Shi Jie - Autumn 2011

視界

SHI JIE - TO LOOK OUT INTO THE WORLD THE MAGAZINE OF DISCOVERY COLLEGE AUTUMN 2011 Grow. Discover. Dream.

Focus on

TECHNOLOGY

Super Stars

Primary Class Captains put ideas into action

TED X

Ideas worth spreading come to DC

AUTUMN 2011

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOOLS When I went to school, it was relatively easy to choose the right tools for teaching and learning. The implements were generally basic and unvarying: a book, a blackboard, a pencil, and a notepad.

Scholarly research took place in a library and typically required hours or weeks of pouring through dusty volumes, straining one’s eyes staring at a microfilm or microfiche reader, and patiently following tangled trails through the literature. Card files were the staple of most students. Clearly things have changed. During the past 20 years we’ve witnessed a tremendous explosion in information technology-one that has enabled each of us to access information of an almost infinite variety nearly instantaneously. With a simple mouse click or screen tap, an entire universe of information is opened to us.

Classrooms at Discovery College are perfect examples of how modern information technology has been wholly integrated into learning. Our students and teachers have access to information at their fingertips, new and more innovative ways of finding answers and the opportunity and ease of using technology to enhance their overall teaching and learning experiences.

Parents are also asked to use technology to be involved in their children’s learning.

Many assessments are delivered online, classroom and homework information is often Web-based and school related information is delivered weekly through the Explorer, an electronic newsletter.

We at the College are excited by the future of expanding technological applications to education. At the same time, we realize that such technology can, if unwisely chosen or misapplied, overwhelm or impede the learning process. I can assure you that we are committed to choosing among all available alternatives the most productive educational technology to support our core educational mission. We will be at the forefront in adapting modern technology for the classroom, but we will also be judicious in its introduction and implementation. After all, I’m old fashioned enough to believe that, in the end, the best ideas still often flow from the tip of a pencil on to a plain white sheet of paper.

Charles Wong School Council Chairman

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOOLS

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AUTUMN 2011

CONTENTS

CONTENTS 18

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視界 Shi Jie

Autumn 2011 EDITOR Amy Freed

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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Contents | Autumn 2011 FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY Technologically Minded STAFF PROFILE Damian Trimingham / Paula Myers DC NEWS Super Stars DC’s Primary Class Captains put ideas into action

6 10-11 12

Family Fun Day Mixing business with pleasure

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Looking into the future DC’s Diploma Programme is set for 2012

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EVENTS TED X 16 VISUAL ARTS Getting some perspective Artist Ian Murphy inspires Year 11

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ALUMNI Where are they now Paul Kriesch

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THE ARTS Music for the eyes

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MUSIC Making the Band

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COBRA SPORTS

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ENVIRONMENT Growing up green Year 4 harvests veggies from DC’s first micro-garden 26

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CONTENTS

Matt Baron Damien Barry Robert Chaytor Claire Connor Alexandra Dupey, Year 11 Student Lauren Gordon Taha Hashim, Year 10 Student Andy Kai Fong Nastia Kosachevskaya, Year 9 Student Peter Lasscock Cassandra Loh, Year 10 Student Kylie Harrison Alexa Massingham Brian McCann Paula Myers Elspeth Shaw Damian Trimingham Patrice Valere John Wilson Dana Young, Year 11 Student

PHOTOGRAPHY Danielle Libine CIRCULATION & CONTACT Discovery College 38 Siena Ave Discovery Bay HONG KONG

Tel: +852 3969 1000 Fax: +852 2987 8115 Email: office@discovery.edu.hk Website: www.discovery.edu.hk Circulation (1500)

視 界 is printed on Alpine Satin which is PEFC certified, Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) and manufactured under ISO14001 certification, using 100% virgin fibre from well-managed forests.

AUTUMN 2011

DC NEWS

CELEBRATING CELEBRATIONS Year 2 launched the How We Express Ourselves ‘Celebrations’ unit on Wednesday 16 November with a surprise party in the Year 2 shared area. Mrs. Coote arrived at the Year 2 classrooms with a special invitation for the students to attend a party. Thanks to the wonderful Year 2 parents, the party was an opportunity to try food from a variety of cultures, create decorations and party hats, sing and dance and play a variety of games.

The Year 2s are now looking forward to inquiring into the ways in which people celebrate, significant times in the year and their relationship to celebrations, and how culture and beliefs influence celebrations. The unit will culminate in a mini exhibition where children will be able to share their understandings with their families and the school community through the use of technology, music, dance, art, posters and a written information report on their chosen celebration.

- Kylie Harrison, Year 2 Teacher

BOX OF HOPE

Understanding the gift of giving During Term One, Class captains from Year Four, Five and Six, decided to support the charity, Box of Hope, under the guidance of Mr. Barry and Mr. Baron.

and lunchtimes in the main foyer. Erin Hinch and Julian Marrero also shared a presentation with the upper primary school during Tuesday assembly time.

Box of Hope was started by Nicole Woolhouse and Harriet Cleverly in 2008 in order to teach their own children the gift of giving. Box of Hope quickly grew in popularity and size and now works with schools, children’s organisations and private enterprises across Hong Kong.

Students were asked to get a shoe box and fill it with the following items; something to love such as a bear, soft toy, tennis ball, a finger puppet, etc.; something to do namely educational supplies and books; something to use namely hygiene items such as a toothbrush, a comb, etc.; other items such as something to wear.

One of the aims of the project is to encourage children ranging from 3 to 18 years to be more aware of their local and wider community and show them how they can help make a difference, in addition to providing educational and fun gifts for children in need throughout Asia.

The response to this initiative, especially amongst younger year levels was extremely encouraging and more than 30 boxes were collected and sent off to Box of Hope.

Hopefully we can build on this great beginning and make Box of Hope an established part of our Discovery College service initiatives.

A committee formed from primary class captains raised awareness of this initiative through holding information sessions at play

For further information on Box of Hope, please see www.boxofhope.org Damien Barry Year 4 Teacher

CELEBRATING CELEBRATIONS

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AUTUMN 2011

FOCUS ON

TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGICALLY MINDED Battle of the Bots In our Year 10 Systems unit, we had to design and programme a working robot to compete in a Sumobot Competition. We worked with packs of Lego Mindstorms to build our creations. Our unit was based mainly around the question, ‘What does the future hold?’ and the AOI focus of Human Ingenuity. For this we specifically focused on robotics. We had to investigate existing robots and what they do. We then had to programme our own robot using the Lego Mindstorms package.

We began work on building and modifying various prototypes of our robots until we could get the best robot to compete with. Along with this, we had to follow various rules; our robots had to be a certain size (less than 30.5cm) and weight (less than 1kg) in order to be able to have a proper match between robots. So, we all began to design our robots for our battle. There were a variety of designs, ranging from tall robots with several motors and wheels, to smaller simpler robots with just a ramp.

When designing and testing our various creations, we also had to remember to think about the programming possibilities for our robots.

For programming, Mindstorms NXT (a programme provided alongside our robot parts) was used to make them do various actions through the use of input (sensors) and outputs (movement in the motors or actions done by the robot). The interface was very simple, yet we could make very complex programmes on them. We could control the different motors and how they move, what to do if the robot senses something with a particular sensor (e.g. The light sensor), whether the programming should be looped and more.

The most important sensor we had to add to our robots was the light sensor. This was because the light sensor allowed our robots to ‘see’ where the white boundaries of our black arena were, so they could avoid rolling straight over the edge and losing. We all had test battles between our robots, to see whether our prototypes were working well or failing badly. Every time a robot would win we would cheer.

Over the course of this unit we all learnt a great deal about the process of programming using inputs and outputs. The whole unit was really fun.

We loved playing around with robots and their programming.

- Cassandra Loh, Year 10 Student

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TECHNOLOGICALLY MINDED

AUTUMN 2011

TECHNOLOGICALLY THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE MINDED

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AUTUMN 2011

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TECHNOLOGICALLY MINDED

FOCUS ON

TECHNOLOGY

AUTUMN 2011

Designing for Puropse Mr Wilson and Mr Fraser’s Year 7 classes have been learning about the design process in their technology lessons. The unit question was ‘what does it mean to design?’ and students were asked to design and make a product to help organise or tidy a desk or workspace.

After collecting some useful measurements (the sizes of the things they needed to store) and looking at existing designs, the students started to generate their own designs. First they sketched and labelled ideas, considering how well they would work; then they looked at using Google Sketchup as a way of exploring and communicating their design ideas.

using some of the equipment soon turned to confident and responsible methods of working as the students measured, cut and shaped materials using hand and machine tools. With the products glued and assembled the students smoothed and finished their work with scrapers, files and glass-paper.

The final task was to devise some suitable tests for their completed desk organisers.

Pencil cases were emptied and opinions sought as the students assessed how successfully their designs met the original need.

Meanwhile the students were also learning how to use some of the workshop tools and starting to prepare their materials. This set

So, what does it mean to design?

Planning, thinking ahead, some hard work and in this case, plenty of ‘elbowgrease’ and dust!

them some constraints for the project as they had to calculate what they could achieve with the materials provided. Initial nerves about

John Wilson Technology Teacher

iLearning Supported by research done at the ESF and investigations by the Digital Literacy and Information Literacy teams, DC has recently introduced 15 iPads for trial in the junior school. To further support this initiative, a number of staff have also undertaken professional development in this area.

There is a palpable sense of excitement in the class as the iPads arrive in the classroom. It is obvious that this is still a special event for the students. In Year 4 they are currently being used as one component in the guided reading programme. Team leader Damien Barry says that it is important to make strategic use in areas where they provide a benefit in terms of skill development, reinforcement, engagement, function and portability that might not be able to be provided in other ways. ‘Although they are becoming part of the programme, they are complimentary and supportive. They do not replace reading a book and developing reading, writing and listening skills in other ways.’ he says. In his class students are using apps to develop their spelling, handwriting, reading and memory skills for targeted students.

Year 4 teacher Tanya Surawski has also been impressed. She sees engagement as a key element as iPads can be used to reinforce an

idea already taught. One app that is being used to reinforce language development is ‘Shake a Phrase’, where students shake the iPad to shuffle a sentence or phrase. Students then need to put the words back into a logical order. This helps them develop their understanding of sentence structure.

Sometimes apps provide an avenue to do something that can be very difficult in other ways. One example is an app being used in Miss Surawski’s classroom is for developing Mandarin skills. Students are presented with a word and then they need to listen and select the pronunciation with the correct tone. At the

present time the biggest problem she has with iPads is not in what she and her students want to with them but in getting enough access for her class.

Year 4s have been passing on their skills by teaching Year 1 students how to use iPads as part of their peer mentoring buddy programme. Team leader for Year 1, Loretta Romano, says that her students are very intuitive towards the iPads interface. The Year 1 team has already found them successful in developing handwriting and spelling skills.

They are currently evaluating available apps that could be suitable to support the mathematics programme. iPads have been designed as a personal user device and this has presented a number of technical challenges in the school environment.

Initially they had to be configured individually, this has since been addressed with a new operating system. As their use in education grows the application vendors and Apple are responding to these issues and providing solutions for school and corporate use.

DC is currently evaluating the feasibility of getting additional iPads on the success of this trial. - Peter Lasscock, Deputy Head of College

TECHNOLOGICALLY MINDED

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AUTUMN 2011

STAFF PROFILE

DAMIAN TRIMINGHAM I was born in England, but soon after we moved overseas due to my dad’s job as a Civil Engineer. We spent 4 years in Jamaica and then moved to Malawi in Africa for 4 years, before arriving in Hong Kong in 1982. In Hong Kong, I went to Kowloon Junior School and then KGV, before heading to University in Birmingham, England to do my degree.

Some might say I only went there to watch Aston Villa play football, but records will show I visited the library on many occasions - to photocopy maps showing me how to get to the different football grounds up and down the country.

I have been at Discovery College since the beginning and also spent a year working in Bauhinia School, before it changed names.

During my time in teaching I have always worked in the lower primary years as I have always enjoyed the enthusiasm and the willingness of the children at this age to try everything. Maybe it is also the age bracket that best suits my mentality!

Having moved out of the classroom and into the P.E. department this year I really feel I have found where I belong. The opportunity to share my love for sport and help children instill this passion into their own lives, as part of a healthy lifestyle at a young age was too good to turn down. It is not often that people get to have a job that is also their passion.

DAMIAN TRIMINGHAM After my degree I spent time in France, Luxembourg, and Sports Coaching for 6 years in HK as well as doing my Graduate Diploma in Primary Education in Western Australia. Having said I would never live in Discovery Bay when younger, I now find myself living and working here and on the odd occasion sneaking out of the bubble to get some fresh air on HK Island.

I am married to a Japanese lady and we have 3 daughters – Lucy, Lisa and Lily. We have a 4th child due shortly after Christmas. We have taken HK as our home and are in no rush to leave. I will have lived in HK for 30 years this February. We feel it is important that our children try to gain an understanding of the local culture and language, so we send them to local kindergartens before starting primary school. They also keep their connection with Japan by visiting at least once a year and speaking only Japanese with their mum. This has enabled them to be fluent in Japanese.

In my spare time I end up mainly playing sport or socialising around sport. I have a keen interest in football, squash, table tennis and golf. DB allows me to play plenty of football, squash and table tennis each week, but the price of golf limits me to a few games at the airport course and an annual trip to the Ken Lu Invitational.

BOLLYWOOD NIGHTS Bright colours and rich materials transformed the dance studio in Discovery College into a Bollywood stage in September. The first PTA event of the year organised to provide a chance for new parents to get to know each other and members of the DC community was a great success.

Sparkling material covered the walls, whilst women in saris and men in brightly coloured shirts filled the room with dancing and laughter. Parents, teachers and their friends watched, danced and listened to the sounds of Bollywood.

After a week of practicing, much laughter and shouts of ‘the eyes, the eyes’ members of the PTA under the watchful eye of tutor Pooja Laungani entertained the guests with a demonstration of Bollywood dancing . Later when the professionals ran on stage the audience were inspired by the speed and skill of the dance.. It made them get up and dance to the exciting sounds of Bollywood.

Everyone enjoyed the delicious smells and tastes of the wonderful Indian buffet. This the first time the PTA has put on such a themed event and judging by the huge success of the evening, it won’t be the last. Thank you to Thilegi Black and her team for making the event a wonderful night to remember. Elspeth Shaw & Adair Gordon, DCPTA

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DAMIAN TRIMINGHAM

AUTUMN 2011

STAFF ALUMNI PROFILE NEWS

PAULA MYERS After 16 years of working in Higher Education in the United States, I was ready for a new adventure. Hong Kong has been an exciting change from the small town of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where I have lived for 11 years.

At my most recent university, I was Assistant Dean of Students and Director of International Student Services, a role that had me advising students from over 45 countries and doing intercultural training and outreach. I also worked as an international admissions representative and served on the Council of International Schools Asia Committee, which allowed me to travel to many international schools in Asia, Central and South America, the United Kingdom, and Turkey. Each school I visited had a little different flavor, but all had something in common—a diverse student body growing up engaged with a mix of people and ideas. So, it was always in the back of my mind that I might pursue a position at an international school one day and am very pleased to be living out that dream here at Discovery College.

My new role as Higher Education Counsellor

takes me from recruiting and advising university students to helping secondary students work through both the reflection and action of finding the best fit for their university education. I find the students here to be bright and energetic and they are taught by a group of very talented teachers. They will have such a range of opportunities open to them across the world and in many different subject areas and types of institutions. I’ll be helping them work through that process— starting with encouraging broad, blue sky aspirations and then helping them to filter those to find their best higher education match.

Getting to know our students, researching universities, preparing resources, and networking for DC has already been rewarding.

Beyond work, I love to travel, read, and write and am trying my hand at learning some Cantonese.

I believe in the long-term ability of international education to expand our understanding of ourselves and of each other.

This experience has already asked me to grow in many ways and it’s wonderful to be in an environment where students and staff have that potential every day.

PAULA MYERS

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DC NEWS

AUTUMN 2011

SUPER STARS

DC’s Primary Class Captains put ideas into action The Primary Class Captains have been very active during the first term this year. The 24 members, 12 boys and 12 girls, from Years 3 to 6 have met fortnightly to discuss current issues confronting the lives of their fellow Discovery College students. With a focus on effective research and thoughtful action, the budding leaders have strived to make a difference for students across the primary school.

One of the main focuses has been the welfare of students during play times. After some initial questioning it was discovered that many people felt there wasn’t enough equipment available to use at play times. To encourage everyone to lead a balanced lifestyle, our enthusiastic Captains purchased sporting equipment, board games and sand toys for students to use at play times. Some play spaces were redefined, such as the introduction of equipment to the grassed area and board games to the granite court yard.

With the purchase of new equipment, the Captains felt it was important to communicate some guidelines around using it.

With the poise of public speakers several years their age, our inspirational leaders took the stage at a whole school assembly and introduced the details around the use of the new equipment. The response was very positive from the student body, who took to the new equipment with gusto and appreciated the fun that it brought.

The Captains have continued to monitor the use of the equipment and have spoken at several assemblies reminding others how to use it sensibly and fairly.

Each term a new group of Class Captains are elected. By the end of the year, 72 students from Year 3 to 6 will have represented their classes in this coveted leadership role. Our Captains are daring to dream and are certainly making a difference for the Discovery College community. - Matt Baron, Upper Pimary Leader

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SUPER STARS

AUTUMN 2011

DC NEWS

DCPTA FAMILY FUN DAY

Mixing business with pleasure A wonderful mix of games, challenges and creative craft activities, delicious food stalls organised by our generous parents, enticing commercial and charity stalls, and great entertainment from our talented students all contributed to a very successful ‘Family Fun Day’ on Saturday 12 November.

Well over 1500 students and parents attended this year’s Family Fun Day, which is growing year on year with a combination of popular events, stalls and activities plus new ones to delight young and old alike.

recipients with creative coloured hair spraying, face painting and henna tattoos.

games area run by teachers, which included activities from football to the bean bag toss.

The DC Challenge – a scavenger hunt involving an action-packed clue-hunt around the school – saw students testing their team work, collaboration and lateral thinking skills.

And – new this year - the DC Junior Master Chef Challenge, organised and sponsored by Apron Strings, saw students impressing under pressure, making some delicious gourmet dishes.

And, as always, a huge hit of the day was the entertainment provided by our very talented students, with performances by the Primary School Choir, Secondary School Orchestra and a wonderful line-up of Secondary School bands.

This year saw a record 20-plus commercial and charity stalls, offering a range of merchandise including toys, games, art and craft materials, jewelry, handbags and accessories, to help families do some early Christmas shopping and contribute to great causes.

The food stalls were again a big hit, with parents from countries including Australia, England, France, Japan, Korea, Philippines and South Africa sharing their culinary delights.

Families also enjoyed purchasing delicious baked goods made by DC parents at the everpopular cake stall.

Primary parents, with assistance from our Year 5s and 6s, did an excellent job of running craft stalls in the Primary Gym, where children made Christmas cards, Christmas tree decorations, Nepalese Tikkas, beading and emerged adorned with temporary tattoos. Secondary students and members of DC’s Active Arts Club delighted

Adding to festivities, one of the PTA’s sponsors for this year, The Igor Group, set up a bar for the adults, serving wine, beer and soft drinks.

Another popular addition to this year’s Family Fun Day was the Nerf Gun Challenge, testing contestants’ shooting skills with tough targets.

Sports skills were also put to the test with a fun

The day raised HK$70,000, which goes into the PTA Fund. HK$57,000 has already been earmarked to purchase risers with guard rails (think portable bleachers) which will be used by the music department for choir performances, the drama department for productions and the sports department for spectator seating.

Next year’s Family Fun Day will see a new management team. Traditionally run by the PTA with support from teachers, parent and students, next year the College’s Student Council will help with organising the event, supported by the PTA and school community.

Thanks goes to the many parents, teachers and students who contributed to the success of the day. - Lauren Gordon, DC Parent

DCPTA FAMILY FUN DAY

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DC NEWS

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

DC’S DIPLOMA PROGRAMME IS SET FOR 2012

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LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

AUTUMN 2011

AUTUMN 2011

rised of becoming autho began the process e lleg Co the r yea highly qualified grammes. This ate to recruit three offer all three IB pro llege has been fortun has always been to Co e the lleg d, Co en s the thi of To st 2012.

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LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

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AUTUMN 2011

EVENTS

TEDX Dream, discover, grow was the theme for the TEDxYouth@DiscoveryCollege event, held November 21 at Discovery College. The first TEDx event for the school was organised and hosted by a group of senior DC students and involved a mix of live presentations, musical performances and the viewing of recorded TED talks. The audience of students, parents and teachers were not only entertained but also stimulated by thought-provoking discussion.

The event was a licensed TEDx experience, with TEDx events being self-organised activities that seek to provide a TED-like experience. TED is a nonprofit organisation who’s main goal is to spread great ideas through a suite of short demonstrations and performances on a wide range of subjects to foster learning, inspiration and wonder. The TEDx programme is designed to give communities, organisations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level.

TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community

During the event, DB Green’s Tracy Read shared some alarming facts about the amount of waste, especially plastic and Styrofoam, that can be found floating in the world’s oceans, and presented alarming pictures of beaches in Hong Kong covered in rubbish washed up from local seas. Much of this waste, she believes, stems from society’s dependence upon singleuse items such as straws and plastic bottles.

Tracy presented a challenge to the audience to participate in ‘No Throw Thursday’, where the use of single-use or disposable items are replaced by reusable items every Thursday.

German-born HK-based entrepreneur Claus Nehmzow discussed the importance of curiosity and exploration, and how it has influenced his career. Using his involvement in setting up 3D Avatar School, a company that is combining game technology with the best teachers to try to change the way that education is delivered, he emphasised the benefit of doing something you are passionate about in regards to achieving personal goals.

the plight of the world’s needy through their unique experiential simulation programmes.

He presented a compelling and stirring simple message for the audience - that anybody is capable of helping others no matter who they are. David’s story truly inspired the audience, encouraging them to follow their passions and try to make a change to the world.

The event also featured some talented Discovery College students giving musical performances as well as the opportunity to reflect upon the talks that they had witnessed.

During intermission the audience was treated to refreshments supplied by event sponsor Chartwells.

The organising committee was as equally inspired by the event as the audience, and now looks towards hosting a bigger and better event next year. Already in discussion is having a large number of students present their ideas, passions, thoughts and achievement to their peers.

basis.

Held as a part of TEDxYouthDay, the DC event was a part of a number TEDx events that happen all around the world on November 20, Universal Children’s Day. The TEDxYouthDay events are designed to empower and inspire young people.

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TEDX

The Crossroads Foundation’s David Begbie gave an entertaining and captivating outline of how his organisation transformed from a warmhearted family initiative into an organisation that delivers assistance to thousands of those living in poverty around the world, as well as one that educates thousands annually about

Peter Muir CAS/C&S Coordinator

AUTUMN 2011

ACTIVITIES

THE RATTLER

SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL The Journalism club has now been running successfully for nearly a full calendar year, since our launch in early 2011. In that time, the club has gone from strength to strength with new members and has grown into a popular CCA. Our mission statement is: We at The Rattler strive to inform, inspire, and entertain you, the students of Discovery College. With unique and interesting stories, both for and from students; and from the mediums of writing, speaking, and illustrating; we give only the truth.

Mr Jasina’s goal for the club was, ‘For students from across primary and secondary schools to work together and contribute to the school culture in a positive way. I also wanted to provide students with the opportunity to develop writing skills in a challenging, yet fun environment.’

The club runs on Mondays and Thursdays from 3.30-4.30 where our advisors Mr Jasina and Mrs Surawski help us write articles about DC’s current events, the latest movies and music, schools sports teams, and our opinions on issues surrounding the school we believe need to be heard.

will look good on university applications.’

Based in room 2106, the Journalism Club’s members enjoy meeting up every week to put together The Rattler, which is released every two weeks directly on our website.

The club consists of 23 dedicated students, with Momoko Ishii (11.4), Boris Choy (10.2), Rachel Yeung (10.3), and Gari De Ramos (8.2) working as student editors.

Pierre Bureau (8.1) joined due to his love for writing.

When asked why students should join the club, Mr Jasina replied, ‘It’s a great opportunity for developing writing skills, working as a team to produce something meant for a large audience, and it provides an experience that

- Taha Hashim, Year 10 Student

When Boris Choy (10.2), the editor of the Opinion section, was asked why he enjoys Journalism Club, he replied, ‘I like the fact that it is run mostly by students, and it is a point of refuge for talented writers.’

The Journalism Club welcomes new members to broaden our image across the school, as well as to get more people to read The Rattler. www.discovery.edu.hk/therattler

THE RATTLER

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VISUAL ARTS

AUTUMN 2011

EOTC

GETTING SOME PERSPECTIVE Artist Ian Murphy inspires Year 11 As part of the year 11 Visual Arts course, we recently participated in an all day workshop with Ian Murphy, a British artist who explores and takes inspiration from the environment around him. We learned a range of new drawing and painting techniques from the guest artist, who told us that his most valued tool is his workbook as he uses it instead of a camera, capturing scenes from his travels to exciting places such as Morocco, Venice, Shanghai and Beijing. While sketching he is careful to emphasise tone and perspective.

He mentioned that a single scene could be sketched multiple times from different

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GETTING SOME PERSPECTIVE

perspectives which make it appear to be completely separate landscapes. As part of his artistic process, he then takes his workbook sketches back to his studio and develops them into artworks.

Murphy worked collaboratively with us and the Visual Arts teachers, experimenting with a range of different techniques including layering, tone, and observation skills. He shared his theories on visual decision making and demonstrated some of the techniques he has developed. After the demonstrations, we attempted to create similar outcomes by

creating layered collages of newspaper and crinkled tissue, which we later sandpapered back to add a distressed appearance to the artwork. We used unfamiliar media such as graphite, newspaper, cloth, and sand paper to develop texture and layers in our work.

By the end of the day, we had created a huge mess but learned a range of new techniques that has expanded our expression of self through the Visual Arts and had an entertaining day.

Alexandra Dupey & Dana Young Year 11 Students

AUTUMN 2011

ALUMNI NEWS

WHERE ARE THEY NOW Paul Kriesch Where do you live now?

After bidding farewell to DC and Hong Kong, my wife and I headed back to our hometown of Brisbane, Australia.

What brought you there?

After five years living and working overseas, we decided it was time to return to Australia and put down some roots. We love the lifestyle in Australia and it is great being closer to our family and friends.

Where are you working and what is your new role?

This year I have been working as Head of Performing Arts at a state high school on Brisbane’s bayside. In January 2012, I will start a new role as Head of Senior Music at Anglican Church Grammar School, ‘Churchie’.

What are some difference between where you are teaching now and Discovery College?

The state high school I’ve been teaching at this year is much bigger than DC and lacks a lot of the resources - I definitely miss the Macs! The students I teach at the moment range from Year 8 (12 or 13 years old) to Year 12 (16 or 17 years olds), so they are much older than the students I taught at DC. Why are you happy to be back in your old home?

Brisbane is a beautiful, relaxed sub-tropical city. I love being able to go up to Sunrise Beach for the weekend to swim and walk in the Noosa National Park. I also am happy to be back in the same city as my family. I love to going out to really good restaurants in Brisbane or having BBQ on the back deck of our new house.

What do you miss most about Discovery College?

The students who I worked with and the staff I became best friends with.

Anything else?

I hope that the music programme keeps going strong at DC and I hope that students who go to DC realise how lucky they are to attend such a great school.

GETTING CIRCULATED The library runs a Student Library Assistant programme in Term 1 for students in Years 6-11 to learn more about the library and progressing to become official library assistants for the remainder of the year.

Once they finish the course, the students are rostered on for duty twice a week to help with shelving, circulation, labelling, covering and

many of the other jobs that are part of the day to day running of the library.

‘This course was a very interesting experience which taught me a lot about the library,’ said a Year 7 trainee Cosima Graef, ‘I now know how to properly shelve books and use the circulation system.’

Other students said they enjoyed being able to help their fellow students with questions in the library in an official capacity.

The student library assistants are an essential part of the library being able to deliver so many services to the school community.

Dianne McKenzie Head of Library

WHERE ARE THEY NOW - PAUL KRIESCH

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AUTUMN 2011

THE ARTS

MUSIC FOR THE EYES Year 3 classes and the Arts teachers have been working on a collaborative unit within the transdisciplinary theme focusing on how we express ourselves. In Visual Arts, student inquiry has centered on the artistic styles of Expressionism and Abstract Expressionism. We examined how we can express our emotions through art and use the elements of design to express our ideas.

Students studied the work of such artists as Vassilly Kandinsky and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner through the use of graphic organizers, and were asked to interpret a number of famous works. We followed up by seeking clear expressions of how the students arrived

at their interpretation. A deepening of understanding was apparent as students made connections between colours, shapes and lines and the message of the artist.

Feelings, ideas and opinions were expressed with increasing confidence and enthusiasm as students became more comfortable with the process of interpreting art, bolstered by the realization that an individual’s response cannot be ‘wrong’. In the final project of this unit, students were asked to choose a sound and to create a piece of art which shows that sound. This proved to be quite a challenge, but the students eagerly embraced the idea of representing a sound through art. Students

began with lines, shapes and colours cut from paper. Paint was then used to fill in the spaces and add more lines and shapes.

Finally, once the paintings were dry, students completed their work by using pastels, adding more lines and shapes to capture their sound.

The results were magical. The elements of art were used in fantastic combinations—creating music for the eyes! Some of these works can be viewed in the Ground Floor foyer in the display frames.

Patrice Valere Primary Art Teacher

PRIVATE PEACEFUL In October Year 10 and 11 English and Drama students visited the Hong Kong Academy of the Performing Arts to see Scamp Theatre present Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo, adapted and directed by Simon Reade and performed by Leon Williams.

Private Peaceful relives the life of Private Tommo Peaceful, a young First World War soldier awaiting the firing squad at dawn. During the night he looks back at his short but joyful past growing up in rural Devon: his exciting first days at school; the accident in the forest that killed his father; his adventures with Molly, the love of his life; and the battles and injustices of war that brought him to the front line.

Winner of the Blue Peter Book of the Year, Private Peaceful is by third Children’s Laureate, Michael Morpurgo (War Horse). His inspiration came from a visit to Ypres where he was shocked to discover how many young soldiers were court-martialed and shot for cowardice during the First World War. This was an exciting opportunity for students to see the play and work alongside artists in an after show workshop.

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MUSIC FOR THE EYES

AUTUMN 2011

THE ARTS

HAMLET BY DESIGN In a recent unit of work Year 11 Drama students were asked to show an awareness and understanding of the individual desire to create, develop or change things. They had to think creatively and reflect upon the products of innovation, creation and development in a theatrical context.

Students explored the play of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ from the point of view of a designer. They designed and created drawings and a scaled set models of a scene from the play or a costume maquette for a chosen character.

Students presented their work and an exhibition was held in the foyer of the Discovery College Performing Arts Theatre.

DRAMA 5 S November saw the third Discovery College Drama 5s with more than 40 performers involved in 13 performances in the Discovery College Performing Arts Theatre. The concept of Drama 5s is simple – a maximum of 5 performers, for a maximum 5 of minutes. Performers choose their groups, choose what to perform and then rehearse like mad!

The performers wowed and amused their audience with a range of pieces from modern dance to comedy to Shakespeare - all produced and directed by themselves. Big congratulations to all the performers, backstage help and MCs for all their hard work and talent.

- Claire Connor and Alexa Massingham, Drama Teachers

HAMLET BY DESIGN

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AUTUMN 2011

MUSIC

MAKING THE BAND Since the beginning of the school year, Year 10 students started to form music bands, write songs and rehearse.

This challenging exercise culminated in a performance for students on 23 November in the ground floor courtyard at lunchtime. Once well rehearsed, each band made recordings of their song on a CD which was also made available for student purchase.

All Year 10 students who take Music were required to join the event. It was a good chance for some students who didn’t know how to play an instrument or sing. ‘This project helps students to learn how to work together as a group,’ our music teacher Mr Davis pointed out. ‘For most students it is the first opportunity to compose, record songs and work together as a band,’ he added.

Surprisingly, the musicians say it wasn’t very hard to compose songs. Kimberley Surya, a vocalist and a guitar player claimed, ‘It was pretty hard at the beginning because we had nothing to start with, but then it was easy because the music just started coming into our minds.’

The bands performed their songs in front of fellow secondary students but as keyboard player Eleanor Udall said, ‘when we got on stage we felt a bit scared.’ Eleanor’s group mate Carla Acepcion who played guitar and sang added, ‘We were a little bit nervous at the beginning but then it was ok because you know that the audience is made up of all your friends.’

The Year 10s had no problems with remembering their parts, especially if they composed the song themselves.

One drummer Amy Forsyth said, ‘it gets easy once you get used to it.’

The performances attracted an audience of students and even teachers who danced while listening to the music.

Ruhi Kumar shouted, ‘I love it. It’s amazing. I think that the songs are very good.’

Music teacher Mr Chaytor was very proud of the students who all worked really hard in the lessons. He said, while dancing, ‘It’s lovely.’

Some people didn’t like the loud music. Ms Young argued, ‘It’s really good but too noisy’. Still, most of the people didn’t mind it. Victoria Bird commented, ‘It’s ok.’

Overall, the performance given by Year 10 students was great. We will be waiting for new thrilling concerts next year.

Nastia Kosachevskaya Year 9 Student

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MAKING THE BAND

AUTUMN 2011

MUSIC

PIANO CHAMP

MUSIC MAN Year 8 student, Buzz Szeto is a talented pianist and musician who has been playing the piano for the past seven years and is currently working towards his Grade 7 Pianoforte Examination.

Recently he participated in the International Music and Arts Competition in August and received a gold award upon receiving the minimum requirement of 95%. As part of this competition he has been invited to perform in the final component of this competition to be held in late December with the other gold award winners from around Hong Kong. He will perform Waltz in C# minor by Chopin and we all wish him well.

As part of the Year 10 Unit of Inquiry into the music industry, the students took an original concept devised by them, and they composed, performed and recorded an original song. Part of the inquiry was to follow this process through to final production, which included the marketing, promotion and promotion performances of their original song. To assist the students, the College is lucky to have parents who work professionally in the music industry.

Blaine Whittaker is a professional international musician who currently works in HK and has various international recording contracts. He visited the College and presented a workshop on live composition including improvisation.

Chi Sing Kung is a professional international musician, composer and play-writer and he spoke in depth in a workshop with the students on how to create an original product and follow these ideas through a creative process to a final outcome.

LIVE ON STAGE Picnic in the Park was once again an extraordinary community event full of energy and spirit. The format for the day was slightly different with a second Bayside stage set up behind the College on the foreshore. DC was given a 30 minute time slot enabling three bands from the school to perform after an internal audition process.

The bands, The 72 made up of Year 9 students Chantel Woo, Jack McDonald, Patrick Campbell, Rahul Padmasola and James Allardice, Sweetness Defined made up Year 10 students Emma Yong, Saya Kawano and Joly Blackwell and a Year 7 student Becky Zhang, and Looney Bin made up also of Year 10 students Carla Acepion, Wei Chan Lo, Sean Koemba-Selwood, Alex Campbell and Tim Fung performed a variety of rock and were well received by the audience with their energetic representations and music facility.

The bands performed with gusto producing high energy performances. There were also other students from DC performing on the stage, Cameron Smith and Amanda Thorsen performed with an acoustic sound and their set included an original song written by Amanda. Poppy and Daisy Biggins also performed once again with amazing tone, colour and delightful harmonies. There were also quite a number of students from DC who performed on the main stage as part of dance troupes and these students conducted themselves quite professionally and also performed well.

Robert Chaytor Secondary Music Teacher PIANO CHAMP

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SPORTS

COBRA SPORTS

Season highlights Football Under 12 Girls 4th Place ISSFHK Under 14 Girls Kowloon Champions Under 14 Boys Kowloon Champions

Netball ESF Year 5 / 6 team 2nd place, Kowloon Championships Under 13 team 2nd in the Hong Kong Netball Competition Under 15 Cobra A team 3rd in their Hong Kong Netball Development Cup Competition Under 15 Cobra B team 2nd in their Hong Kong Netball Development Plate Competition Volleyball Girls Under 16 made the top 6 Cross Country ISSFHK Champs U12 Boys - 2nd, Team Event U14 Boys - 2nd, Team Event U16 Girls - 2nd, Team Event HKSSF Champs Division B Girls - 1st, Team Event (Alex Dupey - 1st / Claire Holubowskyj - 3rd) Division B Boys - 2nd, Team Event Division C Boys - 2nd, Team Event

Swimming HKSSF Swim meet 1st Place, Natalie Tse, 50m Backstroke 3rd Place, Grace Kai Fong, 100m Freestyle 2nd Place, Girls C grade, 4x50m Freestyle ISSFHK Championship 3rd Place, Grace Kai Fong, 50m Butterfly and 100m individual medley 2nd Place Ryan Lee, 50m Freestyle 3rd Place Hera Lau, 50m Breaststroke 2nd Place Nastia Kosachevskaya, 50m Backstroke 3rd Place Girls 200m Freestyle relay Equestrian Hong Kong Inter Schools Team Champs

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COBRA SPORTS

AUTUMN 2011

AUTUMN 2011

SECONDARY ATHLETICS DAY Each year this event offers something special and this year was no exception.

Mass participation combined with intense competition made for a fantastic day where records tumbled and Houses vied for superiority both on and off the track.

Our Physical Education Department planned a wonderful day where all students could, and were encouraged to access all events. From 100m sprints to long jump, from discus to 1500m, all events were well supported as students sought to have their names etched in the records book or simply to gain valuable House points.

The day cheering for also number

was marked by the constant cacophony of House chants and students on their peers. There were smiles aplenty for the ‘winners’ but for those who competed. We were joined as usual by a significant of parents whose presence makes the day even more special.

Andy Kai Fong, Head of Secondary

Photo by DC Parent, Emma Cameron

SECONDARY ATHLETICS DAY

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ENVIRONMENT

GROWING UP GREEN Year 4 harvests veggies from DC’s first micro-garden Year 4 students, in order to further their understanding of the central idea, ‘Foods are transported and processed before they are consumed’, have been growing their very own vegetables in school.

As part of a joint initiative by the HK British Chamber of Commerce and HSBC, a number of micro-gardens were delivered to and established in Discovery College.

With the support and guidance of the College science committee under Mrs. Lesia Pringle, Year 4 planted different varieties of vegetables on the 2nd floor roof in late September. These included carrots, choi sum, spinach, radish, lettuce, tomatoes and beetroot.

The students involved were required to create a growth plan for their particular vegetable and make a chart indicating when it would be ready for harvesting and how frequently each plant should be watered. Provision also had to be made for holiday periods and luckily the DC security staff were more than happy to oblige.

Our vegetables have now begun to blossom and sprout and following the advice of Mrs. Pringle, we will wait a little bit longer to harvest them in order to ensure that they are at their optimum size when we do so.

Our next issue now is what to do with our vegetables when we harvest them! Following our lines of inquiry on how food is processed and how it impacts on the environment, we have begun collecting glass jars with a view to perhaps pickling some of the vegetables in order to naturally preserve them. Mrs. Whitaker in the Food Science Department has also kindly offered to help show some groups how to make sauces and relishes from their crops.

Following on the success of this project through our unit of inquiry, Mrs. Pringle has offered to continue our investigations into growing vegetables as a CCA for the remainder of the school year. We can’t wait to see how big they will grow and maybe we will be able to plant some other varieties as the year progresses!

Damien Barry Year 4 Teacher

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GROWING UP GREEN

AUTUMN 2011

AUTUMN 2011

GROWING UP GREEN

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AUTUMN 2011

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GROWING UP GREEN

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