CIS Footprints December 2019 Edition

FOOTPRINTS LEARNING

DECEMBER #17

BUILDING

Performance Storyteller

The School Librarian

Dominic Kelly is a performance storyteller with an international reputation for dynamic powerful and entertaining work. page 16

The library is a center for learning, not only for students but for the whole school community. page 24

COMMUNITY

Hotspot A conversation with David Ferguson, Middle School Design Teacher. page 32

Four Ways to Live More Sustainably page

08

Design Artist Filippa Brabrand Grade 6

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FOOTPRINTS LETTER FROM THE FOOTPRINTS TEAM Dear CIS Community, Welcome to the December 2019 issue of CIS Footprints.

We wish to thank our Primary, Middle and High School students for their great contributions to this edition.

TABLE OF CONTENTS LEARNING

MY JOURNEY WITH DANCE

Wishing you all a very happy holiday and we look forward to a year of new CIS memories in 2020.

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”

J.R.R. Tolkien You can find past editions of CIS Footprints here: http://www.cis.dk/community/alumni/footprints

22-23 LEARNING LEARNING

DECEMBER 2019 Managing Editors: Suzanne O´Reilly and Jack Ream Design Director: Virginia de Colombani Reporters: Chloe Nash, Clodagh Cunningham,Tarang Dalela

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Message from the Director Our Home Away From Home Trip of a Lifetime Climate Strike Report Thomas Dambo´s Worskhop CIMUN 2019 Pizza Challenge Performance Storyteller Nouveau Clown Lasting Memories My Journey with Dance

PAGE 04 PAGE 05 PAGE 06 PAGE 08 PAGE 10 PAGE 12 PAGE 14 PAGE 16 PAGE 18 PAGE 20 PAGE 22

DECEMBER #17

BUILDING

COMMUNITY

NORDIC NETWORK CONFERENCE

26-27

LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY

30-31 BUILDING

The School Librarian Nordic Network Conference Sports at CIS

COMMUNITY

PAGE 24 PAGE 26 PAGE 28

Four Ways to Live More Sustainably Hotspot PTA Activity Fair Residential Growth in Nordhavn New to Denmark Professional Artist The Art of Creative Thinking A Professional by Trade Going Places

PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE

30 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 40

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LEARNING

DIRECTOR SANDY MACKENZIE

Director Sandy MacKenzie Dear CIS Friends Welcome to this edition of Footprints, a tangible reminder of our caring community. In fact that phrase of caring community is one of our three themes and goals for this school year those being educational excellence, professional practice and caring community. I also believe that those ideals are at the heart of the identity of the wonderful school known as Copenhagen International School and have been for many years - whether we think of days in Gammel Kongevej, Hellerupvej or now at Levantkaj. My own association with the school began in 2002 when I was a Mathematics Teacher in both MYP and the Diploma Programme. Fast forward 17 years and I have been given the privilege of being Director of this culturally diverse, open-minded and accepting international school with fabulous facilities and a dedicated, talented staff. In between, I had the chance to work in schools in Scotland, China and the United States. Although the CIS family grew hugely and moved house during that time, there was no doubt that I felt that I was home when I walked through the doors again.

Footprints helps foster and maintain the ties for friends of the school. We know that CIS holds a special place in the hearts of many - students, staff and parents - including those that have moved on to pastures new. We are delighted that you are connected to the school and remain interested in our development. The school is now close to 1000 students and it will not be long before we hit that number; our students enjoy beautiful views out of the windows of a building that most schools can only dream about and are taught by caring, experienced teachers. However, we are never complacent and are always looking how we can improve further. We are embarking on creating a strategic plan that will inform the direction of the school over the next five years - that strategic plan will be developed through a collaborative process that engages all stakeholders.

I hope that you enjoy the interesting articles on trips of a lifetime, spotlights on members of our community and our student events.

With best wishes Sandy

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LEARNING

OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME BY CHLOE NASH, GRADE 12

Our Home Away From Home social overnight. It was two days spent away with my grade: the idea terrified the little shy me that I was at 14. Thing is though without it I would still be that terrified, shy kid who didn’t speak to anybody.

Copenhagen International School welcomes you in as soon as you walk through those front doors: barely four hours into your first school day and the grade twelves walk the youngest students at CIS to their very first day of class that very first morning.

Our eldest welcoming our youngest!

We may be a big school with four towers, innovation and hundreds of students but the thing is we are also a community who loves to meet new people. Call it an attribute; call it exposure to the expat life. (Maybe that’s what makes packing up for that short weekend away with a bunch of kids you don’t know easier ...or maybe it’s the promise of friendships that will last)

Sitting here, as I write this, I can see families chatting and flags from all over the world celebrating the diverse community we are proud of. I can hear students discussing work and weekend plans. I can see the receptionist and PTA chair laughing in a corner. I can see DP students running to buy coffee before the machine is turned off for three hours.

Copenhagen International School is so much more than just an educational institution; so much more than just a building where students learn math and English. Copenhagen International School is our safe space, our home away from home. The walls are covered in our artwork, the halls filled with our laughter, the people filled with memories of those we have met inside this solar panelled beauty by the sea.

Having spent the last four years at CIS studying I have had the opportunity to start and end my highschool career in a school that is a bubble of laughter and happiness. When I first arrived at Copenhagen International School I had the

As a DP2 student now I have just gone on my last social overnight! The memories I have made and the people I have met will never leave me. The DP social overnight is a chance for us students to relax before the school year takes off in the whirlwind that it does. It is a chance for us to welcome back the kids we know and catch up on all our trips home over the summer. It is a chance for us to welcome the new kids in, so that they aren’t ‘new’ kids anymore.

Copenhagen International School isn’t just a formula that allows us to learn and graduate, it’s a place where we can all come home to - regardless of anything else. Just look at our Director Sandy! The man who gave us the DP social overnight when he originally worked here as IBDP Coordinator.

The best moment though, coming back through those front doors of the CIS building, with all the kids who you became friends with over the weekend, and hearing your name shouted across the reception! Those little moments, when everyone is together and laughing are what truly makes Copenhagen International School our home away from home.

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THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME, BY CLODAGH CUNNINGHAM, GRADE 10

LEARNING

The Trip of a Lifetime In June of 2019, I was offered the trip of a lifetime to travel to a part of the world I had never been before, Borneo. The island in Southeast Asia is largely known today for being one of the only places to inhabit the endangered species of the Orangutans. This is precisely why a group of 16 CIS students flew across the world.

Operation Wallacea (OPWALL) is a conservation programme, dedicated to research used to protect wildlife from extinction, worldwide. In travelling with OPWALL, we spent two weeks in East Kalimantan (the Indonesian side of Borneo) with one week in the Lesan Protection Forest and the second at the dive site on Derawan Island.

The conservation programme was put in place in Borneo due to the immense deforestation throughout the lush rainforest.

Over 30% of Borneo’s remaining rainforest has been wiped out in the last 40 years for the production of palm oil.

Because of this, OPWALL began their new programme in Borneo, after being invited by the Berau government to help with the identification of fauna in the rainforest in hopes to save this exquisite rainforest.

Palm oil is a vegetable oil used in a variety of processed foods such as crisps, ice cream, margarine and many more. It is also used in cosmetics, shampoo and cleaning products. These are just a few of the many products meaning that there is a high demand for palm oil, and therefore the supply must meet the demand, at the cost of Borneo’s rainforests.

The first week was spent collecting data within East Kalimantan to help with biodiversity surveys on birds, bats, primates, forest structure, butterflies, herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians) and large mammals. Not only did we have the most incredible experiences in the heart of Borneo’s rainforests, but we completed a course on Borneo wildlife ecology. The journey was an adventure in itself. Four flights and two days from Copenhagen, we were

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“Over 30% of Borneo’s remaining rainforest has been wiped out in the last 40 years for the production of palm oil.”

introduced to the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) stationed in East Kalimantan, with the purpose of rescuing and rehabilitating orangutans after the destruction of their homes due to oil palm plantations.

Their heart wrenching stories showed us how important the work we were doing was to these animals that have called Borneo their home their whole lives and are having it stripped from them for consumer products. We then moved over to experience the unique culture of the Lesan Dayak Village where we met the locals, and they graciously welcomed us with open arms.

After a week in the humidity of the rainforest, we were all excited for the final part of our trip, including learning to dive on Derawan Island. Just an hour’s boat ride off the coast of the mainland lies a popular dive site in one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, The Coral Triangle. Unfortunately, the rising temperatures of climate change are bleaching and killing the coral, a primary reason for OPWALL to set up their programme. In addition to getting the opportunity to dive in a whole new world, some of us completed a reef ecology course on the specific animals living there.

Once we were all qualified divers, we were introduced to Project Aware: Dive Against Debris. In an attempt to rid the oceans of debris, Project Aware works by combining a passion for diving with marine conservation, and this is exactly what we did on Derawan Island, collecting plastic, metal sheets, fishnets and other rubbish that never belonged in the oceans. If diving isn’t an option, there is still so much

more you can do to help, for instance, we participated in a beach clean up too, reducing the pollution on land as well as in the oceans for future land and marine animals, such as the 200 baby turtles we released into the oceans while we were there!

CIS has participated in three OPWALL expeditions now, including Mexico, Madagascar and now Borneo, inspiring the youth to take action in a world we all have to live in, because whether we like it or not, this is the planet we are stuck with.

It is our turn now, to fix the world, to nurse it back to health and never make these mistakes again. Aren’t we supposed to be the educated champions of a just and sustainable world?

The next trip will take place in the summer of 2021: so sign up, and take action into your own hands, because the truth of the matter is, if you don’t, who will?

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LEARNING

CLIMATE STRIKE REPORT, GRADE 6 STUDENTS

Climate Strike Report Hello, my name is Carleigh. I went to the climate strike with my friend Olivia and I’m going to tell you about it.

When we arrived at the protest it was cold and wet. There was a huge crowd of people at one end of a platform and a big stage at the other. We saw two people on stage singing.

The stage was full of camera people and two hosts.

Olivia and I pushed our way through the crowd and got to the front of the stage. We held up our big poster secretly hoping that our poster would be caught on camera. After a few minutes they asked for the under 30s to go on one side of the platform and the over 30s to go on the other side of the platform. I think it was so that we could all mingle with each other.

A lady in the middle of the crowd was holding up a huge inflatable earth. Olivia pulled me through the crowd to the earth. I had no idea why. When we got to the middle of the crowd, the lady in the middle let go of the earth and everyone tried to touch the earth. The earth went all over the place but I was lucky enough to touch it.

I’m sure Greta would be proud of us.

“There was a huge crowd of people at one end of a platform and a big stage at the other. We saw two people on stage singing. The stage was full of camera people and two hosts. ”

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My name is Olivia and I am a 6th grader at CIS. On Friday, September 27, I went with my friend, Carleigh, and many others around the world to participate in the Climate Strike.

The protest took place at Ophelia Square next to the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen.

I think it was very supportive of Sandy Mackenzie, our school director, to let the students of CIS participate in the Climate Strike on a school day. When we got there, there was a large stage with multiple spokespeople talking to a very large crowd. There were people of all ages, from toddlers to elders.

Later on in the strike, the spokespeople asked for people under thirty to go on one side of the street and people over thirty to the other. Then they told us to shake the hands of each other.

We were inspired to participate by Greta Thunberg. Greta is a sixteen-year-old Swedish girl who stopped going to school to protest for the earth. She started protesting every Friday in front of the Swedish parliament since August 2018. My hope is to continue to support the planet with my everyday activities and encouraging others to do so as well.

“My hope is to continue to support the planet with my everyday activities and encouraging others to do so as well.�

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LEARNING

GRADE 2 VISIT THOMAS DAMBO´S WORKSHOP

BY MARC MØLLER, CIS INTERN

Contributing to creating a greener and more sustainable world On Thursday, 31 October, Grade 2 students took a field trip to Thomas Dambo’s workshop in Nordhavn, less than a 30-minute walk from CIS. Many community members first learned of Thomas Dambo when his ‘Forgotten Giants,’ made of upcycled pallets, appeared in the suburbs of Copenhagen.

The field trip was not only an opportunity for the students to experience an active, art studio firsthand, they actually arrived with a purpose. Weeks prior to the field trip, the class were made aware that Dambo needed as much clean, plastic waste as possible for an upcoming project. Our grade 2 students have shown interest in sustainability for a long while and are always motivated to discover how they can contribute to creating a greener and more sustainable world. Therefore, they saw this trip as an opportunity to get involved and try to make a difference. This resulted in Grade 2 spending weeks gathering plastic from home and around school to give to Dambo and his team, so that they could use the materials for an upcoming project.

At the art studio, they were met by Thomas Dambo’s manager, Troels, who was pleasantly surprised by their contributions, which can be seen in the photos, and recognized the deed they had done. Troels went on to tell Grade 2 tales of how Dambo’s idea of working with upcycled materials initially started during his childhood. As Troels explained, “Thomas did not have money for the materials necessary to build and create the stuff he wanted to make. So, he went out and found the materials in various places himself.” The initiative was very similar to our students’ determination in taking action and gathering the plastic waste on their own, thereby starting their own project.

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“The busy workshop was a great source of inspiration for how art can be produced in a sustainable way, and the students were excited to get a glimpse of future projects that Dambo and his team are working on.”

The busy workshop was a great source of inspiration for how art can be produced in a sustainable way, and the students were excited to get a glimpse of future projects that Dambo and his team are working on. They seemed drawn by the idea of creating beautiful pieces of art from recycled trash, but they were also eager to know the possibilities of what recycled materials could be used for. One student asked Troels, “Have you ever built a house for someone out of recycled materials?” which reflected the general interest that the students have in Dambo’s projects, and how sustainable initiatives can be the solution to so many different problems.

Troels replied that they had actually built a space for a homeless person to stay in while they were working on a past project, proving again that much can be done with recycled materials.

It was the general consensus amongst the students that if there is so much plastic waste and other materials laying around, then we should at least recycle them and find a purpose for them, as opposed to creating more waste.

This field trip not only provided Grade 2 with a glimpse of how upcycling plays an important role in the creative process, it also gave them the opportunity to be the inquirers that our world needs, if we wish to make it more sustainable.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Thomas Dambo and Troels Nielsen, for showcasing their Nordhavn workshop and allowing the children to become part of a green and sustainable project.

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LEARNING

MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDS CIMUN CONFERENCE,

BY MEGAN WIDJAJA - GRADE 11

Copenhagen Internation On 19-21st of September, the CIS MUN Club held our second annual CIMUN conference.

Participants from 5 various schools around Denmark and from Turin, Italy came together to debate and try to solve the world’s most difficult issues.

These issues ranged from the possession of nuclear weapons to re-evaluating the declaration of human rights. The conference ended with newly forged bonds, smiles and lots of social media account swapping - I think it’s safe to call it a success!

This conference was the product of the advice and hard work of various teachers and staff, the food contributions from parents, and a year’s worth of hard work by the CIMUN 2019 student team that I had the privilege of being a part of.

My Leadership Role I had the honour of being the Secretary General of CIMUN 2019. My role was to oversee the planning of the event and ensure that anything that needed to get done for the conference, was getting done. Alongside the rest of the Secretariat, I was also in charge of deciding what would be debated as well as which countries would be represented at the conference.

I got into planning CIMUN because I wanted to give other students a similar experience to what I had when I had first joined MUN. I initially joined MUN about five years ago to improve my public speaking, but I got a lot more out of MUN than simply boosted public speaking skills. From MUN, I learnt how to compromise and how to be open-minded. It

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also increased my global awareness as well as growing my interest in politics. These were things that I wanted other people to experience; I became Secretary General of CIMUN 2019 to do that.

The best experience during the conference for me was probably seeing people enjoy the conference. The conference was by no means a perfect one, and not everything went to plan, but the fact that people were smiling, and enjoying it, it made me think ‘yes, this is why I wanted to plan this, this is the result of our hard work’.

Definition of World Peace World Peace has many definitions, some of which are unattainable. To me, World Peace is people choosing to talk over using weapons; it’s people choosing to listen to other viewpoints that differ from their own with an open mind; it’s people choosing to compromise. If defined like that, I believe World Peace is perhaps not something that can be attained perfectly, but are steps towards a more peaceful world.

There are always going to be certain things that people will not agree on, due to culture, religion or just individual belief. But I think by understanding what you disagree on, why people think differently, and by accepting that people will think differently, people are much less likely to take up violent actions.

Lessons learnt during the process The main skills I improved upon from planning CIMUN was time management, organisation and how to collaborate and lead a team. I don’t have a plan of how I would use them, but I imagine these are skills which will prove to be useful in the future - the former two will be especially useful as I go through my IB years.

LEARNING

A CONVERSATION WITH DMITRI GENCHEV, GRADE 8

nal Model United Nations You recently attended CIMUN as the first 8th grader to participate in this event. Can you let us know the reason behind your participation?

I am proud to be the first 8th grader, however I do hope that I won’t be the last. The main reason that I participated is because I have a genuine interest in current affairs and would like to find out more about the positions of different countries. It is my belief that it is extremely important for young people such as myself to become interested in these issues not only because it’s the world we live in today but because this is the world we will live in in the future. It is extremely important to overcome current challenges if we would like to live in a safe, peaceful and prosperous environment.

How important is CIMUM on a world-wide level?

I believe CIMUN has become a true gathering of a multitude of schools. Of course, this is in no small part due to the way that the MUN club leadership and the CIS leadership has chosen to host it. While CIMUN is still a developing conference I believe it will grow further and will have the potential to become one of the most elite and globally recognised MUN conferences.

More importantly for CIS, I believe that CIMUN encourages people to become interested in the world around them.

Unfortunately for a long time this right has been exclusive to High School, however with time I do believe that the doors of opportunity will be open for even younger students. Added to that, I believe CIMUN encourages dialogue between students from different schools who wouldn’t usually meet.

This encourages both an international environment and an atmosphere for debate.

What was the best experience with CIMUN for you?

Before answering this question, I believe it is vital to once again note the superb organization of CIMUN by the leadership of the MUN club and CIS. My best experience was meeting new people and debating about a number of topics that are not often covered by the media in general.

“It is my belief that it is extremely important for young people such as myself to become interested in these issues not only because it’s the world we live in today but because this is the world we will live in in the future.”

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LEARNING

PIZZA CHALLENGE, BY SHRIN BJERRUM-BOHR, GRADE 6

6th Grade Pizza Challenge In sixth grade, we completed a pizza challenge for the September collapsed week, a special week in the Middle School. All of our MYP subjects were connected through the following challenge: A local pizzeria is adding a new pizza to their menu. They want to attract more customers. The manager has invited grade six students to make a proposal for a best seller pizza. The pizza can be sweet or savoury.

For this challenge, we were divided into different groups.

Learning in a group can be very challenging, but it teaches you a lot about working together and teamwork. It was hard when people did not agree with your ideas or your suggestions in your group. However, the project had lots of fun and interesting elements. Tasks were shared out equally so everybody got to try a little bit of everything, and work got done quickly. We had only one week to explore, create, test and evaluate our pizza.

We created a survey for our school community to find out about popular ingredients and flavors of pizza. We graphed the information collected through the survey to find out what were the most liked flavors. We also taste-tested pizzas from different pizzerias. We talked about the taste, smell and look of the pizzas.

In science class, we experimented with yeast. We found, through experiments, that the temperature of water affects the way the yeast behaves. We also learned that salt kills the yeast.

On Wednesday, we learned about the dough. We tried our dough recipe to see if it would work. We left it overnight to rise, so that it would be ready for Thursday and Friday.

“Tasks were shared out equally so everybody got to try a little bit of everything, and work got done quickly.

We had only one week to explore, create, test and evaluate our pizza.”

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We also visited different restaurants to find out about most liked pizzas, best flavour combinations, and bestseller pizzas.

On Thursday, we taste tested our pizza to see if our topping ideas went well together. This was also our chance to change things that didn’t work well together. We also interviewed a cook from Simply Cooking. We asked questions such as how to make a good dough and what were good combinations of flavours.

In art, we designed a logo. We talked about what colours we wanted to use that would best represent our pizza.

We learned that according to science, the colours red and yellow make you hungry, and the colour green shows that something is healthy, natural and organic. This helped us design a pizza logo.

Friday was our final day, and we made our final pizza. We cut a slice for the judges who were going to decide on the top three pizzas. We also wrote a reflection about the pizza we made. We discussed what we thought went well and what we could have done better.

The week was very different compared to our usual schedule.

We did not have normal classes, and instead we combined all of our subjects to help us accomplish our challenge. For me, some keywords to describe the week were ‘teamwork’, ‘designing’ and ‘creating’.

During this week we did a lot of active research and we did not really use computers. I think it was a good idea because we were active and engaged in discussions, being creative, and working together in team groups.

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LEARNING

DOMINIC KELLY, BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

Dominic Kelly

Performance Storyteller visits the Primary School Dominic Kelly, who is a performance storyteller with an international reputation for dynamic powerful and entertaining work, visited the Primary school in September.

Dominic entertained and captivated students during his visit and not only through his own performances, but also via the workshops he held throughout the day.

During the workshops, Dominic helped students to realize their potential as storytellers as they took on their own role as storyteller to create a story-telling atmosphere for their peers. The workshops were highly successful.

We spoke briefly with Dominic about his profession and what it meant to be a storyteller, which he describes here:

What is storytelling?

Storytelling is a way of stimulating student imagination and drawing them into the story world and is often called the Cinema of the Imagination. Everyone in the audience is co-creating the story at the same time, so everyone in the audience is seeing the story like a film in their own head while you are telling it to them. In one respect the storyteller is only facilitating the audience in creating the story for themselves. A temporary community of the storyteller and the audience is created so everyone is sharing the story in the moment. And that’s a very important part of it.

Storytelling is also about sharing a love of stories, the wonder of stories, and reconnecting people with that wonder. Whether they are people who would naturally go out and read a lot of books or not, pretty much everybody connects with stories when they are told live. You´ve got the energy of the live telling and then there is this direct relationship between the storyteller and every member of the audience. The energy and warmth involved in that means everybody is engaged in the story.

“Storytelling is also about sharing a love of stories, the wonder of stories, and reconnecting people with that wonder.”

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Has the world of technology affected storytelling?

Lizzy McIlroy - Primary Drama Teacher

Well actually no, you would think it would have especially in this age of what you might call multi-media bombardment.

But I think at the end of the day, there is no media technology that can compete with the vividness of the pictures that we create in our minds. We can populate a story world with such detail, such vividness in our minds, and then experience the story on a personal level. This happens not only in our mind but also physically as the storyteller describes in detail weather, pain, joy etc.

After the visit we asked the students to reflect on their experience and share their thoughts. Every student marveled at how Dominic was able to remember the stories in such detail and then bring them to life. One student said, “I made a movie in my head”; others loved how Dominic used his voice, body movements and simple instruments to portray the different characters, making it easy to follow the stories.

I believe there is a difference between sharing a story and watching a film. Films are all laid out on a plate for you, whereas in storytelling you are engaged in the art of suggestion, you don’t have time to tell everything, describe everything in detail, and indeed you don’t want to because you’d bore the audience in the end. So what you are trying to do is give them just enough so that it sparks their imagination and it draws them in, and also leaves enough gaps for them to fill the spaces left with their own experience and their own pictures.

The students are now using and practising the skills they learned about the art of storytelling in Drama class and are looking forward to sharing some stories of their own with younger students in the Lower Primary School in the near future.

Students and teachers alike were engaged and inspired by Dominic’s visit and we are very much hoping he will be back to CIS again some day soon to entertain us with more stories.

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LEARNING

NOUVEAU CLOWN, BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

Nouveau Clown

A conversation with Denni Dennis, Founder of the GPS Movement System My Beginning as a Clown From the age of six years or maybe younger, I apparently had the gift of making people laugh. My family knew I was going to be a preforming artist of some kind and if you read my school yearbook, students predicted I was going to be a clown traveling the world. Of course, that was the only thing that I didn’t want to do professionally. I wanted to be serious actor, so it was not funny to be labeled a clown at school.

After I finished high school, I began taking serious acting classes and dance classes, but somehow I always ended up playing funny characters. I was not happy about that, seeing as I wanted to be taken seriously but felt I was perhaps going against my gift of making people laugh and began studying to become a clown at the International Comedia School in Copenhagen based on the system from the l’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq – http://www. ecole-jacqueslecoq.com.

It is now fourteen years since I took my first professional job in London and have since traveled to Australia, Canada, Russia and all over Europe making a living from performing as a clown. And I have been working for the last eight years as a director and teacher at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, St. Petersburg. My classmates’ prediction became true.

The greatest thing about my profession is to see how happy the students are during the sessions. They enter the rehearsal space very brave wearing the facial mask they present to others daily to cover their true identity. There are all these rules about how students have to behave normally.

So it is great to see them step out of that zone.

In my sessions I get students to do all kinds of different facial/ body exercises. I work with eye contact, mind connection, and then I have my own GPS Movement System that I have been developing over the year where we work with tapping and shaking the body to get rid of all the rules that are placed upon us, helping us to restore our balance and energy. In the end of this process we show ourselves just as we are.

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This has been really great, and it is always great when you work with students because they are so much braver than adults. We adults try to hide everything behind a false facade instead of trying to find out who we actually are.

“Storytelling and clowning is the same thing, because as a clown you tell a story, but very often clowns don’t use words, so it happens though mimic or through the eyes.”

CIS Workshops It was amazing to work at CIS because you work with kids from all over the world; it’s like a mini United Nations. It’s really beautiful the way we always start sessions with the children introducing themselves, telling where they are from and sharing a memory from the country they were born in. It’s great to see their face transform while they are reminiscing.

We have had students talk about everything from war to relatives passing away, to happy moments, birthdays and holidays. That little moment, when you enter that world, is one we try to transform into a performance. That is what I love to do.

mask and mind and when you put on a red nose, it allows you to be who you are, which means that you can connect. And if you are a professional clown, you’re saying that this is about the universe and the audience, so you are the transformer who lets the stories happen through you. Because it is not about you, it is about us. I think a lot of people could learn from that. It is about us, and not about me.

Storytelling and clowning is the same thing, because as a clown you tell a story, but very often clowns don’t use words, so it happens though mimic or through the eyes. https://flowvella.com/s/lio

Clowns are misunderstood Clowns are very misunderstood. It’s only in Russia, where I have been working for the last thirteen years as a director and teacher at the drama school, that clowning is considered just as prestigious as the ballet or the opera. It’s a serious thing, where people study for many years. Clown is transformation, so if I’m a clown performing for an audience, I need to bring them into my world, and send them back with a new awareness.

That new awareness can be that you remember something you had forgotten, or that you can actually look through the bad stuff and feel love, because clowning is about love. So there are a lot of moments where people are very embarrassed because they have to show signs of love, which can be difficult for some. And that is exactly what I just talked to your drama teacher Lizzie about: this is a very important place where the children need love. If all children had more classes like this, I think we would have less wars.

When Lizzie introduced me to the students, they all thought I would be dressed as a classical clown - big wig and big shoes.

That is most people’s perception, however LeCoq works with

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LEARNING

AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDRA CHRISTIANSEN, GRADE 12 BY SUZANNE O’REILLY

Lasting Memories Alexandra Christiansen joined CIS in 2012, will graduate in June 2020 and is happy to share her memories before embarking on IB exams in May, where her time will very limited indeed.

How was it to be a student of mixed nationality living in Denmark and going to an international school?

I think it has been confusing to me. I’m not really from a specific place and therefore I guess I don’t really know where I belong... It’s weird because CIS is like being on a completely different planet, even though you’re in Denmark, because of the change in language. It also troubled me with how I was supposed to act in different places. Like how I’m supposed to act with my Danish friends, friends at school and at home. It was like you have 4 different personalities to go through in a day.

But it’s also been great because the school has so many resources that other schools don’t have, and other students don’t get a chance to try out or use. It gives me that step ahead and experience that I can use when I get further into life, which is right around the corner for me.

You started in Grade 5 in 2012, and will graduate in June this year. Can you remember anything about your time in the Primary School?

Primary School was my beginning at CIS and I remember having a big group of friends. I got a best friend called Rina and we had so much fun together from the first day we met. I remember playing tag in our wonderful Hellerup campus. We had no homework during the weekends; the teachers weren’t allowed to give us anything. It was the least stressful period of my life and I was just generally really happy at school and at home and about everything.

The 5th grade exhibition was also that year, and that was probably more stressful due to the fact that there was a teachers union lockout in the whole of Denmark. Again, it wasn’t actually that stressful because we barely had school; it was actually quite nice. The exhibition was fun because of my supervisor Julie Chadbourne, Koen’s mum. Graduation was nice: we got a framed diploma and we sang ‘On My Way’ from Brother Bear. It was also a tough year because it was

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my first international school and I was not yet used to people leaving. At the end of the year, I was quite sad as I had to say bye to Rina (who now lives in Japan), and also to some of my teachers because the school changes the teachers around every year.

What was your best time in the Middle School?

8th Grade was probably the best, because when you’re in 8th Grade at CIS you’re the oldest in the building and you get the upstairs floor with the couches for your year group. It’s the luxury lounge! I think it was also the last year my friend group was almost all together before leaving. We had pretty much all-around good teachers and learnt the ‘Pythagoras Song’ by Mr Donald. We also had the Murder Mystery, which was fantastic, as well as it just being super chill at school all the time.

One thing you will miss from the High School?

“I think no matter what you end up with written on your diplomas, you should be proud of getting through this system and getting to the day when graduation finally comes...”

I think the thing I will miss most from High School is certain teachers. I think friends will stay because we have a lot of fun.

I think I will miss how much Mr McLaughlin cares about his students and I will miss his personality and how he teaches the class. I think that’s also the best part, because I know he’s my last exam and he will be there when I received my hat and graduate. Although I will miss him greatly, I will also miss Mette (Lesley is already missed) and Suzanne O’Reilly...

I will also miss the many students I have taught in dance and will have to say goodbye to this year.

What professional goals have you set for yourself?

To be happy… become a designer, definitely working within a creative field, that would make me happy.

Any words of wisdom for 2020 Graduates?

I think no matter what you end up with written on your diplomas, you should be proud of getting through this system and getting to the day when graduation finally comes: it’s such a hard process mentally and physically. Remember you’re still human and those human factors have limitations.

No matter who you are, the fact you’re standing here with finished exams, and deadlines, and diplomas in hand means you haven’t given up... no matter how tough it has been. That is what you should be proud of.

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LEARNING

MY JOURNEY WITH DANCE BY NITYA KHANDELWAL GRADE 6

My Journey with Dance My name is Nitya Khandelwal. I am from India and I’ve been learning Bharatnatyam (an Indian classical dance) since I was 5. Actually, the whole credit of me learning this form of dance goes to my mother. She strongly encouraged me to go to the lessons thinking about my future, even if I didn’t want to go.

So thanks, Mom! The lessons weren’t that far away from my house in India and I had made a lot of friends there too.

The biggest twist in my life in learning this art form came when we moved to Denmark. It was really hard to find someone who teaches Bharatanatyam here and my mom really wanted me to continue dancing, so we thought of trying online lessons with the same teacher. Neither I nor my teacher had done this before so obviously we had no idea of the challenges that lay ahead.

The first few challenges we faced were mostly technical difficulties like internet connection failures, app problems and more. While solving these problems I yet did not see the big challenge that was coming in my way. One day while I was having my lessons our downstairs neighbor knocked on our door. They were understandably upset about how my dancing was creating so much noise. This was partly due to the creaky floor of our apartment. Our apartment’s floor is made of thin wood and when you do Bharatnatyam, you stamp your feet, so with one stamp, the whole floor shakes.

We happily came to an agreement and they were kind and nice enough to accommodate my dancing once a week.

However, we had to find a long term solution. After a few months of exploring, we found the perfect spot - the utility room in the basement of my apartment.

So I feel like my journey with Bharatnatyam has been more like a roller coaster, right?! One day, I hope I can have wonderful arangetram. An arangetram is a debut on-stage performance where you show what you have learned. After completing an arangetram, you become a qualified dancer and then can perform alone as a professional or be able to give training to other dancers. So when I finish it I will be qualified enough to prepare my own compositions and even tutor people!

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“When people live outside their country, sometimes they forget their own culture. I don’t feel that is right...”

My Teacher My guru’s (teacher) name is Rashmi Jaiswal. She is an excellent teacher, and to be honest, throughout all these years she has been the best teacher ever. She is like a second mother to me. She has always accommodated with all the problems I had. She has up to 300 students and is a very busy woman, but she always (I don’t know how) finds time to teach me lessons. Sometimes, I actually feel really guilty because she teaches me at 9:00 p.m. in India (5:30 p.m. for me because of the time difference). Right now I am finishing off my 3rd-year syllabus (like in schools, in Bharatnatyam we have a year base curriculum) and she has been helping me a lot.

Rashmi has been to Denmark once before and we have participated in a Bollywood festival organized by the Copenhagen commune. Rashmi was also accompanied by one of her students, who is a bit older than me. After the show, which by the way went amazing (and the picture on the left even came in the local news!), they stayed with me for some time. We showed them around in Copenhagen and had a lot of fun!

What I have learned from traditional dancing A thing that I have learned from Bharatnatyam is the beat of the music. Give me whatever music, I can find its beat.

Another thing that I have learned from Bharatnatyam is patience. When you dance in front of an audience you are required to wear multiple layers of clothing, jewelry and makeup. There is jewelry for your head, ears, neck, waist, hands/wrists, and legs. After wearing all of this, your body will feel really heavy, and dancing in that heavy body is nearly equivalent to dancing while wearing an armor. After so many years of all this, I have become used to the weight.

Finally, by learning Bharatnatyam I am always connected with my Indian roots. When people live outside their country, sometimes they forget their own culture. I don’t feel that is right: if we act like that, we are disrespecting our culture.

Living and studying in the western world, I am also changing in many different ways, but what I am trying not to change is being an Indian at heart and retaining some of the cultural aspects… because I am proud of it!

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BUILDING

THE SCHOOL LIBRARY, BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

The School Library A conversation with CIS Librarian Urania Beyer Tell us about your professional background, your studies and what it means to be a librarian.

I have a B.A. in Architecture and after working as an architect for 6 years in Brazil, I decided to take a break, I could call it a gap year that became a gap 6 months because I started working as a library assistant in an international school helping the librarian to re-design the library and digitalize the collection - move from card catalog to online catalog. I really enjoyed that process as well as the contact with the students.

Then I decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science in the US. After graduation I came back to Brazil and worked as a librarian in the international school for two years before starting working at CIS. I like connecting people with the information they need, in the space they need - be that physical or virtual. Being a librarian means I can make a difference when it comes to helping creating readers and information literate individuals.

Is the library an important source of knowledge for students and why?

Absolutely! The library is a center for learning, not only for students but for the whole school community. It is the mission of the library to teach students, teachers and parents to be effective users of information and ideas, and to promote literacy, critical thinking and effective communication. We provide instruction, services and resources that enrich and support the curriculum and encourage the love of reading accommodating interests, levels, special needs, languages, cultures and points of view.

Our library is a growing and adaptive organism composed by people, resources, services and place. In the library, and through the library, the community comes together; and students, teachers and parents are helped and learn from our resources, our expertise and from each other.

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“The library is a center for learning, not only for students but for the whole school community.”

Does the library have an impact on literacy and learning outcomes?

Yes, and how do we achieve that? We collaborate with teachers with focus on incorporating ATL (Approaches to Teaching and Learning) skills - most specifically research and media literacy skills, and teach Information Literacy Skills, which is the ability to define an information need, find the information, access the information, synthesize and apply it to fulfill a purpose and make informed decisions be that a research project, school work or an information need. We promote academic honesty practices by offering workshops on ethical use of information and citation and bibliography; we are directly involved in and support students with the Extended Essay, Personal Project and PYP Exhibition.

What is the best aspect of the CIS library?

The combination of information resources and the human resources (the users of the library and the library staff). We have a rich collection of materials in many languages plus the electronic resources. The library has a collection of around 19,000 titles and five electronic resources: Britanninca, EBSCO, JSTOR, Flipster and BrainPop. Given the physical circumstances, we are always trying new things to make the library a welcoming space, to entice students to read, to work, or just to meet in the library.

We strive to provide the best possible resources both in print and online addressing the diversity of the students and their language needs with a collection that offers varied, multicultural and international resources in many languages. My ambition is to make the library an authentic learning space that can be an extension of the classroom but also a safe haven for the students where they can work independently or in groups, have a time of their own away from the classroom where they can find help and guidance to accomplish school related work or pursue their own personal interests, like creating something, playing board games or choosing and reading a book!

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BUILDING

A NEW APPROACH TO LEARNING, BY TARANG DALELA GRADE 9

Nordic Network Conference Thinking outside the Box It is not only the students who think, but also the teachers have to think of new ways of teaching. The Nordic Network conference this year at CIS helped teachers to explore, and learn new teaching methods for their classrooms.

It has been held annually for the past 20 years, during which up to 20 schools have participated. All these schools take turns to host the conference every two years, and this year, it was the turn of CIS. Over 400 people attended the first day of the conference, then over 200 people attended the rest of the weekend. Of the 20 schools, only 10 of the schools could make it to the conference, but there were some additional guest schools as well, who are considering joining the network.

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The two and a half day conference started out with a keynote from a UK teacher and researcher, Geoffrey Petty. He talked about the importance of creating small communities within schools, so that teachers can develop as learners themselves.

A series of ten workshops were organized over the course of the rest of the conference, in which teachers could gain insight into different viewpoints on different topics such as design, teambuilding, etc. For example, the librarians from different schools had a session about some of the different ideas and techniques they use in the library.

This whole conference was planned out by Mr. Paul Mitchell, a teacher at CIS himself, along with a student leadership team comprising of SinÊad Moss, David Cooper, Thomas NymannJørgensen, and Chloe Nash. Mr. Mitchell had been planning this conference for the past last two years, contacting different speakers and experts, in order to give the best possible experience to the teachers during the conference.

“... with the keynote speaker Geoffrey Petty, I made the original deal with him 18 months ago. Nearly two years ago. So I had to keep on staying in contact with him… then there’s a lot of information needed to gather in terms of how you’re going to set it up in the equipment they need and how that’s going to work,” Mr. Mitchell commented.

This conference gives an insight to the teachers on different approaches to learning adopted in different classrooms across Nordic schools in Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway. “... having the opportunity to spend time with colleagues but also to get to know people from other schools, is always worthwhile,” Mr. Mitchell commented. The workshops during the conference, enabled the teachers to exchange ideas, learn various problem solving techniques, and hear the live experiences of different educators.

For example, in one of the workshops facilitated by Sameera Khan, David Ferguson and Eddie Zevallos, they asked the educators to design their ideal classroom space, with the help of a laser printer. It was interesting to see that many of the teachers wanted their classroom setting to be more informal and interactive, with comfortable seating, and a leisure corner. There was also an immense focus on physical activity through use of treadmills and slides. This provided a new perspective on the Nordic way of learning.

These workshops also facilitated the teachers to apply outof-the-box thinking to a problem. For example, in one of the workshops, teachers were asked to suspend two books in the air with some masking tape, and newspapers, so that another person could move their hand underneath it. I saw two very different takes on this in the workshop. The first was standard: roll up the newspapers, and make a sling for the book to rest in. The second, however, was much more creative: the group wrapped the two books up in the newspaper, then hung them off the sides of the table with masking tape. This was a much different take on the same problem, and goes on to show that such activities prompt educators to think of new solutions to existing problems.

Mr. Mitchell also emphasized this and its relevance to bringing new ideas into practice in day-to-day life, “... get to know, learn new things, learn new tools, try things out, and also spend time with people to discuss ideas and think about how can they, on Monday, put it back into their classrooms and try these new things out.”

In the end, however, the main purpose of this conference was to give the teachers a new perspective, a new way of thinking, on how they can look at the approaches to learning -- and putting them into practice. As Dr. Seuss says, “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

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BUILDING

SPORTS AT CIS, BY TODOR KUBURA, ATHLETIC COORDINATOR

Participating in Sports CIS Students participate in many sports events every school year.

Beau, Lisa and James are happy to share how playing sports has impacted their lives. We are extremely proud of all our athletes - the best CIS sports ambassadors, with more than 45 boys and girls teams- who have played in various competitions around Denmark and Europe.

Beau:

I have been playing different sports at CIS for the last 7 years and I still remember my first basketball practice at CIS. My team accepted me although I didn’t speak English and this helped me a lot when I started school. Because of that, I really enjoyed being part of the CIS from the very beginning.

I could feel a connection with my teammates and this has been a continuous feeling over the last few years. I also enjoyed being a part of CIS Cross Country, Track and Field and Tennis teams in the last seven years.

I chose to continue to play basketball because of my height and I started playing this sport before I joined CIS. I wanted to improve my basketball skills and I have been focused on that since my first practice.

Lisa: I started playing sports at CIS as soon as I came to

school. I started by playing volleyball which I had played previously. I also play basketball and football.

My name is Beau Sebastian Kes and this is my seventh year at CIS. I was born in the Netherlands and moved to CIS in 2013. I am in grade 9.

My name is Lisa Linder and I am a grade 9 student at CIS. I’m 14 years old and I come from Sweden.

I moved to Copenhagen two years ago from Belgium where I lived for twelve years.

My name is James Grant and I am in Grade 6. I moved to CIS two years ago from Bonn International School.

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I chose volleyball because I love the way you have to use your team to your advantage and that you are also obliged to work together. I also enjoy playing basketball, since it is a fast game and you always have to follow the game to see what is going to happen next.

In basketball, you have to be quick on your feet, but it is also a very rough sport since you play man-on-man. At times, some people are very aggressive but you have to be able to take it. I also like playing football as likewise it is a very tough sport. It is very fun to see how a team can play together and achieve good results.

James: I started playing sports when I joined CIS two years

ago. I play basketball and I am a member of CIS Cross Country team. Before I moved to Copenhagen I played football as well. I really like running and it is a lot of fun.

our team’s side of the court. The person who tried to steal the ball from me hit the ball straight up in my face and my mouth started bleeding quite a lot. Although this happened, I had to keep playing and help the team which wasn’t easy for me.

James: It was during Tårnby 800m race where I tripped One thing you will remember about playing sports at CIS?

Beau:

One of the highlights of playing sports was at the NECIS basketball tournament where CIS team took 2nd place. This was also one of my better achievements in my basketball career. The atmosphere was really nice and we enjoyed every moment at the tournament.

Lisa:

The biggest highlight so far is the first year when I came to CIS. We went to NECIS for U14 volleyball tournament and won first place. This was really breathtaking for me as I had never won anything like this before. I was very happy, and I had made many memories with my friends on the team.

James: I will remember NECIS Cross Country in Luxembourg two years ago because I saw my friends from Bonn and it was fun to run together with students from different schools.

One of the toughest moments you experienced while playing sports at CIS?

Beau: Looking back, I can’t think of any difficult moments

during my 7 years at CIS except for the communication challenges I experienced due to me not being able to speak English.

The community was very welcoming and open, and it was very easy for me to become a part of the team. We all spoke one common language and that was the language of basketball. That made everything much easier for me.

and someone stepped on my leg with his spike shoes. I ended up with a few stitches and I couldn’t go to practice for a few weeks How does playing sport have an impact on your everyday life?

Beau:

I think playing sports at CIS helped me socially when I moved to Copenhagen, but it also helped during very stressful times when I had a lot of assessments. I managed to regain my self-confidence through playing sports because I had some challenges in the previous years.

Lisa: In general, playing sports helps me in different ways.

I think playing sports definitely helped me in school, as for me it is quite therapeutic. It releases all of the stress I have from school and it helps me focus more on my classes.

Playing sports also helps you get to know new people, and you get very close to them as friends. I normally get very close to my teammates since we are there for each other, and when you’re playing you have loads of fun.

James:

Playing sports at CIS helped me to meet new friends and made my life more interesting, but also kept me occupied and fit. I like the sports program at CIS because we have lot of trips and you can try different sports because coaches are very nice. My best time in the cross country race was my NECIS race - 13 minutes for a 3 km race.

Lisa: The toughest moment was most likely in basketball

when I got hit in the face, but I had to keep playing to defend

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COMMUNITY

BY NEEL DALELA (4B) AND DANIEL D’ANDREA

Four Ways to Live More Sustainably

01 We can all reduce our meat intake. Do you know why?

The meat industry accounts for approximately 14% of all greenhouse gas emissions. (That’s about equal to the greenhouse gases from the transportation sector - cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes, all together.) Many experts advise eating meat just once a week. If you can’t reduce your meat consumption, you can reduce greenhouse gases by switching to lean meat instead of red meat. And there are additional benefits because red meat animals eat one billion tonnes of grain. With all that grain we could feed approximately 3.5 billion humans.

02 We all use plastic even when we try not to. Plastic is something we can’t get rid of; it is literally a part of us. When we want to cool off, we go to the nearest convenience store to buy some soda, and chug it all down! The plastic bottle which we drink from can be reused but many people don’t.

75% of the world’s landfills is plastic.

On 16 March 2019, a whale washed ashore in the Philippines.

Its cause of death was the 40 kilograms of plastic bags in its stomach. Is this really ethical? We are killing animals for our own convenience and we don’t even notice.

We should reuse plastic bags and bottles over-and-over again until they get worn out. A company in Norwich, UK, asks shops and cafes to refill water bottles of customers to save their money and also help the environment.

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We all want to stop Climate Change and have a cleaner world. Thankfully, we do not have to wait until our governments do something; we can start taking action today!

03 Every year, we waste 1.3 billion tonnes of food. Selina Juul was surprised when she saw supermarkets full of food and she saw a lot of food getting wasted. Then she started to take initiative in Copenhagen. One day, she walked into a Rema 1000 store and talked to the manager of the outlet.

She asked them to try “Multi-Buy” offers. That manager reluctantly followed her idea. Soon, Rema 1000’s food wastage decreased drastically, from 100 bananas to 50 bananas per day. Selina has been credited for decreasing food wastage in Denmark by 25%.

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop,” exclaimed Mother Teresa.

In this manner, every small thing we do adds up to result in a big impact.

04 Cycling is one of the easiest actions that we can take to be more sustainable. Cycling in Holland is promoted so strongly that if you cycle to work, you can earn a tax-free allowance.

Seven kilometers of cycling saves one kilogram of CO2 from entering the Earth’s atmosphere. And, in addition, cycling can help you live a longer and healthier life.

We should all take action! “The future depends on what you do today,” Gandhi pronounced. In this way, even if we do one step to be sustainable, it makes a big impact. We can provide that one drop that makes the ocean complete.

Most of the hungry people in the world are in nations with a food surplus: this means countries where food is wasted a lot, like India. One day a group of people brought food from home and shared it with children on the streets. Then they posted all the smiles on Instagram. Soon, these images had thousands, then millions and now billions of “likes” on Social Media.

More people started to join this group, then they got the name Robin Hood Army. The people who work for the Robin Hood Army accept no salary. They go to restaurants which make fresh food for them, and then they deliver the food by themselves. Now they are present all across the world.

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COMMUNITY

HOTSPOT, BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

Hotspot: A conversation with David Ferguson, Middle School Design Teacher David holds a degree in Multimedia Design and Digital Arts.

He has 12 years of teaching experience in various design fields including Photography, Multimedia Design, Graphic Design, Visual Arts, Technology, Media Studies, Product Design and Digital Design. Here David speaks about how technology is used within the classroom.

Design technology has risen to another level since our move to Nordhavn. Can you tell us about some of the projects students have worked upon and are useful to the school.

In Grade 8 Design students have been given the opportunity to work on a community-based project which had them explore a real world problem with a real client. The students worked on developing various designs for an event space in the greenhouse of the High School tower here at CIS. They met with the client and investigated their needs for the space. They then presented their design proposals and the client selected the designs that would best fulfill the needs of the space. Each class then worked together to create the product, which was made almost entirely from reused materials and scrap wood found from construction sites and discarded wooden pallets. The final products where then installed ready for use and are now the main features of the space which is rented out to the public. This project got the students to not only develop a better understanding of the design process, but also to create a real functional product that is used by the entire community.

Students learn how to personalise their learning experiences while interacting with you during class. How do you manage this kind of “hands on� learning and how do students respond?

I teach the students how to use the Design Cycle as a tool for creativity and problem solving. During their time in middle school, students learn how to use each part of the Design Cycle to develop a successful product. Once they understand this, they have the freedom to explore the design problems in their own way, determining how they want to start their approach to the design problem and then controlling the path they take to develop their final solution.

This kind of class dynamic means that the students have a lot of control over their learning. As a teacher I focus on helping the students develop their skills and guide them in choosing

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which parts of the Design Cycle will help them move towards their goal at any given stage. If I see that a student is stuck on a problem, run out of ideas or even a bit bored with what they are working on, I suggest alternative paths that they can take with the Design Cycle to keep them actively engaged. It is my goal as a teacher to set the students up with the ability to decide their own paths which will allow them to learn and create independently.

This self-driven, personalised approach to learning keeps students actively engaged as they develop their ideas with an approach that suits them best at the time.

The school now has a laser printer. What are the advantages of having such a printer?

Technology is changing the process of product design every day by bringing digital tools together with manufacturing tools to create products that are not only easier to produce but also include fine details that were once almost impossible to do by hand. With the new Pulse Laser we have here at CIS, students are able to cut and engrave on all sorts of materials. So far we have explored using the machine to cut and engrave on wood, cardboard, plastic and even textile.

Both Art and Design students are exploring ways to create their ideas with the help of this machine.

COMMUNITY

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION, BY JENNIFER O’BRIEN, PTA CHAIR

PTA Activity Fair The importance of traditions

Why the Activity Fair is important to our community

The PTA Activity Fair is a long-standing tradition which continues to get bigger and better each year. The planning starts already in May of the previous school year. We reach out into our community and beyond to arrange for clubs, instructors and companies to come and share their activities, products and services with our new and returning families.

Many new families arrive in Copenhagen in August, spend the majority of the next few weeks settling their children into school and themselves into new jobs and new homes - a stressful time indeed. Luckily the Activity Fair takes care of the next step, supporting both new and returning families by offering many afterschool activities outside of CIS for both students and parents.

Our mission is to continue to build and sustain community at CIS. We believe strongly that the Activity Fair is an important community-building opportunity, and so do our vendors with many of them returning year after year. One vendor stated this year that she “made some nice connections and met some great people”.

On Friday, August 30th we had 41 vendors take part in the Activity Fair covering many areas of interest from tennis to skincare and everything in between. Hopefully, something for everyone.

One thing that made me smile this year was when I noticed that the vendors were chatting and covering each other’s booths allowing one another to grab a coffee or wander around to see the many activities on offer.

The PTA were happy to once again assist with building a bigger and better community that cares for one another, with returning families excited to offer the support they once received as the new member of the CIS community.

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COMMUNITY

BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

The Residential Growth in Nordhavn brings along new traditions The Nordhavn area has grown immensely over the past few years with only 234 people residing there in 2016.

Today there are over 2500 residents here, including many CIS families who work for the neighboring international companies. Our statistics clearly show that with the schools move to Nordhavn in January 2017, more CIS families decided to reside in the area as well.

While many areas of Nordhavn are still under construction, CIS believes we can build up the same community feeling which we had while at our Hellerup Campus. For CIS, it is important to establish a good reciprocal relationship with our neighbours.

One of the many fun ways in which CIS families, among other internationals who reside in Nordhavn integrated with the community this year was through their participation in the Halloween event organized by Gry Salling Larsen, Frank Deehan, Shouka Pelaseyed, and Katya Stukalova, who worked together with NREP (https://nrep.com/) and Briq (https://briqgroup.com/work/arhusgadekvarteret/) Nordhavns Grundejerforening who funded the Halloween basecamp (https://gfsnordhavn.dk/).

Gry explains why she is passionate about Halloween: I was an au pair in London back in 1989 and took the kids out trick-or-treating. To me the evening feels very Danish.

I think the informality and the great feeling of “hygge” and community that comes from being in the streets with the people in your neighbourhood is very Danish.

But in reality, Halloween seems to transcend nationality, gender, religion and age. Nordhavn is a very international community and everyone is out on Halloween, we all “make” Halloween together.

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“I guess what CIS means to our neighborhood is a great deal of friendships and network. A lot of the kids here go to CIS together and the parents know each other from CIS.”

There were approximately 30 families and approximately 8 businesses who generously volunteered to be candy stops for the children. There were hundreds of kids and adults all dressed up, everyone contributed, including the older kids making it a great Nordhavn event. I don’t know how many different nationalities I played memory game with that evening but I’m pretty sure that all continents were represented.

And of course our Halloween committee is super creative and we get a lot of help from CIS kids and their parents who live here. We had the great pleasure of having a number of international people on Board. Frank Deehan and Shouka Pelaseyed, who are “Halloween natives” and have volunteered over the past couple of years. They have

a lifetime of experience with decorations, costumes, trickor-treating. I am learning from them what Halloween is all about and I love their Halloween stories. This year we also had a very creative superwoman who can make anything, Katya Stukalova who made this spectacularly unique shadow theater. Craig Jones did the photo booth and his daughter Samantha did the face painting. We really appreciate that great people want to volunteer their time. It’s also a great opportunity for my own kids to have English speaking families to do things with.

While they are your CIS parents, to me they are my fun and energetic neighbors and after 3 years I think I’d call them my friends too. I guess what CIS means to our neighborhood is a great deal of friendships and network. A lot of the kids here go to CIS together and the parents know each other from CIS. And I must say it is so encouraging that so many CIS families support our Halloween. Can’t wait till next year!

Shouka and Frank explain how a friendly conversation in 2016 with their neighbours led to the start of the first Halloween event held in Nordhavn.

Why did you personally become involved in the Nordhavn Halloween Project?

For the past few years, in collaboration with the Kulturhus and the Owners Association of Nordhavn, this team has brought the fun and excitement of dressing up and trickor-treating to Nordhavn. The local businesses are also great Halloween enthusiasts joining in the festivities. Residents in the area also joined in the fun by allowing trick-or-treaters to ring their doorbells.

How advantageous is it for CIS families to be part of this project?

The school is located in the neighbourhood of Nordhavn - an ever evolving Community of Danes and Internationals making this area a very culturally diverse and unique neighbourhood.

Nordhavn has played host to various cultural events including Halloween. Halloween is fast becoming a new tradition in Denmark and this is especially true for Nordhavn. For new CIS families moving to Nordhavn, the event allows them to become closer to the residents, their neighbours.

Does sustainability play a part in the event?

The Halloween Team focuses on the importance of sustainability, therefore the decorations were all either made out of recycled materials found in the Nordhavn recycling center or borrowed from people! This year’s festivities included a jack o’lantern carving contest where the local supermarket Meny donated prizes for the winners. Space was provided by the Nordhavn Owner’s Association for the creation of a Base Camp where children and adults alike were able to enjoy Halloween themed games, a haunted house tea party, face painting, photo booth, shadow puppet theatre, and of course candy for the trick-or-treaters!

A special thanks goes to Andersen & Maillard (https://www. andersenmaillard.dk/) who closed their bakery early and made special hard candy and marshmallows for all the kids!

They went out of their way to decorate the bakery Halloween style. The kids loved it!

Overall, the response from the neighbourhood has been so positive that Halloween is now a regular tradition for Nordhavn!

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New to Denmark:

A conversation with CIS Mum Tamara Lai Tamara Lai is a new parent to CIS and happy to share her relocating experiences with us. Tamara’s children are in grades 1 and 7 at CIS. What brought you to Denmark and was it a smooth transition for your family?

My husband works for a multinational company and our has family often moved to follow his career. It was not very difficult to move to Denmark due to having moved a number of times and because we were relocating from the Netherlands which has a similar lifestyle, language, bike culture and weather. Once we found a home, our kids adjusted quite fast and they like our apartment here, along with the area. The freedom and safety that this country offers is not common in many other countries.

Why did you choose CIS? Our girls were attending The British School in the Netherlands, therefore we visited CIS and another international school. We really liked the CIS building, facilities and the warm welcome when we first visited the school.

You have lived in many countries over the years, and your children were born in different countries. Has relocating ever been an issue or worry for you or your family?

When I met my husband we moved to Switzerland and our daughter Sophie was born there in 2007. We then relocated to Romania where Sophie started school and from there to Greece, where our daughter Daphne was born. Our next moves led us back to Italy, but far away from our home city, then two years in the Netherlands and from August 2019, here in Denmark.

The girls always went to a British or international schools, chosen based on reputation and availability, and the

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transitions were never too difficult. Of course starting at a new school is not easy, but they were always enthusiastic and ready for new experiences. They both like to go to school, meet new kids and discover new cities. As a family, we were not worried because the international school environment makes you feel like a part of a family. As everybody is moving, arriving, leaving, you are never “the new one”. In all the countries we met nice people and became good friends with many.

How has social media played a part in your life as an expat family?

I love social media! Its a source which allows families the possibility to find information about the new country before visiting and deciding to move there (ie. best school, best area to live, basic cultural information and events to discover the country). I can see my family in Italy every day on Skype and this makes it easier to shorten distances. With social media, I can be in touch with all my friends all over the world, and chat, talk and share photos. My girls use FaceTime to keep in touch with the friends they met in previous countries, and they need this lifeline. It’s much easier now then when we moved the first time: technology helps keep us connected and closer to our friends.

Any words of wisdom for families moving to Denmark?

We have only lived here a few months, so my experience is not enough to give tips but in my opinion it’s quite easy to live here as everybody speaks English. Denmark is very nice - lovely beaches, forests, cities and the Danes are a caring community, with their kids being first priority. The weather… well let’s see — the winter and the lack of light… but there is never wrong weather with the right clothes!

The CIS Parent/Teacher association offer a lot of support, activities and events for the community, so it’s impossible to feel lonely. It’s enough to be present, participate, follow Classlist and stop by for a coffee in the cafeteria.

COMMUNITY

BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

Professional Artist Debdutta Dasgupta: CIS Mum, Visual Artist and Art Teacher Growing up in India and travelling all over the world has given me a unique view of how the cultural and social patterns and symbols round the globe are underlined by common values of love and harmony. With various mediums like oil, acrylics and water colours I try to bring to life the sometimes funny and sometimes poignant moments of life.

I have been living in Copenhagen for the last four years with my husband and five year old daughter Aditri who is a first grader at CIS. I come from India, where after completing a postgraduate degree in Sociology, I worked as a High School teacher.

The Art Adventure Program is a sequential curriculum, developing interaction between each student’s creative expressions and their appreciation for art. The Art Program provides maximum opportunity for each student to have hands-on experiences in producing their art, enhanced by the integration of art history. Art education classes at the primary level will encourage critical and creative problem-solving skills, as well as empathy for historical and contemporary art works. The program is designed to encourage cognitive development, through the involvement of all of the senses. The students will establish a continuing portfolio for the purpose of generating ideas, recording visual incidence, reviewing art vocabulary and concepts, and for assessment of growth.

Art Adventure, a unique art course incorporating concepts of storytelling, art history, mythology architecture and crafting was started at my home in Nordhavn with a small group of children. It was an attempt to understand and foster imagination and creativity in a fun way. Before long I had a bigger group of students, and started the classes in collaboration with Havnekulturkontoret Nordhavn, Family Club at Øbro Jagtvej, Indreby Kulturhuset, Ryggards Fritidsforening and Copenhagen Afterschool Club. I also conduct workshops and events with different agencies and institutions.

According to extensive research throughout the world, art and unrestricted exploration with different textures and materials help children form connections in their brain, it helps them learn — and it’s also fun. Art is a natural activity to support this free play in children. It helps in sensory motor development, cognitive understanding and is also an outlet for exploring and coping with their emotions.

Observation, self-expression, focus, discipline, perseverance, collaboration and risk-taking are some of the skills that art imbibes in a student.

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COMMUNITY

AN INTERVIEW WITH RAFAEL FREIRE AND OSCAR WARING – GRADE 6 BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

The Art of Creative Thinking What inspires you to draw?

Rafael: Just the creativity of drawing and how it helps time fly. By this, I mean that boredom creates a surge of creativity.

Oscar: I enjoy the concept of being able to freely express myself.

What does art mean to you? Is it about creating beauty, using the imagination, or is art an activity driven by emotion?

Rafael: Beauty - that’s because I draw beauty, and in my perspective drawing beautiful clothing is art.

Oscar:

Art to me is how people can express themselves and their emotions.

Would you like a career in art?

Rafael: No, because I want to be an engineer, however, no

doubt my talent for drawing will be an advantage in the field of engineering.

Oscar: I would not like a career in art. I prefer just to do art in my free time; its a fun activity to do when I feel I would like to withdraw from noise, computers and phones.

Who or what is your inspiration for your artwork?

Rafael: My mum who taught me how to look at clothing in a creative perspective. My mum doesn’t believe she is good but she has an eye for what is beautiful.

Oscar: Most of my inspiration comes from online art sites and graffiti that I see on the streets.

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COMMUNITY

AN INTERVIEW WITH THOMAS REYNOLDS, 2016 GRADUATE, BY SUZANNE O´REILLY

A Professional by Trade Thomas Reynolds graduated in 2016 with an IB Diploma and then went on to study in the field of carpentry. Taking the road less travelled, Thomas speaks honestly and openly about his decision to become a professional tradesman.

Carpentry as a Trade Why did you choose carpentry as a trade? And did your High School education have any influence on your career choice?

Wood was always something that fascinated me in its strange touch and versatile finishes, but I never really had the chance to work on it until I joined Ms.Wykes’ Design Tech class in Grade 9. We hadn’t had any classes which introduced me to crafts up until then; and the only things I’d created were wooden swords and shields on my grandfather’s workbench. The class also gave me a taster of what I could create if I followed through a structured working procedure.

That class’s structure and process resonated far more than any other academic field for me. Now unfortunately I am a slow learner, and structured… I am anything but! I strive towards being structured though, and I have found strong motivation for it as with structure comes an ease that lets one work efficiently and safely.

embrace that side of me, and my mum won’t be able to embarrass me with it now.

Any words of wisdom for IB students who are unsure about which career path to embark upon?

Every person’s base reason, and therefore motivation, is different, but each is vitally important in their progress through life. I can only advise you to stick to your own path as this will give you dignity as a human being, and with it, pride in your work.

If there is anyone that is interested in how an apprenticeship works within the Compagnons du Devoir lifestyle, I would be happy to bring light to that subject too!

And that, if there is one, is the starting point of my epiphany, that struck me only years later when I came back to France.

The trade industry is crying out for more students to take up a career in trade. What would your advice be to those students thinking about this option?

My words of wisdom to those that would want to embark into a trade is this: the things you learn in 9th-12th Grade maths, English and science, although tedious, are very important bases in a craft. Do NOT come to a trade as a means to escape tediousness… it is a part of everything, and if you want to progress in a craft, you need a good foundation… especially in 9-10th Grade maths.

To those that might consider an apprenticeship, I would firstly invite you to evaluate what exactly does not work for you in the academic system. For me it’s that I am never fully satisfied if I cannot touch what I make… For I am a texture freak: I was regularly caught caressing leather boots in the cupboard when I was a toddler - might be ‘TMI’ - but I fully

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COMMUNITY

AN INTERVIEW WITH AREEB SIDDIQI 2010 GRADUATE,

BY SUZANNE O’REILLY

Going Places Areeb Siddiqi graduated in June 2010, the same year the CIS Varsity basketball team brought home Gold to CIS. Being part of this team, upon return from the tournament Areeb proudly ran through the hallways of the school with trophy in hand singing “We are the Champions”. A very memorable moment for all.

Areeb is now a professional Photographer and Quantity Surveyor and has returned to Denmark after 8 years in Scotland which changed his life.

What is your family background?

I was born in Denmark and my parents are from Pakistan.

• • •

Am I Danish… Yes but No, because I don’t look Danish.

Am I Pakistani… Yes but No, I have never lived in Pakistan and I don’t have all the cultural values.

Am I Scottish… well No! but most of my adult life I have spent in Scotland. So in my mind it was always a battle to fit in, and decide in my head what exactly I am.

Coming into an international education these questions weren’t as important, because for example my last year in CIS students represented 36 nationalities, some of whom were also born in Denmark but were from other places. We are just who we are - it’s not black and white.

After completing IB2, did you have any inclination as to what profession you wanted to embark upon?

After CIS, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do or become. Every year at CIS I would try and figure out what I wanted to be, and at the time it seemed there were only a few options which are the usual - doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.

The only thing I knew was that I wanted to do photography as a hobby, and eventually as a business. I also knew that I could study it and go towards becoming a journalist, but it is very difficult to get accepted into journalistic school. On the whole, they only accept 25 students a year with thousands applying.

I knew I wanted to do something that had a balance of office work, field work and with opportunities to travel the world.

In my gap year, after graduating I was a football coach at CIS, trying to figure out the next move. My strategy was “do

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anything” and then take it from there, so I applied to every university in Scotland and for any course imaginable (the Scottish teachers at CIS made an impact on me, and that made a big difference in choosing a country of study).

“The tolerance, the respect, the discipline which IB taught has given me a much higher chance of success in my life.”

I got a phone-call one morning telling me that unfortunately the civil engineering course was full, but would I be interested in studying Quantity Surveying? My answer was ‘sure! Ill do that’ (without even knowing what it was) and I was told to move to Scotland within 4 days of the phone call in order to start my studies. I showed up to a new city with one suitcase and the goal to become someone and make a lasting impact.

When you are in school, mostly it seems like there are very limited choices of what you can become; if it seems like there are many options, I assure you there are many more. Most people reading this won’t know what a Quantity Surveyor is... and I like that, because it makes it more unique.

Did IB improve your chances of success once you left CIS? IB improved my chances of success at a very high level, mainly because of the fact I left Denmark.. I tried to apply for several different courses in CBS and other Danish establishments, and I got the feedback that I would have to do supplementary classes regardless of what I studied in order to be accepted.

This would have set me back another year in the race of life. Leaving the country to study was a good option and IB definitely helped in that sense.

The tolerance, the respect, the discipline which IB taught has given me a much higher chance of success in my life. Whether it was something a teacher specifically taught, or whether it was something that naturally happens in the international

environment, I am unsure - but either way it is very positive.

Team sports and teambuilding is something which I had been a part of since I started in CIS in 6th Grade. Whether it was being part of BRAP, THIMUN, Charity Club, NECIS, or any committee, it was all building a good foundation for living my life in the ‘real world’.

Every year NECIS felt like it meant more to me, and the last year it definitely meant the most, even before we actually won. I think goal setting, working with a team who are all dedicated and putting 100% in to reach the same goal in sports is also partly preparing you for the future. Any job you have, you are working with other people to achieve the same goal, and everybody has their important part to play in the team. In my 6 years attending CIS, I was part of teams reaching second, third, fourth, sixth and last place, and that meant that winning was appreciated so much more, especially when it was the last possible chance of achieving this. Doing something to make a difference and make history is very motivating and reassuring; with hard-work, teamwork, heart, and good leadership you can reach any goal.

What was your most memorable time at CIS? My most memorable time was all of 2009-2010 in CIS. That whole school year was amazing, and I felt I achieved a lot as well as experienced a lot. I was a part of THIMUN in Holland, BRAP in Thailand, Charity Club, NECIS Football and Basketball, won gold in Track and Field and Basketball, made history, got the CAS award, the Student of the Year award, got chosen to do the speech at graduation in Danish, and helped design a lot of the yearbook as sports editor, photographer, and editor for the graduating class. I am sure there was more - it was just a great year, so many things to be a part of and feel a sense of accomplishment, that’s what was great at CIS. You moved to Scotland in September 2010? Can you tell us why you choose Scotland to continue your studies?

I moved to Scotland September 2011. I got off the train and I went to my hotel which I had for 4 days. This meant I needed to find accommodation within 4 days. Walking around new to Inverness, I was very confused and felt lost, but somehow managed to get accommodation. The first morning in Inverness, I realized I had made a good decision when I saw the sun rising above the mountains and reflecting in the river... This was an incredibly beautiful place! I was already excited as I knew I would be able to take some great photos here. My family, unlike most of the student families at CIS, was not very well off. This meant the options for me were limited, and I needed to consider this. Scotland is known for its great universities and prospects (within my subject of study) and also known for having free education. Scotland was therefore the ideal choice. There are a lot of big universities in exciting cities filled with students, and therefore there is

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a great atmosphere. (Of course, I had found the one place where the university had no student accommodation, and was not really based in a student town, and was more of a tourist place where the population would go from 85,000 to 200,000 in the tourist season… people flooding the city wanting to find the Loch Ness Monster.) But overall, Scotland was a good decision and it changed my life completely in every way, all for the better.

When was your most memorable time in Scotland?

As a struggling student in Inverness I was trying very hard to find some solid ground in the hunt for stability. My most memorable time is when I first approached a ‘client’ with a photography proposal which essentially led me to be the only Night-Time photographer in the city, and also a very known one. I started off taking pictures in a nightclub where I celebrities would make a guest appearance/or perform. People such as Coolio, SASH, Vengaboys, Fatman Scoop, James Arthur were among some of them. It was a great opportunity for me, and I was finally getting paid for something I loved doing. After 3 years, the place shut down, and I started expanding the business to other bars and clubs in the city. Soon after, almost everybody knew me, and expected to see me on a weekly basis roaming around the nightlife taking photographs.

I started to get requests for weddings, family photos, hen nights, stag dos, you name it. I was very content in seeing the progress my company had made in a short time, and this was what got me through my time studying as well as my other jobs, of course. Doing something you love that you

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“The quality of life is great in Denmark: small things that many people living here won’t notice are only noticed when you go somewhere where things are different.”

are getting paid for is a great feeling, and the business is still running under my name in Inverness even after me leaving.

The struggles and the satisfaction of creating something from nothing is priceless.

I couldn’t have done it by myself: I am a very grateful person and I don’t forget favors. Another alumni from CIS helped me massively when I started up my business in Inverness. Erik Hoppe - a former student, and my former NECIS Football coach - offered to lend me his camera to grow my business, and I will never forget that. It improved the quality of my output and gave me a great push in the right direction to help me become successful.

What was the changing factor for your decision to move back to Denmark?

okay, there will always be open doors… follow your dreams, work hard and you will achieve.

Denmark was always going to be the place I ended up.

I didn’t always admit this but deep down I knew. After all home is home. I had started to look for work in Denmark after gaining 4-5 years’ experience in Scotland but I found there was no such position in Denmark. I left it alone and continued working on my career in Scotland. I got a phonecall in February this year, asking if I would be interested in a move to Denmark, and of course I was interested. I found out that the position of Quantity Surveyor in Denmark was always outsourced and wasn’t an option here as it was a specialist education which was not widely used in Denmark, but should be.

I am now settled in Denmark, I have a lovely job in Quantity Surveying in the leading design company in Europe, that I wake up in the morning wanting to go to. I am married and have 3 kids under 3 years old… I get a lot of judgment for this, but like I said everybody has their own journey. I currently live in the house where I grew up and I watch my kids play with some of my old toys in the same garden, and the same room. I have a business abroad and in Denmark doing what I love, and a lot of the experiences I have had in life have been good or fruitful because of CIS. I was the manager of a hostel in Inverness, where I met new people every day and made even more friends around the world, and the tolerance and stories that came out of CIS helped with making bonds and relationships.

The factors which played a big role in the move was…

• The education system for my kids • Owning a house in Denmark so not paying rent to a third party and essentially not gaining anything from it long term • Network of people for my family • Family – I have a lot of Family here and there is no replacement for that • The public transportation system • Career opportunities • More opportunities for photography work • Advanced systems

Like Peter Wellby (former CIS Principal) once told us in an assembly, “Don’t take care, take risks!”

These factors all played a role in making the decision to move back. The main factor was my kids getting a good education from an early age. The børnehave system in Denmark is far better than that of Scotland (as far as I witnessed), and me being Danish I needed my kids to learn Danish fluently as well.

The quality of life is great in Denmark: small things that many people living here won’t notice are only noticed when you go somewhere where things are different. Me going to Scotland made me appreciate Denmark far more.

Any words of wisdom for our current IB students?

My advice would be, don’t let it affect you too hard if things aren’t going great for you in IB. Hard work gets further in real life than skill. Everybody has their own path. You will make your own and it will be a great journey and it will be unique, with unique experiences, ones you will learn from, ones you will laugh at. Life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and whilst you’re running… enjoy the view, because in my humble opinion it’s better to work to live a good life, than to live to go to work.

Another thing I would say is, I have failed at so much, and so many times, and in so many ways but it’s always going to be

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