Family Matters Magazine Abu Dhabi - Issue 1 by the British International School, Shanghai

MAKING AN EDUCATED CHOICE The UK versus the US curriculum Page 10

HEALTH Expat stress TRAVEL A Northern Territory adventure ASK THE EXPERTS Relocation tips for expat families EDUCATION Facts machine

MAGAZINE

FAMILY MATTERS

ISSUE 1

the british international school Abu Dhabi, UAE

HELPING OTHERS THRIVE

helping others to be the best they can be

Education and learning have always been our focus and our area of expertise. Our people and the people we work with all have a good understanding of what this means to us. We aim to provide students with the opportunity to be the best they can be.

admissions@bisad.ae

www.bisabudhabi.com

FAMILY MATTERS

ISSUE 1

MAKING AN EDUCATED CHOICE The UK versus the US Curriculum Page 17

HEALTH Expat Stress TRAVEL A Northern Territory adventure ASK THE EXPERTS Relocation tips for expat families EDUCATION Facts Machine

Family Matters Issue 1 Contributions welcome from all of the Abu Dhabi community. Please contact enquiries@bisad.ae for more information.

FAMILY MATTERS

MAGAZINE

FAMILY MATTERS

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S WORD N

ord Anglia Education and The British International School Abu Dhabi would like to warmly welcome you to our first Abu Dhabi edition of Family Matters Magazine. In conjunction with our Essentials Guide, the Family Matters project began a little more than a year ago with the intention of providing expat families with a trusted resource that would help them in gaining a better understanding of the city they were living in, or about to relocate to. Our years of experience highlighted the fact that the

process of relocating to a foreign land and adjusting to expat life can be daunting, both before departure and after arrival. In recognition of this, we launched the project, which at the time seemed a lofty goal. What we found, however, was a well spring of support from the expatriate community in both Shanghai and Beijing that made the endeavour a labour of love rather than a trial. The warm and enthusiastic reception we received in China paved the way for the expansion of the project to all of Nord Anglia’s schools worldwide, thus allowing

us to provide what we now see as an essential community service. Helping families better understand the issues they will face during their time abroad is something we have always done, but now we are proud to be able to offer it to the expatriate community as a whole, for the benefit of all. We hope you enjoy our first issue and find it useful. § Yours truly The Family Matters Team

16 22 34 IB: The best of both worlds

Facts Machine

Getting it Right: Relocation tips for Expats

Andrew Joy explains the ins and outs of one of the world’s most prestigious secondary degrees

Mark Angus offers some helpful advice for parents wanting to get the most out of their school

Crown Relocation services offers helpful tips for families making the transition to a new life

CONTENTS

FAMILY MATTERS

10 Making an educated choice

Mike Embley explains the differences between the British and American curricula

40 48 64 68 Oases of family fun in the uae

Teaching Children Money

Expat stress and quality mental healthcare

Kakadu: A Northern Territory adventure

Family Matters takes you on a tour of some of the best places for family fun in the UAE

Family Matters takes a look at the value of teaching children about money

Dr Maurice Preter, MD delves into the issue of expat stress and offers some valuable insight

Ride along on a family tour of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredible natural wonder â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kakadu National Park

essentials guide

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Everything you need to know about moving to Abu Dhabi, from those in the know. The guide covers everything from first arriving to housing and education.

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COMMENT

FAMILY MATTERS

COMMENT The paradox of modern times

When the going gets tough...

Is technology isolating us from our friends and family?

Some practical advice for ensuring long-term relationship success

e find ourselves suddenly in a new world, where communication is instant, and perhaps instantly gratifying. With the Internet, we never need be alone. Yet rarely is anything an unalloyed good. This is a technology that can bring out the worst in people, or stop those who need to make an effort to interact with others – something everyone needs to do for the sake of their mental health – from doing so. People who are shy and reticent in the real world log on and immerse themselves in chat to vent their frustration. They assume new identities and a new life, sitting in front of their computer for hours at a stretch. This can cause marital problems and an increased likelihood of divorce. Internet surfing, as most of us know by now, can also become an addiction. Hours and hours are spent online, at a remove from the real world, whether gaming or chatting. So what’s wrong with this? Surely online we can communicate with real people, find out what’s going on in the world, find friends who share unusual hobbies, make arrangements to meet in real life? All this is true. The worry about the Internet, as with other forms of technology, is that there are those who don’t use it wisely, those who use it as an alternative to human interaction rather than a way to live life more fully. Once the telephone appeared, it got easier to communicate by voice rather than face-to-face. Now we can ‘talk’ to our heart’s content without ever seeing another human being (on the screen doesn’t count). This is incredibly convenient for most of us, but leads to a social cul-de-sac for some. So are people less outgoing and sociable than they used to be? Even movies and concerts can be

downloaded on demand, reducing the need to go out. In fact, you can even work from home without showing your face in an office. Everything you need to buy can be ordered online or by telephone. Even degrees can be obtained sitting at home. There’s no need to attend lectures and classes in universities. There’s no need to stay in a college dormitory with new friends. The computer has replaced the TV as the incubator of couch potatoes, with people – most problematically children – spending hours in darkened rooms inside of going out and getting exercise. Let’s hope the advent of Wii and other full-body gaming consoles at least leads to recluses in better shape! Some years back, there was this man who named himself DotComGuy. He stayed inside a room for an entire month with just a computer and a broadband connection. Everything he needed or wanted to do came to him through the Internet. Publicity and encouragement were given to him as if he were doing a great job. Was he a pioneer or a harbinger of a worrying future? We are social animals, and we need the company of others for happiness. Modern technology is a boon in many ways, but is this form of progress undermining our potential for happiness? Are we creating hermits? There may be a day, sooner than we think, when no one needs to leave their home. Even marriages are already being webcast, so that relatives can celebrate the union online without needing to physically make the journey to the wedding. What more can they think of? Enjoy the Internet. Marvel at what man has created. But don’t forget to go outside and make a new friend in the real world from time to time. §

elationships with others are vital to us all. Relationships with parents, siblings, friends and significant others can bring joy and added significance to our lives. It’s often through intimate relationships that our deepest needs are met. It’s thus no wonder that we find ourselves preoccupied when we fear the loss of such relationships. Whatever your age and experience, a close relationship brings new and demanding challenges. Being able to handle conflict and deal with differences is important in maintaining healthy relationships, and everyone needs assistance at some time to help them deal with problems or difficulties in a relationship. All couples experience problems in one form or another – it’s part of sharing your life with another human being. The difference between a healthy relationship that works and one that doesn’t is how well couples deal with the challenges and problems they face in their life together. If you want to have a healthy relationship, follow these simple guidelines. • Don’t expect anyone to be responsible for your happiness. Too often, relationships fail because someone is unhappy and blames their partner for making them feel that way. Make yourself happy first, and then share it. • Forgive one another. Forgiveness means ending your anger or resentment. It takes patience, honesty and respect. When freely given in a relationship, forgiveness is powerful. • Don’t do anything for your partner with an expectation of reciprocation. Do things for them because you want to, and don’t hold your good deeds over

their head at a later date. Keeping score in a relationship never works. • Be responsible. If you’ve been rude to your partner, own up to it and try to do things differently next time. If you’re unhappy in your relationship, make an effort to create a better relationship yourself rather than try to change your partner. • Approach your relationship as a learning experience. We’re attracted to a partner from whom we can learn, and sometimes the lesson is to let go of a relationship that no longer serves us. A truly healthy relationship will have two partners interested in learning and expanding a relationship so that it continues to improve. • Appreciate yourself and your partner. In the midst of an argument, it can be difficult to find something to appreciate. Start by generating appreciation in moments of non-stress, so that when you need to do it during a stressful conversation it’s easier. One definition of appreciation is to be sensitively aware; tell your beloved that you love them, and that you don’t want to argue but to talk and make things better. Research has shown that people in supportive, loving relationships are more likely to feel satisfied with their lives and less likely to have mental or physical problems or to do things that are bad for their health. People in supportive, loving relationships help each other practically as well as emotionally. Supportive partners share the good times and help each other through the tough ones. Talking and listening are probably the most important skills in a relationship. There’ll always be tensions and disagreements, but if you can communicate well, you can overcome almost any problem. §

MAGAZINE

FAMILY MATTERS PUBLISHER

The British International School admissions@bisad.ae

CHIEF EDITOR Travis Murray editor@bisshanghai.com

ART DIRECTOR

Travis Murray editor@bisshanghai.com

COPY EDITOR

Aelred Doyle aelred@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTORS John Hart john.hart@bisb.hu

Rachel Batty rachel.batty@bisb.hu William Lower williamlower@williamlower.com Kevin Foyle k-foyle@bisspuxi.com Wade Dawson wade.d@austenmorris.com

CONTACT

helping others to be the best they can be Education and learning have always been our focus and our area of expertise. Our people and the people we work with all have a good understanding of what this means to us. We aim to provide students with the opportunity to be the best they can be.

www.bisabudhabi.com

The British International School Abu Dhabi PO Box 60968 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Physical Address: Behind Abu Dhabi University, Al Ain Rd (#22) Tel: +971 (2) 510 0100 Fax: +971 (2) 586 6979 Email: enquiries@bisad.ae Entire contents ÂŠ 2011 by Family Matters Magazine unless otherwise noted on specific articles

FeatureD Contributors

FAMILY MATTERS

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Mark Angus

ark Angus read English and Drama at Flinders University, Adelaide, where he specialised in Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre. He also has an MA in Early Modern Studies from King’s Principal College, University of London, where his main focus of study was The British International School the repertories of 16th- and 17th-century playing companies. Further Shanghai, China study includes a Post-Graduate Diploma in Acting from Mountview Theatre School, London, which was followed by six years as a professional actor in theatres throughout the UK. He gained his PGCE in Secondary English from the Open University and was previously the Academic Deputy Head at Westminster Cathedral Choir School in central London. He was at BISS from 2007 to 2011, becoming Principal of the Nanxiang Campus in 2009. Mark Angus has written for the theatre and radio and published articles in a variety of journals on a diverse range of subjects, from Victorian crime to the theatre of Sophocles. His interests include literature, theatre, wine, sport and travel.

Andrew Joy

ndrew Joy studied Philosophy and Politics at Keele University before training as a Mathematics teacher at Nottingham University. His first teaching position was at Telefomin High School IB Coordinator in Papua New Guinea as a VSO volunteer – a posting in which he took The British International School his first school leadership role as Subject Leader and which involved Shanghai, China him working in an extremely isolated location connected to the outside world only by a small village airstrip. Following a year teaching Mathematics in London, he then moved to the British School of Lomé in Togo, West Africa, where he enjoyed working for the next ten years. It was here that he began his twelve-year involvement with the International Baccalaureate programme, starting as a teacher of Maths and TOK before taking on the role of IB Coordinator. In 2007, he moved to The British International School Shanghai as head of the Mathematics faculty, and in August 2009 he took up his present position as IB Coordinator and Assistant Deputy Head. His interests include football, chess, opera and travel.

Mike Embley

ichael Embley graduated first in his class from the University of Leeds. He has led some of the most prestigious and successful international schools across the globe. He has worked in Executive Principal the UK, Taiwan, Venezuela, Norway and mainland China. He has also The British School of Beijing worked with governments, assisting them in curriculum design and Beijing, China implementation. A clear focus on the whole pupil, from academic achievement to sporting and musical success and, vitally, the health and social wellbeing of every student, have been hallmarks of the schools he has led. As Executive Principal of The British School of Beijing he has led the school to achieve outstanding examination results. The school has just completed a highly complimentary and totally independent inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the body that inspects all UK independent schools. As a father of four he is always aware that student really means ‘someone’s child’ and it is perhaps this fact, above all, that informs his approach to school leadership. He has a keen interest in music and is also a world-class swordsman… but rarely finds the need to use this talent with his students!

Wade Dawson

ade Dawson has worked as a China-based financial adviser for the past ten years, helping individuals and families achieve their financial goals. He is a Senior Partner at Austen Morris Associates and lives in Shanghai with his wife and two children. As Senior Partner a result of his insights, he has served as a seminar speaker, given Austen Morris Associates numerous interviews and written articles for multiple publications on a range of financial planning topics. He is dedicated to providing high-quality advice and creating integrated wealth management solutions that simplify his clients’ lives. Wade recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to private wealth management and thus designs investment advice that is unique to each individual client. He and his team aim to achieve returns and service that exceed the client’s expectations. His mission is to help clients reach their financial targets through a personal relationship that is cemented by knowledgeable investment advice.

Professor Deborah Eyre

rofessor Deborah Eyre is Education Director at Nord Anglia Education, responsible for the company’s education strategy. Professor Eyre is internationally recognised for her work on school reform and gifted education, and currently works across the world Education Director on education policy and system design for high performance. A Nord Anglia Education leading researcher into teaching and learning for high performing students and the former Director of the UK government’s National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY), she is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University and also holds academic positions in a variety of universities in the UK and internationally. A former teacher and academic, she has written many books and articles and worked directly with teachers and parents in many countries. She has served as a Board Member of the UK Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) and the National College for School Leadership (NCSL). A well-known international speaker and widely published author, she is interested in all aspects of education and contributes regularly to educational debates.

FAMILY MATTERS

EDUCATION

Making an educated choice Understanding the British and American curricula Mike Embley Principal The British School of Beijing

ny comparison of the two systems must start with the statement that one is not comparing like with like. Schools in England follow a single National Curriculum. The content is standard across all schools and you can be sure every student both inside and outside the UK is covering the same content. The US doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a single educational system; instead they have a number of accreditation bodies, who ensure certain standards and fundamentals in common. This means US schools are more free to respond to the requirements, or indeed demands, of the local population. This means that special interest groups can have at times a significant effect on teaching requirements and the curriculum in those schools. This might lead to the content of certain subjects, such as Biology, being different from school to schools.

EDUCATION

Teachers in both systems have some degree of personal freedom to develop their own teaching style within the structure of the particular curriculum that they follow. The English National Curriculum specifies in some considerable detail the educational milestones that children should reach on a year-by-year basis as they progress through their school life. Children are regularly assessed in detail by teachers, who use a standardised set of criteria to assign levels to their progress. Nationally, standardised tests are also employed, which give a very strong indication of how well a child is doing compared to national standards. In the US the relatively recent introduction of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ Act (NCLB) has also introduced compulsory standardised testing in the majority of schools. The act was brought in to address America’s relatively poor performance compared to other developed countries in terms of the academic standards of its students. International schools which follow the English National Curriculum use the same standardised testing regime and criteria as schools in England. This allows, for example, a British international school to compare and benchmark itself with the very best schools in the UK and to ensure that its standards are set at that level. Each child is assessed and set targets that are achievable for them. It’s important to note that schools are tasked with not only ensuring the progress of the very able, but also of those whose abilities are not at the top of the range. A student may not excel in national terms in all areas of the curriculum, but it’s important that the schools ensure that each student does as well as they can and is challenged to progress at a rate over and above that which they might

achieve at an ‘average’ school. These targets are sometimes referred to as Golden Targets and are often used as criteria for parents to judge the ‘value added’ by their school. In the US, students are compared using a variety of different standards throughout elementary school and high school. These vary from essentially IQ-based tests to tests which track progress through the curriculum based on tests of recall or understanding. The political landscape of the US is of course more varied than that of the UK, and this has inarguably had an effect on the way in which testing is viewed. International schools following a broadly USbased curriculum will generally choose one of the larger schools accreditation bodies. These are based in different regions of the US and have also broadened their responsibilities to include some overseas US schools. These bodies include

FAMILY MATTERS

Any comparison of the two systems must start with the statement that one is not comparing like with like

”

FAMILY MATTERS

EDUCATION

It is arguably the case that the British system is slightly more advanced in terms of maths and literacy, but in truth the variation between students is higher than that between the two systems.

EDUCATION WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges), NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) and SACS (Southern Association of Schools and Colleges), but there are others. They try to ensure that schools meet the AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) targets specified in the NCLB Act. Schooling in the US generally begins at the age of around 5 or 6 years old. The initial focus in kindergarten is on play-based activities, with a transition to more formal structured learning occurring gradually as the child progresses through school. In many ways this is mirrored in the British system. Where the two systems differ, however, is in early years education. The British Early Years/Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum is centred on developing all aspects of a very young child, both social and academic. It monitors and assesses key developmental milestones, and parental communication is heavily emphasised in the EYFS. Play is of course emphasised in the play-based learning sections of the curriculum, as are areas of continuous provision such as outdoor play, water play, sand play, arts activities and books. Even before children can read it’s important to have books around so that they begin to develop habits which will lead to a lifelong love of learning. Moving into primary school, the key difference might be seen to be one of approach. The core areas of teaching in fact vary little. It is arguably the case that the British system is slightly more advanced in terms of maths and literacy, but in truth the variation between students is higher than that between the two systems. There is also a somewhat wider focus in the British system, contrasted with a more ‘national’ focus in the US. However, again the variation between teachers is wider than that laid down in the curriculum, with some US teachers considering it their duty to promote a wider world view where they are allowed to do so. One key area, though, is that of ‘tradition’. Many British schools still have uniforms and an explicit emphasis on teaching good manners and social skills. Both systems, of course, aim to combat bullying and other obvious social ills, but in general it would be fair to say that many US schools from primary upwards are a little more free or informal than their British counterparts. Of course this is neither good nor bad. Many parents may consider the teaching of good manners rather old-fashioned, or school uniforms a restriction of children’s freedom of expression. The British headmaster would reply that uniforms make for

Mike Embley

a family atmosphere and feeling of community, and reduce fashion pressure on both children and parents. There is no right answer to this issue, of course, and neither system can be said to be superior. In secondary school (high school) the differences become more pronounced. Here by most standards the average British child is one year more advanced in mathematics and language than their US counterpart (based on national average statistics). The differences in approach become even more pronounced, as schools across the US have a very different and more liberal approach than schools in the UK. General standards in any good school in either the US or the UK will not vary hugely. The UK primary and early years system has proven to be highly successful in nurturing young minds, but aspects of the US middle school system are also being developed strongly. Both systems feature a strong emphasis on ICT skills, but the UK system is perhaps a little more outward looking. The key difference will always be one of approach. A modern forward-looking system aiming to maintain some traditional values, or a highly varied state-by-state system looking to satisfy the needs of a very varied community while maintaining a liberal tradition; in the end, it’s up to parents and students to choose the one best suited to them. §

FAMILY MATTERS

The key difference will always be one of approach. A modern forward-looking system aiming to maintain some traditional values, or a highly varied state-by-state system looking to satisfy the needs of a very varied community while maintaining a liberal tradition

ichael Embley graduated first in his class from the University of Leeds. He has led some of the most prestigious and successful international schools across the globe. He has worked in Executive Principal the UK, Taiwan, Venezuela, Norway and mainland China. He has also The British School of Beijing worked with governments, assisting them in curriculum design and Beijing, China implementation. A clear focus on the whole pupil, from academic achievement to sporting and musical success and, vitally, the health and social wellbeing of every student, have been hallmarks of the schools he has led. As Executive Principal of the British School of Beijing he has led the school to achieve outstanding examination results. The school has just completed a highly complimentary and totally independent inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the body that inspects all UK independent schools. As a father of four he is always aware that student really means ‘someone’s child’ and it is perhaps this fact, above all, that informs his approach to school leadership. He has a keen interest in music and is also a world-class swordsman… but rarely finds the need to use this talent with his students!

”

FAMILY MATTERS

EDUCATION

helping others to be the best they can be WWW.BISABUDHABI.COM

EDUCATION

FAMILY MATTERS

ducation and learning have always been our focus and our area of expertise. Our people and the people we work with all have a good understanding of what this means to us. We aim to provide students with the opportunity to be the best they can be. HELPING We do everything to support people and be useful to them, always keeping their best interests at heart. OTHERS Our communities: students, parents, policy makers, the societies in which we live and, of course, our own people. Our work reaches all of them. THRIVE To grow. To flourish. To learn. To be inspired. To stretch yourself further than you, or anyone else, thought possible. To experience more. To keep going, onwards and upwards, closer and closer to your aims and dreams.

CONTACT ADMISSIONS@BISAD.AE TO ARRANGE A VISIT TO OUR SCHOOL OR TO ORDER A SCHOOL PROSPECTUS

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EDUCATION

IB The best of both worlds Andrew Joy IB Coordinator The British International School Shanghai

n a diverse and increasingly multicultural world, every student at an international school has their own unique set of needs and aspirations. However, when it comes to selecting a post-16 course, there are two fundamental requirements which are common to everyone. First, it is essential that the course results in qualifications which allow every student to progress to the next phase in their education or career. The International Baccalaureate Diploma is unique in that it offers a truly international qualification which is not tied to any particular national system, leading to recognition by universities from all over the world. With over 775,000 students in 138 countries, the IB is expanding rapidly and is seen by many institutions as the best pre-university course around. A strong IB Diploma can let students gain admission to one of the best universities in the world.

EDUCATION

FAMILY MATTERS

EDUCATION

ven more important, though, is that students develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes that will lead to a successful life. When students have completed their secondary schooling, they must be ready to face the challenges of independent study at university or college, often living alone for the first time in their lives. Merely getting a student into a good university is not enough. The student needs to have the academic background and the study skills to enable them to thrive in that environment and then go on to build a successful career. In the International Baccalaureate Mission Statement, a stated aim is to offer programmes which â&#x20AC;&#x153;encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.â&#x20AC;? This is excellent preparation for students in an increasingly challenging, cosmopolitan and rapidly changing world. Every IB Diploma student studies six different subjects, which must include courses in literature, a second language, a social science, a natural science and Mathematics. They are also strongly encouraged to study one of the arts. This breadth of study helps to develop the sort of well-rounded education which is demanded by our increasingly cosmopolitan globalised society. All IB subjects incorporate a coursework element, ensuring that a significant part of the

assessment is based on applying the knowledge learned in class. The Science courses, for example, are designed to provide a balance between understanding theory and practical experimentation. In Arts subjects such as Film and Visual Art, the entire syllabus is coursework-based, meaning that learners are actually creating art as well as studying it. However, what particularly distinguishes the IB Diploma from other post-16 courses are three unique elements, all of which are geared towards developing the skills which will bring success in higher education. These are the Extended Essay, the Theory of Knowledge course and the Creativity, Action, Service programme. Students will find that in university there is an increasing focus on producing work which is well-researched and written to a high academic standard. Working on the 4,000-word Extended Essay allows them to develop some of those skills under the expert supervision of experienced teaching staff. Selecting one of their six subjects, they form a thesis question in a topic of their choice before embarking on extensive research. The net result of a process which can take a whole year and several drafts and redrafts is a piece of work which is of greater quality and depth than anything they have ever done before. The Theory of Knowledge course helps to develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Combining a philosophical approach with a more practical look at how knowledge is

when students have completed their secondary schooling, they must be ready to face the challenges of independent study at university or college, often living alone for the first time in their lives

EDUCATION

FAMILY MATTERS

The net result of a process which can take a whole year and several drafts and redrafts is a piece of work which is of greater quality and depth than anything they have ever done before

Mubadala is helping to shape the future Mubadala is committed to fostering an environment that inspires and prepares today’s young UAE nationals to participate in Abu Dhabi’s future. We are helping to drive the growth of Abu Dhabi’s social and economic development by creating opportunities for the local community to pursue their personal and professional ambitions. We are committed to supporting the creation of an environment in which the youth can practice a healthy lifestyle, pursue a world-class education, and embrace arts, culture and heritage. Through our long-term partnerships with the UAE Football Association, the Mubadala World Tennis Championship and

Formula 1 in Schools, we are proud to provide expert coaching and free sports equipment to schools as well as support educational programs and provide materials which enhance learning opportunities. In parallel, our partnership with the Abu Dhabi Festival and support of the Back to School with Mubadala program aim to help the local community develop their appreciation of arts and culture. We will continue to be actively involved in community initiatives that inspire and empower today’s youth to make informed decisions relating to their future and that of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Be part of our journey…

mubadala.ae aerospace

capital

energy

industry

information & communications technology

healthcare

infrastructure

real estate & hospitality

services ventures

EDUCATION

FAMILY MATTERS

The emphasis on independent inquiry and the demanding workload provide ideal preparation for higher education and promote attitudes that will stand students in good stead throughout their lives obtained in contrasting academic disciplines, it encourages rigorous thinking processes as well as an understanding of different perspectives. Part of the assessment is by oral presentation, which develops important public speaking skills.

varied activities as sport, drama, art, creative skills and community service. IB students take ownership of this process by setting targets for their self-development and by reflecting on their own progress throughout.

The third of these special elements of the IB is the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) programme, which aims to help students realise their potential to become leaders and organisers, as well as to establish their position as a contributing member of a caring community. It is a practical course which takes place outside the classroom and involves such

CAS projects seem to invariably produce some memorable moments, and the Creativity component allows for many unforgettable performances in music and drama, remarkable solo performances or essential contributions backstage on props and lighting. The Action part of the CAS programme opens up opportunities to learn survival skills or to develop sporting

Andrew Joy

”

prowess. In the area of Service, links may be established with charities or other service organisations, both locally and internationally. Students may be involved in the practical work of those organisations and also raise money for charitable causes. All in all, the International Baccalaureate Diploma provides a coherent, yet varied, educational experience. The emphasis on independent inquiry and the demanding workload provide ideal preparation for higher education and promote attitudes that will stand students in good stead throughout their lives. §

ndrew Joy studied Philosophy and Politics at Keele University before training as a Mathematics teacher at Nottingham University. His first teaching position was at Telefomin High School IB Coordinator in Papua New Guinea as a VSO volunteer – a posting in which he The British International School took his first school leadership role as Subject Leader and involved Shanghai, China him working in an extremely isolated location connected to the outside world only by a small village airstrip. Following a year teaching Mathematics in London, he then moved to the British School of Lomé in Togo, West Africa, where he enjoyed working for the next ten years. It was here that he began his twelve-year involvement with the International Baccalaureate programme, starting as a teacher of Maths and TOK before taking on the role of IB Coordinator. In 2007, he moved to The British International School Shanghai as head of the Mathematics faculty, and in August 2009 he took up his present position as IB Coordinator and Assistant Deputy Head. His interests include football, chess, opera and travel.

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EDUCATION

FACTS MACHINE GIVE YOUR NEW SCHOOL ALL THE INFORMATION THEY CAN HANDLE by Mark Angus Principal The British International School Shanghai

veryone wants the business of starting in a new school to be as smooth, quick and painless as possible, especially if it’s also in a new country. Pupils want to meet their new classmates and teachers and make friends as soon as they can, while parents want to feel reassured that they have made the right decision and that their child will be happy and flourish in their new environment, so they can stop worrying! Schools also want joining a new learning environment to be a positive experience for all concerned. They want to get to know you and your child, to welcome you into the community and to be able to get on with the business of helping pupils to learn as soon as they can. So while different schools in different countries with different systems might all have their own registration, enrolment and induction procedures, each with their own particular idiosyncrasies, there is nevertheless one constant, one thing that any school wants about their new starters, wherever in the world that school is – everyone wants information. Therefore, you can really help your new school simply by giving them as much information about your child as you possibly can. You might think that schools are only interested in dry, academic documentation. Of course this is important, but schools are about so much more than this and, as a consequence, they value and appreciate information from as wide a variety of sources as possible. It might seem irrelevant, unimportant or even silly, but you’d be surprised at what schools can make out of seemingly unpromising material.

School Life

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EDUCATION

School reports vary markedly around the world, depending on factors such as whether the school is in the independent or maintained sector, the style of curriculum and assessment, the frequency of the reports and a host of other things besides

EDUCATION

What do schools want to know? Academic School reports vary markedly around the world, depending on factors such as whether the school is in the independent or maintained sector, the style of curriculum and assessment, the frequency of the reports and a host of other things besides. It may be that the school reports you have are familiar to us, or they may represent a new variation on a theme that we have not encountered before. Don’t worry – whatever the format, a school report will always provide us with useful information and therefore you should provide your new school with all the reports you have, not only the most recent ones. A range of reports over a number of years allows a school to see the ways in which a pupil has developed and gives them some idea as to what might be to come. Your previous schools may also have provided you with other documentation, and it’s useful for us to see that too. These documents might include: standardised test scores; CAT (Cognitive Ability Test) scores; educational psychologist reports; speech or occupational therapy reports; reading age scores. These and similar documents will always be useful, as they help us to make sure we are setting the right targets for new pupils and challenging them appropriately right from the beginning.

However, other seemingly less significant material is also of use to us. Small academic prizes might not in themselves demonstrate the direction of a pupil’s future career, but they nevertheless help a new school build up a more complete picture of that pupil as quickly as possible. Therefore, don’t underestimate the value of that Year 3 award for spelling, or that teacher’s commendation for a project, or that prize for memorising times tables – they all help us to understand your child’s overall approach to school, the pride they take in their work and their ability to do well under pressure or under test conditions. Knowing this information can sometimes save us a lot of time in getting to know just where your child’s particular strengths are. Community involvement All schools, and international schools in particular, place a good deal of emphasis on helping pupils to understand the importance of engaging with the community, learning about social responsibility and tackling difficult questions about how the wider world works. Therefore, it is extremely helpful to know the level to which pupils have previously been engaged in addressing these and other related issues. For older students, we value very highly pupils who have taken part in the International Award

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(called the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the UK), as it means that they are already on the way to having an understanding of the importance of civic responsibility. Likewise, pupils who have previously been involved in Model United Nations will possess a degree of political and social understanding that sets them apart from their peers. Therefore, this is information that your new school will definitely want to know about and will be useful in establishing the right sort of expectations form the outset. In the case of younger pupils, involvement in organisations such as Boy Scouts or Cubs, Girl Guides or Brownies, army, navy or air force cadets, European Youth Forum, Rotary International, Junior Chamber International, Raleigh International or any similar organisation is also valued highly. If your child has been involved in a group or organisation of this nature, your new school will undoubtedly want to hear about it. It is also useful if your child can speak enthusiastically about their involvement and what they think they learned from the experience. However, it isn’t always necessary to have a certificate or badge to demonstrate the level of engagement. If your child has been involved in any sort of charity or community project, whether at their previous school or through an outside agency, encourage them to talk about it and describe the sort of work they did and what

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A range of reports over a number of years allows a school to see the ways in which a pupil has developed and gives them some idea as to what might be to come

they felt the benefits were – this is the sort of conversation that principals love to have with prospective pupils and families, and that will really help your new school welcome you into its community. Sports

A lot of the school sport in Abu Dhabi international schools is of an extremely high standard and very competitive, and this means principals are always keen to hear about new pupils’ sporting skills and exploits. Therefore, this is an area where it’s useful to provide as much documentation and physical evidence as you can. If your child has earned medals, certificates, ribbons or badges for any sort of sporting event then it’s always a good idea to bring them along to an interview or meeting. Have they set a school or district record? Been involved in a championship winning team? Won a gold medal? Been selected to represent their county, state or country? Achievements like these are things to be proud of and shared, and you should encourage your child to talk confidently about their favourite sport and discuss their achievements as maturely as possible. However, people don’t have to be an expert or a champion, or even especially skilled, to enjoy sport; it doesn’t matter at which level your child has competed or if they have ever been a gold medallist; the very fact that they enjoy and take part in a sport will be important to their new school, and so they should feel comfortable discussing what it is that they like about their sport, and why.

Mark Angus

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Extracurricular activities There are as many extracurricular activities to potentially talk about as there are pupils in the world, so no matter what your child’s into, tell us about it! There are formal activities from which you may have supporting, documentary material (it’s helpful to collate this and be prepared to present it during an interview or meeting), or there are smaller-scale activities organised on a much more casual basis. In either case, it’s really helpful if your child feels secure and confident enough to be able to talk about them with us. They may be a musician who has completed grade examinations (the universal standard for describing competence and confidence on an instrument); they can show us the pieces of music they’re working on now to give us a good understanding of their level so we can match them up with the right teachers and fellow musicians. They may have been in an orchestra or ensemble at their old school, in which case it is really useful if they can talk about the pieces they played and their composers, as well as describe their role in the group. Or perhaps they were in a band – again, it helps if they’re able to talk about the type of music they play, and discuss their influences and the other sorts of music that they like. There are so many other fascinating things out there that people are interested in, and likewise so many fascinating things that we are interested in hearing your child talk about. Maybe they can speak other languages. Are into mountain climbing. Have an unusual pet. Have travelled to exotic locations. Have met someone famous. Collect antique coins. Like going to the

theatre. Spent some time in hospital. Are part of a large family. Anything! Whatever it is, we think hearing them talk about it will help us to understand the sort of person and pupil they’re going to be. Therefore, perhaps the most important thing when your child meets people at their new school is that they know how to talk about what interests them. Can they explain when they first became interested in mountain climbing? What is the most valuable coin in their collection? Why do they like to travel? What is the play they have most enjoyed? Their aim should be to share with us their knowledge, understanding and passion for their hobbies and interests, so that we get a good idea of what makes them tick.

Next steps In the end, you really can’t be too prepared when your child is applying to a new school: • Get as many documents together as you can, even if they seem unimportant or trivial. • Get your child ready to show off their sporting medals and ribbons. • Think about the way in which your child presents him- or herself, and make sure that they’re confident talking about and answering questions about their hobbies or interests. Doing all of this will help the school to get to know your child as quickly as they can, and then everyone – him or her included – can get straight down to the serious business of really enjoying the new school. §

ark Angus read English and Drama at Flinders University, Adelaide, where he specialised in Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre. He also has an MA in Early Modern Studies from King’s College, University of London, where his main focus of study was Principal the repertories of 16th- and 17th-century playing companies. Further The British International School study includes a Post-Graduate Diploma in Acting from Mountview Theatre School, London, which was followed by six years as a professional actor in theatres throughout the UK. He gained his PGCE in Secondary English from the Open University and was previously the Academic Deputy Head at Westminster Cathedral Choir School in central London. He was at BISS from 2007 to 2011, becoming Principal of the Nanxiang Campus in 2009. Mark Angus has written for the theatre and radio and published articles in a variety of journals on a diverse range of subjects, from Victorian crime to the theatre of Sophocles. His interests include literature, theatre, wine, sport and travel.

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EDUCATION

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nord anglia education Helping children be the best that they can be By Deborah Eyre Education Director Nord Anglia Education

hen we look back on our own schooling, we all have some kind of reaction to it. For some of us they really were the best years of our life, while for others they lie more in the category of ‘best forgotten’. Either way, it was without doubt a very formative period and made a contribution to shaping us into who we are. I think it’s because we’ve all experienced schooling ourselves that as parents we’re so keen to make sure that our own children have the very best education we can provide. Of course, what we think of as ‘best’ may vary from family to family, but the research evidence on this topic suggests that certain factors are important for almost all parents. In short, most families want their child to be happy in school; they want them to make good academic progress; they want the school to show concern for their child as an individual; they want the school to inspire their child and prepare them well for their future life. Or to put it another way, they want schools to help their child be the best they can be.

The British International School Abu Dhabi

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EDUCATION

The English International School Prague

EDUCATION

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The lesson of the last century must be that, for individuals, education matters more than ever before in history

“The lesson of the last century must be that, for individuals, [education] matters more than ever before in history. And not just any education: the right qualifications, in the right subjects, from the right institutions, are of ever-growing importance.”

... who will win places in world-class universities and make a leading contribution

future leaders

advanced learners

So as parents we want to see our children do well and succeed, but not lose the right to a childhood and all the pleasure and innocence that brings. We want them to have a good education but also thrive as individuals, whatever their talents and interests. Of course, there is a significant difference between education now and education as it was when I went to school, or even when my adult children went to school. In practical terms IT plays a much bigger role and access to information is easier and more plentiful. This means that the ability to

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review and evaluate information is just as important as being able to learn new knowledge. So how we learn in school has developed and changed as much as what we teach. Having said that, not everything is different; much knowledge is enduring, and while Science and Geography may have changed significantly and ICT is one of the newer subjects, in English, Maths, Music and PE content remains more recognisable. So the kind of schooling we seek to provide in Nord Anglia schools is both premium and contemporary. It is in line with modern educational thinking and requirements, yet at the same time values the traditional ideals of good education through the ages. Placing the individual child at the centre We focus on placing the child at the very centre of our thinking and constructing schooling that works for them as an individual. We try to guide each child to achieve success in terms of confidence, educational achievement and creative thinking. In the modern world, a typical profile for a successful learner includes not only knowledge to be understood and skills to be learned, but also the learner behaviours that we seek to engender. So when we try to capture what we’re working towards, we encapsulate our thinking in ways such as those below:

... who are responsible and confident, improving things around them

entrepreneurs

oing well in educational terms can bring considerable benefits. It has been associated with benefits in later life in terms of contentment, earnings and health. For example, it has been found that over a working life, the average university graduate earns around 23 percent more than someone who stops after school. At the same time, education has become more competitive, with the annual battle to obtain places in leading international universities becoming increasingly demanding as more and more young people obtain the required examination results. As Professor Alison Woolf of King’s College London so eloquently puts it:

... who are creative, innovative and well placed to enjoy future success

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The Nord Anglia Global Classroom One advantage for students of being in a Nord Anglia school is that they have access to our Global Classroom as well as the usual classrooms in their school. Our presence around the world gives us a unique opportunity to extend teaching and learning beyond the school day and outside the countries where our students study. In the Global Classroom, through a series of creative and innovative activities, students from across the Nord Anglia Education family of schools can collaborate with their peers and work alongside industry experts and educational specialists. The focus is an online learning community which extends and enriches the educational experience through discussion and debate, supplemented with a series of face to face initiatives such as Model United Nations. Typical activities might be the creation of a school mural in conjunction with the art company Edge of Arabia, or participation in an online book group where students can chat to their peers across the world and debate literary themes with a leading academic.

Good education requires good teachers Education research suggests that the single most important factor in creating good schools is having good teachers. We are fortunate in having excellent teachers in our schools, and we work hard to make their life as professionally rewarding as we can. Nord Anglia University offers a range of opportunities for learning and professional development to all Nord Anglia Education people in schools. The university works through a set of faculties, covering areas such as Leadership and Management, Curriculum and Assessment and Education Studies. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a Global Staffroom, linking our network of education professionals to share resources, discuss best practice and keep up to date with topical education issues. We are also blessed with some truly outstanding school principals who provide professional leadership and vision for their schools, and offer support across the family of schools.

The British International School Bratislava

Our family of schools Nord Anglia Education is fortunate in having an ever-growing family of schools in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Over 55 languages are spoken in our schools, and each school welcomes children of any nationality. We actively applaud the opportunities that an international context can bring. As with any real-life family, the individuals within our family of schools differ from each other. In our case we have differences in location, size, curriculum and of course students. In Switzerland our schools use French as the language of instruction, while our largest school, in Beijing, uses the UK A-level syllabus. We celebrate these differences and look to learn from each other and continuously improve what we offer. But then again, we are a family and each school can look to the others for support and encouragement. Schools are never completely alone, and are always being challenged as well as supported by others in the family. Being a larger family can have advantages for students and can also be helpful in attracting high-quality teaching staff.

The British International School Abu Dhabi

Education research suggests that the single most important factor in creating good schools is having good teachers

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The British International School Shanghai

EDUCATION

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The British School Warsaw

A warm welcome for parents Finally, we recognise the importance of parents in a child’s education and welcome them in our schools. Did you know that the UK Department for Education found that, especially in the early years, parental involvement has a significant impact on children’s cognitive development and literacy and number skills? In a recent study in England (see main findings below), 72 percent of parents said that they wanted more involvement. Parents are certainly welcome to be involved in our schools, and we value their opinions. • Parental involvement in a child’s schooling for a child between the ages of 7 and 16 is a more powerful force than family background, size of family and level of parental education. • Parental involvement has a significant effect on pupil achievement throughout the years of schooling. • Educational failure is increased by lack of parental interest in schooling. • In particular, a father’s interest in a child’s schooling is strongly linked to educational outcomes for the child. • Most parents believe that the responsibility for their child’s education is shared between parents and the school. • Many parents want to be involved in their children’s education.

Professor Deborah Eyre

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GETTING IT RIGHT Crown Relocation offers tips for expat families by Crown Relocation

Jetting off to the right start Relocating overseas is an exciting experience, yet the flurries of preparation beforehand can overshadow one crucial consideration – how to give your relocation the best chance of succeeding. While there’s no way of guaranteeing success, there are steps you can take to give yourself the best possible start. Paul Retchless, Manager of Sales & Marketing at Crown Relocations, has put together some practical tips to help you along your way. Before you go… Research Time is a luxury that many people don’t have in abundance when it comes to relocating, but the more time you can put aside to do some research, the better. While the thought might be off-putting, it will pay dividends later on and help you to avoid mistakes.

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onsider what you would set up if you moved house in your own country, such as a phone line, the Internet and local services, and find out what information you’ll be required to provide in order to do this in your new location. If you’re using relocation specialists, your representative will be able to advise you accordingly and direct you to informative websites such as www.crownrelo.com; otherwise you should be able to find out more details and legal requirements from government and service provider websites. Find local places of interest Locating in advance places that you’ll need to go, such as a supermarket, can be a great time and stress saver. It’s worth marking them on a map so that you can find your way around when you’re out and about. Crucially, this also means you won’t need to rely on the Internet when you arrive. After all, it could take some time to organise phone lines and Internet access for your new home. This is also a useful way to help you establish elements of your current lifestyle that you wish to continue, such as going to a gym, cinema or restaurants. Continuing the activities that you’re used to will help you avoid feeling homesick. If you do find yourself feeling down or disappointed about the relocation, try to be realistic about the issues you’re facing, and don’t

simply stay at home. Find places you enjoy and establish routines that work for you. Learn about your new country It’s perfectly natural to experience culture shock when you arrive, so it can be very beneficial to prepare yourself for those differences. You may think that some countries have similar cultures to the UK, but that doesn’t mean you won’t feel the effects of culture shock. No matter how alike the countries are, it can often help to take part in an intercultural training course to get a true understanding of the new culture. The more you know about your new surroundings, the better placed you’ll be to connect with the locals and understand the way the country is governed. If you can, visiting your new location before you move will also help you know what to expect. Explore every opportunity for employment Whether you’re relocating on your own or with your family, arranging a job from afar can be tricky, but don’t give up hope. The benefits of a stable job are clear. If you’re employed in your new location, you’ll become accustomed to the local area much more quickly. Working will help you establish a routine and build up your personal contacts. Try to stay focused on what you want to do, and get in touch with as many companies as possible so

It’s perfectly natural to experience culture shock when you arrive, so it can be very beneficial to prepare yourself for those differences

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Keeping in touch with loved ones can help reduce homesickness, which is crucial when you first relocate. Nowadays, there’s a wide variety of low-cost, quick and userfriendly ways to maintain contact

that you have something lined up when you arrive.

Once you’ve arrived…

Finding the perfect pad

Once you’re over the jet lag, you’ll undoubtedly be excited and full of enthusiasm about your new destination. You really should harness this energy as much as possible – now is the time to get your map out and explore the local area. This will immediately give you a sense of where you are, which will help to build your feelings of comfort and familiarity.

You’ll feel more settled if you have somewhere to call your own, but that doesn’t mean you need to buy a house! Simply find somewhere you can use as a permanent base, rather than rely on a hotel. If you’re relocating on your own and don’t like the thought of renting a property by yourself, look online for potential house shares. Remember to take into account the local area when choosing your new home. Make sure you pick somewhere with easy access to your job, suitable schools and local amenities that allow you to familiarise yourself with the area more quickly and get used to your surroundings. Secure school places Routines can be very important for children, so starting school shortly after you arrive can help both you and your children to establish a routine and settle in. By arranging a school for your child before the relocation, you’ll avoid a lastminute panic to find somewhere suitable when you arrive. If you have time to visit schools in the area, you’ll have a chance to explore the facilities, meet the teachers and get a feel for what kind of school you want your child to attend.

Explore

Don’t let distance keep you apart Keeping in touch with loved ones can help reduce homesickness, which is crucial when you first relocate. Nowadays, there’s a wide variety of low-cost, quick and userfriendly ways to maintain contact. The Internet is a great way of keeping the cost of staying in touch down. Software such as Skype allows you to phone people online for free for as long as you like, and if you both have webcams you’ll be able to see each other while you chat. Social networking websites such as Facebook allow you to share photos, have live chats and catch up on what’s happening back home. Make sure you keep your profile up-to-date so your loved ones back home can see what you’re up to and, in turn, keep you posted on the latest from them. Join expat groups Investigate local expat groups and make

an effort to join as many as possible. The members of these groups can be a vital source of encouragement, practical assistance and information to help you settle in. Expat groups are also a great way to build your support network and make friends, which can be particularly important if you’re in a country with a different first language to your own. Expats will be able to help you practise the language, as well as learn about the local culture. What’s more, you can use their experiences with local services, from dentists to tap classes, to find out the best places to use. Remember – they’ve been through the same process as you and will therefore know and understand what you’re going through, as well as the needs you might have. Don’t be shy about asking for help. Make it work for you Simply put, there’s nothing quite like research to set your relocation in the right direction. Seek as much assistance as you can to help to ease the burden, and get your friends and family involved in the process – they’ll be more than happy to help you get the best start you can. §

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MOVING AS AN

INDIVIDUAL

Crown Relocation offers some advice for those relocating on their own By Crown Relocation

here are few things that compare to the excitement of moving abroad. Nevertheless, it can be a daunting and stressful process, and while those moving abroad alone don’t have the responsibilities of a spouse or family, they can be faced with other challenges. So if you’re moving overseas by yourself, there are certain steps that can be taken to ensure a smooth transition. It goes without saying that you should thoroughly research your location before you consider moving. Try to visit your destination at different times of year in order to gain a more realistic picture of what living there would be like; for example, summer resorts can be deserted during winter months. When there, try to build up a picture of what your day-to-day life would be like by doing routine things like visiting the local supermarkets and shops, as this will help build a more accurate image of how your life overseas may be. Making friends is often the prime concern of people moving alone, and there are various steps which can reduce the stress of finding new friendships. Expat Internet forums can provide a great wealth of information. By chatting to likeminded people, many of whom will have been in a similar situation, you can often get useful advice and even develop friendships before you arrive at your destination. It’s also a good idea to research recreational activities in the local area. If you’re a keen sportsperson (or perhaps just fancy your hand at trying something new), joining a local sports club or gym can be a great way of making new friends. If sport doesn’t appeal to you, there are plenty of other ways to meet people, whether through volunteering for a local charity, attending events in your area or hosting coffee mornings or weekly book clubs. By continuing your existing hobbies in your new location you’re likely to expand your social network, and this can also be a great way to establish a sense of routine and familiarity in your new lifestyle. One commonly overlooked factor in finding friendships can be your choice of

neighbourhood. There are obviously a huge number of factors that will influence your choice of new home, such as where you end up working and what your budget is. However, certain neighbourhoods may be better situated for singles; for example, there may be limited opportunities to meet like-minded people if you live in a family neighbourhood. That said, given the importance of finding the right property for yourself, this should only be taken as one of many factors when deciding where to live.

try to build up some basic knowledge before you move, as this should make it far easier to engage with people upon arrival in your new country. Even if you can only say some basic greetings in the language, your efforts are bound to be appreciated. Once you’ve arrived, try to use your language skills in your new location, and if necessary improve on these skills by enrolling in a local course. Again, this can be a great way to meet others who may also be new to the area and looking for a friend.

If you’re moving to a country where English isn’t the first language, it’s advisable to enrol in a language course beforehand. Where possible,

Meeting people in a new place can be hard at first, but the best bit of advice is to be bold and take the initiative to strike up conversations. §

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UAE ASK THE EXPERTS

OASES OF FAMILY FUN IN THE

Family Matters takes you on a search around the UAE for some world-class family fun

At a loss for ways to keep your family entertained this weekend? Take a day trip to one of these exciting destinations in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Whether you fancy skiing in a mall, checking out lions and tigers in a zoo, riding in an open-top bus or trying out a mini Ferrari, there’s heaps of family-friendly stuff to do in the UAE. Go skiing When you first decided to move to the UAE, you might not have envisioned taking the family on outings to the local ski slope as one of your regular activities. However, a trip to Ski Dubai, the indoor ski slope inside Dubai’s Mall Of the Emirates, is unmissable, not just because it’s so much fun, but also because it will probably be one of your most-talked about experiences once you return home. “Yes, we all went skiing, in a mall, near the desert...” One of Dubai’s wackiest and most out-there destinations, Ski Dubai has five runs for skiers and snowboarders (real snow of course), as well as a children’s snow park and a steep tobogganing slope. Since the temperature stays below zero on the slopes, everyone gets kitted out with a ski suit, hats and gloves to keep them toasty warm. If you’re still finding it chilly, however, or are just getting a little worn out with all the exercise, you can stop at the Avalanche Cafe, located mid-station on the slopes, for a warming hot chocolate and snacks. Whether your family are complete beginners or experienced skiers, professional tuition is available for both adults and kids. Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates (04 409 400)

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One of Dubai’s wackiest and most out-there destinations, Ski Dubai has five runs for skiers and snowboarders (real snow of course), as well as a children’s snow park and a steep tobogganing slope

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Splash about in a waterpark For an even more adrenaline-pumped day out, take the brood to Aquaventure waterpark at Atlantis on The Palm. At this thrilling collection of extreme waterslides and river rides, your kids will have a whale of a time, whether they prefer to sit afloat the (relatively gentle) river rapids on an inflatable doughnut or take their turn on some of the scarier rides. The Mayan Temple is home to the Shark Attack ride, which whizzes you through dark twisting tunnels before emerging into a shark viewing tunnel, with only an acrylic panel between you and the fearsome fish. The infamous Leap of Faith ride is only for the braver members of the family – a terrifying 27.5 metre near-vertical drop will get everyone’s heart racing, even if you’re just watching your nearest and dearest take the plunge. For younger kids, there’s a splash play area and a water playground complete with climbing frames, rope bridges and giant buckets of water that could tip over you at any moment. And when everyone’s had their fill of watery fun, there’s a relaxing beach with great views of the city you can rest on afterwards. A great day out. Aquaventure, Atlantis, The Palm Jumeirah (04 426 0000)

The infamous Leap of Faith ride is only for the braver members of the family – a terrifying 27.5 metre near-vertical drop will get everyone’s heart racing

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Visit old Dubai If you want your kids to learn about the older, historical side of Dubai, a trip to the creek in Bur Dubai can make the past really come alive for them. Begin at the Dubai Museum, which has a series of life-sized models of scenes from Dubai’s pre-oil days, including Bedouin home life, pearl traders and craftsmen at work. A short walk from here is the shaded Old Souk, which offers the perfect opportunity to browse old-fashioned trinket and textile stores. Finally, the busy creek itself is a wonderful sight, filled with old dhows which are still used for trading and carrying cargo. You can get a better look if you hop on one of the water taxis (abra). They take about ten minutes to cross the creek from Bur Dubai to Deira and cost just 1 dirham. It’s the perfect way to experience Dubai’s age-old traditions, and makes for a fun as well as educational day out.

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Hop on a sightseeing bus A tour of the capital might not sound thrilling at first to many kids, but getting to ride on top of an open-top bus while they do it makes all the difference. The Big Bus Company (they run similar tours in major cities all over the world) takes you on a tour of the capital that includes all Abu Dhabi’s most interesting sights. The hop-on and hop-off ride will take you to all the capital’s famous landmarks. You’ll be able to see everything, from the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to colourful rugs at the traditional Iranian Market. Stop off at Emirates Palace if you want to see a real gold vending machine, where you can buy pure gold coins at the push of a button (although that will leave Mum or Dad’s wallet considerably lighter). The ticket also includes entry to the Marina Mall Sky Tower, a glass viewing platform with fantastic views over the Corniche and Arabian Gulf. Tickets can be bought from Abu Dhabi Mall or Marina Mall. Buses depart from Marina Mall every 30 mins. Dhs503 for family day tour. (www.bigbustours.com)

Living in abu dhabi doesn’t give kids much chance to get a sense of their desert surroundings, but if you bring them to Al Ain Zoo (about an hour’s drive from downtown Abu Dhabi) they’ll get the chance to learn about the region’s wildlife first-hand

Spend a day at the zoo Living in the city doesn’t give kids much chance to get a sense of their desert surroundings, but if you bring them to Al Ain Zoo (about an hour’s drive from downtown Abu Dhabi) they’ll get the chance to learn about the region’s wildlife firsthand. There are all sorts of creatures housed here – some cute, some furry, some slithery and some really quite terrifying. You can see lions, pumas, leopards and jaguars in the big cat house, while elsewhere the extremely rare white lion can be seen prowling around. Local species such as Arabian antelopes and oryx are particularly interesting for anyone who wants to see animals in their natural habitat. And of course giraffes, snakes, monkeys, crocodiles and other zoo faves are also to be found. Contact the zoo directly for information about their bird shows, special night-time openings and kids classes. Al Ain Zoo (www.awpr.ae)

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Visit Ferrari World Whether your kids are wannabe boy racers, natural thrill-seekers or just love a good theme park, a day at Ferrari World is bound to put everyone in high spirits. The huge Ferrari theme park on Yas Island boasts the faster rollercoaster in the world, Formula Rossa, which accelerates up to an incredible 240 km/h. So make sure your goggles are on good and tight! G Force is also one for the very brave – this ride launches you 62 metres into the sky and then, just as fast, drops you right back down. As well as all the rides, there’s the chance to go on a factory tour and find out how racing cars are put together, see how a pit crew works and learn about the history of Ferrari. Kids can even get behind the wheel of a scaled-down 430 GT Spider and take it for a spin down a model streetscape. Plenty of onsite restaurants are available whenever you need to take a breather and refuel. Once you’re on Yas Island, there’s also the chance to go and check out the F1 track itself at Yas Marina Circuit, which any petrolheads in the family will find particularly exciting. Ferrari World (www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com)

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TEACHING CHILDREN MONEY Family Matters looks at how starting early can prevent future problems

irst of all, don’t put off teaching your kids about money, its value and how to manage it. It’s never too early. Children have vast amounts of purchasing power (billions) either directly or indirectly. Yet, even with all this influence and direct purchasing power, children are rarely taught about money, and more importantly managing money. Of course, the generation gap, combined with the technological age kids now live in, plays a part. But think for a moment how easily money is transferred today, with just the swipe of a card. And in fact, many people (parents) today hardly ever come in contact with actual paper money anymore. It’s so easy to load up your shopping basket with just the swipe of a card, and therein lies the trouble for kids learning to manage their money today. It’s just too easy, and there’s no immediate pain of actually taking that hard-earned money out of their little purse or wallet and parting company with it at the time of purchase.

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SO MUCH TODAY IS INSTANT GRATIFICATION, AND NO PHILOSOPHY WILL BE TOUGHER TO OVERCOME IN TERMS OF MONEY MANAGEMENT

When you first begin to acquaint your children with money, be prepared for mistakes and some growing pains. It’s far better to allow your children to learn from mistakes involving small amounts now, rather than have them learn later in life, when the same mistakes can prove financially disastrous. In fact, many financial experts agree that a big mistake is for parents not to allow their children to have control over their money early on.

purchase. But as early as about first grade you should begin to take on this challenge with your child. So much today is instant gratification, and no philosophy will be tougher for you to overcome with your children in terms of money management. Delayed gratification, saving for something they want, is a very difficult concept for kids to master, but one of the most important when it comes to managing their money.

As with teaching children about anything, there are general guidelines about the level of complexity that should be introduced at any particular age; teaching your kids about money management is certainly no exception. So let’s take a look at some general teaching guidelines pertaining to money management and age level.

Be sure to continue on working with your children and the delayed gratification concept. In other words, teach them the principle of working and saving for something they want. You’ll find (and they will too) that as they learn this lesson, whatever it is they worked, waited and saved for will have much greater value to them.

Even early on, with toddlers and preschoolers, you can give your child an allowance. Now keep in mind that they will probably play with it, misplace it and maybe even lose it, but that’s perfectly fine. At this age, you’re merely introducing the concept that their little bit of money has value and should be kept safe so that it’s around when they want to use it. With the ease and power given to today’s consumer, it’s difficult to get adults to understand and have the discipline to save for something they want or need to

The next thing you’ll want to discuss with your kids is the difference between needs and wants. This is ever so important today in our media, marketing and consumption society, where our kids are hammered daily with advertising. You won’t have to look far for examples of needs versus wants; just turn on the television and wait for an ad break. Talk with your kids and discuss what an advertisement is, and why it’s targeting them. Learning to differentiate between

needs and wants is a very big money management accomplishment for kids. It’s also at this point (early to middle grades) that your kids can begin to establish some sort of savings plan for something they’d like. The whole process of budgeting and saving for something at this age will give your kids a great sense of accomplishment and pride, and is a first start towards financial confidence. Also, at this age, with your kids understanding saving and budgeting, it’s a good time to introduce them to paying for some of the extras that they’d like to have for school, sports and so on, and to beginning to donate to charity. From here, continue increasing your kids’ understanding of budgeting and managing their money, and increase their financial responsibility. Keep increasing their social responsibility, too, by giving to charities of your and their choice. As your kids progress to their teen years and become more mature, the time will come to consider getting them some form of credit card. By this time in their life they’ll be considering college or a career path that will quite possibly require some sort of financial loan; and at the very least they’ll be needing even more financial freedom. §

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Ten classic books for teenage boys

2 1 4 3

By Mark Angus

Rogue Male (1939) Geoffrey Household

Our Man in Havana (1958) Graham Greene

The archetypal Greene work, the novel is set in Cuba prior to Castro coming to power. James Wormold, a vacuum cleaner salesman, is enlisted by the British secret service and agrees to ‘spy’ for them in order to cover his teenage daughter’s very expensive tastes. However, Wormold’s spying is at first entirely imaginary, but his life begins to unravel when his fantasy world and the real world begin to coincide.

A British sportsman attempts to assassinate Hitler in his rural retreat. However, he is captured and tortured although he finally manages to escape. He then finds himself on the run from a mysterious figure and the two engage in a riveting and deadly game of hide and seek (the scenes in the London Underground are a particular highlight). Part military survival manual, part thriller, part old-fashioned heroic tale, the pace is gripping, the descriptions of the protagonists’ plans and tactics for survival are compelling and right triumphs at the end. A boy can ask for no more.

A classic work for boys in terms of its subject matter, but more importantly Greene’s direct yet poetic prose style has turned many a sceptic into an enthusiastic reader.

Right Ho, Jeeves (1934) PG Wodehouse

The 39 Steps (1915) John Buchan

Prior to the outbreak of World War I, Richard Hannay has returned to London from Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) when a mysterious man calls upon him and desperately seeks his help to stop a group of German spies known as the Black Stone. However, when the man is murdered in Hannay’s flat he is the prime suspect, and when he decides to try and solve the mystery he is forced to go on the run.

A complicated and twisting plot, treachery, betrayal and some good old-fashioned murder and mayhem make this the father of all ‘man on the run’ novels and films. This, combined with the glimpse back in time to a world that no longer exists, makes it a vital and necessary part of every young man’s education.

Bertie Wooster finds himself in one of his usual scrapes: trying to reunite his friend Tuppy Glossop with his estranged fiancée Angela, avoiding getting married to the soppy Madeline Bassett and trying to stay on his Aunt Dahlia’s good side so that she doesn’t ban him from eating any more of her peerless chef Anatole’s (“God’s gift to the gastric juices”) sumptuous dinners. Thankfully, at Bertie’s side throughout is the inimitable Jeeves, his gentleman’s personal gentleman, who is always there to ensure that he avoids the ultimate peril. A classic set piece is the laugh-out-loud scene in which Bertie’s friend Gussie Fink-Nottle drunkenly presents the prizes at Market Snodsbury Grammar School, which once read will be never be forgotten. Quite simply, this is the funniest, most well-written, warmly generous book in twentieth-century English literature. Life would be unbearable without it.

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5 7 8 Lucky Jim (1954) Kingsley Amis

The eponymous hero Jim Dixon is a Medieval History lecturer at a provincial university in the north of England. Despite the ironic title, nothing quite seems to work out for Jim and he struggles to find a place in the world, a world from which he feels increasingly isolated. In this great ‘outsider’ novel, Amis captures the anger and frustration of a young man who sees his way thwarted by those with better connections but far less talent. A must-read novel both for its delicious humour and its fascinating evocation of a grim, grey post-war England.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1928) Erich-Maria Remarque

Paul Bäumer joins the German army at the beginning of the First World War. He arrives at the Western Front with a diverse group of friends whose fates intertwine. The book focuses not so much on warfare and fighting, but rather the horrendous conditions in which Paul and his comrades find themselves living year after year.

The book is always a favourite amongst boys for its toilet humour, scenes of mayhem and schoolboy pranks that all take place against a backdrop of terrible doom and danger. The last chapter of the book, a single paragraph from which the title is taken, is painfully moving and only serves to highlight the senselessness of conflict.

Of Mice and Men (1937) John Steinbeck

One of the first credit crunch novels. George and Lennie, two itinerant workers in California during the Great Depression, land casual jobs on a ranch, hoping to “work up a stake” and buy a place of their own. However Lennie, who despite his immense physical presence has the mind of a child, accidentally brings tragedy and misfortune down upon the two friends’ heads. A road novel, an astute piece of social analysis, a brilliant study in character and dialogue – all of this and more can be said about this masterpiece. Popular with boys, initially at least because it’s short (I am sorry parents, but it’s true – this matters a lot!), the story soon engulfs all but the most unwilling reader. You’d have to be made of stone not to be moved to tears by the book’s concluding moments.

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6 10 9 The Red Badge of Courage (1895) Stephen Crane

The novel is set during the American Civil War and has as its hero Henry Fleming, a private in the Union Army. Much of the book revolves around Henry’s questioning of his own (untested) courage: how will he react in the face of the enemy? In several graphic yet honest depictions of conflict, Henry discovers more about himself than he cared to know. A truly great war novel in which Crane is interested in exploring concepts of valour, duty and loyalty, but from a surprisingly modern standpoint given the time in which the book was written. It is also extremely interesting to read in the light of what society was to learn about the nature of warfare only twenty years later.

The Diary of a Nobody (1888-89) George Grossmith (illustrated by Weedon Grossmith)

Animal Farm (1945) George Orwell

The animals on Manor Farm rebel and overthrow the farmer. They then assume control of the farm themselves. The novel (invitingly short!) details the trials and tribulations of the animals as they fight to control their own destiny amid attempts to destroy their solidarity both from without and within.

Orwell’s classic parable of the rise and fall of the Soviet Union is flawless. The writing has a directness that is unparalleled and this, combined with his restless and ruthless search for truth behind ideology, makes this the greatest political novel ever written. However, it is far from a polemic and there are moments of real human (animal?) tragedy that would move even the most dialectically detached Marxist!

This hilarious pseudo-diary first appeared in Punch magazine in 1888-89. Mr Charles Pooter is a social climbing, irredeemably snobby clerk in the City and his diary details his everyday life as well as significant social and family occasions. Mr Pooter’s pretensions and lack of self-awareness provide the richest veins of humour, but he is a lovable figure and one of the finest examples of the inconsequential suburban hero. This book, helped in no small measure by its charming illustrations, cannot but help to delight. It serves as a fascinating social document that lays bare lowermiddle-class life in the Victorian age, but is also startlingly modern at times, especially in the depiction of the strained relationship between Mr Pooter and his son Lupin, stunningly contemporary in the way it dissects the generation gap and the despair a father feels at seeing his son’s potential go to waste. This is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable books you will ever read.

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SHELTER FROM THE STORM OFFSHORE INVESTING AND THE ADVANTAGES OF EXPATRIATE LIVING By Wade Dawson Senior Partner Austen Morris Associates

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hy do you live overseas?” All of us have been asked this question by friends and family at one time or another. We all have our own motivations for living and working abroad. A common reason for being an expatriate is that living overseas can provide major financial advantages and be personally enriching and professionally rewarding. Most expats have a higher overall savings rate of discretionary income than they would if they were working in their home country. This benefit adds up to another tremendous advantage – the opportunity to invest your money offshore.

It seems like there’s a lot written about this topic these days. I want to try to shed some light on offshore investing and independent financial advisory firms. An offshore investment by definition is an investment located in a tax-free jurisdiction. Offshore jurisdictions, or tax havens, by their very nature are exempt from tax and incur no tax liability. There are about 40 tax havens, including the Bahamas, the Isle of Man, the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and Guernsey, just to name a few. These tax havens have legal and banking systems derived from Western countries. Each jurisdiction varies in regulatory barriers, levels of confidentiality and investor protection. The most popular jurisdictions guard their reputations closely and compete for capital and international prestige. As IFAs (Independent Financial Advisors) who are promoting these investments, we of course have no stake in steering you toward – or away from – any particular investment product. We

all earn our living serving the client and no one else. Obviously, if we do not find the right type of investment vehicle or product, we are not compensated. Some people assume their money is much safer onshore than offshore. This is actually a misconception. Certain offshore jurisdictions offer a high degree of capital protection. For example, the Isle of Man offers protective legislation insuring up to 90 percent of the investor’s money with no upper limits. This banking legislation was put in place in the unlikely event that a company located in the Isle of Man find itself unable to meet its obligations to its individual investors. The reputation and overall financial strength of the companies located in these jurisdictions provide financial security as well. Clearly, prominent offshore jurisdictions provide comprehensive banking protection.

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WHY OFFSHORE? In today’s 24-hour interconnected global market there are no borders in the investment arena. Onshore and offshore investments offer similar investment instruments: mutual funds, stocks, bonds, hedge funds and other fixed interest securities. Onshore and offshore investments offer the same access to global markets, but offshore investments allow for the retention of a much higher level of investment earnings, since no capital gains tax is deducted. Tax avoidance is not the only reason investors go offshore. Individuals are also motivated by the historical high performance yields (before taking into account taxes), privacy and protection that the offshore world provides. Capital gains taxes are country specific and tax liabilities on investments differ drastically from country to country, so make sure you understand the tax advantages that are available to you.

IN TODAY’S 24-HOUR INTERCONNECTED GLOBAL MARKET, THERE ARE NO BORDERS IN THE INVESTMENT ARENA

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OFFSHORE INVESTMENT OPTIONS

Whether you’re a beginning investor with a tight budget (USD1000 to invest) or an experienced investor with a major lump sum (USD200,000 to invest), there is an investment option offshore that might suit your financial needs. For the beginner, the best place to invest

Wade Dawson

is in the mutual fund market. Mutual funds have positions in multiple companies; thus instant diversification is achieved. As a novice investor, you should concentrate on building your portfolio through a blend of mutual funds in various geographical areas, asset classes and industry sectors. For the more seasoned investor, a portfolio with a diversified asset allocation is essential. The sophisticated investor might also be in need of additional diversification away from the traditional equity markets. An ideal portfolio might include blue-chip and small-cap stocks in developed and developing countries, emerging market themed mutual funds, bonds or other fixed income products, and some exposure to alternative investments such as hedge funds, futures and forex.

investing requires a good plan, just like any successful business venture. Good financial planning is essential for your retirement, your children’s educational costs and your overall pursuit to build capital. Whatever your financial circumstances are as an expatriate, you should consider the benefits of an offshore investment. Austen Morris Associates’ expertise in financial planning, investment strategy and investment management allows us to match our client’s needs, their investment goals and their risk tolerance with a portfolio that is right for them. We would be happy to offer you a free confidential consultation and explain in more detail the investment opportunities offshore and the services we can provide. §

SOUND FINANCIAL PLANNING “Even if you sock away 20 percent of every paycheck your entire adult life, you will only have enough to live on for about eight years, unless you get some growth.” – Andrew Tobias, award-winning author on personal finance Whether you’re young or old, a beginner or a veteran, successful investing requires discipline. The more you can save and invest today, the better off you’ll be in the future. Personal

Wade Dawson is a Senior Partner of Austen Morris Associates. He lives in Shanghai and helps people all across the globe with their savings and investments. Austen Morris Associates (www.austenmorris.com) is a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise. If you’d like to discuss savings and various investment opportunities with Wade Dawson, feel free to contact him at wade.d@ austenmorris.com.

ade Dawson has worked as a China-based financial adviser for the past ten years, helping individuals and families achieve their financial goals. He is a Senior Partner at Austen Morris Associates and lives in Shanghai with his wife and two children. As a result of his insights, he has served as a Senior Partner seminar speaker, given numerous interviews and written articles for multiple Austen Morris Associates publications on a range of financial planning topics. He is dedicated to providing high-quality advice and creating integrated wealth management solutions that simplify his clients’ lives. Wade recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to private wealth management and thus designs investment advice that is unique to each individual client. He and his team aim to achieve returns and service that exceed the client’s expectations. His mission is to help clients reach their financial targets through a personal relationship that is cemented by knowledgeable investment advice.

diversification

“In today’s 24-hour interconnected global market there are no borders in the investment arena.”

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reward

- Wade Dawson, Senior Partner

Wade Dawson Senior Partner Financial Planning & Wealth Management wade.d@austenmorris.com M. 86 1360 127 3265

AUSTEN MORRIS ASSOCIATES www.austenmorris.com

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Third Culture kids Megan Little shares her experience growing up abroad By Megan Little

he business of relocation is all about handling people who find themselves in a foreign country and a different culture. Many assignees are families, and with that comes a lot of worry about how children will adjust to the move and the new surroundings. This worry can be extremely stressful for parents and children, causing the whole move to become very difficult. For the relocation industry, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vital that this worry is understood and addressed throughout the move, to ensure a successful transfer of the assignee to their new environment.

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Growing up abroad gives kids a greater understanding of other cultures, as they have the chance to come into contact with children from all over the world in school

hen a child is moved from one culture to the next, they instantly begin forming their own ‘third’ culture to incorporate all the new and the old that they come into contact with, making them third culture kids (TCKs). A third culture child is someone who has grown up in a culture not their own. They feel that they can no longer completely assimilate with their home culture, and as they are foreign cannot completely assimilate with their host culture. How each child handles this cultural jumble depends of course on personality, duration of stay, age, parental attitude and other factors. Growing up abroad gives kids a greater understanding of other cultures, as they have the chance to come into contact with children from all over the world in school. Their friends are from various countries, opening their eyes to different cultures. They become more aware of the fact that there are different foods, smells, tastes, ways of celebrating and so on. This gives them a flexibility and sensitivity that can be more difficult to obtain living in their home country. Learning and hearing foreign languages is also an important factor in the cultural growth of TCKs. The hope of many parents is that their children will learn one or even more languages while abroad. This may not happen

automatically though, and It’s very important for parents to ensure that there’s some aspect of their child’s life that is submerged in the language they should learn – be that extra language lessons, a special activity or even just spending time with a maid or nanny who doesn’t speak the child’s native tongue. The flip-side to being culturally aware and flexible is a sense of lacking cultural roots. Ideally, children will feel they have stability of where they come from and what they stand for. This generally comes from family rather than culture. Wherever their family is – this is home and they know what social and cultural rules apply. It’s important to have consistency in the home environment, not only in terms of rituals but also in terms of rules and values. In fact, returning home can sometimes be a problem, revealing a gap in knowledge of TV shows, commercials and other cultural touchstones; and children’s peers in their home country may not understand their experiences. Reverse culture shock does exist, and every child deals with it differently. Some may see their return home as yet another adventure. Going to school in a foreign country puts great emphasis on social skills and also builds empathy. At any international school around

the world, every student has been the new kid at one time or another. TCKs tend to have a sense of openness and confidence in handling new situations, simply because they have to! During school they inevitably say many goodbyes to good friends; they have to make new friends continuously. This can of course lead to having many good friends all over the world, but can also create a situation where a protective mechanism is built up and out of sight is out of mind, leaving the TCK with few friends from a specific period in their life. Do the advantages of being a TCK outweigh the disadvantages? TCKs will always be different; they will always have a different way of perceiving the world and a unique understanding of the challenges of a multicultural environment. In the modern world these are key skills. There are plenty of resources to help you better understand your third cultural kid. Two websites that might provide you with more insight are www.tckworld.com and www.tckid.com. Whatever you do as a parent, tell your child that their life will be different, that the lessons they learn along the way as a TCK will be valuable tools in their adult life and that, most importantly, they are not alone. §

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EXPAT STRESS AND QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH CARE Getting it right the first time Dr Maurice Preter, MD Consultant Neurologist & Psychiatrist Global HealthCare

hile reliable data are unavailable, stress disability rates in all developed economies have been growing and mental health problems are the leading cause of prolonged disability in people with real physical illness. Expats are no exception here. Overall success or failure of an assignment, work productivity, medical care utilisation and most importantly personal relationships are all strongly affected by anxiety, depression and substance use disorders. Even in the best case scenario, the effects on your family of being uprooted, often with little control over the circumstances, can be substantial. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it: being an expat may affect your and your familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental balance. Understanding quality care Much of what passes for quality care these days is not, and even experts can sometimes have trouble determining where better care can be found.

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It’s all too easy to ease the suffering caused by a divorce, while overlooking an underlying anxiety disorder whose treatment could allow repair of the marriage

ecause of the dearth of available treatment options, the situation for a patient in need of highquality mental health and integrated neuropsychiatric care (for the proper diagnosis and care of a seizure disorder with depression) is much more difficult. In the public hospital system, some doctors limit themselves to simplistic, obsolete interpretations of biomedical models. Medication overuse is rampant. Unless they are properly educated, many doctors (and patients) don’t realise that psychiatric medication and psychotherapy are not replacements for each other. They work very well together, but they do different things. Most antidepressant prescriptions are written by primary care doctors who don’t offer real psychotherapy to go with them, and they don’t always have a precise and complete diagnosis. For example, ‘depression’ is often an anxiety disorder, a panic disorder in particular. In turn, panic disorder is often caused by a significant emotional loss or separation. Panic disorder can be a reaction to feelings of geographic or cultural displacement. No wonder it’s rampant in expat communities round the world. Diagnosing correctly the first time Quality care begins with the initial clinical evaluation. When people have significant

emotional suffering, there are usually multiple causes (‘over-determined’, as psychiatrists say), and the central factor is usually not the most obvious one. A patient with an emotionally distant spouse might instead complain of impending financial impoverishment. The initial evaluation should be broad and thorough, with careful attention to personal life, workplace factors, commonplace anxiety and depressive disorders, drug and alcohol use, co-occurring and causal medical illnesses, among others. Just as elsewhere in medicine, that initial diagnosis is where highly skilled clinicians with broad and advanced training are most useful. It’s all too easy to ease the suffering caused by a divorce, while overlooking an underlying anxiety disorder whose treatment could allow repair of the marriage. Dissatisfaction at work is often caused by misery at home. Poor job performance attributed to work stress can be due to a hidden conflict with a supervisor, an unbearable sense of displacement, an unrecognised depression or even an undiagnosed medical illness. Skilled mental health evaluators are trained to sort out these issues, and psychiatrists have the most comprehensive diagnostic training of all. The medical part of their training also comes in handy for those times when emotional distress can be the presenting symptom of problems like thyroid

disease, cancer or other medical illnesses, including treatable conditions such as a sleep disorder due to obesity. So getting it right the first time goes hand in hand with solving the problem effectively and efficiently. The trouble is, less seasoned evaluators only see what they know, even though they may be the nicest and most concerned people anywhere. Problems overlooked at the outset don’t get recognised until much later, if ever. And if effective treatment is not provided, the problem just lingers. Untreated depression, thyroid disease, Vitamin D deficiency, family problems, alcoholism, interpersonal skill deficiencies or panic presenting as unexplained chest pain are all in their own way both financially and morally expensive. Over-reliance on simplified diagnostic schemes may be dangerous. A screening test for depression may alert you to unhappiness, but that could be anything from work stress to medical illness to anxiety, to one of several different kinds of depression (and most likely some combination of factors). We humans are complex beings. The best mental health solutions require thoughtful recognition of the actual problems, and awareness that diagnostic refinement is an ongoing process during treatment. At that point, effective treatment can be provided by well-trained mental health professionals. §

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CONTACT ADMISSIONS@BISAD.AE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

THE OBESITY PROBLEM

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A discussion with Dr Thomas By Dr Richard Thomas WorldPath Clinic International

hy are children much heavier than a generation ago? Is it important to recognise this in your child or family and intervene? What can be done about it? When I grew up in western New York State, getting out and exercising was what there was to do. Virtually every day, I met with neighbour friends and played active games like tag or pick-up baseball at a nearby empty lot (teams were chosen by the two best players flipping a bat, then alternating hands until a hand didn’t fit; the winner then grabbed the knob and got the first pick of teammate). Or we played basketball in the driveway of our home (first pick went to the guy who made the most free throws) or walked to the train tracks, then off into the fields to search for and capture garter snakes. In winter, we built forts and had snowball fights, or piled snow and jumped off the roof into it, or went sledding on the ‘Big Hill’. The ‘down the hill’ (10

seconds) was fun, while the ‘up the hill’ (60 seconds, or 30 if you ran, which we usually did) was the strenuous exercise part. When we had no energy left, we’d do it for another few hours, then drag home exhausted and happy from the fun and camaraderie. There was one fat kid in the whole neighbourhood, but he was fit and could out-tussle anyone. Those were the days! Will humanity ever see them again? No, not while there are mindless TV shows, or tons of violent game simulations on the latest iPhone or Wii. Not while parents cower in fear that their unsupervised child may be abducted, or lawyers lurk to sue any lot or pool owner who hasn’t fenced off and posted warnings on his property to stop kids from doing what kids do. Some wise parents decide that active lives are preferable for their children. The American Academy of Pediatrics

recommends limiting TV and other seated entertainment time to two hours a day. Many parents get their children into activities that provide an aerobic workout, like karate, tae kwon do, ballet or soccer, to name just a few. In my experience, staying active is simply a great thing for kids to do. Unfortunately, if there are too many calories going in kids get obese regardless of the frequency of exercise. Just think about sumo wrestlers – they work out rigorously, but they eat more than their bodies need. Parents need to assess the approximate daily caloric requirement for their child (and maybe for themselves). First three months

According to the University of Chicago, infants this age need 116 calories per kg of weight a day. Each 30 ml of breast or formula milk contains 20 calories. A 3 kg infant requires about 350 calories, 540 ml of milk. Breastfeeding, in my experience, is self-regulating. That is, kids simply don’t get too heavy while primarily breastfeeding. Up to one year

Infants three to 12 months of age require 100 calories per kg a day, according to the University of Chicago. Ironfortified rice cereal is an appropriate first solid food to introduce, followed by fruit, vegetables and meat. Composition

The University of Chicago advises that an infant diet should consist of 40 percent carbohydrates, 10 percent proteins and up to 50 percent fats to meet caloric and nutritional requirements. Breast milk is high in fats (including the essential fat omega-3, which builds brain cells). Next time, we’ll talk about your older child and what we can do, aside from exercise, to help them avoid obesity. §

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kakadu

a n o rt h e r n t e r ri to ry adve nt u re

hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubt that the top end of the Northern Territory delivers a fantastically special and unique Australia holiday. The beauty of this area is the joy of exploring World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park as well as both Litchfield and Nitmuluk National Parks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all within a 3-hour drive of each other and Darwin. Easy driving and magnificent nature-based activities to enjoy for the whole family!

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Giant termite hill, Litchfield, Northern Territory

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Dawn in Kakadu

ur family of five began our Top End adventure by collecting our hire vehicle in Darwin and driving 120 km south to our first stop – Litchfield National Park. Litchfield National Park comprises 1500 sq km of largely untouched landscape. It’s a favourite place to view monsoonal rainforest, the perennial spring-fed streams and waterfalls, magnetic termite mounds, weathered sandstone outcrops and historic ruins. Our family enjoyed exploring many of the walks, and swimming holes such as Buley Rockholes, Wangi Falls and Walker Creek. For respite at the end of each day’s walks, we made our base at Batchelor Butterfly Farm and Tropical Retreat in the township of Batchelor (only 20 minutes from the park) – and what a wonderful surprise that was! Our daughter was enthralled with all the butterflies, our sons loved the swimming pool and the adults enjoyed the restaurant and very good quality meals.

The accommodation was basic but clean and comfortable, and the visit to Litchfield was a delight for everyone! After two days exploring Batchelor / Litchfield National Park we then headed 240 km south-east to Katherine. It’s a drive through the Territory’s stunning and lush northern tropics, steeped in nature, Aboriginal culture and outback pioneering history. There are many stops and points of interest en route. Katherine is very much an outback town, and the town itself doesn’t have a lot of endearing qualities. However, the region boasts the not-to-be missed Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park. Nitmiluk is home to the spectacular Katherine Gorge, a series of 13 sandstone gorges carved out over a billion years by the Katherine River. The impressive gorge walls and white sandy beaches can be explored on foot, by canoe or on a cruise, and are stunning from the air on a scenic

Our daughter was enthralled with all the butterflies, our sons loved the swimming pool and the adults enjoyed the restaurant and very good quality meals

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School Life

Lotus flower in Mangrove, Kakadu National Park

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helicopter flight. Aboriginal culture is strong in the area and there are many Aboriginal rock art sites dotted throughout the Park. There are also plenty of adventure activities, and it’s a haven for nature lovers, with its rugged landscapes, dramatic waterfalls and lush gorges providing an abundance of flora and fauna. Canoe trips along Katherine Gorge are a must-do activity. Unfortunately for our family we were unable to enjoy canoeing due to the National Parks survey for crocodiles in the area – better safe than sorry! However, we managed to enjoy Katherine Gorge in many other ways: the three gorge cruise, swimming in a picturesque waterfall and bush walking along the many trails throughout the park. The park rangers and tour guides provided interesting information on the area and Nitmiluk has a simply stunning landscape and lots of activities to enjoy. Our next stop was World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, a 240 km drive north from Katherine. Definitely the highlight of our trip, Kakadu is the Northern Territory’s

jewel in the crown. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometres of exceptional natural beauty and unique biodiversity, Kakadu is one of very few places World Heritage-listed for both its cultural and its natural values. Kakadu is a living cultural landscape. The Bininj / Mungguy Aboriginal people have lived on and cared for this country for tens of thousands of years. Kakadu National Park is a timeless place – a landscape of exceptional beauty, great biodiversity and a wide variety of landforms, habitats and wildlife. Kakadu is home to 68 mammals, more than 120 reptiles, 26 frogs, more than 2,000 plants and over 10,000 species of insects. Our first adventure in Kakadu was a 2 km walk to Gunlom Falls. We were lucky enough to swim and enjoy the clear natural plunge pool area and waterfall. This was followed by many notable stops as we explored the park: night wildlife safari, a one-hour scenic flight over Kakadu and Arnhem Land, Ubirr and Nourlangie regions, walking and admiring Aboriginal rock art sites, swimming in Jim Jim Falls plunge pool and visiting Jabiru Township,

FAMILY MATTERS

Kakadu is one of very few places World Heritagelisted for both its cultural and its natural values

” Ubirr art site and lookout, Kakadu National Park

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the centre of Kakadu. At all of these points of interest park rangers were available and provided informative talks about the art and culture several times per day. Well worth listening to! But perhaps the most amazing of all the regions in Kakadu is the Yellow Waters Wetlands. This is an area that will deliver the WOW factor, with plenty of wildlife action! In fact, just before we arrived a crocodile had been caught eating a shark – unfortunately for the shark, he was in the wrong area and bested by one of the world’s oldest predators! We took a sunset cruise around the wetlands and loved the wildlife action and awesome scenery. We enjoyed three days in Kakadu, and could have easily stayed for a few more. There is so much to do! Apparently most people who come to Kakadu make the mistake of only visiting for a day trip – with

a 6-hour return journey to Darwin built in! That doesn’t allow time to visit many sites and really soak up the atmosphere of this awe-inspiring land. To our family, Kakadu National Park was more than just a beautiful landscape. We left with a greater understanding of the Aboriginal connection to the land. “Our land has a big story. Sometimes we tell a little bit at a time. Come and hear our stories, see our land. A little bit might stay in your hearts…” Our Top End Northern Territory Adventure was nearing completion as we left Kakadu and headed west back to Darwin (300 km) for a few days relaxation before heading home. Darwin proved a good place to relax and rejuvenate, visit some museums, do some shopping and enjoy the atmosphere of the famous night markets.

A holiday adventure of a lifetime to remember! Facts: • Winter season (May to September) is traditionally the most popular time to visit. The daytime temperatures are around 30 degrees Celsius and the nights are cool. Perfect weather for all activities. • All roads travelled are bitumen and fully sealed. So short distances, and easy driving. This drive is also a good one for motor home vehicles as an alternative to car / accommodation. Contact Australia Expat Travel to plan your best holiday ever. Local knowledge. Good variety of information. (www.ausxpattravel.com. au, info@ausxpattravel.com.au)

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Sunset in Kakadu

Kakadu National Park is located in a remote part of a remote country... just the place to find adventure.

FAMILY MATTERS

FINAL WORD

ANOTHER LOOK AT TIGER PARENTING Authoritarian parenting, permissive parenting, loving parenting

ngie was brought up by rigid, authoritarian parents who kept her on a tight leash. They rarely considered her feelings about anything, showing a complete lack of empathy and compassion for her feelings and desires. Yelling and hitting were their favourite forms of punishment. Angie was a good girl. She did well in school and did what she was told, but was often sad and lonely and never felt important. When she married and had her own children, she knew that she didn’t want to treat her children the way she had been. She wanted to consider their feelings and needs. She wanted them to feel valued and important. Angie was a very loving mother. She spent lots of time with her children, playing with them, listening to them, giving them affection and approval. However, because it was so vital to Angie that her children feel valued and important, she often put herself aside and gave in to their demands. Because Angie had never felt important, it was easy to put herself aside. She believed her children’s feelings and needs were much more important than hers. As a result, Angie moved too far from her own upbringing and became a permissive parent.

The consequences for Angie of authoritarian parenting was that she didn’t value herself. The results for her children of permissive parenting was that they grew up with entitlement issues, thinking they were more important than others. Neither authoritarian nor permissive parenting is loving parenting. Loving parenting values both the parents’ and the children’s feelings and needs. Loving parents don’t attempt to control their children – other than for their health and safety – or allow their children to control them. Loving parents don’t worry about being rejected by their children. They’re willing to set firm limits on unacceptable behaviour and refuse to be manipulated. Their identities are not tied into their children’s performance in school or in other activities, such as sports, or how their children look. They accept their children as individuals, even when they’re very different to them. They reinforce a value system that includes honesty, integrity, caring, compassion, kindness and empathy. As much as we want to be loving parents, we may unconsciously be acting out of our fears. If you grew up with fear of rejection or domination, you’ll automatically protect against these fears in your

relationships with your children. You may try to control them out of a fear of being controlled or rejected by them. You might be controlling with your anger, or by giving in. Fears of rejection can manifest with children through trying to control them with anger, or trying to control their love through giving yourself up to them. Fears of domination can manifest through controlling them with anger or violence to avoid being controlled by them. Insecurities can manifest through attempting to get your children to perform in the way you want in order to define your worth. One way or another, whatever is unhealed within you will surface in your behaviour with your children. Raising healthy children means first healing the wounded child within you – the part of you that has your fears and insecurities, and your desire to protect against rejection and domination. By simply being aware that we are all affected by our upbringing and that overcompensation in the way we parent our children is a common and often unproductive reaction to negative experiences from our childhood, we are more likely to find the happy medium which represents loving parenting. §

School Life

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School Life

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