The EARCOS Triannual JOURNAL A Link to Educational Excellence in East Asia
Featured in this Issue Chemical Reaction Vehicles A STEM project takes off in fifth-grade classrooms.
WINTER 2017
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 (Int’l School of Kuala Lumpur) Andrew Davies, Treasurer (International School Bangkok) David Toze, Past President (International School Manila) Stephen Dare (Hong Kong Academy) Barry Sutherland (International School of Phnom Penh) Sab Kagei (St. Mary’s International School) Kevin Baker (Busan International Foreign School) Laurie McLellan (Nanjing International School) Office of Overseas Schools REO:
Larry Hobdell (ex officio)
EARCOS STAFF Executive Director: Richard Krajczar Assistant Director: Bill Oldread Consultant: Joe Petrone Vitz Baltero Giselle Sison Robert Sonny Viray Edzel Drilo
Elaine Repatacodo Ver Castro RJ Macalalad Rod Catubig Jr.
Editor: Bill Oldread Associate Editor: Edzel Drilo
Letter from the Executive Director Dear Colleagues: The exciting news is the appointment of Ed Greene PHD, headmaster of the International School of Amsterdam to be the new Executive Director of EARCOS. Welcome to Ed, who will assume responsibilities mid March of 2019. Transition planning is well underway. A huge thanks to Margaret Alvarez, the President of EARCOS, and board members for their leadership during the process. They will have a super team! As many of you know, we co-hosted the 3rd Annual Institute on Higher Education Admissions and Guidance in Bangkok, Thailand with our colleagues at the Council of International School. The Institute convened at the end of September and the EARCOS Leadership Conference quickly followed it at the end of October. The Institute connected schools and higher education communities and provided a forum for students and parents to explore programs of over 176 universities from around the world. Those participating commented on the purposeful dialogue and networking opportunities, which were made available through attendance at the conference and most plan to attend again next year. (see article on page 6) The 2017 EARCOS Leadership Conference (ELC) had 1200 registered delegates! Our return to the Shangri-La, Bangkok, Thailand provided an excellent venue for the 49th EARCOS Leadership Conference and a historical event that will be remembered for years to come. Khun Usa of International Schoool Bangkok gave a memorable overview of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej who was to be cremated on that day. Khun Usa led a minute of silence for all delegates to pay homage and respect to this beloved leader of Thailand for 70 Years. (see the article on page 2) Welcome to the newly elected EARCOS board members Kevin Baker, head of Busan International Foreign School from South Korea and Laurie McLellan director of the Nanjing International School. Thanks go to our EARCOS school heads that attended the AGM on October 27, 2017. The EARCOS Teachers’ Conference is scheduled for March 29-31,2018 at the ShangriLa hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. Keynoters are Chip Donahue, Norman Kunc and Pernille Ripp. We appreciate the hard work of the ETC teacher representatives who help coordinate registration and on-site logistics. We need and appreciate your support! I look forward to seeing many of you in the next few months while visiting schools and attending various conferences and recruiting fairs. Please check www.earcos.org and Dr. K on the road. I have visited 20 schools thus far this year. We are here to serve you! HOPE you had a great holiday break.
Dick Krajczar Executive Director Check out our updated website at www.earcos.org and read our E-Connect blog at earcos-connect.tumblr.com
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
In this Issue
contents
2
EARCOS Leadership Conference 2017 “Leading and Learning: A Journey of Hope and Joy”
6 8 10 11
3rd Institute on Higher Education Admission & Guidance EARCOS Advisory Committee Meeting EARCOS Special Announcement Faces of EARCOS
12
Service Learning - Global Issues Network Project - Maximizing the Ripple Impact of Service Learning - The Art of the Deal: Service Learning with a Business Mindset in HCMC - Caring For The Community at Chiang Mai Int’l School
16
Curriculum Initiatives - Chemical Reaction Vehicles (Featured in this Issue) - Empowering Diverse Learners through Community Public Radio - Integration of the Arts in Early Childhood at Korea International School Jeju - “So where’s home?” - Co-Constructing Thinking Through a Layered Approach (see page 36) - Bringing Project-Based Learning into the Classroom (see page 37) - BAIS Middle School Pastoral Care: A Model for Small Schools (see page 38) - An Art Journey (see page 41)
26
EdThought - 3 Myths About “Empowering” Students in Schools Today
28
Green & Sustainable - Education for Sustainable Development at the Int’l School of Tianjin - Student-led Programs Inspire Green Initiatives at Concordia International School Shanghai (see page 31) - The Green Revolution: Why nature is our greatest classroom (see page 32)
30 34 35 39
Readers Corner Action Research - Routine is Less Routine Than We Realize Student Poem - my labyrinth Campus Development - Remodelled Gymnasium at TIS - The Third Teacher Community Service - Connecting Communities: Yokohama Int’l School and Second Harvest
40
Student Writing - Physical Education: Japan vs. Hong Kong
42 45 48
Press Releases Middle School Art Collection On the Road with Dr. K
Back cover: EARCOS Professional Learning Weekend SY 2017-2018
Front cover photo by Shibimori The Chao Phraya is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Wikipedia
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 Spring 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, and H.S. Spring Issue) Student Writing Press Releases Readers Corner Thank you for your help in allowing us to highlight the great things that are going on in EARCOS schools.
Winter 2017
Winter 2017 Issue 1
EARCOS Leadership Conference 2017
“Leading and Learning: A Journey of Hope and Joy” If you were unable to attend the 49th annual EARCOS Leadership Conference in Bangkok this past October 26-28, you missed a most inspirational and historical event. The opening day of the conference coincided with the spectacle of the cremation of Thailand’s revered king, HIs Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who ruled the country for seven decades. Khun Usa, Thai Headmistress of the International School of Bangkok and President of the Thai Council of International Schools spoke briefly on His Majesty’s legacy and the importance of this celebration to the Thai people. It was at once a sad but inspirational day as keynote speaker, Peter Dalglish, founder of Street Kids International brought many in the audience of over 1100 delegates to tears with stories of his work with some of the poorest children in the world. Peter’s intensely personal story set the tone for the entire three days and reinforced the theme of the conference, “Leading and Learning: A Journey of Hope and Love.” As always, the plenary sessions at the ELC open each day with entertainment by groups from local member schools. On this occasion both performances were somber in nature befitting the historic event taking place in the city. On day l, a trio consisting of two saxophones and a piano from the International School of Bangkok played the The King’s Anthem. Day 2 opened with two inspirational songs sung by the NIST High School Acapella Group. The Day 2 keynote address was a high-energy presentation by Dr. Simon Breakspear, the founder of Agile Schools and proponent of Agile Leadership, a dynamic approach to leading change that enables leaders to adapt quickly, continuously learn and iterate towards effective solutions. The EARCOS Annual General Meeting was held on Day 2 of the conference and presided over by President Margaret Alvarez, head of ISS International School. Two new trustees were elected to fill vacancies on the Board, Kevin Baker head of Busan Foreign International School, and Laurie McLellan, director of Nanjing International School. Norma Hudson was elected secretary and Andy Davies as treasurer. Tarek Razek leaves the Board having served two terms. Many thanks to Tarek for his years of service. The EARCOS Leadership Conference provides an outstanding opportunity for school heads, trustees, principals, business managers, admissions and marketing people, and athletic directors to learn, plan, share ideas, make connections, and socialize. There can be no more attractive or relaxing venue than the Shangri-La Hotel on the banks of the Chao Phraya river for such a gathering. Our sincere thanks to the management and staff of the hotel who were so gracious to all our delegates; General Manager Caroline Cheah, Khun Urasa and their staff. Thanks also to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau for their financial support and to NIST iNternational School and the International School of Bangkok for logistical support. Lastly, we want to thank the many school delegates and associate members whose participation combined to make this event a huge success. We will use the energy generated by this conference to drive the planning for ELC 2018, the 50th anniversary celebration. Mark your calendars for October 25-27, 2018 at the Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. See you there! Bill Oldread EARCOS Assistant Director
2 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Thomas Farrell, Former Superintendent Kaohsiung American School on Leadership Stories.
Keynote speaker Peter Dalglish Keynote title: Heroes for Our Time
Keynote speaker Simon Breakspear Keynote title: Agile Leadership
Head Mistress Ajarn Usa of International School Bangkok speaks about the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his successor His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun.
Chip Barder, United Nations International School of Hanoi on Leadership Stories.
Dick Robbins, Brent International School on Leadership Stories. Winter 2017 Issue 3
Dr. Larry Hobdell, Regional Officer, Office of Overseas Schools, U.S. Dept. of State welcoming the delegates.
Dr. Margaret Alvarez, EARCOS President, Head of School at ISS International School.
49th EARCOS Leadership Conference 2017
Rami Madani workshop on International School Curriculum: Creation, Relevance and Sustainability.
Jefferson Cann workshop on The Positive and Practical Application of New Understandings in Leadership.
Bruce Mills workshop on Effective Guard Force Management Techniques.
Chris Jansen workshop on Building Relational Culture.
4 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Over 100 delegates attended Kendall Zoller’s workshop entitled “The Flexible Presenter.“
Workshop on Surviving an Enrollment Decline: Lessons from the Trenches with Kevin Baker, Norma Hudson, and Tarek Razik.
“Leading and Learning: A Journey of Hope and Joy”
Maria Guajardo workshop on Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership.
Lucinda Willis workshop on Leading Inclusive Schools: Data for Differentiation.
Rob Grantham, DJ MacPherson and Lisa Kipfer workshop on The Joy of Learning: Measuring the Intangibles.
EARCOS Team at the Closing Reception.
Winter 2017 Issue 5
L-R Jane Larson, CIS Executive Director and Dick Krajczar, EARCOS Executive Director
3 Institute on Higher Educati rd
EARCOS and the Council of International Schools (CIS) have once again successfully partnered on a regional institute to connect university counselors in Asia and university admissions officers from around the world. The EARCOS-CIS Institute on International Admissions and Guidance brought together nearly 400 participants for two days of networking, sharing effective practices, and brainstorming new and better ways to serve globally mobile student populations. Nearly 200 university counselors from 18 countries across Asia attended the institute, as well as 190 university representatives from the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, Europe, and Asia. Networking opportunities were built into the program through joint lunches, coffee breaks and a closing reception. School counselors also had a chance to represent their schools during the school fair, where universities could circulate and talk to different counselors, and counselors had a chance to network with universities during the reverse university fair. Schools were able to leave with increased knowledge about global university options for their students, and universities were able to gain a better understanding of the schools in attendance and even consider adding in visits to new schools and regions in future student recruitment trips. Drawing on the talent and expertise of the attendees, 45 sessions were offered over the course of the two days that appealed to both university and school attendees, and stimulated dialogue that continue long after the sessions were over. Topics varied from “Pathways into the Japanese Education System” and “Personality Profiles and the College Search” to “Careers in the Creative Arts” and “In6 EARCOS Triannual Journal
novating the High School Visit.” Members of the CIS Career & Recruitment Services team were on hand to speak with counselors about taking the next step in their careers and university admissions officers who want to “switch sides of the desk” and move to a counselling position. In addition to individual consultations with participants, they presented a session entitled “Getting Ready for Your Next Career Step as a Counselor by Applying the STAR Method.” Jane Larsson, Executive Director of CIS, also presented on “Protecting Children and Young Adults from Sexual Abuse: What you Don’t Know and Need to Know,” a topic CIS has been working closely on in recent years. For the first time, the EARCOS-CIS Institute featured a keynote speaker. This year’s speaker was Michi Ferreol, co-founder of CAMP Philippines, a peer mentoring organization for students in the Philippines. She delivered an inspiring speech on her experience of attending an international school in the Philippines and university in the United States, and reflected on the challenges she faced throughout her journey as well as the transformative power of an international education. Not only did participants engage with each other over the two days, but a large university fair was planned for local students to meet the university representatives. Over 900 students from dozens of schools in the Bangkok area registered to attend the Saturday evening fair. The universities were able to engage directly with potential students and their families, which helped to increase their knowledge of as well as provide greater access to global university options. The EARCOS-CIS Institute on International Admission and Guid-
Katryna Snow, Assistant Director of Higher Education Services
Keynote Speaker Michi Ferreol co-founded the CAMP Philippines, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Filipino students in their pursuit of international eduction opportunities throught mentorship program and internship program.
ion Admission & Guidance ance was a resounding success with over 95% of attendees saying they are likely to attend in the future. Counselors walked away with an enhanced toolkit of information to assist their students in finding the right university options. Universities were able to learn more about the schools and students in the region, and gain valuable connections with school counselors. Our hope is that everyone left Bangkok rejuvenated with lots of new ideas on how to best serve their students in the transition from secondary school to university. EARCOS and CIS hope to see you at the 4th Annual Institute on International Admissions and Guidance to be held in Bangkok from 21-22 September 2018! Katryna Snow Assistant Director of Higher Education Services
Workshop session.
Welcoming the delegates at the Shangri-La Grand Ballroom. Winter 2017 Issue 7
Back Row L-R: Kathy Beahn, The International School Yangon; Christine Baker, International School of Kuala Lumpur, Jonathan Smith; Shanghai American School; Peter Kimball, Taipei American School; Colin Aitken, International School Manila; Skylie Bevear, Hong Kong International School; Keith Allerton, Jakarta Intercultural School; Ben Robertaccio; Christopher Bell, International School Bangkok; Paul Swanson, United Nations International School of Hanoi
EARCOS Advisory Committee Meeting The EARCOS Teachers’ Conference Advisory Committee convened September 1st-2nd, 2017 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Teacher representatives from multiple EARCOS countries such as Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Japan, Myanmar, Taiwan Malaysia, China, and Korea along with Dick Krajczar and Elaine Repatacodo met to ensure this years’ conference will meet the diverse needs of the EARCOS community. The 16th annual EARCOS Teachers’ Conference will take place March 29 -31, 2018 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok. This year’s conference theme is 50 Years of Voices United in Purpose. We are incredibly excited that the Special Education Network In Asia (SIENA) group will be joining us once again after a very successful partnership in Kota Kinabalu in 2015. The strands of this year’s conference are Literacy, Reading, Early Childhood, Special Needs (SENIA), Modern Languages, Media Technology, Counselors, ESL, Technology, General Education, Children’s Authors and Child Protection. Our keynoters are Dr. Chip Donahue, Norman Kunc with Emma Van der Klift, and Pernille Ripp. Also, the conference offers a broad range of special presenters including Dr. Bonnie Singer, Dr. Stephen Shore and Dr. James Pelisle to name just a few. ETC 2018 will take place in Bangkok, Thailand at the beautiful Shangri-La Hotel. The Shangri-La continues to be the perfect venue for this remarkable professional development opportunity, and it’s a tropical city resort by the intriguing and beautiful Chao Phraya River.The Shangri-La Hotel group offers excellent facilities, impeccable service and personal service to all their guests. We think this year’s conference will be one of our best and will prove to be professionally stimulating and will provide you with an opportunity for networking and building camaraderie. For more information on this or any of the multiple development opportunities provided by EARCOS, please visit the website www.earcos.org/etc2018/ By Skylie Bevear 7/8 ELA Teacher Hong Kong International School 8 EARCOS Triannual Journal
“50 Years of Voices United in Purpose.”
Front Row L-R: Lori Boll, International School Bangkok (representing SENIA); Dick Krajczar (EARCOS Executive Director); Eileen Rueth, International School Beijing; Deborah Chu, Seoul Foreign School; Kathleen Nickle,The American School in Japan; Elaine Repatacodo, EARCOS
16th Annual EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2018 October 27-29,2016 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“50 Years of Voices United in Purpose”
PRECONFERENCES (March 28)
James Delisle — Gifted Education, Special Needs Students Ann Helmus — Neuropsychology (SENIA) Ochan Powell and Kristen Pelletier — What aspects of collaborative teaching models do teaching partners need to consider? Stephen Shore — Special Needs (SENIA) Bonnie Singer — Language and Literacy (SENIA) International Baccalaureate Dali Tan — AP Chinese Language and Culture Phyllis Wright — AP English Language and Literature (combined)
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Strands
Literacy / Reading Early Childhood Special Needs (SENIA) Modern Languages Media Technology Counselors ESL Technology General Education Childrens’ Authors Child Protection Place: Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand Preconference: March 28, 2018 Regular: March 29-31, 2018
For more information If you have any questions, please contact the EARCOS office or email Elaine Repatacodo, ETC Coordinator at lrepatacodo@earcos.org Phone: +63 (02) 779-5147 | Fax: +63 (49) 511-4694 | Mobile: +63 928-5074876
Chip Donohue Norman Kunc with Emma Van der Klift Pernille Ripp
Technology in Early Childhood Disability Rights Community Founder of Global Reading Program
SPECIAL PRESENTERS Michael Boll Sheena Cameron James Delisle Chip Donahue Ann Helmus Sandie Janusch Norman Kunc and Emma Van der Klift Lori Langer de Ramirez Dianne McKenzie Jose Medina Kristen Pelletier Ochan Powell Pernille Ripp Stephen Shore Bonnie Singer Logan Smalley Steve Swinburne Kathy Walker Fiona Zinn
Technology Reading Comprehension Strategies Gifted Education, Special Needs Students Technology in Early Childhood Neuropsychology ESL Disability Rights Community Modern Language, ESL Librarian, International Baccalaureate Bilingual and ESL Education The Next Frontier: Inclusion Inclusion and EAL Founder of Global Reading Program Special Needs Language and Literacy TED-Ed Author Early Childhood Early Childhood
EARCOS PRACTITIONER PRESENTERS Katie Day and Stacey Taylor Hamorn Lau Zander Lyvers and Kelsey Long
Librarians Action Research Action Research
visit www.earcos.org/etc2018/
EARCOS
Special Announcement Dear EARCOS Members and Friends of EARCOS, It is with great pleasure that we announce that Dr. Edward (Ed) Greene, currently Director of The International School of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, will succeed Dr. Dick Krajczar as Executive Director of EARCOS. Ed was appointed after a lengthy and extensive world-wide search. Ed has enjoyed an impressive career in international education, having held several teacher and leadership positions that span several continent. These include positions in Sao Paulo, Brazil, New Delhi, India, La Paz, Bolivia and Kobe, Japan and most recently, Director in Amsterdam for the past 14 years. In addition to school based positions, Ed has extensive experience with membership organisations. he served on the ECIS Board of Trustees from 2006-2017, hold the position of Chairman from 2010-2017. He also served as Treasurer and Vice Chair. In addition, Ed was President of the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) from 2009-2011 and was recently inducted into the AAIE Hall of Fame. Ed is also well known on the conference circuit as a presenter, keynoter and as the founding editor of International Quarterly. While reflecting on his appointment, Ed mentioned, “Personally and professionally, I cannot imagine a more exciting opportunity. EARCOS has long been a jewel in the crown of international education. It is an honour (and quite a humbling one) to be invited to serve as the next Director of such a dynamic organization in such a fascinating region. Thanks to the long and steady leadership of Dick Krajczar and the visionary Boards that have helped guide the organization, EARCOS is poised to continue its legacy of leadership and excellence in international education. I am eager to begin the journey with everyone in EARCOS and am truly grateful for the opportunity to do so.” Ed will join us in early 2019 and will spend time working with Dick, prior to Dick’s return to USA. Many thanks to the EARCOS Executive Director Search Committee, the EARCOS Board and International Schools Services (ISS) for their hard work during the search. Thank you also to Dick who generously agreed to extend his service to EARCOS so that the Board could take time necessary to find a worthy successor. Please join me in welcoming Ed to the EARCOS family.
Margaret Alvarez (Dr.) President EARCOS Board of Trustees On behalf of the EARCOS Board
10 EARCOS Triannual Journal
“p
ersonally and professionally, I cannot imagine a more exciting opportunity. EARCOS has long been a jewel in the crown of international education. It is an honour (and quite a humbling one) to be invited to serve as the next Director of such a dynamic organization in such a fascinating region.
”
Edward E. Greene, PhD
Faces of EARCOS Welcome New EARCOS Board >> KEVIN BAKER Head of School, Busan International Foreign School Kevin Baker is the Head of School at Busan International Foreign School. He has served almost twenty-five years in EARCOS in a variety of leadership roles.
LAURIE MCLELLAN Director, Nanjing International School Laurie McLellan is in his 9th year as Director of Nanjing International School. In 2016-17 Laurie was supported through a sabbatical year which he spent at Edinburgh University studying a MSc in Inclusive Education to support the school’s explicit mission commitment to inclusion. Laurie has worked in leadership positions in Colombia, Vietnam, Belgium and Sri Lanka.
New Heads >>
New Individual Members >>
Jeffrey Jones, Head of School K. International School Tokyo
Lawrence Burke DSB International School
Ron Roukema, Interim Head of School Hong Kong International School
Iain Fish European International School
New School Member >> K. International School Tokyo 1-5-15 Shirakawa, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan 135-0021 www.kist.ed.jp
Liam Hammer Sekolah Victory Plus Emily Cave NCIC-Immersion School Peter Corcoran Canadian International School of Singapore
New Associate Members >>
Howard West Australian Independent School Hong Kong
Global Online Academy Services: Online courses for our member schools/Teacher Professional Development www.globalonlineacademy.org
Michelle Reynolds Australian Independent School, Indonesia
International Schools Partnership Services: Ownership and running of schools www.internationalschoolspartnership.com Ennead Architects Services: Architecture http://www.ennead.com/ Interactive Data Partners, LLC Services: Data Dashboards www.interactivedatapartners.com
April Ariel Santa Monica International School Joan Radojkovich Canadian International School Richard Henry GEMS World Acadeny (Singapore) Larry Leaven Dalton School Hong Kong Valerie Koo
Winter 2017 Issue 11
Service Learning >>
Global Issues Network Project In recent years, the education of girls and women has received a lot of attention as a way forward for many problems in our world. At the American International School of Guangzhou in southern China, this awareness has resulted in the creation of a scholarship program to support young women in our local area that is not only wildly successful but largely student-driven. Three years ago, soon after I joined the faculty of AISG, I was invited to help support a project that sponsors sixty local Chinese students to complete their high school education in a highly ranked boarding school in the Shao Guan area of Southern China. My role as a faculty chaperone, as it was explained to me, was to travel to the school with a group of about a dozen students from our Global Issues Network (GIN), and help support the weekend of relationship building between our students and the young women being sponsored. Actually, I did pretty much nothing. As the other faculty chaperones and I stood back and watched, the GIN members facilitated a program that included games, English learning, visits to senior care homes, singing, and friendship. The students had also organized guest speakers, including young women who had been through the scholarship program and were now studying at university. In the end, the adults on the trip just enjoyed watching this incredibly dynamic group of local and international students and did the curfew calls back at the hotel in the evening. The local students I met that weekend would have completed their formal schooling at the end of middle school were it not for the financial and moral support provided by our school community. Through the support of GIN, all sixty students have been successfully staying in school, with the majority exceling in their studies. Asked about why so many students have shown such a high level of commitment to this project, former GIN coordinator So Yun Chang pointed to the fact that it is student driven: “I firmly believe that 12 EARCOS Triannual Journal
everyone in the group is there because they want to dedicate their time and passion to serving these Shao Guan girls. Members at GIN aren’t spending one and a half hours every Friday afternoon in Mr Little’s room just so they have something to put on their college application. Everyone understands the effect our program has had on the Shao Guan girls, and everyone has a clear, respectable incentive to be part of GIN.” The club’s faculty sponsor, Eric Little, says he agrees that this is an exceptionally student-driven project and attributes this to a number of factors. Little believes that students in past years were motivated by attendance at GIN conferences that highlighted the issues of girl’s education and child labor. Little also noted that the older students in the group make a concerted effort to mentor the freshmen students in the group. Last year, one of the students even received the prestigious EARCOS award as a result of the commitment she had poured into this project. In September, 2017, our coordinators and Eric Little traveled to Shao Guan to receive an award for their work from the local Department of Education. While watching these students, both local and international, in the classrooms and on the fields of the Shao Guan campus, I can only agree with Eric Little as he gazes at these students in action and declares: “You can’t believe what students can do if you just let them!” Julie Lindsay High School Counselor American International School of Guangzhou
Service Learning >>
Maximizing the Ripple Impact of Service Learning By Nicky Bourgeois and Dianne Gamage
It happens spontaneously, he stands and makes an impassioned plea to his classmates: “You should say ‘Oh no, that’s terrible. I have to do something about that.’ You have to actually take action on that. ‘To do’ is different than thinking that someone else should do something.” These words of wisdom draw the entire class in, and his audience is avid. “Whatever the problem is, think about what way there is to help, or you don’t have to help by yourself - get other people to help alongside you. Be more than one person - lead a group into action.” It is in this moment that the time spent fostering a service mindset is at the tipping point of student ownership. Each year Year 6 students partake in the NIST Service Learning Expo. Representatives from the many secondary school service groups present to the students. They prepare slideshows that support as they explain the development of their service group. The beginnings of the project, the results of the needs analysis in collaboration with the group being supported, the way they fund the work, and the goals of the project. This year the groups to visit and share were: • Mushie Mushie promotes global sustainability through environmental conservation and the improvement of livelihoods amongst individuals and communities within Thailand. • Free To Be aims to raise awareness and educate about equal treatment of LGBTQI+ members within, and outside, the NIST community. • Cats @ NIST works to keep the cats at our school healthy so that both the students and the cats don’t get hurt. • PlasticFreeNIST’s main focus is to reduce the consumption of unsustainable, one-time use plastic. • Support the Girls aims to collects new/used bras and new sealed packages of maxi pads for women and girls in need. • Dreams We Believe In - to create an ongoing bond of friendship between the NIST community and Thai children living with HIV/AIDS through empathy and love, in order to fulfill their dreams and give them a sense of belonging. The purpose of hosting this expo is multifaceted. There are curriculum links - our Sharing the planet inquiry is focused on ‘understanding and acknowledging inequity can inspire people to act’. There has been a foundation of learning around the Sustainable Development Goals as well. However, in line with our mission, vision and values, we aim to provoke our students’ desire to effect positive change in the world as a part of who they are as human beings. This is beyond a school task. Our desire is that they not only act, but that they see, they empathise, they connect with those in need. The power of learning from their older peers is evident. Along the corridors the power of this is immediate. “You’re so gay,” says one student. “Hey,” says another, “you shouldn’t use those words as an insult, because they are really hurtful to those who actually identify as gay.” Effecting positive change. Right there. Upstanding. An example of how one service group was developed at NIST: Service Learning has evolved to hinge heavily on reciprocal partnerships. Action taken is based on what the community being served tells you their needs are. A willingness to be involved in participatory mapping validates what the community see as their current needs and opens relationships that support long term development. The Service Learning groups facilitate this mapping through guiding questions that empower the community.This work is conducted in the language of the community. Ultimately, the map reflects the thinking of the community. This forms the basis for the dialogue upon which partnership and action is developed.
Winter 2017 Issue 13
Service Learning >>
The Art of the Deal: Service Learning with a Business Mindset in HCMC By Brian Benck, Teacher - MS Language Arts/ Social Studies, Saigon South International School Traffic, distances, time, and other logistics can often make Ho Chi Minh City a difficult place to engage students in meaningful service learning. As with all service learning, the true challenge is in combining a meaningful experience, both in terms of curriculum and in helping others, while doing it in a way that goes beyond “throwing money at the problem” through bake sales or clothing drives. By incorporating community connections, “real world” business writing, and the unloading of lots of trucks, eighth graders at Saigon South International School help a local orphanage collect food for the summer months, and beyond. The primary goal of our service learning is for students to develop a personal relationship with Anh Linh Love School, a full time, Catholicrun orphanage. Anh Linh takes in children of families that can not afford basic necessities and provides education, food and clothing during the school year. Students are sent home for the summer to places where these basics are lacking.Even daily nutrition can be difficult, if not impossible, for the families of these students to provide. To help, SSIS students set a goal to provide each Anh Linh student with a canvas bag of groceries for the summer. Last year, we were able to deliver far beyond that goal with three, two-ton trucks of food. Over 2000 kilograms or rice was gathered for ALLS in one month’s time. At SSIS, Principal Molly Burger begins the unit with a workshop on proper business place etiquette, including how utan to properly shake hands, Orang with baby compose a professional email, and continue correspondence with a business partner on a professional level. Students also create professional CVs and are tasked with writing professional business letters, emails, and making personal phone calls to businesses around HCMC. Businesses contacted range from large corporations such as Samsung and various import/export companies, down to local, privately owned corner stores. Over the past three years, the project has seen over 50 businesses and corporations jump on board, with over one-third of our partners being national or multinational corporations. Academically, the goal of our project is for students to experience applicable, real world writing, the likes of which we as adults are called upon to display in our daily professional lives. Beyond the classroom, our unit takes on a “boots on the ground approach,” where the typical student will, during a class period, answer an email from a corporate PR 14 EARCOS Triannual Journal
department, make a return call to a delivery driver, and help unload 800 kilograms of rice from the back of a truck.The culmination of our unit involves the loading of trucks, transportation to the orphanage to unload once again, and time to meet the students of Anh Linh Love School. As a special privilege, a select group of SSIS students are invited back to Anh Linh Love School for their end of the year ceremonies, which include cultural performances by the students as well as lunch. One poignant example of our, “boots on the ground” approach to service learning comes from an experience with a business council here in HCMC. Two students, having connections through the company of a parent, spent three weeks coordinating and petitioning for the delivery of a large foodstuff. While the students started out speaking to a PR rep for one of the companies making up the council, they later found themselves speaking with heads of council itself and even meeting with a representative from the council as they persuaded several heads of business that their cause was just and valid. Suffice to say, this was not an experience most adults encounter, let alone expat children in grade 8. Given that many of our students come from privileged backgrounds and foreign countries, it is easy for school and student alike to fall into the trap of using money as a meaningful service learning experience. Our students are often, due to language and lifestyle, unintentionally separated from the day to day lifestyles of those in our host countries to such an extent that they may not even have a real understanding of the problems faced by SE Asian countries. It is the hope of SSIS that our service learning project exposes students to both a problem and solution, while also empowering them by placing success or failure directly in their hands.
Service Learning >>
Caring For The Community at Chiang Mai International School By Rob Johnson and Tyler Stinchcomb
Chiang Mai International School’s (CMIS) Vision Statement is “Educational excellence in a caring Christian community that values and respects diversity” and the caring is what stands out when students are involved in service projects throughout the school year. While high school students are involved in earning credit for service projects and often work alone or in small groups, Middle School provides a way for students to explore service projects and work together as a class. This model also helps create cohesion among peers and a sense that they can make positive contributions to their community. One example of this is that for the last three years, CMIS Middle School students (Grade 6 - Grade 8) have been intentional about building relationships with those in our wider community by going to a local children’s home, Hope House, each year. Hope House seeks to be a safe place where children from tribal villages living in poverty can be educated and nurtured in a family environment. Most of the 70 plus kids who live there have been orphaned, abandoned or neglected and would not have access to the emotional and social support along with the educational opportunities that Hope House provides. As a school, CMIS is excited about the opportunities we have had to come alongside this organization and partner with them so that they can better accomplish this vision. Before we go each time, our Middle School students take part in a planning process where they gather in small groups during class time to prepare different activities for the students at Hope House. Each group is in charge of one station and there are a range of activities from Arts and Crafts to Outdoor Field games to Relay Races and more. The main focus is on building relationships, so we encourage students to plan purposeful activities that will make the time spent together more meaningful.
While CMIS students are physically only at Hope House a few days out of the year, we have partnered with them in various other ways to show that we care. Some of the highlights include selling t-shirts at our yearly Harvest Festival as well as selling “Cake-pops” during the week of the “Great Kindness Challenge” to raise money for their continued operation. Also, each semester, our Drama department puts on a play production, and we invite their students to come to a free, special viewing of the performance. Another noteworthy event that our Grade 6 class was able to attend last year was the Hope House annual “Sports Day”. Our students enjoyed the opportunity to play with and compete against their students in this fun-filled one day event. Through it all, our desire is that CMIS students will become more caring individuals that are passionate about building relationships with and participating in the global community that is around them. It is only through intentional, proactive, and meaningful interactions that change will happen for the betterment of our community. As we continue to develop and deepen our partnership with Hope House as well as with others in our community, our hope is that all of us would grow to be lifelong learners who care for and value those who are around us.
Hope House students enjoying “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”.
Curriculum Initiatives >>
Chemical Reaction Vehicles A STEM project takes off in fifth-grade classrooms. The classroom is abuzz. Students surround the test track, craning their necks for a better view. An engineering team works together to load chemicals, add water with a syringe, quickly fix a cork into the bottle, and position their chemi- cal reaction vehicle against the wall. They step back and crouch low as pressure builds in the chamber. Some children cover their ears in anticipation. One member of the team lies down on the oor, peering through her goggles to determine if there is a leak. Suddenly, a loud pop explodes and the car is propelled forward while children scream in surprise or cheer the success of their classmates. As the boy and girl measure the distance their vehicle traveled, they discuss how to adjust the amount of chemicals to improve its performance, and a new team prepares for the next test. The joy and excitement about science and engineering is au- dible throughout the afternoon. The fifth-grade students at Hong Kong International School have been learning about the structures and properties of matter for many years, but two years ago the teachers added an engineering design challenge to provide them with the opportunity to apply their understanding of how matter behaves and changes to solve a problem. The chemical reaction vehicle design challenge was the culminating experience in a unit called “Structures and Properties of Matter.” During this unit, students explored basic properties of matter, various physical changes of matter, and indicators of chemical changes. In the preface of the book The Essential Engineer: Why Science Alone Will Not Solve Our Global Problems, Henry Petroski (2010, p. IX), “... seeks to illuminate the differences between science and engineering and thereby clarify their respective roles in the worlds of thought and action, of knowing and doing.” Petroski argues that it is the interaction of both science and engineering that is necessary to solve critical global issues including climate change and clean, renewable energy sources. Engineering is, then, the application of what we know about science. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) echo Petroski’s ideas. A Framework for K–12 Science Education (NRC 2012) notes that students deepen their understanding of science by applying their knowledge to engineering and technology to solve practical problems. Students design their own vehicles to test.
A student records data about his vehicle. 16 EARCOS Triannual Journal
By Wendy Smith and Jesse Meyer
Both positions converge on the intention of integrating technology and engineering into the science curriculum so students feel empowered to use what they learn in their everyday lives.
Introducing the Challenge The engineering design challenge presented to students required them to use their “...knowledge of science to help design and build a vehicle that is powered solely by a chemical reaction.” Once the project was introduced, the students shared their understandings of the challenge and formulated questions to clarify misunderstandings. Some questions included: • What materials can we use? • How do we make a chemical reaction? • Can we use a toy car that we have at home? • How much time do we have to do the project? • Can we pick our partners? Next, the teachers presented the criteria and constraints in order to answer the students’ questions and to provide clarification (Figure 1; See NSTA Connection for project introduction). FIGURE 1. Project criteria and constraints. Criteria Vehicle must travel at least 1 m. Constraints • Vehicle must not exceed 30cm. • Vehiclemustbeconstructed using available materials (no toy cars). • Chemical reaction must occur from combining the substances and water available in the classroom. • Once the chamber for the reaction is chosen, no changes can be made to that part of the design. The decision regarding how partnerships were created was left up to individual teachers. Some chose to assign partner groups, while others let the students decide. The timeline for the project was also determined by each classroom teacher, with some preferring to do the project over three to four days with two to three hours of project time each day, while others completed the project over two weeks with approximately one hour of project time each day. Parts 1 and 2, described below, take approximately equal amounts of time. While all the students at our school had experience in previous grades with engineering design challenges, the teachers felt that a quick refresher on the process prior to starting the project would benefit students. Crash Course Kids, a YouTube channel focusing on elementary science, has a series of short, engaging videos on an engineering design process. Teachers shared the episode, “The Engineering Process: Crash Course Kids #12.2.” Students discussed the video and compared
chamber prototypes as long as they met the criteria for size and were deemed safe to use.
The vehicle testing area. the steps shown to the steps we use universally in our school: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, and Improve (see Engineering is Elementary under Internet Resources). Students were required to document their scienti c and engineering work in their lab notebooks. Students used a checklist in order to keep track of project guidelines and assessment criteria (see NSTA Connection).
Getting Down to Work The project was composed of two parts. Part 1 focused on the application of science and Part 2 focused on engineering design. The project was split into two parts after the first year of implementation because the teachers observed that when the project was openended and students had more exibility in how they approached the challenge, students tended to focus more on the design of the vehicle chassis and less on the chemical reaction intended to provide its power. They also noticed that the students’ approaches to solving the problem were poorly planned and unstructured, most often due to the inherent excitement of getting to make chemicals react.The teachers revised the unit to strengthen the logical connections between what students discovered while testing the chemical reaction chamber and in designing an effective vehicle on which it could be mounted.
Part 1: The Application of Science During Part 1 of the project, students gured out the most effective combination of substances and water in their chamber to create a reaction to propel the vehicle forward. Available materials included: • Citric acid • Baking soda • Water • Coffee lters • Soda bottles of various sizes • Film canisters • A variety of smaller, plastic, narrow-mouthed bottles • Corks • Rubber stoppers Many students wanted to use vinegar as part of their chemical reactions due to a previous exploration in the science lab. However, the teachers prohibited this material due to its cost as well as to the challenges asso- ciated with maintaining a clean class- room environment. Students were permitted to bring bottles from home for their
Teachers and students agreed on safety protocols prior to the start of the project. For instance, they con- cluded that safety goggles should be worn at all times while working with the substances. Additionally, the testing area was cordoned off to ensure that only the group testing could use the space. Finally, it was agreed that the teachers would approve investigation plans before testing to ensure safe and reasonable amounts of substances were being used. Teachers then modeled how to effectively clean and dry the testing area after each trial using buckets of water, sponges, and dry towels. For more information on chemical safety, visit the NSTA Safety in the Science Classroom website (see Internet Resources). Before the start of the project, students conducted an investigation into chemical reactions to determine whether or not mixing two or more substances resulted in a new substance. Teachers modified an existing lesson from The Institute for Inquiry, a professional development program from the Exploratorium (see Internet Resources). Students set up investigations to discover chemical reaction indicators. They deduced that the appearance of new substances is indicated by color change, temperature variations, and/or gas formation (see student instruction sheet titled “Changes” online; see NSTA Connection). Gas formation resulting from the combination of two or more substances became the driving force in the students’ application of science to solve the design challenge. Next, all students began by placing 5 g of baking soda and 5 g of citric acid in an 8 oz. plastic cup and added 50 mL of room-temperature water. Observations were shared and the teachers led a discussion about the variables. Variables identi ed by the students included: • container for the reaction • amount of water • amount of baking soda • amount of citric acid • temperature of water Students discussed how they could change only one variable at a time to try and gure out the most effective combination of substances and water to use in a given chamber to create a chemical reaction that would propel the vehicle forward. Students realized that they could change the container for the reaction and keep all the other variables the same (5 g baking soda, 5 g citric acid, 50 mL water). While the temperature of the water is a variable, the dif culty of keeping temperatures constant during testing would prove to be too dif cult, so students were limited to using room-temperature water for all investigations.
Two students prepare their vehicle for testing. Winter 2017 Issue 17
Curriculum Initiatives >>
Chemical Reaction Vehicles A STEM project takes off in fifth-grade classrooms.
Each group decided on the most effective prototype and began testing the chemical reaction to propel the chamber forward. Distances for each of the three trials were measured and recorded in notebooks. After round one, students shared their results with the class. Then they compared the data collected by different groups regarding the relationship between the volume of the chamber and the distance it traveled and contrasted it with their own results. The analysis of data by the class was used to inform the next round of investigations. While students under- stood the necessity of changing only one variable at a time, teachers did nd that when partner groups shared their testing results with the class, they often did not incrementally change the amounts of the substances to be used.The initial investigation started with 5 g each of baking soda and citric acid, and in the second investigation some students wanted to jump up to using 20 g or more of a substance. Conver- sations ensued regarding the benefit of making incremental changes to identify causeand-effect relationships. In addition to realizing the importance of incremental change, students realized relationships between chamber volume and amount of substances used to create a reaction. Students had approximately four to five hours to develop and test the amounts of the substances and water to create the chemical reaction in the chosen chamber. Throughout the testing phase, students continually shared results, compared and analyzed data, and used the findings and observations of other teams to guide their investigations. They quickly discovered several cause-and-effect relationships, including how the volume of the chamber affects the pressure of gas formation inside, how the tightness of the cork affects the propulsion from the reaction, and how the starting position of the chamber either against a wall or not affected the distance traveled. Students documented all of their work for Part 1 in their lab notebooks and used the project checklist to guide their work. Once the students finalized the chamber and the exact amount of substances to create the chemical reaction, no changes were allowed to that part of the vehicle.
18 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Part 2: Engineering Design Process During Part 2 of the project, students used an engineering design process to create a chassis that incorporated the chemical reaction chamber. Materials provided for use of the vehicle included but were not limited to: • Cardboard • Aluminum foil • CDs • Toilet paper and paper towel tubes • Wooden skewers and dowels • Straws • Various Lego pieces Students brought additional materials from home to build their vehicles as long as they were not pre-made toy cars. The teachers wanted students to have experience building a vehicle designed for the chamber they tested. To launch Part 2, the students individually brainstormed vehicle design ideas and then shared ideas with their partners. Models of the designs included labels of materials used and placement of the chamber on the chassis. Partners discussed possible pros and cons of each design and together decided on the initial prototype to be constructed. Depending on the materials and prototype design, some groups quickly constructed an effective prototype, while others discovered that it was difficult to design a vehicle with wheels that spin freely. The teams that encountered this failure looked at the designs of other teams, observed how the wheel and axle system on toy cars work, and drew revised models of the vehicle designs in their notebooks. Some teams bypassed the traditional vehicle chassis, changing their designs to sleds and thus eliminating the need to build a wheel and axle system. Once the vehicle chassis was built, the chamber connected, and substances and water added, groups tested the overall effectiveness of the design. Distances were measured and observations were recorded for multiple trials to serve as evidence to guide in the improvement of the vehicle. Since one of the constraints of the challenge stated, “Once the A student shares his data with the class. chamber for the reaction is chosen, no changes can be made to that part of the design,” all improvements in this stage of the project were focused on the vehicle design and no longer on the chemical reaction inside the chamber. Many students identified the cause-andeffect relationship between the weight of the chassis and the chemical reaction’s ability to power the vehicle. As a result, groups modi ed their chassis by streamlining their designs or making other modi cations to the wheel design, chamber position, or variables related to steering the vehicle in a straight line. Multiple design solutions to address a specific failure point were tested in order to determine which best met the criteria. For example, one group adjusted the angle of the chamber mounted on the chassis three different ways,
facing up 30 degrees, horizontal, and facing downward 30 degrees, to determine which angle would best propel the vehicle forward.
science and engineering practices, and schoolwide goals of resiliency and collaboration.
Students continued to document their work in the lab notebooks using the project checklist to make sure all important components were included in their writing. Teachers periodically displayed varied examples of lab notebooks in order for students to self-reflect and to help guide them toward successful documentation of their work.
When teachers assess the students, they should consider the “Application of Science” and “Engineering Design Process” sections of the chemical reaction vehicle checklist and related documentation in the student notebooks to determine whether or not learning goals were met. Teachers that have implemented this project noted that some groups met the learning goals of the project even though their vehicles did not travel one meter. In addition to the notebook and checklist, anecdotal observations during the project should provide teachers with the evi- dence required to make summative assessments of student learning. Students Erik and Michelle summed up the experience when they reflected that, “Even though our car failed three times, on the fourth time we got it to go more than three meters. We didn’t fail three times, we succeeded once. After the fourth time, we finally made the chemical reaction work. We learned from making a ton of mistakes, and we made it better.”
A student shares his data with the class.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! The day of nal testing was full of energy, excitement, and anticipation. Students enjoyed viewing and discussing each other’s final vehicle designs between launches. Loud pops, screams of surprise, laughter, and words of encouragement and congratulation were constant for the duration of the testing day. While not all groups met the criteria of having their vehicle travel a full meter, they were still successful because they created chemical reactions in the chamber to move the vehicle some distance. More important than the actual distance the vehicle traveled was the students’ experiences with the iterative design process and as both scientists and engineers. In the early stages of the testing, many groups failed to launch vehicles. This provided opportunities for teachers to coach students on ways to analyze every attempted launch to search for ways to redesign vehicles. In cases like this, students often discovered that corks were fixed too loosely, gas formed before the stopper was pushed on, or not enough chemicals were added for enough gas to form and build pressure. In each case, students returned to their notebooks, discussed modifications, sketched ideas, and rebuilt their vehicles. Often, students returned to test again and either solved the distinct engineering problem identi ed before or analyzed and returned to the drawing board. Having ample time for students to discover possible problems and brainstorm solutions was integral to their working as scientists and engineers in an authentic way.
Assessment Both students and teachers assessed using the project checklist. Students recorded the page numbers from their lab notebooks that illustrated each point on the checklist, including how their vehicles met the criteria and constraints. They also completed a self-reflection form (see NSTA Connection) in order to capture their perceptions on how well they felt they learned key disciplinary core ideas,
Modifications Some students may struggle in Part 1 to complete a functioning vehicle and engine.To ensure students have adequate opportunities to meet the standards, teachers may consider providing some students with pre-built or designed components. Toy cars onto which a engine could be mounted, an engine design that is known to work well, or a combination of both devised by the teacher may be helpful for students with certain constraints. In Part 2, the teacher might suggest amounts of chemicals for starting points and help students develop and record appropriate increments. Modifications to Parts 1 and 2 as outlined will help scaffold the learning experience for students in some classrooms while still allowing for the sense of excitement and discovery inherent in the project. While interacting with and observing students at work, the teachers developed several ways to differentiate the project. First, they noticed that in their attempts to make the vehicles go as far as possible, students were using greater quantities of the chemical materials quickly, resulting in shortages. The teachers suggested adjusting the criteria from “Vehicle must travel at least 1 meter in distance” to “Vehicle must travel between 1 and 2 meters in distance.” Not only would this constraint limit the use and waste of resources, but it would also increase the level of dif culty and precision required by the students. Next, teachers considered adding an element of economics to the project in order to help students consider the amount of materials being used. In this way, the most successful vehicles would be the ones that not only met the criteria for success by traveling at least a meter but also did so with the most economic ef ciency (i.e., used the least amount of materials). Both suggestions for improvement would save money and materials for the school and increase the challenge level in the project for the students. Finally, the teachers noticed that some teams’ vehicles failed to reach the one meter distance in the criteria. However, the teams still met the performance expectations by designing and testing prototypes as well as conducting investigations into chemical reactions. For students with special learning needs, modifying the criteria may be required. Winter 2017 Issue 19
Curriculum Initiatives >>
Chemical Reaction Vehicles A STEM project takes off in fifth-grade classrooms. Final Thoughts The chemical reaction vehicles project was a success in many ways. Teachers noted highly engaged students experiencing the interaction of science and engineering as well as the opportunity for children to think creatively, work collaboratively, and develop resiliency when challenged with difficult work. The energy in the classroom throughout the week, from introduction to design to testing, built steadily like the pressure in the vehicle chambers, propelling student learning and collaboration forward at an explosive speed.
NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For states, by states. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Petroski, H. 2010. The Essential Engineer: Why science alone will not solve our global problems. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Internet Resources
References
Engineering is Elementary: Engineering Design Process www.eie.org/overview/engineering-design-process The Engineering Process: Crash Course Kids #12.2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxJWin195kU Exploratorium’s Institute for Inquiry www.exploratorium.edu/education/i NSTA Safety in the Science Classroom www.nsta.org/safety
National Research Council (NRC). 2012. A framework for K–12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
NSTA Connection Download the project introduction, student instruction sheet checklist, and self-reflection at www.nsta.org/ SC1711.
Wendy Smith (wendysmith1005@ gmail.com) is a STEM special- ist, and Jesse Meyer (jmeyer61@ gmail.com) is a fth-grade teacher, both at the Hong Kong Internation- al School.
Curriculum Initiatives >>
Empowering Diverse Learners through Community Public Radio By Steve Sostak, International School Beijing To be honest, I’m a bit obsessed with trying to embed global citizenship into international school classrooms. At ISB, my colleagues know that my teaching practice and philosophy hinges on getting students to interact compellingly with sustainability goals, global contexts, and authentic action. Over the past decade, I’ve attempted to find many ways to consistently link citizenship and standards, and I think I might have found something special in Futures Public Radio (FPR). After being involved with in-depth service work while teaching in Peru, I agreed to design a global citizenship enrichment class in Malaysia, which sparked a website and a rich bank of resources and classroom evidence. Later, I co-curated a Global Issues Network (GIN) conference and school residency with Water for South Sudan, fifty middle school students, and the Jump! Foundation that to this day remains one of my happiest moments in teaching. And while still teaching at ISB, I’ve been able to co-found the Occupy Middle School (OMS) consultancy group and teacher collective. It’s been amazing to collaborate with teachers who see that our opportunity at international schools includes a moral imperative to empower our learners with literacy in sustainability, empathy, action, and service. The beautiful result that I have discovered is that students, across all 20 EARCOS Triannual Journal
ranges, including my EAL classroom, address global and local challenges with passion, without losing content and language objectives that we as educators might fear. In fact, the published, communitydriven work is of the highest quality. After a GIN conference three years ago, I was inspired but frustrated by the difficulty in finding a sustainable media platform for students to remain connected around their community work and stories. I remember preparing breakfast and listening to National Public Radio (NPR) when an idea occurred to me: Why not use NPR as a mentor model for an international school community radio platform for storytelling, investigative journalism, and sustainable student networking? Luckily, ISB offered research and development grants for innovative ideas and I was fortunate to be approved. In collaboration with a dedicated student leadership team, Futures Public Radio was born. Now, with 50 students in our program, and FPR being embedded into a range of classrooms, our mission is becoming a uniting force in our ISB community: Futures Public Radio provides an authentic community voice for International School of Beijing students, empowering them through literacy skills
and real-world, local and global investigations. ISB’s FPR highlights the worth of investigative journalism to build seekers, critical thinkers, and problem solvers. We embrace our roles as truth seekers and engaged journalists who work to best serve our community and be a civic force. We aim to question, inform, and unite, celebrating community, service, and high-quality, publishable storytelling and reporting. Two exciting results of the FPR endeavor have followed: One, for teachers, the FPR workshop and storytelling process provides an active and authentic classroom, linking richly to content and language objectives and standards. Secondly, the positive effect FPR has had on our diverse learner population is exceptional. In providing a safe and authentic publishing platform, where multiple takes and postproduction are part of the craft, EAL and learning support students thrive compared to other public speaking clubs such as theater and MUN. FPR is an empowering outlet where collaborative, media, technological, storytelling, and civic literacy is developed with attention to voice and choice, intentionality, detail, and craft throughout the journalism process for all learner populations. For creative students looking for unique opportunities to extend, FPR has provided powerful opportunities for high-level development in cinematography, student-led media literacy workshops, leadership, in-depth interviewing skills, and networking grounded in citizenship. Our student journalists take our two mottos to heart: “Everybody has a Story” and “Be the Voice of the Future”. If you or your school would like to inquire about starting a publicservice media program like FPR on your campus, or if you are intrigued by the possibility of collaborating in becoming an FPR member station, please contact us. Steve Sostak: SSostak@isb.bj.edu.cn Aaron Moniz: AMoniz@isb.bj.edu.cn Matt Schroeder: MSchroeder@isb.bj.edu.cn Serina Wu: SWu@isb.bj.edu.cn -------------------JUDY Judy, a quiet yet thoughtful, recent EAL intermediate-level arrival, found her voice by embracing her role as the town hall facilitator for the radio station and is now the president of the High School Futures Public Radio club. She has since interviewed up and coming Brooklyn musicians Overcoats and continues to work on campus stories centered on issues such as transitions from MS to HS and stories on the wellness components involved in the school cafeteria. Judy’s happiness, positive energy, engagement, leadership and language development is clearly evident in all of our FPR workshops and her published pieces.
EVAN Evan was a student with identified challenges with oral and written expression. He would often spend a considerable amount of time searching for words, which left him unable to respond to questions or to actively participate in class discussions. Though a wonderful kid, his academic self-concept was low because he was quiet and afraid to speak out in front of others. Evan’s experience with Futures Public Radio has helped to strengthen his processing, develop his wordfinding skills, build his spoken confidence, improve his turn around and response time, and allow him to shift from being a behind-thescenes leader to a verbal leader in Futures Public Radio. His confidence and leadership on the technology team, during live broadcasting, and through rich interviews is invaluable. These skills have transferred over into his academic content classes, and in significant growth in standardized measures of academic progress. -------------------SHAWN Futures Public Radio has given Shawn almost everything he is passionate about: Project-based learning, challenging investigations, mastery of cinematography, inspiring non-fiction reading, leadership opportunities, and choice. In more traditional classroom settings, Shawn, while non-disruptive, would often find himself frustrated by the limitations of a more straightforward approach. Since becoming the FPR Middle School President, Shawn has led media literacy workshops for teachers and students in Beijing and Shanghai. He also produces and facilitates a number of the higher profile stories for FPR, including being the only student TED Teacher Talk presenter at the Middle School Back to School night 2017. Shawn has also produced, presented, and published a number of innovative projects through his work in Futures Academy, a project-based, integrated classroom at ISB.
Winter 2017 Issue 21
Curriculum Initiatives >>
Integration of the Arts in Early Childhood at Korea International School Jeju By Patricia DeLuca, Kindergarten Teacher
Students in early childhood are continuously acting during dramatic play. Most often they are imitating real life, cooking in the kitchen or sorting mail in the post office. A commercially-made prop like a fire fighter uniform or a student-made prop, such as a painted sign naming the hospital, aid their portrayals. These dramas are often student-initiated, which ensures student engagement, lengthens their time practicing the play, and increases the complexity and depth of their imitation. Once during a unit on community places, the students reenacted a fire situation. They donned their fire helmets, drew and cut out flames with red paper, and taped the flames to a pillow. With their paper made fire hoses, they proceeded to take turns putting out the fire. They even rearranged the table and chairs to create a fire house.
A student-created restaurant during a unit on community helpers. The arts in early childhood at KISJ are seamlessly integrated within the fabric of the curriculum. Although they have art and music classes as a specials, artistic expression, musical form, and drama are integral forms of learning that are also incorporated into the core subjects of math, science, literacy, and social studies. Junior kindergarten and kindergarten students at KISJ are in the emergent stages of reading and writing, so art is an essential method for students to show what they know and have learned. Painting the stages of growth from a seed into a tree, using clay to create a threedimensional bear, and/or making a mini model house from recycled paper towel tubes and tissue boxes found from makerspace, are commonly seen at KISJ. Reusable loose parts are often used to create a three-dimensional model of a bridge, made of blocks and plastic straws, or a two-dimensional bouquet of flowers designed with buttons, glass stones, and pattern blocks, which are dismantled and rebuilt over a period of several days. These models can accurately depict what the students have learned, while their English language and writing skills are still developing. Children build confidence and oral fluency by expressing themselves through song. The majority of children at KISJ are English language learners, so songs can be an unintimidating first step of speaking English. Before they can label the parts of their body, they can sing about their physical features. Silly songs with rhyme, help students to understand the concept of rhyme and build their phonemic awareness skills, which will later aid in their ability to decode. Songs are a rich literacy tool that not only tell basic stories, but also introduce elements of storytelling, which the students will apply in their own writing later on. 22 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Artistic expression, music, and dramatic play are tools that we use at KISJ to provide students with some of their early, yet memorable school experiences and begin their lifelong learning journey. Integrating these tools with the core curriculum such as literacy or social studies, aids in student engagement and enrichment and gives students voice and choices in how they learn.
Watercolor still life.
Leaves on a tree.
Accredited. College-Prep. Online.
Courses Online That Fit Any Schedule & Time Zone • Accredited & NCAA-approved • 100+ core, elective, AP® & dual enrollment courses • Responsive staff • Affordable
highschool.nebraska.edu (402) 472-3388
The University of Nebraska is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Curriculum Initiatives >>
“So where’s home?”
By Jennifer Tiefel, MS Art Teacher, Shanghai American School Puxi
door of exploration for our students that has been a pure joy to witness.
SAS Puxi student, Aanya Bhola, working on her painting. It’s one of the first things that people ask each other when meeting for the first time. For some it’s a question with a straightforward answer. It’s as easy as closing their eyes and thinking about the word, home. A clear picture is painted in their mind of a structure in a specific geographical location. For others, especially those of us who have grown up overseas, it’s a much harder task. This is the case for many of our students in international schools and why it’s a perfect starting place for creative inquiry within the Arts. We often refer to our students as Third Culture Kids (TCKs), which refers to children who were raised in a culture outside of their parents’ culture for a significant part of their developmental years. Most of us have heard of this term before and are aware of at least some of the potential ways that it can affect our students. I’m a TCK, or I guess I’m a TCA, (Third Culture Adult), having been born and raised in the Middle East and Southeast Asia until I was 15 by American parents. As an international school teacher, being a former TCK has given me the ability to empathize to a high degree with my international students. As an artist my convoluted background has definitely made its mark on my style and subject matter, I realize that it can often come across to my audience that I’m appropriating cultural symbols in disingenuous ways, but the truth is that I feel very genuinely connected to them. Similarly, we may assume that we understand where our students are from but after going deeper we may be surprised by what we find. As an art teacher I endeavor to not only teach my students art skills, techniques and theory but to also help them know themselves better as artists. To do this they must learn to be introspective, vulnerable, and open-minded. Asking questions like “where’s home”? is par for the course of this process. We are ultimately trying to peel back the layers to see who they are, where they’ve been and where they’re going. At Shanghai American School our middle school art program is built on these statements and our 7th grade program focuses on ‘where we’ve been’, and specifically, the very important and complicated question, “where’s home”? This concept has opened a 24 EARCOS Triannual Journal
These 7th grade students explored this line of inquiry by first looking at how other artists have explored and represented their connections with their homes. We looked at Marc Chagall, Romare Bearden and Frida Kahlo last semester and for each artist the students created small practice exercises that mimicked the artists’ style and medium. While analyzing their works through our discussions we kept the focus on how the artists have represented their connections to home, asking questions about how home can be defined differently depending on the personal experience of the artist. For some of the artists we investigated home as defined by their relationships with the people in their lives. For some it was the actual place and the architecture, landscapes, and landmarks therein. For others it was defined through the elements and principles of art in a more symbolic way, using color for example to capture the emotions associated with the concept of home. Later in the unit the students turned their investigations inward, creating mind maps about their interpretations of home and working to more clearly define what their relationships with the concept of home are based upon. Many of the students are TCK’s, which added to the complexity of the investigation in fantastic ways. The conversations between the students during this part of the assignment allowed empathy to be front and center in our work. The students were listening to each other’s stories, relating to them, putting themselves in the mindset of others and showing their support for each other through constructive critiquing and words of encouragement. After this, the artwork was really just a bonus, as the real learning had already taken place. The final visualization of this unit came in the form of two-dimensional, mixed-media pieces; using the techniques and styles they practiced with earlier in the unit but using their personal interpretations of home as the subject matter. They also played with the universal symbol of home, a house, by creating fairly uniform structures of houses with plaster and then applying photo transfers of texts and photos to show their individual connections with home. These artworks not only demonstrated skills, techniques and theory, but also communicated important messages to the audience. As so often is the case in art class, some of the quietest, most withdrawn students created the loudest, most eye-catching pieces. The success of this unit comes not from the medium or techniques used, but the concept behind it. As international school educators we can all dive into this concept of connection to home from different angles. Our student and teacher population is typically transient, our students are usually well traveled, and many come from multicultural households. The pool of potential imagery from this concept is so deep it seems to have no bottom at all. It has been a joy take part in this journey with my students and I look forward to reimagining this line of inquiry in different forms in the years to come, using my students as my guide.
Helping you make the greatest impact Corwin, a SAGE Publishing company, is a global provider of professional learning resources that equip you with the tools you need to improve teaching and learning.
Popular Titles
Corwin resources are: • Authored by experts • Formatted for hands-on, practical guidance • Research-based and peerreviewed for quality • Suitable for professional learning and graduate course settings
Want more info about upcoming webinars and resources? Join our email list for the latest resources and education news sent directly to your inbox!
Visit bit.do/CorwinEmail or scan the QR Code to sign up today.
For enquiries on these titles, please email us at sagebooks@sagepub.co.uk OR visit www.corwin.com
A SAGE Publishing Company
EdThought >>
3 Myths About “Empowering” Students in Schools Today
By George Couros
The notion of “empowering” students has become more prevalent in the last few years, and for a good reason. In a world that is moving at a faster pace than ever, we need people to initiate and make things happen. To do this, you have to have ownership, and with ownership, one becomes empowered in finding and creating their solutions.
understanding of each objective because a) what they planned for other students was much more powerful than what I would have planned myself and b) they had to teach it to others. One of my favorite quotes on learning is from Joseph Joubert, where he states, “To teach is to learn twice.” Empowering students within constraints of education is about innovating inside of the box.
Bill Ferriter, has pushed my thinking on this notion, and I love this image he created: AJ Juliani and John Spencer also wrote a great book that is 100% dedicated to the idea of the importance of empowering students. They push the idea of how important an “empowered environment” is to create, going beyond the thought of engagement.
This interpretation of empowerment leads to the next myth.
“ Empowered environments allow our connections and impact to move beyond the classroom walls and continue to be powerful, long after our students are out of sight. There is no better time to be in education than right now. Education is the bridge to so many opportunities for our learners. We must step aside as the gatekeepers and instead move next to our learners to take the journey together.” As with any new narrative that comes into education, “empowering learners” has pushback in what it means for education. Below are some of the arguments I have heard in the context of why “empowering” students might face criticism, and some arguments against the idea of empowerment. 1. It is a “free-for-all.” When people hear the term “empower”, they often envision a free-for-all where learners just do whatever they want. For example, the notion of Google’s “20% time” (which has often been debated), is that people just do whatever they want with 20% of their time in which they work for Google. The reality is that the time is meant to advance Google, not a “do whatever you want” initiative. From “The truth about Google’s famous ‘20% time’ policy”: “We encourage our employees, in addition to their regular projects, to spend 20% of their time working on what they think will most benefit Google.”The same is true within education. In my book, “The Innovator’s Mindset,” I wrote about a Health Class that I turned over to the students. Instead of planning everything myself, I turned the curriculum objectives over to the students, who planned for each objective and how they would teach it. I still met the curriculum objectives through this process, but the students had a much better 26 EARCOS Triannual Journal
2. It is disconnected from the curriculum. As shown in above, you can empower students, while still teaching the curriculum. Yong Zhao opened my eyes to the concept of “individualized” and “personalized” learning, and their differences: “Individualized learning is having students go through different paths to get to the same endpoint. How you get there is different, but the destination is the same. Personalized learning is having students go through their own paths to whatever endpoint they desire. How you take the path and where you end up is dependent upon the strengths and interests of the learner.“ Within individualized learning, students still have to get to the same endpoint of the curriculum, but the process of how they show their learning can vary. If you give a student the opportunity to create a video, write a story, create media, etc., that allows a different process that the student has ownership over, yet the assessment is still based on the understanding of the objective. I love this quote from Chris Lehmann: “If you assign a project and get back 30 of the same thing, that’s not a project, that’s a recipe.“ Opportunities for personalized learning are also important. Things like Genius Hour and Identity Day allow for students to not only learn about their passions but more importantly, learn about themselves. We have to find opportunities for both while ensuring we meet the requirements of our jobs. 3. Students are becoming entitled. If anything, I am hoping that “empowering students” creates the opposite effect. When someone is entitled, they think things should come to them. When you are empowered, the belief is that you need to make things happen. With empowered learners, the expectations should be greate, not less. I wrote about this idea previously, and the difference between creating a “GoFundMe” account versus creating something of value: Here was an example of a fine line that I struggle with in teaching a child to be “entitled”, as opposed to “empowered”. Think about what we are saying to students when we ask for money through “GoFundMe” or something similar for our classrooms or ask for others to retweet something so that our class can win a competition? This borders on modeling entitlement. “Give me something because I’ve asked for it.” Now if you have ever asked for money for your classroom to give your
students opportunities that may not exist without that funding, I can fully understand why you would do that. Every great teacher wants to provide every opportunity they can for their students. But as I had written before, what if we created something of value to earn that money? If we asked students, “What would you create to earn this money? What rate would you sell the product or service? How would you get the word out to others?” This is quite hard work, but what if you earned furniture through this process? There is ownership over the creation process while entrepreneurial skills are developed. Empowering students means teaching them that they are going to create their own future, not that someone will do it for them.
This does not mean that “compliance” is never necessary (think submitting taxes). It also doesn’t mean that “engagement” is now irrelevant. It is just about pushing further into our world today. I always say that you can be engaged without being empowered, but if you are empowered, you are definitely engaged. Those that are empowered create the(ir) future and do not sit back and wait for it to happen to (for) them.
I have tried to distinguish examples of “compliance, engagement, and empowerment” previously:
Reprinted with permission of the author George Couros. https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/7853
LEADING WHERE IT MATTERS MOST
THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FROM USF AND WSU Do you want to transform school culture and make a lasting impact on education in society? Do you wish to participate in a critical thinking, problem-solving approach to leadership indiverse environments? Join a unique two-year program designed specifically for EARCOS members!
APPLY FOR SPRING OR FALL
UNIQUE FEATURES
University of San Francisco Dr. Walter Gmelch whgmelch@usfca.edu usfca.edu
• Combines online coursework and on-site classes (held during EARCOS conferences) • Program internship prepares participants for a Washington State Principal Certificate that meets certification requirements in many other states
education.wsu.edu/certification/international FOR MORE INFORMATION Washington State University Dr. Shannon M. Calderone shannon.calderone@wsu.edu education.wsu.edu | wsu.edu
• Instructors are university faculty and international school leaders • Teamwork and collaborative learning
Winter 2017 Issue 27
Green and Sustainable >>
Education for Sustainable Development at the International School of Tianjin By Crys Lewis, Education for Sustainable Development Coordinator, IST Grade 4 details contributed by Islen Craig, ESD Committee member and G4 Homeroom teacher
tions that we can support in the progress towards equal access to our basic rights. Class representatives then spoke to the other classes in Grades 3-5 about the relationship between having access to rights and our responsibility to help others. They also set up their project videos with QR codes to share the information from their learning without wasting resources for printing, and also to explore the use of technology in new and innovative ways. In secondary, Grade 6 assisted with the construction of a wind turbine in Design Technology last year in conjunction with a renewable energy unit. During our new Middle Years University IDU program, students in Grades 9 and 10 will learn about energy resources, such as types of non-renewable and renewable resources; they will learn about IST energy consumption by conducting an energy audit; and will build their own power generator. As well as potentially building a solar panel and a water-powered generator, they will also be building a human-powered one by re-fitting an elliptical bicycle with an alternator that will generate electricity.
Students working on G4 projects. Photo Credit: Islen Craig The UN set forth 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a successor to the Millennium Development Goals, which ended in 2015. The International School of Tianjin has taken these to heart and is matching curriculum with the goals. Last year a full audit of the PYP and MYP curriculums was completed, aligning goals with different units of inquiry across the elementary and middle schools. The actual curriculum has not been changed – in fact, the audit simply highlighted the sustainable education inherent in the curriculum already. This year, a resource library was created that pulls together lesson plans from the UN’s “World’s Largest Lesson” website as well as various other resources and organizes them by grade level and Sustainable Development Goal. This is to make it even easier for teachers to be explicit about the UNSDGs. An example is of a recent lesson in Grade 4: During the Grade 4 “Who We Are” Unit of inquiry the students explored many of these goals, focusing particularly on Goal 1: No Poverty; Goal 2: No Hunger; Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing; Goal 4: Quality Education; and Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. The students studied the UN’s Declaration of the Rights of a Child and learned that children’s access to those rights varies worldwide. The students then studied the various organizations that support those that need help gaining access to their rights. In culmination, the students created Public Service Announcements to shed light on these situations and show that there are organiza28 EARCOS Triannual Journal
In the MYP, the action group Green Team is entirely focused on sustainability. They’ve raised money to purchase paper-recycling bins for all classrooms and common areas in the school and found a paper recycling company that would take the paper. In addition, they also run other projects related to reducing waste – last year at the annual school community fair they collected items like used (but re-usable) clothing and toys and sold them for 1RMB a piece. Thus they successfully diverted those items from the landfills and contributed to sustainability. The students are also directly involved in IST’s advancement plans. The school’s advancement plans are all committed to student learning and engagement in special project planning and management. One of the current fundraising projects tied to sustainability is the solar paneling of the school facilities; the Green Team will be engaged in the planning, promotion and community education of that particular initiative. In addition, IST is looking at being more sustainable as a whole. All of the lights on the campus have been replaced with LED bulbs – for both longevity and power usage. Doors and windows have also been replaced to improve insulation from both inclement weather and keep air-conditioned air inside, where it belongs! Despite living in a country where it can be somewhat difficult to be truly sustainable, the International School of Tianjin is taking great strides forward in educating our students about sustainability in meaningful and practical ways.
Build firm foundations for your students’ futures Cambridge Global Perspectives is a unique, transformational programme that helps students at every stage of school education develop outstanding transferable skills, including critical thinking, research and collaboration. This year we are extending our Cambridge Global Perspectives programme to make it available for 5 to 14 year olds. Find out more at: www.cambridgeinternational.org/globalperspectives
Image: The connectors on a child’s building blocks.
Readers Corner >> In Passionate Readers: The Art of Reaching and Engaging Every Child, classroom teacher, author, and speaker Pernille Ripp asks and answers, “how do we inspire students to love reading and discovery? In the book she reveals the five keys to creating a passionate reading environment. Throughout, Pernille opens up about her own trials and errors as a teacher and what she’s learned along the way. She also shares a wide variety of practical tools that you can use in your own classroom. Pernille will be a keynote speaker at the 2018 EARCOS Teachers Conference in Bangkok. The Take-Action Guide to World Class Learners Book 1: How to Make Personalization and Student Autonomy Happen, Yong Zhao, Homa S. Tavangar, Emily McCarren, Gabriel S. Rshaid, and Kay F. Tucker This inspiring guide from internationally respected expert Dr. Yong Zhao and others provides the most complete information available on designing twenty-first century schools poised to leapfrog into the future! In this follow up to World Class Learners, Zhao digs much deeper, revealing how exactly to put his paradigm shift into effect, one component at a time. Dr. Zhao is a past keynote speaker at EARCOS conferences. Emily McCarren works at EARCOS member, Punahou School. The Innovator’s Mindset, George Couros Kids walk into schools full of wonder and questions. How you, as an educator, respond to students’ natural curiosity can help further their own exploration and shape the way they learn today and in the future. The traditional system of education requires students to hold their questions and compliantly stick to the scheduled curriculum. But our job as educators is to provide new and better opportunities for our students. It’s time to recognize that compliance doesn’t foster innovation, encourage critical thinking, or inspire creativity—and those are the skills our students need to succeed. In THE INNOVATOR’S MINDSET, George Couros encourages teachers and administrators to empower their learners to wonder, to explore—and to become forward-thinking leaders. George Couros has presented at both the EARCOS ELC and ETC. Setting the Standard for Project Based Learning, John Larmer, John Mergendoller, and Suzie Boss Project based learning (PBL) is gaining renewed attention with the current focus on college and career readiness and the performance-based emphases of Common Core State Standards, but only high-quality versions can deliver the beneficial outcomes that schools want for their students. It’s not enough to just “do projects.” Today’s projects need to be rigorous, engaging, and in-depth, and they need to have student voice and choice built in. Such projects require careful planning and pedagogical skill. The authors—leaders at the respected Buck Institute for Education—take readers through the step-by-step process of how to create, implement, and assess PBL using a classroom-tested framework. John Mergendoller is a past presenter at an EARCOS conference.
Fighting for Change In Your School, Harvey Alvy In this indispensable book for K–12 leaders, Harvey Alvy offers a thoughtful roadmap and guidance to help educators select, implement, and assess school- or district wide initiatives that actually work. The book is filled with a wealth of resources—action checklists, principles to guide educators, and in-depth questions and protocols—for engaging in collaborative professional development activities that strengthen teaching and learning practices and improve student achievement. Harvey Alvy will be a special presenter at the 50th anniversary ELC 2018 in Kuala Lumpur. Hard Conversations Unpacked In Having Hard Conversations, Jennifer Abrams showed educators how to confront colleagues about work-related issues through a planned, interactive, and personal approach. In this sequel, readers move deeper into preparing for those conversations while building expectations for meaningful outcomes. Emphasizing what needs to happen before, during, and after hard conversations. Jennifer is scheduled to present at ELC 2018.
30 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Green and Sustainable >>
Student-led Programs Inspire Green Initiatives at Concordia International School Shanghai By Julie and Karen, Grade 11, Concordia International School Shanghai
Concordia AP Environmental Science students learn ways to organically remediate the soil to better grow crops in their rooftop gardens Millennials have been endlessly warned by older generations of the environmental disasters they stand to inherit. Sadly, younger generations have grown up seeing these human-instigated environmental issues as the norm. Acutely aware of the horrifying nature of these current issues, Concordia students have taken action to make their school more eco-friendly. High school students explore sustainable solutions to global issues effecting the planet in classes such as AP Environmental Science and Global Development and Public Health. That exploration spills over into co-curricular clubs as well, including the student-led Environmental Committee which takes on issues ranging from energy efficiency to animal welfare, publicly informing students about paramount environmental topics. Around the school, the club has posted reminders to turn off lights, to print double sided and to use only one paper towel after hand washing. These signs remind the school community of the small steps we can take to benefit the environment and show how our carbon footprint can be reduced through simple daily actions. Students do not stop at raising awareness; we encourage others to actively participate. The Environmental Committee hosts a yearly competition between high school grade levels with the grade that collects the most scrap paper in a week being named the winner.
This led to students other than those involved in environment-related clubs voluntarily collecting paper around the school and their homes, not only bringing the respective grades together but involving the community in their efforts to encourage paper recycling. Moreover, the Environmental Committee further increases their efforts to promote green initiatives at school by hosting a clothing swap at least twice each year where students donate their gently used clothes and let others in the community pick out items they want for free. Concordia’s Global Issues Network (GIN) is another club that focuses on various environmental issues as well as human rights and animal welfare. Inspired by one member’s drive to reduce plastic waste on campus, GIN members gathered hundreds of signatures for a petition showing how the students and faculty support the cause by banning one-time-use plastic bottles on campus. With the school community behind them, students have proposed to the school administration several alternatives that can help to achieve this goal. High school students bring elementary students into the equation as well by hosting an annual elementary school workshop to educate the younger students on specific global issues. Last year we focused on the effects of factory farming on the environment and making conscientious choices that can reduce the consumption of animal products. In all these ways Concordia International School Shanghai hopes to foster a new generation of conscientious citizens who care about our Earth and take action to protect it. Julie and Karen are grade 11 students at Concordia and active members of the school’s Environmental Committee.
Middle School Art Celebration Nansha College Preparatory Academy (Left) Iris, Oil Pastel Kelly Wan, Grade 8 (Right) Printmaking David He, Grade 8 Winter 2017 Issue 31
Green and Sustainable / Service Learning >>
The Green Revolution: Why nature is our greatest classroom As a teacher on the island of Bali, a location surrounded by islands full of nature and ecological torment I wrestle with the language of eco-awareness that threatens to destroy student’s morale along with the planet and I am driven to engage students. Engage them in activities with the aim they seek the solutions that will provide them and future generations with the ability to live harmoniously within their communities and environments. So, it was with excitement I ventured out to the North Sumatran city of Medan to meet one of the world’s most respected primate scientists Director of Conservation at PanEco Foundation and Scientific Director for the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, Dr Ian Singleton. My plan was to get permission to take a group of Year 12 students into the Leuser Eco System, 2.6 million hectares of tropical rainforest and literally the last place on earth where rhinos, tigers, elephants and orangutans live amongst the world’s richest forest system. I stumbled into a smoky bar in the middle of Ramadan to be greeted with a beer. What a relief! I introduced myself to Dr. Singleton and explained my intent. “Why are you going to take a bunch of kids into the forest? Why not just leave the animals alone and watch a programme about them on TV?” was the terse response. A good question. Then I was there, in the forest, and asking myself the same question: Why do we want to bring students here to this edge of nature where man’s imprint is harsh and damaging? Why is it so important that it is real? What if we just watched it on television?
Forest floor leaf litter and insect shells. I scrambled over roots that tangled into staircases, along precipitous pathways to the steaming waters of the hot springs and I asked myself the question: Why don’t we just watch this on television? With the wave of the wind passing above us and the soft air dropping in temperature, the sun shifting against the horizon turning the evening sky into a spreading bruise… I answered the question. We bring students here and places like it, because the forest is alive with life, with ideas, with creation, destruction, with cycles of life, with inspiration and spirit. Its existence holds back floods, its layers nurture lives on the edge of extinction, its darkness protects the tigers and the rhinos, the snakes and the bats. It is home to the butterfly, the bee, the ant and the honey bear, it grows sensuous orchids, and poisonous vines and it gives the mind a place to understand. And this is what we need to understand: Animals and plants of all sizes and forms exist in a delicate balance in the forest ecosystem. From death and decay springs life. Each year it moves inwards, contracting with increasing rapidity as it becomes a victim to the greed of the ‘little man’ who sees it as nothing more than a vast tangle of unnecessary nature, standing in the way of greater profits. The forest is moving and not by its own force… rapidly, defiantly and perceptibly. This will be eventually how the forest sweeps us out of existence; in a sacrificial gasp it will take every living thing down with it.
As the arching trees swayed with the weight of a mother orangutan and her baby, as their orange fur no longer a blur shone in the sun, I watched silently, holding my breath. As I walked through the soft paths littered with damp leaves and the moss carpeted branches of fallen boughs, I thought about the question. I gazed at the hollow shell of a mosquito eating plant, I stood within the furled trunks of a tree over a hundred years old, and I crept up beside orchids to sit by the rushing of a waterfall. I paused at the sound of the hornbill’s wings beating on the air with a bass drum rhythm and heard the laugh of the Thomas Leaf Monkey before witnessing the deep black softness of the Siomay, or gibbon, as it broke through the canopy dropping split fruits to the forest floor. 32 EARCOS Triannual Journal
So that is why we need to take our students into nature. So they can see and feel the force that supports all life. So they can touch and smell the cycles of growth and decay. So by recognizing it for what it is, learning what it contains and indulging in the thoughts it pro-vokes, they become moved to protect it. And saving it not for themselves, or the trees, or the orangutans or the hornbills but the entire fabric from which life is woven. If as environmental educators we do not connect students to nature in the raw we are condemning them to life without it. By Kayti Denham, English Department Service Learning and GIN Global Youth Conference Coordinator Canggu Community School, Bali, Indonesia
TAUGHT IN CARACAS. READY FOR THE WORLD.
It takes more than a teacher to educate a child. It takes an entire community. That’s why we work to meet all of the school’s needs: sourcing essential supplies, recruiting the world’s best educators, even building schools from the ground up. See where ISS can take you. Discover a new way of learning today.
Visit ISS.edu
Action Research >>
Routine is Less Routine Than We Realize By Allan Doel, International School of Ulaanbaatar Last year, for the first time in my career, I did not start the year working as a classroom teacher. I first entered the workforce at the International School of Ulaanbaatar (ISU), I took over 60% of a teacher’s load 6 weeks into the year and the last 40% after the first semester. This late start to the year led to a weird situation where I had classes that were mine that were totally unaccustomed to my expectations for the classroom. It took a while, but the first three classes slowly adapted and adjusted to their new teacher. However, when I took over the other 2 groups, I was again reminded of how important it was to establish routines at the beginning of the year. The process of trying to teach routines when the students are already halfway through the year was a frustrating proposition for them and myself. I also realized that even when I start the year in my classroom, the nature of my students and international schools in general is very transitory. The dominant employers of expat students in our school starts and renews contracts at the beginning of the calendar year. This leads to a lot of students coming and going during the school year. For those students, it must be very frustrating and difficult to adjust to a new school and learn the routines that their classmates have already been doing for months. It became obvious to me that some of the explicit teaching of routine that we do at the beginning of the year should continue throughout the year to be reinforced for the students and help bridge the gap for new students. My research was based around using the ATL skills in the MYP framework to teach routine in the classroom. Like most teachers, I teach routine as the beginning of the school year. However, I found myself rarely making a concrete effort to re-teach specific skills and areas that got sloppy as the year progressed. My project was designed to see if a consistent effort to re-teach students important aspects of the classroom routine (entering, exiting, submitting of homework, organization, etc.) would help reduce disruption, late submissions,
and wasted efficiency in the classroom. In short, was time invested in re-teaching ATL skills through concrete lessons going to save me classroom instruction time in the long run? The fluid nature of the classroom environment and sheer number of factors outside the control of the classroom teacher make it difficult to evaluate a direct cause and effect relationship. Those limitations aside, both the quantitative and qualitative data suggests that teaching routine through the ATL focus is beneficial to both students and the classroom teacher. My own observations on my time showed that I was gaining classroom instructional time, despite scheduling in ATL skill time in specific lessons. Student surveys and interviews also suggested that there was a positive effect noticed by the students. As student H wrote, “when I look at my class they are ready for the class and we are learning more things.” Student D wrote, “learning to use our time more wisely was one of the most useful skills.” Student P put the following in her reflection, “it has helped me because I always just sit there and not get my things our and wasted (sic) like 10 minutes of class time that I could have used.” Students are showing the connection between efficiency and getting more out of their learning experience. Student W writes that, “this has helped us get started faster and be more organized. In other classes, I noticed we have started to be quicker as time goes by.”This shows that for some students the skills and attitudes that they are learning are transferring to other classes. Although, my research was concentrated on specifically my class alone, it is exciting to see the effort benefiting the students outside of my classroom. The takeaway of my action research is that routines only become routines, if we practice them, make them explicit in our teaching, and continue to reinforce them throughout the school year and life of our students. This is especially important with student populations that have frequent migrations in and out and the ATL skills of the MYP program are an excellent way to do so.
Student Poem >>
my labyrinth
some fear the prospects of wandering in the foreign mess, tangle, chaos– the lack of soundness ringing too loudly– 34 EARCOS Triannual Journal
but the labyrinth of your mind is everything i wanted to be trapped in. can one ever be confined in something more beautiful than the very existence of being and consciousness from which you stem?
maybe the growing mass of fallen petals will one day tell. Ginny Hwang (Grade 11) Dominican International School, Taipei
Campus Development >> Remodelled Gymnasium at TIS By Nicholas Strong, TIS Athletic Director On Monday, October 10th the doors were officially opened to the newly remodelled gymnasium at Tianjin International School (TIS). Dozens of students and staff came into school that Monday morning to see for themselves the transformation that took nearly 5 months to complete. The Physical Education (PE) Department loved being able to use the gymnasium for classes again and the gym opened just in time to kick off Season 2 Athletics at TIS. In recent years, we had discovered a variety of issues with the gymnasium including various leaks in the roof, a foundation in need of repair, and various cracks in our gym floor creating safety hazards to all students and athletes. To correct these issues, a major construction project began in June to repair the roof, completely tear out and lay a new foundation for the gymnasium, install a new gymnasium floor, and install the first rock wall that TIS has ever had. Of course, everyone was motivated for the construction to happen in anticipation of the end result, however, a 5-month construction project on a school’s gymnasium does not come without a cost. Our staff and students together dug deep to find some grit and creativity to get through 3 months of school without a gymnasium. We are proud of the patience displayed by many as we shared limited spaces for PE classes, entertained our students during inside recess without a venue for them to adequately run and release pent up energy, shared office spaces while PE offices were off limits due to the construction, and even held volleyball practice outside on the soccer field 3 days a week for our fall high school volleyball teams.
Campus Development >> The Third Teacher By Sarah Gaughan, Leader of Learning Foundation Stage Bangkok Patana School Why is the learning environment so crucial to effective Early Years practice? Yes, it’s true: good teachers can, and often do, make the most of any learning space. They do this by applying their knowledge of how children learn when considering setting up learning opportunities. However, to have had the privilege to take this knowledge and implement theories about learning into the design of the building, right down to the colour scheme, is a chance many teachers seldom get throughout their careers.
The TIS Eagles now have a beautiful gym to call home again and we love being able to use the gym for PE classes as well as host athletic competitions in our gymnasium. Each one of our high school basketball and middle school volleyball teams have been able to enjoy a home game or two in the new gymnasium. There seems to be an added excitement in each of our teams and maybe a small bit of home court advantage as we enjoy these first games inside the new TIS gymnasium. That added excitement and home court advantage might not be enough to help us win every contest on the schedule this year, but win or lose we will surely look good inside our new gymnasium. As of the writing of this article we have been using the new gymnasium for one month, but it sure seems much longer than that. It is amazing how the normal school routines of our students and staff can fall right back into place while enjoying the beauty and comfort of the new gymnasium. The frustration and annoyance for all involved during the construction project is quickly becoming a distant memory and just maybe a time where we bonded together through a difficult situation while waiting on a beautiful end result. Go Eagles!
day. Research tells us that children communicate more outdoors than they do inside and that sensory play increases the rate at which neurological pathways are formed in the brain. So, let’s get them outside! The fabulous kitchens are again part of the ‘homely’ design where children can cook, set the table, explore what a healthy, balanced diet looks like and share meals together. The amphitheatre enables children to express themselves, sing, dance, tell stories and perform. The upstairs mezzanine provides even more space to explore musical instruments and movement as we begin to take learning opportunities there. The rest and sleep areas enable children to self-regulate, understanding the importance of other aspects of healthy living – including the need for rest in order to be at our best when we return to learning. What an absolute pleasure it is to watch our youngest, most inquisitive students, explore and discover in this new ‘Enabling Environment’! The possibilities are endless.
So, what does this mean for our youngest learners? In the Early Years, we refer to the learning space as an ‘Enabling Environment’. This is exactly what our new environment here at Bangkok Patana does. It enables our students to develop in all areas of learning; from communication, personal, social and physical development to reading, writing, mathematics, understanding their world and creativity. The large indoor space has enabled us to create cosy, curriculum-themed spaces where children can learn alongside one another, communicating, making friends and following their own interests.These cosy spaces, alongside a neutral colour scheme, are designed to replicate the home environment where children feel safe and comfortable enough to explore and be independent. The new outdoor space enables children to have direct access to the natural world, discovering plants, animals and weather as well as sensory experiences like water play, mud and sand that are otherwise unavailable day to Winter 2017 Issue 35
Curriculum Initiatives >>
Co-Constructing Thinking Through a Layered Approach By Briton Coombs, Grade 4 Teacher Shanghai Community International School
Most recently, in our Unit of Inquiry How We Express Ourselves my students were using Visible Thinking Routines to evaluate and document their understanding of how Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad were part of a greater system of people and parts. Through the lens of the Parts, People, Interactions routine we questioned the relationship and the interconnected layers of the Underground Railroad. Students sketched, designed and graphically illustrated a map of their interpersonal connections. Creating a visual representation of the system of the Underground Railroad opened up a critical discussion amongst each group, allowing the children to develop an intellectual ‘map’ of the underground railroad system further enhancing its analysis and broader implications. Through this map of their language, words and images they were able, for example, to analyze what would happen if one person or group of people were removed from this system, a system that symbolized qualities and traits of a hero, which we could analyze, reflect and relate to our own lives. This routine gave them a view, a lens to access knowledge that was not based on bias or presupposition from the teacher. Documentation is not what we do, but what we are searching for. - Carla Rinaldi As educators, we are challenged to structure and create environments that foster meaningful learning for our students. One of the areas I am passionate about is designing student learning through an active pedagogical program of inquiry which includes practices that promote the unpacking of ideas through a layered approach. Using both the Reggio Emilia approach and Harvard Project Zero Visible Thinking Routines I act as a documenter of student experience, designing learning environments to help children inquire and think critically using a visual form. These processes which foster a dialogue rich in critical literacy can then be integrated and applied by students across the curriculum at large as well as individual environments, further enhancing their knowledge and connection to the world around them.
As an educator, I find these routines an invaluable tool, operating as a strong visual literacy platform to help engage students in critical discussions. By acting as a receiver of student knowledge I am able to look at ways to approach learning across the curriculum, using these routines as a visual record of student understanding and as a resource to stimulate reflective inquiry. As their teacher, this formative assessment process becomes an essential barometer helping me to look at and design a variety of approaches for how to engage a meaningful active process of inquiry. Providing opportunities for children to think critically though individual and group inquiry processes allows them to develop and recognize their ability to identify as individual thinkers and participants and empowers them with pride of ownership as contributors to their learning experience.
Middle School Art Celebration Kaohsiung American School (Left) Tessellation & Self Portrait Arielle Shih, Grade 6 (Right) Self portrait Yvonne Brazier, Grade 8 36 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Curriculum Initiatives >>
Bringing Project-Based Learning into the Classroom By Brett Snipes, Senior Marketing Officer, brett.snipes@bj.ycef.com Yew Chung International School of Beijing
of subjects in order to find a solution. The learning is very much on going, as is the assessment. Children show their learning throughout the journey rather than only at the end of a unit.
Workshop organizers James Sweeney, Anne Dwyer, and Alana MartinHaggarty Yew Chung International School of Beijing recently hosted a twoday conference for teachers titled, “Inquiry Through Project-Based Learning”. Utilizing the space of YCIS Beijing’s newly renovated Learning Communities, the workshop was joined by teachers and administrators from other Yew Chung Foundation schools, as well as international schools around Beijing. At YCIS Beijing, educators know that providing learning programs that incorporate good inquiry both engages students and provides opportunities for deeper and authentic learning – that is, learning that makes the connection between school and the outside world. Project-Based Learning (PBL) provides a framework that equips teachers with the tools, understanding and skills to design and implement such learning opportunities. Below, Anne Dwyer, Professional Development Coordinator, James Sweeney, Year 3 Learning Community Team Leader, and Alana Martin, Years 6-8 Learning Community Leader, share more details about what they learned during the workshop, including the ways in which project-based learning helps students to develop soft skills. Solving Real-World Problems Project-based learning is a teaching method in which children, over a period of time, will work on one project to gain knowledge and increase their skills through it. Children’s projects will respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. It differs from a traditional approach in that the learning is crosscurricular and ongoing. If we were to think of a traditional approach to a subject, taking maths as an example, children would sit in maths class and learn the skills the curriculum dictates. They would then be asked to show their understanding of these skills by completing a task or test for the teacher to assess. Project-based learning, however, revolves around responding to a real-world problem, where the children would gain skills in a variety
Developing Soft Skills Problem-solving is key in order to be successful with project-based learning. Children also need to be excellent collaborators and speak with others in order to see how the problem they’ve identified has been tackled before. They need to be incredibly creative in order to find a solution to the problem. They also need to show great perseverance, as this will be the first “larger project” many of them have faced. At YCIS Beijing we place a great emphasis on learning dispositions; they are a vital part of our programme. If we were to take collaboration as an example, it is clear to see how Project-Based Learning lends itself to the development of this disposition more than in a standard instructional approach. Children would need to work with those around them and communicate with outside experts to resolve the problem on which they are working. PBL requires them to work with members of the larger community in order to be more successful. It allows for deeper use of the skills with a wider audience. If we were to ‘just’ be learning maths we might have to work with a small group or a partner, but the subject wouldn’t allow for us to connect with others outside of the maths classroom. Tips for Teachers: Implementing PBL The first challenge we face as educators is creating a problem in which all children have an interest and in which they intrinsically want to do well. However, we can overcome this by working with the local community and the children themselves in order to understand what problem they could solve best. We also need to ensure the projects have the right balance. Academic competency in reading, writing and maths are just as critical as collaboration and creativity, and it’s important to strive for excellence in each. Teachers collaborate to ensure we achieve this. At YCIS Beijing, activities such as Teapot Time and Sharing Our Practice allow teachers the opportunity to brainstorm together and share ideas. Through this communal approach, teachers undergo continuous professional development, which, most importantly, leads to better learning outcomes for students.
Winter 2017 Issue 37
Curriculum Initiatives >>
BAIS Middle School Pastoral Care: A Model for Small Schools By Jeremy J. Thomas, Secondary Principal Bandung Alliance Intercultural School, jeremythomas@baisedu.org “This was the weird part with me and Miller. We both hated each other, but even more than that, he wanted my money and I wanted my notebook back. Neither of us had said anything about it to Stricker, even when we both got suspended. It was like middle school Mafia or something,” writes James Peterson in his book, Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life. Being a middle schooler is hard! Hormones are all out of whack, your body wants nothing more than to still be asleep at 8:30am and wide awake at 11:00pm! What can schools do to provide pastoral care leading to students excelling through the supposedly “worst” years of their life? BAIS implements a comprehensive multi-faceted model catering to the many unique needs of middle schoolers. While the school provides pastoral care through a proactive, Christian approach, the model can easily be applied to other small schools, often through character formation and counseling. At BAIS, Bi-weekly chapels are core to the pastoral care model. The teachers and administration selected “Growing Together” as our theme for this school year. All students in Pre-K-12th grade are experiencing this theme connected to the Bible verse John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Secondary chapels are broken into three parts: welcome and worship, a sermon from the school chaplain, and small groups. The small groups are an opportunity for teachers to disciple and mentor their students and apply what was taught during the sermon. Small groups are determined by grade level and gender.. Male teachers lead the male small groups while females lead the female small groups. This year BAIS has transitioned to same-gender small groups which has allowed greater closeness and honesty between members. Weekly chaplain and counselor time is also built into the class schedule for all middle school students. The chaplain and counselor time uses a well-defined curriculum assisting students in goal-setting. 6th graders focus on study skills and choices. 7th graders learn personal, social, emotional development, and responses to spiritual experiences, while 8th graders receive their first lessons in college, career planning, and maturity. All secondary students create an ePortfolio using Google Sites. While there are some non-negotiables included such as MAP goal creation and reflection, biannual writing assessment goal setting and planning, and Expected Student Outcome reflection and goal setting, students are also given the freedom and creativity to create pages that reflect who they are and what they are passionate about and talented in. For students who might feel insecure in the tumult of the middle school years, this gives them a creative outlet with a finished product they can be confident in and proud of. In our model, the secondary principal creates the ePortfolio lesson plans and 38 EARCOS Triannual Journal
teachers deliver the lessons during monthly homeroom meetings. Enveloping these initiatives and the entire middle school student experience are the Expected Student Outcomes. The community is consistently seeking to integrate the ESOs in all we do in a way that leads to continued growth in the following four ESOs: 1. Biblical Application - Understand what the Bible teaches and demonstrate ways to apply Biblical truth to all areas of life. 2. Active Living and Learning - Know how to physically apply learned skills in ways that develop a healthy, active, and/or balanced lifestyle. 3. Innovative and Informed Thinking - Demonstrate innovative and informed thinking in order to solve problems and/or communicate effectively. 4. Social Responsibility - Develop an awareness of other individuals, cultures, societies, and worldviews in order to identify personal, local, and global opportunities for service resulting in active and engaged citizens. With misunderstandings with friends, disagreements with parents on expanding boundaries, and new academic expectations, the middle school years have the potential to be the worst years of students’ lives. However, when schools implement comprehensive models that focus on pastoral care, discipleship and mentorship, and a welldefined curriculum, the culture of middle schools can be transformed into a safe space full of secure and confident students taking intellectual risks.
Community Service >>
Connecting Communities:Yokohama Int’l School and Second Harvest By Ms. Sarah Urquhart Secondary Teacher and Service Learning Coordinator (urquharts@yis.ac.jp) When students were presented with the Personal Project opportunity as part of their final year in the IB Middle Years Programme, grade 10 student Hana Chapman knew that she wanted to use the opportunity to make a meaningful difference. Hana had previous experience volunteering on weekends and holidays with a Tokyo-based food bank organization, Second Harvest and became familiar with the work and needs of Hana Chapman. this growing NGO in Japan. Second Harvest runs several programmes to support individuals, families and children’s homes in the Yokohama and Tokyo areas that struggle with food security. As a bilingual student, Hana’s fluency in Japanese and English was a natural fit as she focused her Personal Project to help Second Harvest translate some of their promotional and outreach communications between English and Japanese to increase Second Harvest’s abilities to expand their reach. Hana also looked to increase her own reach within the Secondary School at Yokohama International School. She wanted to make her classmates more aware of the needs that exist within Japanese society, especially as these are easily overlooked in countries like Japan
that are more economically-developed. Hana reached out to me as the Secondary Service Learning Coordinator and we decided that a good way to raise awareness about the needs and mission of Second Harvest would be through participating in their seasonal “Adopt a Family” food drive campaign. Many children from families that live below the poverty line rely on school lunches to meet their nutritional needs and experience hunger and malnourishment during extended school holidays. While the “Adopt a Family” initiative was not directly related to Hana’s personal project, it was an excellent extension to involve more YIS students and increase the contribution that would benefit more people in need. The YIS pastoral care Tutor groups were a natural fit for this within both the Middle and High School and through Hana’s organization, Tutor groups were invited to participate by ‘adopting a family’ and preparing a food parcel to be delivered. Within each tutor group, students divided up the suggested item list to bring in essential foods such as rice, pasta, cooking oil, miso, tea, etc. that a family would need for a week. Students are currently in the process of collecting these items and parcels will be mailed to their adopted families on December 8th 2018. Each food parcel will also contain something special like chocolates along with a card and note from YIS students to express their holiday greetings and well wishes. In total, 22 families will experience less hunger and food insecurity over the 2017-2018 new year’s holiday in the Tokyo and Yokohama areas because of Yokohama International School’s involvement and Hana’s leadership. In Hana’s words, she hopes that the parcels will “raise awareness about issues of poverty within Japan and also help the families who need it”. Hana also has the long term vision to expand YIS’ involvement with Second Harvest by establishing a regular service group within the secondary school. Hana’s Personal Project and the “Adopt-a-Family” initiatives are just the start of another partnership that will connect YIS students to amazing local organizations looking to make people’s lives better.
Middle School Art Celebration
Chiang Mai International School, Thailand
(Left) Sun Jin Back, Grade 6, Local butterflies, contrast or camouflage. Watercolors. (Right) Chalisa (Fah) Hirunpruk, Grade 6 Local butterflies, contrast or camouflage. Watercolors. Winter 2017 Issue 39
Student Writing >>
Physical Education: Japan vs. Hong Kong By Nanami Hasegawa, Grade 10, Osaka International School
Japanese players on an extracurricular school baseball team warm up.
It is commonly known that children should have the right to play and exercise is beneficial for their overall health. However, it is evident that the emphasis on sports in schools differ by region, even if they are neighbors to one another such as Hong Kong and Japan.
When education in Hong Kong is mentioned, most people would think about the high achieving Hong Kongese students; they would most likely not know much about the situation of sports in schools across Hong Kong. This is because most competitive local and private schools in Hong Kong prioritize academics in order to build up their reputations (Pühse and Gerber 351). Physical education is viewed as a subject that takes away time from academics and is not valued in competitive schools that rely on academic success to gauge their educational level. According to a male student at a prestigious school, “Students are told that academic results are more important and therefore do not spend a big portion of their time in physical education classes.” (Source) This mindset has become rooted in the citizens of Hong Kong over time, leading parents to believe that sports will not be necessary for their children’s future careers. Due to the possible historical influence from the British Empire, clubs are prevalent across Hong Kong since the British system teaches the students the basics of PE and encourages students to do activities that interest them outside of school (National Curriculum in England).These clubs are also able to provide more high-quality facilities than most local schools in Hong Kong, so students who want to be more involved opt to these clubs to further their passion. In contrast, not only is Japan known for its solid academics, but it is also famous for its intensity in school sports. Physical education is not merely a subject in Japan but viewed as a part of the Japanese education plan (Nakai and Metzler 17). Unlike some public schools in Hong Kong, Japanese public schools organize extracurricular sports activities. Physical education teachers play the leading role in these activities in addition to their regular classes, so the problem of how they devote more of their time to these competitive extracurriculars than their classes are prevalent across schools. Due to this problem, there has been a recent push for these extracurricular sports activities to shift away from the competitive aspect and instead encourage life-long participation in sports. Multiple extracurricular school sports teams in Japan are also known to practice in extreme conditions. Students tend to train in the severe summer weather to improve their skills over the summer break as the militaristic practices from World War II still exist in schools 40 EARCOS Triannual Journal
today. In both the past and present, punishment in both physical education classes and after-school activities include physical punishment such as running laps. “When I was on the school’s soccer team, my coach used to be part of the military so he would not let us drink water during practice since that is how he trained soldiers to be stronger,” said a former high school student at a school in Tokyo during the 1980s (Source 2). These types of punishment have been lightened as time passed. “Whenever they forget their gear for practice, we make them do 100 push ups and sit ups,” said a high school teacher that coaches his school soccer team at a public school in Saitama Prefecture (Source 3). This shows that Japanese schools tend to take sports to the extreme, to the point where it endangers the students’ health. This is the opposite of some local schools in Hong Kong, where they don’t encourage exercise in schools because they fear students getting hurt. Even though different regions face different problems in their sports programs in schools, there are also similarities. For example, both students in Hong Kong and Japan state that the curriculums they follow are not enjoyable because they are inflexible and repetitive (Hasegawa). However, this issue can be easily solved by possibly increasing the variety of sports that are conducted in physical education classes.This shows that it is possible to increase student engagement in sports within schools and that students are motivated to improve their sports program. All in all, there are differences in attitudes towards sports in schools between regions, but at the same time, there are also similarities, especially within international schools. Even though some of the issues that are caused by differing points of view can be solved through simple fixes, others involve large-scale government policies that students and educators have less control over. Nevertheless, it is still crucial that students and educators take action to mitigate the negative effects that are caused by differing attitudes towards sports in schools. Works Cited - Hasegawa, Nanami. “Personal Project on if Culture Affects Students’ Attitude Towards Sports”. Questionnaire. 4 Oct. 2017. - Nakai, Takashi, and Michael W Metzler. “Standards and Practices in Asian Physical Education.” JOPERD, Sept. 2005. - “National Curriculum in England: Physical Education Programmes of Study.” National Curriculum in England: Physical Education Programmes of Study , Department for Education, www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationalcurriculum-in-england-physical-education-programmes-of-study/nationalcurriculum-in-england-physical-education-programmes-of-study. - Pühse, Uwe, and Markus Gerber. International Comparison of Physical Education: Concepts, Problems, Prospects. Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2005, https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=qCtBTC8MaVIC&source=gbs_ navlinks_s Source, Anonymous. Personal interview. 22 July 2017. Source 2, Anonymous. Personal interview. 31 July 2017. Source 3, Anonymous. Personal interview. 31 July 2017. Image Sources - Kaizuka, Taichi. “ The Mainichi, The Mainichi Newspapers, 1 Mar. 2016, mainichi.jp/graphs/20160301/hpj/00m/050/003000g/5.
Curriculum Initiatives >>
An Art Journey
By Jill Allyn Carter (P-12 Art), Concordia International School in Hanoi
What a wonderful teaching opportunity to build an ART STUDIO at our new 7 year old Concordia International School in Hanoi. I was hired to teach PS- Grade 12 as Art Instructor for the 2017-18 school year. I was at Pattimura Elementary school (JIS) Jakarta International School for 19 years. I used my Professional Development training with Kath Murdoch for 6 years , the author of the Power of Inquiry to start my journey.. I was thinking and wondering how I could move my MS Art program forward. My new MS principal, Dr. Ian Sutherland discussed being a Transformational Teacher during orientation back in August when I arrived. This really resonated with me. I wanted to transform our CISH Art room into an ART STUDIO Learning Space.. I wanted to show and share with my students how artists think and use the creative process. What an opportunity I have to transform the learning space, my students and myself.
Create-Express-Revise and REFLECT! So, with that in mind I also discussed how Artists think and used “A Personal Journey” by Davis Publication to help guide our learning. I wanted to have my MS start with Artist Are Storytellers. Each MS student had to create a piece of art that had a main character and produce it in their own way and there choice of art materials. This was a good way to let my students share their own voice in their work and since we were both new to each other this was my entry point to a MS art. We continued with themes such as Artists are Messengers and Artist are Designers. This was a good way to try different themes and materials in a place where taking a risk was a good thing and not worry about a grade. My mandatory grade 8 art class had become the Magnificent Grade 8 Art class that I told them in the beginning days they would become. Transformation of myself as an Art Teacher I have been very lucky to study with many fine teachers during my professional development training at JIS and CISH. It supported me as I moved through transformational moments in my life. I found that I needed to think and wonder as much as my students. I needed the “Power Of Inquiry”(KM) to support my teaching. I look to Cathy Hunt to inspire my learning with Art and Technology and Dr Lois Helland who wrote “Studio Thinking” and was the project manager of Project Zero in 1998 when I attended. My students benefited from my efforts to make PD apart of my life long Art teaching journey. The Art Studio at CISH will continue to move forward and transform with the help of my MS students who show me they are not afraid to take a risk and they want to get better with their art. ART in their school day and their life helps them to express what all MS students want to do and find a meaningful way to share it with themselves and others. As our first semester comes to a close, There are exhibition boards full of artwork outside the Art Studio hallway and my MS student artists’ learning journey continues. It is time to reflect again.
The Learning Space The transformation started by removing a very large desk. Everyone talks about you do not need a desk. Get rid of it! I used a semicircular table I found it centering and the students know where to find my classroom Ipad. Next I asked facilities to put wheels on all my tables so I could move the tables for every class from Reception class to HS. I added another semicircular table and 5 wooden stools and made it in Art Bar. I sit with my MS students to reflect, revise , and discuss their learning. I worked with facilities to put in modern wood shelving to support my MS artists in selecting their own supplies and returning them to their proper place. Lastly, I wanted to inspire my students to create by adding colorful handmade umbrella’s from Asia and shell and mirrored strings from Bali to shine the light into our working space. Creative Process and how it works in MS Art The front wall holds the words; Creative Process: Imagine-PlanWinter 2017 Issue 41
Press Release >> Faith Academy announced an Unconference
There were a number of raised eyebrows from staff members when Faith Academy announced an Unconference! as part of its teacher in-service day on November 1. Follow up emails shed more light on the event by describing it as “a learning experience created and led by participants.” Everyone on staff—both teachers and support personnel— were asked to propose a topic which would examine a question or concern or else suggest a session where they would be the expert. The concept of an unconference came from the corporate world and has been more recently used with teachers in the Edcamp format.
development. For example, an opening brainstorming session was kept to just 30 minutes, and only two sessions were scheduled instead of the suggested four. To get things started, staff members wrote suggested topics on sticky notes and put them on a whiteboard. Two administrators then read and organized the topics by category. These were then posted on a master board that had two hour-long sessions with eight slots in each. Topics included things directly related to classroom practice such as discussion techniques, feedback strategies and technology in teaching. Other topics went further afield with options like stretching exercises and using a lathe. A few sessions were led by a self-designated “expert,” but most were an informal discussion of peers. Participants were invited to “vote with their feet” and leave any session that didn’t meet their need or interest. To help keep the learning going, the session schedule was posted in a Google Doc, and each topic title in the doc was linked to a notes sheet created during the session. The administration was pleased that there were more viable topics than time would allow, and these have been saved as discussion items for future staff meetings. A follow up survey of the staff indicated that most felt the unconference was helpful. Comments showed that people appreciated the freedom to choose and the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues. The school plans to do an unconference again with the goal of collaborating with the Edcamp organization. This would involve inviting other schools and using a larger format with more sessions and time slots. By Brian Foutz, Curriculum Director, Faith Academy Manila
Faith Academy used a modified version of an unconference in order to keep things simple for its first try at this type of professional
Press Release >> SSIS is Designated Prestigious Apple Distinguished School Award Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: We are pleased that Saigon South International School is the first school in Vietnam to be recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for our innovation, leadership, and educational excellence. This is a two-year award, renewable for continued leadership in educational design thinking. In 2014, we committed ourselves to a new path and a new understanding of technology. Building on the foundational work of colleagues before us, we began with an expanded definition of “literacy” which envisions students who are fluent in the traditional areas of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also as creators in the emerging areas of communication such as video, audio, software programming, design, and language. As part of the application process, SSIS created an engaging multi-touch book (SSIS - Leading the Way in Innovation) documenting our commitment to the five best practices of an Apple Distinguished School: visionary leadership, innovative learning and teaching, ongoing professional learning, compelling evidence of success, and a flexible learning environment. 42 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Being named an Apple Distinguished School will provide our teachers with enhanced opportunities for professional development and we can expect an increase of visitors from other schools to come see all the exciting things we are doing at SSIS. For more information on Apple Distinguished Schools and how SSIS achieved this honor please visit https://www.ssis.edu.vn/about/appledistinguished-school About SSIS: Saigon South International School is a college preparatory school committed to the intellectual and personal development of each student in preparation for a purposeful life as a global citizen.
Press Release >> NIST International School Reaches Major Milestone with 25th Anniversary
integral part of the school’s culture. Students and staff representing nearly 60 nationalities then gathered on the sports field to mark the occasion, united by the belief in the power of a a diverse, caring community focused on lifelong growth. When NIST opened in August of 1992, the education landscape of Thailand looked radically different than today. The first parents who worked alongside the United Nations in Bangkok to lobby the Thai government to open a new international school lived in a time in which only six such schools existed. NIST was unique. The first school in Thailand built upon the values of the United Nations and the first to fully embrace all three programmes within the International Baccalaureate, it was founded on the principles of internationalism, free from any single nation or system. The NIST of today has carried on that legacy and built upon it, while supporting the strong culture of sustainability initiated by the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Reading the daily news, it’s easy to believe that conflict defines us, that race and culture divide us, and that equity and equality escape us. As NIST International School celebrated its 25th anniversary last 25 August, it defied those assumptions. The morning began with a ceremony that included tributes to the host country of Thailand, an
As Head of School Brett Penny opened the morning with an address to students, he reinforced that NIST “was founded by a community that came together around the belief that diversity is a point of strength rather than something to be afraid of ”, and “these founding values still drive our community”. From its expansive World Languages Programme to the strong focus on service, the school has strived to inspire and enrich students by introducing them to multiple perspectives and experiences. Throughout the day—with music, dance and food—that rich diversity was on full display as students, parents and staff joined together to celebrate the first 25 years. If the success and impact of NIST in that time is any indication, the next 25 will be even brighter.
Press Release >> Learning2 celebrate its10th Anniversary Learning2 celebrated their ten-year anniversary with another stellar conference, this time hosted by SAS China in Shanghai. The threeday conference took educators on a tour of new ways of thinking and learning collaboratively under the theme of “Illuminate the Next Decade.” Extended Sessions (three hour long workshops) ranged from a focus on the parent community being empowered to understand technology’s power to galvanize learners to building a culture of care to thinking more critically about being ‘data-driven,’ to so much more. A staple of the Learning2 experience is the student-as-leader model, and the event hosted student workshops as well as remarkable student keynotes (do take the time to watch them all on our youtube channel Learning 2.0 and share it with your community). In November 2018, Learning2 will move to The American School in Japan, so do follow us on twitter @learning2 to make sure your school takes advantage of the early bird offer to be.
Winter 2017 Issue 43
Press Release >> UNIS Hanoi’s Year of Triple Celebrations performed at a special occasion by young musicians of all ages. In addition, alumni from 73 countries plan to converge on the campus for a mega Hanoi Homecoming event, culminating in a memorable Day of Service and a wonderful community cocktail celebration.
HANOI, VIETNAM - The 2017-2018 academic year will certainly be a year to remember for the United Nations International School Hanoi (UNIS Hanoi) as it celebrates three significant milestones! This year marks the School’s 30th year in operation, 20 years as the first IB school in Asia and the Head of School’s 10th year at the helm of UNIS Hanoi. To commemorate, the School has organised a series of events throughout the year, starting with an all-school birthday celebration which took place on Tuesday 19 September.
Remarking on the landmark year, UNIS Hanoi’s Head of School, Dr Chip Barder said, “It’s wonderful to get the opportunity to reflect and celebrate the cumulative achievements of this School, especially during my tenth and final year here. UNIS Hanoi began in borrowed classrooms with just 13 students and a handful of teachers; three decades later we’ve mushroomed to a School that boasts more than 1,100 students and 315 faculty and staff members from as many as 64 different nations, all learning together on one sprawling purposebuilt campus. And as part of our mission to encourage students to be independent, lifelong learners, we are also passionate about Service to our host nation and her people.”
The calendar of activities will also include a special UN Day event as well as the launch of UNIS Hanoi’s very first official school anthem which will be composed by Middle and High School students and
Established in 1988, UNIS Hanoi is one of only two United Nations (UN) International Schools in the world. The School, founded on UN ideals and principles and 20 years ago, became the very first school in Asia to offer the full IB programme - PYP, MYP and IB Diploma.
Press Release >> New Year, New Structure at UNIS Hanoi
In addition to specialised pedagogy being practiced, middle schoolers will also benefit from a brand new approach to social and emotional learning. Introduced for the first time this year, Middle School teachers have become ‘mentors’ committed to developing strong relationships with each child and advocating for them in a holistic manner. This initiative is continued in High School with the focus shifting to the unique needs of students in their mid to late teens.
HANOI, VIETNAM - Middle School and High School students at the United Nations International School Hanoi (UNIS Hanoi) are benefitting from a personalized and holistic student experience this year, following a split of divisions. The historic reorganisation comes after the School undertook a year of institutional research that comprised a review of pedagogy, resources and school culture which subsequently highlighted a stark need for the separation. Explaining the move, Middle School Principal, Marc Vermiere said, “Creating this new structure gives us the ability to cater to very different groups of young people. It has also given us the ability to focus staff, leadership and resources so that we can better serve our students. “Educationally, middle school children are starting to think differently and in more abstract and independent ways. Socially and emotionally, they are developing a greater sense of their own agency, identities, and their relationships with others. This is an important transitional time between childhood and adulthood and in recognition of this, UNIS Hanoi created a distinct programme to meet the needs of students in Grades 6-8.” 44 EARCOS Triannual Journal
At the helm of the brand new High School is Principal, Scott Schaffner. New to UNIS Hanoi this year, Scott expressed excitement at joining the team at such a pivotal time in its thirty year history. A former Principal at the Dubai American Academy, Scott remarked, “Introducing separate divisions helps to create a culture for the teachers so that they can create a culture for the students which in turn encourages school spirit. Having said that, what we’re finding is that the two divisions are still working together on a daily basis and we’re further unified because we have a Deputy Middle School and High School Principal still in post.” Now more than a month on, both Principals report an overwhelmingly positive response - from faculty members, students and parents alike. “The transition has been very smooth and made all the more easier because of Scott’s arrival to UNIS Hanoi which has helped create our new school identities” said Marc.
Middle School Art Celebration
American Pacific International School Untitled ZHENG Xunxuan (Melissa), Grade 8
American Pacific International School Abstract Whale YOO Inhwa (Inhwa), Grade 8
The American School in Japan Claire, Grade 7
The American School in Japan War and Peace Kayra, Grade 8
Beijing BISS International School (Left) “Identity Collage”, Mixed-Media Jayani Garg, Grade 7 Beijing BISS International School (Right) “Self-portrait”, Graphite Zhi Han Wang, Grade 7
Canadian International School of Hong Kong StephanieWong, Grade 8 Mixed Media Brent International School Baguio (Left) Junguin Kim / Joseph, Grade 6
(Right) Leigh Grant Egino, Grade 7 Canadian International School of Hong Kong Mabel Ming, Grade 8 Colour Pencil St. Mary’s International School Shun Fujita, 7th Grade. Mixed Media Still Life
Yangon International School Tara, Grade 8 Surrealist Sculpture, paper macheclay
Bandung Alliance Intercultural School Self-Portrait This image was created using a grid. The different lines show movement and define space. Yu Lim Sung, Grade 8
International School of the Sacred Heart Anastasia Sasaki Grade 7
International School of the Sacred Heart Youmi Ji Grade 6
International Christian School - Hong Kong MS Collective Art Project:Â Francesco Lietti
Yew Chung International School of Qingdao (Left) Hye Nah Cho (Right) Yu Han Hannah Fan
Shanghai American School Puxi Campus (Left) Jodie Kim, 6th Grade, Acrylic (Right) Debbie Lee, 8th Grade, mixed-media
Middle School Art Celebration
Tohoku International School Jiwon Lee
Tohoku International School Mitchell Qualls
Yangon International School Melvin, Grade 6 Dali inspired print, styrofoam print on paper.
Thai-Chinese International School, Thailand Impressionist Landscape Phinyasuda Liu (Ganda), Grade 7
Thai-Chinese International School, Thailand Impressionist Landscape Yu-Hao Liu, Grade 7
Tianjin International School JaeMin Ko, 8th Grade Favorite Word, Pencil on Paper
Brent International School Subic Christian Quiambao Denis Lee, Imaginary Bud Watercolor and pen Watercolor and pen Tianjin International School Leah SuYeon Kim, 8th Grade Positive/Negative Skull, Cut Paper
St. Mary’s International School Mitsuteru Koyanagi, 8th Grade. Clay coil pot inspired by the art of polynesia Winter 2017 Issue 47
On the Road with Dr. K... Klingenstein Advisory Committee (L-R front) Pat Klingenstein and Pearl Rock Kane. (L-R middle row) James Scott, Mark Tashjian, Andy Klingestein, Stephanie Levy Lipkowitz, Carolyn Chandler, and JulieKlingestein. (L-R back row) Jefferson Burnett, Ole Jorgenson, Nancy Simpskin, Kathleen Pomerantz, and Dick Karjczar. (L-R middle above) Mark Reed and Jim Best.
Hong Kong International School (HKIS) Visit to see the new early childhood building. (L-R sitting) Susanne Forester and Sam Sorenson, Elementary Assistant Principal (L-R standing) Ron Roukema Interim Head of School, Maya Nelson Elementary School Principal, Don Drake Provost, and Margarita Mendez.
Visit to Dominican International School Taipei L-R Ms. Mercia de Souza, Head of School Sr. Maria Zenaida Ancheta, Dr. K, Sr. Maria Socorro Teofilo, and Joe Schoeman.
Morrison Academy Taipei Principal Susana Myburgh shows the display future school.
On the Road with Dr. K...
Visit to new member school YK Pao School Wuding Campus L-R Crick Chen, Deputy Principal and Shane Vey, Director Pastorial Care.
Visit to new member school YK Pao School Songjiang Campus. Lori Marek, Deputy Head of Hongqiao Campus, Dr. K, and Dr. Paul Wood, Executive Principal Secondary Division.
Ice Cream donation to Tohoku International School
International School of Ulaanbaatar 25th Anniversary Celebration L-R ISU Director Bill Elman and former Director Robert Stears.
ISU deputy head Tuul and Head of School Bill Elman open the 25th Anniversary celebration on a beautiful autumn afternoon.
Visit to K International School (EARCOS New Member) (L-R) Jeffery Jones Headmaster K International School and Board Chair and owner Yoshishige Komaki.
Visit to K International School (EARCOS New Member) (L-R) K International School Leadership Team Clay Bradley ELM VP, Mark Crowe HS Principal, Jeff Jones Headmaster, and Kevin Yoshihara.
EARCOS Professional Learning Weekend SY 2017-2018 JANUARY Jan 20-21, Yangon International School The Writing Workshop: Creating a Community of Writers Consultant: Laurie Ransom Coordinator: Dr. Brook MacNamara, bmacnamara@yismyanmar.com
Mar 3-4, United World College of South East Asia Instructional Strategies that Engage and Assess Consultant: John Zola Coordinator: Caroline Meek, centre@uwcsea.edu.sg
Jan 27-28, International School Manila Healthy Minds Consultant: Tom Nehmy Coordinator: Samuel Cook, cooks@ismanila.org
Mar 10-11, Seisen International School An Inquiry Approach to Teaching and Learning in Mathematics: Research Based Strategies to Improve Student Learning Consultant: Ms. Mignon Weckert Coordinator: Catherine Beswick, cbeswick@seisen.com
January 20-21, Shanghai American School Understanding by Design (UbD) Consultant: Jay McTighe Coordinator: Janet Claassen, janet.claassen@saschina.org FEBRUARY Feb 3-4, Tokyo International School Approaches to Learning Consultant: Lance King Coordinator: Stacey Isomura, staceyis@tokyois.com Feb 16-17, Nagoya International School Developing Opportunities for Action within the Curriculum Consultant: Peter Muir Coordinator: Luci Willis, lwillis@nis.ac.jp
APRIL April 6-7, Canggu Community School Visible Thinking in the Primary School Consultant: Aaron Downey and Claire Dusting Coordinator: Warren Bowers, wbowers@ccsbali.com April 7-8, Surabaya Intercultural School Connecting Mathematics to the World Around Us Consultant: Ron Lancaster Coordinator: Matthew Gaetano, mgaetano@sis.sch.id
MARCH
April 21-22, Hong Kong International School Designing an Assessment System to Measure Three-Dimensional Science Learning (Elementary and Middle School Teachers) Consultant: Wendy Smith Coordinator: Don Drake, ddrake@hkis.edu.hk
Mar 2-3, Thai Chinese International School Strategic Planning: Survival Guide for School Leaders and Board members Consultant: Dr. Steven E. Ballowe Coordinator: Dr. John McGrath, john.mcgrath@tcis.ac.th
April 21-22, Suzhou Singapore International School Supporting Students with the Demands of Summative Assessment: Transferrable Skills for Student Wellbeing Consultant: Richard Bruford Coordinator: Renee Rehfeldt, reneerehfeldt@ssis-suzhou.net
Conferences 2018 Conferences
2019 Conferences
High School GIN2018 January 19-21, 2018 Theme: “A Place to Stand” Concordia International School Shanghai Website: www.cissmun.org
18th International School Nurses of Asia Conference 2018 March 29-31, 2018 Pathumwan Princess Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand Hosted by International School Bangkok
Middle School GIN2018 March 2-4, 2018 Theme: “Seeking Solutions” Canggu Community School, Bali, Indonesia Contact: msgin@ccsbali.com
Spring Head’s Institute/Retreat 2018 April 20-21, 2018 PARKROYAL Hotel, Yangon
16th Teachers’ Conference 2018 March 29-31, 2018 Theme: “50 Years of Voices United in Purpose.” Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
51st Leadership Conference 2019 October 31 - November 2, 2019 Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia 17th Teachers’ Conference 2019 March 21-23, 2019 International School Bangkok, Thailand
4th EARCOS/CIS University Institute September 21-22 Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand 50th Leadership Conference 2018 October 25-27, 2018 Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
for more information about EARCOS future conferences visit www.earcos.org
