The EARCOS Triannual JOURNAL A Link to Educational Excellence in East Asia
In Memoriam
Dr. Richard T. Krajczar (November 23, 1943 - February 19, 2019)
SPRING 2019
Letter from the Assistant Director The EARCOS JOURNAL The ET Journal is a triannual publication of the East Asia Regional Council of Schools(EARCOS), a nonprofit 501(C)3, incorporated in the state of Delaware, USA, with a regional office in Manila, Philippines. Membership in EARCOS is open to elementary and secondary schools in East Asia which offer an educational program using English as the primary language of instruction, and to other organizations, institutions, and individuals. Objectives and Purposes * To promote intercultural understanding and international friendship through the activities of member schools. * To broaden the dimensions of education of all schools involved in the Council in the interest of a total program of education. * To advance the professional growth and welfare of individuals belonging to the educational staff of member schools. * To facilitate communication and cooperative action between and among all associated schools. * To cooperate with other organizations and individuals pursuing the same objectives as the Council. EARCOS BOARD OF TRUSTEES Margaret Alvarez, President (ISS International School) Stephen Cathers, Vice President (International School Suva) Norma Hudson, Secretary (International School Kuala Lumpur) Andrew Davies, Treasurer (International School Bangkok) David Toze, Past President (International School Manila) Barry Sutherland (International School of Phnom Penh) Saburo Kagei (St. Mary’s International School) Kevin Baker (Busan International Foreign School) Laurie McLellan (Nanjing International School) Ronelda Capadona (Chiang Mai International School) Office of Overseas Schools REO:
Larry Hobdell (ex officio)
EARCOS STAFF Executive Director: Dr. Ed Greene Assistant Director: Bill Oldread Consultant: Joe Petrone Elaine Repatacodo Ver Castro Robert Sonny Viray Rod Catubig Jr.
This past month has been a trying time for the EARCOS community and beyond, with the untimely death of our Executive Director Dick Krajczar, fondly known as Dr. K. In the winter issue of the ET we celebrated Dr. K’s 23-year tenure at the helm of EARCOS and his many accomplishments during that time.. In this issue we mourn his death on February 19 due to complications of pneumonia and heart failure. Already, two memorial services have been held in Manila, and at Brent International School Manila. Another is planned for April 25, prior to the Spring Head’s Institute. Dr. K lived his life doing what he loved, impacting the lives of children, connecting people, and furthering the goals of international education. His obituary can be read on page 8 of this issue. The ETC 2019, held from March 21-23 at the International School Bangkok was a huge success with nearly 900 delegates in attendance. The conference theme was Future Movers and Makers, and included strands in Physical Education and Wellness, Visual and Performing Arts including Film, and Educational Technology. See the article and photos on page 2 The ETC 2020 will be held from March 26-28 at the Shangri La Hotel in Bangkok. The strands will include Science, Math, Technology, Middle School, Service Learning, Global Citizenship/Global Issues, Computer Science, Social Studies/Humanities. This year’s Spring Heads’ Institute in Phnom Penh will be attended by more than 40 school heads. New heads of EARCOS schools are always encouraged to attend in order to connect and learn from our seasoned, longstanding colleagues. This year Chris Jansen is the retreat facilitator. We hope you enjoy this issue of the ET Journal and encourage you to consider contributing an article highlighting great things happening in your school for the fall issue. Have a smooth and successful close to the 2018-19 school year and of course, a restful break.
Giselle Sison Edzel Drilo RJ Macalalad
Editor: Bill Oldread Associate Editor: Edzel Drilo East Asia Regional Council of Schools Brentville Subdivision, Barangay Mamplasan Biñan, Laguna, 4024, Philippines PHONE: 63-02-697-9170 FAX: 63-49-511-4694 WEBSITE: www.earcos.org
Dear Colleagues:
Bill Oldread Assistant Director
In this Issue
contents
2 EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2019 Theme: “Future Movers and Makers” 6
SENIA 2019 Transformational Learning In International Schools
8
In Memoriam Dr. Richard T. Krajczar
11
Curriculum Initiatives - Finding Patterns in Randomness - The Journey to IDEATE (page 20) - Can You Speak 100 Languages? (page 23)
14
Service Learning - Engaging Students and the Community in Meaningful Service - YISS HS Students Engage in Service Learning Through GOES Program
16
EdThought - “Designing Service Learning with our Students’ AND our Community’s Needs in Mind”
18
Community Service - UNHCR Volunteer Training - BCIS: A Tight-Knit Community - 6 CCF Students Win Scholarships (page 32)
21 22
Faces of EARCOS Art and Community Identity
24
Poetry - What is Music? - New York Kitchen
26
Action Research - Effectiveness of a Parental Training Program in Increasing Authoritative Parenting
28
Press Release Winner of International School Awards 2019
29
Campus Development - KIS International School Bangkok Expands Facilities - The Making of Purpose-Built Educational Facilities
34
Co-Teaching- A Tool for Collaboration in International Schools
36
High School Art Gallery
41
On the Road with Dr. K…
Back cover page: Christine Lee, Acrylic on Canvas, AP Studio Seoul International School
EARCOS and CIS - Institute On Higher Education Admission and Guidance EARCOS and CIS are pleased to announce the 5th INSTITUTE ON INTERNATIONAL ADMISSION & GUIDANCE. September 20-21, 2019 Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand visit www.earcos.org
The EARCOS Action Research Grant
In an ongoing effort to implement the EARCOS Strategic Plan, specifically Strategy E, to conduct, communicate, and archive relevant data and research to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices, grants will be made available to encourage our teachers, administrators, and professional staff to conduct action research to improve educational practices for the purpose of enhancing student learning. Action research is a reflective process, conducted in the school setting, to solve a real problem, or to improve and enhance the instructional process.This research may be undertaken by an individual, or by several people collaboratively. It is our belief that the results of such research will impact not only the researchers’ practices but also those of others with whom they share their findings.To that end, grantees will be expected to publish their findings, which will be made available to all EARCOS members on the website. Some researchers may elect to present their work at a subsequent ETC, ELC, or publish it in the EARCOS Journal. Please visit the EARCOS website for more information. www.earcos.org
Contribute to the ET Journal
If you have something going on at your school in any of the following categories that you would like to see highlighted in the Fall issue please send it along to us: Faces of EARCOS - Promotions, retirements, honors, etc. Service Learning Campus Development - New building plans, under construction, just completed projects. Curriculum - New and exciting curriculum adoptions. Green and Sustainable - Related to campus development or to curriculum efforts. Community Service Student Art - We showcase outstanding student art in each edition. (E.S. Fall Issue, M.S. Winter Issue, H.S. Spring Issue) Student Writing Press Releases Thank you for your help in allowing us to highlight the great things that are going on in EARCOS schools.
Spring 2019 Spring 2019 Issue 1
EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2019 “Future Movers and Makers”
The phrase “movers and makers” brings to mind images of famous scientific innovators, like Thomas Edison or William Kamkwamba; revolutionary thinkers, like Malala Yousafzai or Mahatma Gandhi; and cultural icons, like Bruce Lee or The Beatles. These figures are either accomplished people who have set the stage for today’s world or current players acting on the world stage that has been set before them.This March, nearly 900 educators from all over the world converged on Bangkok for the 2019 EARCOS Teachers’ Conference to consider a different group of movers and makers: the great pioneers and groundbreakers of tomorrow. With the theme of “Future Movers and Makers,” this year’s conference focused on the physical and artistic sides of education.The strands were Physical Education/Health/Wellness, Visual Arts, Film, Design Technology, Robotics, and Performing Arts. International School Bangkok’s (ISB) campus provided a serene space for educators to hone their teaching craft in state-of-the-art theaters, creatively designed art studios, and specialized sports facilities. The learning began early for teachers who attended pre-conference workshops. Barbara Sunday provided insight and tools for teaching AP Studio Art; Ted and Carolyn Temertzoglou aimed to change thinking by providing a framework for “Reimagining Health and Physical Education”; and Marilyn George guided educators for preparing for and participating in WASC accreditation. With the conference workshops in full swing on Thursday, delegates had the opportunity to attend 10 different sessions, choosing from more than 150 different topics in various content areas. From drama warm-ups to orchestral direction to PE dance units, educators challenged themselves with learning and revisiting engaging ways to teach their students. Many teachers also attended Job-Alike sessions, where they could debrief with and bounce ideas off other educators in their field. This idea exchange expanded outside the physical conference and into the Community tab on the Whova conference 2 EARCOS Triannual Journal
app as people shared favorite tech ideas, documents, articles and more. Each day of the main conference began with a keynote address in ISB’s Chevron Theater. This year’s opening presented a mixture of grief, inspiration, and quiet reflection as delegates and organizers remembered EARCOS Executive Director Dr. Richard Krajczar, better known as Dick or Dr. K., who passed away on February 19. With Dr. Krajczar’s wife Sherry and daughter Morgan in attendance, a touching eulogy was presented by Dr. Margaret Alvarez, President of the EARCOS trustees and Head of School at ISS International School in Singapore. Dr. Krajczar began teaching in 1970 but started his international career in 1972, working as K-12 principal in Afghanistan and continuing on to several other international schools. He became the executive director of EARCOS in 1996 after serving on the board for a number of years. Following a brief stint in the U.S., Dr. Krajczar returned to EARCOS in 2005, where he continued to serve as executive director. He was due to retire this July, when the mantle of executive director would be passed to Dr. Ed Greene. Among multiple kind and heartfelt phrases used to describe the mover and maker that was Dick Krajczar, Dr. Alvarez said that he was “the ultimate connector of people.” She also praised Bill Oldread, who has taken on the role of Acting Executive Director of EARCOS,
and the devoted EARCOS staff. A combined orchestra of the International School Bangkok String Orchestra and the Hong Kong International School String Ensemble, conducted by Adriana Gricius, memorialized Dr. Krajczar with a beautiful instrumental rendition of “Yesterday” by The Beatles. Next, the Intergenerational Choir, a Bangkok community choir under the direction of Andy Marshall, led the audience in singing Greg Gilpin’s “Why We Sing.” It was a moving tribute to a man who touched the lives of so many around the world.
Dr. Greg Dale
The highlights of every EARCOS Teachers’ Conference include the keynote speakers. Dr. Greg Dale of Duke University launched the conference with his message of knowing and understanding the purpose of teaching. He talked about the stages of being a teacher and how to avoid becoming “adrift” or “dead in the water.” He further encouraged the audience to differentiate between respect and dignity in how we deal with our students and colleagues and to work toward discovering the “why” of being a teacher. Audience members were left inspired to discover their “why” so that the “what” of teaching has a more powerful impact. With a day’s worth of new ideas to contemplate, delegates had high expectations for Friday’s keynote and were not disappointed. Another collaborative orchestra, this time the Immanuel Music School String Orchestra and Hong Kong International School String Ensemble, under the direction of Jonathan Mann, performed Karl Jenkins’ “Palladio.” The percussive, dynamic piece energized the room, and when Dr. Peter Boonshaft stepped up to the stage to give the keynote address, the audience was already alert and primed for learning. Dr. Boonshaft titled his message “Even a Fool Knows You Can’t Touch the Stars,” encouraging delegates to balance the past with the present with the future and to value every moment as an opportunity to inspire and lift up others. He ended his address with the encouragement that while even a fool knows you can’t touch the stars, “it never stops a wise man or woman from trying.” Saturday morning did not begin with a student musical group. Instead, Dr. Kofi Gbolonyo of Nunya Music Academy in Ghana led educators from the audience in a drum circle with Ghanaian traditional music. The entire audience participated in singing and creating music for a memorable new EARCOS theme song: “So So Wondas EARCOS Dey Do.” After this, Dr. Marilyn G. Stewart, author and retired art education professor from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, reflected on the power of art and the power of the curator. Dr. Stewart dissected the role of the curator in art exhibitions and illustrated how teachers can mirror this function with their own curriculum. A teacher can curate the curriculum, arranging it for students, leading them to insight. Often the networking and connections that are forged at EARCOS conferences are not made in the workshops or assemblies, but in the conversations and different social events. With one conference strand being physical fitness, it should not be a surprise that various volleyball games and workout sessions popped up on campus. Arts teachers and others collaborated for coffee and sketching sessions. A few courageous delegates even braved the weekend Bangkok traffic to travel to Sukhumvit and Chatuchak Market. Hundreds of delegates attended a welcome reception on Thursday evening at the Nichada Club across from ISB to dip their toes in the pool and dance along with the band. This EARCOS tradition brought together past, present, and future colleagues to catch up and celebrate this vibrant community. The EARCOS Advisory Committee was so impressed with the work that the Hug Project is doing that they elected to continue to sponsor them as the conference charity. Last year’s fundraising covered about 7
Dr. Peter Boonshaft
Dr. Marilyn Stewart
months of the Hug Project’s operating budget. This year, even more was raised, thanks in part to the Krajczar family requesting donations to the organization in lieu of flowers for Dr. Krajczar’s memorial services. Some of the staff from the Hug Project visited ISB and were able to talk to teachers about the specifics of their work, how they help, and what they need to achieve their mission. As teachers take the energy and ideas of this conference home, the EARCOS team is already anticipating next year’s event. We will meet again at the Shangri-La Hotel along the Chao Praya River in Bangkok. For this, the 18th Annual Teachers’ Conference, the strands will be Science, Math, Social Studies and the Humanities, Global Issues and Citizenship, Middle School topics, Service Learning, S.T.E.M., and, as always, General Education Topics. Come ready to learn. By Kathy Beahn, International School Yangon and Natalie Beals, Saigon South International School ETC Advisory Committee Members Spring 2019 Issue 3
ETC Advisory registering delegates. Jessie Saclo,TR Reps. (Cebu IS), Peter Kimball (TAS), Skylie Worrall (HKIS).
Announcements/Remarks by Colin Aitken (I.S. Manila) and Bill Oldread(EARCOS Assistant Director).
17th EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2019
Pamela Pietro workshop on “An Inclusive Approach to Teaching Pedagogy .“
Dr. Andy Davies participated in one of the performing arts workshop.
Dinah Helgeson workshop on “Innovative Warm Ups for Choir - Creative Concepts that Improve Choral Sound.”
Kevin Jarrett workshop on “Empowering Learners to Change the(ir) World with Human-Centered Design Thinking.“
4 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Dr. Margaret Alvarez, EARCOS Board President paying tribute to Dr. Dick Krajczar.
800+ delegates attended the first general session at International School Bangkok Chevron Theatre.
Theme: “Future Movers and Makers”
Visual Arts workshop.
Joachim Matschoss workshop on “Making the Familiar Strange “
Hard working team of International School Bangkok.
Ted & Carolyn Temertzoglou workshop on “Fundamental Principles of a High Quality,Well-Planned, Inclusive HPE Program.“
>>
More photos available at the ETC website http://earcos.org/etc2019/
Spring 2019 Issue 5
SENIA 2019 Transformational Learning In International Schools
By Lori Boll, SENIA Boardmember, Conference & Associations Coordinator
Change, Growth, Collaboration, Empower, Unity, Understanding, Communication, Dream. The list above represents just a few entries of the“just one word” challenge given at this year’s SENIA conference held at Hong Kong Academy on February 22nd-24th. Kate Balsamo, SENIA Board Chairperson, challenged each delegate at the conference to pick just one word to help bring what they learned throughout the course of the conference back to their schools. Kate says, “The idea was that this word would help participants bring what they learned to life, and convert it into practice after the conference. Looking at the words that SENIA members are reflecting on, I believe that if we all follow our words to where they lead, it will be the ripple in the pond that transforms our schools, our communities, and our world.” This year’s conference, organized by Hong Kong Academy hosts Kristel Solomon-Saleem and Jennifer Swinehart, entitled: Transformational Learning in Inclusive Schools was dynamic, collaborative, and empowering. With experts in the field running the pre-conference sessions, an interesting and thought-provoking keynote by Dr. Laura Flores Shaw, workshops from colleagues in the region, and a parent panel, overall feedback was excellent. Most encouraging; over 98% of delegates agreed that they were able to implement a new strategy they learned at SENIA immediately upon returning to their schools after the conference. A highlight of each conference are the SENIA awards recipients who promote the SENIA mission and vision. This year’s Student Award recipient, Seferina Engen, has supported organizing 100 volunteers for the “I am a Hero” games, a Special Olympics type games, held in Taiwan. The Advocacy Award recipient, K.A. Razhiya, promotes inclusion through training differently abled students in spa techniques and ensuring future employment in the industry. When SENIA started as a small group of professionals in China in the 6 EARCOS Triannual Journal
early 2000’s, the group could never have dreamed how their work would truly transform special education in international schools into what it is now. SENIA (formerly known as Special Education Network In Asia) has gone from a fledgling group of about eight members to an organization spanning the world with thousands of members and new local chapters forming in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Due to this transformation of spreading its mission from Asia to worldwide, SENIA has a new name: Special Education Network & Inclusion Association. “As a worldwide network,” says Kate Balsamo, “We will collectively work together to advocate for and provide resources/supports for differently abled individuals. As an association we will work to create an inclusive world where every individual is supported, resources are accessible, potential is maximized and action is inspired.” The SENIA board would like to encourage all teachers, not just special educators, to attend the next annual conference hosted by the SENIA Manila local chapter and being held at International School Manila February 21-23, 2020. SENIA conferences promote universal design with the understanding that strategies you implement to help differently abled learners ultimately help ALL learners. SENIA would like to thank EARCOS for all its support and for having Bill Oldread join us at this year’s conference. Dr. Dick Krajczar was our number one fan, and he will be missed tremendously. Thank you, Dr. K, for all you have done to help spread SENIA’s mission in the EARCOS region. If you’d like to learn more about SENIA, please find us at www.seniainternational.org and check out this video at https://tinyurl.com/y69pc9z2 We hope to see you there! Stay in touch with SENIA at www.seniainternational.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Since 1955, ISS has met the diverse needs of schools, including recruiting the world’s best educators, providing professional learning opportunities, sourcing essential supplies, administering school foundations, and founding and managing student-centered, future-oriented schools.
Field trip to an organic farm
FOLLOW, SHARE, ENGAGE • ISS.edu Check out upcoming events at ISS.edu/events @InternationalSchoolsServices
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In Memoriam Dr. Richard Thomas Krajczar (Nov. 23, 1943-Feb. 19, 2019)
Dick was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to a family of Hungarian heritage, the only child in the family of four boys to go to college. Dick won a football scholarship and earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming, later earning his Doctorate from the University of Florida.
and steadfastly worked to develop it into the organisation that we have today. In an increasingly crowded educational professional development space, EARCOS continues to thrive, where others have struggled, and it remains in excellent financial shape due to Dr. K’s ever watchful eye and Dr. K’s legendary thrifty approach.
In 1972, when our international education world was quite different from now, Dr. K headed overseas to his first international post in Afghanistan serving as K-12 principal at the American International School of Kabul. Subsequently he held Director and head of school positions at the American Community School Amman, Jordan, Damascus Community School Syria and ISKL in Kuala Lumpur.
Dr. K was due to retire in July, but he contracted pneumonia in mid-February and a week later died of heart failure. He leaves behind his loving wife of 49 years Sherry, and their two children, both international educators, Morgan and Josh.
Dr. K served for several years as EARCOS Board Chair before becoming Executive Director for the first time in 1996. Midway through his tenure with EARCOS he served in a dual role as Executive Director for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE)- testimony to his energy and deep commitment to ‘the cause’ as he fondly referred to our world of international education. After a short spell in the USA Dr. K returned to head our organisation in 2005 8 EARCOS Triannual Journal
An outpouring of grief and a wave of shock have emanated from the international school community at the loss of one of its greatest proponents. Dr. K leaves a void that is not easily filled. Dick’s life accomplishments are, however, more than a list of achievements. He was a genuine, wonderful human being with a big heart and his own unique and irrepricable style. He had the most remarkable ability to remember names, to recall what was happening in schools and people’s lives, and to be a guiding hand when advice was needed. Big school, small school, presenter or ex-
hibitor Dr. K was there in the hotel lobby making sure that you were welcomed to the EARCOS family and each morning at the start of a conference he was out there again herding the family with his infamous bell. He also had a sharp wit. One of my first memories of Dr. K was during his stint as EARCOS Board Chair. He and his good mate, Stuart Young, from the Canadian Academy Kobe, would do a dual act at the end of the leadership conference, rounding up some of the more light hearted moments of the conference and very often in drag! The improvisation was masterful, the dialogue hysterical and most of all Dr. K’s infectious, wide smile and twinkling eyes lit up the room. Dr. K we will miss you enormously. You have left behind a legend and it is now up to us to pick up the charge and carry on the ‘cause’. May you rest in peace. By Dr. Margaret Alvarez Head of School ISS International School, Singapore EARCOS Board President
Memories with Dr. K Dick was our colleague, confidant, friend, and longtime iconic leader in the international education world. His infectious smile, warm and engaging personality and his unfailing desire to help others will always be remembered by all of us in our Office and by those around the globe who had the good fortune to know him. Lawrence Hobdell, Regional Education Officer for EAP The Office of Overseas Schools In the world of international education, Dick was one of the greats. I doubt anyone else has inspired so many, supported so many and cared for so many. Dick was caring, energetic, self defacing, loyal, incredibly dedicated, supremely organized, humble, knowledgable and incredibly funny and this combination made EARCOS a real family as well as a well oiled machine. Dick had time for everyone and this is just one of many reasons why Dick was so well loved and so highly respected. Andrew Davies, Head of School International School Bangkok The world of international education has lost a true guiding spirit. Dick was an inspiration to us all. He had an unflappable belief in the goodness of people and the resilience of the human spirit, a passion for education as a means to improve lives - and the ‘can-do’ humility needed to roll up his sleeves, take action and have impact. Matthew Parr, President Japan Council of International Schools (JCIS) Dick had the incredible gift of making a person feel like the most important person in the room when he talked to them. His genuine interest in students, in teachers, and in administration teams had people feeling at ease within minutes of meeting him. That voice, that smile , that laugh, that presence will never leave us. No doubt Dick’s legacy will be far reaching, and it will always be a reminder to us of the importance of genuine relationships in the work that we do as educators. A man of honor and integrity, a man of vision and compassion. Colette Rogers, Head of School Seisen International School Dick was one of a kind. He worked harder than anyone I know to make a positive difference in the world, and he was a huge success. Dr.Thomas Farrell, Superintendent Emeritus Kaohsiung American School He was a uniquely energetic, dedicated and kind educational leader who was able to always find the time to listen, and quick to share the perfect story, words of wisdom or a joke with impeccable timing. He will be missed by international colleagues around the world, but never forgotten. Yolanda Murphy-Barrena, Former Executive Director AAIE How to summarize Dick’s life or a friendship that spans over forty years? If professionalism is enhanced by good relations (and I believe it is) then Dick was an unparalleled success. Always in motion to meet people and share encouraging advice, ever cognizant of his roots and marveling at his international life, his easy laugh will live with all who knew him. James M. Ambrose I am grateful and thankful to have had the privilege and the honor of working with, and being mentored by, Dick Krajczar. His ability to create a family environment in a huge organization was remarkable. Not only was he able to hold us all to a high professional standard, but his genuine interest in our families showed the true nature of his greatness... modeling the love for children and the desire to make the world a better place for them. We all look up to you, Dick, you are a true hero. Dr Rob Mockrish, Head of School The Sagemont School >> read more of Dr. K Memories at https://earcos.org/ontheroad_2019-DrK.php
Spring 2019 Issue 9
directly at jpetrone@earcos.org. He will provide details and a necessar y application submit code. We look forward to welcoming you.
ELM
EARCOS LEADERSHIP MENTORING
! ATTENTION EARCOS LEADERS AND ASPIRING LEADERS ! Join EARCOS leaders collaborating to support each other, as mentors and mentees. You are invited to connect with fellow EARCOS members and others planning to enroll in the “winter� online orientation for the EARCOS Leadership Mentoring (ELM) program. Please consider contributing to our ongoing collaborative learning experience. Join dozens of colleagues who have a common aim of acquiring quality and effective school leadership skills. You can read details and complete an application on the EARCOS website at http://earcos.org/other_ELM.php. Or, you may email Joe Petrone directly at jpetrone@earcos.org. He will provide details and a necessar y application submit code. We look forward to welcoming you.
EARCOS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2019 OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 2, 2019 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia The East Asia Regional Council of Schools is excited to invite you and your administrative staff as delegates at the 51st Annual EARCOS Leadership Conference (ELC2019) in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia scheduled for October 31 to November 2, 2019. We have a host of excellent keynote speakers and workshop presenters. We think the conference will prove to be professionally stimulating and will provide you with an opportunity for networking and building camaraderie. visit website: www.earcos.org/elc2019
10 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Curriculum Initiatives Curriculum Patterns Finding
in Randomness
By Kevin Bertman Osaka International School of Kwansei Gakuin kbertman@senri.ed.jp
Finding Patterns in Randomness
By Kevin Bertman Osaka International School of Kwansei Gakuin kbertman@senri.ed.jp
Flip a coin ten times and count how many tails appear. Repeat this experiment twenty times and write down the results. The following table shows one such set of results. Number of Tails
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Frequency
0
0
0
2
4
7
6
0
0
1
0
Are there any patterns in the table above? Possibly. It seems it is more likely that the total number of tails is closer to the middle of the possible range of values. How about if we repeat the experiment 10,000 times? This could get tedious. We can use a spreadsheet to help. Let 0 represent a head and 1 represent a tail. If we generated ten random 0s or 1s and calculate the sum of these random numbers it will tell us how many tails we have. For example 1010110011 represents flipping four heads and six tails. The graph below shows one such set of results after performing the experiment 10,000 times. 3000
10 Coins Flipped 10,000 Times
Frequency
2500 2000
1500 1000 500 0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Number of Tails
How about if we flip 1,000 coins 20,000 times? The graph below shows the results of such an experiment. 600
1,000 Coins Flipped 20,000 Times
400 300 200 100
0 442 448 454 460 466 472 478 484 490 496 502 508 514 520 526 532 538 544 550 556 562
Frequency
500
The graph is approximately in the shape of a bell curve – a shape often referred to in the study of statistics. Data which produces such a bell curve is said to be normally distributed. At Osaka International School of Kwansei Gakuin, MYP and DP mathematics students use their mathematical skills along with appropriate technology to investigate patterns found in data generated from completely random processes. In grade 9 students use Scratch to program their own rain simulation, and use it to investigate whether it is better to run or walk in the rain both with and without an umbrella. In this investigation the random data is the position of each raindrop. In grade 10 students use spreadsheets to investigate problems such as the coin An example of examples at the beginning of this Scratch code article. They also learn the programming language JavaScript and use it to program their own interactive experiment involving randomness. For example, perhaps they display a random number of objects on screen for a short amount of time and the user has to guess how many objects there are. They then analyze the error of every guess to determine whether the data is normally distributed. It usually is. In grades 11 and 12 students are introduced to a famous experiment called Buffon’s Needle. Imagine many equally spaced lines drawn on a large sheet of paper. Needles are dropped onto the paper one-by-one. The length of each needle is the same distance as the space between two adjacent lines. Whether or not each needle crosses one of these lines is recorded. We can use a spreadsheet to simulate this, as shown in the image on the right, with red needles representing those which cross a line a blue needles representing those which do not.
600 Needles
Number of Tails Spring 2019 Issue 11
Q1
Students use the results from their spreadsheet to determine the experimental probability that a needle crosses a line. They then use integral calculus to show that this probability is actually related to the value of đ?œ‹đ?œ‹.
We are able to manipulate random data by a tiny amount to create anything we can imagine. Take four (almost) identical strips of randomly placed points and place them side by side, as shown below. Certain points in the third and fourth strips have been moved to the right by a tiny amount. Cross your eyes so that you have double vision. Adjust this double vision so that the two red dots exactly overlap each other and relax. Eventually the random dots should become focused, but an image will jump out of the page. This is an example of a Stereogram. Grade 9 students looking for a greater challenge investigate how Stereograms work and then create their own examples using either a spreadsheet or Scratch.
No
Yes
Q2 No
Q2 Yes No
Q3 No
Q3 Yes No
Q4
Q4
Yes
Q4
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Q5
Q5
Q5
Q5 No
Q3
Yes No
Q4 No
Yes
Yes No
Yes No
Yes No
Yes
Q5 Yes No
Yes
Every week each student makes thousands of decisions which directly or indirectly affect academic success. For example consider the question: Did you remember to bring your USB charging cable to school? Not bringing the cable could mean not being able to charge the student’s calculator meaning the student was unable to practice certain mathematical problems. Consider the question: Did you take your dog for a long walk every evening?
Let us return to the first example of flipping a coin and counting how many times a tail appears. What kind of applications does this example have? Consider the following questionnaire which could be given to a mathematics class at the end of the week, just before a test. Instead of heads and tails we now have yes and no. 1.
Did you complete your homework this week?
2.
Did you review class notes at home?
3.
Did you remain focused in class?
4.
Did you ask for extra practice questions to work on at home?
5.
Did you come outside of class for extra help?
Suppose we arranged the questions as in the following flowchart. How many students would you expect to answer yes to every question? How many students would you expect to answer no to every question? How will most students respond to the questions? What would the distribution of students look like at the end of the flowchart?
12 EARCOS Triannual Journal
How could whether or not a student did this affect academic success? Suppose we gave each student a questionnaire containing thousands of yes or no questions covering all of these decisions. We would have an extremely large flowchart. What would the distribution of students look like at the end of the flowchart? Could this model help explain why the distribution of test scores often forms an approximate bell curve? You may argue that there isn’t a 50-50 chance of a student answering yes or no to questions such as the example questions in this article, so we cannot apply this model to test scores. However, we can use a spreadsheet to simulate flipping many differently weighted biased coins (a coin where the probability of a tail is different to the probability of a head) and the data will still produce a bell curve‌
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Service Learning
Engaging Students and the Community in Meaningful Service By LeeAnne Lavender, high school English teacher and service learning coordinator at Concordia International School Shanghai
about ways to experience what it might be like for women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa who walk an average of six kilometers each day to obtain water.
As a school, Concordia Shanghai intentionally looks for ways to extend service opportunities across disciplines and divisions, engaging students of all ages and the community at large. Service learning is an educational tool for accomplishing our Expected Student Learning Results (ESLRs), helping students become insightful learners, principle-centered leaders and active global citizens. Through service projects, students are exposed to authentic opportunities to understand and address the needs of others and world around them using the knowledge and skills that they learn.
Thus, springing out of classroom learning came a student-led event called the Concordia Community Water Walk. Over 1300 participants walked in shifts for 8 hours carrying buckets of water around the Concordia track to raise awareness and support for those burdened by a scarcity of clean water.
Service learning at Concordia is carried out within a cycle that includes investigation and research, leading to preparation, leading to action, and including thoughtful reflection by students throughout the process. As students learn more about issues that plague our world, they are asked to consider the lives and situations of others. Through the reflection process, which encourages thoughtful discussions with their peers, students look for ways to offer support or raise awareness about local or global issues. The focus of one of our 2018-19 service learning projects centered around a precious, yet finite resource—water. For two months, students in all divisions were investigating the scarcity of clean water in places around the world, including sub-Saharan Africa. Discovering that almost 60 per cent of people in South Sudan do not have access to clean water, students were stirred to action.They thought 14 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Everyone from pre-schoolers to grade 12 students, teachers, administrators and parents came out to experience walking with water. After completing only a portion of this distance, participants were amazed and expressed a deep empathy for their global brothers and sisters who must complete this arduous task every day. Students learned about a pressing need in our world, cultivated empathy for those living with the hardships as a result of that need, and responded with generous and loving hearts. The learning continues as students now focus on water access in China and on developing a sustainable, long-term partnership with the Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation and its work with water and sanitation in rural Yunnan. As a cohesive, school-wide service learning experience, it has been powerful to engage in an investigation of water access this year and we’re excited about the ways in which students will continue to respond to what they have learned.
Service Learning
YISS HS Students Engage in Service Learning Through GOES Program By Stephanie Vachon, Communications Specialist with input from Billy Fisher, HS Chaplain
Every Spring Break, Yongsan International School of Seoul’s high school sends teams of students and staff on service-learning trips throughout Korea and Asia. The program, which involves about half of the high school, is known as Guardians Outreach Education & Service (GOES). The vision of GOES is to provide students with cross-cultural, service-learning, small group experiences by which they can develop a passion to become lifelong servants and impact their world with the gifts and talents they have been given. The trips connect students with different countries and organizations that contain rich histories. Our hope is for students to come away from trips with a greater understanding of and appreciation for the cultures served. The trips provide opportunities for teams to explore, engage with, and learn about the areas we serve. GOES trips are also fun. Students and staff develop deep and long-lasting bonds through training and serving together. Whether through going on beach excursions, exploring local markets, or experiencing cultural dinners, memories are made to last a lifetime. The GOES (formerly known as Guardians With a Message–GWAM) program started in 2001 when a group of four staff and 22 students from YISS (known at the time as ICSSeoul) traveled to Vienna to assist a school with building renovations. In 2004, the school partnered with Habitat for Humanity in Korea and took the first group of students to Kunsan, Korea. This year, there were eight teams, each with a different purpose. The following is a short description of each of the trips that took place this year.
Geoje Island, South Korea The Geoje Island team served at Aikwangwon, a facility for children and adults with severe mental and physical handicaps. YISS students and faculty members spent time serving and connecting with a number of Aikwangwon residents. They walked, talked, sketched, sang, played, and ate together. The team members developed bonds of friendship and love with the residents. Kunsan, South Korea The Kunsan trip was a lesson in service for the students and leaders alike. The team spent time each morning reading and sharing with one another about God’s word before going to assist at a variety of ministries in Kunsan.The afternoons were usually spent cleaning and playing with the kids at a local sports center for underprivileged children or serving at a center for the physically challenged. At night, the high school students led an English camp for the children at the center for single mothers that hosted them. Taebaek, South Korea The Taebaek team traveled to the old coalmining town of Taebaek, which is the highest city in South Korea.Team members performed music during the Sunday service at one of the local churches and held concerts at the Chulam Care Center (for retired coal miners), a nursery for preschool-aged children, the Mirea Special Needs School, a local elementary school, and for an elderly group. In addition to giving concerts, each afternoon, the YISS students led an English camp and a music camp for children. Ta Khmau, Cambodia The Cambodia team partnered with the His Child ministry in and around Ta Khmau. His Child serves the children of Cambodia in a number of ways through education and sharing about God’s love. The team was able to spend time with hundreds of kids as they played games, made crafts, sang, and performed skits together in a church, several villages, two kindergartens, and His Child’s Children’s Home. The team also explored Cambodian culture and history.
Manila, Philippines The Philippines team served at Samaritan’s Place (SP), a group home for orphans, near Manila. The team members coordinated a Bible program involving stories and crafts for the SP children and many other local children. The YISS students had a wonderful time giving the children one-on-one attention as they taught them songs and motions and took them to a pool to teach them how to swim. Taichung, Taiwan The Taiwan team was composed of varsity track and field athletes who competed in the Asia Christian Schools Conference (ACSC) championships at Morrison Academy in Taichung. For the service component of the competition, the athletes paired with special needs buddies for the “I Am a Hero” games. Taiwan Sunshine, a non-profit that exists to support families that have children with special needs, organized the competition. The YISS athletes helped their buddies attempt various events and experience joy as they completed each event. Bangkok, Thailand The Bangkok team collaborated with organizations that worked with men and women in the sex industry. The purpose of these organizations is to give men and women an opportunity to find meaningful and dignified work outside of brothels and bars while spreading the love of Jesus. The team shared the Korean culture by teaching how to paint hanji fans and make kimbap. A couple of the organizations allowed the team to work with an even more vulnerable group: children of the women who used to work in bars or children at risk of exploitation. Maesai, Thailand The Maesai team partnered with Childlife, an orphanage that houses mostly Burmese children. The team helped with the local smart farming project, cleaned up around Childlife’s property, and helped cook meals. The most fun, however, was connecting with the kids of Childlife through games, crafts, Sports Day, singing, and dancing. Through these interactions, the YISS students were able to see the way that God loves and protects the children at Childlife through the joy expressed on their faces. Spring 2019 Issue 15
EdThought
“Designing Service Learning with our Students’ AND our Community’s Needs in Mind” By Adam Carter, WAB, adam_carter@wab.edu
In our Winter article, “Service Learning = Learning to Serve” (p. 24), International School of Beijing’s Service Learning Coordinator Jo Binns brought up a very poignant point about the need for Service Learning practitioners to focus our attention on the benefits our school’s activities are producing for the communities we are assisting, rather than merely focusing on what our students are gaining from the experience. I’d like to continue this conversation by proposing some ways that we, as schools, can help ensure that we are simultaneously maximizing our positive impact on our communities and also enriching the learning of our students. There are two important steps we can take in reaching this goal: prioritize ‘outcome’ instead of ‘output’ and focus on the ‘process’ instead of the ‘project’ approach of Service Learning. In terms of the first objective, Randy Stoecker explains the perils of a student-centric Service Learning approach in his new book, Liberating Service Learning and the Rest of Higher Education Civic Engagement (Temple University Press). A sociology professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, he argues that too often, “institutionalized service learning focuses more on ‘learning’ than ‘service’ and … prioritizes students -- and what they learn -- over the communities they try to help. As a result, programs mistake the output (what the students did) for the outcome (whether they accomplished their goal).” He brings up a valid point; often international schools become obsessed with counting; programs count their participants, students count their service hours and the quantity of assistance is prioritized over the quality of assistance. A school may tout that a hundred of their students participated in purchasing $1,000 worth of fresh produce for a food bank that serves 200 recipients, but before they congratulate themselves, there needs to be some sort of evaluation to measure the impact they made. Having worked with food banks in the past, I know that in many cases, people suddenly drop off bales of fresh produce; without careful coordination with the food bank, much of that food ends up being wasted. The point is that too often, assistance is ‘given’ on the school’s terms and ‘received’ by the community without giving them a chance to help shape the project to their actual needs or give feedback on its effectiveness. Furthermore, when the focus is on student learning, schools often approach Service Learning as though they are in a conventional learning space, where failure, experimentation and making mistakes are part of ‘the learning process.’ As Stoecker points out, this student-centric approach can actually have negative effects on the people it was meant to help! “That’s what classrooms are for: classrooms are for students to make mistakes,” Stoecker 16 EARCOS Triannual Journal
said. “Communities are not places to make mistakes.” To avoid this pitfall, Service Learning practitioners must focus their efforts on empowering communities, which involves a more collaborative and sustainable relationship in which students learn about the community’s needs and then learn how to most effectively address those needs. As Jo Binns pointed out in her article, inserting learning tools like needs analyses and service evaluations are effective ways to create a more collaborative partnership. This leads us to the second step: addressing Service Learning as a ‘process’ rather than a ‘project.’ As Service Learning expert Cathy BergerKaye has pointed out, we need to look beyond the mindset of “Our class is doing a Service Project” because that implies that the day of service itself, that moment when the students arrive to the community, is the culminating all-important component of Service Learning. In reality, the field visit should actually be just one step in a much more in-depth and dynamic approach. This “one-visit-fits-all” instant gratification philosophy also suggests that the project has been completed, which minimizes the positive impact that Service Learning programs can achieve in sustainable long-lasting relationships. Instead, the focus should be on the entire Service Learning process, which Cathy Berger-Kaye has expertly fashioned into a ‘5 Stages of Service Learning’ model. Within this framework, which is explained in more detail in her comprehensive book, “The Complete Guide to Service Learning,” students are directed to conduct research (Investigation), organize a plan to design and carry out a solution (Preparation), implement their plan through one of four types of service (Action), continuously reflect on their efforts (Reflection) and document of all parts of the process to display their learning and the benefits they engendered (Demonstration). When With this focus on process, the learning is taking place throughout the entire cycle and the actual output is developed and refined over a much longer period of time. Furthermore, students are directed to develop plans that are sustainable, so their efforts can be repeated and enhanced in successive iterations. So instead of the “we came, we saw, we gave” approach that goes hand-in-hand with a one-off visit to a community project, students engage in a more engaging and empowering “we research, we design, we consistently deliver” strategy. Without question, designing Service Learning experiences that simultaneously create meaningful learning while also providing positive impact on our communities is a daunting task, but it’s a worthy challenge for us to address. Hopefully, the strategies detailed above can help us develop Service Learning experiences that are just as beneficial to our students as they are for the communities we are assisting.
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Community Service
UNHCR Volunteer Training
By Gavin Lazaro Vice Principal (Our Students) Secondary Campus, The Alice Smith School glazaro.ep@alice-smith.edu.my The UNHCR in Malaysia work tirelessly in eight key areas: advocacy & awareness-raising, durable solutions, healthcare, protection, community development, education, livelihoods & self-reliance, and resource mobilisation. In particular, the UNHCR has links with a number of schools in Malaysia which are dedicated to offering some form of education to children who have been displaced by persecution, war or political strife. These schools are often very poorly equipped, are located in adapted buildings, have minimal income and rely on the good will of volunteers to provide educational experiences to young people who are desperate to learn but whose status has not been formally recognised by the government. As a comparatively wealthy international school with a range of resources to hand, we have maintained a long and solid link with the UNHCR, which was up until recently limited to raising money & awareness, as well as offering children an opportunity to use our extensive facilities after hours. The Alice Smith School wanted to do something that we felt we were more qualified to do, and something that would generate more significant positive impact for all involved, particularly for the lives of children whose future can sometimes offer very little indeed. In recent years a small number of our own staff have volunteered at the UNHCR, and from them it was clear that there was a need for many of the volunteers to better understand pedagogy, enhance skills, gain confidence and appreciate the nuances of teaching and learning that professional, highly qualified teachers often take for granted. A series of discussions occurred during the latter half of 2016, and it became apparent that a day of training using our staff, expertise and campus could offer have significant impact on a large number of children. As a result, 18 EARCOS Triannual Journal
in May 2017, our first UNHCR Volunteer Training Conference ran with over 70 volunteer teachers attending. Teachers from The Alice Smith School lead on a very wide range of activities including: * basic differentiation; * exploiting books for young learners; * teaching science with everyday items; * encouraging children to speak; * vocabulary and Maths games; * and effective lesson starters and plenaries. The day itself consisted of 50 minute hands-on practical sessions led by Alice Smith teachers, with attendees able to choose sessions that best suited their needs. Feedback was incredibly positive with attendees saying that the training was very useful for them and that it would positively impact their students. As a result of the day, they felt that they had a better understanding of specific teaching and learning strategies, could make more creative use of everyday items, and were able to manage learners to ensure a more explicit focus on learning. Since then, we have run two further conferences with another one being planned for March 2019. As in most international schools, our staff are well-qualified, hugely experienced and eager to give something back to our host country; supporting a worthwhile cause such as this has proved to be enormously rewarding and as a result, the conferences have gone from strength to strength. We know we are making a tangible, purposeful and lasting difference in the lives of young people who face significant challenges and are truly grateful for the sense of purpose and pride we achieve from doing so. We are extremely excited to see what the future holds for this particular relationship in the coming years.
Community Service
BCIS: A Tight-Knit Community selves” Unit of Inquiry. During such lessons, the elders have introduced the origin of the characters involved, the beautiful and interesting masks worn, as well as how the colors on these masks represent different personalities. Because of this, students have been able to gain a better understanding of how we can express ourselves and various messages through shapes, symbols, and colors. To help us commemorate important occasions in traditional Chinese culture such as the Harvest Festival, (as well as celebrate the school’s Chinese roots), members of Golden Heights have also spectacularly delivered in the form of live performances, acting out skits for appreciative audiences and more over the years. They have even written and sung their own songs specifically for such events to everyone’s delight.
ECC (Early Childhood Centre) students visiting Golden Heights BCIS consists of members from all over the world that form a unique, tight-knit community. From the teachers and students to the staff members and parents, there is a strong bond that binds us as we all strive our best to follow the school’s mission to “to be compassionate and inspired people, who act for the good of all and for the sustainable development of the world.” A special group that also belongs to the community are our friendly neighbors from the Golden Heights retirement home, who often help us celebrate our deep Chinese roots through planned lessons or public events (Harvest Festival, Spring in the City, etc). It is especially an honor and privilege to invite them during national holidays such as the Chinese New Year and Autumn Festival to share their stories and the history of our host country with the children. Below, we would like to highlight some of these wonderful moments.
Members of Golden Heights have even joined us during graduation ceremonies to make such moments even more special. One of the most distinguished speakers we have had of gracing our presence is 93-yearold Mr. Mingyi “Grandpa” Wei, who shared interesting tales of his life and revealed how he was able to make his dream of attending an Ivy League school in the US a reality. He also mentioned this funny anecdote that involved some BCIS students: “One afternoon, when my friends and I were competing on whose brush writing was better in the entertainment room [at Golden Heights], I met a few students from BCIS and had a long talk. [We learned that] we actually share the same life dreams.The only difference between us? 70 years.” The members that make up the BCIS community are diverse and unique, including our very special friends from Golden Heights.The connection that we possess is very strong and one that is always cherished. That is why we know when the community comes together, we are BCIS at its very best.
Our senior community members from Golden Heights have been regularly invited to talk about Peking Opera and all things relevant to the fine art form with students as part of the children’s “How We Express Our-
earcos.org cois.org EARCOS-CIS Institute on International Admission & Guidance Date: 20 - 21 September 2019 Location: Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
The two-day event includes general sessions and fairs for both universities and schools. This is the perfect opportunity to connect and build international relationships that will support students’ search for the best-fit university. www.earcos.org | www.cois.org
Spring 2019 Issue 19
Curriculum Initiatives
The Journey to IDEATE It has been an incredible journey for the Secondary School Team at Beijing City International School as we imagined, explored, and developed a new High School program to run alongside the International Baccalaureate Diploma program. For a number of years, different teams tried to articulate a variety of iterations. Then came along a visionary Principal, Colleen Drisner, who presented the idea of Innovation, Arts, and Enterprise (IAE) as a foundation of the program. Here is a quick synopsis of our journey since that initial presentation by Colleen to the Board of Trustees. keen to see what other schools were doing. A smaller team of five people took to the skies and landed in Honolulu, Hawaii. During this time, the team visited five Independent schools to see how they were structuring and delivering their High School Programs. In addition to these visits, the team attended the Schools of the Future Conference, which inspired us to have in-depth conversations about what we can develop for our students. We learned so much from this trip and it still serves as inspiration for the continuing development of our Secondary School and the individuals who were a part of the team.
Hao Tian Nie shows the reptiles he has raised With Innovation, Arts, and Enterprise as our inspiration, we formed a small team to work with Greg Curtis, a consultant and author who uses his Input-Output-ImpactTM framework to reform school practice. We started with the “why.” These discussions led us through an exploration of futures thinking, school transformation, and what students need to be successful in their own journeys post BCIS. Through this process, we used our mission and philosophy to derive the Secondary School learning model and the four Impacts we wanted to have on our students at BCIS. These Impacts are the foundation of the program and guide us in curriculum development and creating learning environments that are engaging and meaningful. Our four Impacts are: Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Purposeful Doing, and Connected Learning.The learning environments that we believe are pathways to mastering these Impacts include Voice and Choice, Concept and Context, Learning by Doing, and Social and Emotional Learning. After developing this foundation, we were 20 EARCOS Triannual Journal
The initial conversations in Hawaii and the continuing work with Greg Curtis has allowed the team to develop core components of the program and aspirations for our students. However, we knew the program was more than IAE and we needed a new name. To help with this, a forum of students was introduced to the concepts and ideas of the program. After going through their feedback, we started the brainstorming session to come up with a new name for the program. The result of that meeting was the name IDEATE, which stands for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship, Arts, Technology, and Experience. We loved it and the board loved it as well! Our student graphic design team worked alongside the Marketing department to create the logo and the program poster. Now we had a name, an identity, and a strong foundation to continue our work. The final proposal that was approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2017 defines the IDEATE program as the following: IDEATE aims to empower students to thrive in an ever-changing world. It is designed to celebrate and develop students’ strengths, talents, and skills in ways that will support any future aspirations. The IDEATE Programme aims to: • Empower students to be self-directed learn-
ers to pursue ideas and burning questions, and to take control of their pathway towards postsecondary education. • Inspire students to discover their strengths, passions, and talents to enrich their education; take action for the greater good of all; and inspire themselves and others to strive for excellence and innovation. • Challenge all students to broaden their horizons through real-world experiences, build on prior learning, and achieve to their full potential. • Develop compassion and awareness of others, as well as see, understand, and act on the connections between learning and the world.
Core Program Components: Courses All IDEATE courses align with our BCIS Learning Model and impacts of learning. Assessment tools vary within subject groups and include tasks such as investigations, portfolios, projects, exhibitions, and problem-solving activities. Students will receive feedback on their ongoing performance of the four Impacts, which is the basis of our reporting structure. IDEATE Project All students will complete the IDEATE Project course in Grades 11 and 12. The IDEATE Project course explores students’ skills, interests, and strengths to devise and carry out an entrepreneurial pursuit. The Project’s course is developing interesting explorations for students, who are enjoying the freedom to delve deep into an area of their choice. Projects for this year include: • Create an illustrated cookbook for college students. • Create a supported shoe brace for professional athletes who are recovering from injury. • Breed Leopard Geckos and create a “How to Look After Reptiles” Manual for Beijing families. • Grow artificial crystals to explore how science and art can be integrated.
• Create a fashion collection that instils the values of the skating culture in Beijing. • Develop skills in cinematography with the goal of creating short films for film festivals around the world. • Use the concept of ergonomics to devise innovative packaging and applicators for cosmetics products. Wen Xing Zhong Xin Portfolio Wen Xing Zhong Xin (WXZX) is the philosophy that highlights what we value as learners at BCIS. It underpins all learning and strives to strengthen the connection between our international mindedness and our Chinese roots. Over their High School years, students will curate a collection of portfolio entries to share their achievements and accomplishments to showcase learning and character development at BCIS.
Experience
All students are expected to fulfill the requirements for Service Learning and Work Experience opportunities. The goal is for the Experience component of the program to enhance and complement their project development. This academic year began the full roll out of the program. We have 10 students in Grade 12 and eight students in Grade 11. The students and teachers involved are pioneers of the program and have been supportive of the process and ironing out of any issues. This year has not been absent of challenges as we continue to develop our assessment, grading, and reporting procedures. However, much has been accomplished in this area. Many conversations revolve around these issues: • How do we sustain the program in order to grow with fidelity to the ideals of the program? • How do we involve and inform the community in further developments? • How do we foster relationships with universities? • How do we support a new way of thinking about teaching and learning? • How do we further articulate our definition of success? Where are we going with IDEATE? This is difficult to answer in an everchanging world. However, here are a few ideas we are exploring: • Developing Integrated courses that are not defined through traditional subject areas. • Developing protocols to develop student driven courses. • Allocating resources for dedicated staff and spaces. • Employing alternative reporting platforms to reflect the Impacts and aims of the program.
Hao Tian Nie shares his knowledge and love of reptiles to raise awareness
It has been a professionally rewarding and challenging journey so far and one that we are very proud of. Although we still have quite a way to go, we are ready for any path IDEATE leads us on.
Faces of EARCOS Zachary Lopez, International School Manila Margaret Sanders Scholarship Winner I came from an academically-focused school, but I always desired to explore new horizons. Through ISM’s scholarship, I got to participate in things I never thought possible like studying robotics and traveling abroad. Furthermore, in ISM, I was able to discover and develop my passion for computer science. Here, I got to start the Code Club and develop several mobile applications. Finally, with the support of the amazing counseling team, I have received a full scholarship to study in the US.
Carma Eliot CMG OBE, United World College South East Asia College President Carma will join UWC South East Asia from Beijing, China, where she has been Country Director for the British Council and Minister (Culture and Education) in the British Embassy since 2013. Prior to that, during a sabbatical from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Carma was Executive Director of Half the Sky Foundation, China’s largest international NGO focused on enriching the lives and enhancing prospects for orphaned children in China.
Spring 2019 Issue 21
Art and Community Identity
By Angie Andreas Vientiane International School
ACT: A Community Tapestry At Vientiane International School (VIS), we gather together before the students arrive each year so we can reconnect with our mission and with each other. During our first session, our new Head of School, Elsa Donohue, asked us to stand and follow a few straight-forward directions; close your eyes, turn around three times, and then point North. Simple enough. It is easy to visualize what we saw next. There before us were fingers pointing every which way but down! It was clear we needed a compass to find our way. Interestingly enough, the word ‘compass’ actually translates to ‘together way’ in Latin. This simple tool unites us so we, as a global community, can share a dialogue about where we are and where we are going. Experiences like these can inspire exciting artistic inquiries into how we show who we are, where we are, and where we want to go. From a Visual Arts perspective, I felt consumed by the idea of a compass as a tool to unite people. As the days passed, I had conversations with students, teachers, parents, and anyone who would listen about a shared belief in a concept, about how when we agree on a direction, we can move forward to a new place, together. It was at this time that I asked the students across the grade levels to create an image that represented who we are as a school community, where we are in the world, and what we hope for our students to gain from being at our school. With these three goals in mind, the unimagined came to life. 22 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Who are we as a community? How can we represent ourselves through the elements of art? How can shape, color, or space define us? We are The VIS Dragons! Many students used this image to illustrate our community. Others thought that our Houses of Gibbons, Geckos, Catfish, and Nagas described us best, while still others felt that the image of a world was symbolic of our international school.
directions while visually representing who we are, where we are, and our mission proved to do just that: Challenge, Inspire, and Empower!
Where are we in the world? Lao PDR is our home and host country. Students generated images of dok champa (the national flower), That Luang (the national temple), and the Lao flag to locate us in the world. Even more students felt that we should use the outline of the country to communicate to our audience. What do we hope for our students to gain from being at VIS? Attributes like principled, knowledgeable, and caring came into focus, as did images of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Our mission statement came through in the end. Challenge, Inspire, and Empower! It is hard to imagine better goals for children. The best metaphor came through in crafting the artwork itself with nearly 400 participants from over 40 different countries. Primary, Secondary, parents, and staff all came together to create a vision. A Community Tapestry: ACT! The act of envisioning, collaborating, and creating this over 16 square meter wall hanging with warp and weft symbolizing the cardinal
Close-up of the image of Lao PDR representing a symbolic flag with the national flower at the center.
Curriculum Initiatives
Can You Speak 100 Languages? By Emma Hamilton ES Art Teacher (ECC-Grade 2) and ES Arts Team Leader United Nations International School of Hanoi
Children at UNIS expressing themselves through their different languages
Every day I wake up thinking how lucky and privileged I am to have the job I do. After more than 20 years of being a teacher I am still changing, evolving and experimenting. I am an Early Years art teacher at UNIS, Hanoi. My working week consists of thirty-five 40 minute periods talking about art, creating art, opening up possibilities to explore ideas, materials and thoughts, with over 200 3-7 year olds. Why do I think this is such a special job? Well …. Last November I visited the town of Reggio Emilia in Italy. I am sure many of you already know Reggio Emilia as being famous for the inventive, creative and extremely successful early years education programme which was set up there after the end of WW2. There are three main components which make the programme so successful, and now well regarded all over the world. It looks to the child, the environment and the community. It is a system without formal assessment, no curriculum as we would understand it, and with the voice of the child central to everything. What has also always particularly interested me is the Reggio Emilia concept of 100 “languages”. This idea looks to each child being an individual who can express their ideas and thoughts in 100 different ways, or even more. These “languages” are often expressed with many different materials. There is a focus on the arts and an acknowledgment of the beauty of our world and how we can capture it.
International education is always evolving; we gain knowledge and experience from many different people and places. Currently we look to “inquiry” as the best way to engage our children. We think about student agency and valuing the student voice. We look to the future wanting to develop our children into adults, who are adaptable to the unknown, who are problem solvers. Children who become empathetic adults who can help shape our rapidly changing world. After visiting Reggio Emilia and taking their week-long course for International Teachers I came to understand that their education system has been driven by all of these considerations, since its inception in 1946. It is a system which works outstandingly well; and we can definitely look to it to help us change education for the better. In an article written in 1991, Newsweek suggested that the Reggio education system was amongst the top ten in the world. My personal experience of the system is such that I believe this still holds good today.
What I have changed is the way I listen, and the way I act on children’s thoughts and ideas. I am now trying consciously to connect their views and ideas, and act upon them. We have an art curriculum, but rather than the emphasis being on a finished product I am now trying to look at each unit being like a Reggio project. The basis for each unit comes from our PYP POI, but how each unit proceeds is driven by the children – I listen carefully to their ideas, and we discuss how we can proceed as a class, or in smaller groups. I truly believe my visit to Reggio Emilia will improve the experience my art pupils receive. Giving students a voice, listening to their ideas and acting upon them will do much to create a truly worthwhile Visual Arts programme.
On arriving back in Hanoi, I felt inspired to try new ideas; to make each child’s experience in the Art Room more meaningful and personal. This was not something completely new to me and I had already done much to create an environment which I felt was safe and reassuring; a place to take risks, where a mistake can be turned into something beautiful, where anything can be possible.
Town of Reggio Emilia in Italy. Spring 2019 Issue 23
Poetry
What is Music?
By Nghi Ngo (Grade 9) HS Music (Hyun Sung Nam, Teacher) American International School, HCMC Vietnam Let me carry you on a journey Far away from this world Your desk your mug and your screen All which will seem like A distant memory The divergent emotions The tears and the smiles Serene Magical Vast The journey for your heart Your consolation, your warmth And your comfort Let me ease away your pain A sound, a vibration Tumbling through space To reach your ears To be heard, understood Mused on The pitches Blaring through your mind A shrill, a clarion Shrieking, piercing, penetrating The pitches Floating past your head A warmth, a depth Stable, grounded, grand The timbre Drips of rich, sophisticated honey The timbre Thumps of dry, scratchy sticks The dynamics Racing an inevitably deafening path The dynamics Bouncing on softly timid clouds Leaves crunching underneath our feet Wind howling in the dead of night Rain tapping at the wide windows Birds chirping in the sky Soar, like all the sounds in the world 24 EARCOS Triannual Journal
A song made to be listened to An appeal to our ears A variety of sounds An arrangement of rhythms A combination of melodies An incorporation with harmony A production of music The ambiance of silence Of ticking clocks and whirling air The ambiance of discomfort Of harsh words and tension The ambiance of relaxation Of pencil scratches and warm lyrics The ambiance of background noise Of footsteps and “Swan Lake” To bring to existence A creation of a piece Of lyrics, of notes A magician with words To be creative An imagination set free An originality in full bloom An artistry that sets apart A symphony with all elements An iridescent movement A performance born unique A composition of tunes A work of art A piece that makes our ears feel A six-minute-tune An adventure so vast A chance for sentimentality Of your sweet, cherished past A harmony created To soothe the longing heart A beautiful journey That tickles at your thought, “What is it about music That means so much to me?”
Poetry
New York Kitchen By Christine park, 10th Grade Yongsan International School of Seoul
If I say new york kitchen think friends-cramped space with blue cabinets and rusty pots. the time monica made jam to get over richard and joey wanted jam and that girl from the copy shop together. think cozy like broken heater in winter warming christmas party to a beach island paradise or the shepherd’s pie english trifle so good it had to be enjoyed on the balcony or in the bedroom away from prying eyes. (GOOD.) there are ten seasons of memories in that kitchen more scrumptious than our homemade ones. if you ask my mom why she doesn’t cook she’ll say “I did all of it in new york worked my fingers to the bone in that city steamed my face open like a potato to put food on your plates.” if you ask her she’ll defend why our kitchen in Korea is showroom clean except for the litter of chinese takeout menus and new restaurant promotions on our fridge. no smell comes through this house except for the one the delivery guy brings-feasts of fried chicken or pizza or pasta or stew. As the tv flickers blue lights across our faces we curve ourselves around our rationed portions in search of warmth.
Spring 2019 Issue 25
Action Research
Effectiveness of a Parental Training Program in Increasing Authoritative Parenting ing harsh parenting practices, and increasing authoritative parenting practices.
By Michael Allen, ES Principal Shanghai American School, Puxi Campus
regardless of factors such as ethnicity and cultural background.
Since the 2013-14 school year, the Shanghai American School (SAS) Puxi campus elementary school counseling team and administration have been working together to provide 6-week parenting courses to the parenting community using the “Parenting the Positive Discipline Way” program. Over 300 Puxi campus elementary school parents have participated in these courses over the past six years. Research supports the notion that authoritative parenting effects are highly desirable yet little was known about the impact parenting classes were having on course participants at SAS. McVittie and Best (2009) stated that more work needs to be done in the evaluation of parent education programs and found that Adlerian-based parenting classes such as “Parenting the Positive Discipline Way” have had a direct positive impact on participants’ parenting styles, but it was not certain if our school’s course was having the same impact on cross-cultural participants. The 23 participants of the September 2018 “Parenting the Positive Discipline Way” course at SAS agreed to participate in an action research study. The goal of this study was to determine how much the parenting course influences parental behavior in the direction of being more authoritative
In reviewing research across cultures, nations, and nationalities, it was evident that the authoritative parenting style, as defined by the Baumrind (1971) parenting styles’ theoretical framework, consistently yields the most positive outcomes for children. Authoritative parents produce children who demonstrated academic achievement, self-esteem, healthy life satisfaction, and overall strong mental health as well as other positive attributes. Because education level was one of the most prominent factors that affect parenting style (Baumrind, Larzelere, & Owens, 2010), parent education and outreach programs around the world have had a significant positive impact on parenting practices and outcomes for children. Parents who were educated about authoritative parenting practices and were aware of the long-term benefits of an authoritative parenting style were more likely to use this approach. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the SAS parenting training program for parents of elementary school students. Because SAS uses the Parenting The Positive Discipline Way program, it was important to determine the effectiveness of the program in achieving the primary goals of improving the parent-child relationship, reduc-
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“Parenting the Positive Discipline Way” is an Adlerian-based parent training program created by Positive Discipline Authors, Dr. Jane Nelsen and Lynn Lott (2008). According to Adler and Dreikurs (as cited in Nelsen, Tamborski, & Ainge, 2016), a misbehaving child is a discouraged child. Dreikurs believed that the authoritative parenting style was the better of all styles to use with children because it provided them with options and buy-in for actions associated with parenting and discipline. Nelsen et al. (2016) built on these ideologies with an emphasis on being respectful with discipline that focuses on helping the child learn problem-solving in order to work through the behavior. Nelsen et al. (2016) emphasized encouragement in parenting in order to build the capacity for children to believe in themselves and have confidence in their abilities to enact positive behavior. Nelsen et al. (2016) also encouraged approaching parenting with compassion embedded in structure and routine in order to be successful with discipline and parenting. They encouraged five criteria for developing positive discipline in parenting including being (a) kind and firm at the same time, (b) helping children feel a sense of belonging and significance, (c) being effective long-term, (d) teaching social and life skills for good character, and (e) empowering children to feel capable. The 23 participants in this action research were parents of elementary school children at SAS who chose to participate in a 6-week positive parenting course with the commitment that they attended each weekly 2.5-hour session. The adult participants were from a variety of cultural backgrounds and had commonalities among them that included having their children schooled at SAS, being fluent in English, and being expatriates residing in Shanghai. Parents were surveyed on demographic information including age, gender, ethnicity, economic factors, parent marital status, and their child’s academic achievement. These demographic factors were analyzed in direct correlation with the experiences of participants complet-
ing the parenting class. The data-collection instrument was the Carroll and Hamilton (2016) Positive Discipline Parenting Scale. The Positive Discipline Parenting Scale was a scale used to measure the effectiveness of positive discipline parenting workshops. According Carroll and Hamilton (2016), the Positive Discipline Parenting Scale can be used to investigate the positive discipline parenting course effects on course participants’ attitudes and behaviors as well as assess any preexistent mindsets, opinions, or views as they pertained to those that participated in the positive discipline course. Survey Question 6 (I have family meetings with my children) results showed the biggest change of growth overall for all participants; this was most likely due to the fact that families were rarely doing family meetings prior to the training and the specific format of family meetings was new. Survey Question 1 (Mistakes are opportunities to learn) showed the least amount of growth; presurvey data showed that the majority of participants came into the course with this belief firmly in place. Survey Questions 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 also showed growth with most participants indicating a change in these areas. The majority of parents increased their scores from presurvey to postsurvey after participating in the parenting classes, indicating that the parenting classes were effective for these parents and resulting in benefits to their children and for the school environment. The study showed that the average profile for participants were that they were highly educated 40+ year-olds who owned their own homes, had graduate or advanced degrees along with their spouses, were Asian, married,
and in the $0-60,000USD income bracket with spouses who were in the highest income brackets (over $100,000USD) which would indicate that the participants may have not been employed, possibly stay-at-home parents with spouses who earned among the highest level of income. The majority of these parent participants attended all six class sessions, which would indicate that the type of parent attracted to the parenting classes are the ones who have the average profile of the study group. The study analyzed the roles of gender, ethnicity, age, economic factors, marital status, and child’s academic achievement of 23 parents at Shanghai American School. However the data set was not diverse enough to show how these elements were a factor. The Positive Discipline Parenting Scale Questions 1. I see mistakes as opportunities to learn. 2. I calm myself down before problem solving with my child(ren). 3. I respond to my children with kindness and firmness at the same time. 4. When my child misbehaves, I understand the belief behind the behavior. 5. I feel comfortable problem solving with my child(ren). 6. I have family meetings with my child(ren). 7. How I respond to my child (my parenting style), influences how my child responds. For more information about the “Parenting the Positive Discipline Way” program, resources, and materials, please visit www.positivediscipline.com.
References Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology Monographs, 4 (Part 1). Baumrind, D., Larzelere, R. E., & Owens, E. B. (2010). Effects of preschool parents’ power assertive patterns and practices on adolescent development. Parenting: Science and Practice, 10, 157-201. doi:10.1080/15295190903290790 Carroll, P., & Hamilton, W. (2016). Positive Discipline Parenting Scale: Reliability and validity of a measure. Project Muse. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 72(1), 60-74. doi:10.1353/ jip.2016.0002 McVittie, J., & Best, A. M. (2009). The impact of Adlerian-based parenting classes on selfreported parental behavior. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 65(3), 264- 285. Nelsen, J., & Lott, L. (2008). (6th ed.). Teaching parenting the positive discipline way: a step-bystep approach to starting and leading parenting classes. New York, NY: Harmony Books, Crown Publishing. Nelsen, J., Tamborski, M., & Ainge, M. (2016). Positive discipline parenting tools: The 49 most effective methods to stop power struggles, build communication, and raise empowered, capable kids. New York, NY: Harmony Books, Crown Publishing.
In Memoriam
Pearl Rock Kane (February 26, 2019)
Pearl served as the visionary Director of the Klingenstein Center for just over 37 years, transforming the Center from a single fellowship program into the premier destination for the development of independent school educator-leaders it is today. Daily, she demonstrated her mantra, “leadership is a behavior, not a position,” inspiring countless independent school educators around the world to lead the change our schools need.
Spring 2019 Issue 27
Press Release
Winner of International School Awards 2019 student led positive playtimes programme reflects the contextual needs of our international school playtimes and shows us that we have a body of students that want to make a difference to their school.” Tom Verity, Primary Principal said, “Listening to our students about their opinions and views and encouraging and supporting student leadership, are of paramount importance at the school. Having children closely involved in developing and looking after their playtime equipment and environment has further developed their sense of belonging, participation and respect for each other and adults.” The Alice Smith School was recently announced as WINNER of the International School Awards 2019 in the Pastoral Initiative category.
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Roger Schultz, Head of School, commented, “We have excellent pastoral care. Through the opportunities and guidance provided by our dedicated and caring teachers...
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These much celebrated awards highlight best practice in a range of categories which include: learning and teaching, wellbeing, leadership, use of technology, pastoral initiatives, community impact, inclusion, pathway support, and international impact spearheaded by some of the best British schools and educators from around the world! Alice Smith School was shortlisted in two categories, learning and teaching and pastoral initiatives, winning the Pastoral Initiative category for its work on student led positive playtimes. The initiative involved developing Year 6 leadership opportunities which empowered students to help to transform playtimes. By developing student leadership training in the following positions: Referees, Equipment Managers, Play Mentors, Monitors, Buddies and Helpers, the children became part of the success story. New resources were purchased to use within carefully delineated playground zones with students involved at every stage of the process. Through student led assemblies and careful reviews of the implementation, our students feel happy and safe during positive playtimes. Roger Schultz, Head of School, commented, “We have excellent pastoral care. Through the opportunities and guidance provided by our dedicated and caring teachers, our students develop their individual strengths and abilities in a safe and supportive school environment. The
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Sharing knowledge and learning together as a community is a thriving aspect of the Alice Smith School culture. The International School Awards help to raise awareness of exceptional initiatives being successfully implemented in international schools and we are proud that Alice Smith School has been recognised for its contribution to high quality student care. The Alice Smith School also recently achieved the Professional Development Quality Mark (PDQM) Gold Award, by the UCL Institute of Education. The PDQM was developed by experienced PD Leaders in partnership with specialists at the London Centre for Leadership in Learning to improve professional development practice in schools and educational settings across London, and beyond. We are proud to be the first international school to gain this quality mark and is now working towards Platinum level recognition. Other notable achievements include being shortlisted for the TES International School of the Year Award in 2016, the British International School Awards (BISA) and Relocate Awards, both in 2018.
Campus Development
KIS International School Bangkok Expands Facilities and Inaugurates New Pool with Hungarian Olympic Swimmers In line with the wishes of the school’s community and following the strategic plan, KIS has added two new buildings to its spacious campus to complement the already outstanding facilities.
Design Studio
The first, the Arts & Design Building, has been in use since the beginning of this academic year and allows for expansion of the school’s Design programme. The Arts & Design Building features art studios, a black box drama room, a multipurpose hall, a design center and a design workshop, as well as a school shop and offices.
ing school’s PE classes as well as the competitive sports teams. The Sports Building includes an indoor gymnasium with two full sized courts and an additional competitive swimming pool with starting blocks and touch pads for timing. The pool was recently opened with a workshop for KIS’s swim team run by Hungarian Olympic swimmers. The new facilities will support the students in their development and learning and KIS looks forward to many new creative and sporting achievements.
The second, a new Sports Building, designed to accommodate the grow-
Visual Arts Studio
PA Black Box
Spring 2019 Issue 29
Campus Development
The Making of Purpose-Built Educational Facilities
By Kari Steffen Dalat International School, ksteffen@dalat.org
In 2013, Dalat International School began to imagine new possibilities for its 43-year-old campus in Penang, Malaysia. Set in a tropical location, the campus featured idyllic scenery, but its buildings were greatly outdated. Dalat had taken over a seaside rest and relaxation base in 1971 from the British military, and multiple barracks and horse stables were repurposed into classrooms and boarding homes. Incredibly, the school maintained most of the original buildings for more than 40 years. During that time, enrollment more than tripled — from less than 200 to 650.
A striking aspect of this project is how engaged our staff were in the process. Beginning in 2013, staff committees formed to make thousands of decisions for each building. Our community engaged at every level to make sure each choice was just right for our school. We also asked teachers and students what they hoped to see in the new buildings. A group of student leaders told me that they liked to get outside throughout the day and didn’t want to be in a big “prison” block of a building that was closed in. So the goal was to use the space wisely, to make it feel open and inviting.
New facilities were desperately needed, and Dalat leadership began to ask the hard questions: What would a purpose-built school look like for our community? How could Dalat ensure that new facilities supported the core values of its strategic plan? And how would we fund construction costs? Shortly after signing a 30-year land lease in 2014, the school was ready to implement a campus development plan. Helping to lead the charge was High School Principal Brian Brewster, who worked with an architect as well as staff, parents, and students to craft a vision for facilities that would serve Dalat into the future. Fast forward five years, and the school has successfully upgraded its campus with three brand-new, multi-story buildings. First to be completed in 2016 was the Center for the Arts, Sciences, Technology, and Learning Education (CASTLE), with a library, classrooms, and a computer lab. The following year Dalat completed a boarding facility called the Lighthouse. Finally, in 2018 the third and largest building — the Harbor — opened its doors. It includes high school classrooms, administrative offices, and an auditorium. Costing just over RM28 million, the plan was financed by Dalat faithfully saving building fees and earnings from the previous 20 years and also from the generous philanthropic support of the Penang community. Ultimately, the campus development plan has helped Dalat thrive in an environment specifically designed for its needs. “In the end, we didn’t gain a lot more classroom space,” Brewster says. “But what we did gain was purpose-built space.” So how did Dalat move from those early stages of dreaming toward achieving a beautifully rebuilt campus? High School Principal Brian Brewster describes the rewarding — yet difficult — process, especially related to the Harbor building project. Q. How was the Harbor designed to be a purpose-built facility? Brewster: The Harbor’s design didn’t start on the back of a napkin, but almost. It started on a blank piece of graph paper where I had sketched out the dimensions of the available space. Several of us began to take pictures at other schools, keeping notes on things we liked and things we didn’t.
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Dalat Harbor Building Outdoor community spaces in the Dalat Harbor building.
Q. Dalat’s strategic plan focuses on authentic transformation of its students, developing passionate personnel, cultivating innovative learners, and creating intentional community. How has the Harbor’s building design supported Dalat’s strategic plan? Brewster: Creating outdoor gathering spaces in the Harbor to encourage community, innovative learning, and authentic transformation was the most important part of the project. We wanted places that our high school students would gather, talk, study, laugh, and grow together. So we designed outdoor gathering spaces on every floor of the Harbor that allow students to enjoy their surroundings while being together. To encourage passionate personnel and innovative learning, we created shared teacher office spaces that help our staff come together and collaborate. Simple changes have greatly improved our ability to nurture students as innovative learners. We added a classroom with risers for instructional flexibility, and installed glass tabletops and standing desks in most of the classrooms to encourage interactive learning. The new auditorium includes a much larger stage than our old performance space, which has allowed students to share their talents in ways they couldn’t before. And purpose-built science classrooms have transformed those disciplines at every level.
Dalat high school students assemble at the second-floor Deck of the Harbor building.
Q. How do you feel about the outcome of the Harbor project in particular? Brewster: I am so blessed to now enjoy the fruits of the hard work. When I see students together on the stairs, sitting by the koi pond, or doing homework in the community spaces, that’s very satisfying to me. Yes, it was busy during the planning process, but I felt blessed to have been given the freedom and empowerment to both do what I am called to do (as high school principal) and be engaged in this building project that will have such a lasting impact on Dalat. I know that the high school community is closer-knit because of this purposeful space.
Students collaborate in community spaces at the Harbor. Spring 2019 Issue 31
Community Service
6 CCF Students Win Scholarships
By Barry Sutherland, Director International School of Phnom Penh 140 CCF students whittled down to 21 finalists, all hoping to win a scholarship to the International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP). The six lucky winners were an- nounced this week Last year, the International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP) offered six scholarships to CCF students.The scholarship cov- ers their schooling at the prestigious school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the full 6 years of secondary school. Those six stu- dents have almost completed a year in their new school, and are thriving in the modern and academically challenging environment. Now, another 6 CCF students are about to join them. After a tough 2 month process to find new scholars, in which they underwent rigorous testing in areas such as reading, writing, spelling and verbal and social skills, the final 21- narrowed down from an original 140 who were eligible to apply – were going to find out their fate. On Saturday (March 30), they sat waiting nervously at CCF’s Neeson Cripps Academy, as CCF Found- er and Executive Director, Scott Neeson, prepared to announce the successful candidates.
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Marty Sharples, secondary teacher at ISPP, who attended the announcement, told the assembled finalists: “Congratula- tions to all students. We thought everyone was impressive during the whole process.” But ultimately only six could be selected for the life-changing scholarship. They were: Nisa,12, Vannak, 11, Srey Lak, 11, Bona, 10, Sophea, 10, Kunthea, 10*. Coincidentally, the ratio is the same as last year’s winners, one boy and five girls. These six bright students will start their formal study at ISPP from August but will attend extra lessons during the summer break to bring them up to speed and familiarise themselves with the school before term starts. On Monday 1 April, a celebration was held for the students and their families. Teachers from ISPP attended, alongside last year’s scholarship winners. Barry Sutherland, Director of ISPP, gave a warm welcome to the future students and signed the scholarship agreement with Scott Neeson. “We are thrilled to invite all of you to come to our school in August. We know that you will work really hard and make your parents proud,” said Barry.
“We want to become a better school and represent the whole community in Cambodia, as much as we can. We know it’s a small thing to take in six students, but it will make a big difference, not only in the students lives but for their families too.” All six students went up to collect their scholarship certificates, in front of their proud parents, who could only have dreamed of providing such an opportunity for their children. “It is a very exciting moment to see my daughter here and to begin this journey, I never expected it,” said Narie, mother of scholarship winner Srey Lak. “I want to keep encouraging my daughter to stay in school and study.” While the kids did the hard work, the cooperation of their parents was key to their success. “I want to thank the mums and fathers who are here tonight because I know you have a lot go- ing on in your lives,” said Scott Neeson in his speech to the students and families. “The thing that makes me the happiest is the thing you don’t see yet. You will be the first in your generation to move your family into the middle class.”
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Co-Teaching- A Tool for Collaboration in International Schools By Holly Bowen Reardon- Elementary and Middle School Principal International School Eastern Seaboard
“A learning-focused school accepts the responsibility to do everything possible to support children’s learning. Nothing is left to chance (Teachingtimes.com, 2019).” If learning is the primary focus of schools, then everyone in schools must be a learner. This includes teachers, parents, administrators and support staff as well as students. Sometimes, unfortunately, in international schools, teachers prefer to bring their experiences, personal perspectives, lessons and curriculum with them; a practice that makes it hard for our diverse population of teachers to collaborate. Usually our students also have vastly different experiences both in and out of school and addressing learning needs from such diversity as isolated teachers simply doesn’t work. At the International School of Eastern Seaboard (ISE), we wanted to shift this narrative and harness the gift of our diverse perspectives to learn from and with each other because in learning-focused schools, teachers take collective responsibility for student learning and wellbeing (Stuart et al., 2016). In larger international schools, collaborative teams are often formed with groups of teachers who teach the same grade level. This allows for teachers to work together to think about the content and approaches to teaching. When teachers are working in small international schools with only one classroom per grade level, they can feel extremely isolated and often long for others to collaborate with. In these situations, collaboration usually only happens on a shallow, thematic level with singlesubject teachers (eg Grade 5 is studying bird migration and the visual arts teacher agrees to make birdhouses) whose courses, unfortunately, have few overlaps with what is happening in the homeroom. While there are benefits to these approaches, we were looking for a more deliberate way for our teachers to intimately know our students and to be able to plan for and impact their learning in a very personalized way. One way that the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy have been able to make a deliberate break from more traditional and isolated approaches to teaching is by working in co-teaching pairs. The teacher researchers in Reggio have found that co-teaching produces tremendous advantages both educationally and psychologically for the educators and the children. Co-teachers in Reggio feel a commitment to both their students 34 EARCOS Triannual Journal
and their colleagues to continually grow and develop as teachers. As teachers make predictions and try things out, they work together with co-teachers to analyze what happened and what might be the best next step for a particular child or group of children. (Edwards et al., 2012). This act alone encourages a deep level of reflection and requires teachers to position themselves as learners within the organization as well. At ISE, we believe that the work of teaching is too complex and too important to do in isolation. When teachers don’t collaborate to plan and review student progress, then the success of a student can depend upon the efficacy of a single teacher (Stuart et al., 2016). Co-teaching also alleviates the traditional model of what to teach and how to teach being determined exclusively by an individual teacher. We know that the effects of both effective teachers and ineffective teachers can be felt for years (Garmston & Wellman, 2016.) At worst, a bad teacher can damage a student’s confidence and self-esteem. On the other hand, students who are placed with highly effective teachers for three years in a row significantly outperform average students. We believe that we have a moral imperative to do better than to leave this to chance. We also understand that having conversations with colleagues that focus on understanding and knowing our students better impacts student learning but also impacts teacher growth and evolution. According to Stuart (2016, pg. 2) “the opportunity to learn from and with the teacher next door is huge. For teachers in international schools, the single biggest benefit of Professional Learning Communities is the unmatched professional growth that come with becoming vulnerable enough with colleagues and being willing to challenge every teaching, assessment and intervention method to better serve students.” Longing for deep and meaningful professional collaboration, we, in the Elementary School at ISE, decided to try a co-teaching approach to deprivatizing our classrooms. Teaching teams formed PODS of 2 grade levels (eg Grade 2 and Grade 3). In this model the teachers in both grade levels would get to know the students and would be able to support the planning for groups as well as individual student needs. PODS combine classes for their morning meetings and other times throughout the day when they are working on building community or addressing community issues. During these times all teachers and TAs are present and involved with students. During literacy and math times, groups are formed across the two grade levels and teachers work with different groups on targeted goals. Sometimes these flexible groups are formed to address specific grade level content, other times they may be based on interest (kids interested in the same topics for writing or reading, for example) or because we want to harness the expertise of students as they teach and learn from each other. For our social studies and science units, we created a rotating schedule. This means that we designated one set of units (what might have traditionally been the grade 2 units) as year A and the other set of units (what might have traditionally been the grade 3 units) as year B, rotating this schedule every year. This allows us to work together on planning the units and allows for greater flexibility for learning engagements
and assessment strategies. We also have a learning support and EAL teacher who co-plans and co-teaches with each POD.This model allows all teachers to genuinely understand the academic and social-emotional needs of each student and helps us to avoid making superficial recommendations solely related to content. Rather, because each of knows every student deeply, we can make specific plans to enhance learning for everyone. When planning for our co-teaching model, we anticipated that this approach would allow us to: • Personalize learning-with plans and flexibility for students who perform at different levels throughout a grade • Offer multiple mentors for all learners (big and small) • Minimize the “risk” of a not so perfect ‘teacher/ student match” • Continue to grow and develop our craft from each other Throughout the year we have been amazed by the impact that our coteaching has had in our classrooms. We have been able to: • Personalize learning. With more adults in the room we were able to offer more support and individualized options for inquiry. “They are getting double value. My co-teacher and I have very different backgrounds and styles of delivery so I feel we are able to cover more together.”- Reuben Bathgate, CoTeacher • Evolve as teachers-harnessing our strengths and supporting the areas we each wanted to grow. • Adjust groups in the moment, based on student need, teacher need, interest and emotional support. For example, when we got a new student from China with no english, one of the teachers had just moved from China and was instantly able to connect with that student, easing his transition and supporting him as he joined the classroom community. “Co-teaching allows teachers to make adjustments to learning during the lesson, not just after the fact.” -Christina Szyman, Co-Teacher There were also some very unexpected but deeply meaningful results as well: • As the group began working together and they saw teachers explicitly learning how to navigate and work closely together, they too learned these skills and the group developed into a profoundly caring community. • Students gained perspective about their own strengths and expertise while also discovering their areas for growth. This happened organically and naturally, just like it does in a family, just from working together and supporting each other. “While working with students and discovering their expertise we were able to use them in different ways in the classroom as well .” -Christina Szyman, Co-Teacher • Students also developed a respect for others with different learning needs and began to explore ideas about equality vs equity. “Within this model all students have the chance to shine as leaders and experts. They can all learn from each other and they also can all be teachers of each other. This grows their confidence and helps promote a growth mindset in the classroom” -Nada Werner, Student Support Teacher • All learners, big and small, grew as collaborators, intentionally honing their craft with every meeting or interaction.
“I learn so much from my teaching partner. I learn from the way she asks questions and talks to the students. I learn from the activities she plans and the way she delivers content.”Reuben Bathgate, Co-Teacher • On the practical side, it was extremely helpful for continuity when teachers are sick, or move on to another school. • We have held each other accountable. Both as teachers and as students, as we work together every day, we bring our best to the table, not wanting to offer less than that to our partners. “Your co-teachers are your cheelearders. They bring out the best in you and support the areas where you need that as well.” - Nada Werner, Student Support Teacher Moving from a more isolated to a co-teaching model wasn’t an easy task. But we didn’t really think it would be! Teachers who are used to working in isolation are sometimes resistant to opening their doors and sharing their practice with each other. Even though it was scary, we believed in the possibilities and as a team we decided to trust the process, share our vulnerabilities, and give co-teaching a try. Our model isn’t perfect. Continued support as we hone our skills and techniques as collaborators will be important as we push for deeper connections with our students and each other as co-teaching partners. We want to include more parent partnerships in our classrooms and parents initially didn’t understand this model. They simply thought students were functioning in a combined classroom (which traditionally means 1 teacher with two grade levels of children). While we have shared information with parents this year, this will continue to be a focal point of parent education and communication over the next few years. As we started this journey, our collaborative focus was on homeroom partnerships, however we are also considering the role that our single subject teachers (for example visual arts, physical education) might play in this model in the future. Over the year, it has become clear to us that this model is more effective as a support for both student and teacher learning than traditional approaches.The question for us now is ‘why would you NOT choose to work this way?’. “Be open-minded. Remember that your teaching partner is probably as nervous as you are, so talk about that! Break the ice. Try some ‘out of the classroom’ team building activities to build trust and your relationship. Have fun and laugh together. Expect to make lots of mistakes and don’t forget to celebrate all the successes you have along the way! “- Reuben Bathgate, Co-Teacher Resources Edwards, Carolyn P., et al. The Hundred Languages of Children: the Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation. Praeger, 2012. Garmston, Robert J., and Bruce M. Wellman. The Adaptive School: a Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups. Rowman & Littlefield, 2016. Ritchhart, Ron. Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools. Jossey-Bass, 2015. Teachingtimes.com. (2019). Creating a learning-focused school. [online] Available at: https://www.teachingtimes.com/articles/learning-focusedschool.htm [Accessed 20 Feb. 2019]. Stuart, Timothy S. Global Perspectives: Professional Learning Communities in International Schools. Solution Tree Press, 2016. Spring 2019 Issue 35
High School Art Celebration American International School,Vietnam Julie Van, Grade 10 Oh, The London Bridge Acrylic on Canvas
BRENT International School BAGUIO Sam Im, Grade 9 Watercolor Painting Program
CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HANOI Yuki Yamagishi Gr 12. Prismacolor Colored Pencils
Chadwick International School Grace Ji Won Jung
American International School Hong Kong High School Student
International School OF KUALA LUMPUR Jasmine, Grade 10
K. International School Tokyo Tommomi Collins
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Berkeley International School G12 Art student
Dalian American International School Jennifer Yang
BRENT International School MANILA Joanna Go, Grade 9 Portrait FOA
Dwight School Seoul Jennifer Shin, Grade 11
Grace International School Eunjin Kwon
Chiang Mai International School Portrait of Syrian Refugee. Jesse Taveesin, Grade 10 Acrylic painting
THE American School in Japan Fiona Lee
BRENT International School SUBIC Bank Rodthanong, Grade 10 Self portrait acrylic on canvas
The International School Yangon Mirror Chaijeong Kim, Grade 9 Watercolor Spring 2019 Issue 37
High School Art Celebration Shenzhen Shekou International School Eagle Owl, Prismacolour Markers on Paper Korhonen, Grade 12 IB
Gyeonggi Suwon International School Aarushi Agiwal, Grade 9 Self Portrait, Acrylic
The Harbour School Max Greenberg, Grade 12 Sheep Drawing, Pastel Chalk on Paper
North Jakarta Intercultural School Reynna Mamoto, Grade 12
CONCORDIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, BANGKOK ‘Princess’ by Pang, Grade 12 An examination of fantasy and ‘self ’ in the context of a traditional Thai dancer and accompanying self portraits.
Wuhan Yangtze International School Meaningless Confession 38 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Yongsan International School of Seoul Digital Art, “SAVE–Siberian Tigers” Ga Yoon Choi, Grade 12
Nagoya International School Kotomi Tanaka, Grade 11
NANJING International School Blood Clot Michael Yuan Lino Block Print on paper
Thai-Chinese International School Round and Round (Inspired by Jim Dine) Eun Hye, Kim (Grace) Grade 11 Advanced Art, Mixed Medium on Canvas
Stonehill International School Marie Hummel D2 2019
Spring 2019 Issue 39
High School Art Celebration
KIS International School Sai Collage
Suzhou Singapore International School Ballons Soyeon Park, Grade 12
Hangzhou International School Haru Sukegawa, Grade 11 Acrylic Painting
UWC Thailand International School Caged SeiKashe, Grade 11 Oil on Canvas
united nations International School of Hanoi Mixed Media on Canvass Grade 12
Yew Chung International School of Beijing Gahyun (Annie) Yu, Grade 9 Ink 40 EARCOS Triannual Journal
On the Road with Dr. K... We are pleased to present to you the last edition of “Dr. K on the road…” in this issue. In this section, Dr. K have travelled to India and Bangladesh to visit our member schools and affiliate. January and February are traveling months for the Executive Director of EARCOS. “Dr. K on the road” section was first published in EQ (EARCOS Quarterly) Winter 1996 and the year when he was named the new EARCOS Executive Director. In his first article, he visited The International School Singapore, International School Eastern Seaboard, NIST, International School Bangkok, and finally International School Ruamrudee.
“It is a great for me get to know the schools and gain a better understanding of professional development needs. Well, one of the EARCOS Board goals was to get the Executive Director out to see our member schools! It really does help build the camaraderie we need in East Asia” Dr. K, EQ Winter 1996 We are proud of what the office has achieved over the last 50 years and are ambitious for the future. We are confident that 2019 will be an important one for EARCOS and our members. And welcoming our new Executive Director Dr. Greene. As Dr. K always says Good on ya!!!
Visit to Bangalore International School with Head of School Anu Monga.
Visit to Canadian International School Bangalore. CIS Leadership team (L-R) Martin Thomas, Regis Caudrillier , Jane Macmillian, Don Macmillan, and Ted Mockrish.
Visit to International School Dhaka Headmaster TJ Coburn
Visit to Stonehill International School EARCOS Teacher representative Ronald Gresham, HS Principal Narendra Merota, Elementary Principal Karen Crooke and Headmaster Simon McCloskey.
Spring Spring2019 2019Issue Issue 4141
Seoul International School Christine Lee Acrylic on Canvas, AP Studio
