vajrapana, Cross Campus Head of the Thai Programme

Congratulations to the 26 students from Year 13 who successfully passed their RorDor (Reserved Officers Training Corps - ROTC) field training during the half term break at Khao Chon Gai Training Camp, Kanchanaburi Province. This training is part of the requirement for RorDor programme which takes three years. It was a delightful experience for Khun Dee and Kru Pim to visit our students and meet Major General Narudol Thaorit, Commanding General of the Army Reserve Training Center. Here are reflections shared by some of students:

Tund Theerawit, 13B

“Attending the field training was a highly enriching experience for me, as it not only provided me with a deeper understanding of Thailand’s military and its role but also gave me a chance to form meaningful connections with fellow Thai students from various schools.”

Thanik Siamwalla (Nicky), 13C

“I think the most surprising take-away from the RorDor experience was how much time there actually was in a day. Waking up at 5:30 and going to bed at 10:30 allowed us to get many tasks done, and so I would like to make waking up early a habit to carry forward in the future.”

Temin Luangtana-Anan, 13D

“KCG was surprisingly a fun experience with many life lessons to take back. I enjoyed training together with friends under the strict environment especially the zip lining.”

Benjamin Blake (Ben), 13P

“Overcoming hardships and learning to deal with difficult situations, which can take you to the edge of your comfort zone, helps develop belief in yourself, trust in your colleagues and self-confidence.”

Prin Chantarangkul, 13C

“KCG was a transformative experience for me. The programme has helped me in my personal growth in a variety of ways, including developing my discipline and resilience. The skills that I developed during my time at the camp have been instrumental in my personal growth and will continue to be valuable assets throughout my life.”

JUnior achieveMent

Jun Ishihara, 12S

Everyyear, Bangkok Patana sends a team of bright students to take part in the Junior Achievement Thailand competition, a competition aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial students to set up their own business. This year, Mira, our very own sustainable jewelry business, had the opportunity to participate in an in-person trade fair for the first time in three years. Alongside teams from all over Thailand, we set up our stall at True Digital Park and showcased our unique products to the public.

We were all both nervous and excited to finally showcase our products as we have been working for months to prepare for this moment. Our hard work and dedication paid off as Mira’s products stood out among the other teams. Visitors were impressed with our thorough knowledge of our sustainable production methods and the quality of our products. We are proud to say that we sold out on the first day of the event, a remarkable achievement for the first in-person trade fair in three years.

For those who are interested, we will have 18k gold-plated bracelets and silver-plated bracelets available for 450 THB and 400 THB, respectively. We use recycled metals to avoid the negative environmental effects of mining and donate 15% of our profits to Oceans For All, a marine conservation organisation in Phuket. For more information and preorders, please visit our Instagram page @mirajewelry.th. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at our stall Fun Day!

SECURITY

Please help to maintain the safety of our students and community when using the back bridge to exit through Bangna-Trat Soi 16. As this is a shared route, please drive at a reduced speed and be attentive to pedestrians, giving them the right of way. Please also refrain from honking your car horn or generating any unnecessary noise while navigating this route in consideration of the community through which this soi passes.

For the safety of all students and community members, do not pick up and drop off students at the taxi rank outside True Coffee. This not only violates traffic laws, but also poses a danger to individuals using taxis as they have to step into oncoming traffic in the second lane to enter their taxis. Additionally, please avoid parking or picking up/dropping off students in front of Soi 39 or 39/1 as it blocks the entry and can cause traffic congestion.

If you require any further information or have any inquiries concerning School Security or traffic management, please contact Khun Danny via email at phin@patana.ac.th

T E R M 2

Kevin Keller, Careers and University Counsellor

“What are universities looking for?”

Thisis one of the most popular questions we get from students and their parents. Of course, they’re all looking for academic achievement, but many are looking for a combination of skills and traits which point to success in university and beyond. It is important for students to realize that the same things that stand out on your application will be the same things that prepare them to be a thriving adult. The traits and qualities being sought after by most universities include resilience, innovation, leadership, grit, determination, maturity, awareness, intellectuality and heart — the same traits that most would agree lead children into success during adulthood. This week, our Year 11 Global Citizenship students evaluated the skills that they will need to be a thriving adult and connected them to activities they can complete before they leave Bangkok Patana.

They examined several skill-areas of life, including household, time management, financial, communication and social/emotional well-being, identifying skills like cooking, greeting with confidence, initiating and cultivating new relationships, stepping out of their comfort zone, budgeting and self-advocacy. After these skills (and many, many more) were identified, the students listed out a variety of ways they can develop these skills through the rest of their time into adulthood. Household chore lists, managing a personal allowance, trying new activities and “self-care” routines made reg-

ular appearances on their list. Our Year 11 students suggested activities like hiking for the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) International Bronze Award, Model United Nations, Spectrum, Amnesty International, team sports, art and music as activities that can be vehicles to developing these skills for adulthood, while simultaneously impressing university admission officers. Additionally, before moving into a university residence hall, students should take time at home and through other activities to learn about money management, how to cook a basic meal and help with household chores while they’re still living at home.

As parents and teachers, it is important that we are encouraging students to take responsible risks, to experience setbacks and failure, and to push them out of their comfort zone and into new situations and experiences while they still have the security of a closely-knit, supportive environment. Students can start a new club, take a public speaking role, advocate for the less fortunate, dive into an independent research project or be inspired to create a beautiful new piece of art.

The list of skills necessary for a successful life is as diverse and varied as the students themselves and the activities they choose to pursue. So, while some students and parents might be looking to create an extra-curricular list that’s perfect for their first-choice university, they should also consider the skills they want and need to learn which will shape their life far into the future.

Pizza anD PeDagogy

Cindy Adair, Cross Campus Assistant Principal, Continued Professional Learning

Followingon from the success of the “Books and Burritos” professional reading club for staff in Term 1, this term we have had 40 keen staff undertake the “Pizza and Pedagogy” programme. This time instead of a book, the group read three peer reviewed journal articles. Like last time, the group voted on a theme for their reading and not surprisingly the topic they chose was, “Artificial Intelligence in Education” –a hot topic right now following on the heels of the release of ChatGPT.

The articles selected were:

Celik, I., 2023. Towards Intelligent-TPACK: An empirical study on teachers’ professional knowledge to ethically integrate artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools into education. Computers in Human Behavior, 138, p.107468.

Oke, A. and Fernandes, F.A.P., 2020. Innovations in teaching and learning: Exploring the perceptions of the education sector on the 4th industrial revolution (4IR). Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6(2), p.31.

Tate, T., Doroudi, S., Ritchie, D. and Xu, Y., 2023. Educational research and AI-generated writing: Confronting the coming tsunami.

The staff involved had six weeks to read the articles and make their own notes, before attending a pizza lunch with colleagues, where they had the chance to engage in professional dialogue and share their thoughts. The group created a collaborative list of questions to guide their discussions. The questions ranged from, “Will teachers still be needed in the age of AI?” to “What changes need to occur within educational curriculum and assessment for us to be able to fully engage with the rise in tech?”

It was fantastic to see such a group of committed teachers giving up their lunchtime to ensure they are staying abreast with new trends and evidence-based research.

patana ParticiPates! Achievements from Our Community

Piyada Vachanaratana, Patana Parent Alpha Young, 7T competed in the Trinity College London, Thailand Homecoming Event 2023 and was awarded first place in the category of Rock and Pop Drums. Congratulations!

Key Stage One Sports Day

Wednesday 15th March

Please ensure that your child comes to School in their PE kit complete with a hat, bottle of water and remember to apply plenty of sun cream for their exciting Sports Morning.

Year 1 Classes are participating from 7.45am to 9:15am

Year 2 Classes are participating from 10.05am to 11:30am

WilDlife sPotting with coke Pheasants of thailand

Alexander Coke Smith IV, Secondary Environmental Sciences Leader

Did you know that the common barnyard chicken is a pheasant? Not only are chickens pheasants, I personally find the Wild Jungle Fowl, the progenitor of the modern domesticated chicken, is one of the more spectacular birds in Thailand’s forests.

In today’s column, I would like to highlight some of Thailand’s absolutely phenomenal pheasant species. There are several quite large species that can be seen with luck within a couple hours from Bangkok.

The spectacular Silver Pheasant is one of the most impressive of all and can be found with luck in various locations of Khao Yai National Park. I have spotted them a number of times there but Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary in Loei Province is perhaps the best place to see them. Khao Yai is also a great place to try for the Siamese Fireback Pheasant. In the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, Firebacks are virtually guaranteed.

Near Kaeng Krachan, you can try for several species of pheasants, ranging from the very spectacular and rather large Kalij Pheasant, to Wild Jungle Fowl to several smaller species of partridges such as Bar-backed, Green-legged and the very sought-after and beautiful Ferruginous Partridge. The prize species near Kaeng Krachan is without a doubt the spectacular Grey Peacock

Pheasant that is a possibility for only the most lucky observers. Most of these species are very difficult to see in their natural habitat but Kaeng Krachan has a wonderful community-based project whereby local villagers maintain bird-hides that all offer a very low impact way of seeing these and many other species of wildlife.

Spending time in many of Thailand’s open fields, you may be lucky to see some of Thailand’s Buttonquail and Quail species that are quick to disappear back in the brush, but with skill and stealth, you may get a good look at these little critters.

For those with a bit more time and an adventurous spirit, a trip to Doi Lang West is a great place to see Thailand’s most sought-after pheasant species – Mrs Hume’s Pheasant. Seeing the beautiful male come in early in the morning, right after sun-up, is an experience you won’t forget.

Another incredible pheasant species that can be seen a bit further out is the Indochinese Peafowl, Southeast Asia’s version of the famous “Peacock” that most people are familiar with. There are several locations where seeing these massive birds can be accomplished. Seeing such awesome species of wildlife like Thailand’s many pheasants is a very worthy goal!

WHAT’S NEW IN THE LIBRARIES

international WoMen’s day

early years’ liBrAry PriMary liBrAry seconDary

liBrAry

Comic Books & Chapter Books

Fiction

Non-Fiction

Comic Books & Chapter Books

Fiction Non-Fiction

Oversized Books

Fiction Senior Fiction

Graphic Novels

Mr Taylor’s Picks

Life Collection

Non-Fiction

Professional learning (cPl) Magazine subscriPtions

Just a Dream

Fiction by Hui Ying (Ying Ying) Han, 6B

My favourite coffee shop was located in a back alley and I always visited it after school. Every day I sat at the same table, the one with the potted plant and table light, and relished those moments of silence. It was a quiet day today, so it felt like my very own private café. Until I noticed another woman at the coffee shop, sitting near the window, typing on her computer. I caught the words sunshine, I, and coffee shop. Then I moved to sit at my usual spot, but I couldn’t shake off my curiosity about what the woman was typing. I moved to a table behind her and watched as the words slowly formed on the screen.

…Clouds gathered above a café, and it started to rain. And then the rain fell through the glass, and the people inside it were drenched in water….

And as if by magic, dark stormy clouds formed above the café, and it started to rain. And as if by magic, truly, the rain fell through the glass and I was soaked, along with the woman. But she kept typing.

…Then lightning lit up the whole sky, and for a second, everything was pure white. Then the girl was stuck in a white room, and she saw the woman typing in the corner….

Lightning flashed, everything went white and just like the woman typed, I materialised into a room, with her still typing in the corner.

…And then the girl awoke from the dream-...

And I couldn’t see what the woman had typed next. I had awoken to find that it was a dream. Just a dream, and nothing but a dream…?

FFUN UN DDAY AY

FFUN UN DDAY AY PTG PRESENTS

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: 11TH MARCH 2023, 10AM - 4PM

FREE ENTRY WITH YOUR PATANA CARD!

RIDES:

Ferris Wheel

Rock Mountain

Slip and Slide – bring your swimmers!

Water Balloons

Kids Boat

Happy Train

Carousel

Euro Bungy Maze

Surf Skate

Songkran Splash

Dunk Tank

GAMES:

Gun and Ball

Knockdown

Water Duck

Dart Game

Try your hand at the Lucky Dip – there are incredible prizes to be won! Enjoy entertainment all day on the stage under the Big Tent

A big variety of food and drinks for sale. Bring your swimmers for the water activities!

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL LIST OF ACTIVITIES AND VENDORS

FFUN UN DDAY AY

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

DIAMOND

PLATINUM

GOLD

Anonymous Personal Donor

SILVER

BRONZE

Khun Saowalak Chirapongsananuruk

Special thanks also go to:

Cosmo Group, Vina V8L, Brother Pictures and Subaru Pathumthani, Topgolf Thailand

Desert Island Discs

With Rebecca Maw-Dzatkowski, Cross Campus Head Gymnastics Coach

Throughout Terms 2 and 3, we will be revisiting previous contributions to the Desert Island Discs column.

Thiscolumn 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 Cross Campus Head Gymnastics Coach, Rebecca Maw-Dzatkowski, is stuck on a desert island.

MS REBECCA , IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT EIGHT PIECES OF MUSIC WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU?

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Fix You - Coldplay

Maybe Tomorrow - Stereophonics

Beautiful Escape - Tom Misch

Alibi - Banks

Territory - The Blaze

Retrograde - James Blake

Tadow - Masego (ft. FKJ)

Click to listen to Ms Rebecca’s playlist

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.

The most comfiest pillow!

WHICH ONE BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU?

How to Survive on a Desert Island by Jim Pipe

Catch the real Desert Island Discs on BBC. What are you listening to? Have a list of your own?

Let us know! Contact STML with your favourites.

Check out the newest episode of the Patana POD!

#241: What Parents need to KnoW about social Media and Mental health

NGL is another of those ‘bolt-on’ apps which is designed to work alongside a major social media network. In this instance, the ‘host’ platforms are Instagram and Twitter – with NGL (meaning, as you may have surmised, ‘Not Gonna Lie’) inviting a user’s friends and followers to ask them questions anonymously. An intriguing novelty, perhaps – but also not without risk.

Human nature being what it is, some people take the smokescreen of online anonymity as an excuse to behave in ways that they certainly wouldn’t if their identity were visible. The idea of exposing young social media users to anonymous messages is one which understandably concerns many parents.

This guide will highlight a number of potential risks including oversharing, cyber-bullying and potentially costly subscription fees.

Have a great weekend.

Brian Taylor Assistant Principal, Campus Curriculum Technology Integration

Star G azing at Kaeng Krachan, Phetchaburi province

Saturday, 25 to Sunday, 26 March 2023

with Mr Visanu Euarchukiati Council Member of The Siam Society

Once in a while, a city dweller accidentally ventures into a place so poorly lit at night that life becomes a little too uncomfortable. The location may be remote countryside, all in the middle of the ocean. Still, nature appeases the city dweller with a gift of a starry sky, even when the moon is visible. It gets more confusing on a moonless night when bright dots crowd the heaven confounding a mesmerized spectator. The beautiful sky manifests itself in its full glory.

After the initial confusion, one can see that the stars are not a random collection of dots. Some of these may be official constellations while other chance combinations of several parts from many constellations.

Thailand has developed to the point that the night sky in many locations polluted by light from urban areas or industrial estates. Doc places I found only in remote areas, near the border, or in large national parks and their vicinity

The Siam Society will arrange a 2-day trip to visit Kaeng Krachan, Phetchaburi. This trip will be led by Mr Visanu Euarchukiati, a council member and a freelance astronomy academic/ educator. The programme will include a guided tour of the night sky and a trip to a historic site of the British royal Society total solar eclipse expedition in 1875 (the reign of King Chulalongkorn, Rama V) in Phetchaburi.