Husky Herald A CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PUBLICATION OCTOBER, 2010
LAKESIDE CAMPUS UPDATE PAGE 4
ECAS OFF AND RUNNING PAGE 6
GOLF PRO ARRIVES AT TK PAGE 10
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS PAGE 12 MICA (P) 205/09/2010
CONTENTS REGULARS 4 8 16 24 32 34 35
Lakeside Campus Construction Update JE High School Gallery Tanjong Katong Gallery TT Elementary School Gallery JE Middle School Gallery Learning Centre News School Calendar
FEATURES
The Husky Herald is published bimonthly (5 issues per school year) by the Communications Department. It is distributed to families and staff of the Canadian International School. Communications Department Toh Tuck Campus 5 Toh Tuck Road Singapore 596679
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Love for Ladakh How Lakeside Will Strengthen Our Community ECAs Off and Running Provocation Rooms - What Are They? Anyone for Golf? Strategies Used to Make Thinking Visible Welcome CIS Scholarship Recipients Grade 9 - The Transition to High School Using Singapore to Uncover History and Culture Exploring How We Contribute Aboriginal Artist Alma Nungarrayi Granites Visits TK Alumni Feature - Chaw Su Myat WAELP Expands Our Horizons High School Humanities Investigating Singapore’s Heritage - Open Minds Begins at TK SK Learn the Art of Negotiation Through Role Play House Leagues in Middle School NCCLA Visits the TK Campus If These WALTS Could Talk Fun Day at High School - A Real Hit! The Coming Together of Two Communities
Website: www.cis.edu.sg Email: communications@cis.edu.sg Phone: +65 6467 1732
MICA (P) 205/09/2010
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CIS Husky Herald - October 2010
Editor: Assistant Editor: Photography:
Michelle Sharp Natasha Cruz Rae Hong and CIS teachers
LOVE FOR LADAKH
By Alana Grainsky, Community Outreach Coordinator On Friday, September 24, all CIS campuses joined in an effort to raise awareness and make donations for the Lamdon School in Ladakh, India. Because of the history and connection to CIS (both high school teachers and students journey to Ladakh each year for excursion week), the school was the obvious focus for the emergency fundraiser to support victims of the flood that devastated Pakistan and India.
I am thrilled to announce that CIS raised over $15,000 through this initiative, with all funds going directly to the Lamdon School. As well as money on the day, as a school we have created a thoughtful and heartfelt book that will be brought to Ladakh in the coming weeks. Thank you all so much.
The event was a tremendous success on a multitude of levels. Friday clearly displayed the commitment of our teachers and their dedication in educating our students about world issues, our students’ compassion and empathy through their incredible messages of hope and inspiration for the students and families in Ladakh, and the incredible generosity and compassion of our parent community who made donations, both large and small, to this very important cause. Throughout the fundraiser, students decorated trees in the school grounds with prayer flags and warm wishes for those affected by the devastating floods. As each of us pass by the decorated trees on each campus and the prayer flags that hang in the JE foyer, we are reminded to keep hoping for the health and safety of the people in Ladakh. They also help us to realize the impact our school community, and each of us as individuals, can have in bettering the lives of others when we come together as one to create change.
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LAKESIDE campus CONSTRUCTION UPDATE By Dr. Glenn Odland, Head of School Construction of the Lakeside campus continues to progress rapidly this month, with the laying of the third storey slabs currently underway for all blocks. We will continue to monitor progress over the next few months and determine both the move-in date and next year’s school calendar by December 1.
time to view the virtual tour on our website. Further updates will additionally be available in future issues of the Husky Herald.
3rd storey interconnecting slab between block one and two
Set on 43,000 square metres of land, the Lakeside campus will provide state of the art classrooms, academic facilities, spacious sporting, outdoor and playground facilities, as well as a Performing Arts and Fine Arts centre, auditorium and media centre. The campus is on a large square plot of land with easy road access and is highly accessible via public transport. To enhance and maximise all available space on the site, the Lakeside campus is uniquely planned where the schools are organised in vertical layers, or “Schools-within-a-School”. Every aspect of the school has been designed to reflect the very latest thinking and best practices in school design and functionality. As well as being at the forefront of innovative educational design, the Lakeside campus will be a “green” building and has been awarded Gold Status in Singapore’s Green Mark Scheme, allowing us to use the campus as a vital instructional tool as we educate our students in ecological sustainability. Please continue to check the progress reports and take the
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CIS Husky Herald - October 2010
ELEVATED VIEW OF block three
3rd storey slab - block three
Auditorium seating slabs in progress
Commencement of architectural works in the admin office
Commencement of electrical works in block one
Structural works completed for substation
HOW LAKESIDE WILL STRENGTHEN THE CIS COMMUNITY By Dr. Glenn Odland, Head of School
As the building of the Lakeside campus continues and we begin to see the school taking shape, it is important to step back and reflect on what makes CIS so unique; our strong sense of community. Different student, faculty and parent communities will all have varied, and at times different, needs of the new campus. The Schools-within-aSchool concept around which Lakeside has been designed will ensure that the new campus retains and enhances this sense of community while also satisfying varying needs. Individual school sections are grouped according to the digits of the CIS Husky Paw, and age appropriate segregation will be of paramount importance. Areas that will be segregated according to the Husky Paw digits include classrooms, play and recreational areas, learning pods and student communal areas. Parents will continue to be an essential component of everyday school life and will be welcomed into the various school sections and facilities that Lakeside has to offer. Students will spend much of their school day in age specific classrooms, learning pods and play areas. Pods in each school section will showcase learning in a variety of different formats and can be easily transformed into galleries to display student artwork, science exhibits where materials will be used to foster inquiry and investigation or host class or
grade specific performances/ assemblies. For older students, the pod will still be a focal point of their school community where learning and achievements are showcased whilst being flexible enough to adapt to the varied social and learning needs of the students. The Lakeside campus, housing 3 school communities under one roof, will present us with a multitude of exciting opportunities. In the past, participating in community events such as Halloween and organizing the annual Cambodia Carnival has given older students a chance to exercise their leadership skills, and participate in raising money for community service projects. These events and opportunities that they present can only be enhanced by having the entire school community together. Sharing one campus will also enhance the sense of community between different grades and allow us to take full advantage of providing students with additional mentoring and leadership opportunities. House leagues, reading buddies, student showcases, and some performances will be celebrated and performed on a school wide basis.
THE EXPLORATORY YEARS
THE INDEPENDENCE AND CHALLENGE YEARS
THE EXPANDING HORIZONS YEARS
THE DEFINING YEARS
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ECAs OFF AND RUNNING
By Ian Nisbet, JE ECA Coordinator The Extra Curricular Activities (ECAs) program at JE Middle School and High School is off to a fantastic start! ECAs at CIS are a vital part of school life and with the merging of the Middle School and High School this year, the programme is growing and expanding quickly. This year, CIS will offer close to sixty different ECAs in a wide variety of areas that cater to many tastes. On offer are sports, arts programs, individual interest clubs and more. While a few activities have outside providers, the energetic and talented CIS faculty is leading most ECAs, with every teacher committed to a diverse and exciting extra-curricular program. Some of the exciting new programmes offered this year include: touch rugby, dance theatre, design/tech and bowling. Some popular returning programs include: wall climbing, yearbook and newspaper, numerous musical groups and bands, football, basketball, gymnastics, yoga, netball, photography, scuba diving, crafts and art clubs. There really is something for everyone to participate in and enjoy. Semester One ECA registrations are now closed, but do expect further sports to be offered later in the semester. These offerings will be based upon season two of the ACSIS calendar. Semester Two promises to bring more fantastic and varied offerings. Remember to watch the “Week at a Glance� for ECA related announcements.
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PROVOCATION ROOMS - WHAT ARE THEY? By Leanne Sunarya, TT PYP Coordinator
If you have visited the elementary campus at Toh Tuck over the past year you have probably walked past rooms that have the sign “Provocation Room” prominently displayed on the door. They draw their name from the International Baccalaureate intent for the PYP programme – a programme that is infused with a spirit of inquiry. For us the word “provocation” triggers thoughts of creating inspiring environments that motivate, challenge and excite children to connect to new learning and to develop deeper understandings of the social and natural world in which they live. As we share in the educational journey of your child, we aim to develop communities of inquiry throughout the school. This happens daily in the dynamic learning areas structured by the teachers.
• Inquiry and the art of finding out what it is we want to know and how we can figure it out. When children are given the opportunity to investigate new ideas and make connections to what they already know through guided inquiry, new and deeper levels of understanding are realised. The teacher plays a key role
in initiating, facilitating and structuring the inquiry process in response to the children’s observations, ideas and insights. Our Provocation Rooms provide us with a learning space that is planned, purposeful and authentic and which serves to embrace the ideal of developing communities of inquirers.
The Provocation Rooms provide us with an additional space that focuses in on a particular Unit of Inquiry and provides opportunities for fascinating explorations into our world and human experiences. They are a space for the: • Facilitation of wonderings and discoveries. • Exploration of materials and artifacts. • Creation and discovery of new research possibilities through the use of technology. • Collaboration and teamwork with friends.
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HIGH SCHOOL gallery
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HIGH SCHOOL gallery
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ANYONE FOR GOLF?
By Michelle Sharp, Head of Communications One of the exciting developments at the Tanjong Katong campus recently is the new golf driving range and putting green and the arrival of Golf Pro, Vincent Gallus. Vincent has a long history and love of golf. He was a regular on the European PGA circuit and has coached numerous PGA players. He was a professional golf teacher in his hometown of Lausanne for over 14 years and has experience coaching both adults and children, many to a professional level. Most recently, Vincent was the golf pro at Marina Bay golf club in Singapore.
All CIS parents and families receive a subsidised rate for golf classes and are invited to sign up, either individually or as a group for golf lessons both at TK and at the Green Fairways course. Vincent can be contacted at vgallus@cis.edu.sg or on 9039 9947.
Vincent will be running coaching clinics for TK students in Grades 1 to 9, Monday to Friday as part of the internal Extra Curricular Activities (ECAs) programme. These ECAs will be offered to students free of charge. Vincent will also be coaching students during WAELP (Wednesday Afternoon Experiential Learning Programme - Grades 4 to 9), which runs in two blocks this school year. The Junior Academy that has been profiled in the Week at a Glance is now up and running. Weekend and afterschool classes are offered to students from 6 to 12 years of age after school and on the weekends. As demand increases, additional classes will be offered. A holiday camp will also be offered at the Green Fairways course (off Eng Neo) in the October break.
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STRATEGIES USED TO MAKE THINKING VISIBLE By Celeste Krochak, JE PYP and Curriculum Coordinator
Thinking is invisible. Sometimes people explain their thought process behind a particular conclusion, but more often they don’t. Most of the time, thinking happens under the hood, within the marvelous engine of our mind. Imagine if you were trying to learn to drive, but never had the opportunity to either see a car or try it out for yourself. If it hadn’t been made visible for you, if you hadn’t been able to see a car in action, making deeper connections about cars or their uses would be difficult. CIS has done a significant amount of work over the past few years with the goal of understanding brain research. As a practical application of these new understandings, teachers have been working with students to try to make their thinking more visible. As the name suggests, the basic strategy is to make thinking visible in the context of learning. One reason thinking develops slowly is because it happens inside the head: children do not get the chance to ‘see’ their own cognitive moves. In fact, most traditional classroom practices do not engage students in thinking around content - and certainly not in ways that would make these thought processes visible. Visible Thinking makes thinking an explicit part of classroom routines in a very manageable way, setting the stage for thinking and learning. These strategies have a double goal: on the one hand, they deepen subject-matter learning and on the other hand, they cultivate
students’ attitudes toward thinking. Here are some of the strategies that the middle school teachers have begun to implement in their classroom practices. Connect – Define – Explain In this strategy, students connect ideas to prior knowledge and attempt to define concepts. Teachers collect current understandings and then build on both knowledge and misconceptions which, in turn, encourages inquiry. This technique is revisited after understandings are explored helping to reflect on these new understandings. It is extremely powerful to see students engaged in the process of finding new connections and recognizing that they have so many new understandings. This routine has been rigorously used in the UOI units of study, as well as in mathematics.
thinking routine of making their learning visible is an example of authentic learning. As teachers begin to set up these routines, it quickly becomes apparent to them how many great opportunities there are for these routines to be used. With this new direction and with renewed energy from these techniques, we are delighted by the ways children are able to make their thinking visible.
I see – I think – I wonder? Students are engaged in powerful images relating to their unit of study and are encouraged to make careful observations. When they have gathered all their observations, then they can begin to make thoughtful interpretations of what they have seen, further stimulating their curiosity. This, in turn, sets the stage for further inquiry. Teachers benefit greatly from the chance to collect “wonderings” for future independent inquiry, as well as the chance to identify misconceptions. Helping students into the
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welcome cis scholarship recipients By Metty Antony, IB DP Coordinator
CIS launched the IB Diploma Programme Scholarships in April 2010. It was designed to attract students of both outstanding personal and academic potential. CIS is proud to welcome Zayed Sondos and Wu Huanni into its school community. Sondos not only has excellent grades, but is fluent in four languages: English, Arabic, French and Spanish. She loves playing soccer and has a passion for science and is considering many career paths from cardiology to bio-medical engineering. She is proud of the research work she has done on solar ovens in her
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former school in Canada and is hoping to continue the project at CIS. She is a vibrant person who is enthusiastic about learning. This is what Sondos has to say about CIS “This being my first year attending CIS, there are many things with which I’m still unfamiliar. However, since school started, I’ve grown to love it here. The ambiance is perfect, consistently encouraging us to work hard in order to excel“. Huanni hails from China and has top grades in all her subjects and loves participating in a range of co-curricular
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activities. She loves playing the violin and dreams of being in the powerful world of finance. She hopes to work for the IMF and further the cause of a single global currency. She is a quiet and confident girl who is determined to succeed. This is what Huanni has to say about CIS “We can make friends who are from different countries. This can expand our global horizon as we communicate with people who are from different backgrounds”. (Wu Huanni - pictured left, Zayed Sondos - pictured right).
GRADE NINE - THE TRANSITION to HIGH SCHOOL By Craig Gerow, Grade 9 -10 Learning Lead/ESL Coordinator their make-up, and it tends to make you feel small”. What is your biggest worry about Grade 9 and High School? “I might not be able to cope with ECAs and homework”. “My biggest worry is about my studies because I’ll probably have lots of distractions”. “My biggest worry is the workload, and if I’m ready for it”.
Transitions are a difficult time in anyone’s life. At CIS, our students are continually facing challenging transitions. They face transitions in their academic lives as they change grades and campuses, and they face transitions in their personal lives as they change residences, schools, countries and friends. As a teacher of English as a second language, I find that all of my students are continually coping and going through huge transitions in their lives. Because of my daily interactions with these students, I have become very aware of how important it is to try to listen and understand how they are feeling and what challenges they face to make a successful transition. This year I was asked to write about Grade 9 students and how they have made the transition as they moved to high school and our new campus. I thought there would
be no better way of expressing their thoughts and feelings than by using the voices of the students themselves. I picked a teacher advisor class at random and asked members of this class three questions. Here are some of their responses:
“Getting used to a lot of homework was very difficult because back in Grade 8 we didn’t have as much homework, but now that I have a lot of homework, I need to stay up until 12 to finish”.
“There is a lot of pressure on how people look. Every time you walk into the bathroom you see older girls retouching
What were you excited about? “New friends!” “I was excited about a new school and new teachers”. “I’m excited about the new things I’m going to learn this year”.
What has been the most challenging thing about Grade 9?
“The most challenging thing is getting used to the new timetable”.
“My biggest worry was the whole peer pressure thing. The whole popularity thing that you see in movies”.
“I’m really excited about ECAs, especially the sports ones, because I’m going to be pushed”. “I was excited to meet new people and make new friends. This year there are more new people coming to this school than last year. And all the new people are really cool as well, so I’m quite glad about it”. So there you have it. These are the things that are on Grade 9’s minds.
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USING SINGAPORE TO UNCOVER HISTORY AND CULTURE By Franklyn Heisler, JE MS and TT Open Minds Coordinator Grade 6 students were the first students of the school year to integrate off site learning into their UOI through the Open Minds Programme. If your child has been on Open Minds, please take the opportunity to talk to them about their experiences, what they learnt and how they acquired this newfound knowledge. Some key conversations that students engaged in on site focused on how a country’s history and location play an integral part in shaping its culture today. Our field research took us to Little India where we had a guide take us to a key location to identify various cultural aspects of this area’s history. In Chinatown, the key learning was to look at historical aspects such as what life was like for the Chinese who came here in the 1800’s and how much of their culture travelled with them. As we came to understand the specific cultural beliefs and values, we researched the meaning of many of the symbols we saw at our sites both on architecture and on objects. Once we were aware of them, we could determine the messages that are inherent in the objects. Through this understanding, we could examine how these messages influence and form cultural values. To facilitate our thinking in Chinatown for instance, we went to the museum in Fuk Tak Chi Temple and to various monuments in the park on Telok Ayer Street and also to the Thian Hock Keng Temple.
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It is a fact that Singapore’s location and subsequent trade opened the door to the arrival of immigrants and the development of Singapore’s key cultures. Because of the influx of Chinese and Indians, some of whom married local Malay women, a new culture emerged, the Peranakan. We were able to look at the evidence of new traditions, the result of the blending and merging of cultures at the Peranakan Museum. To conclude the week of experiential learning, students visited Images of Singapore where they were given the task of identifying three significant historical events, which helped form Singapore, as we know it today. By using these sites in Singapore, we were able to reconstruct fragments of its history and use its location to further our understanding of the complex relationship of people, places and things in forming aspects of its culture today.
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EXPLORING HOW WE CONTRIBUTE
By Julie Bose and Zoe Lancaster, TT Grade 2 teachers Grade 2 students spent the first five weeks of school inquiring into contributions: who makes them, why they make them and how this affects the lives of others. We found the beginning of the school year the perfect time to learn more about ourselves and how we can contribute to our classroom and our school. We began this unit by noticing the contributions each of us make in the classroom. We caught each other contributing without being asked and made sure we showed our appreciation. We offered ideas to build our essential agreements in order to ensure our classrooms are safe and
caring learning environments. Next, we began to look beyond the classroom and into the school. This helped us to recognize the wonderful people who help us daily (even if we sometimes forget they are there!). The students watched and questioned several different adults in the school to discover what contributions they make. During our unit, we also began to build on our research skills by asking good questions. Classrooms did this in a variety of ways, for example, interviews to find out more about people who help us.
Throughout the unit, we also read storybooks with morals and themes based on asking good questions and appreciating contributions both big and small. Once we had a solid understanding of contributing in the classroom and the school, we briefly looked into a few famous people and the contributions they make. We were also fortunate to work with Patricia Dingelstad, our Art teacher, who showed us the ways artists contribute through the work that they do. Each class studied one specific artist and created artwork based on that artist’s specific technique.
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CRAZY HAT DAY AT TK
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CRAZY HAT DAY AT TK
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aboriginal artist ALMA NUNGARRAYI GRANITES VISITS TK By Marlene Trenholm, TK Grade 3 teacher
Grade 3 students welcomed some special visitors on Friday, September 4. Australian Aboriginal artist Alma Nungarrayi Granites was invited to Singapore by the RedDot Gallery to promote her paintings and an appreciation for Aboriginal art and delighted us by visiting TK. RedDot representatives talked with the students about Aboriginal culture and why the Aboriginals paint using dots, as well as what the symbols in their paintings mean. Students learned that the paintings were originally maps of various areas in Australia where the Aboriginal people would live and/or travel to. The many symbols in the paintings represent various animals, plants and parts of the landscape such as watering holes (commonly called billabongs), rivers, etc. The children were an enthusiastic
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audience, asking questions and “oohing and aahing” at many of the photos and paintings. We were also delighted with stories of the “Dreamtime”, the Aboriginal beliefs about the beginning of time, and other stories about their history. Historically, these stories were often told in song to ones descendants. The reason for singing the story was that it was easier to remember and pass along to future generations. Alma’s grandfather was also in attendance on the day and delighted the children by telling a story in his and Alma’s native language, Warlpiri. After an interesting slide show about their culture, the children were also treated to a mini art lesson by Alma. She showed them how to use a skewer to paint dots on the canvas and worked on a painting to show
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how she would normally create her own artwork. The children were able to demonstrate their understanding of symbols used in artwork by providing explanations when queried afterwards. This delightful presentation was a prelude to our Unit of Inquiry, “How We Express Ourselves” which will be starting later this year. The children are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to work on their own creations!
ALUMNI FEATURE: chaw su myat By Natasha Cruz, Communications
Natasha Cruz, a member of the CIS Communications department, recently had the chance to catch up with Chaw Su Myat, a graduate of the class of 2004. Chaw was one of the first students to graduate from CIS with both an OSSD and IB Diploma. After having recently completed her Bachelor and Masters Degrees from the University of Melbourne, Chaw shares a little bit about herself and her experiences at both CIS and University. Tell me a little bit about yourself. I am now 23 years old, I came to CIS when I was 13, back in 2000. I spent the entire 4 years of my high school at CIS, and I graduated in 2004 with both the OSSD and IB Diplomas. I am originally from Burma (now called Myanmar) and until the age of 13, I grew up in a culture where the vast majority of people around me communicated solely in Burmese. So, when I came to CIS, I had some communication problems for the first 6 months. But all the staff and friends were welcoming and kind and I quickly came to feel part of the CIS family. I participated in a number
of various Extra Curriculum activities, such as Badminton, Photography Club, and Drama Club. My hobbies are cooking, eating (of course), reading, shopping, playing golf, and watching and cheering for various sports. My favourites are Formula One, tennis and soccer. What did you study? And what did you enjoy most about it? After graduating from CIS, I went to the University of Melbourne, Australia, where I finished my Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) in 2007 and a Master of Management (Marketing) in 2009. As in high school, a lot of university assignments required group work. I have found that working in a group has improved my communication, negotiation and decision-making skills, all of which will help me with my future career. I understand that you were one of the first students to graduate from CIS with an IB diploma. How do you think this has benefitted you? Graduating with both OSSD and IB diplomas definitely assisted with getting into a University of my choice. I found it also boosted my self confidence and made me believe that I can tackle any workload, regardless of the size and difficulty level. I realise that students now only graduate with one diploma – both are great and will prepare them for University.
How has CIS shaped your career path? CIS taught me to use good study habits, to manage my time effectively and most importantly to get along with other people regardless of their cultural background. This is what inspired me to choose a career in business and management. How has CIS shaped you as a person? I am now working for my dad in our business where intercultural communication is essential. The communication and socializing skills I attained at CIS have definitely helped prepare me for work I am doing now. What are your fondest memories when you were at CIS? Since I did 2 diplomas in the same year, I had to go to school on Saturday for extra classes. Although it was painful to go to school on Saturday, I really enjoyed the casual conversations with classmates and sharing pizzas with friends and teachers. The atmosphere of those extra Saturday classes was very relaxed and joyful. What advice would you like to give to current CIS students? Always believe in yourself. Always choose what you love, not what your parents or friends love - otherwise you will be bored to death! Love life!
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WAELP EXPANDS OUR HORIZONS
By Rebecca Caverly, JE Middle School Vice Principal
The Wednesday Afternoon Experiential Learning Programme (W.A.E.L.P.) provides an opportunity for students to sample a variety of non-traditional learning experiences to enrich their lives and foster lifelong learning in a holistic environment. Over the course of the year, students are involved in three different learning activities with the focus on athletics, cultural/art, and academics. The emphasis is placed on encountering activities outside one’s own experience and meeting new challenges. Each block of activities runs for four weeks.
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HIGH SCHOOL HUMANITIES
By Shirley Lee, JE Grades 7 to 12 Humanities Learning Leader
The humanities courses for Grades 9 and 10 are theme-based. The theme of Humanities 9 is Globalization. Humanities 9 students learn about the history and causes of globalization, as well as how globalization has influenced their role as citizens of the world. Students undertake various projects and assignments throughout the course to both develop and articulate their level of understanding relating to the topic. The focus of Humanities in Grade 10 is around the theme of nationalism. This includes examining national identity and the concept of nationhood
and civic nations. Humanities 10 students do case studies of various nationalistic movements around the world. Having a virtual “global village” in each classroom brings a wonderful richness and authenticity to the students experiences and learning. Projects and assignments as in Grade 9 help the students reflect and showcase their depth of knowledge. As with all MYP subjects, throughout the school year, both Humanities 9 and 10 students will build on their Approaches to Learning Skills and apply these important skills to the various assessments and tasks that are
allocated throughout the year. As mentioned already, there are a number of projects and tasks allocated to students throughout the course. An excellent example of a Humanities 9 project is the “Global Citizen Report Card”. This “report card” involves students identifying the qualities of a global citizen, conducting independent research, and analyzing the impacts of a corporation of their choice on the environment, workers, and communities. A great example of a challenging Humanities 10 assessment is the “Museum Project” in Unit 1, where students choose items for a museum exhibition on a nationalist movement of their choice.
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INVESTIGATING SINGAPORE’S HERITAGE - OPEN MINDS BEGINS AT TK By Christa Craats, TK Open Minds Coordinator
Another exciting year of Open Minds has started at TK. The Grade 6 classes had the chance to jump start the year with a look at the history of Singapore and the impact its history had on the formation of its nation. Students inquired into 4 unique sites: Images of Singapore at Sentosa, Chinatown, Little India and the Peranakan Museum to help develop and clarify their understanding of Singapore’s history. At Images of Singapore, students were able to build upon their prior knowledge of Singapore’s history by completing a timeline of early Singapore from the 1700’s to the present day. They also
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had the opportunity to learn about the cultural aspects and celebrations of the first settlers to Singapore: the Malay, Indian, Chinese and Europeans. Chinatown proved to be a wonderful site that allowed students to investigate the history and development of this area. By studying the statues in Telok Ayer Park, the detailed model at Fuk Tak Chi Temple and the hundreds of embedded symbols at Thiang Hock Keng Temple, students learned and were able to conceptualize what life must have been like in the 1800’s. Continuing on to the Peranakan Museum, students took an
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in-depth look at traditional Peranakan artifacts that carried cultural meaning. Through this, they learned more about the history and culture of the Peranakans and their role in Singapore’s history. Lastly, students were treated to a tour at Little India, which exposed them to the cultural traditions of early Indian settlers in Singapore. They were able to taste traditional food, see traditional forms of entertainment, such as the Parrot Fortune Teller, and explore the inner areas of the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Through questions, hands on activities and in-depth exploration of artifacts, students were able to walk away with a significantly greater understanding of Singapore’s history, development and people.
SK learn the art of negotiation through role play By Carolyn Boras, TT Drama Specialist
“SHH! I hear someone!” “Who is she?” “What does she want?” “Why is she in our village?” These are some of the questions that the SK children, in their roles as villagers, asked as they saw “Emma” wander around their village at night. In their work with the drama specialist, the children used improvised role play to explore their first Unit of Inquiry: “Who We Are”. This unit is an inquiry into the types of behaviour that will help each other and how good friends act toward each other. The story began when the children created a mural to show the natural environment
which surrounded the village. Boxes and other building materials were used to construct the homes, farms and businesses. When construction was complete, the students created essential agreements for the village to define how its citizens were going to work and play harmoniously. When the children had added costumes to their characters, the scene was set for “Emma’s” arrival. When she entered the village she noticed the beautiful houses, their colours and gardens. “Emma” was cold, hungry and homeless. When the “villagers” discovered the plight of this stranger, they
faced a moral dilemna: should they help someone they didn’t know? If so, how should they provide help? Should they build her a house? Could she live with one of the villagers? How could they make a stranger feel welcome in their village? Did “Emma” become part of the community? To be continued… Learning through role play helps students develop and improve the following skills: negotiation skills, social skills, debate/presentation skills and team work.
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ECAS AT TT
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ecas at tt
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HOUSE LEAGUES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
By Rebecca Caverly, JE Middle School Vice Principal
House leagues are a very special part of Middle School at JE. All our students are assigned into “House Colours” and these multi-grade houses come together during the year for special events. Our first House League event was held in September as a way for students to get to know each other across the grades. The campus was filled with laughter and loud chants from each colour group. The Houses are: Green -
Represented by the Cougar
Red -
Represented by the Eagle
Yellow -
Represented by the Otter
Blue -
Represented by the Wolf
The students are in the midst of the nomination and election of our Middle House League Council. In addition to providing a student voice, the House League Council encourages and provides student driven activities and ideas including dances, bake sales, candy grams, special dress days and assemblies. A number of their activities actively support the school’s community service initiatives such as Tabitha House Building in Cambodia.
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NCCLA VISITS THE TK CAMPUS
By Angela Henderson, TK Vice Principal During the month of September, the Tanjong Katong campus hosted six children from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The children were from the New Cambodian Children’s Life Association (NCCLA). The NCCLA is a Non-Governmental organization and was founded in 2004 by restaurant owner; Lay Neth. Neth found that street children would come to his restaurant, Veiyo Tonle, everyday to beg for food. Neth was moved by the plight of these children so he took steps to help them and bought part of a building that lay behind his restaurant and started taking the children in. There are now 27 children living with Neth and his wife, Thavy; most of them are orphans ranging in age from 2 to 18. All the NCCLA children receive some form of formal education, with the older ones also working in the restaurant to help support this large and unusual family. In addition, they learn the art of traditional Khmer dance and help to keep their culture alive.
the children participated in vocational training, social skill study, outdoor activities as well as health and dental treatment.
We wanted the children from NCCLA to be able to experience a regular CIS school day on their visit. The children were buddied up with one of our Grade 7 classes and spent 3 days participating in regular and specialist classes. We hope that their experiences will prove invaluable to them, and will spur their hopes, their dreams and help them realize their full potential. Three CIS-TK families privately funded the children’s month long visit to Singapore. In addition to visiting TK,
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If These W.A.L.T.s Could TalK...
By Charla Marshall, TT PYP Curriculum Coordinator Some of you may be wondering about Walt, and why he keeps appearing in the children’s agendas, portfolios and notebooks, on classroom walls and boards, in weekly updates from teachers, and throughout classroom discussions. By all accounts, Walt is a pretty popular character around here! W.A.L.T. statements are not new on the Toh Tuck campus, but they may be new to many of our parents and students. There are a number of very good reasons that WALT is so popular, not just at Toh Tuck, but on all of our PYP campuses at CIS. W.A.L.T. can stand for a number of things – We Are Learning To, We Are Learning That, We Are Learning Today… These statements help teachers to share a specific learning intention with the children – whether it’s a skill or piece of knowledge the class will be working on, a focus for a small group, or a next step for a specific child. For example, “We Are Learning To… remember numbers that add to 10 quickly and efficiently” (knowledge), or “We Are Learning To… show our thinking on a number line” (skill). The statement serves as an anchor for the children to refer back to, a hook into their learning, so that they are clear on what is being learned and are better able to assess and communicate their learning.
criteria to include in their work to be successful. W.A.L.T. statements allow students, teachers and parents to have a common language and understanding on which to build these criteria, and then to give direct feedback and identify next steps for learning. The statements help children to self and peer assess their own learning in order to become more reflective learners who “think about thinking.” For example, if earlier in a Unit of Inquiry a class worked on the statement “W.A.L.T. be good communicators by listening attentively to our classmates,” the students may later communicate their learning by saying “I am a good communicator because I listened attentively to my group by sitting still, making eye contact, and I could ask questions about what was said.” Next time you notice a W.A.L.T. in your child’s classroom, on a bulletin board in a hallway, or in your child’s agenda, please help your child to remember the learning intention and to reflect on his or her learning. Learning is strengthened and understanding deepened as students reflect and make connections back to these statements. W.A.L.T.s really do speak volumes after all.
Research shows that children are successful learners when teachers clearly define and communicate learning intentions, and when the students understand what
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CIS Husky Herald - October 2010
FUN DAY AT HIGH SCHOOL - A REAL HIT!
By Rebecca Jiemy, High School Student Council President On Friday, August 27, 2010, the High School Student Council held its first event of the year, Funday. Funday is an annual high school event, held at the beginning of each year with the primary purpose of introducing students to each other and making everyone at CIS feel welcome. The theme this year was cars, and there were 16 teams, each led by a teacher. Students were placed in one of the 16 teams at random, giving everyone the opportunity to meet new people. Funday games encouraged teamwork as team members worked together and competed against the opposition. As the day progressed, new bonds forming between the students were evident and it was great to see healthy competition in play. Funday also gave students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the new Jurong East campus, which was new to both new and returning students.
pass, and can tower. Many students enjoyed themselves thoroughly throughout the day, playing common games that held unexpected twists, thanks to the volunteers who helped out and made things more fun. Even the middle school students couldn’t resist watching the games during their nutrition break!
Unfortunately, there is a not so welcome ‘tradition’ that seems to go along with our traditional Funday. Mr. Rain, who will not be satisfied unless he showers our school grounds with rain on Funday. We call it the “Funday Curse”. Fortunately, the student council was prepared and had plans for both rain or sun, and when the day presented itself and the rain came to visit, we naturally had to go with the rainy day plan. The rainy day plan included games such as: balloon hug, tug-of-war, doctor dodge ball, charades, Pictionary, hula-hoop
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THE COMING TOGETHER OF two COMMuNITIES By Keith Bland, Middle School Principal Over the last five months there have been many conversations about the development of our Grade 4 to 12 Jurong East community. The goal was to bring two communities together, each with their distinctive spirit, character and culture and have them integrate into a successful Grade 4 to 12 community. Of
Extensive planning and discussion occurred at the end of last school year regarding schedules, timetables, practical logistics and the use of facilities. These were critical in ensuring the efficient transition, management and operation of the school. More importantly, many discussions took place regarding the factors that
relevant curriculum.
key importance is a community that celebrates excellence, enhances opportunities for collaboration and yet maintains the distinctive integrity of each programme; the Grades 4 to 8 Expanding Horizons Years and the Grades 9 to 12 Defining Years.
truly make a difference in both the creation of a unique and dynamic school community and making a school a special place. The CIS community fosters positive attitudes, relationships and interactions and celebrates the joy that students and teachers receive from being engaged in an exciting, challenging and
dancers who performed on stage. High School students equally enjoyed and were enthralled by the performance and watched in a less animated but very typical teenage way. There was a wonderful, almost palpable atmosphere in the gymnasium as students across all grade levels shared their thoughts and feelings after the
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CIS Husky Herald - October 2010
A combined Middle and High School assembly in week one set the tone and feel for what was to be the emergence of a very successful year. Middle School students were moved and engaged enthusiastically by a group of young Cambodian ‘Hip Hop’
performance – ‘that is what happens in families’. As the year moves on, the strength and nature of interactions continue to broaden in our community as students across the grades have: watched and cheered on our Under-19 soccer team competing against another
international school on home turf, worked together to support a community service outreach initiative, and discussed and shared their thoughts regarding topics of common interest on the school bus. They have also had the opportunity to enjoy time together with their siblings and mutual friends, joined together
for a vast array of ECAs, had offers of homework assistance on the school bus and shared and displayed work in common areas. Younger students have observed the enthusiasm of the High School ‘Fun Day” and older students have enjoyed the energy of younger students displayed as they participated in House Leagues. Teachers
of an exciting and very special Grade 4 to 12 community.
across the grades, discussing and implementing an exciting and innovative curriculum, are also benefitting from the combined community.
do note the opportunities we have created for you and your children to drop by and see us in action.
We are all looking forward to our Lakeside campus when we will be an ECE to Grade 12 community. In the meantime, one can only truly appreciate how effectively the JE community has come together by visiting us in person! Please
As the year progresses, there will be increasingly more opportunities for us to share the strength of who we are and how proud we are to be part
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HOUSE LEAGUES AT MIDDLE SCHOOL
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CIS Husky Herald - October 2010
WAELP AT MIDDLE SCHOOL
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LEARNING CENTRE ANNOUNCEMENT cis learning centres now have the tumblebook library ACCESS IT FROM ANYWHERE AND AT ANYTIME! The TumbleBook Library is a collection of English language animated, talking picture books, TumblePuzzles, and TumbleQuizzes. * The Language Learning section has a growing collection of books in Spanish and French and the drop down menu on the top right hand corner of the site allows you to view the entire site in Spanish or French. To log on: 1.
2. 3.
The quickest and easiest way to access the TumbleBookLibrary is via this direct link:http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/
auto_login.asp?U=cissingaporeP=books
Enter via the CIS Learning Centres’ homepages at:
http://learningcentre.cis.edu.sg
Click on your campus Learning Centre link and then on the TumbleBook Library link Go to http://www.tumblebooklibrary.com Username: cissingapore Password: books
Note: TumbleBooks and TumbleQuizzes are created in Flash animation and require the Flash plug-in to view and hear the animation. If you are unable to view the books you can download the Flash plug-in for free at www.macromedia.com. Happy Reading! Your CIS Teacher-Librarians
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CIS Husky Herald - October 2010
school CALENDAR - OCTOBER TO DECEMBER SCHOOL WIDE: October 13 Parent/Teacher and 3-Way Conferences (no classes) 14 & 15 Staff Professional Development Day (no classes) 18 to 22 October Break 30 Tailgating for Treats – Toh Tuck and Tanjong Katong November 3 PTA General Meeting (JE Campus) 5 Deepavali (no classes for students) 17 Hari Raya Haji (no classes) December 1 2 20 to Jan 7
Deadline for Notice of Withdrawal (for students not returning after the December break or leaving at the end of Semester 1) Jurong East Open House (all CIS parents are invited to attend) December Break
TANJONG KATONG CAMPUS: October 12 & 13 Parent/Teacher Conferences 30 Tailgating for Treats November 26
Spirit Day – Crazy Hair Day
December 17
Holiday Concert
TOH TUCK CAMPUS: October 11 & 13 Parent/Teacher Conferences 26 Mass Workout 27 PYP Parent Information Evening 30 Tailgating for Treats November 10 to 12 30
Uniting Nations Middle School and Grade 4 Information Evening at JE
December 10
Holiday Concert
JURONG EAST (MIDDLE SCHOOL) CAMPUS: October 12 & 13 3-Way Conferences 27 Approaches to Learning Information Evening 28 Halloween Dance November 3 18 25 25 to 30 30
PYP Meeting Speech Arts Evening OSSD/IB DP Information Evening Grade 8 Exams Information Evening for TT Parents
December 2 9
JE Open House (all CIS parents are invited to attend) Holiday Concert
JURONG EAST (HIGH SCHOOL) CAMPUS: October 12 and 13 3-Way Conferences 27 Approaches to Learning Information Evening 29 Nightmare at JE November 4 16 25
OSSD Mid-term Semester 1 Reports Issued Full Disclosure - OSSD OSSD/IB DP Information Evening
December 2 3 9 14 to 17
JE Open House (all CIS parents are invited to attend) Culture Fest Holiday Concert Exams
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www.cis.edu.sg
TOH TUCK CAMPUS 5 TOH TUCK ROAD SINGAPORE 596679 PHONE: 6467 1732 EMAIL: admissions@cis.edu.sg
JURONG EAST CAMPUS 561 JURONG EAST STREET 24 SINGAPORE 609561 PHONE: 6875 1519/6323 0208 EMAIL: admissions@cis.edu.sg
TANJONG KATONG CAMPUS 371 TANJONG KATONG ROAD SINGAPORE 437128 PHONE: 6345 1573 EMAIL: admissionstk@cis.edu.sg