ISH Newsletter, January/February 2018

Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

ISH NEWSLETTER

The latest news and updates from International School of Hellerup

MYP Cultural Exhibition

Welcome to the January/February edition of the ISH Newsletter, with the latest news, updates and stories from International School of Hellerup.

In this issue, Mr Asanovski writes about the importance of encouraging our children/students to have high, challenging and appropriate expectations (page 2), Ms Keenoy writes about how essential it is that parents read with their children (page 5), and Mr Fleet and Ms Okolowicz show examples of some of the many ways that PYP students inquire into their learning units (page 6). Ms Pedersen reports from the many events and activities that have taken place in the secondary school lately (page 9).

This, and much more, in this month’s newsletter!

Kind regards, Karolina MacAulay Newsletter Editor

IN THIS ISSUE: News from the Head of School ASCP News PTA News College Counsellor News Library Corner Primary School News Secondary School News

ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

News from the Head of School Mr Nedzat Asanovski Head of School

I hope that all of you have settled in well in the new year. Time is flying, and even though it feels like we just started the spring semester, we have a break coming up next week. In this edition, I have decided to share with you views on how to help children achieve better academic results in school.

High expectations All of us are different, and we all learn in various ways. When it comes to finding best approaches to teaching and learning, differentiation is essential. To best meet the students’ needs we need to differentiate and find ways to challenge all students in a class so that each person find the tasks rewarding, become good enquirers and engage themselves with the given tasks.

Experts in this field of study emphasize that it is vital to give students challenging tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. At ISH we try to find this balance in order to move students to the next level and we try to be careful not to give students tasks that are too difficult since that could make them loose interest. However, when it comes to setting expectations of achievement, both as teachers and as parents, these should be set as high as possible.

We have to teach our students/children to have high goals and to work hard to achieve these goals. This topic has been discussed for decades. I would like to give an example from John Hattie’s work in this regard. In “Visible Learning for Teachers,” Hattie elaborates on this concept by noting that “emphasizing accurate calibration [of students’ abilities and performance] is more effective than rewarding improved performance.” Further, having teachers/parents educate students/children to have “high, challenging, appropriate expectations is among the most powerful influence in enhancing student achievement. Hattie has conducted a meta-analysis of thousands of schools and has ranked the most effective learning outcomes.

It is interesting to note that out of 138 influences, “students own expectations” was ranked as number one. This is where you as parents come into the picture. If you emphasize to your children that they should have high expectations, they will raise the bar and set higher goals for themselves, which will result in better outcomes. I would like to end by giving a concrete example from a study done by Khattab, N. “Students whose parents have expected them to gain higher education when they were in Year 9 (age 13-14) were over five times more likely to have actually applied for a university course at age 17-18 than students whose parents did not expect them to do so.”

I would like to wish you all a wonderful holiday and look forward to welcoming our students back after the break.

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

ASCP Science Club

ASCP Gardening Club

ASCP News Ms Chiara Giani

ASCP Coordinator

PYP February Break Care Program Enrollment for the PYP February Break Care Program is now open! The program will run from Monday, February 12th until Friday, February 16th from 8.30 am - 4.30 pm (no morning club) and the cost of the program is 1000 kr.

The care program is included in the Pre-K school fee so Pre-K students are welcome to join the program at no additional cost.

If you would like to enroll your child, please sign up using this form: https://goo.gl/forms/5BD6s5pPabhsPBGt2

ASCP Spanish Club Ms. VerĂłnica Lynton is starting up an ASCP Spanish Club, which will take place every Friday from 2 until 3 pm. In order to get the most out of it, it is necessary to commit to it, therefore we ask that ASCP parents and guardians enroll their children by writing directly to Ms. Lynton: vlynton@ish.dk.

ASCP Gardening Club Gardening Club is now running every Monday with Ms. Gillian and Ms. Elana. We hope to encourage healthy eating habits through planting and growing our very own vegetables. The children are also engaging all their senses through the activities, such as building a compost pile in a bucket. Upcoming activities include making seed bombs and bird feeders. We look forward to transplanting our gardening project outside as the weather warms up.

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

PTA News Ms Karolina MacAulay PTA Coordinator

February PTA Meeting We recently held the first PTA meeting this semester. If you couldn’t make it to the meeting you can download the meeting minutes from our website here.

Dates for upcoming PTA meetings We have scheduled the remaining PTA meetings this semester based on the PTA meeting time survery that was sent out to all parents before the winter break. As per many parents’s request, every second meeting will be held in the morning from 8:30 and every second meeting will be held in the afternoon from 16:00. The dates are: Tuesday, March 6,16:00-17:00 Tuesday, April 3, 8:30-9:30 Tuesday, May 1, 16:00-17:00 Monday, June 4, 8:30-9:30 These dates can also be found in the ManageBac calendar and the website calendar.

If you would like to suggest a topic to add to the agenda for the next PTA meeting on March 6, please email pta@ish.dk. I hope to see you at the meeting!

PTA at the PYP Fastelavn Assembly The PTA was represented at the recent PYP Fastelavn Assembly, serving free coffee/tea and fastelavnsboller to the parents at the assembly.

We hope that our contribution made the trip to school even more wortwhile for parents.

College Counsellor News Dr Hakan Kurt

College Counsellor

Application to Danish Universities has started!

We invited two experts from Studievalg København to our school in January. They informed our MYP5 and DP students about the university system & admission process to Danish Universities. Prospective students who want to apply Danish universities do not apply directly to the individual institutions, but through the national admission website: www.optagelse.dk. The website opens on 1 February. The deadline for applications is 15 March at 12 noon. For further details, you can read this document. We have a consultant (Mai-Lis Skotte: misk@studievalg-kbh.dk ) from Studievalg København for our students who are interested in studying in Denmark.

There are some important events taking place at our school in February. Here are the details:

Nord University Presentation We are going to host Nord University from Norway and they will make a presentation about educational possibilities. If you are interested in the presentation, please sign up here.

When: February 21, 2018 from 14:05 to14:50.

Where: DP Lounge or INS Room

Career Fair- February 28 We are organising a career fair for upper MYP and DP students in our school on February 28.

The career fair is an internal activity in which our expert parents will share their expertise and experience with our students. The general plan of the fair is that we will set up career tables (about 10-12 different careers) where experts in various areas will meet each student group for about 20 minutes . The student groups will switch table when a bell rings! We plan to have three sessions for each table.

Where: School Canteen When: February 28, 2018 from 14:30 - 15:30 Page 4

ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Library Corner Ms Andrée Keenoy School Librarian

Step by step we get there. As students advance through school, they learn the elements of a citation (author, title, publisher, year of publication…) We start with the little ones finding out who wrote the book, who made the drawings...

Then, thanks to the Usborne Book Fair, they discovered about “publishers.” The PYP 5 students are now learning to compile a simple bibliography with the aid of a webpage. By the time they reach MYP 5, students should be able to do in-text citations and evaluate their sources for their Personal Projects. This leads to the Extended Essay in DP, a college level piece of research where students are expected to demonstrate advanced research skills. Teachers embed library and research skills in their units and it is the librarian´s role to support this throughout the curriculum.

But in my opinion- and research seems to support me- a child’s success as a reader begins much earlier than the first day of school. Reading, and a love for reading, begins at home.

According to the USC Rossier School of Education “the absence of parental involvement can lower average reading scores by 74%,” and Flouri & Buchanan, (2004) have found that “parental involvement in their child’s literacy practices is a more powerful force than other family background variables, such as social class, family size and level of parental education.” Research also shows that the earlier parents become involved in their children’s literacy practices, the more profound the results and the longer-lasting the effects (Mullis, Mullis, Cornille et al., 2004). When parents ask me, “When should I start reading to my baby?” my answer is always “Now!”

such as going to bed. Babies and toddlers are reassured by routines. Read favorite stories and sing favorite songs over and over again. It will strengthen language development. Ask your child questions about the book, focus on the words on the page. You’ll build language skills and reading comprehension.

Another literacy strategy that has proven to be successful is to follow the text with your finger when you read - it will assist children with making connections with words. This skill also helps build a child’s tracking skills from one line of text to the next one. Children are copycats and their parents are their reading role model. Your fluency and enthusiastic expressions will help them with pitch, intonation and proper fluctuations when they read aloud themselves.

Long after they can read on their own, your child will enjoy reading with you. Even when they are already reading chapter books, if you start the book with them, they are more likely to get hooked.

Parents with children with disabilities will find some good tips here: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-tips-parents-multiple-languages#english.

By reading with your baby, you foster a love of books and reading right from the start. When you snuggle with a book together, your baby will feel safe and his or her confidence and positive feelings about reading will increase. What’s more, making reading part of your daily routine may help you with some difficult transitions Page 5

ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Primary School News Mr Stef Fleet

Primary School Principal

If you have concerns about your child’s progressor wellbeing you can contact the appropriate teacher directly, at any time through the school year. If needed, a meeting can be arranged. It is better for both teachers and parents to address concerns when they occur, rather than wait for conferences or reports.

Ms Joanna Okolowicz IB Coordinator for PYP

Visible Inquiry in the PYP We took a walk around the school corridors one morning and found many ways that our students inquire into their learning units. See the pictures on this page and the following pages for examples of inquiry through thinking routines, literacy, art, social studies, and more.

Student Progress A positive, open school culture is very important! At ISH our culture of communication is to talk directly and openly with others, with a mutual respect. I hope you find this within our school community.

PYP EAL students gather their understanding of the importance of water.

Upcoming PYP events March 17-23 PYP4-5 Ski Trip, for participating students.

April 18

PYP Student Led Conferences. Parents and students are invited for a time slot, and students lead a conference showing their learning progress. Regular classes do not operate on this day. Care is provided if parents can not find alternative arrangements through the day. Student-led conference set up and time slots will be finalised a few weeks before the conference.

April 23-24

World Book Days (more information to follow).

April 25

School closed from 12:00 noon (ASCP available from 12:00 noon on this day).

May 23

PYP Olympic Day

June 7

PYP Exhibition

June 15

PYP End of Year Celebration

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

PYP3 experiment with printmaking as an art form.

Kindergarten brainstorm different kinds of homes.

PYP5 experiment with persuasive writing in the media.

PYP2 sharing their knowledge of roles in the commu-

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

PYP2 students find out information and facts about the skeletal system and then sort out the information on a chart. New information is added every week.

PYP1 Danish Intermediate discuss birthdays as a kind of celebration

PYP3 think in different ways to get deeper into the meaning of these prints

PYP4 using poetry to express their ideas.

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Secondary School News Ms Monika Pedersen

Secondary School Principal

The year has started on a busy note with considerable work and effort being invested in the production of the semester report cards.

We really urge you to review these with your son or daughter and consider the comments and suggestions made by the teachers. It would also be a wise move to reflect back on the goals set in November to see if things are on track or adjustments need to be made.

MYP Cultural Exhibition The I&S department and the Art and Design departments organized an MYP Cultural Exhibition in January. The overall focus was: Culture in Context. How do we communicate our culture?

Students in MYP1-3 presented their knowledge and work in several ways: in person in a “Wax Museum,” and by representing various organizations working to combat Climate Change, or as an African nation exploring the impact of imperialism.

It is strongly encouraged that if there are concerns, to make an appointment to see the subject teacher in order to garner further details and formulate steps to deal with the issues.

Diploma Programme Open House On Wednesday 24 January, we hosted an Open house for prospective families looking to study the Diploma Programme. We had a good turn out and prospective students were treated to wonderful presentations by our Diploma students. Diploma teachers were also present to share their expertise and knowledge about their specific subject areas.

Diploma Programme Open House

The students in MYP1-3 also exhibited work which looked at how culture and arts impact society. The exhibits included lino block prints investigating the Maori Culture. The MYP4 students presented the development of their artistic wall while the MYP 5 Art group examined art and audience through personal and activist visual storytelling as well as layers of history, language and culture voice. The MYP 5 Design class also presented the trend in downsizing to promote global development. Their ‘Tiny Houses’ promoted Architectural Design for intercultural, sustainable futures. Their hand crafted 3D models of small houses were amazing feats of engineering! The quality of the work and the presentations were outstanding. It was fantastic to see so many students so excited about their work and so eager to communicate their knowledge, ideas, and creations. It was also great to have so many parents come to see the show. Congratulations everyone!

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Message from CAS Coordinator, Individuals & Societies and History teacher Bob van Leeuwen On the 5th of February I will fly to South Korea to let my big dream come true: working at the Holland House at the Olympics in Pyeong Chang. I am born and raised in the Netherlands, and at big sport events my heart is bouncing orange. I value taking challenges in life and following your dreams. This is what I will do, and this aligns perfectly with my role as CAS coordinator at the International School of Hellerup.

Holland House is a place where Dutch fans, athletes, journalists and (high) officials gather and celebrate the medals. Four years ago in Socchi (Russia), Holland House received visits from the Dutch King and Queen and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. I hope to meet a lot of people, smell the scent of Olympic togetherness, and to grow as a person by adding another amazing adventurous chapter to my life. I am very grateful that the school supports me with this project. I will upload a video every school day with fun facts about the Olympics and hope to come back with a big load of great experiences, enthusiasm and masses of energy!

CAS Coordinator, Individuals & Societies and History teacher Mr Bob van Leeuwen (far left) is currently in Pyeong Chang in South Korea to work at the Holland House during the winter Olympics. He will share his experience with ISH students through daily video reports.

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Core Week We are also in the process of organizing Core Week, which takes place in April, 16-20. Core week is a ‘classroom without walls’ week where students work beyond the classroom on an interdisciplinary project. This means that they work on a project which is linked by two or even three subject areas. An example would be Art, I&S, and Language. The project’s preparation starts before the week outside and ends after, so it constitutes a large part of their time and assessment. MYP 1 and 2 will be working in Copenhagen, MYP3 will be working in Amsterdam and MYP5 will be working in Barcelona. MYP 4 will be doing their practicum week.

We would be very grateful if there are members of our community who would be willing to support the practicum week. We have approximately 23 students needing a placement in April.

Should you be willing to support this venture by providing a placement in your company or that of a friend’s, please contact Ms. Pedersen as soon as you can.

MYP5 parents were recently treated to dinner and a great presentation by Mrs. Moore on the Art and Design based trip to Barcelona!

Student Council Our Student Council is very active. They were involved in launching Homework club, where students are welcome to stay behind in school on a set evening until 17.00 and work on their homework with some help from grade 11 and 12 Diploma students. They are also holding a ‘Design a T-Shirt Competition’. We are hoping to launch a school T-shirt and very much want the students to take a leading role in the design of the T-shirt. We feel it will be a wonderful way to promote school spirit in class and when we have functions in and out of school. The winning selection will be shared next time!

In the coming months, the Student Council are thinking of holding a talent contest as well as a culture day. More plans will be shared as they are developed. Students can follow their plans by looking at the student council board in the second floor corridor and listening out for notes

from class representations, notifications in advisory sessions, and whole school announcements.

Journey to University This is the time of year that second year Diploma students are working on their university applications. We have a couple of students applying to study in the US, others have applied for the UK and Scotland, a few are interested in colleges in Holland, and a good number of our students wish to study in Denmark. Students are supported through the complex and varied application processes to ensure their applications bring them offers. We are thrilled to say that there have been some generous offers already and this is just the start of the season.

Math Competitions Our Math department has been very proactive and have kindly arranged participation in three competitions. A small group of students will be heading off to Rome in March for a Junior Math competition while another small group are working toward a Middle School competition in Amsterdam in May. There is also a local competition in Copenhagen. We wish our mathematicians the best of luck.

IB Diploma Gains Full Recognition in Denmark The IB recently published a press release announcing that the IB Diploma has finally gained full recognition in Denmark. The press release states that “for a number of years the grade scale conversion for the IB students has been scewed so that it was more difficult for students with an IB diploma to get into higher education programmes. This despite the fact that the diploma is recognized the world over for its high academic standards.The new rules mean, among other things, that IB students in the lower grade range will find it easier to get into university colleges and business schools, but especially that IB students in the average grade range will find more open doors at the universities.” Please see next page for the full press release.

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ISH Newsletter / Issue N° 30 / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

Translated version

January 2018 Find the original in Danish here: https://herlufsholm.dk/media/7034/ ib-opnaar-fuld-anerkendelse.pdf

PRESS RELEASE The international high school exam, the International Baccalaureate (IB), gains full recognition The international high school exam IB - the International Baccalaureate - has finally gained full recognition in Denmark.

For a number of years the grade scale conversion for the IB students has been scewed so that it was more difficult for students with an IB diploma to get into higher education programs. This despite the fact that the diploma is recog-nized the world over for its high academic standards.

For the last couple of years the Association of IB Schools in Denmark has been in negotiations with politicians and officials from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science (UFM) to make them aware of the problem. This summer the Ministry of Higher Education and Science published an indepth report which made clear the problems regarding the conversion of IB grades. The report also proposed the introduction of a new grade conversion scale that takes into account the high standards of the IB exam as well as the introduction of a range of changes with respect to the way the IB students are accepted into higher education programs.

Head of Kolding High School, Momme Mailund, who is also the chairman of the Association of IB Schools reports, “During the process we have had a very constructive collaboration with officials as well as politicians, especially Annette Lind from the Social Democratic Party, and we are incredibly pleased that the IB students are now completely equated with Danish high school graduates when they apply to higher education programs”.

The new rules mean, among other things, that IB students in the lower grade range will find it easier to get into university colleges and business schools, but especially IB students in the average grade range will find more open doors at the universities.

Momme Mailund

Chairman of the Association of IB Schools in Denmark

About the International Baccalaureate in Denmark: The IB program is offered at 16 high schools in Denmark in all parts of the country.

There are more than 3000 IB schools globally.

Questions regarding the above can be directed to the chair of the Association of IB schools in Denmark Momme Mailund by phone +45 41 44 21 83 or by email to mo@kolding-gym.dk IBO: http://ibo.org/

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