Mosaic@cis April 2017 by Canadian International School

COVER STORY

Secondary students take us on a nostalgic journey into the American teenagers’ world filled with disco music, retro dance moves and phenomenal acting. Words by CIS Communications

Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

COVER STORY

Secondary nails Grease.

COVER STORY

The CIS community enjoyed a flawless performance of Grease, the musical, by a cast of 25 amazing and dedicated secondary students from grades 9 to 12 last November. Sandy, played by Noa, enchanted the audience with her beautiful voice and stage presence. Courageous actor (and new CIS student), Cassian, channelled John Travolta’s acting and dancing from the classic movie with his performance as central character Danny. All actors did an excellent job bringing the all-time popular Grease musical to life in the David Foster Theatre. Madeline (Rizzo), Sofia (Marty), Haizea (Jan), Luke (Kenickie), Varun (Roger), Angus (Sonny), Filippa (Cha-Cha), Rushabh (Doody) and Elodie (Frenchy) took us on a journey into the world of American teenagers in the late 1970’s. Beyond the acting and singing, the production was successful largely due to student-driven teamwork. Students were active in every stage of the production from planning to directing, producing, stage set-up and costume design. Musical Director Sandra Stipic, MYP/DP music teacher, said that initially, the biggest challenge was to coordinate all the parts to come together flawlessly whilst guiding students to bring their energy and focus into the production. She soon realised though that this challenge became a success story - as students embraced their commitment to the production, and their acting went far beyond expectations. Congratulations to the Grease team on an excellent production! Keep on singing, dancing, and acting!

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FEATURED NEWS

In fact, Galton, 1995 and Pratt & George, 2005 consider making a friend in the first month the key success factor of a major school transition.

“Making new friends and building a good rapport with new teachers is crucial”

Parents should monitor their children’s transition to a new school closely and communicate their observations with teachers to give them a better understanding of their child’s needs. Teachers, in return, can make a thorough assessment of the student by taking into account their personality, their emotional status and any relevant family factors. This ongoing open partnership ensures students are supported academically, socially and emotionally, allowing them time to adjust to their new school environment, at their own pace. Often, parents and students expectations of how long it takes to settle in and adjust to a new school environment a re unrealistic.

Changing schools the impact to learning.

According to Professor Jennifer Warlick’s study from the University of Notre Dame, one of the little known ramifications of moving schools is the associated learning loss that comes with it. It takes approximately 6 months for a student to recover from a move, and to settle in academically. It is important to be mindful of this fact, and that student success depends on long term stability and a firm commitment to their academic and social environment. If you are new and have any concerns about settling in or school life in general, talk to us. We have a team who can support you. Above all, we want this transition to be successful, rewarding and enjoyable!

Being an international student can be challenging as it requires adjustment. A welcoming and inclusive new school environment is critical. Words by CIS Communications Mobility has become a major trend in recent decades, with students moving schools and often, countries. Children who get to go to school outside their home country live a life that some consider exciting and full of opportunity. These “international students” get to learn about new cultures, they experience new languages, they travel and explore countries and the associated challenges, and they form friendships that often stay intact regardless of geographic location. But being an international student requires adjustment. Adjustments such as leaving childhood friends behind and making new ones, coming to terms with a new school and understanding their way of doing things, discovering new expectations and norms of the host country, and at times, learning a completely new language. Different teachers, teaching and learning styles and methods also add to 06

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the equation. Pivotal to a student’s adjustment in a new school, are the partnerships formed to support them: between the school’s administration, teachers and parents. A student’s new school must be welcoming and inclusive, and they should encourage students to engage in social activities, sports and clubs so that they don’t feel isolated. The effects of mobility on reading and mathematics can be negative (Mehana, 1997), and this is often the result of adjustment issues. At CIS, extra time is spent with new students to ease them into their academic routines, and a buddy system is put in place so that students can quickly make friends. This is important as making new friends and building a good rapport with new teachers is crucial. Both of these factors boost a student’s confidence and positively impact their academic performance. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

LEARNING

An early years “eggsellent” inquiry. Our kindergarten students learnt about living things and how to take care of them through a “hatching” project. Words by Rachel Poff, PYP Coordinator, Lakeside Campus As part of our Kindergarten programme, we provide our children with rich learning engagements that allow the students to use their creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills. We also model a transdisciplinary approach to learning so students are building their understanding about science, mathematics, languages and the arts through a hands-on, play-based model. During November and December, Senior and Junior Kindergarten were both working under the transdisciplinary theme of Sharing the Planet which involved inquiring about living things. Our youngest learners in Pre-Kindergarten were inquiring into communities and the responsibilities we have as members. With all of these units fitting together nicely, we decided that it would be a wonderful experience for our students to hatch hen eggs. We first purchased an incubator, a heater and 24 hen eggs from a local distributor. They were set up in the kindergarten pod and the excitement soon rippled throughout the learning environment. Soon the children were making predictions about what was inside the eggs. These ideas covered everything from a tiny omelet to a mermaid. Using a large calendar, a countdown was initiated leading up to the hatching date at the end of a 21-day period. The students used their research skills to look up information in nonfiction texts. They used the features of a text to help guide them as they drew pictures, wrote information and shared their knowledge with each other. We used a powerful candling light that allowed us to have a look inside the eggs and see the development of the embryo. In connection with the various central ideas, the students predicted what the chicks would need in order to survive once they hatched. We decided on the necessities of food, water, shelter, a soft bed and a safe place. We created the area and we waited. We also discussed what the role of the incubator was and how it was helping the chicks grow.

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“For two and a half weeks, the students observed the chickens grow and change.” On 24 November, the excitement really began. The first shelled pipped. A pip is when the baby chick punctures the hard shell for the first time. In order to properly prepare the children, a video had been shown of a chick hatching so they knew what to expect. They knew it could be a long process and that we were not to interfere. Our Digital Learning Coach, Joe Teft, set up a live feed that was connected to all of the kindergarten classrooms so they could watch the action. There was cheering and clapping when the chicks began to hatch. Slowly at first, but then with the encouraging peeping of their siblings, the chicks began hatching one after another. They came out looking rather worse for wear, but soon enough were fluffy yellow birds. In total, we had 16 chickens hatch. For two and a half weeks, the students observed the chickens grow and change. They recorded the changes they observed, created sculptures of the chicks with Sandra Ebsworth, our Integrated Arts Specialist, and wrote reflections on their learning with their homeroom teachers. The chickens quickly began to eat and drink from the dishes we had provided. They began growing wing feathers and becoming much more mobile.

We had one escape which caused much panic and frightened peeping from the others until they were reunited. The children had the opportunity to touch them and observe them up close. They were even brought outside and given room to explore the Outdoor Discovery Centre. Luckily for us, a number of families within our CIS community raise chickens at home. We found homes for 10 of our flock and continue to receive updates on their well-being. The other six returned to the breeder and have found homes in Singapore. The students were very sad to see the chicks leave. An impromptu shrine of sorts has been created in the pod. There were love letters to the chicks posted where the incubator once stood. I think we can all agree that this was an amazing opportunity for our students to learn about the world around, how to care for living things and most importantly foster a love for learning. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

LEARNING

Home reading for young children. Learning to read vs loving to read? Parents and teachers should work together to foster a love of reading. Words by Kirsty Kelly, PYP Coordinator, TK Campus

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” - Emilie Buchwald With these words as a starting point, a group of 25 parents gathered together on a Friday morning to explore ways in which to make home reading time both authentic and engaging for young readers and their parents.

developing a child’s interest in books and reading, and how rich illustrations and photographs engage a child’s interest in reading, even though they are not able to read the text independently.

The initial discussion centred on the difference between learning to read and loving to read, and while both are home-school partnerships, the home environment is more conducive to fostering a love of reading.

The workshop concluded with a visit to the TK library, where parents browsed the shelves, enthusiastically identifying the different genres and writing styles presented earlier.

We focused on ways to make home reading enjoyable as well as manageable for busy families. Establishing reading rituals such as a special place or time of day, using expression and silly voices or talking about the pictures all establish strong connections to books and reading. While reading is often thought of as a shared experience between a child and parent, it can also take the form of a child reading to an older or younger sibling, a pet or a favourite toy. It can also be via Skype or Facetime with family and friends overseas, or a travelling parent. Parents had the opportunity to explore a variety of genres such as books without words and books without pictures, as well as rhyming books, pattern stories and multilingual books. We also addressed the importance of non-fiction in

They eagerly checked out a range of books to bring home and read with their child(ren), some selecting classics from their own childhood, others choosing from the non-fiction sections. Hopefully they will all be back soon, to find new books to share with their emerging readers. The library is available to all TK parents, Monday to Friday 7.45am to 8.30am and from 3.30pm to 4.45pm, so please drop by and explore our collection, which includes books in a range of languages. A final thought, with a slight modification, the last lines of a poem called The Reading Mother. “You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be -- I had a parent who read to me.” - Gillian Strickland

Stories came to life at TK. Atinuke told stories of her native Africa to a spellbound audience of Grade 3 students at TK. Words by CIS Communications TK Grade 3 students welcomed internationally renowned children’s author and storyteller, Atinuke. Students were spellbound as Atinuke told stories of life in her native Nigeria, and read from her book The No.1 Car Spotter, a tale of a young Nigerian boy with a passion for cars. The library fell silent as Atinuke began to tell the tale of the struggles No.1’s family face when Grandma becomes ill and Papa loses his job in the city. How will the family find the money to pay for Grandma to go to the hospital? It wasn’t long before students learnt how one boy’s ingenuity, hard work and risk-taking would improve life for his entire village. Along with the No.1 Car Spotter series, Atunike has also written a series of books featuring Anna Hibiscus, a girl who lives in “amazing Africa” with her large extended family. Young readers will learn that life is very different in Africa, and a young girl can face, and overcome, many challenges. Our students asked excellent questions at the end of the

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session: why would people from the village carry buckets of water on their heads instead of in their arms? If families don’t have money to send their children to school, why don’t they home school them instead? Atunike happily answered them all, broadening students’ understanding of a very different culture. Many students had ordered copies of Atinuke’s books at the recent PTA book fair and were delighted to learn they would be receiving autographed copies later that day. Our young readers were anxious to start reading more about the adventures of No.1 and Anna Hibiscus. Many thanks to Ms Nadine for arranging Atinuke’s visit. The TK library is grateful to the TK PTA for sponsoring this author visit. Parents can find more information about Atinuke and her books on TK’s library page in My.CIS. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

LEARNING

During lunch, it was clear that lessons had been embraced and spirits were high. The students excitedly shared their tales and talked about how ‘cool’ they found their subjects and their teachers. This day proved that learning and fun can go hand in hand, and I would like to offer a huge thanks to all of the teachers who provided such valuable insights into CIS Secondary. Special thanks to our Grade 6 students as well - their enthusiasm for learning and our school was simply awe inspiring.

“The transition taster day proved that learning and fun can go hand in hand.”

Grade 6 transition taster day. Grade 6 students from Lakeside and TK got a taste of secondary school through a range of exciting learning activities. Words by Chris Lee, Grade 7 Lead On 21 November, 240 Grade 6 students from TK and LKS descended on the CIS Secondary School for a day of fun and learning. This so-called ‘transition day’ is designed to provide Grade 6 students with an experience of what it’s like to be in secondary school. The day started with a welcome from Mr Radojkovich, Secondary School Principal, followed by a tour of Lakeside so students could familiarise themselves with secondary learning spaces and experience some of the great things that make CIS what it is; an awesome place to learn. Our Grade 6s had a taste of each of the subject areas - Science, Physical Education, Individuals and Societies, Language and Literature, Design and Technology and Arts. In science, students got to experience working in a lab where they discovered what the sublimation of carbon dioxide was and how that led to the production of methane gas. 12

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The Physical Education team gave students the opportunity to experience a variety of games which was not only lots of fun, but also a great workout to get fit. Individuals and Societies saw the use of IT in the classroom taken to another level with interactive quizzes and google expeditions. Language and Literature sought out their inner detective with a smart murder mystery / whodunnit. In Design and Technology, Mr Sergi and Dr Yates invited the students to a culinary challenge where no technology was allowed: no wood metal and no CAD work. Arts and Technology don’t mix, do they? Yes, they do! The students were charged with designing and making their own DrawBot- an art robot with the drawing capabilities of Picasso and the ingenuity of a CIS student. Armed with their imagination and friends’ support, the students played in their own slow motion picture in the Hollywood inspired drama room. TK students were excited to be introduced to grade 7 classes on Lakeside campus. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

LEARNING

Grade 10 music analysis podcast. Grade 10 students took the challenge of creating their own podcasts about a music genre they love. Words by Morgan Meyer, Grade 10 student

Medical advances examined. Grade 9 Individuals and Societies and Science students joined forces to examine medical advances. Words by Sofia Atun and Pavani Phlaphongphanit, Grade 9 students Our first unit in both our Grade 9 Science and Individuals and Societies (I&S) classes was an interdisciplinary unit on the topic of medicine. In I&S, we looked at medical advances throughout time and in Science we looked at how these medical advances have affected our bodies, how we developed stronger immune systems to fight diseases and how vaccines have helped us prevent certain diseases. Overall, the unit gave us an opportunity to think about the connectedness of both disciplines. We were able to combine both important subjects into a real life situation by explaining a medical advancement. The final task was to create a video based on the educational series, ‘Crash Course’ by Hank and John Green. We were to select a significant medical advancement and research the social, political, economic, environmental, ethical and demographic factors of our chosen topic. Group members worked collaboratively to research and plan how to present their ideas in the Crash Course. We learnt how to use green screen technology and to add animation in the background afterwards. In addition to deepening our understanding of the history of medicine, this task also provided us with the opportunity to develop teamwork and time management skills. We learnt that it is important to manage our time well to a strict deadline and to communicate our message clearly and concisely. It was a great experience for us to use the green screen, and throughout our recording sessions, we had fun playing 14

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around with the animations and background settings. Although editing the video was time consuming, it was fun to play around with the settings to suddenly become a different person, or using the green screen, to pretend to be in places we weren’t. Teacher’s note by Piers Tainsh, Head of Individuals and Societies The first unit of the year for both I&S and Science has been a resounding success thanks to the input of our teachers and the response of the students. The quality of the final products was excellent, showing not only a great understanding of the topic, but also the development of students’ collaboration and communication skills. Whilst the quality of all were good, these two are exemplary.

Scan these QR codes to view their presentation videos.

Yimiao and Rui

Andrej and Brendan

As Grade 10 Music students, we were tasked to create a podcast in teams about a music genre of our choice. Podcasting is a form of audio broadcasting on the Internet which has become popular among young people. This project is just one of many initiatives that CIS takes as a part of its 21st century curriculum which allows globally aware students to flourish.

was the genre we picked. One of the main challenges was trying to come up with a creative format for our podcast. An innovative idea came from one of our group members, Cian, who suggested having the podcast progress like a video game, gradually levelling up as the podcast went on. It was a combination of these sorts of ideas that allowed our project to be successful.

In August, our music teacher Mr Kemp asked us to find and listen to a podcast online for ten minutes. Then, we had a class discussion about what we listened to and what the purpose of the podcast was. We had thought provoking discussions on the wide range of podcast topics. Mr Kemp stayed largely out of the fray, allowing us students to deliberate uninterruptedly, and come up with creative questions and answers. We knew all along that our task would eventually be to create our own 10-minute podcast. We would need to include examples of music from the genre of our choice, and link them to musical terms that we had learnt in class in order to show our knowledge and understanding of music.

The next step after coming up with a script was recording, and this was completed in the school’s brand new recording studio. Our class was introduced to Mr Edwin Lagos, our Digital Literacy Coach, who assisted us with the equipment in the recording studio. Some of the hardware was quite amazing, and it was a fresh and exciting experience for all involved. I think that being exposed to these sorts of experiences differentiates CIS students. I am delighted to have participated in such a unique project. After all, it is not everyday you get to talk like a radio star! Even though podcast recording was pretty cool, sharing was also great fun, as we got to listen to other students’ ideas and learn all about other music genres that we had never heard of or been interested in.

After a couple of weeks, we were told to pick a partner and a music genre that we were both interested in. We had the blessing and challenge of having 3 people in our group. The challenge was to have less time for each of us as to talk within the podcast, the blessing was the additional input from the third person on our genre. Video game music

The purpose of the podcasts was indeed fulfilled: to produce, present and share information in a format fit for today’s world. It is terrific to be learning this diverse and exciting curriculum and be encouraged to be globally minded and outstanding. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

Grade 3 student, Aritra, is the overall champion of Primary 2 in the Singapore International Math Olympiad Challenge.

Words by CIS Communications

CIS is immensely proud of Grade 3 student, Aritra, who won the Overall Champion of Primary 2 students in the Singapore International Math Olympiad Challenge (SIMOC), held in Singapore on 13 and 14 August 2016. Aritra’s mathematical talent is no news to his teachers, Mrs Sarah and Ms Mylene, who mentored him for the competition. Aritra competed in the Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO) earlier this calendar year. He won a gold medal at this preliminary competition, along with an invitation to participate in the SIMOC. This year’s SIMOC featured 760 of the brightest students from all grades and from 15 countries including India, China, Mongolia, Bulgaria and Russia. The day long event on Saturday, 13 August, included a math olympiad contest for individuals and two team-based contests called the “Mind Sports Challenge” and “Math Warriors Competition”. Aritra won a gold in the individual contest and his team (comprising of three students, with two students from Uzbekistan and Cambodia) was the champion in the Mind Sports Challenge. The Overall Champion title was awarded to only one participant from each grade, based on the student performances in all three categories. Congratulations to Aritra for his astonishing success in this reputable global math competition. He has made our community very proud. Congratulations also to his talented teachers for their expert guidance and mentoring.

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LEARNING

CIS’ Singapore International Math Olympiad Challenge Champion.

Brains studied inside out. Grade 5 explored the brain, its structure and distinctive functions with a series of authentic learning engagements.

Words by Aynsley Smith and Thomas Hansen, Grade 5 teachers

For our first unit of inquiry in Grade 5, we learnt about the brain and explored our central idea: “the brain’s ability to change and adapt is central to life.” We began the unit with a hands-on provocation involving real sheep brains, where students were given opportunities to ask questions, make connections, and demonstrate any background knowledge they had. Students were instantly intrigued by the shape, feel and similarities of the sheep brains to human brains. After this very authentic experience, students investigated the structure and function of the brain and investigated a range of brain conditions, birth anomalies, and external factors that affect our brains. Students learnt how to use and care for microscopes during the exploration and viewed animal cells for the first time. We were fortunate to have a parent volunteer and neurologist, Dr Sashi Kesavapany, share his expertise in the field towards the end of the unit. He spoke to the students about the essential role the brain plays in controlling our whole body, and discussed diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS. Dr Kesavapany also conducted a live dissection of a rat brain for us! As a culmination of learning in this unit, students shared their new understanding at the Grade 5 open house for parents, where they spoke confidently and answered questions from visitors. This unit will definitely be one of the more memorable ones for our students, and was a great way to start a year of learning!

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LEARNING

Grade 12 and JK test a theory.

Movie making explored.

Grade 12 psychology students tested a theory with the help of their JK friends. Words by Hetty Boon, JK lead teacher, Lakeside Campus The DP Psychology course sees students examining the systematic study of behaviour and mental processes. They question and explore how psychological knowledge is generated, developed and applied, in order to have a greater understanding of themselves and human behaviour in general.

Grade 7 student Ara interviews her classmate Olivia on her movie making experience. Words by Ara(thanja) Pahlawan, Grade 7 student

Grade 7s begin the year immersing themselves in short stories. By the end of their first unit, they had produced several pieces of writing, all of which focus on taking different perspectives and experimenting with writing techniques. They were tasked to turn their mini story into a video as a new way to integrate technology and celebrate writing in a different medium.

What was the inspiration for your “movie”, Olivia?

Ara asks Olivia about her writing and movie making experience.

The literary analysis chart helps us understand the techniques used by authors to develop their plots, such as setting, characterisation, conflict and climax.

How did the Spark Movie come about?

I got my inspiration from a book I read, titled Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. Was the use of Adobe Spark new to you? Was it complex or simple to use? Adobe Spark was new to us, but it was very self-explanatory and simple to use. Thanks to its simple features, all we needed to do was to use our imagination and creativity. What aspect of the literary analysis chart helped with creating the plot of the story?

In this unit, we wrote three short stories and chose the best one to develop into a movie using Adobe Spark programme. Our Digital Literacy Coach, Mr Lagos gave us an overview of Adobe Spark and showed us how to make our stories come to life.

In this case, the chart helped us plan the sequence of events, with conflict, climax, and resolution stages. Whether our stories had a cliffhanger or a normal ending, we were required to follow the classical storytelling stages. Some of us wanted to add irony to their story and some truly succeeded in doing so.

Would you say the whole process including the writing and making of the movie was challenging?

What made you want to use this point of view or perspective?

It was difficult to match: either the dialogue was more challenging or the plot was too intense… Once the writing is over, the process of making the movie was pretty simple and a lot of fun.

I wanted to be the narrator and used the third person to tell my story. I thought being the narrator gave me more control over the story and it was easier to show the direction that I intended to go.

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Over the last month, Grade 12 psychology students have been exploring Jean Piaget’s concept of egocentrism, where a three to four year old child cannot imagine a point of view other than their own. Presented with a unique opportunity to test this theory in person and observe a three to four year old’s behaviour, Grade 12 have been collaborating with my Junior Kindergarten class. The Grade 12’s set up a small barrier between themselves and their younger friends. On each side of the barrier, they placed a few small objects – a toy lion, a tree, a toy goat, etc. The Grade 12 student then asked their JK friend, “what can you see?” The younger child listed the objects in from of them on their side of the barrier. The two then switched sides and again the older asked the younger, “What can you see?” Again the child listed what was in front of them. Then the older student asked the younger students a third question: “Can you tell me what I can see in front of me?” Typically children at this age will answer that question by listing what is in front of them on their side of the barrier. Even though they have been on

the other side of the barrier and know what is there, when asked to recall that point of view they cannot. They will answer the question as if their older friend can see the same things they can see. This is what Piaget defined as “egocentrism”. As children grow and develop, they will gain the ability to recall various points of view other than their own. Besides the educational purpose of this collaborative activity, both JK and Grade 12 students had fun and enjoyed each other’s company. It is a great example of how students work together and build a strong CIS community from Kindergarten to Grade 12! Lena Fonteyne, Grade 12 psychology student, reflected on the process We studied child development in our Grade 12 Psychology class. The opportunity arose to go visit JK-3 each Friday and interact with the children. These gatherings offered us a unique learning opportunity where we are able to gain hands on experience (and understanding) in child development, and enhance our understanding of the concepts in child psychology. Additionally, it was a nice break from our stressful workload. We looked forward to playing with the children every Friday - it brightened up our week! This interactive learning experience was very memorable and an excellent example of real life field work.

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LEARNING

Grade 10 students learn more about their options at the DP course expo.

Words by CIS Communications Choosing courses for the Diploma Programme (DP) can be rather a daunting prospect for Grade 10 students. They will study their chosen subjects for two years. For many, these choices will have an impact on their university applications so it’s important that students be able to make well informed choices. At CIS, the selection process begins with the DP course expo where students meet with DP teachers one-on-one, or in small groups, to talk about course content and expectations, and how each course might be relevant to their future studies.

LEARNING

DP course expo.

ELL challenges communication skills. TK Grades 4 to 6 students improved their English skills through various blind folded activities in classroom and creative playground.

Words by Sumita Malhotra and Jamie Yorke, ELL teachers

This year’s DP course expo saw approximately 140 Grade 10 students exploring their many DP options. They also had the opportunity to meet with current DP students in each subject area to talk about their experiences. Students asked pertinent questions about course content and expectations, and learnt more about the impact their DP choices may have on the course options available to them at university. Grade 10 students have now made their preliminary DP course selections based on their investigations, and will finalise their choices over the coming months. An important aspect of this process will be ongoing counselling from our academic counsellor and DP coordinator, and one-on-one meetings with students, as needed. Our goal is to have students enter the DP next in August, confident in the path they have chosen, and excited to begin the next chapter in their IB journey.

Grades 4 to 6 ELL students at TK have been playing games and doing activities blindfolded as a way to improve their communication skills. The students enjoyed their first blindfold challenge on the creative playground. They were grouped in pairs, where one student was blindfolded. The students who were not blindfolded were asked to guide their blindfolded partners safely around obstacles, using simple English commands. Partners needed to trust each other, and guides had to speak clearly in English as they led their partners from one place to another. This was an excellent showcase of their improved speaking and listening skills. In the second activity, students did a blindfolded drawing activity with their partner in the classroom. Once their partner was blindfolded, we wrote a word on the board that they needed to attempt to have their partner draw in their notebook without knowing what they were drawing. These activities have been a great way to build their speaking and listening skills while at the same time encouraging them to trust each other, cooperate better and have fun! 20

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LEARNING

Primary students enjoyed performing French plays in the new mini theatre this year. Words by Catherine Denney-Chopin, primary French teacher French plays have become a tradition at CIS. And this year was no exception! At the end of November, primary students in Grades 1 to 6, who take French as a second language, proudly performed their French plays in a new venue: the North Wing’s Mini Theatre on level 3. These well-loved plays showcase our students’ French language skills as they speak and act in front of a parent audience. Each student put in a lot of effort to learn the vocabulary and structures of each story, and to practice the performance with added gestures and visual support… in order to help the audience (who usually don’t speak French) gradually make sense of the stories. These plays help develop many of the PYP learner profile traits. Students demonstrate they are thinkers as they learn about the meaning of sentences and act accordingly. They prove themselves to be good communicators as they speak and answer questions about the story in French. Last but not least, they demonstrate their risk taking spirit by performing in public in a foreign language. In previous years, performances took place at the end of the school year. This year we made a few changes, and hosted the plays before Christmas to allow more time for follow-up written work, other units and grammar development, and for consolidation during Semester 2. Despite the performances’ earlier dates (which allowed less time for rehearsals), our students really rose to the challenge and worked cooperatively and enthusiastically to put on the best shows possible. 22

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Students were very excited to act in the mini theatre for the first time. It provided quite a different feel due to the stage and nice big stage curtains. Its professional setting made the students feel like real actors and inspired them to act their very best. Thanks to the kind and supportive Drama Department, our students secured enough rehearsal time in the venue prior to their big day. We used the projector and sound system in some of the plays to add special sound effects and images, as in one of the Grade 5 plays, “l’Arbre Ungali” where a student created his own PowerPoint slides with sound to complement the story. In “Comment y aller”, the Grade 4 play, a range of transportation sounds were introduced, and “L’île”, one of the Grade 6 plays, benefited from sounds of a sea storm to make the sinking of the ship more dramatic, and the growling of the island monster more impressive. The only disadvantage of the earlier timing is that the performances are already over! Indeed, many students have asked Madame Padilla and me if they could do another play after Christmas - a good indicator of how much they love studying stories and acting in French! Acting really creates a meaningful context, purpose and excitement for students learning a new language. As a bonus, the newly acquired knowledge can be used later to extend connections and further develop language skills. Bravo and “félicitations” to all our French learners on completing your magnificent performances! We see some budding actors in the making.

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Primary French plays in mini theatre.

Digital literacy at CIS.

Our Digital Literacy programme ensures students embrace technology in their learning to find, use and create info and to collaborate effectively. Words by Egmond Boon, Head of Digital Literacy and STEAM, Lakeside Campus What is digital literacy? In the 21st century, literacy has evolved beyond its basic definition of knowing how to read and write. Everyone is required to know how to process, deliver and receive information in today’s highly digitalised world. It is inevitable then that the new definition of literacy includes components of digital literacy, which emphasises the ability to use digital technology, communication tools and networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information. Digital literacy at CIS At CIS, we ensure our students learn how to think critically and ethically as they harness technology in their learning, behave safely and appropriately online, identify what information is important online, and use technology as a tool to showcase their skills and talents. They learn to be strategic in their approach to the use of technology - as they connect and collaborate with others. Digital literacy is taught through our One to World Programme, where we apply best practice models and standards adopted from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Common Sense Education, and the IB Programme. Digital citizenship at CIS Our dynamic and changing world requires new comprehension and

communication skills, as well as evolving codes of conduct, to ensure that these powerful media and technologies are used responsibly and ethically. Much of the interaction in this digital world happens at a distance, making it difficult for children to understand the consequences of their actions, as much of their digital life takes place under the cloak of anonymity. We endeavour to highlight to our students that although it might seem easy to participate in unethical and even illegal behaviors online, it is not right. Digital citizenship means that children appreciate their responsibility for their content as well as their actions when using the internet, mobile devices, and other digital media. All of us need to develop and practice safe, legal, and ethical behaviors in the digital media age. The Canadian International School is a common sense digital citizenship certified school, and we have adopted their scope and sequence: K-12 digital citizenship curriculum. This comprehensive curriculum is designed to empower students to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in our digital world. From lesson plans, videos, student interactives, and assessments, to professional learning and family outreach materials, their turnkey curriculum provides schools with everything they need to take a whole community approach to digital citizenship. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

INNOVATION AND TECHONOLOGY

It’s the students’ turn to teach their teachers about using iPads for learning. Words by Ben Grundy, Grade 4 lead teacher

A small group of excited and enthusiastic Grade 4 students have been skipping out on their usual lunchtime recess for a little unusual activity - running a PD (Professional Development) session. These eager students have been busy preparing for their first experience of being teachers. And their students? Teachers at CIS. That’s right, these students have been giving up their lunches to teach their teachers more about using iPads for learning. These committed students form our iPad Leadership team. They recently organised the first Apple bites lunchtime session, where teachers were invited to come and learn more about some of the apps we’re using in class for learning. Apps included Explain Everything, Notability and My.CIS. Teachers came with an open mind to hear more about these apps that they were yet to explore themselves or to find out more about how to use specific apps within their classes. This was just the first of a number of leadership activities that our iPad Leadership team has planned to undertake. Currently in planning, students have been learning more 24

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about how to code using robot toys, Spheros and Dash and Dots. Once the team is ready, they will be working with English Language Learner (ELL) students to provide opportunities to build their conversational English in a real context. Also in the plans are to set up an ‘on-demand’ professional development programme where teachers can request students to meet with them during the teacher preparation periods to provide training on apps, tips and tricks for using iPads in the classroom. The students in the iPad Leadership team have demonstrated excellent commitment to give up their lunchtimes to offer leadership in a variety of ways. The team consists of two students from each of the Grade 4 classes who were nominated and elected for by their class peers. Opportunity for participation from other students will be offered later in the year.

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Students train teachers on iPad.

CIS CEO’s EduTech opening address. CIS CEO Mr Armstrong delivered an opening speech that focuses on the role of technology in the education space today and tomorrow. Words by CIS Communications

Developing a 21st century mindset is critical in today’s schools. A rigorous academic programme needs to be complemented by the effective use of technology, as we develop fundamental real life skills and attitudes that will equip students to thrive in today’s modern workplace. Being at the forefront of digital learning is important, and we take every opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise with the greater community, as well as learning more about the changing digital landscape and new innovations that will benefit learning. A number of CIS faculty and CEO, Shane Armstrong shared more about our ethos and areas of expertise at the recent EduTech Asia 2016 conference: a prestigious regional conference that saw 2,000 policy makers, educational establishments and educators from across Asia gather to learn about technology in education. Mr Armstrong delivered one of the opening speeches (the only international school representative) of the K-12 Ed Leaders Forum. In his address, he focussed on the changes

that technology had delivered in the education space over the past 25 years and also discussed the direction and likely impact of technology on schools of the future. Our Head of Design, Mr Joe Sergi, presented to conference participants about the impact of physical space design on student engagement, and hosted a roundtable discussion on how to empower students by applying the design thinking process. Conference delegates toured the top three international schools: CIS, UWC and Tanglin Trust. At Lakeside, the tour was led by our Head of STEAM, Mr Egmond Boon, who gave them a tour of Lakeside’s STEAM centre and primary makerspaces. Delegates tweeted about how impressed they were with the evidence of learning at CIS. If you are interested in learning more about what we do, our pioneering programmes, or would simply like to take a tour yourself, contact us. We are always happy to share our passion about educational technology, and why we are committed to developing 21st century thinkers.

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INNOVATION AND TECHONOLOGY GALLERY

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY GALLERY

Code Camp IV. Code Camp IV saw 66 eager young CIS coders come together at Lakeside on 13 and 14 January. During the convention, coders learnt about the scratch and python programming languages, and coding concepts including initiators, logical operators, prototyping and more. After mastering the basics, students set out to code games, apps, or robots. After an intensive two days, students gathered for an exhibition, where they demonstrated and presented their projects to peers, parents and team leaders. Watch out MIT, we have some very capable students headed your way!

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ARTS AND CREATIVITY

In Kindergarten, our focus goes beyond the subject area and encompasses children’s emotional, social and personal development. As well as developing children’s artistic skills, arts integration also focuses on the holistic development of each child. Specifically, it develops: Independence: The materials are arranged in a way that is easily accessible to students. They can independently select and gather the items they need. Confidence: The children make their own choices on how to express themselves. While they freely explore within their comfort zone, they also take cues from their peers. As they move from one area to another, they often find themselves drawn into areas that they may not have discovered unless their friends introduced them. Social and emotional skills: The space and resources are shared by students within the class. This, therefore, requires taking turns, sharing and problem solving. Language development: The various opportunities for the students to dress up, use puppets and characters to tell stories and role play enable the students to experiment with the structure of a story, expression, body shapes as well as speaking in an additional language.

Integrating arts in kindergarten. Kindergarten students are encouraged to explore and investigate ways to represent their thinking. Words by Sandra Ebsworth, Kindergarten arts teacher The CIS Kindergarten Arts Integration programme works in collaboration with the units of inquiry (UOI) in a meaningful and creative way. During scheduled Arts Integration classes, students are presented with big questions, also known as provocations, that are connected to an element of their UOI. They are then encouraged to use a variety of ‘languages’ to share their ideas. What are the ‘languages’? At CIS, we are inspired by the “hundred languages” approach which originates from the philosophy of Reggio Emilia in Italy. The aim of this approach sees children exploring concepts, and experimenting and making new discoveries. They then use symbolic languages: dance, sculpture, construction, painting and drawing as communication vehicles to express their ideas.

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Our students use these languages to demonstrate their ideas, while simultaneously demonstrating to their teachers their thinking process and decision making rationale. Initially, children are presented with a range of materials (paint, cloth, wooden blocks, clay, and so on). They are encouraged to explore and investigate ways to use these materials in ways that represent their thinking, and conceptualised ideas. Teachers are nearby, and assist students’ thinking by demonstrating techniques on how to use the materials, and talking about what creations might be possible.

Dexterity: Manipulation of materials such as clay, plasticine and wire, through breaking, rolling and bending help develop age appropriate dexterity. Fine / gross motor skills: Cutting and mark making help students advance their fine motor skills. Sensory exploration: Getting messy is always an integral element of art - sensory exploration trays enable the students to experiment, explore and be creative using abstract materials. Sensory exploration is key in the development of learning by using all of your senses. Drawing development: Children’s drawings are very important in understanding their development. Most importantly during arts integration, children learn that there are no mistakes… only unique and novel creations.

“As well as developing children’s artistic skills, arts integration also focuses on the holistic development.”

This concept can initially be challenging for children, however, the key to success is providing them with regular opportunities to represent and conceptualise ideas in a variety of ways. Often a subject will be revisited, to prompt children to think of different ways to represent their thinking on the same idea or concept.

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ARTS AND CREATIVITY

Noa is Berklee bound. Grade 12 student Noa receives the highest scholarship given to vocalists. Words by CIS Communications

Joshua’s dancing amazes all. CIS’ stage has been the first place Joshua performed in front of large audiences. Words by CIS Communications Grade 11 student Joshua is a gifted dancer who amazes audiences with his breathtaking break dance performances. A CIS student since Grade 2, Joshua has had numerous opportunities to perform on stage to large audiences in a supportive environment. Joshua started to learn how to dance four years ago after being motivated by his best friend. He started with basic hip hop steps put together with a simple choreography. He mimicked the styles of some of the greatest dancers of the genre. In his recent dance moves, Joshua enjoys using popping and waving, and combines popping, hip hop, break dancing and animation, to create his unique dance style. When asked why he chose dancing, he says watching people dance online or on stage impresses him as they entertain their audience by using movements only. He feels very happy and energetic when dancing. CIS has helped Joshua become a risk-taker and inspired him to follow his passion for dancing, and Joshua’s dancing improved after taking drama classes at CIS. His drama teachers have been instrumental in teaching him new tactics 30

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and skills that helped him with his stage performances. Through hard work and perseverance he has acquired the skills he needed to perform competitively. CIS provides an excellent platform for Joshua to apply his art. Events such as Beatfreaked and Open Mic encouraged Joshua to dance professionally. He performed at Beatfreaked 2015 for the first time in front of a large audience and he knew he was cut out for it. Joshua’s circle of friends at CIS has been really supportive of his professional dance aspirations. Joshua’s first dance performance outside CIS was a competition at an arts convention where he competed in the teens dancing category and came in 2nd place. Recently, Joshua competed at the Zee TV’s Dance Singapore Dance show, a popular dance competition, where the best dancers in Singapore compete against one another, and the top 12 dancers are required to perform in a series of challenges (duets, solo, freestyle). One dancer is eliminated every week and the best dancer of Singapore is selected in the finale of the show.

When talent meets hard work and determination, success becomes inevitable. Such was the case for CIS Grade 12 Music student, Noa Boon, who has been awarded the renowned Berklee School of Music’s highest scholarship given to vocalists. How did this happen? Noa went to Berklee with a mission last summer. During the Berklee Summer programme, she took professional music songwriting, performance and studio recording classes and performed in every audition offered, to get a 4-year scholarship to further her undergraduate studies at Berklee. At the Singers’ Songwriting Showcase, she was one of 30 students who were chosen out of 300. Only the top 10 vocalists across 5 consecutive weeks were to perform at the Tower of Power Ensemble, the famous American R&B-based horn section and band, and Noa made it to the top four. CIS has provided countless opportunities for Noa to express herself musically, from performing on stage in the David Foster Theatre to outdoor performances during the STEAM

Fair and annual carnivals. Noa has been a member of a number of instrumental bands at CIS, and as a DP Music student, she shone in her solo performances. Noa has delighted the CIS community with annual appearances at Beatfreaked, the Secondary School’s talent show. Audiences have come to appreciate her versatility as she performed solos, duets and in a group, with her musical siblings and father Egmond Boon, Head of STEAM and Digital Literacy at CIS. Noa is also a regular performer at Secondary Open Mic events, a lunchtime series where students can showcase their talents for their peers. Noa’s appearances this school year have included Beatfreaked 2016, where she performed her original song, Tough Love and the CIS’ Secondary School musical Grease, in which she had the starring role as Sandy Olsson. CIS is incredibly proud to have had the opportunity to nurture Noa’s talent and we wish her the best of luck in her promising musical endeavours! Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES

Words by Fabio Dogliotti, TK Athletics Coordinator TK’s Season 1 competitive sports started very well this year with many excited students ready to take on new team challenges in basketball, netball, badminton, football or cross-country. Coaches and students developed strong relationships that were based on mutual trust and respect. An energising sense of teamwork has assisted our teams as they practiced a range of athletic skills.

CIS Lakeside and TK teams have been active all season. CIS swim team bring home a bounty of medals from Cambodia! Words by Dean Monaghan, Head of Sports

Since the school year started, TK has hosted several friendly sports matches arranged by ACSIS. All our teams are achieving great success that is possible because of their commitment and commendable sportsmanship. We have celebrated a number of victories in basketball, football and badminton after winning multiple matches both on campus and off-site. At each of the recent football tournaments hosted at TK, we had close to 10 external teams from different international schools across Singapore participating. Students showed great motivation travelling up and down the field while coaches and spectators cheered them on.

Last month, 23 CIS swimmers went to the International School of Phnom Penh in Cambodia for an international swim meet. Armed with a super supportive parent body and one determined coach, CIS won a total of 44 medals including 21 golds, 8 silvers and 15 bronzes. Although CIS had one of the smallest teams, we placed 6th out of 14 teams with Lanihei Connolly (9 - 10 year old girls) and Molly Laycock (15+ year olds) taking away Age Group Championships, followed by Ivan Martynyuk (9-10 year old boys) placing second and Lee Bradford (11-12 year old boys) placing third. A fantastic effort by all the swimmers. Thank you to all the parents who came to support our CIS team. A very special thank you to Sean Mark for all the knowledge, support and enthusiasm he brings to the teams and Marc Lansu for organising a wonderful weekend away. Everyone left feeling tired but with big smiles on their faces. Onwards and upwards Huskies!

11U boys football starts strong. Words by Sarah Coleman, TK PE teacher and 11U football coach On Thursday, 24 November, our Husky boys traveled to Saint Joseph’s Institution International for a festival style round of football matches. As this was the first opportunity to play this season, the boys were excited to get on the pitch and show their skills and teamwork. We played 5 matches back to back with only a short break between the 10-minute games. The boys demonstrated some good team play and moments of excellent individual flair, which helped them win their first match 4-0 against Tanglin Trust School 1. Their determination paid off as they won 1-0 against Dover Court in a back and forth match. In a tight game three, Husky boys drew 1-1 with International School Singapore. Many missed opportunities meant another draw in game four (0-0 against Tanglin Trust School 2), but the boys managed to go into their last game undefeated. Showing excellent endurance, our team pushed all the way against Avondale Grammar School and remained undefeated winning 4-2. Well done boys! It has been a good start to the season now back to practice! Thank you Coach Gaffur from ESPZEN for getting the boys to work together and dedicate themselves to practice so quickly. e 32

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Season 2 for CIS Huskies will definitely be inspiring with another round of success for teams!

TK 11U girls basketball great season. Words by Rick Dennis, girls 11U basketball coach

The Girls 11U Basketball team recently competed in the ACSIS finals tournament. The girls finished 4th after a very competitive season and finals. They found themselves moved up from division 3 to division 1 for the finals, competing against the top teams, including Dulwich College. The girls demonstrated pose, teamwork and a positive attitude sweeping the round-robin portion of the tournament going 3-0. In fact, they were the only team to beat the eventual champions all season. Although the girls gave their best effort, they lost the semi-final in a tightly contested match by one point! Girls, your parents, staff, students and coaches are all very proud of you. Congratulations on a wonderful season!

TK 11U boys’ gold medal. Words by JAMIE YORK, boys 11U basketball coach The boys basketball team had a brilliant season which was capped off with a gold medal win on their finals day at AIS. They played hard all morning and supported each other as they competed in several challenging games! The boys needed help from all our players at different points of the day as it was both physically and mentally draining. After playing the first four games they advanced to the semi finals. They won both our semi final and gold medal matches in dramatic fashion! As a team, the boys showed commitment and confidence all season and should be proud of the way they came together executing a strong game plan focusing on positional play and strong defence! Well done boys and congratulations on a great season!

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ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES

Sports.

TK sports season 1 ends successfully!

ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES

Words by Thomas Hansen, U19 volleyball coach Coming into this season, our U19 girls volleyball A team carried a lot of pressure with them to perform well and succeed after the team won gold in 2015.

CIS Lakeside and TK teams have been active all season.

Clearly, this group of athletes was up to the challenge, going undefeated throughout the season, and winning every game in dominant fashion. On 31 October, the stage was set for a rematch of last year’s final against GESS, and once again the Huskies came out on top with a 3-0 win to repeat as Division 2 champions.

14U girls touch rugby team shines. Words by CIS Communications The 14U girls touch rugby team continue to shine and dominate the ACSIS league. The team is unbeaten in 3 games and we have 2 more games on the road to the final series. At our most recent Touch Association Singapore tournament, we won 2 and lost 2 to secure 9th place.

Not once did the team drop a single set this season, proving to everyone that they are more than ready to take a run at Division 1. In every game, this team won with grace, style and hard work.

Our goal was to improve each game and our ‘final’ saw us play some excellent touch that was far superior to our first game of the tournament.

They practiced hard and played even harder. For a few of our athletes, some of whom are seniors and others who will soon be repatriating, this was their final opportunity to play Huskies volleyball. They were committed to winning, and they’re going out on top, as champions! As you see our athletes around campus, please take a moment to congratulate them on a tremendous season. Led by captain Ryleigh Van Neck, the following athletes are your 2016 champions: Alexis Lim, Chloe Chiam, Emma Birsel, Erin Nishimura, Haruna Asahi, Hayden Van Neck, Haylee Little, JY How, Miya Ferrisse, Nyla Ward, Solene Le Bretton.

Our success is a result of one thing: commitment! The squad consists of 22 players who regularly train twice per week. Their enthusiastic approach to learning a new sport and having fun allows us to make training enjoyable and purposeful. We are also lucky to have the assistance of Greyson Wislang, Nat Hill and Bridget Scott as student coaches to help with individual players and skills. Special thanks go to many parents who encourage us at our games.

A special thank you to assistant coach, Renee Bellavance, for consistently encouraging and motivating our athletes to take risks in the sport, and for helping to instill a love for the game within them. Also to Dean Monaghan and Sherryn Monaghan from our Athletics Department, without whom, we wouldn’t have had a season to play in.

TK’s enthusiastic cross country team. Words by Sierra Laderoute, Judy Kay and Sarah Cole, cross country coaches The TK cross country season has just concluded with the inter-school ACSIS finals at Bedok reservoir on Thursday, 3 November. We had a great turnout of runners for our weekly training sessions including some very enthusiastic 1st graders. Most of the team were first time cross country runners, but what they missed in experience, they made up for with enthusiasm. We took advantage of our proximity to the East Coast and did many of our training runs there, building up to our 1.5km and 2km distances. Our runners all improved their endurance and technique in preparation for the inter-school ACSIS finals. Although TK cross country did not have any podium finishers, we showcased a lot of drive, determination and heart during our races and modelled amazing team spirit. Being one of the smaller schools didn’t stop our cheers or voices from being heard as we supported our team members across the finish line. I know the coaches are already looking forward to working with our cross country runners again next year! Great season CIS TK! q

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ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES

Sports.

Huskies volleyball dominates.

To all of our fans, scorekeepers, and parent cheerleaders… thank you!

Cross country athletes set new personal bests! Words by by Andrew Clarke, Secondary School cross country coach CIS secondary has assembled an enthusiastic team of cross country runners for Season 1 of 2016. Some of the team are running hard to try and earn medals at the championships while others are looking to achieve their personal best times. Every single member of the team has been working hard at training. Training sessions included interval running, hill climbing followed by 800m intervals, running curves, relays and time trials. It is clear that the training has been paying off with most of the team now qualifying to run in the meets. Our first meet was very successful with notable performances from Anna Stewart, who ran 5km in 21:44 to finish 2nd in the 16U Girls category, and from Phorkko Rajaa who ran a time of 19:40 to finish 3rd in the 16U Boys category. All runners set personal best times on the day. q

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ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES

ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES GALLERY

Sports. CIS Lakeside and TK teams have been active all season.

Competitive swimming improves Maria’s school life. Words by CIS Communications New to CIS last school year, Maria is a Lakeside Grade 5 student, and a promising young member of the Husky swim team. After 7 years living in Beijing, Maria joined CIS and settled in to swim team life quickly. She adjusted to the early morning and afternoon training schedule, and swim team life. Although Maria is an active and friendly student, changing schools and environments at a very early age impacted her socially and academically. Her parents noticed that compared to her older sister, she had a harder time making friends and her sensitive spirit resulted in her feelings getting hurt rather easily. Because of this, Maria’s sense of self confidence was not what it could be. But this quickly changed when she joined the swim team. As soon as she started excelling in training and at swim events, Maria’s parents noticed a marked shift in her personal development and sense of personal pride: Maria was proud of her achievements and started to believe in her own potential. She also learnt about failure, and how best to handle it. She obviously doesn’t like losing, but she developed a sense of resilience and used the failures to push herself and try harder. Swim training and local and international competitions have been excellent platform to learn about good sportsmanship. These events help Maria understand how much she needs to improve her swimming or her strokes. They also teach her to respect others’ achievements and to congratulate them on a job well done. During her time swimming, Maria has quickly realised her real rivals are not her swim team friends and other competitors; her biggest rival is herself. This has compelled Maria

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to set her own goals and try harder to attain them. Swimming gives Maria two important feelings: the feeling of freedom and pride. When she is under the water, she feels free. When she accomplishes a new personal best, she feels pride in herself. As a member of the black squad, she feels privileged to practice with her elder teammates, and feels supported as they cheer and support her. And of course her rigorous journey to hit new personal records keeps her alive! Maria’s mindset and motivation have not only improved her swim performance and self confidence, it has permeated the rest of her school life. She bikes to school every morning with a big smile and great energy. She applies the same skills in order to overcome challenges that she encounters in her academic life. This has positively influenced her academic performance, and helped her to improve her work in math and English, and her overall communication skills. The swim team is a close knit community. Team members, parents and coaches have a strong bond, and encourage each swimmer to thrive. Maria’s mother, Heesun Tak expresses her appreciation for coaches Jeffrey, Kristinn, and Mark’s efforts and the way they approach the swimmers and their development. She believes that because of them, CIS swimmers aim high, try their best, and go for it, and go forward. It is evident that Maria’s swimming experience has provided her with a set of life skills that will permeate her life; skills that will have her want to do her best, be a better person, a supportive team player and successful professional, according to her mother.

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SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

Ryleigh’s P2 project aimed to help out an amazing social worker’s initiative whose mission is to rescue children of incarcerated mothers in Nepal. Words by CIS Communications The personal project (P2) is the culmination of all learning in the MYP. Students are asked to take their learning and apply it to a topic they are passionate about. From sports to arts, technology and medicine, environmental issues to human rights, students work on the topic of their choice for 6-8 months and present their in-depth findings and conclusions to their family, teachers and friends during the P2 showcase. Then-Grade 10 student Ryleigh’s P2 project was one of the outstanding projects last school year. It focused on an amazing social worker’s initiative of rescuing children of incarcerated mothers in Nepal, and providing them with a residence and education in a newly built children’s home. Pushpa Basnet, an inspiring young woman, said “no” to the idea of forcing children to live in prison. She was determined to do all she could to give these children a chance for a hopeful future. Pushpa challenged governmental regulations and set about fundraising to build a home in order to give these children a chance for a hopeful future. She founded Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC), and combined the limited funding from the Nepalese government with individual donations to build the Butterfly House, a nurturing and loving home that 40 children, aged 9 months to 19 years, can now call home. Pushpa also runs a programme that teaches mothers how to create handcrafts so they can earn their living after they are released from prison. Moved by Pushpa’s story, Ryleigh wanted to take action immediately and 38

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contribute to this worthy initiative. She met with each grade level lead teacher and explained the project to get their support, and she organised a book drive across the school where she left boxes around the pods of different grade levels. In the end, she was impressed and touched by the 2500 books donated - a feat which clearly shows the CIS community’s big heart. Ryleigh had saved some money to ship the books to Nepal; however, with this impressive number of books, she had to ask for her father’s professional help in logistics. He got his Nepalese co-worker to help get the books shipped. Ryleigh visited the Butterfly Home during its grand opening in May 2016. It was a life-changing experience for Ryleigh to meet Pushpa and the children in person, see the home with her own eyes and witness the transformational impact this young woman has been making in her community. You can find out more about this courageous young woman and her initiative that touched many families’ lives, visit this website.

SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

Ryleigh’s inspirational P2 project.

Grade 8-1 grant a wish. Grade 8-1 ran a year-long campaign to raise funds to make a sick child’s wish come true.

Words by CIS Communications Arush is a 5 year old boy with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Through the Make a Wish Foundation, Arush announced that his wish was “to go on a big ship with a swimming pool”. A few weeks ago, Arush’s wish came true. He went on a cruise with his family, and he had a wonderful time. Let’s meet Arush. He is an active boy who can rarely sit still for more than a minute. His favourite toys are Captain America, Transformers and toy trains. Being the social butterfly that he is, starting conversations and being around people is no difficult task for Arush. But Arush’s cruise adventure was a complete surprise. He didn’t know his wish was about to come true when his parents threw a small party for him, and gave him a ride-on suitcase filled with travel clothes. When he set foot on the Super Star Gemini, with his parents and baby sister, he knew that was it. His wish was coming true. While on his voyage, he spent most of his time swimming in the pool, met the captain, and asked many questions about cruise life. What does this have to do with CIS? Everything. Arush’s wish was possible thanks to last academic year’s Grade 8-1’s year-long campaign to raise funds to make a sick child’s wish come true. Under the guidance of their advisor Mr Smith, the students organised a number of fundraising events to raise the money that they needed. Although it was not as easy as they had originally anticipated, they all persevered and hit their fundraising goal in May. Congratulations Grade 8-1 students on being caring individuals, and for your commitment to making a positive impact in the life of a sick child. Your story reminds us that student driven service is the most meaningful - and that we can make a difference and help others in need.

Ryleigh exemplifies caring and generosity, and is one of the many CIS students who are willing to take action and make a change in the world. We are proud of her contribution in this noteworthy initiative to improve Nepalese children’s quality of life and on successfully applying her MYP knowledge into her P2 project. We are confident that her curiosity, compassion and drive will bring her success in her IB DP studies. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

Words by Tonia Whyte Potter-Mal, PYP Coordinator

Grade 6 Presidents: Taanvi and Vedang Grade 5 Vice Presidents: Rachel, Aidan and Lucas (due to a tie between two candidates) Grade 4 Class Representatives: Rio, George, Adya and Keira Grade 5 Class Representatives: Edie and Mimi, Maya and Arib, Cecilia Grade 6: Class Representatives: Sanya, Soumya Throughout the electoral process, candidates captured the essence of what it means to be respectful, principled, confident, creative and open minded. The news student council already had its first meeting

Together, they discussed the purpose of establishing a student council, the overarching goals of student leadership and important guidelines for the campaign process. Interested students were given about two weeks to establish unique campaigns and prepare individual speeches to be presented to their peers prior to the voting session. The three main roles for the Student Council were president (Grade 6 students), vice-president (Grade 5 students) and class representatives (Grades 4, 5 and 6 students). Students recognised the important connection between their desire to be young ambassadors of the school community and the many qualities needed to fulfill their prospective roles. At different stages of the electoral process, students reflected on attributes of the learner profile and PYP attitudes modeled by strong candidates. Students campaigning for president and vice-president designed a range of 40

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SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

TKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Primary Student Council.

After tallying student votes from different stages of the election, teachers shared results and announced members of the newly formed Student Council:

and brainstormed different ways it could represent the school community through leadership. Some of these ideas include welcoming visitors and new students to the campus, acting more visibly as role models for younger students on the playground and assisting at a variety of TK community events to support both local and global initiatives. At Uniting Nations Week, the Student Council introduced the teacher-student folk dancers and guest artists for the Bhangra and Flamenco performances. Congratulations to all students who campaigned for the student council elections. Best of luck to the elected students as they collaborate and contribute to an exciting year ahead! Many thanks to Ms Costa, Mrs Tipping and Mr Dennis for guiding students on this journey!

crafted posters to reinforce their convincing messages and the strength of their candidacy. They displayed these visuals in strategic locations around the campus while others created accessories including campaign buttons for members of the community. In the final days of preparation, the momentum steadily increased as candidates refined their efforts to persuade voters from their target audience. Candidates for president and vice-president presented speeches to all upper primary classes during lunchtime assemblies in the Gymnasium. All of these students missed their break time twice to celebrate these exciting moments with these young and aspiring leaders. Every student in Grades 4, 5 and 6 had the opportunity to vote for one boy and one girl on their ballots. Following this event, class voting sessions were held to elect class representatives. Canadian International School â&#x20AC;˘ Mosaic@CIS

SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

Getting social. Photos 1 and 2. Ms Gedge’s outdoor learning class at the ODC combines literacy and mindfulness in creative ways. A tweet by Ms JoAn Radojkovich.

As an IB school, one of the pillars we stand on is the development of lifelong learners. We encourage our students to continue to grow and challenge themselves at every opportunity. We also encourage this in our teachers. We want our teachers to continue to grow and challenge themselves at every opportunity. Well, Primary School teachers have hit a home run during the first term of this academic year. It is my privilege to highlight some of the amazing work our teachers have been doing in Singapore as well as Malaysia. We are leading the way.

Photo 3. Experimenting with natural materials to make paint. A tweet by Ms Kristine Woiden. Photo 4. Mr Ben Cooperman writes about Grade 3’s living sculptures project. Blog.teacherben.net.

4 Photo 5. Great job to these fabulous #CISsecondary students for volunteering this morning #Singapore #TerryFoxRun #communityoutreach. A tweet by Ms Katherine Hansen. Photo 6. Game Development with Scratch at CodeCamp IV @CISsingapore #CISprimary #CISsecondary #CISsteam. A tweet by Mr Egmond Boon. 42

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Our teachers are sharing their best practices in teaching with colleagues in Singapore and Malaysia. Words by Rachel Poff, PYP Coordinator, Lakeside Campus

IS teachers C leading the way.

PYP Connect The PYP Connect Workshop Series is biannual event run by the Singapore Malaysia PYP Network. These workshops are an opportunity for teachers to teach teachers, make connections within the network, fine tune their presentation skills and push the boundaries of their comfort zone. The first event occurred on 5 November at the International School of Singapore. We had a total of five CIS teachers presenting their passions! Mishelle Lyons ran an amazing workshop about Open Ended Math in the Early Years. She provided wonderful examples of students in action, how to question for maximum participation by students and the power of using manipulatives in the classroom. Her participants walked away with a better understanding of the power of a good question and how to facilitate discussions that develop from them. Katherine Hansen ran a very hands on workshop on her personal journey of the use of digital portfolios in Grade 1. She introduced her participants

to a number of highly effective apps they could use including Book Creator. She spoke about the power of Twitter to reach a wider audience and make professional connections. She shared how transformative she found digital portfolios in her classroom for the students and their families as well as a tool for assessment. Sandra Ebsworth wowed her audience during her workshop on Arts Integration in the Early Years. Sandra set up a gorgeous learning space at ISS that showcased her students work. She had examples of various art forms, mediums, grade levels and units of inquiry. She shared her in-depth knowledge of art and how she manages an early years classroom with so many students coming through on any given day. She showed examples of her class in action and provided tips to the participants on her classroom management techniques as well as the overall organisation of her classroom. Hetty Boon facilitated a workshop on STEAM in the early years. She was able to share her experiences of setting up a makerspace in her classroom, the challenges as well as the success that ensued, and ultimately the process her students went through. Aided by technology, she was able to showcase her students’ learning in a meaningful and authentic way. Sarah Aspillaga facilitated the Math Interest group. This is an open group where teachers who have a passion and interest in the teaching and learning of mathematics come together, exchange ideas, challenge each other’s thinking and continue to grow as practitioners. Archana Prashar hosted a technology workshop, 50 Ideas to Integrate Technology in the Classroom. She provided a variety of resources to show teachers how to seamlessly weave the use of technology across all area of the curriculum. The iPad Conference 2016 On the same weekend, United World College (UWC) was hosting a Google workshop where again, CIS was well

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SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

Ben Grundy led a workshop on Supporting the Writing Process with Google Doc. Ben has been leading the implementation of technology at CIS for a number of years. He is looked to as a mentor who is always willing to share his practice. He explained that Google Docs can be a great tool for collaboration and writing, but can also seem daunting to implement in the classroom. He shared some ways that he has successfully used Google Docs to support the writing process, including providing teacher feedback. Michael Black successfully ran a workshop entitled Unpacking Nearpod. In it, he shared the many ways teachers can utilise Nearpod in the classroom. Michael is a certified Nearpod Educator and was selected as one of the two Proof of Concept classrooms in 2013 with the aim of moving forward as a 1:1 iPad school in the Primary Years. He continues to be a leader in this area and his participation in peer-to-peer learning is invaluable. Ben Grundy and Michael Black combined their expertise and co-led a workshop with a one two punch on Beyond Basics: Next Steps in a 1:1 iPad Program. As both Michael and Ben share a passion for technology, they have a wealth of experience to convey to teachers new to the process. They shared ways to create an efficient workflow 44

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as well as tips to enhance authentic student learning. Malaysia The following weekend was the Deep Learning Conference in Kuala Lumpur. Again, CIS educators took a leadership role at the conference with four of our teachers presenting. Joe Teft ran a workshop focusing on Making Real Connections. Joe is an extremely passionate environmental educator. In this workshop, he was able to combine his two passions for of the environment and technology. He expanded on how environmental education and technology can interact to make a better world. He was specifically focused on developing a sense of place which is increasingly important in our transient population.

Events and Happenings. 06 10 February

Grade 3 musical review.

Every year we ran for a greater cause following Terry Fox’s footsteps to fight against cancer.

All Grade 3 students took part in the musical review where they sang and danced to the beloved Mary Poppins songs.

24 February Outdoor Discovery Centre launch. TK’s new Outdoor Discovery Centre offered exciting outdoor learning opportunities for younger children.

2017

Aynsley Smith and Katherine Hansen also presented at this conference using a modified version of the presentation the weekend before.

14 February

Webinar

Market Day.

I think it is clear that we have amazing educators at CIS. Not only do we recognise and celebrate that, but other schools around the region are also looking to us to share our expertise.

08 February

TK and Lakeside Terry Fox run.

Andrew Deir’s workshop was called STEAM/Makerspace: making transdisciplinary connections. Andrew has been one of the driving forces in the success of our STEAM programme at CIS. We are one of the only schools in the Singapore/ Malaysia area with a dedicated space and full time educator in place. Due to this, Andrew is quickly becoming a recognised expert in the implementation and facilitation of STEAM as part of a school curriculum.

Finally, Mishelle Lyons and I presented a webinar on Creating Intentional Learning Space in the Early Years to an audience of more than 1600 listeners in Asia, Europe and North America. Mishelle has been instrumental in changing the mathematical practice in Senior Kindergarten.

SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

represented by our Primary faculty! Aynsley Smith presented a workshop on Confident ELL Speaking Through Animation. Aynsley is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Educational Technology. She was able to combine her knowledge and application in the classroom into one fantastic presentation. She shared with her participants how Tellagami and Voki help to give ELL students a voice amidst the challenges in the mainstream classroom.

25 January

Grade 6 students displayed their selling and negotiating skills with the products and services they have created in this annual event.

Pirates of Jurong. CIS hosted an array of fun activities at Lakeside as secondary pirates from all grades joined forces in their house colours.

22 February Chinese Kindergarten Assembly. Bilingual classes took the audience on a tour of Singapore in Chinese and English through songs, dances, martial art performances and more.

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Words by Nadine Bailey, Teacher Librarian, TK Campus

Last month, the TK library had an exciting guest speaker, Dr Willie Smits, a gifted scientist who wears multiple hats, preserving rainforests and saving wildlife in Indonesia. Dr Smits flew straight in from New York, where he was a keynote presenter at Columbia University. Once in Singapore, he was the keynote speaker at the idsMEd conference in Singapore, and presented the medical potentials of rainforest plant diversity.

trees that could help heal diseases. He discussed his foundation’s initiatives of planting 5 million trees in mixed forests, and how this has improved water supply, reduced erosion, stimulated rainfall, and provided jobs and income for the local people. Dr Smits’ examples made it clear to students how human actions can result in one of two changes: a change reaction of extinction or a positive cycle of sustainability.

His next speaking engagement was at CIS TK, where he met a group of CIS students: Grade 5 and 6 students from TK and some Lakeside Secondary students (Community, Action and Service) from Lakeside. The students were delighted to meet Dr Smits and learn about his impressive work in building sustainable civilisation in Indonesian villages.

Dr Smits also shared his work to stop animal smuggling. Saving orangutans was the first task he embarked on in this field, afterwhich he expanded his scope by founding Masarang Foundation to benefit the welfare of animal, plants and humans in ecosystems. Some of his initiatives have included the Tulap turtle project, and a bird sanctuary for illegally smuggled and exported birds, whose wings have been clipped.

During his talk, Dr Smits gave an overview of his environmental work, from saving tree species and finding cures, and from indigenous plants to saving orangutans and other endangered animals. He introduced students to the world of 1,243 different tree species that coexist in the same ecosystem, and the unknown secrets of these diverse plants and 46

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He spoke of the dangers of just “saving” animals and releasing them back into the wild without tackling the structural problems of a community facing poverty and unemployment, and how that this approach would just end in the perpetuation of the problem. Dr Smits’ talk perfectly complemented

SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP

Dr Smits’ sustainable conservation.

CIS’ home building tradition. CIS staff continues building houses in Cambodia as a long lasting tradition.

Words by Thomas Hansen, Community Outreach Coordinator

Grade 5 and 6 students’ UOIs. Grade 5 students were stimulated to think about “how the world works” and how design thinking can provide solutions to real life situations. Grade 6 students learnt more about “Sharing the planet” as they listened to sustainable solutions on farming, producing and creating a physical, social and political environment. After the talk, Dr Smits, his wife Adrienne Watson-Smits and secondary students had a discussion about how students and teachers around the world can become involved in his projects. He also talked about how we need to turn our ideas into meaningful action. He was delighted to learn that Grade 12 student Cindy Hartantio is visiting BOS (Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation) in October, where she will get the opportunity to apply her science knowledge in a practical manner as she helps out endangered orangutans and reaches out to the local community. We look forward to future collaborations with Dr Smits and his organisations.

It’s been a long standing tradition at CIS for staff members to spend part of a school break each year, building homes for families in Cambodia in partnership with the Tabitha Foundation. This annual trip is about so much more than just building homes. The families selected to receive a new home have committed and worked hard to save a portion of the money to fund the construction. Tabitha’s savings programme is a cornerstone of the foundation, and vital to breaking the cycle of poverty. The construction of a new home is just one step in the process, which includes generating a consistent and reliable source of income through the farming of rice, chickens, and pigs. Our relationship with Tabitha goes back more than a decade, which is often the amount of time necessary to help families who are in the programme to reach a level of financial independence. Therefore, our house building trip is more than just a “one off”. It’s a culmination of hard work and dedication from the families we help and from the Tabitha Foundation, and is another step in the right direction for these families. On our most recent trip over the October break, 18 CIS staff members and a few friends hammered away to build 6 houses for families in the Kandal province of Cambodia, providing quality shelter for 18 people! This year’s build provided some unique challenges, as rain in the days prior made the day muddy and soggy. Luckily, the skies cleared in time for us to put up the houses, before the skies opened once again to test the waterproofing of the new homes. To all of you who supported us on our trip, we say, “Aw-koon” (thank-you)! Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

Outdoor learning expert Kenny Peavy focuses engaging ways to teach outside the classroom.

Words by Geoff Upston, TK counselor

Words by Zoya Menon Gupta, TK Grade 4 student

Creating engaging outdoor learning environments is an essential part of classroom learning. The October PD (professional development) led by Kenny Peavy focused on new and interesting ways of teaching students outside of the classroom. Both Lakeside and TK teachers participated in this active workshop that inspired teachers to get their students out of the classroom more often to engage inquiring young minds.

During the October break, my mum and I went to Cambodia to take part in a Caring for Cambodia school building project.

carry bricks, lay the cement and many more tasks… We worked in a team with the local workers who helped us a lot.

As soon as I knew we were going on the trip, I decided to collect some simple English reading books, as I wanted to contribute to the school’s library. My friends and I managed to gather about 50 books.

The most interesting part of our work was making cement and then laying the bricks in an order. We divided ourselves into teams and each team performed a different task. We had two days to finish our work, but because we worked hard and fast as team, we finished it in just half a day!

Kenny challenged teachers with a simple question: “If we are learning a concept inside the classroom, is there a way we can take the lesson outside for a richer learning experience?” He believes that in most cases, the answer to this question is yes. Kenny referred to current research on the many benefits of outdoor learning. Benefits include encouraging children to be more active, healthy and fit, boosting creativity and improving cognitive functions. Recent studies suggest that outdoor learning environments calm children and help them focus, learn, and become more confident. Another important component of the learning is establishing a strong partnership with parents who can be involved in different aspects of the outdoor learning and be a part of their children’s authentic learning experience. Kenny encouraged teachers to get out of their comfort zones to offer students safe yet exciting learning opportunities. The Outdoor Discovery Centre (ODC) at Lakeside and soon-to-be-launched ODC at TK are great examples of outdoor learning spaces where learning happens in nature and authentic connections between theory and practice are made. It is an extension of the indoor classrooms that let students interact with nature to hone their math skills through water and mud play, experiment with new science concepts and reflect on their newfound learning.

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OUTDOOR LEARNING

My Cambodia experience.

A few days before leaving for Cambodia, we were briefed about the task at hand - we were to build a portion of the compound wall of a school in Siem Reap. It sounded like a tough job, but I was really excited about the challenge. As soon as we reached Cambodia, I started making new friends. I met a team member on the flight to Siem Reap, then made two new friends from Singapore American School at the group dinner on the first day. The next day, we woke up bright and early to get to Kravann Primary School. We started to build a wall in front of the school so no animals could go inside the school. It was a very tough job - it was hot and dirty. We had lots of things to do: dig, make cement (there were no cement mixers there),

STUDENT VOICE

PD on outdoor learning.

It was really interesting to see a totally different kind of school.

It was really exciting to see a totally different kind of school. The classrooms, library and even the toilets are not like the ones we have at CIS. I believe the wall we have built will help protect the school from stray dogs and cows entering the school area. As we had extra time on our hands after finishing early, we went sightseeing in Siem Reap where we visited Angkor Wat and took a tuk-tuk to tour the town at night. I will never forget this trip. Besides making new friends and and seeing new things, it was a great experience to help other children in need and work as a team to build something for a good cause.

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STUDENT VOICE

committee, did a great job of organising a fun, engaging and memorable party for secondary students. Their efforts in canvassing for tickets, planning the entertainment, and setting up the decorations definitely paid off as everyone enjoyed themselves!

Nightmare on Street 41. Secondary students organised a spooky Halloween party which promised to be the scariest social event of the year. Words by Aditi Melkote, Grade 11 Student This year, in the spirit of Halloween, the Student Council’s social committee organised a Halloween party, ‘Nightmare on Street 41’ for secondary students. The party was held on 27 October for Grades 7-9 and on 28 October for Grades 10-12 students. The evening kicked off with a rousing performance of Halloween themed songs, including music from Harry Potter, Ghostbusters and Batman, performed in the Atrium by the Symphonic Band in the Atrium. Band members were dressed in different Halloween costumes - there was even a mummy playing the tuba! - and their performance got everyone pumped for the rest of the evening. The party continued in the fifth floor pod, which had been decorated to give it a spooky feel: the lights were dimmed (read: it was pitch black), cobwebs hung from the ceiling, and now and then, the fog machine sent out jets of fog that crept through the room, making the atmosphere even more eerie. 50

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Throughout the evening, music blasted from the speakers and the beats of popular songs kept everyone dancing, bopping their heads and tapping their feet, boosting the already energetic atmosphere. The haunted house was one of the highlights of the evening; although it wasn’t terrifying per se, it definitely was thrilling in its own way as gruesomely costumed actors jumped out, screaming, from unexpected corners, and added another layer of fun and excitement to the evening. The ‘Open Mic’ event, which gave students a chance to showcase their talents, included a quirky dance routine and great vocal performances by students. Not to mention, the food was great too... you can’t really complain when there’s a choice of three different types of pizza and two different types of slushy, can you? Everyone was laughing, dancing and screaming (it was a Halloween party after all) and just having a great time. Overall, the Student Council, particularly the social Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

STUDENT VOICE

Advertising posters that stood out:

2nd place (Meatless Mondays) Julie Westerbeek

The world of media in the eyes of Grade 8.

1st place (Meatless Mondays) Julia Trevatt

Grade 8 students learn about advertising by creating their own posters.

2nd place (Open Mic) Sasi Yuksel

Words by Michelle Peterson, Tesha Sengupta and Pascale Deas, Grade 8 students Marketing expert, J. Walker-Smith claims that an average human will face up to 5,000 advertisements every day. Some people do not even pay any attention to ads because they simply perceive them as a disturbance or as being manipulative. However, after completing the media unit in Grade 8, the three of us now truthfully view advertisements as a form of art and literature. Throughout the unit we developed a whole new understanding of what makes a high quality advertisement. We analysed diverse examples of media, ranging from a labour movement party ad to a print poster for weight loss programme Weight Watchers. We decoded the techniques that successful advertisers use to create impactful, influential and persuasive advertisements. We learnt that regardless of what product or service the ad promotes, all ads imply a meaning, beneath the aesthetics. Colours, organisation of items on the page, font and imagery are all taken into consideration. For instance, the use of blue can indicate 52

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knowledge, trust and power and therefore is often used in ads for dental companies or educational institutions. We also uncovered that advertisers deliberately use explicit and implicit messages that are impressed upon the audience; specifically the targeted demographic. Towards the end of the unit, Grade 8 students were asked to apply our learning and create a print poster ad for an activity, club or event within the CIS community. With this task we were also asked to convey empathy through our ads. While working on this task, we began to take notice of the significance behind every word, colour and image within the frame of the ad we were creating. This encouraged us to provide meaning and reason for every detail, just as professionals do. After taking part in this unit, we now look at advertisements with a more analytical and perceptive mind.

The most meaningful association (Jazz Club) Paige Clarke

The most out of the box (Space Art) Kieran Law Canadian International School â&#x20AC;˘ Mosaic@CIS

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Teacher Attachment Programme.

CIS alum, Stefanie Kam celebrated her recently published book on political violence and terrorism.

CIS’ Teacher Attachment Programme offered a great professional development experience to local teachers.

Words by CIS Communications

Words by Angela Henderson, TK Principal

CIS is proud to celebrate the achievements of its alumnae all over the world. Stefanie Kam is an accomplished CIS alum who co-authored a recently published book on political violence and terrorism. A native of Singapore, Stefanie studied Grade 11 and 12 at CIS in 2004-2005, before getting her BA in English Literature from Reed College, Oregon. She went on to obtain an MA in English Literature, from University of Chicago and an MSc in International Relations from NTU. When asked how she chose her profession, Stefanie says that working in education was her childhood ambition. During her time at CIS, she developed an interest in writing and literature. After working as a journalist for a year, she began an exciting career with the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at NTU, where she conducts research in counter-terrorism. When we talked about her experience at CIS, Stefanie emphasised that CIS prepared her to excel in her higher studies by surrounding her with hardworking classmates and providing her with opportunities to express different points of view in a respectful setting. This, she says, created an ideal foundation for discussion-based learning in undergraduate and graduate courses where students are expected to voice their opinions and defend their arguments. 54

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Alumni spotlight: Stefanie Kam.

Being able to constructively critique other’s viewpoints while being adaptable and open to changing one’s own viewpoint was an invaluable skill-set. Besides making me open minded and articulate, the English and humanities classes at CIS also instilled in me the ability to think critically and systematically to rigorously defend my own stand. Stefanie’s new book, The Handbook of Terrorism in the Asia–Pacific, is the product of her love of writing and the subject of peace and conflict resolution. Writing this book was a two year journey that included the ongoing challenge of keeping track of global developments and changing data. The end product is a concise handbook that examines the origins of the current wave of terrorism across countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Northeast Asia and the Pacific, and identifies emerging trends and new forms of terror that have altered the landscape of the region. Stefanie generously shared her tips and advices to aspiring first time writers: enjoy the process as a whole - writing the first draft, editing, sharing your manuscripts with a reviewer, getting feedback, synthesising the feedback and applying this feedback onto your work. Manage your expectations and develop good relations with everyone you work with. Writing a book is an amazing learning journey. Congratulations Stefanie on your first published work!

Teaching and learning doesn’t just happen between teachers and students. CIS has a commitment to the profession of teaching by providing opportunities for aspiring or current local teachers to learn from our highly qualified and accomplished teachers. One such annual opportunity is the Teacher Attachment Programme (TAP), which offers a great learning experience for PAP Community Foundation (PCF) teachers, who currently teach at local pre-schools. This year, TK hosted eight PCF kindergarten teachers for five days. The PCF teachers were paired each day with a different TK kindergarten teacher and joined in all the learning experiences, which even included a field trip to the airport. The objective of the week long placement was to broaden the PCF teachers’ perspective and to enrich

their learning experiences through exposure to the foreign education system. In a feedback session with our visitors, they complimented our teachers’ ability to encourage and develop independence in our young students, from being responsible for unpacking their backpacks to leading their own personal inquiries. They also shared their envy for the availability of our green spaces that support learning. It was a good reminder for us not to take for granted the fabulous TK environment - imagine if they had been able to visit the Outdoor Discovery Centre (ODC), which is under construction. We look forward to the prospect of both parties strengthening relationships through this collaborative effort. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

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TK partners with Fuchun Primary. TK students hosted Fuchun Primary to work together on STEAM projects. Words by Tonia Whyte Potter-Mal, TK PYP Coordinator What happens when international students and local students collaborate? At TK campus, learners join forces to “build bridges” in more than one way! To sustain the partnership established with Fuchun Primary School in 2015, TK hosted another memorable event for a large group of Grade 5 students.

an official welcome and introduction led by a class of TK students focused on “What is STEAM”? Personal anecdotes included dynamic examples of what it is like to learn through the design cycle in the Makerspace room. They also shared ‘in-progress’ prototypes for playground games created during CCA lessons.

In preparation for the visit, TK students participated in a hands-on engineering task by investigating the features of five different kinds of bridges and the materials needed to sustain them. Learners experimented with different tools and through trial and error, used a range of strategies to deepen their understanding of what makes bridge structures sustainable. This process would eventually play an important role in building bridges with Fuchun Primary students.

With great anticipation, students curiously introduced themselves to each other and regrouped into highly motivated STEAM teams! The provision of very few teacher guidelines, a variety of recyclable materials and a challenging time frame.

Fuchun visitors included 25 students, chaperoned by administrators and teachers. Our Fuchun visitors toured our campus grounds, visited a Grade 5 classroom and received 56

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Later that same day, two Fuchun Primary students presented a slideshow about their community and their school’s history. Students were pleased when they recognised that both schools have CCA blocks that include sports, arts and aspects of student leadership. In celebration of Singaporean culture, Fuchun students also taught TK students two traditional Singaporean games: 5 stones and chapteh. They were delighted to learn that despite being at very different schools, they share similar values. All students participated in a reflection time towards the end of the visit, and students from both schools captured the essence of why this type of collaboration is so meaningful. Students shared openly what aspects of the visit they would remember in five years. Some TK students commented on how great it felt to meet local school students and to make new friends by “building bridges”. Other students mentioned the great challenge of experimenting with design factors to

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After the final countdown, Mr Ben Cooperman measured the distance between the two tables that joined the foundation of each bridge. Next he used weights of different sizes to measure their individual strength. As all students moved from table to table to observe results for each team, the momentum increased and waves of excitement filled the gymnasium. As cheers and murmurs of anticipation filled the room, students from both schools identified the many elements that contributed to their team accomplishments.

“Students put on their investigative hats and delved into authentic investigations on how to build a sturdy bridge.”

find out which techniques are best in the construction of a sturdy bridge. Fuchun Primary School administrator, Mrs Zarina Abu Bakar (a Tanjong Katong Girls School alumnae), who visited with students, shared inspiring words about the continued growth of the TK - Fuchun Primary Partnership: “Thanks so much for hosting our pupils. They really enjoyed themselves. Through the hands-on curricular approach (STEAM), pupils not only interacted with each other, but they also worked together as a team and used their creativity and imagination to construct a bridge. One group of pupils were able to construct a bridge that could hold 5kg of weight! Thank you for providing a platform for our pupils to interact with yours to learn from each other.” A heartfelt thank you is extended to Mrs Christene Tipping (Grade 5 Lead Teacher), Mr Ben Cooperman (STEAM specialist) and all students for their flexibility, enthusiasm and interactive contributions, which were vital to the success of this event!

They quickly put on their “investigative hats” and delved into authentic investigations about how to best build a sturdy bridge. The adults in the room were genuinely impressed at how well the students collaborated and cooperated as they applied prior knowledge, generated hypotheses and adopted the role of “risk taker” from beginning to end. Canadian International School • Mosaic@CIS

Words by Thomas Hansen, Community Outreach Coordinator

How will our donation help the shop owners and workers? The donation will go directly to help fund the construction of a temporary market, while the community waits for a new permanent market to be built. This will help get people back to work and earning an income as soon as possible.

COMMUNITY

Fundraiser for Jurong fire.

about the loss of income and livelihood for those affected. The shop owners and workers have been left without a source of income to support their families, so a new market is needed quickly.

“In just 5 short days, our generous community donated an outstanding $10,042.”

Has enough money been collected now to help the shop owners? The cost of building a temporary market is around $600,000, and more is still needed to fully fund the project. How long will it take to rebuild the wet market and shops? An existing project of installing new basketball courts had to be put on hold to accommodate the temporary market. Construction is already underway, and expected to take 2 months. The goal is to have the temporary market built by 15 December 2016 and fully operational by 1 January 2017. We heard that the fire was intentionally set. What happened to the person who set the fire? Police investigations are still ongoing. There is a suspect in custody and updates will be given by news media. Committee members expressed their gratitude to the entire Lakeside community for its kindness and generosity towards its neighbours in their time of need.

On 11 October 2016, a large fire engulfed a coffee shop and wet market near our Lakeside campus. A total of 57 stallholders were affected by this fire, leaving owners, employees, and families struggling to find a source of income until the market is rebuilt. Shortly after the fire, plans were in the works to build a temporary market as soon as possible, but donations were needed to make this happen. Upon hearing the news of the fire, CIS quickly initiated a fundraiser at our Lakeside campus to help our neighbours bring normalcy to their lives as soon as possible. In just 5 short days, our generous community donated an outstanding $10,042! On 25 November, members from the Jurong Central Citizens’ Consultative Committee visited Lakeside to receive our donations personally, and answer a number of questions from some of our Grade 5 students. Naturally, many of our students had a lot of questions after hearing news of the fire, and were excited to have the opportunity to interview some primary sources to learn more. Here is some of the information students learnt from the Q&A session: How much money was lost in total? The devastation of the fire isn’t so much about the value of goods lost, but more

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COMMUNITY GALLERY

Scan this QR code to watch the video!

Lakeside Campus show their house spirit! CIS students are proud of their house colours. From Husky Howl to Secondary House Colour Day, Primary and Secondary students participated in sports activities, representing their houses.

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