ISB Insight - Issue 9 by International School of Bucharest

A Thematic Approach to Teaching and Learning MRS. KERRY HARRIS HEAD OF PRIMARY SCHOOL

The primary school curriculum at ISB broadly follows the objectives from the Cambridge Primary Curriculum and the English National Curriculum. Both are adapted to meet the needs of our culturally diverse international student body and the context in which we live, Romania. Research has shown that breaking down the boundaries between subjects aids learning; promoting links across subject areas aids memory and allows for a broader and deeper understanding of the subject matter. In addition to this Laura Duerr an expert in the field of curriculum explains the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to the life of a student by stating, “With interdisciplinary instruction, students can become more involved in their learning … Students can become independent, confident individuals who ‘learn how to learn’ and develop lifelong learning skills” (Duerr, 2008) Primary school topics are planned collaboratively, teachers from each year group identify the skills and objectives to be taught for the term and incorporate them into a theme. Next year we will be introducing a new topic for Year 5:

a local study and Bucharest is the focus. Teachers will draw upon local expertise to build a detailed study incorporating historical and geographical evidence. Children will research historical events and build a time line; they will become history ‘detectives’ searching for clues to the past in their local environment. They will visit key historical sites and museums but also look for evidence of change around them comparing architecture, transport, and fashion from modern day Bucharest with pictures

of the past. They will speak to parents and grandparents about their school lives and make comparisons with today. Through looking at modern day and historical maps children witness how Bucharest has grown as a settlement. They also consider the demographic; why people migrate to and from the city. As part of this topic children will be developing their language skills through reading non-fiction texts and writing reports, devising questions for visitors and surveys, developing empathy as

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they imagine what it must have been like to live in Bucharest in the past, and reading and comprehending writing of local authors. In Year 3 one of the most popular topics for our children is ‘Active Planet’. Teachers use the same collaborative approach to planning they consider the skills and content required from the Year 3 objectives. These are taught through the theme of ‘Active Planet’. Children make a visit to a local museum. They incorporate the Science unit ‘Forces’ and learn about

gravity, weather, and volcanoes even making a model of an active volcano. Geographical skills are developed using maps and identifying where volcanoes are and earthquakes take place. English skills are developed through reading and researching natural disasters and the effects on population; through listening and reading news reports of a natural disaster, and empathising with those who have lived through these events. Through critical thinking and discussion children will also look to the future and consider how technological advance-

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ments are helping us protect ourselves and our environments from nature. If you would like to find out more about our Primary curriculum we have a curriculum guide on the school website, alternatively if you are interested in further reading there are many studies completed on the benefits of cross curricular learning. If you would like to find out more, a good place to start is Duerr, Laura L., 2008. “Interdisciplinary Instruction, Educational Horizons.” Happy reading!

The Importance of Social Interaction in Children’s Development MS. HELEN DIXON, FOUNDATION 1 TEACHER

Children begin to make relationships from the minute they are born. Their first relationships will be with their immediate family and they make strong bonds with the people who care for them very quickly. However, learning to communicate, interact and share with others are processes which take much longer. If you observe very young children playing together you will notice that the 2 and 3 year old’s usually play alongside each other, they may not talk to each other at all and they rarely offer to share toys. Children of this age will usually look for interaction with familiar adults. By the age of 4 most children are interested in playing with other children and they

start to interact and communicate with children who enjoy similar activities to them. It is through social interactions that the children begin to develop and establish their sense of ‘self” and to learn the types of behaviour expected of them. In order to learn behaviour such as sharing, cooperation, communicating and respecting the property of others children need to play with other children. Providing the opportunity

for social interaction is therefore very important for the social development of all children. A child who has limited social interaction with other children will find starting school a much more stressful experience than a child who has experienced playing with others and experienced sharing toys and negotiating space. Children need lots of practice over time to learn to share, take turns and solve conflicts. Parents can help prepare a

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toddler for making friends by spending time playing together. You can show them how to be a good friend and play well with others. Eg if playing with playdoh you could give them some and say ‘look here is some for you I like sharing with you’. Then you could encourage them to share with you. However, no matter how good your relationship is with your child and how

much time you spend playing with them children need opportunities to play with other children. When children first meet each other they will need to learn how to play together. They will need a familiar adult close by who can act as a positive role model and who they can turn to for help if necessary. In the beginning children like to have their carer close until they get to know the children around them so it is good if you sit close until they are confident

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and then move away and leave them to their play. Structured activities for this age group, which require turn taking for example, are not such a good idea but the things provided such as, balls, cars, dolls, creative activities all help children to begin social interaction without any pressure. Having the parent or carer nearby means that if a conflict arises then the adult can step in immediately and deal with the situation.

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ISB Little Explorers MRS. VICKY SEESHAAN, DEPUTY HEAD OF PRIMARY, EYFS COORDINATOR

Tuesday 14th of March saw the opening of the ‘ISB Little Explorers’ group, this is a new mother and toddler group that meets twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am – 11am. The group is free to join and is a wonderful opportunity for parents to meet each other and for children to play together and build relationships with other children in preparation for starting school.

For more information on toddler interactions and building relationships please read the article on this topic in this edition of Insight magazine.

other activities. The meeting is held in a private room with refreshments served for parents and children to enjoy.

Each meeting there is an opportunity for your children to participate in a 30 minute structured session with our wonderful Early Years staff, where they will be able to join in with some singing and have stories as well as

We have had a very successful start to the group and we would love to welcome more parents and children along. If you are interested in joining please register with the primary office, primary@isb.ro.

10 investigate and find out about the world around them. Through this play they will try out and practise ideas and acquire or consolidate different skills, take risks, explore their feelings, learn from their mistakes, be in control and think imaginatively. Playing is a vital part of learning for young children and it is important that Early Years teachers are able to facilitate environments for children to explore and learn effectively through self-initiated and adult led activities.

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Children use all of their senses during play and have a deep curiosity about the world around them, they use the information they gather from the play to form ideas and make sense of the world around them. During day to day activities children are receiving information from many different sources and they need to make sense of all of this is an appropriate way. They need to play through these different scenarios in order to make sense of them and deepen their understanding of how things work and why things happen. When young children are given time to be independent and make their own choices in a stimulating environment,

most will learn through their own explorations and play. They will be able to follow their own ideas and initiate their own activities. Early Years teachers are vital to this process, in providing an environment that facilitates the necessary independent exploration. The learning environments are carefully thought out and materials, time, space and a supportive emotional environment are provided. At ISB we advocate learning through play, our Early Years teachers are skilled and have many years of experience in providing the necessary environments in which children can thrive. We ensure that children are stimulated and supported in order to reach beyond their limits, supporting their development and enhancing their learning.

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Collaborative learning across Year 1 In 2017 Year 1 have spent time learning about living things, the Circus, plants, houses and homes and sound. The children have worked hard to share ideas and have improved their language development throughout. As a result of this kind of learning, the children have been able to discuss new ideas and to ask meaningful questions in a supportive learning environment. When the children have worked with a partner, they used scaffolded language to begin sentences and were able to work together and discuss their work before they began. When working in small groups, the children were assigned different roles and understood the importance of working as a team. This was particularly clear during En-

terprise Days when the children were all reliant upon each other, and during Science Day when the children listened carefully and learnt from the Year 5 and 6 children in the school. As the children become more comfortable working with a variety of other children, they have picked up more dialogue which is particularly important as the children transition to Year 2. Year 1 are learning the skills to work independently, with a partner or in a small group every day. These transferable skills will help the children in their future life at school as they learn to work together to produce high quality work. Well done Year 1 for being such flexible learners in 2017!

ROSE MAJOR / YEAR 1 LEADER

As Henry Ford says â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coming together is beginning, keeping together is progress and working together is success.â&#x20AC;?

Anca teaches us about Wesley

Wesley

Learning to sew

Learn Respect Succeed Community Inclusion VIKKI PEALL / YEAR 2 LEADER AND DEPUTY HEAD OF KEY STAGE 1

In January, Year 2 began a new topic about ‘Materials’. The teaching team wanted the children to learn about materials and be able successfully make a practical article. The question was what?

and discussed they realised that a perfect opportunity was a collaborative sewing project. The sewing unit was planned to take place during ‘Friendship and Inclusion’ week, traditionally held in February in ISB.

The Year 2 teachers sat down together and considered all the options of a material based project as they talked

The teachers began to communicate with guest speakers and the week was planned as an opportunity to talk about

other people in our community who have different needs to our own. In Key Stage one we focused on those who have visual impairment. The children discussed how blind people find their way around and researched Guide dogs. We read the true story of ‘Buddy’ the guide dog for Morris Frank and the first ever in the world. We thought

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about what a dog needs and listed ‘love’, ‘companionship’, physical needs -food, water and a bed. Suddenly our sewing project was born- we could make a bed for a dog! We contacted Sir Stan Platt who developed the ‘Light into Europe’ organization in Romanian and shared our idea with him. He arranged two fantastic guest speakers Anca and Seve and their two wonderful dogs, Bramble and Wesley to visit us. The children loved meeting them and asked lots of questions about training and looking after guide dogs and of course how the dogs look after their owners. We found out that to look after one guide dog for its whole life can cost 30,000pounds. During this week, the children across the primary school also began to collect 50 and 10 Bani coins and placed them on pictures in the gallery. There was a

guide dog and a wheel chair outline for each ISB house. The Key Stage 2 children had met with the Special Olympics team and decided to raise funds for their training program. We found that a small amount can grow if we work together and the total amount of coins exceeded 1000 lei for each charity! After meeting the dogs and their trainers the Year 2 children had sewing lessons and then began to create a bed that was comfortable and big enough for a dog… it took a lot of patches! The children were thrilled with their finished product when they evaluated their work to decide if it met all the criteria. The bed was collected by Seve and a puppy in a special assembly. Our core values were interwoven throughout this unit of work, making it a fantastic learning experience for now and for the future.

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An opportunity to talk about other people in our community who have different needs to our own.

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How long is a giraffe?

Effective Feedback for Learning MS. CATRIONA PITTENDREICH / YEAR3 LEADER

The most powerful single modification that enhances achievement is feedback. Year 3 have been developing the feedback given to students about their work in order to further improve learning. Providing appropriate feedback allows children to clearly understand what they did well and what they need to improve on. It encourages children to take ownership and pride in their work. By responding to individual pieces of work we are able to tailor feedback so that it meets the needs of each child. Our main aim is to encourage each child to strive for the best that they can do and to develop their confidence in their ability to succeed.

This term we have encouraged both individual and peer feedback. This has taught self-reflection and develops independent learning. By referring to the learning intention (WALT) it allows children to clearly see what they have achieved and what their next steps should be. Peer assessment allows discussion between learners and is a chance to share ideas. It encourages a reflective attitude and develops the ability to give feedback in a constructive way. Feedback used in Year 3:

2 Stars and a Wish – A chance for the teacher or peer to highlight two things that the child did well and one that requires improvement. Response Marking – Questions that encourage the child to think more about their work and develop/ extend ideas. Children are given time to read, reflect and respond to the teacher’s comments. Check lists – A list of success criteria for the children and teacher to compare work against.

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Year 4 Cross Curricular Learning in Art, Science, Humanities, English and PSHE MR. EDWARD SMITH YEAR 4 LEADER

In Year 4 we are strong believers in cross curricular-based learning. This style of learning provides opportunities for children to extend their learning into all areas of their lives, constantly making connections between ideas, knowledge, subjects and the world around them. This enthusiasm in the children is contagious and has a visible impact on their love of learning both in school and out. As a result of this we have worked hard to make this term as cross curricular as possible. Our topic title this term has been ‘Living

Things and their Environments’ and we have linked Science, English, Art, Humanities and PSHE to this topic. We have made connections in our English learning (non-chronological reports) by researching and writing reports on insects, their lives and their habitats. For Humanities and PSHE we have been around the school grounds, investigating the school’s environment to develop our understanding of the local environment and how we can protect and improve

it. In Art and Science we have made 3D dioramas of different habitats found on our planet, using a variety of modeling techniques to make them as accurate as possible. We have also created water colours of underwater habitats and will improve our sketching skills by drawing scientific illustrations of different plants. In the final week of term we will be concluding our unit by visiting the local park to carry out a wildlife survey and to sketch the local flora and fauna.

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Pretty Brilliant Learning MR. MARK EADY YEAR 6 TEACHER

In November and December, the Year 6 students completed their PBL (Project-Based Learning) Science Experiments. In November and December, the Year 6 students completed their PBL (Project-Based Learning) Science Experiments. Each student found an experiment they would like to try and then made a video of themselves performing that experiment. Experiments included the use of coloured liquid, various types of substances and even lava lamps! The students also completed a written part of their assignment, explaining how they designed the experiment and their observations and conclusions. Within the written report and the oral presentation the children had to focus

on the ‘science’ happening, and use their experience and knowledge to discuss the processes with the correct vocabulary. The Year 6 teaching team of Miss Emilia, Mr. Peall, Miss Alice, Mr. McAllister and Mr. Mark were very impressed with the high quality of the students’ PBL work as evidenced below: “As both a Year 6 teacher and English as a Second language teacher I was very impressed with the quality of the projects produced by the children who attend ESL classes. The children rose to the challenge extremely well and the

projects they produced were of excellent quality. The format of the project allowed the children to practice what they needed to say and then record their video in a comfortable environment. This in turn allowed Pretty Brilliant Learning children, who may not be the most confident when speaking in front of the class, to really demonstrate their scientific knowledge and develop their presentation skills. I am really proud of all the children who took part in the project and I hope that next year’s is as successful.” - Mr. McAllister

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Friendship and Inclusion Week at ISB MS. ANDREEA HANDREA / STUDENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT

Friendship is felt and experienced at ISB every day, but once a year we dedicate a week to celebrate this aspect of our pastoral curriculum - the “Friendship and Inclusion Week.” As usual, our aim is to expand ISB children’s knowledge and awareness of differences between people, while promoting inclusion by increasing their acceptance and tolerance towards differently-abled people. This year “Friendship and Inclusion Week” started on the 2nd of February with the celebration of the Chinese New Year together with our friends

from Conil School. We made Chinese dragons, lanterns and fans together, as well as finger painted, blossoming cherry trees. The week followed with the visit of our exceptionally talented friends from Special Olympics Romania. Our Year 5 and Year 6 students were very impressed by the numerous medals their friends from Special Olympics Roma-

nia won in Olympiads across the world. During their visit, the athletes shared their life stories with our students, they made Friendship bracelets together and talked about moral values that are important in sports, like courage, perseverance and determination. The students designed posters with the theme “Believe in Yourself”.

Mrs. Emilia Ispas, the Educational Programs Director at Special Olympics, also explained to us the difference between Special Olympics and Paralympics: Paralympics competitions include people who are physically challenged, while Special Olympics are competitions for young people with intellectual challenges. On Wednesday 8th February, our Year 5 and Year 6 students met Mr. Laurentiu Serban during their assembly. Mr. Laurentiu Serban lost his leg during a military mission in Afganistan. He is an example of courage and mental and physical discipline. He talked to our students about the importance of these skills and the big difference they make when overcoming a traumatic event. With special prosthesis he continues to climb mountains, paraglides, and jogs even faster than before. The children with Downâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Syndrome from Caritas Association, joined KS1 and Early Years during their Computing, Music and Arts lessons in KS1 and during their Integrated Classroom Activities in Early Years. They have also made beautiful Friendship bracelets together and gave them as a present to their friends. Many thanks to Mr. Bogdan Anicescu, from the National Association of Deaf People in Romania who gave a presentation on sign language to our students and to Light Into Europe Charity for honouring our invitation to visit us during Friendship Week with their amazing guide dogs. During Friendship Week, the students raised money for the Paralympic Team and for the Light into Europe Charity, through a Coin Challenge Charity Campaign. A total of 2007.30 lei (in 10 and 50 Bani coins) was placed on the pictures in our Gallery area. The older

Dear Vi

students completed pictures of wheel chairs for the Paralympic team and our infants completed the pictures of the dogs. Well done to everyone involved in this very successful week: the Student Services Department, Primary teachers, our guests and and everyone for their generous help.

kki We were visit IS so pleased to b and of c B last week, A e able to a really ourse the Guide nca, Seve w D at the p onderful time, a ogs had did the hotographs on F nd looking c Thank y hildren and sta acebook so ff ou and for so much for th at ISB. coins, w the wonderful c e invitation ell done o to everyb llection of at ISB ody involved ! Kindest reg Stan P ards latt

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Our students learnt about the sign language

Primary students learnt about the amazing help guide dogs are to visually impared people

ISB is Now a Proud Member of the Eco Schools Project MRS. SARA NEWSHAM YEAR 1 TEACHER

ISB is proud to announce our membership of the Eco Schools project.

Eco Schools is an organisation that consists of 49000 schools in 64 different countries. The key aim of Eco Schools is to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ensure young people have power to be the change for sustainability that our world needs by engaging them in fun, action-orientated and socially responsible learning.â&#x20AC;? They achieve this through their 7 step framework where schools: Form an Eco-Committee; Carry out an Environ-

mental Review; Make an Action Plan; Monitor and Evaluate; Link this work to the Curriculum; Inform and Involve the whole school community; Produce an Eco-Code. Schools can focus on a wide range of themes which include: Biodiversity and nature; Climate Change; Energy; Global Citizenship; Health and Wellbeing; Litter; School Grounds; Transport; aster; Water.

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More information can be found out about Eco Schools on http://www.ecoscho ols.global What this means for ISB? We will be creating student led committees in Primary and Secondary who will decided how they think ISB can have more positive impact on the environment. These ideas will then be taken to an executive committee led

by students made up of representatives from both sections of the school, teachers, administrative staff and parents. This committee will then develop an action plan identifying our top priorities we will start work on improving our school! This initiative involves the whole school community - students, staff and parents - working together, so we value your input.

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On Friday 24th March ISB celebrated the launch for our Eco Schools initiative. Students and teachers were invited to come dressed in green on this day and donate 10lei to help raise funds for further Eco School activities and projects. If you want any further information please contact Sarah Newsham sarah. newsham@isb.ro (Primary).

Effective Methods of Teaching Science MRS. SARAH NEWSHAM YEAR 1 TEACHER

Science allows our children to better understand the world in which they live, as well as providing an opportunity to question and discover. At ISB our teachers use a mixture of teaching techniques to give every child the chance to discover all areas of science and develop their interests. Through the Cambridge International Primary Curriculum, all children learn some Chemistry, Biology and Physics each year. The Units of study are built upon through the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time in the Primary school. In Years Five and Six, children participate in a PBL (Project Based Learning) assignment where the children get to investigate an area of Science of their choosing. Each child then produces a scientific write up and a video of their project. The video explains what they did, why they chose the project and explains the science behind the project. The video also shows a demonstration of the experiment itself. This style of learning helps develop a deeper understanding of a subject as well as being good practice in research and presentation skills, which theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need later on in their school life.

The excitment of bridge testing

Some of these projects were then chosen to be part of Science Day. This is when the students became the teachers. Students from Years Five and Six visited younger classes to demonstrate their experiments and then to help the children recreate the experiment. The demonstrating students developed a deeper understanding of their subject by explaining it to others and the younger children got to carry out a new experiment. Of course, most importantly, everyone had lots of fun. Also on Science Day the Years Five and Six undertook an investigation project where they worked in small groups to build a bridge out of spaghetti. The bridge had to meet some criteria: it had to span

more than 35cm and no other materials could be used other than 1 pack of spaghetti and PVA glue, the winning bridge being the one which could support the most suspended mass. We tested the bridges in the Theatre, with some very tense moments. To round off the half term, some of our students took part in the FirSTep Science Fair which was again hosted here at ISB. Our students competed against children from all over Romania. They talked to visitors and judges, explaining and demonstrating their experiments. ISB Primary gained 7 Gold, 3 Silver and 9 Bronze medals, so we are very proud of them. The gold medal winners will attend a Science Camp at in April.

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We learn through experimenting

Keeping experimenting and testing in Early Years

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Space The Last Frontier MRS HELEN EVANS & MR. ANTHONY O’BRIEN YEAR 5 CLASS TEACHER AND EXAMS OFFICER

“We went to the Moon and back, made a step forward in our development and had an experience we will never forget.” Karina, 7S A group of would-be astronauts headed off to Belgium for five intensive days of Space Camp. The group consisted of 20 students from Years 5 – 8, plus Miss Evans from Primary, Mr Pudak from Secondary and Mr O’Brien, also from Secondary. After an early morning flight and transfer the students went straight into their training. Activities were both exciting and informative and kept the students busy throughout each day. We had rocket building and launching workshops, talks about constellations and life on the International Space Station (ISS) and the Sky Chart. We found out about the properties of light and built a spectroscope to investigate

them. Astronaut training consisted of moonwalks, the zero-gravity wall and sessions on the multi-axes chair. However, the ultimate and most keenly anticipated experience was the shuttle mission. Our students had to take on roles in a replica shuttle or in mission control. Their task was to simulate the launch of the space shuttle, the deployment of a satellite, dock with the ISS as well as manoeuvre and land safely back on Earth. We can proudly say that all three teams were successful. Congratulations to all our students on their achievements! Quotes “The multi-axes chair made you feel quite dizzy, but it was so much fun!

Whilst spinning we had to work out calculations at the same time. It made us feel as though we were real astronauts as we needed to complete multiple tasks at the same time!” -David, 5E

“I liked the zero-gravity wall the best because it made you feel weightless, as if you were actually in space!” -Aurora, 5E

“We are 100% going there again next year!” -Ilinca, 7S and Aysa, 7B

“This was an amazing experience with Miss Evans, Mr O’Brien and Mr Pudak.” -Ramy, 7S

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Ready to launch our water rockets

Receiving our certificates

Keeping experimenting and testing in Early Years

7 Gold Medals for ISB Sdents at FirSTep Competition MS. MADALINA CIOC / PR & ADMISSIONS OFFICER

ISB hosted again this year the FirSTep Science Competition organised by Lumina. ISB hosted again this year the FirSTep Science Competition organised by Lumina Institutii de Invatamant. The Competition took place on Saturday, 18th February and was a huge success: 274 projects from 10 schools, were judged by 24 jury members in 6 categories. Our students won 50 medals: 8 gold, 13 silver and 29 bronze. Below

you can find the names of the projects and the names of the students who won the gold medals. Hyperboloid – Mihail V. (Year 7B) and Alexandra G. (Year 7S)

Tesla Coil – Maria V. (Year 6P) Magic Mud – Victoria B. (Year 6P) Magnetic Slime – Elizabeth N. (Year 6P) Bio Gas- Ogut S. (Year 6M)

Eco Bottles – Fabian G. (Year 5L)

Ferro fluid – Aida D. (Year 6M)

Electromagnetic Field – Karina V. (Year 7S)

Congratulations to all. You made us very proud.

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We are very proud of our students who won 8 gold medals with their brilliant projects

ISB - First Step 2017

Winter is Always Fun at ISB MRS. INGRID STANCIU / HEAD OF PASTORAL CAR

We had a lot of fun and we learnt a lot of things, improved our skiing ability, made new friends and became closer to our teachers. “The ski trip to Brasov was the most amazing ski trip ever! We stayed in Poiana Brasov for 3 days! The purpose of this trip was for students to learn how to ski or improve their skiing skills, but also to have fun and enjoy winter.

made new friends and became closer to our teachers. The hotel was a very beautiful classy hotel that we enjoyed staying in, even if it was only for a few days. We also had fun at the hotel’s pool, spa and games room.

Snow, sun, slopes and spa are just a few key words which gave us the energy to wake up every morning and explore the opportunities of each day.

The snow was amazing and we skied a lot, with the best instructors provided by the hotel’s ski academy. The instructors were patient with each of us and helped us throughout the trip. They knew how to challenge us and how to encourage us when our legs got tired!

We had a lot of fun and we learnt a lot of things, improved our skiing ability,

The trip was fun and relaxing, and we are looking forward to the next one!” Laura C. and Alexandra C., Year 9 “The KS2 Ski trip to Poiana Brasov was a fantastic success. It was the first year ISB have gone for so long and the first time to Poiana Brasov. The children loved every minute of it. The instructors were of a very high quality and the children all made huge improvements in their abilities, as did the teachers. As well as skiing we had fun in the eve-

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nings with a movie night, quiz night and fun in the hotel’s pool. On our last night we had birthday cake to celebrate a birthday. The skiing was physically demanding but the children all coped amazingly well. Mr. Ed, Mrs. New and Mr. Quysner were really impressed with their attitudes and their behaviour on the slopes and in the hotel, all being fantastic ambassadors for ISB. We cannot wait for next year!” During January and February, the Primary Years had fun playing in the snow and smelling the fresh air. Ice skating is our students’ favourite winter activity, so they had fun two weeks in a row. We saw a big improvement in their ice skating skills, as it’s a fun activity for socialising, recreation and healthy competition. KS2 students and their PE teachers had a FUNtastic time on ice during these weeks. KS1 students had a lot of exercise while climbing up the huge pile of snow and repeated this climb tirelessly. Well done, Primary!

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The 14th Edition of Lumina Football Cup MS. MADALINA CIOC / PR & ADMISSIONS OFFICER

We are extremely proud of both our junior and senior teams for their excellent results in this very tight competition. Congratulations to our U14 and U16 boys, U11 girls and U13 boys for winning the 1st place, U9 girls and U11 boys for winning the 2nd place and our U14 girls, U9 girls team for winning the third place. The best Goalkeeper U14, The top scorer U14, The best player and best goalkeeper U16, The

best scorer U16, Best player U11 trophies went to ISB students as well. Many thanks to everyone involved in the organisation of this very big football competition as well as to all the participating teams and to our special guest, the famous football player, Mr. Florin Raducioiu, who opened the Junior competition.

JUNE 2017

MS. LAURA BLUE WATERS ART TEACHER

Why Collaborative Work Benefits Learning MS. REBECCA FOX / YEAR 5 TEACHER

Collaborative learning involves groups of students working together to complete a task. This could be solving a problem such as the one 5F solved during their work in Maths on ratio and proportion; complete a task such as the spaghetti bridge challenge Years 5 and 6 took part in on Science Day; or creating something which all the primary school did during the two Enterprise Days when they made Mother’s Day gifts. Research shows that collaborative learning leads to deeper learning. This is because collaborative learning develops:  high level thinking skills; this is when children use complex judge-

ment, critical thinking and problem solving  oral communication; verbal communication between peers is improved as children grow in confidence. Student’s social skills are also enhanced.  self-management and leadership skills; collaborative learning give the children ownership of their work. For example, during Enterprise Days the children had to communicate and decide as a group the different roles they would take.  self-esteem; when children’s work is valued by their peers their indi-

vidual self-esteem and respect improve dramatically.  improves team work skills and  creates a stronger support system. It is not only the children in ISB that work collaboratively, the teachers do too! All the teachers meet with their year groups to plan lessons collaboratively. This allows resources, ideas, and teaching strategies to be shared and support to be given so that the best possible lesson can be delivered. Working collaboratively offers another layer of support and allows both children and adults to have fun while learning. If we have fun in school then no one will want to leave!

We are very proud of our products

The ISB Successful “Entrepreneurs” Make Gifts for Mother’s Day

All our Primary School students and teachers have been really busy this week during Enterprise Day MR. SCOTT CABLE / YEAR 2 TEACHER

Enterprise Day is an annual event at ISB which gives the children the opportunity to work with their colleagues from other classes and year groups, develop their teamwork skills and express their innovation and creativity in a real life context. This year Enterprise Day

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All our Primary School students and teachers have been really busy this week during Enterprise Day

grew even bigger as the whole Primary school worked co-cooperatively and competitively to make Mother’s Day gifts for the 8th of March. The children formed their own small companies comprising five team members and designed their own company names, logos and slogans. Each child then took on a specific role within the company and they worked together to make, buy and sell gifts using pretend money.

flow. After taking part in some Art workshops they then utilised their art and craft skills to produce high quality gifts in their classrooms.

They learned how to calculate profit and loss and even made projections for expected profit. They investigated the purpose of banks, how interest is calculated and had to decide upon how to best look after their business’ cash

“I would like to thank to the teachers and management team of our Primary school for organizing the Enterprise Day. The event was shown as an exemplary activity on national news today.” Mr. Sinan Kosak, ISB Director.

All the gifts were then passed to each company’s ‘Head of Sales’ who used their bargaining and negotiating skills to capture the best possible price for each item. This year due to the high quality of gifts and the excellent salesmanship, record profits were recorded across the school.

Who knew teachers are the best negociators? Enterprise Day.

ISSUE 9

Student Council News MR. EDWARD SMITH / YEAR 4 LEADER

This term the Student Council have been acting as consultants and have been helping to come up with ideas on how to improve the primary library, such as adding additional seating and areas for relaxation and adding more accessible shelving to showcase our amazing books. The shelving has already been changed and hopefully the relaxation areas will be added before the next school year. We have also worked with Miss Kerry to come up with ideas to update and improve the murals in the shared common areas in the primary corridors. These have included redoing the

murals to something more relevant and current, or possibly changing them to be more creative and interactive. We’re waiting in anticipation. Next term there will be some big events involving the Student Council, including the return of the very successful KS2

Talent Show, with the Student Council acting as impartial judges. Last year’s winners got to perform at the Summer Fair and we hope this will be the case again in 2017. It’s a great opportunity for the Student Council to showcase the talent that we have in the ISB Primary School.

JUNE 2017

History Comes Alive Through Drama

There are several benefits to using drama in the classroom.  Drama requires students to use creative and critical thinking skills as well as communication skills.  It makes the subject interactive and therefore allows students to take an active role in learning.  It allows students to work together collaboratively in applying the content in a hands-on way.  As a result, students are more likely to enjoy, understand and retain information.

MS. JESSICA MILLER HISTORY TEACHER

History is more than facts on paper. Society continues to be shaped by the events and people of the past, and one way to make these historical accounts and figures come alive is through drama activities in the classroom.

Throughout this school year, I have been using drama activities in my Year 7 History lessons at ISB. The students have responded very positively to these activities. They laugh, have fun and walk away with a deeper connection to the subject. We’ve been studying the Romans and the Middle Ages, and there has been plenty of variety to our drama activities!

Here are two example activities: Role play: During role play, students pretend to be another person; this could be a specific historical figure like King William I or a member of society like a medieval peasant. The idea is that students take on the personality and/or characteristics of their role. For example, this activity can be organised around a debate (Who has it better in Roman society, the Patricians or the Plebeians?), an interview (Ask a medieval peasant about his/her life), or a TV news report (Breaking news: Thomas Becket’s murder).  Tableaux (or Still Images): For this activity, students pose a scene for the class as if it were a frozen image. For example, my students used the Legend of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, to create Still Images. Each group represented a different part of the legend. While one group was performing their Still Image, the rest of the class guessed which part of the story they represented.

ISSUE 9

A Year of Review, Reflection and Forward Planning MR. DAVID NEWSHAM / HEAD OF SECONDARY SCHOOL

way our students are welcoming and supportive of a varying different cultures, nationalities and backgrounds of their classmate and we are proud of the way our alumni are able to adapt and assimilate into communities around the world and are forging successful careers in many and varied fields.

We live in a time of great change where the social, political and economic norms of the past 30 years are being challenged every day. These are the circumstances in which we are working in partnership with you to give your sons and daughters the best possible start in life and the highest chance of forging a successful life in the future. I have written and spoken before about the fact that we are educating our students for jobs and careers which are not in existence at the moment. In a world where change is happening so quickly and so fluidly, it is increasingly important that we focus our efforts on developing the skills our children will need to be adaptable tomorrow rather than instilling the knowledge that is needed today. This is the fundamental reason why ISB has taken the decision to move from the English ‘A-level’ exams to the International Baccalaureate for our “pre-university” students in our Sixth Form (years 12 and 13). The fundamental difference is the change in approach from a collection of individual subjects each of which has their own content to be “delivered” to a composite educational experience where the connections and similarities between the subjects are highlighted and students are challenged to develop the skills required to keep “learning” in their chosen fields. Our IGCSE and KS3 programmes will remain unchanged but we expect to see students from Year 7 upwards start to take more responsibility for and develop a deeper appreciation of their own education as IB pedagogy starts to permeate the secondary school. We are encouraging this through our PBL programme in years 7 to 10 and with the introduction of Glob-

The positive outcomes of our recent inspections by representatives of the Council of International Schools and the International Baccalaureate are testament to the work we are doing to provide the very best educational opportunities to our students. al Perspectives as a compulsory subject to Year 10 and 11. It was fascinating to watch the presentations of our year 10 students during the Humanities week assembly in Term 1. Dr Kurt Hahn is an educationalist who has influenced me greatly throughout my career and one of his philosophies was to develop an ability in young people to think globally and act locally. Kurt Hahn was instrumental in the development of both the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the International Baccalaureate diploma programme. Think global, act local is something we will be increasingly asking our students to do through the school’s involvement in the Eco Schools organisation, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the IB Diploma, Global Perspectives and in celebrating the diversity of our international community through various National days and, of course, International week each year. The best way to challenge the creeping advance of nationalism and isolationism in the world is by helping young people recognise their place in a global community. ISB is proud of the

This year has been a year of review, reflection and forward planning. From here we are looking to a year of both implementation and consolidation. We have international good practice to implement to ensure the success of our first cohort of IB students, and to do this we have to consolidate the good practice we already demonstrate. Our students have achieved success in international examinations, as demonstrated by November session CIE exam results, in national and international competitions such as the recent maths and FirStep competitions and in performances and presentations given within the school. The recent mock examinations for our students in Years 11, 12 and 13 highlighted strengths and identified weaknesses in time for teachers help them become fully prepared for their examinations in May and June. I enter school each morning expecting to be surprised by something our students have shown themselves callable of achieving, and I am very rarely disappointed.

ISB Secondary Students’ Excellent Results in Olympiads MS. MIHAELA STAN HAPENCIUC MATHS TEACHER

Even if secondary students might have a busy schedule during the year attending clubs and different activities, a few of them found time at home for their intellectual growth by researching different areas of the subjects studied in school beyond their age level.

Every year, beside the national Olympiads, many online contests take place for subjects such as Math, Physics, English, History, Chemistry etc. Some of these contests are not very difficult and they welcome all students as potential participants – not only those few who excel academically. The Olympiads and Contests experience increases the confidence in the student’s abilities and shows them that they are unique and very talented, allowing them to challenge themselves. To show our support and appreciation we would like share with you the results our students achieved this year in different Olympiads and Competitions, besides FirSTep. LuminaMath is a well-known free individual competition in Romania based on the Romanian syllabus and took place on 26th of November 2016. Two of our secondary students, Karina V. and Costin Alexandru R. from year 7, passed the online phase of the contest and Costin got a mention in the written phase. Well done Costin! Fourth International Tournament Mathematics without Borders is an individual competition in English that took place between 28th January and 7th February 2017, where our year 7 students Mihail V., Andrei I., Katia R, Luca Ioan T., Mihnea-Ilie-Ioan V., Karina-Alecsandra V, Joshua Sam P., and Paul-Serban B. from year 8, together with several KS2 students, participated in the winter round of the competition. ISB students won 6 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 5 bronze medals, from which one silver belongs to Paul-Serban, and 2 bronze to Mihail Andrei Ioan and Joshua Sam. Well done guys! Next round will be 21 – 31 March 2017 and we are looking forward to even better results. Mathematics Olympiad (local phase, Sector 3) is an individual competition in Romanian open to all students fol-

lowing the national curriculum. The purpose of the Olympiad, other than to develop students’ interest in mathematics as well as their problem solving abilities, is to serve as qualification for the Romanian Mathematical Olympiad. This year, on 19th February, Costin R. from year 7 qualified for the local phase and he got a good result, but he didn’t qualify for the next round. Keep up the good work and we know you’ll do better next year! HighFour Competitions is an online team contest that offers 7 monthly subject competitions where teams of 4 can compete and solve questions in different age categories starting from year 5 to year 13. Many schools, including ISB, participated in Mathematics, History of Mathematics, General Sciences, Physics and World History, across different grade levels. The students enjoyed the experience of working in teams to solve problems and are excited to participate in the next rounds. Round 7 of the online competition for Mathematics was held on 14th March 2017 (Tuesday) and 9 teams represented ISB. The students had to answer 20 questions in 30 minutes. In the Grade 9-10 category, our students got really good results: Maria D; Ingrid D.; Chaoyu L; Nicolas M. (the pentagons team) got the 2nd place; Dinu S., Andrei S., Anca I., Yunus C. had a tie with Lucian N., Ariana Z., Andreea S. and Ioana D. for the 3rd place, and Afnan A., Daria S., Carla L. and David N. got the 6th place. The Grade 11-12 category for Mathematics was quite popular in ISB and 3 teams got the 2nd place: Petru R.; Meryem O.; Roman K.; Jay Wing Y Chim (team 1), Ana A., Shuhan M., Lin X., JingTing (team 2), Steve D., Paul C.T, Vlad V., Alexandru L. (team 3), while the team composed by Halime Betul A., Fivos G., Stefan L. and Clod M. got the 4th place. In the Grade 6-8 category, 66 teams from 13 schools

ISSUE 8 JANUARY 2017

participated and our year 7 team (eagles) formed by Rares S., Amir H., Mihail V., Costin R. got the 8th place. The same year 7 team got the 2nd place in the General Sciences contest for their age level, even though they competed against year 8 and year 9 students from other schools - well done, eagles! The Physics (round 7) online competition was held on 21st March 2017 (Tuesday) and 2 teams represented ISB: in Grade 9-10 category, our students Maria D; Ingrid D.; Lu Chaoyu; Nicolas M.(the pentagons team) got the 1st place and Stefan I., Bogdan G., George V. and Lucian N. got the 3rd place.

In the other 2 subject competitions our students from year 11 (grade 9-10 category) continued to make us proud of them: in the History of Mathematics the team formed by Lucian N., Ariana Z., Andreea S. and Ioana D. got the 1st place, and in the World History competition Aristidis S., Ioana D., Alexandru A. and Julia G. also got the 1st place. Congratulations to all the participating teams! We are very proud of you all, and we would like to encourage more and more students to participate! We are looking forward to seeing more great performances from the rest of the students and we will keep you updated with their results.

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Congratulations to all the participating teams! We are very proud of you all, and we would like to encourage more and more students to participate!

Mathematics Awareness Month MATHEMATICS AWARENESS MONTH

With April being the month of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mathematics and Statistics Awareness,â&#x20AC;? it is a time to increase our understanding and appreciation of these particular fields as they do, indeed, play a significant role in problemsolving various complex aspects of everyday life. These include internet security, sustainability, disease, climate change, the data deluge, and much more. Let us all celebrate the intricacy of applied mathematics as well as the numerous researchers and students that constantly contribute to the expansion of statistical knowledge. Research in these and other areas is ongoing, revealing new results and applications every day in fields such as medicine, manufacturing, energy, biotechnology, and business. Not only does Mathematics provide the necessary tools in order to further innovate the technological aspects of society, but also allows the creation of new systems and complex methodologies. The encryption algorithm used today in e-commerce, for example, greatly relies upon results discovered in the 17th and 18th centuries, thus exposing the ways in which Mathematics has inspired the production of various innovations. Hence, this exposes how Mathematics is not solely of significance as a standalone subject, but also the way in which it influences various aspects of society including both sciences and econom-

ics. The beauty of Mathematics also further extends to some of the most stunning architecture and art. In the age of big data, Statistics underlies almost every decision made today, whether it's the effectiveness of a new drug or treatment, or the debut of a new mobile device. Statistics is how analysts convert raw data into useful information, from studies of proteins to surveys of galaxies. The application and use of this vital subject is further extrapolated through the way in which it trains one to critically think and problem solve. From magic squares and MĂśbius bands to magical card tricks and illusions, mysterious phenomena with elegant "Aha!" explanations show that Mathematics and Statistics have been the foundation of everything, for centuries.

ISSUE 9 JUNE 2017

40 – 41

The Great Benefits of Playing a Musical Instrument MRS. ADINA BARBU MUSIC TEACHER

Between soccer and scouts, your school-age kid’s schedule is loaded with fun activities. If you’re on the fence about adding music classes to the list, take note of the benefits that come with signing your little one up for violin or piano lessons. Maybe he won’t be the next Beethoven, but he may have an easier time learning math, practicing good manners (including patience!), and becoming a team player.

Playing a musical instrument improves academic skills Music and math are highly intertwined. By understanding beat, rhythm, and scales, children are learning how to divide, create fractions, and recognize patterns. It seems that music wires a child’s brain to help him better understand other areas of math. Playing a musical instrument also develops physical skills and refines discipline and patience.

ISSUE 8 JANUARY 2017

Playing a musical instrument improves social life Playing a musical instrument promotes happiness in your life and those around you. This activity can be very fun and exciting. Not only that it is fun to play music that you enjoy, but it feels wonderful to hear an audience applaud you for giving a great performance.

Playing a musical instrument teaches patience! Music teachers feel that music can help teach patience. In a world of instant gratification, learning to play an instrument is not something that can happen overnight. It is the daily effort of everyday practice that can help a musician learn how to play without mistakes. Most musicians go through years of regular practice that includes daily musical exercises and the tackling of progressively difficult musical pieces, which in turn helps them conquer the virtue of patience.

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Arts For Art’s Sake MR. IAN MCSHANE / HEAD OF CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS

Art is about more than performances or exhibitions. Teachers of creative subjects spend a lot of time justifying their existence, but we are ultimately the lucky ones who see students, some of whom struggle in other areas, blossoming as individuals. The benefits to self-esteem, confidence and self-expression cannot be measured and it is always rewarding to be surprised during the school day. This does not mean, though, that we can’t share occasionally these experiences. The Creative Arts Week is the perfect showcase for what goes on behind our classroom doors. Each December, our week (actually much longer than a week, allowing for art exhibitions, theatre trips and concerts, but who’s counting?) culminates in an assembly, when we get to share our work with the school and end the calendar year on a high. This year, dozens of stu-

dents showcased a range of abilities and there were a number of highlights. Miss Teodora’s students kicked things off in dazzling fashion with a parade of wonderful costumes made from scrap paper, plastic cups and Scotch tape. Don’t laugh – we’ll all be wearing them come summer. Miss Adina presented a diverse display of musical performances, including Ali Birbudak playing the parts of all four members of Queen to jaw-dropping effect. Finally, Miss Cristina’s Key Stage 3 students presented their devised Drama pieces, some of which will make up this April’s show, Here’s One We Made Earlier, a collec-

tion of drama pieces showing parents what we get up to in lessons. Our Art exhibition, organized by Miss Laura and Miss Teodora, also illustrated the vast range of creativity offered by our students. Our A Level Drama groups took in a couple of shows at Bucharest’s National Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Trojan Women, as preparation for their exams and they will be returning to school in June, long after the end of normal lessons, to take part in this year’s secondary production, The Bench – a testament to their dedication and commitment to the arts.

ISSUE 9 JUNE 2017

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Students in Year 10 have works on display on the 3rd floor in a mini-exhibition. The exhibition included self-portraits and landscape paintings and still life drawings. Still life studies require students to work directly from original sources. The self-portraits were taken of themselves by a fellow classmate, then manipulated using a computer thermal imaging program and used as references. The Landscapes of Memory paintings required students to compose 3 different photo sources to create an image collage to use as a reference. Also on display are some arts research projects comparing and contrasting contemporary artists. The student proposals to create their own works based upon the influences of their selected artists are also on display.

Ad-Hoc Art Exhibition

Both the Cambridge Programme and the International Baccalaureate Program requirements stress the importance of in depth research in the visual arts to inform personal studio practice. Students learn how to analyze, synthesize and evaluate works of art using the philosophy of aesthetics, art vocabulary and concepts of design theory. The discussion of contemporary themes examined through the lens of cultural identity are the primary focus of these research projects.

ISSUE 8

BRIGHT SPEAKERS

What Makes a Great Leader MS. JANET HUNTER / HEAD OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

There are 6 things that good leaders must have: Honesty, Communication, Confidence, Commitment, Positive Attitude and Creativity. Honesty: What is honesty? Well, honesty is being able to admit your own errors and faults. Good leaders must have this in order to portray a strong picture in the people’s minds. Do not do things that are morally wrong. Honesty is also about people that aren’t true. Explain what really happened. Example: your mum asks you who broke the table, you tell her you did.

nically qualified to be a leader but lacks confidence, will find it hard to lead others. A good leader once said, “Self-confidence is the fundamental basis from which leadership grows. Trying to teach leadership without first building confidence is like building a house on a foundation of sand. It may look nice and be expensive, but it’s shaky at its best.”

Communication: One of the most crucial things that a good leader MUST have is good communication skills. Communication means verbal speech, or other methods relying on information to get a point a point across. Always talk in clear and simple terms. Always use a technique called TEDS. TEDS stands for – Tell me, Explain to me, Describe to me and Show me. For example, there is no way to be a good communicator without listening first. Use body language. Stick to mains points.

Commitment: Good leaders need commitment. They need to be committed. For example: I’m committed to build a powerful community where everyone will show up to the meetings and will help build it up.

Confidence: Confidence is the most significant part of leadership. You can teach a leader to be on effective problem solver, a better communicator or other parts of leadership. Yet, without that leader first believing in himself or herself, true leadership will only exist only in the title. A leader that is tech-

Positive Attitude: Good leaders need to have a positive attitude so that they show people that their certain idea or plan is good and deserves to be voted. For example, never take people for granted, when you get an opportunity to see someone you love or care about, do it. At the end of the day, people matter more than things. Creativity: Is understanding the content and what the discussion is about. Imagine the big picture, for example you winning the certain debate or topic. One thought leads to another. One idea leads to another.

Who is a good leader? There are many good leaders like Nelson Mandela but I chose Bill Clinton. It’s been 13 years since Bill Clinton was a president but he was a good one. He fought and believed in many things. He was very religious when he was small, and when he was older as well. He was committed to fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis ect. He believed in what he said. He was confident in his actions and very persuasive. That made him a great leader. There are many skills a good leader needs, but in my opinion these are the most important things a good leader needs. Remember, being a good leader does not mean being really good at one of the points and weak at the others, to be a good leader you need to be good at all points. DELIA DONG / YEAR 7

What makes a great leader? Ask yourself. A leader is the one who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way. The goal of a leader is not to create followers, it is to create new leaders. Better leaders, smarter leaders and stronger leaders. The leader earns trust when their actions meet their words.

JUNE 2017

It’s simple, be the kind of leader you would follow. I will give you an example: Barack Obama, he was a president and a leader. He led the USA to a new beginning. Barack Obama said once “We did not come to fear the future, we came to shape it.” Take a piece of strength from a person and make it stronger. No matter your social status or how powerful you feel you are, we are all equal so respect is important too. Respect is earned, honesty is appreciated trust is gained and loyalty is returned. Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you have achieved your goal and become a leader, success is all about growing others. Make followers and create leaders. All leaders have a leader. This may sound strange but it’s true. This means we are all leaders in our own way. Never forget that. AYSENUR / YEAR 8

Let’s start from the beginning. What exactly is a leader? When people think of leaders they usually think of people who have important political statuses such as the president of the country, however a leader can be anyone who is in charge of a group or organisation such as a football coach, a school principal or even a lead singer. Let’s get back to a good leader’s qualities: I propose to make a parallel between leader qualities in the past and what makes a good leader in the present and I suggest we take the example of one holding the reputation of being the ideal, wise leader, Marcus Aurelius. Almost 2150 years ago, the “philosopher king” as Marcus Aurelius was called, inspiers leaders because of his timeless wisdom about human behavior. As a leader himself he developed rules for being an exceptional leader: • • •

• •

Understand that people exist to help one another; Realise that mistakes are the results of ignorance; Remember that, even if you are now a leader, you are just like everybodt else; Avoid quick judgement of others’ actions; Practice kindness.

people “tick” and especially what motivates them to give you the best. But some of the characteristics of a good leader in the past are still supported in the present. I believe that certain qualities a person possesses can determine what kind of leader they will be. A good leader must always be dependable, perseverant, and inspiring and possess integrity. A good leader should also have a clear vision of what their goals are and how he or she will reach them, always keeping in mind where the boundaries are. Being a leader may seem pink and sparkling but it also involves responsibility and sometimes it comes with difficult decisions. A leader should always remember to do what is best for the people, not only for themselves. If people can depend on you to get them not only through good times but hard times too, that you have the mark of a good leader. AYSA / YEAR 7

But let’s come back to our time. Do the same leadership rules apply? What makes a good leader today?

Marcus Aurelius, Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela… they were all great leaders. But why were they great leaders? What did they do to make their names stand out in History?

Many of us built this image of a superhero leader standing tall, protecting his or her followers, but is this the sort of image more suitable for the past? In the twenty-first century world, which is more global, digitally enabled and transparent with faster speeds of information flow and innovation, the traditional way of leadership had to be reorganized towards a more modern approach. Leaders of today are men and women who a focusing on the realities of today and all the possibilities of tomorrow. One main characteristic of an effective leader is knowing what makes

A leader needs to be someone that believes in themselves. You can’t just be someone that hides in the corner from everyone else. Have you ever done that? Well, if you have, try seeing the world more. A great leader must be socialized.

JUNE 2017

One World Romania This March, our school was invited by One World Romania to participate with a group of students for the 10th edition of the International Festival of Documentaries and Human Rights One World Romania. “One World Romania at School” is a program organised by the One World Romania Association which aims to support the development and evolution of activities designed for high school students and teachers, proposing a new and innovative view on human rights issues through documentary film. The topics that brought together the selected films for teachers and teenagers at this edition of the festival were everyday violence, bullying in schools, marginalisation and how we can overcome them: through empathy, tolerance and communication. As part of our Sociology course, our students from Years 11 to 13 took part at this event. We all enjoyed the experience and we are looking forward to other opportunities like this one.

The trip with the Sociology classes was not just fun but inspiring. First we watched a movie about high school students and their problems facing the final years of their academic life. The movie left a good impression on the students and made them reflect on their own academic and personal problems. After the discussions with the event moderator, we went to Pizza Hut to relax and reflect on what we watched. Discussions were flourishing around the table proving the movie had achieved its purpose. The second movie was about the life of a person suffering from Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism. The movie was shown from the protagonists’ perspective which was more effective in getting the message across. Overall, it was a unique experience to unite the Sociolo-

gy groups, and I look forward to similar events. Yunus Emre Cimen, Year 13

Our trip, organised by my Sociology teacher, Miss Carmen Zaharia, was a very pleasant and fun experience. We went to Cinema Eforie and watched two movies, one about the life of teenagers trying to socialise and interact with each other and the second one about autistic children. The movies were from their perspective and showed us their daily lives and how they see the society. The only downside was that one movie was in French and the other in Czech, so we had to read the subtitles in English. Overall, I had fun and I think it was a very educational experience; I also enjoyed the time spent with my colleagues outside the school. Ali Ahmad Mohamad, Year 13

ISSUE 9

MS. ALINA CONSTANTIN SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHER

In order to be able to perform and to enhance their potential, children need first of all to be in a secure environment that makes them feel safe.

Advanced Child Safeguarding Training Here at ISB we believe that in order to be able to perform and to enhance their potential, children need first of all to be in a secure environment that makes them feel safe. For this reason, all staff who interact with the students are trained each year on Child Protection. On top of this, we have a Child Protection team (Mrs. Kerry Harris- designated Child Protection Officer and Miss Alina Constantin- SENCo) whose role is to identify and manage possible situations which threaten a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety, inside or outside the school.

Last week, our Child Protection Team attended an advanced Child Safeguarding Course run by Robin Watts, Child Protection Expert from the UK. This was a great opportunity to share experiences with professionals from other International Schools in Bucharest, but most importantly, to get updated information in terms of procedures and policies that would best serve the well-being of the students. The course has also provided very valuable practical ideas of intervention in different situations.

ISSUE 9

ISB’s Got Talent! Mrs. Mariana Dutescu MS. MADALINA CIOC / PR & ADMISSIONS OFFICER

Aristotle was right: „We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but habit.” ISB is blessed with passionate people, who besides being the best at their job, they are also passionately persuing their talents.

I strongly believe that our lives are defined by how we spend our time, and what we choose to do each day. People who are choosing to follow their passion each day and dedicate their time to follow their dreams are bringing an amazing positive energy to our school and we will be celebrating them one by one, with each issue of the magazine. This time, we bring under the spotlight Mrs. Mariana Dutescu, who has been teaching ESL in our school for over 10 years and who is also making the best sweets I have ever tasted.

„Cooking has always been my passion. The love of food, the sights, the sounds and the smells from a bustling kitchen all stem from an early memory, as far back as my childhood. Whether it was the warmth and comfort from my grandmother’s kitchen, that intoxicating smell of freshly baked cakes straight from my mother’s oven, or the sizzling sound of meat hitting a hot pan, it crept under my skin, started a fire in my soul and created a curiosity, that was there to stay forever. For me food is love. It is not only nourishing but also comforting, loving, fun, pleasurable, stimulating and homely.Food brings people together and there is no greater pleasure for me than being surrounded by the ones I

love. Italians say that one does not grow old at the table. The pleasure of good food, wine, and company is such that the passage of time is suspended. Therefore I love playing in the kitchen, making a mess but experimenting with different tastes and textures, preparing everything from scratch and creating my own personal recipes. I love to spoil family and friends by making special dishes and surprising them as it makes my day to see someone enjoying something that I made with love. If you want to get a glimpse of the passion I put in every crumble, come and knock at my virtual kitchen door on facebook: www.fbme/ChicMarieBakery”

ISB Talks MS. MADALINA CIOC / PR & ADMISSIONS OFFICER

Bringing forward brilliant ideas and success stories Inspired by the globally famous TEDX programme, we started a similar campaign at the school, called ISB Talks. The main objective of this campaign is to inspire our students to follow their dreams and to achieve their best version of themselves. Once a month we have invited at the school well respected professionals who talked to our Secondary students about politics and diplomacy, about mass media or about creative writ-

ing. Our special guests talked to our students about their field of expertise, about the challenges and the rewards of following ones passion. The talk series started in November with a very interesting topic “Soft Power, Public Diplomacy and Cultural Relations”, which our students discussed it with Mr. Nigel Bellingham, the Director of the British Council Romania. Mr. Silviu Ionut Calangiu, TV producer

talked to our students about Education in Media and the Power of Media and the British author, Mrs. Arabella McIntyre Brown, shared with the students her writing experience and talked about the Writing Process. Our students benefitted tremendously from this valuable hands on experience. Each of the “talks” inspired them and we are certain that they will remain with them for a long time.

ISSUE 9

London

The food was delicious. Thank you ladies.

Connecting with ISB Alumni in UK Coffee and memoriesâ&#x20AC;ŚLondon. Birminghan. Newcastle. MS. MADALINA CIOC PR & ADMISSIONS OFFICER

During half term break, Mrs. Carmen Zaharia, MFL Teacher, and Mrs. Mihaela Hapenciuc, Maths Teacher, have visited their former students who are now studying in UK Universities. They had a fabulous time catching up with 25 alumni in London, Birmingham and

Newcastle. There was a lot of laughter, and a lot of sharing old memories and new experiences of university life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is always a pleasure to reconnect with our dear former students. Some of them travelled from other UK cities just to meet with us. Thank you all,

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guys, for wanting to keep in touch, and for sharing your experiences with us and with each other!” Carmen Zaharia, MFL Teacher.

Newcastle

Celebrating Talent EMMA / Y13 STUDENT

ISBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 Talent Show proved once again that plenty of talent exists within the walls of this school. Congratulations to the 1st place winners, Andreas P., Ali R. and Omer K.

ISBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 talent proved once again that plenty of talent exists within the walls of this school. The school Prefects (Bella, Kinan, Halime, Antonia and Stefani) organised the auditions, the rehearsals and the show in three weeks. They had the most difficult task to select 9 contestants out of 20 very talented participants who courageously came to the auditions to showcase their talent.

The 9 contestants that qualified were:

This year there was an unprecedented occurrence of giving the winners cash prizes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place received 200 lei, 100 lei and 50 lei respectively.

All participants proved to be extremely talented and devoted in what they were doing, hence it became really hard for the judges to choose. After

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Jinx- Dancing Florin and Ali- instrument playing Tudor and Paul- dancing Shrektastic- singing Ayse- violin playing Jasmine- dancing Mae- singing Beyza-singing Sofia- dancing

65 minutes of pure entertainment and joy in the theatre, the judges came to a final decision with not only 3 winners, but 4 winners this time! Therefore the winners were: 1st place: Shrektastic (Andreas P., Ali R. and Omer K.) 2nd place: Burak A. and Florin P. 2nd place: Sofia G. 3rd place: Mae H. The talent show was a tremendous success as all the tickets were sold within a week and all the snack offered by the prefects were also sold between the students.

ISSUE 8 JANUARY 2017

2nd place winners, Burak A. and Florin P

3rd place winner, Mae H.

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ISB Secondary School voting for Head Students NUR S. /HEAD STUDENT

Nur and Ana (Year 13) are the newly elected Head Students, both winning the elections following very strong and well conducted election campaigns. Here are their houghts after the elections: The Secondary School have elected their students’ representatives at the end of last term. “When it comes to elections, you have to accept the fact that the risk of losing is inevitable. I started out with a vision and hoped to share that vision with the students throughout the campaign but as it was cut short the task became more and more difficult. You have to be prepared for the worst and ready to do tasks that may seem impossible at first. This election required a lot of determination as well a commitment to achieving the best campaign possible. Deciding on the right poster design or on the theme you want to portray can be very challenging as you have to appeal to a vast number of different groups, students of different ages and teachers, through one or two posters. As most of you know my posters were quite controversial as they indicated a totalitarian leader however the idea behind it was to joke about the

seriousness of the whole election as well as to resemble someone with a solid vision and who will stand for what he believes in. I am more than honoured to have the opportunity to be our school’s Head Student and will do everything in my power to bring change in our school. The things I’ve mentioned in my video were not a ruse to get votes, but a small list of what I believe we should have as a school and what I will ultimately

attempt to enforce next year. I will no longer limit our ideas and objectives to be small, we certainly have the ability to do great things, however if we keep thinking small and being closed minded we will not progress or make this school as great as it has the potential to be. I am looking forward to working with the prefects and members of the SMT and hopefully we can build something greater than we’ve ever seen in any school before.”

ISSUE 9 JUNE 2017

60 – 61

ANA, HEAD STUDENT

“When I signed up to be a Head Student, I was determined to, at last, not only make a great contribution to our school, but also cooperate and collaborate more with the students of ISB as for them to become better involved in our community. Indeed, as mentioned in my campaign slogan (“better together”) I intend to actually listen to proposals from the individuals of our school, both students and teachers, in order to achieve common goals. As also specified throughout my campaign, I would definitely like to introduce more sports activities, trips and in general more activities as

well as events that involve all of you. The campaign was, indeed, a relatively tense and stressful period, whereby each candidate produced a video with regards to the various plans and actions they subsume for the upcoming year. However, in my opinion, this campaign also allowed me to interact and listen to the ideas of more students around

the school, hence allowing me to gain valuable insight with respect to the type of changes that I desire to make next year. I’m very proud, honored and thankful to have been nominated as a Head Student and sincerely hope that throughout the upcoming year we will be able to improve various areas in our school, together, as an ISB community.”

International School Of Bucharest Hosts Infomatrix World Final 2017 Between 27th April and 1st May 2017, ISB was the proud host of the th 15 edition of Infomatrix World Final Competition, an International Informatics Project Competition organised by Lumina Educational Institutions and The Ministry of National Education. 540 brilliant students from 45 countries will bring forward their amazing projects, which will compete in 5 categories: Programming, Computer Art, Robotics, Hardware Control and Short Movie We are extremely proud of our students, Adile (Year 9S) and Gulnur (Year 9B), who won the silver medal in the Infomatrix World Final which took place at the school this weekend. Their project, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Jarâ&#x20AC;? entered the Short Movie category. Special thank you goes to their supervisors, Ms. Nuriye Gursoy. Well done, girls! A big thank you to all the students from all over the world who signed up for the competition and to our sponsors: IBM, Microsoft and Star Storage.

ISSUE 9

JUNE 2017

Celebrating Success Success comes in many forms and its not only about winning but also about accomplishing our goals. MR. ANTHONY Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;BRIEN / EXAMS OFFICER & PE TEACHER

We have had many reasons to celebrate success at ISB this year. Amongst some of the many examples are a very successful CIS inspection report at the start of the year, we attained International Baccalaureate status in the Secondary school and our sporting teams have achieved great success throughout the year. The goal for some of our teaching staff

this year was to take part in and complete running events organised here in Romania. They have competed in various races ranging from 5km relay races for the rookies to 50km mountain marathons for the more ambitious, with some 10km runs and Half Marathons in between. Congratulations to all those who have raced this year and we look forward to perhaps seeing some new faces next year.

ISSUE 9 JUNE 2017

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3rd place winner, Mae H.

ISB Graduation Ceremony MRS. NIAMH LONE / HISTORY TEACHER AND YEAR 13 FORM TUTOR

The 2017 Graduation ceremony was a most memorable evening, with this year being particularly student-centered and lively.

Awards Ceremony

One highlight was Mr. McShane’s Sixth Form video that was original and personal to all involved. Another highlight were the ‘Party Starters’ that managed to get the students to dance on stage with a fun ‘dance off’ which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Alex Florea, who represented Romania in Eurovision 2017, livened up the night with an array of sensational songs chosen by the students. The electrifying performance of the Poi Dancer, Adrian Popita, added a touch of magic.

Finally, Diana Deleanu, Director of the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce spoke genuine words of encouragement to the students who were quite moved by her pearls of wisdom. Many thanks also to Dragos Nicola, for organising the stage events and performing the role of Master of Ceremony with great gusto and energy. The speeches were heartfelt from Mr. Sinan Kosak and Mr. David Newsham, but especially Mr. Ahmet, Head of Sixth Form in his farewell mes-

sage not only to his Sixth Formers but to ISB, which was moving and inspiring. Year 13 Sixth former tutors, Ms. Helen, Mrs. Niamh and Mr. Oytun, were genuinely pleased for their tutees after a year of hard work cajoling and coaching them! The decorations by Teodora Varzaru were both eye-catching and welcoming and technical help from Mr. Adrian Mardale and Monica Tele did not disappoint. It truly was a remarkable and impressive night.