International School Parent Magazine - Spring 2017

Autumn 2016

We talk to Dorte Ertboll about goalsetting and helping you achieve this year’s resolutions Content or Concepts – The PYP as a conceptual framework Top revision tips from real exam tutors

SPRING 2017

Welcome to the Spring 2017 edition of International School Parent Magazine!

Finally, it looks like the ski season has been rescued by a few dumps of snow. After an achingly painful period of unprecedented drought across Switzerland, and Europe, we can finally enjoy ourselves and get some sun in the mountains! I have been following the school ski teams with interest, and recently watched some of the SGIS Skiing in Gstaad at the Junior Championships. Well done to all the teams who took part!

One of the beauties of Switzerland during spring is that we have the luxury of being able to combine the excellent winter sports the Alps have to offer with the warmer climes in the south of the country. Once you have stopped skiing, for those close-by, I would highly recommend visiting Ticino – by far the most spectacular Swiss canton, and fabulous in the Spring with a stunning scenery, great food, and (often) clear blue skies. Even for those of you further away, it’s worth the trip.

Spring also presents a perfect opportunity to do some city visiting before they fill up with the Summer tourists. The capital, Bern is an excellent option, steeped in history, it’s old town being a UNESCO Heritage site. Within easy reach from most large Swiss cities, it is an interesting option for a day trip.

A particularly hot topic for many parents right now will be how to keep their children gainfully entertained in those long summer holidays. Have a look at our Summer Camps Extravaganza with a host of excellent summer camps covering a wide range of activities in Switzerland, and Europe.

As usual, we have some great articles from educational experts with subjects ranging from how to keep up with those New Year’s Resolutions, to Revision Tips from Top tutors.

I would like to extend our invitation to teachers, parents, and practitioners in all fields of education to contact us about writing and interview opportunities.

We would love to discuss with you the opportunity to be featured in the magazine and on our new website at www.internationalschoolparent.com.

We remain committed to the task of helping parents and children make the most of the fantastic opportunities an education at an international school in Switzerland provides. All that remains to be said is that I hope you have a wonderful start to the academic year.

Work hard and be the best!

Best wishes Nick Gilbert Editor & Publishing Director International School Parent Magazine Tel: +41 787 10 80 91 Email: nick@internationalschoolparent.com Visit: internationalschoolparent.com Facebook: facebook.com/internationalschoolparent

Academy INTERNATIONAL BOARDING SCHOOLS

WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION IN THE U.S. AND UK WWW.EF.COM/ACADEMY

> Campuses in New York, Torbay and Oxford > Internationally recognized high school programs: IB Diploma, A-Level & IGCSE > Guaranteed university placement > Students from 75 countries With private international boarding schools in the U.S. and UK, EF Academy helps students between the ages of 14 and 19 expand their horizons in inspirational, Englishspeaking learning environments. Our mission is clear: we open the world for students by offering them a superior education abroad, thorough preparation for university and access to a future that knows no borders.

Phone: +41 41 417 47 94, Email: sofia.ivanidze@ef.com

WWW.EF.COM/ACADEMY

Contents 06 Content Or Concepts – The PYP As A Conceptual Framework 10 Learning While Teaching & Teaching While Learning 14 The International Baccalaureate Diploma And Its Recognition By Universities Globally 18 Top 7 Revision Tips From The Experts 22 Philoxenia: An Act Of Hospitableness And Welcome, The Ancient Tradition Of Hospitality 26 Our Pick Of The Best Summer Camps For 2017 36 Transition From Middle School To High School: An Emotional And Physical Coming Of Age For Teenagers 40 International School Parent Magazine: Interview With Catherine Mckeever 44 A Flying Career For Alumni Of SSTH 50 Preparation For The New Sat: Demystifying The Process 54 School News 63 Can Sport Safety Keep Up With A New Generation Of Extreme Athletes 66 Make 2017 Your Year 72 Finding Energy To Juice More Out Of Life!

76 Supporting Students With Dyslexia In The Home Environment

International School Parent Spring 2017

Content or Concepts –

6 |

The PYP as a conceptual framework

BY JACOB MARTIN DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ZUG AND LUZERN

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

| 7

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

ne of the constant tensions of recent years in education is the debate between teaching ‘content’ and teaching ‘concepts’ to our young learners. Since the Industrial Revolution, many national systems have been organized into a series of contentbased steps, with students regularly assessed on each of these steps and words like rigorous and thorough being the key descriptors. The assessments used are designed to test the facts that have been delivered to the students over a given number of lessons. The lowest age for this testing to begin is drifting lower all the time and I feel we need to step back and look at what young children need, what they thrive doing and what they enjoy.

The Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate is a programme which is based on the development of learning skills in an inquiry driven and transdisciplinary way through a focus on concepts. The program has six transdisciplinary themes • Who we are • Where we are in place and time • How we express ourselves • How the world works • How we organise ourselves • Sharing the planet Students have six week long units inquiring into each of these themes in every year of the program. Through these units of inquiry students develop skills, attitudes and knowledge and take action to improve their own community or in the wider global context. The concepts that underpin all of these themes are • Form (what is it like?)

• Function (how does it work?)

8 |

The problem with this content based approach to education in the current age is that if you want to ‘know’ something, for example “what day did the Thirty Years War end”, you do what I just did and look it up on the internet; within a few seconds you have your answer, 24th October 1648. This raises the rather worrying question of what then is the purpose of schooling, in the traditional sense, if we are simply delivering facts and asking students to regurgitate them back to us within a standardised test.

However having information at your fingertips does not give us everything we need to know as successful members of society in the 21st Century. If instead we ask the question “Why did the Thirty Years war start” then we will find a number of answers that do not agree and we need skills to determine which is reliable.

We need information literacy skills, we need empathy, we need research skills and we also need some facts.

The other thing we need is to understand the broader concepts of communities, relationships and perspective that underpin the facts of the matter. If we help our students to understand these concepts and to have the skills they need to develop their own understanding, then they will be able to not just answer a simple question about facts but they will be able to understand the wider questions of the world and to apply their understanding into future or unfamiliar contexts, for example ‘how might we prevent a war in……’

• Causation (why is it like it is?)

• Change (How is it changing) • Connection (How is it connected to other things?)

• Perspective (What are the points of view?)

• Responsibility (What is our responsibility?)

• Reflection (How do we know?)

These concepts are explicitly identified in the units of inquiry and the students are aware of them directly aiding them in constructing the links which are required to develop a conceptual understanding of an area of the curriculum. This means they can use this understanding of a concept in multiple contexts and in different areas of the traditional curriculum, change in music and in mathematics as an example.

internationalschoolparent.com

The challenge with a conceptually driven approach is that the content approach of teaching facts and testing them is very easy. It makes kids (and parents in particular!) happy as they feel in a safe place. They know exactly what they need to know and they go about doing it. They learn a set of 20 words each week and then are tested on them. They learn 50

International School Parent Spring 2017

more sums or one more multiplication table and then are tested on that. This gives an illusion of constant progress. It also means schools, districts and governments can report back easily on the progress of students. Everybody is happy!

However, I believe the skills and knowledge required by students now, those which will make them into happy, caring, globally minded and successful individuals, require a different approach to education. We need to encourage them to be problem solvers, good communicators, capable researchers and, above all, inquirers.

On a recent visit to the UK, I spoke to one of my nieces about her school and what she is doing; she is the same age as my own daughter. I was very surprised by the vocabulary and writing skills she possessed, they seemed in advance of my own daughter.

This produces that all too familiar, and on occasion insuppressible, feeling of ‘I must push harder’ or ‘Why is she behind’. However on closer inspection, and talking more with my niece, I could see clearly that the words she used and the writing that she was doing did not particularly interest her and, when asked ‘why are you learning all these words in this list’, there was no reason. She did not feel connected to it.

writing that comes with such speed when a child wants to acquire these skills for themselves and apply them based in a conceptual understanding of the world is a wonderful thing.

I am convinced that if we want to produce successful, healthy and, above all, happy members of a society (which will have a structure and requirements we can only imagine) we must prepare them as best we can and this is through a conceptually framed and inquiry-led approach to curriculum.

More information at:http://www.ibo.org/programmes/primary-years-programme/

I am not immune to these parental urges; as a practitioner and during the early years education of my own daughter I was often fretting about the progress in her vocabulary or letter formation or number skills. However, watching her now, so excited and driven by her own inquiries into various questions and the amazing development of vocabulary or

internationalschoolparent.com

| 9

International School Parent Spring 2017

Learning while teaching

10 |

BY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF GENEVA

Teaching while learning internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

s the world’s first international school, the International School of Geneva – or Ecolint – has over 90 years track record of incomparable international education.

Ever since its foundation, Ecolint has followed a comprehensive approach to education that aims to prepare its students to be active and engaged participants in an ever-more interconnected world.

However, encouraging students to think globally comes first and foremost from the dedication of its teaching staff to international values, inclusiveness, innovation and academic rigour.

Ecolint’s commitment to international education means that it opens its doors not only to children, but also to adults seeking to join the teaching profession. Through a collaborative partnership with Durham University, one of the UK’s oldest and highestranking universities, Ecolint offers the Postgraduate Certificate in Education, or PGCE (International), which enables successful students to teach in international schools across the world.

A TRULY INTERNATIONAL SITUATION Set up in 2010, this course welcomes a small cohort of trainees every year who wish to learn to teach Primary or Secondary students in an international context. “We train teachers not in a local, national situation, but in a truly international situation, where diversity is considered to be a really key element of the programme” explains Dr Tony Harries, co-programme director for the PGCE (International) at Durham University School of Education. Ecolint, with its 140 nationalities and 80 mother tongues, exposes its students, children or adult, to extraordinary international diversity. This diversity is not just cultural and linguistic, but also generational. “You meet people who come from different backgrounds, from different careers and who, at different points in their lives, have decided they wanted to go into teaching, and that makes for a very interesting, rich and inspiring group,” said Christoph Genz, who trained as a Secondary music teacher in 2014-2015 and is now working at an international school in Bangladesh.

LEARNING WHILE TEACHING AND TEACHING WHILE LEARNING While the PGCE classroom is situated at Ecolint’s Campus des Nations, close to the UN headquarters in Geneva, trainees have the opportunity to observe and teach on all three campuses, as well as in other local partner schools in and around Geneva. Seminars, workshops and professional training help consolidate the hands-on knowledge, exploring themes such as planning, EAL (English as an Additional Language), classroom management and assessment. The professional module also includes lectures covering topics such as Special Educational Needs and ‘Third Culture Kids’. “International education remains the guiding thread throughout the professional module,” explains Alison Ball, Director of Professional Studies for the PGCE programme at Ecolint’s Institute of Learning and Teaching. “Our trainees can leave with not only the Durham PGCE qualification, but also the IBctl, the IBO certificate in teaching and learning qualification. This gives the graduates two well recognised qualifications as well as experience working at the International School of Geneva, the original home of the IB Diploma Programme.”

The School of Education at Durham University supports the academic work of each PGCE trainee. In addition, course participants spend two weeks in January at the University, attending a Masters level academic conference, and other workshops and seminars, and have the opportunity to use Durham’s well-stocked libraries. Throughout the course, those studying for the PGCE are also able to use Durham University’s online Education Library facility, as well as the PGCE section of the library at Campus des Nations, which contains a very up-to-date collection of relevant books. Through the Ecolint libraries, trainees are also able to access an extensive database of academic journals.

The PGCE (International) course brings together the academic excellence of a renowned university and a first-class learning and teaching environment in the international hub that is Geneva. Add in the passion for teaching of its trainees and it’s the perfect mix for a new generation of international teachers. “The magical thing about being in a classroom is that you can touch young lives and make a difference, and it’s been an incredible experience,” said Gillian Rogers, who graduated from the programme in 2015.

Beginning every year in September, and running for one academic year, the PGCE (International) course is composed of three modules: a professional module delivered by the International School of Geneva, which is chiefly school-based, and two academic modules at Masters level delivered by Durham University’s School of Education.

internationalschoolparent.com

| 11

International School Parent Spring 2017

EVERYBODY BENEFITS It’s not just the PGCE trainees themselves who benefit from the course. Across Ecolint’s eight schools, and in the partner establishments who work in close collaboration to provide placements, the opportunity for experienced practitioners to mentor this new generation of international teachers and pass on some of their wisdom (as well as learning some of the latest educational theory) hasn’t gone unnoticed. As one of the teacher-trainee mentors Grainne Dolan-Parry observes, “I get a lot out of working alongside someone who comes with fresh ideas, new ideas, and lots of energy”. Students also benefit, as Melissa Sundqvist, primary teacher at the Campus des Nations comments, “Having another person in the room allows us both to share our perspectives on the child, and think about how to move that child forward from where they are. So the children definitely benefit from the programme.” Remembering his time as a PGCE trainee in 2011-2012, primary teacher Alex Sabbag who now teaches at Ecolint shares his impression: “I learned what it means to be an inspirational teacher, I was fortunate to have inspirational mentors during my course, and that gave me the energy and drive to become a great teacher myself.”

12 |

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

LIFELONG LEARNING FOR ALL The PGCE (International) is one of the programmes offered by the Ecolint Institute of Learning and Teaching, which was created in 2011 to promote lifelong learning among members of the Ecolint community, and beyond. To achieve its mission, the Institute strives to develop and support best pedagogical practices, disseminate educational research across all Ecolint campuses, and offer a range of professional development opportunities through trainings and educational events. For information about the PGCE (International) Programme and other programmes offered by the Institute visit the Institute’s website: www.ecolint-institute.ch Applications for the September 2017 PGCE (International) programme are now being considered. For more information, please contact lisa.parker@ecolint.ch

“We train teachers not in a local, national situation, but in a truly international situation, where diversity is considered to be a really key element of the programme.” internationalschoolparent.com

| 13

International School Parent Spring 2017

The International Baccalaureate Diploma and its recognition by universities globally

BY NICK POUNARAS

HIGHER EDUCATION COUNSELOR AT HAUT-LAC INTERNATIONAL BILINGUAL SCHOOL 14 |

Long before high school students around the world approach graduation, their parents all have the same worry in their minds, “After graduation, what?” To many, the local educational systems offer a direct route if their offspring wish to pursue university level studies in their respective countries. However, the international school parent is likely to have their child either in a country-specific curriculum school serving expatriates or in an International Baccalaureate school. It is the latter configuration that gives the parents and the child an extra dimension and challenge to consider; this alters the abovementioned question to, “After graduation, what and where?” internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

he International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) offers perhaps the widest selection of opportunities to its graduates in terms of accessing tertiary education institutions all over the world. This statement has stood the test of time as the vast majority of universities have accepted it as a reliable and competitive admission criterion. This acceptance has not happened overnight; it has taken more than four decades and the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) has been supplying governments and universities with plentiful documentation to support the value of IBDP recognition. This evolution has progressed rapidly during the last few years as more and more universities consider the IBDP as one of the most, if not the most, credible and consequently most widely accepted admission criteria. In countries such as the United States of America, where the number of schools offering the IBDP has exploded in the last decade, there is a constantly growing number of universities accepting it as meeting entry requirements in its own right and in essence making some traditionally required standardized tests non-mandatory. In the United Kingdom, the acceptance of the IBDP is such that it is reported in the standard entry requirements on all the university websites.

The degree of confidence of universities in the IBDP is vividly depicted in the IBO produced and published list of countries with details about the status of acceptance and the pertinent restrictions for the IBDP.2 One indicative fact about the acceptance of the IB Diploma as one of the strongest entry qualifications to universities is that US based universities and Colleges offer credit to the IB Diploma holders, usually for Higher Level IB subjects obtained with a grade 4 or 5 or above.

The IBDP graduate has been introduced to a way of thinking and acting which keeps internationalism, compassion and tolerance in mind in every aspect of life.

In Switzerland, the IBDP has been recognised by all major universities for many years, with a standard benchmark of 32 points. However, there are a few limitations in terms of the examination subjects that the IBDP candidate can take.1 [Note that EPFL and ETHZ hold separate entry requirements.]

A rigorous and demanding course, the IBDP incorporates and teaches all those characteristics that make candidates (and the qualification) very attractive to admissions tutors. The average IBDP graduate has been taught how to perform scientific research and has implemented academic paper writing in the form of the Extended Essay. He/she has also been exposed to philosophical deliberations through the Theory of Knowledge, developing into a serious critical thinker guided by objectivity, thoroughness and balance whenever he/she presents work either orally or in writing. The IBDP graduate has been introduced to a way of thinking and acting which keeps internationalism, compassion and tolerance in mind in every aspect of life. Being an active global citizen is the expected norm in the IBDP, not the exception. As a result, the IBDP candidate has an obvious advantage over graduates from other systems, and statistically has a better outlook in the rank that he / she will graduate with from university.

One may also consider the importance of the bilingual opportunity that is offered in the IBDP. An IBDP student may opt to present a bilingual Diploma by taking an appropriate combination of Literature and/or Language & Literature subjects, or presenting another suitable subject in a second language. Taking into account that the IBDP student is receiving a holistic, truly international and highly academically rigorous education, then the competitive edge that this student has becomes quickly evident. In my school, Haut-Lac International Bilingual School at St-Legier, Switzerland, there is a policy for promoting bilingualism which aligns perfectly with the spirit of the IBDP.

internationalschoolparent.com

| 15

International School Parent Spring 2017

In some parents’ minds, the theoretical question, “Why would a university prefer to admit a candidate holding the IB Diploma?” may be a valid one. The IBO answers this question in ample detail in its website3 by citing the benefits of the programme to schools, students, teachers, universities and even governments.

The following excerpt4 explains the reasons from the IBO point of view as to why universities benefit by recruiting IB Diploma holder students into their ranks: Universities and colleges benefit from recruiting and admitting students from IB programmes in a range of ways, with IB programmes developing the knowledge, skills and disposition students need to be successful throughout their university careers.

Research suggests, for example, that IB students are more likely than their peers to complete their undergraduate degrees and pursue graduate work; and that they are more likely to be engaged in various aspects of university life.

ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH, IB STUDENTS ARE STRONG ON: • student leadership activities • working with university faculty on research projects • finding opportunities to study in other countries • tutoring other students

AS A RESULT OF THEIR TIME IN THE IB, STUDENTS DEVELOP:

• taking part in voluntary and community service • time management skills and a strong sense of self-motivation • completing internships • a keen interest in civic engagement • notable academic ability • strong research and writing skills • critical thinking abilities 16 |

• an international outlook

Since every IBDP student is characterized, and to some extent determined, by the IB Learner Profile5, he / she is equipped with enduring skills and a state of mind that ultimately makes them a well-rounded , tolerant, understanding and capable individual.

In brief, the IB Learner Profile states that it aims to develop learners who are6: • Inquirers

• Open-minded

• Knowledgeable

• Caring

• Thinkers

• Risk-takers

• Communicators

• Balanced

• Principled

• Reflective

One may also consider the importance of the bilingual opportunity that is offered in the IBDP. internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

These aspects are indeed incorporated and taught within every aspect of the IB Diploma programme and as students embrace these characteristics, ideally for a lifetime, one can understand why they become excellent university candidates: at once open minded and empathetic, yet determined to succeed and ready to take on new responsibilities as citizens of the world. They embody rationalism in its classical sense and humanism in its most effective form. The recently surfacing challenges in today’s world society make it even more indispensable to prepare young adults that share the IB philosophy, and carry that into the university environment, thus living up to the etymology of the term ‘university’ which suggests a global approach to all matters.

SOURCES 1. https://www.swissuniversities.ch/en/services/admission-touniversities/international-baccalaureate/ 2. http://www.ibo.org/university-admission/recognition-ofthe-ib-diploma-by-countries-and-universities/countryrecognition-statements/ 3. http://ibo.org/benefits/ 4. http://ibo.org/benefits/benefits-for-universities/ 5. http://ibo.org/contentassets/fd82f70643ef4086b7d3f292cc214962/learner-profile-en.pdf 6. http://ibo.org/benefits/learner-profile/

| 17

Happy children...

= Happy Parents!*

*Enfants heureux… = Parents heureux ! internationalschoolparent.com

www.haut-lac.ch St-Légier

International School Parent Spring 2017

18 |

Top

revision tips from the experts internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

ith the exam season on the horizon for most high-school students, at International School Parent Magazine we thought we would seek out the best revision tips straight from the experts themselves; the teachers and examiners. We went straight to the TutorsPlus team and grilled their top tutors to extract some tips for exam success.

Exams can be a tough and stressful time for many students.

Whether you have an exam around the corner, or in a few months this advice will help and can be applied across all the international school curricula, whether it be the IB, A Level, IGCSE, Swiss Matu, or French Baccalauréat.

One stand out recommendation is to plan your revision schedule well in advance of your exams. Make sure you allocate sufficient time for each subject and more for the topics which you know could do with some extra work. Be realistic about how much time you can spend revising each day, and make your revision as active as possible. Involve others, your friends, family and use any techniques that work for you, singing, saying it out loud, getting others to quiz you, using online resources. Use a wide variety of techniques and, most importantly be disciplined and stick to your schedule!

TIP 2 - KNOW THE ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES “Ask your teacher or check the website of your exam board, making sure you get the correct syllabus for your course!

Check the weighting of the Assessment Objectives (how much each is worth in terms of marks) - don’t spend 80% of your essay on an Assessment Objective only worth 20% of the overall marks.

Something I do with my students is give them the Assessment Objectives plus the Mark Scheme for that paper, then I get my students to mark their own and each other’s essays. We really drill down and spend time analysing where the essay should be placed within the band descriptors. Once you know what the examiners are awarding marks for, and understand the differences between the bands, as well as the requirements to move up, it can result in the difference in your final grade. I always see improvement in essay writing after doing this with my students.

An invaluable task and well worth asking your teacher or tutor for a revision session on this. Good luck and good writing to you all!”

Anita – E nglish Language and Literature teacher, A Level, IGCSE and TOEFL.

“I recommend revising in short bursts and allowing time to let off steam (go for a run, meet friends, eat, drink and sleep).”

TIP 1 - F OCUS ON YOUR WELLBEING

“I recommend revising in short bursts and allow time to let off steam (go for a run, meet friends, eat, drink and sleep). A dehydrated, hungry and tired body and mind will be ineffectual during your exams and in life in general. Would you rather go to your mate’s 18th birthday party (the day before the exam) or join them at their 21st (the day after ALL exams) when you are both celebrating the end of university? Think long-term and you will gain in the long term.

Remove all electronic distractions. If you need to use a computer, I recommend the app for Google Chrome called Cherry Tomato Clock: it bans you from using social networking and other distracting sites for a fixed period.”

Chris – E nglish Language, Literature, Theory of Knowledge, IB and IGCSE teacher.

internationalschoolparent.com

| 19

International School Parent Spring 2017

TIP 3 - R E-WRITE YOUR NOTES

TIP 5 - FIND YOUR PREFERRED STYLE FOR REVISION

“When you take notes in class, it is really difficult to feel fully confident in all the material from the view of point of your understanding. Never take for granted the power of rewriting your notes, reading your class notes alone will not be enough for most students.

As a History teacher I always tell my students that there are as many different ways to revise as there are different learning styles.

However, what helped me to revise for exams were the following:

The act of writing your notes (by hand) and organising them in a way that makes sense to you helps tremendously in your capacity to understand and process the materials covered in class. When you engage your brain via the act of handwriting, you are in a sense forcing your brain to pay attention. Students can benefit greatly from writing and then rewriting notes as a memory tool.

Also the act of rewriting notes helps to pull out any questions you may have over the material and weak areas that you may need further support on.

The most confident learners I interact with have notebooks that are arranged in a way that makes sense to them, not in the way that I present the material to them in class.”

1. W hen faced with having to sit exam papers A, B, C, D and E, always revise for each paper in the reverse order so that by the time you come to sit exam A, this will be the freshest in your mind.

2. A lways revise early in the morning, then do some physical activity in the middle of the day, then back to revising in the evening. As a rule, I never revised into the early hours of the morning unless it was for an exam the next day.

3. W hen you wake up but before rising from bed, try to go over in your head the things that you revised the day before.

I never ceased to amaze myself just how much I could remember and how I was able to clarify my thoughts using this technique. I think that this was because I was most free from daily distractions when at rest.

Uma – Science teacher and SAT & ACT test prep specialist.

Philip – History teacher, IB, A Level, IGCSE, & Swiss Matu.

TIP 4 - K EEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE 20 |

“It is vital to know the time allocations for the exam and complete the tasks with a timer, ‘under exam conditions’ during your revision.”

“The trick before starting IB revision is to first believe in yourself.

Once you are convinced that this is your last push before “freedom”, you will go over the topics with more motivation.

Try using summary cards; on each card, write down subject summaries. This can be done using the notes you took in class or using your books. Then, write behind each card some references to where you can find sample questions directly linked to what you are reviewing. This way, you will have an overall idea of what might be asked and you will even be surprised to notice that some questions are redundant. Stick the cards on the wall of your room so that when you look at each one of them the main ideas written on those cards would appear obvious to you.

Good luck! Others did it, you can too!”

Maya – Maths, Biology and Chemistry teacher, Swiss Matu, French Baccalauréat IB and IGCSE diplomas.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

TIP 6 - P RACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE It is vital to know the time allocations for the exam and complete the tasks with a timer, “under exam conditions” during your revision; otherwise, you will just get carried away by the false sense of having unlimited time available. Importantly, you must be aware of the assessment criteria for each question. What is the examiner looking for? What mark would you give yourself based on the level descriptors?

TIP 7 - REVISE WITH MIND MAPS, YOUR BRAIN THINKS IN COLOUR Mind Map is a thinking tool that reflects externally what goes on inside your head (Tony Buzan, Mind Map Conceptor).

Create your central idea: it represents the theme of your Mind Map. Write it down, in the center of your page and then circle it, your brain prefers circles.

In short: Practice, Practice, Practice!

In English exams, for the Writing Section – practice writing letters, reports and scripts in the appropriate style and addressing the given audience.

For the Reading Section (the analysis) – make sure you know your texts “to a tee” and use quotations to back up your ideas, follow the “Point – Evidence (=quote) – Explanation” structure for each of your paragraphs, where “Explanation” is your most important and longest part.

ALWAYS remember about correct spelling, punctuation (not just its accuracy but also the variety) and structure your response effectively (use connectives to help guide the examiner through your line of thought).

ALWAYS stick to the question, use the key words from the task.

ALWAYS plan and proofread what you have written!

Anna – English teacher and GCSE English Examiner for AQA.

Add your ideas and thoughts to your Mind Map, by adding branches (one each). Curved branches are the most effective, as they reflect the structure of your brain. They create variety, making the whole information easier to remember. Give your main ideas thicker branches to show their importance (linked ideas can go thinner and thinner to show the variation of importance in your Mind Map).

Use a lot of different colours, they are as exciting as images for your brain. Also, they add extra interest and life to your Mind Map. They give energy to your creative thinking. Each branch of you Mind Map has to have a different colour from the others.

Label each of the branches with a key word (related to your thoughts and ideas). Each ramification has to have a label with one key word. It is going to help your memory recall the main information (e.g : from a paragraph of your class notes, or a math formula). A word helps your brain to generate more connections and associations. It also allows your brain to spark off a lot of new thoughts and ideas, related to this key word. You have more flexibility and power with the branches. You may also add some notes to complete any of your branches.

Add images because they have a much greater impact than words.

They encourage your imagination, they keep your mind focused, and help you to remember. Add one to each of your branches, and also to your central idea. Remember: don’t skip that step, an image related to each idea or thought is a tip to remember it.

Draw connections between your branches. They are the ones that create your Mind Map. If you connect branches you will connect and then understand different ideas, then you’ll remember them much easier.

Congratulation, you are now Mind Mapping!

Karine – S wiss Matu, French Baccalauréat and Special Needs teacher

internationalschoolparent.com

| 21

International School Parent Spring 2017

Philoxenia: an act of hospitableness and welcome, the ancient tradition of hospitality

BY SWISS EDUCATION GROUP

22 |

While the art of hospitality has been around since ancient Greece, its reputation varies considerably according to culture. In some countries, the art of service is a highly respected craft, based on the gold standard of the Ritz-Carlton, “we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen�.

Regarded as a respected profession, it opens doors to a satisfying, often glamorous lifestyle in worlds that may be otherwise unattainable.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

adly, in other cultures service is viewed as an in-between job, often providing wages to jobbing students looking to pay their way through university before taking an office job. The concept of service is incorrectly looked down upon, despite the skill and training required to perform a seamless role. Those in the industry will be familiar with the ethos, “The customer is never wrong”, the founding principle of the famous hotelier César Ritz. Often misquoted as “the customer is always right”, it has become a mantra to those working in the hospitality industry. However, outside of restaurants, bars and hotels, it is rarely applied to other areas of business, until now.

With the advent of a booming e-commerce industry, the customer has learnt that the pen, or in this case the keyboard, really is mightier than the sword.

The majority of international companies have expanded their customer service departments to include experts fielding customer complaints and queries via Twitter and Facebook. The days of phoning customer enquiries while listening to a 9-minute rendition of “Greensleeves” are finally in the rear-view mirror of the customer relationship journey.

24 |

Additionally, feedback is now often embedded directly into the business model. Companies like TripAdvisor and Uber have merged this key hospitality trait into the core of their business.

If the customer is never wrong, and the power of the internet is to be believed, then a customer with a viral post has become an instant incentive to learn how to keep customers happy.

To meet this new need, Hospitality Management schools, traditionally based in Switzerland, have been growing in popularity. Once often reserved for those wishing to be a firstclass hotelier in a leading hotel, it now offers a variety of career options and an ideal talent pool. More and more companies look to hospitality graduates to meet these needs, from luxury brands, such as Louis Vuitton, to banks like Credit Suisse.

Anyone striving to reach a Bransonesque level of customer care understands that it involves going above and beyond traditional requests.

Studying hospitality enables the concept of service to act as a red thread (or perhaps in this context, a gold one) that runs throughout all stages of students’ lives, and a hospitality management education prepares them not only for their first job but also for a long-lasting, successful career. Learning to live and study in international, multicultural environments exposes even the most sheltered to a more open-minded way of functioning, encouraging both tolerance and diversity in all situations.

An ideal example of this environment is Swiss Education Group.

With 5 schools spread across 7 campuses in both French and German speaking Switzerland, each campus varies in size, venue and specialisation. From a modern, city campus to a luxurious palace, all benefit from an international, close-knit environment.

Each school offers top-class hospitality training as well as specialisations in a variety of sectors. While hospitality students are traditionally trained in good communication skills, teamwork and customer care, they now also have the possibility to learn about luxury business, finance, event management, human resources, marketing and design, amongst many others.

A dual degree in business and hospitality means that students are prepared for a world both inside and outside of the industry.

A silver lining to studying hospitality management is the internship opportunities. It is of no surprise that the current job market has been particularly hard in recent times, with both graduates and employers looking for alternative solutions. With the market saturated by the latest batch of university graduates, companies are favouring experienced workers looking for new opportunities. Millennials still need to learn the soft skills of life, but the previous generations have already cut their teeth on company politics, complicated team dynamics and tricky work environments. The university experience traditionally focuses on the academic aspect and few students have the possibility to learn real life job skills from inside the classroom.

The possibility to study and work at the same time is therefore an appealing one, and gives a boost to both CVs and their employability. Undertaking two internships as part of their curriculum allows Swiss Education Group students to gain real-world experience and develop their soft skills. With exclusive access to the bi-annual International Recruitment Forum held each year in Montreux, Switzerland, students have the chance to meet with over 70 recruiters at each event. Not only does this grant them unprecedented networking opportunities, it also serves as an ideal educational platform in its own right. With roundtables, guest speakers and plenty of interview preparation, the hands-on experience serves as the ideal complement to time spent in a classroom.

With UBS as their most recent addition to the recruiters attending the International Recruitment Forum, this trend towards going above and beyond for the customer can only benefit both client and company. Choosing to study hospitality management has finally crossed over into the business world and with a hospitality education broadening graduates career horizons, it truly is a win-win situation for everyone.

For more information about Swiss Education Group, go to http://www.swisseducation.com/en/

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

| 25

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

26 |

Our pick of the best summer camps for 2017 internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Les Elfes

FIND OUT M ORE Fax: +41 27 775 35 89 Call: +41 27 775 35 80 Websit e: www.le selfes.c om

Verbier Summer Camp Why Camp?

Since the advent of adventure tourism the role of the outdoors in personal growth has remained pertinent. Stepping out into the wilderness to experience the sublime and to broaden one’s horizons has continued to capture the interest of generations. I often see the trepidation on parents’ faces as they bid farewell to their son/ daughter and leave them to fend for themselves. A frequently asked question from dubious parents is: “Why should I send my son/ daughter to camp?”.

come from 60 countries around the world.

to stand on top of a mountain knowing it

It takes a little time to settle in, so… we

was their own legs and perseverance which

have tears. The reason I cherish this time is

got them there.

not because the students continue to cry throughout their time with us but, quite the opposite, because there are only two times at camp that our campers cry. When they arrive and when they have to leave! Whether

for campers from new arrivals to fully fledged Elves.

Our philiosophy at Les Elfes

experience or clawing at the reception door

International is to:

like a cat heading for an unwelcome shower by the time they leave, they are changed.

Their perception of their own abilities, their capacity for independence and their

never forget!

relationships with other campers have all

week is the weekend. Unlike many other

programmes to offer a steady progression

they entered the camp ready to embrace the

Camp is an experience your child will

At Les Elfes camp my favourite part of the

We frame our activities and design our

shifted and, it’s in these weekend changeovers that this journey is most apparent.

– Provide adventurous activities built on a well-established foundation of professional and safe practices.

– Inspire holistic personal development through culturally diverse experiences.

– Outdoor learning which enables young

young professionals my weekends are the

At Les Elfes we understand that the next

people to discover their true potential to be

busiest working days, hectic, exciting and

generation are expert programmers, they

dynamic & prosperous in their future lives.

often punctuated with campers’ tears. It may

are the ones we call upon to set up our new

seem strange that the highlight of my week

phones and to show us how to use our video

is when our campers are upset but, for me,

editing software. They think Facebook is for

the weekend signifies a huge shift in the

old people and receive 20+ snapchats per

emotional frame of our young Elves.

day. Camp allows our youngsters to look

Upon arrival campers are usually jet-lagged, tired and missing their families. Our camp is nestled in the Swiss Alps but our campers

up from the world on their screens and to experience the sublime in panoramic-real-life view. To smell the freshly cut grass, to feel the cool winter breeze against their skin and

At camp our Elfes learn to cope with adversity, harness equanimity and gain confidence in expressing themselves. Social media will still be there when they go home, but so will the knowledge that their resilience and personal strength can enable them to achieve astounding things!

Experience it today. Remember forever!

Learning through Adventure since 1987 Les Elfes International CP 174, 1936 Verbier, Switzerland

internationalschoolparent.com

| 27

International School Parent Spring 2017

Camp Suisse

Alpine Adventure and Language Summer Camps

28 |

For 15 years we’ve been providing energetic

Every day is action-packed with activities

management – with the chance to forge

and educational summer camps for children

and events delivered by dedicated and

lifelong relationships with like-minded

and teens (7-17 years) from all over the world

enthusiastic staff. There are great fun and

individuals from a range of backgrounds

and with 44 nationalities hosted in summer

educational cultural excursions, language

and cultures.

2016 Camp Suisse is a European summer

courses (Spanish, French, German

camp like no other.

or English), comprehensive sports

Our private, purpose-built campus, situated in the beautiful Alpine village of Torgon,

programs and a range of adventurous outdoor pursuits.

International camps (one to six weeks)

Valais, provides us with access to a wealth

All our programs aim to help campers to

run July and August – we also welcome

of facilities that enable our young people

grow as people – improving self-belief,

school and group trips throughout

to live and learn in a serene, safe and

confidence, responsibility and time

the year.

great fun environment.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Ecolint Summer Camps

FIND OUT M ORE Email: ecolint. camps@ ecolint. ch Call: Natach a Bonvin Besson on +41 22 787 26 24 Websit e: http://w ww.eco lint-cam ps.ch/

Outdoor adventure, sports, dance, theatre,

Our camps are 100% fun – and they’re also

All our camps are run in line with the values

cookery, circus, sailing, technology: these are

100% instructive! Thanks to an excellent

and spirit of the International School of

just some of the exciting activities we offer at

ratio of highly qualified, bilingual coaches to

Geneva, and include tolerance, respect and

Ecolint Foundation Camps. Open to children

students, camp participants can also improve

solidarity.

aged 3 to 16 years old, we offer fun and

their English and French while learning

action-packed week-long spring, summer

valuable skills. Each camp is designed to the

and autumn camps.

highest standards, teaching skills through

Our Geneva-based campuses are ideally situated, and we also host camps at our campus in Founex.

play and activity in a challenging and fun atmosphere. We also work with a number of other partners, including the West Ham

Details: Our Spring camps run from 18 to 21 April 2017.

United Foundation, the community arm of

Our Summer camps run from beginning of

the English premier league football club.

July to end of August.

internationalschoolparent.com

| 29

International School Parent Spring 2017

THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME Our action-packed activity holidays help kids and teens from across the world to grow as people – by giving them the time of their lives in a safe and spectacular setting in the stunning Swiss Alps.

There really is no other camp like it.

30 |

Register Now For Summer 2017!

Call +44 845 5191 031 or email info@campsuisse.com to secure a place on one of this year’s sessions.

Session 1 - 1st July - 14th July Session 2 - 15th July - 28th July

Session 3 - 29th July - 11th August Session 4 - 12th August - 18th August internationalschoolparent.com

EXPLORE MORE

CAMPSUISSE.COM

International School Parent Spring 2017

International Summer School for Teens, ISSFT

| 31

CONT

International Summer School for Teens

environment. We are proud to provide

(ISSFT) is an all-encompassing education

first-class teaching, world-class facilities and

programme, offering full immersion in the

a varied activity programme in a stunning

English language, as well as sporting and

location. Through our unique curriculum,

creative excellence. Our International

we encourage intellectual curiosity and

Summer School provides a unique summer

help our students develop a healthy sense

experience, combining learning, fun and

of independence and self esteem. Classes

adventure, during July and August. We

Include: English Language, Study Skills (PRE

welcome young people from all over the

IB / GCSE PREP), Global Entrepreneurship,

world to experience the beauty, history and

Intro to Law and Economics, Golf, Tennis,

culture of Scotland, within a safe and friendly

Theatre and Creative Coding.

internationalschoolparent.com

ACT

Email: info@iss ft.com Telepho ne: +44 (0) 131 202 6656 Websit e: https://w ww.issft .com

2017 DATES: Session 1: 1st July to 22nd July 2017 Session 2: 25th July to 15th August 2017

International School Parent Spring 2017

Lanterna Education

34 |

Lanterna Education have been supporting

balanced with extra-curricular activities, it’s

students through the IB Diploma Programme

no wonder we’ve been the first choice in

since 2004, with our own unique teaching

IB support for thousands of students. We

model, students are taught by elite IB

offer our Pre-IB Summer camp in the UK and

alumni from top universities. Our Pre and

our Mid-IB Summer Camp in the UK, Spain

Mid-IB Summer camps are designed to help

or Sweden. Students can meet peers from

students feel supported and prepared for

over 30 different countries, whilst having an

the IB Diploma, combining academic classes

unforgettable Summer.

FIND E MOR OUT

: Email n.com ucatio d e a n r e t lan info@ Call: 8 8 057 03 31 +44 2 : e it om/ Webs tion.c educa a n r e .lant /www http:/

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Oyster education summer courses

Set up by highly successful ex-independent

Group sizes are 4 to 8 and courses last for two

and beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site,

school teacher, Neil Cleminson, five years

weeks, although many students stay longer!

Canterbury Cathedral.

ago, Oyster Education offers courses with

Oyster prides itself in the fact that many children

academic excellence, experienced teachers,

come back year on year. The first group who

good food and accommodation, and a

stayed at Oyster are now at university.

package of exciting outdoor activities every day.

Many of my students book together in small groups, typically two to four students aged 12-16. Students are equally welcome to

During their stay, the pupils are occupied

come alone and the atmosphere is one of

Oyster Education courses focus on English

from 9 am to 6 pm every day. The package

warmth and friendliness which will help them

but also have a broad scientific context.

of activities has been described as `simply

settle in right away!

They are geared towards the Middle

outstanding’. Activities include paintballing,

Years Programme, leading towards the IB

off-road cycling, raftbuilding and catching

Diploma and they are tailored to the student

a myriad of sea creatures from oysters to

for whom a place at a good university is

lobsters, most of which are simply delicious

anticipated. The chance for independent

to eat! All activities have been risk assessed

learning and research into a topic inspired by

and are fully insured.

the course is encouraged through the miniproject which students undertake, in addition to the academic classes.

They will have so many stories to share and the whole experience becomes what it should be: a great adventure!

There are also opportunities to explore Kent’s rich history with trips to Dover Castle

CON

TA C T

Neil C lemins on MA (Oxon PGCE ) (Canta b) www.o ystered ucation .com

internationalschoolparent.com

| 33

International School Parent Spring 2017

St Georges Summer Camp

34 |

Since the 1980s, St. George’s International

Through intentionally designed activities

Our activity programme varies throughout

School Summer Camps have been a

and curriculum facilitated by fun-loving, well-

the summer and includes:

continued success, welcoming boys and

rounded and talented staff, young people

girls aged 3 to 18 from over 20 countries

experience Camp as something wholly

throughout July and August. We provide

different and unique.

• Dance & Drama

Morning Programme includes Language

• Arts & Crafts

our summer campers with a safe, happy, stimulating atmosphere in a beautiful environment on the shores of lake Geneva.

Campers are given the opportunity to improve their language skills while making friends from around the world. Excursions,

Classes: • English and French (for all levels) • German and Mandarin (for beginners)

• Team & Individual Sports

• Mountain Activities • Lake Activities • Evening Activities

sports and outdoor entertainment remain a major part of the programme to guarantee

CONT

exciting lifelong memories.

ACT

Email: summe raccoun t@stgeo rges.ch Call: +41 21 964 34 11 Websit e: www.stg eorgesc amp.ch

St. George’s International School Chemin de St-Georges 19, 1815 Clarens/ Montreux

internationalschoolparent.com

Switzerland

International School Parent Spring 2017

Summer in Switzerland Summer Camp

| 35

Would you like to spend your summer

cultures and lifestyles for a few weeks and this

making new friends or learning a new

gives you a new way of looking at the world.

language or just having fun or singing in a musical or making a rocket? At Summer in Switzerland you do all of this and much more, including taking a trip to cities such as Florence, Venice, or Paris.

Students in our Alpine Exploration (ages 12-14) and Alpine Challenge (ages 15-18) programs choose classes from five streams – Arts & Creativity, S.T.E.M., Language, Liberal Arts or Entrepreneurship. At the start of each

Participants experience a summer of a

week, students also choose their afternoon

lifetime, and often come back for another

activities including tennis, basketball, hiking,

one the following year. Students from all

football/soccer, cooking or art & crafts.

over the world meet in Leysin to share their

CONT

ACT

Email: h sis@las.c : ll Ca 23 4 493-47 2 1 4 + : e it s Web er/ ch/summ .l w ww as.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Transition from Middle School to High School:

36 |

An Emotional and Physical Coming of Age for Teenagers UMA MISHRA-NEWBERY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER TUTORSPLUS SCIENCE TUTOR AND SAT/ACT TEST PREP SPECIALIST

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

he journey of a teenager is fraught with so many emotional highs and lows, and throughout their journey, we (educators and parents) place reasonable expectations upon teenagers to ensure they are following guidelines, learning, growing, and becoming productive young adolescents.

The potentially challenging transition from middle school into high school can sometimes be overlooked by parents since there are no big exams or apparently significant choices to be made.

However, this period is a critical time for students, as they can experience many changes during the transition from middle school into high school. A “bildungsroman” is the name given to a journey concerning the coming of age of an individual and the emotional and physical changes that occur on the journey from a child to a young adult. As adults, we have all experienced our own version of a bildungsroman. We can all identify key moments in our lives where we finally understood ourselves, how we learned best, and why one subject was more difficult than another. Perhaps we can remember the anxiety we may have felt as 9th graders, and the overwhelming pressure of greater homework demands and parent expectations. In the transition from 8th to 9th grade, students can get left behind and as a result have trouble keeping up with the change in gears required at school.

very real concerns of their adolescents. Often students feel that their parents don’t really understand the amount of pressure they face in school. There is a very real difference between school life 20-30 years ago, to that of today.

As students start 9th grade, they very quickly learn that they are now solely in charge of meeting all deadlines set, in terms of homework and remembering test dates. Students also have to navigate the problems of juggling multiple classes, each with their own learning requirements. If students are not already confident in their learning styles, it can be tricky for them to keep up with their courses as each class carries its own subject requirements.

The biggest challenge for students in 9th grade that I see as an educator is the knowledge that all the grades, all the learning, and effort now counts towards their future. One of the most common concerns I hear from students is regarding the pressure of managing their time wisely. So many students find it difficult to maintain a study schedule and their extracurricular activities, and as a result students end up spending many late nights cramming and completing homework at the last minute. This only compounds the many issues that students face as sleep issues can set in and really affect the brain’s ability to process, store, and learn information. 9th grade is prime time for students to start setting up good independent learning habits for the future.

The potentially challenging transition from middle school into high school can sometimes be overlooked by parents...

As an educator that teaches 9th and 10th grade in a Swiss international school, I can say that the first two years of high school are some of the most challenging for students because the amount that is expected of students grows exponentially and immediately. There is a sudden shift from the warm supportive environment of middle school to a push towards independent learning and thinking in high school and students are introduced to a greater diversity of teachers each with their own teaching styles. The requirement for obtaining and maintaining good grades can be stressful and overwhelming for students. Apart from the academic concerns, the shift to high school brings with it a new set of social challenges. Their circle of friends can suddenly change and as a result, students can end up feeling left out and struggling for acceptance. They may not understand why they have been excluded from friendship groups they have been part of for perhaps their entire school life. As students are trying to be more independent and be seen as such, they can feel as if their teachers don’t appreciate their individuality and as a result feel confined by expectations both behaviorally and academically. Adolescents are also going through puberty and rapidly changing hormones can influence the confidence on a social and personal level. These social pressures and the feeling of needing to “fit in” can affect the learning potential for any student.

The first two years of high school can either be a bumpy hard learning process due to the factors listed above, or, students can flourish by accepting the journey of understanding and growth that they are on. Parents can prove to be an incredible source of support during this transition by taking time to understand the

internationalschoolparent.com

| 37

International School Parent Spring 2017

The transition to 10th grade is slightly easier as students are now familiar with the rhythm, pace, and expectation of high school and their teachers; but there are still challenges that students face.

If a student hasn’t figured out their distinct learning and study style, 10th grade can prove to be a further challenge, as subjects continue to become more demanding and intense in their coursework. Usually, most subjects build upon material taught in 9th grade, so if a student has suffered in a subject in the previous year, 10th grade can become quite overwhelming for students.

The educational consultants at TutorsPlus report that parents can see these early years in high school as a time when children can change school without the disruption which would come by moving during the years immediately preceding the final exams, but this may be a false sense of security. Moves at this time may result in children missing out on some of the necessary foundations for academic success in later years.

With all of these transitions and demands, what is the best way to support students? Parents can be such a source of support and encouragement, but it is hard to know exactly where to start.

Here are some helpful suggestions along with some useful studies and articles to get you started on your journey of understanding.

1. If you see your adolescent struggling after the 1st term in 9th grade with any subject, have a chat with them to find out if they are having trouble meeting expectations, or keeping a study schedule.

38 |

2. Starting extra tuition in 9thth and 10thth grade for demanding subjects can be such a beneficial source of support, before they get too far behind and start struggling and losing their confidence. As many subjects teach foundational material in these first two years, if a student fails to understand these foundational aspects, the final years of high school will be a challenge. Although it may seem excessive, supporting adolescents in understanding of foundational subject material can drastically help boost their confidence as they become stronger learners.

4. Meet and maintain contact with your child’s teachers, and encourage your child to do so too. Teachers appreciate it and students at this age can be shy to approach their teachers for help. Usually teachers in high school will follow your child for a few years. It helps not only for you to know the teachers your adolescent has, but also to understand the expectations of each of the teachers.

Teachers appreciate when parents reach out regarding student learning concerns and they are there to help!

5. Asking your adolescent about their relationship with social media and creating a safe space for dialogue is highly beneficial as there is a whole world hidden to parents on social media. Students can end up wasting so much time on social media sites but will feel huge pressure not to be left out of every online conversation. Furthermore, incidents of bullying between school-aged kids on social media is a very real phenomenon and can be almost invisible to parents. Be aware of how much time your child spends on social media and don’t be afraid to ask them what they post.

6. Try to get students in the habit of reviewing their notes regularly. Daily is best and if students can explain their notes, then you can be sure they understand the material.

7. Encourage students to take responsibility for their learning.

This means that when they do not understand something that they need to follow up with their teachers. There are many ways to do this if they are not always comfortable raising their hand in class when they don’t understand.

It could be an email to the teacher, or a quiet request to discuss after class.

8. Edutopia.org is a great website filled with resources for parents of kids in grades 4-12.

9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your adolescents’ teachers or from the team of educational consultants and tutors at TutorsPlus.

Try to get students in the habit of reviewing their notes regularly.

3. Acknowledge the stress that adolescents feel in high school.

Too often students feel unsupported in the level of stress they experience and many times, students are told they are ‘too stressed’ without being given tools to help manage their stress. The competition students face is very real, so help your adolescent by listening to their fears, and giving them safe spaces to destress. Active participation in activities that provide a place where a student doesn’t have to ‘think’ and can do (sports, art, dance, theater, etc) can be highly beneficial in giving students the space to destress and have a bit of fun.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

#greenaddiction meet your new

Freshly blended leafy greens, luscious fruits and superfoods delivered to your door!

Hand crafted daily in Geneva At least 2 portions of leafy greens, fresh fruits and healthy fats in every 500mL BonJu.

| 39

Each smoothie is a great source of fibre, protein and healthy fat.

100% real and natural no added sugar or preservatives or anything else that’s difficult to pronounce!

@drinkbonju

Availa ble online at bon ju also sto .ch cked at Manor

www.bonju.ch

Available in 1 2 3 4 5 delicious flavours.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

International School Parent Magazine: Interview with Catherine McKeever Head of School – GEMS World Academy Switzerland 40 |

INTERVIEWED BY NICHOLAS GILBERT – INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT MAGAZINE

WHAT INITIALLY INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN EDUCATION? I can remember having a conversation with my friends when I was young about “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and I was absolutely astonished that they didn’t know what they wanted to do. I just thought that it was inbuilt and everybody knew what they wanted to do!

When I was asked, I always said “Well, I’m going to be a teacher”. internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

| 41

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

HOW HAVE YOUR LIFE AND WORK EXPERIENCES INFORMED YOUR APPROACH TO YOUR WORK? I first started teaching in California where I lived for five years before moving back to London. I taught in an international school and later moved to a school in the inner city. Those experiences gave me a really precise understanding of what first quality teaching and learning looks like. When you are working in very challenging circumstances, you need to be really clear about what it is that children need to learn. After all, that is our responsibility as educators. There is no better training ground than a challenging inner city school!

42 |

After teaching for several years in a range of schools, I was asked if I would like a leadership position. It wasn’t necessarily something I had thought about before because I loved being in the classroom and watching children progress and learn. I did believe though that I could make a bigger contribution outside the classroom and when you are asked for such a position as a teacher, it feels that is something you ought to do if you can.

Before I knew it, I was responsible for a whole school as a head teacher and my interests and areas of expertise have broadened to give me a deep understanding of what the big picture in education should be. I think the joy of being a head teacher is that I have a very clear idea of what I want it to look like for the students and I enjoy working out how to convey that vision to the teachers, whilst being careful to ensure that we have high ambitions and high expectations for our students, not just academically, but in music, sports and other extracurricular activities. Students have to reach beyond their potential and say “you know what, why wouldn’t I want to do that? Why wouldn’t that be my end goal?” It’s all about giving students opportunities and I feel if they have all these and they are well executed, everything else will come with it.

FROM YOUR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CAREER, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM YOUR PREVIOUS HEADSHIP POSITIONS? As Head of School for GEMS Switzerland, I have the advantage of working for the same school group. This is helpful as I understand the organisation and how it works. That makes my job somewhat easier because it means I know I have a support network that I can call on.

I think my past experiences allow me to bring a lot to the organisation, things I have learned - not just from being a head teacher, but from being part of the GEMS network. My experience has also shown me that it doesn’t matter how good things are right now, they can always get better. My experience of the GEMS network, of school improvement work, and of running very large teams, can all be applied here with great

success. One does however, have to be aware that each school is different and each context is different.

WHAT WILL CHARACTERISE A STUDENT LEAVING GEMS WORLD ACADEMY SWITZERLAND UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP? My ambition for our students is that they will be academically strong, multilingual (an essential part of being an IB school), and self-propelling – we wish that when they graduate, they will be able to think for themselves, engage in their own learning and do their own research.

Equally, as part of our programme, they will have undertaken some volunteer work in the community, giving them a sense of duty and compassion. Once you have considered all of these factors and produced an 18-year-old who can do all of these things, it is easy to see why universities across the world like students who have the IB. It’s a very solid base.

GEMS IS GROWING AS A SCHOOL, SO WHAT IS IT THAT YOUR PARENTS VALUE MOST? What they value most is the quality of the teaching and the quality of the children’s learning. That is quite right and should be the most important thing to parents. Yes, we do have a fabulous campus and we do have all the things which would make you want to send your child here. If you ask the children what they like, they will say “the swimming pool, the sports hall, the climbing wall”. Often parents brush past this though, which I think says a lot about what they are buying into; they see the facilities as a given. Our parents talk about the educational experience and picking up happy children who enjoy coming to school. I believe that if you have the right core, then everything else builds from there.

WE’VE TOUCHED ON IT ALREADY, BUT HOW DO YOU GET CHILDREN TO DO THEIR BEST ACADEMICALLY? I think that it starts with our little ones because you have to build a very strong foundation in the Early Years, in both English and French, so that the quality of their speaking, listening, communication and their reading and writing in both languages is as strong as we can make it. With that, students are much more capable of engaging with an enquiry from a teacher. It is therefore important to start with the core essentials and work upwards.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

It is also important for our parents that they feel they have a listening ear. I always make sure that parents have excellent communication lines with their child’s teacher so that when a student is learning, the parent understands very well how they learn. This parental engagement is very important in helping children succeed.

WHICH AREAS OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE YOU DEVELOPING? As I said before, it doesn’t matter how good a school or its facilities are, it can always be better. We are building on our sports programme, with a new Sports Director this year, by focusing on doing some sports really well. For instance, we have a fabulous swimming pool (two in fact) and are making sure that we give the provision for students so that we can have a really good swim squad. We start teaching them to swim when they are very little and then we are developing them into tadpoles, minnows and eventually a GEMS Shark! We have been working hard on areas like football, and are working on building up a strong repertoire of other sports where we can be competitive.

We just had a music recital this morning from our students in the Music Academy. When these students play, the other children think “wow, she sits beside me and I didn’t even know she could do that”. By giving students the opportunity to see their peers playing music, it breaks down resistance to them taking up that type of thing too.

We are also really focusing on our bilingual program because it is absolutely something that our parents ask us for and so we want to make the teaching of English and French as seamless as possible.

We will grow these opportunities as the school grows with us!

YOU HAVEN’T BEEN IN SWITZERLAND A LONG TIME, BUT HOW ARE YOU MAKING THE MOST OF EVERYTHING THAT SWITZERLAND HAS TO OFFER? So far I have been quite busy settling in, but one of the great motivators for me to move to Switzerland was the weather and the opportunity that this climate offers me to do the things that I love. I love outdoors, I love to walk, I love to run, I love to ride my bike and in the winter, I love to ski! I am not so great with hot temperatures, so it makes a nice change to Dubai. I might never leave!

WHEN A NEW STUDENT ARRIVES, WHAT DO YOU DO TO HELP THEM SETTLE IN? We do many things. When a family arrives for the first time, we make sure that they have a tour of the school and we offer an “introduction day” where new students can come and spend a day in the school and classroom. This is very popular because the children can say “I had a great time and I would like to come back”. It helps to reduce the fear factor of coming somewhere new by giving them something to look forward to.

When they become a student, we have a buddy system which pairs them with a friend from the same class who will come down and meet them, take them to class, have lunch and break times together, etc. for them to establish good relationships with the other students in the class.

From a parents’ point of view, we touch base with them on a weekly basis. If the children are little, the teacher will be talking to the parents every day. When the students get a little older and they are in the secondary school we do have a system where the home room teacher speaks to the parent regularly. We also make sure that new parents are connected with other parents with similar backgrounds so they don’t feel left out! Everybody becomes part of our active parent group so we always make sure that parents are linked up as much as possible.

SUPER! LASTLY, WHAT ARE THE MAIN TRENDS YOU ARE SEEING IN EDUCATION AT THE MOMENT? I think the idea of providing the right education and making sure that the GEMS student who leaves our school is equipped in every single aspect of life to be able to go to a university of their choice and be really successful, or if they choose not to go to university to be able to go into the world of work or apprenticeship and have all of the knowledge and skills that they need to make that a success for them. That’s our job, and that’s what we are here to do.

It’s hard to predict the future and change is so rapid, but providing we create adaptable students who, when something unknown comes along, can be flexible (I like to use the word nimble and often think we need a brain like an elastic band!), they will not be phased and will be able to handle the situation.

That is the challenge of modern education in my opinion, creating adaptive students who are capable of delivering under any circumstances.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME! No, thank you!

internationalschoolparent.com

| 43

International School Parent Spring 2017

A flying career for alumni of SSTH

BY SWISS SCHOOL OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

44 |

The hospitality industry is one of the fastestgrowing industry sectors world-wide. As a booming industry, diverse career opportunities continue to flourish on a global scale and the industry continues to attract new talent who are passionate, well-educated and well trained.

The Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH), part of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) Group and Swiss Hotel Association, is a College of Applied Sciences that offers a fascinating international atmosphere. Students not only benefit from top hands-on experience, but also from a high level of academic education preparing them for successful careers.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

| 45

Photograph: Christian Wesenberg, Kolonihaven internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

HOW DO SSTH GRADUATES GET A FOOTHOLD ON THE CAREER LADDER? For many fresh college graduates, the satisfaction of completing an undergraduate degree quickly turns into an anxious job search, almost before the ink on their diploma paper has had a chance to dry. At SSTH the process of researching and finding a job starts before graduation with the help of the alumni network and the career services department.

SSTH has an active alumni network of over 5,000 in around 100 countries. EHL, the parent company of SSTH has 25,000+ in 120 countries.

SO WHY IS THE ALUMNI NETWORK SO IMPORTANT TO SSTH?

46 |

Nina lives outside Oslo with her 8 year old daughter. She joined SSTH in 1999 having been recommended to study at SSTH whilst briefly working at the EPCOT center at Disney World in Florida.

“I was restless to see the world and knew that I should adopt a career that would allow me to travel and live abroad – which led me to study hospitality management at SSTH. The challenging program at SSTH with interesting lectures and international key note speakers attracted me most.”

WHAT INTERNSHIPS DID YOU DO AS PART OF THE PROGRAM? “I worked at the Holiday Inn Oceanfront Hotel, Hilton Head Island, in South Carolina. I started as an intern and was promoted to supervisor during my year. The hotel was in a prime location on the beach and I learnt everything about revenue management, quality control, service standards and general front office.”

The alumni network is closely linked to SSTH and benefits the current student population immensely. Alumni are a key source of excellent internship and job opportunities. They promote SSTH and its degree programs worldwide within the industry which gives SSTH graduates a competitive edge in the job market and they regularly visit SSTH as key note speakers, sharing their real-life experiences.

Nina was asked to go back to the Holiday Inn Oceanfront Hotel and was promoted to Front Desk Manager. She then returned to Norway as a Front Office Manager at Hotel Continental, a 5 star hotel and Norway’s only member of the Leading Hotels of the World, in Oslo. She was promoted as the hotels first revenue manager in 2007 and then left in 2009 to become a General Manager at Hotel Bondeheimen in Oslo.

The SSTH Alumni Director, Maria Ramstad Kristiansen describes the importance of SSTH’s alumni for students at SSTH.

Nina is now the General Manager at the Hotel Continental, a family owned hotel. At the Hotel Continental she is joined by fellow SSTH alumni Guest Relations Manager, Asbjørn Solem and Event Coordinator, Marina Helbostad. Pictured below with Nina, on the left is Tore Skog, Front Receptionist, who was successfully accepted to study this year at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. www.hotelcontinental.no

“To effectively take advantage of the excellent SSTH alumni network, students should work on creating relationships with alumni throughout their college experience by attending networking events and liaising via social media. It is a solid investment of students’ time because our alumni are in the position to actually offer career opportunities in some of the world’s most luxurious and exotic locations.”

Maria goes on to talk about the vast array of careers SSTH alumni have followed since graduating.

“International managerial careers vary enormously with our alumni population. Some alumni work in prestigious hotel chains, event companies, restaurants, luxury retail, airlines and cruise ships and some in private banking and other corporate industries. Our alumni are passionate, driven and super interesting people. Take Karan Narang for instance. He is training to become a pilot, sails, has studied till masters level, supports a family and if that isn’t enough, is the Director of Acquisitions and Financial Analysis for the Hospitality Ventures Management Group, Atlanta.”

Having studied at SSTH herself, Maria who is Norwegian, gives us an insight into fellow Norwegian, Nina Henriette Brandanger and her career success since leaving SSTH.

internationalschoolparent.com

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO FRESH GRADUATES ON EMBARKING UPON A CAREER IN HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT? “Getting a foot in the door is important. Use all your networks.

Then prove yourself within the industry! Career options are not just limited to the industry. Many of my fellow students have actually successfully digressed into other businesses which is a testament to just how versatile the SSTH Degrees are.”

FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT SSTH OR TO VISIT: Website: ssth.ch Tel: +41 81 255 11 11

Hauptstrasse 12,

7062 Passugg, Switzerland You can follow us on: Facebook: LinkedIn: Twitter: Instagram: @ssthch and @wearessth

“Getting a foot in the door is important.

Use all your networks.

Then prove yourself within the industry!

The Power of Play.

Toys are the New Textbooks.

10% OFF your order when you use the code ‘ISP 16’

At Super Savant our goal is to provide parents and educators with unique toys and games that will ignite our children’s critical and creative thinking skills. Sourced from all over the world, our carefully selected range of award winning products will excite and engage our children while stimulating their minds.

Visit www.supersavant.ch to discover our full range.

Super Savant

The smartest toys & games on the planet

International School Parent Spring 2017

Preparation for the new SAT: Demystifying the Process 50 |

BY PAMELA GERBER AND DR DENNIS ENGEL

Help build your child’s confidence, relieve the stress and anxiety and increase their SAT scores.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

eing successful in the SAT requires not only possessing the necessary academic skills but also understanding the test, becoming familiar with its structure, content, timing, question types, language and more.

Preparation for the SAT can seem like a daunting task. Ideally, students should design a structured program of preparation for the SAT with a predetermined timetable. This is particularly so as the SAT must usually be written while students are involved in full-time school study with all the related pressure in addition to their extra-curricular activities.

Here is where a qualified and experienced SAT trainer can be of great help, either one-on-one or with small groups. The trainer will review the academic skills the students need, take them through practical, relevant and current test-taking strategies, and supervise their practice on sample SAT questions.

WHAT IS THE SAT? The SAT is a standardised test used as part of the admissions process for American universities. This means that admission to a particular university may depend on the student achieving a certain SAT score. The higher a student’s score the better the chance of acceptance at their university of choice, although other factors such as GPA also play a role.

examiners expect students to prepare well, to absorb the guidance given, and to do lots of practice questions. The bottom line is that students that do this will do well in the SAT. Those that don’t will be at a severe disadvantage and will achieve a low score far below their potential.

THE NEW SAT The new SAT (in effect as of end 2016) introduces significant changes. As its introduction is so recent, and as students and parents may have heard a lot about the SAT over the years, it is important to be aware of the changes.

The new format is more user-friendly. For example, instead of sections set out in random order, they are now more streamlined, the English sections grouped together followed by the math sections and then the essay section, which is now optional and is scored separately.

In the multiple choice questions, there are now only four answers to choose from as compared to the previous five. Further, there is no longer a penalty for wrong answers. Students should therefore answer every question even if it means guessing.

The content of the new SAT has also been modified. The reading and writing components focus more on understanding the structure of a piece of writing. In addition, there are no longer short vocabulary questions which are rather out of context.

However, extensive vocabulary knowledge remains vital to success in the SAT. An important change is that graph- and chart-based questions appear frequently in the new SAT and are included in every section.

The higher a student’s score the better the chance of acceptance at their university of choice...

Students considering study in the United States as an option should therefore take the SAT, or the ACT which is a similar standardised test, and attempt to achieve as high a score as possible.

The SAT is developed and administered by an organisation called the College Board. It tests three skills: critical reading in English, writing/language in English, and mathematics; it assesses students’ ability to apply the knowledge and skills needed at University.

Most questions in the SAT are multiple choice, while in the essay section students are required to do written work, and in the maths section about 20% of the questions require students to deduce the answer rather than select from a set of given answers.

The College Board recommends that students should plan to write the SAT at least twice. Only the best of the scores will be used by the universities in assessing applications. There are several test dates spaced throughout the year. After taking the SAT for the first-time students will be more familiar with the format and the conditions under which it is written, and they should be more at ease. Students can also improve knowledge and skills in areas that they recognised as weak when taking the test for the first time.

The SAT examiners set difficult and tricky questions. They are real life questions, and life can be difficult and tricky. The

internationalschoolparent.com

| 51

International School Parent Spring 2017

The mathematical skills tested in the SAT are: algebra, especially linear equations and inequalities, but also more complex equations; analysing data, i.e. being able to think quantitatively; using these skills to solve practical problems. Some questions also require skill in geometry, trigonometry and graphs.

To prepare well for the SAT students need to sharpen the skills taught in the mathematics courses at school. They should become as “fluent” as they can in the use of those skills so that they become a natural part of their thinking. For each problem posed students will need to be able to choose appropriate mathematical procedures and implement them accurately and efficiently.

The mathematics section has two parts, one part is done with access to calculators and the other without calculator access.

However, even when calculators are permitted, the solution to a question can sometimes be found more efficiently through using mathematical reasoning without the use of the calculator. In fact, questions are designed to test students’ reasoning ability and their ingenuity in finding less obvious but simpler solutions to problems.

ADVICE TO PARENTS The most important part of preparation for university and, by extension, preparation for the SAT, happens at school. Students need to develop their reasoning skills, both in language and mathematics. To do this they should take challenging courses at school; for example, they should try to avoid taking the easiest mathematics course available. They should work hard at their courses.

At home, parents should encourage their children to read widely - books, magazines, and newspapers - and to watch television (yes! but selected news shows, documentaries, etc.). Through speaking and listening at the dinner table for example, parents can help enhance their children’s vocabulary and reasoning skills - discussing current events, their English literature course, and other school courses and other topics.

As far as the SAT itself is concerned, parents should not have their children take the SAT before they are adequately prepared, just to “see how they do”. Neither should they simply do a series of practice tests. This could be counterproductive and just reinforce bad habits.

Parents should rather first help them to find an appropriate preparation environment, for example, a qualified trainer to help them to check and consolidate their knowledge and skills in English language and mathematics, as well as to acquire appropriate test-taking techniques.

It is important not to wait until the last moment to begin serious preparation. One should plan on at least three months of hard work to prepare well for the SAT.

52 |

An educational maxim is that preparing for and writing tests is a vital part of the learning process. As the SAT is designed to test what students are supposed to have learned at school, preparing for and writing the SAT is an excellent way for students to complete their school careers.

Studying hard at school improves SAT scores, and preparing well for the SAT can only improve school exam scores. It is win-win.

The most important parental role in the SAT preparation is one of support and encouragement - providing a calm and healthy environment for the students’ studies, nudging them (firmly maybe) towards good habits, and providing a trainer to guide them and help build up their confidence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pamela and Dennis work together helping students with SAT training both in schools, and privately. Dennis specialises in Maths, with Pamela taking a specialist role in English. If you need any information about SAT training, you may contact Pamela or Dennis at: Gerber Education and Communication 022 779-4216 - 079 512-6636 pgerber@bluewin.ch for more information about SAT training

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Go online to order a free brochure hult.edu/ undergraduate

| 53

Bachelor of Business Administration The Global Business School

• Earn a degree with both US & UK accreditation • Learn from leading industry professionals • Specialize in management, marketing, entrepreneurship, accounting or finance • Connect with students from 128 countries at campuses in San Francisco, London, Boston, Dubai, Shanghai and Ashridge Estate UK

Contact our Hult Enrollment Advisor in Switzerland for more information: EF Education, Rue Centrale 15, 1003 Lausanne bachelor.ch@ef.com +41 21 321 23 83 www.hult.edu/undergraduate

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

54 |

The latest news from Switzerland’s top International Schools internationalschoolparent.com

SCHOOL International NEWS School – British Parent School Spring of Geneva 2017 Geography Trip visited 13 Geography class In October, the Year to study a of Mount Vesuvius Naples and the are e visit volcanic hazards Th plate tectonics and Fields, ng in the Phlegrean consisted of a morni activity, tectonic and seismic an area of ongoing enough to encounter where we were lucky the ologist who was in a government seism kindly nitoring readings. He process of taking mo cellent ions and it was an ex answered our quest their students to deepen opportunity for the d topic. We also visite understanding of the itself where students the crater of Vesuvius and and questionnaires, conducted surveys of the excellent example went to Pompeii, an people ture can have upon destructive force na and the planet.

Reformation W alk On 23rd January , the whole of Ke y Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9) took a wa Old Town of Ge lk around the neva. The purpos e of the walk wa s to celebrate 500 the beginning of years since the Reformation , which was an im portant time in Ge Students spent tim neva’s history. e studying the Re formers’ Wall in th e Pa rc des Bastions, questions in Engli answering sh and French, as well as visiting th e Cathedral, tak On the way, they ing in Ca lvin’s Chair. walked up the Ra mpe de la Treille to see the “marr official chestnut onier officiel”, th tree, although th e ere was no sign of spring buds ye cold day, with sn t! It was an extre ow still on the gr mely ound, but stude nts were wrappe walk was vigorou d up warmly and s. Students said th e they particularly enjoyed climbin up the cathedral g th e 15 0 plus steps towers to see th e view over Gene va, although the did not allow us we ath er conditions to see the mount ains. They learn t about different Calvin lived in Ge aspects of life wh neva, and the be en ginnings of Prot estantism.

| 55 Our incredible Dinosaur trip (attended by Years 1, 2 and 5 classes) such as the spinosaurus, stegosaurus, We had an audio guide which told us all about the different types of dinosaurs

of them were lying down, as if they were T- rex and the brachiosaurus. They looked like they were actually real! Some incredibly realistic and very interesting. At injured or dead. Their roars were loud and fierce. We saw a film which was we even got to see their footprints and where the start there were also two clay model dinosaurs which were quite large; eggs they could climb into, so parents could they were found! There were dinosaur rides for the little ones and dinosaur and they gave us an idea of how they lived. take a picture of them. The dinosaurs moved amazingly, they looked scary FUN FACT – Did you know that the brachiosaurus is the tallest dinosaur, even spinosaurus and the giganotosaurus are bigger than the T- Rex?

taller than the T-rex and that the

in Year Described by Ben, Andres, Abhimani, Camila, Minadee and Laurent

Roald Dahl

what joining the world-wide celebrations of Tuesday 13th September 2016 saw BSG Dahl. of the renowned children’s author, Roald would have been the 100th birthday shared their own Dahl-inspired characters Teachers and students alike created and joining played ‘gloriumptious’ games before and stories, invented chocolate bars and da. online sing-along with the cast of Matil thousands of schools tuning in for the ilation like stepping into the pages of a omp Walking through the door of BSG was stic to win the Golden Ticket resulted in fanta book of the ‘Best of Dahl.’ The quest weird fancy dress costumes which brought the efforts in creating an amazing variety of and wonderful characters of Dahl alive.

internationalschoolparent.com www.britishschoolgeneva.ch

5

SCHOOL International NEWS School – Collège Parent Champittet Spring 2017 Pully

le hes the South Po ade student reac Gwendal, 5th gr 10:37 or December 14 at at 9:37 p.m. UTC 16 20 , 13 er mb On Dece the Gwendal became Champittet student ge llè Co e, tim al loc a.m. le – to the day, ched the South Po plorer to have rea ex lar po st ge un yo .

December 14, 1911 after Amundsen on exactly 105 years

a South Afric nts explore e d u st g in Board travelled g students our boardin r te es im tr Last the ey explored ca where th fri A h ut So to is trip e country. Th culture of th beauty and our ortunity for ntastic opp was also a fa and have a as a group nd o b to ts studen campus! together off great time

56 |

Students learn how to be safe on the road A police officer from Nyon came to explain to our students a few things concerning road safety. The students learnt some of the important basics such as how to cross a road safely.

Collège Champittet fondation ball nearly n ball welcomed a record turnout of The Collège Champittet Foundatio ion the foundation supported the organisat 170 people to its fourth ball! This year, a, bodi in clean water to remote areas of Cam 1001fontaines which aims to provide hosted us highlights of the evening, which was particular to schools. One of the vario on, through ded a successful live and silent aucti

by TV presenter Francois Egger, inclu ey was raised. which a considerable amount of mon

www.nordangliaeducation.com/our-schools/champittet internationalschoolparent.com

SCHOOL International NEWS School – Geneva Parent English Spring School 2017

er night Harry Pott Harry Potter arations for Year 6 prep 7. lp from Year night with he

ment Triangular Tourna ular to play a mini triang nt to LGB last week we ls gir 4 ar Ye Some of the coming e girls played well, B and IIL at LGB. Th LG st ain ag nt me tourna d. es with a good lea g one of their match nin win ll, era ov nd seco

ndary site.

GES Secondary announce new seco ing on their new secondary campus.

GES Secondary announced the open e ation architect, Dirk Jan Postel, the spac Working with renowned Dutch educ contemporary school environment. will suit the varied needs of a dynamic, to gement, cooperation, creativity, and It is designed for best possible enga September 2017, pupils in Year 7, 8 connect learning across subjects. From etional spaces, equipped with state-of-th and 9 will learn in inviting, multi-func nts. welcomes pupils, teachers and pare art resources and within a space that

China Day

Learning Material

Year 4 had a fun-filled China day. They

rials.

Year 1 have been learning about mate hetti and We tried to build a tower out of spag these marshmallows and quickly realised why ing a tower! materials were not suitable for build

found out about Chinese regional foods, learn t some Mandarin phrases, and discovered the story behind Chinese New Year.

internationalschoolparent.com www.geneva-english-school.ch

| 57

SCHOOL NEWS – GEMS World Academy International School Parent Spring 2017

We love our GEMS Parent Group

(GPG) At GEMS, we pride ourselves on havin g a positive and active community and our parents play an essential role in our school. We propose an active programme for parents including coffe e mornings, a variety of workshops, conference opportunities with teach ers, meetings to discuss school impr ovement topics, as well as having a point of contact to give any feedback and comments. In addition, our pare nts organize 5 different language conversation clubs, nature walks, ski days and social events.

And that is not all! Parents organise great events and activities for the whol e school to enrich the lives of our stude nts, build community, and raise school spirit. This school year alone, the GPG have orga nised a Welcome Back Picnic, a Hallo ween Party and a Winter Market; all a huge success and highlighting the great spirit of our school whilst modelling generosity, being caring and an active member of a community.

The Winter Market was combined with

the Etoy “Advent Window” event and we welcomed guests from outside the school. The vendors were present with a large varie ty of products and our MYP students hoste d various activities for young and old, raising money for their chosen charities. Lastl y, there was a large second-hand toy sale with proceeds going to the Theodora Foundation, organized by our GPG. We look forward to the next events; Valentine’s bake sale, movie night and Intercultural Day! choir sang beautiful songs, over 20

58 |

Meeting the Chairman, Mr Sunny Varkey

Education Group, Mr Sunny Varkey and his son Jay Varkey, We had the honour and privilege to welcome the Chairman of the GEMS 13th of January. together with members of the senior leadership team to our school on Friday

a better life for their family and what they found was a Mr Varkey’s parents, both teachers, arrived in Dubai in 1959 from India to seek son, Sunny, added a visionary’s ambition to a practitioner’s real need to educate children arriving in the city from around the world. Their the largest privately owned international school experience. From simple roots in a family of teachers, GEMS Education is today provide a quality education to everyone. provider, educating over 250,000 students across the globe, with an aim to students across the world, enriching the international Our students have the opportunity to exchange and share with other GEMS the “World Academy” status and we strive to become the learning experience we offer. We are one of only 5 schools globally to have best day school in Switzerland.

www.gemsworldacademy-switzerland.com internationalschoolparent.com

SCHOOL – GEMS World Academy SCHOOL International NEWSNEWS – International School Parent School Spring of Zug 2017 and Luzern

d the Zug Campus an s to Zug et Harry Baker visit po m Slam Poetry come sla ve ha to d ge y Slam and we were privile ing winning the Poetr mes in many forms poetry slams includ The art of poetry co ny ma in ed olv inv slam champion poets with y. Harry is a poetry here inspiring future showcase Slam Poetr d he was able to be hte lig de re we we genius and rry is quite the lyrical World Cup 2012. Ha hops. performance poetry writing works mpetitions for these his assemblies and etry slams are the co po d an nd mi in e audienc y is written with the e to participate.

Performance poetr uraging the audienc eryone. engaging and enco ud alo y etr po his that poetry is for ev res ps and highlighted ho poets. The poet sha rks wo his g rin and enthusiasm du s not only in etry writing process to share their poem Harry shared his po Many were inspired es. iqu hn tec his ems practicing d some amazing po The students create ! school assembly too class but in a whole ader Zug Campus s, Library Team Le

By Elizabeth Meek

| 59

The Singing Christma s

Tree

There are many winter

celebrations in the ISZ L calendar that have become part of our sch Lucia and I think I can ool traditions such as now safely say that Th Festival of Lights and e Zurich Singing Christ Santa mas Tree is definitely Voices choir and see now one of these too ing fifty faces shining .

Sta nd ing as they stood on a rea in front of our Zug l Christmas tree singin I feel very privileged g their hearts out is the to work with these you highlight of my year ng singers from secon for sure. d grade through to fift the event conducting h grade and to get the them in the middle of opportunity to be a pa busy Zurich on a cold rt of December night with community. It really wa a bustling crowd of ISZ s a truly magical eve L faces and the furthe ning. The children ga r Swiss ve two thirty minute including Jingle Bells performances singin and Frosty the Snow g traditional Christma man as well as more s son gs modern contemporar spirit. Being invited into y winter songs which the Swiss community they sang with energ to perform for the ver y and great y first time last year on Welcomed back this the Christmas tree wa year, with an extende s a true success for ISZ d invitation for many L. more years going for the community we ser ward highlights the pa ve. The children were rtnerships we are cre risk-takers conversing ating within in German with the eve of singing German tra nt organisers and we ditional songs includ are building our repert ing Stille Nacht and oire Ein Lichtlein Brent (lig integrate as much as hting the candles) dis we can within the com playing our commitme munity we live and wo nt to rk in. Last night marke little elves (our ISZL chi d the start of the festive ldren) were climbing season for me and as down from their places the on the Christmas tre - I feel like a superstar e, one child beamed !’. I hope that The Sin ‘th is is the best night of my life ging Christmas Tree is an experience that be something that the will leave a lasting me y will look back on wit mory with our children h fondest memories and will in years to come.

By Kirsty Kelly, Zu g Primary Perform ing Arts Specialist

www.gemsworldacademy-switzerland.com internationalschoolparent.com www.iszl.ch

SCHOOL NEWS School – International Berne International Parent School Spring of 2017 Ski & Skate Fr idays in full sw ing!

For seven Friday s in winter, the wh ole school participates in wi nter sports. Our littlest students, ELC-Gr ade 2, take the tram to Worb for ice sk ating lessons. Fo r the rest of the students, Gr ade 3-12, ISBer ne charters a private train to Zweisimmen fo r ski and snowboarding adventures! The school has been taking the students skiing for as long as the school ha s been in existen ce. In the beginning, it wa s just an excursi on to a local hill. But as the sc hool grew, and the hill was developed, the ski programme developed too–into the ex citing Ski Friday programme we have today.

These are the da ys that are engraved into th e memories of our Alumni.

New Record for ISBerne The secondary school swim team recently participated in a competition in Basel. This event saw the team set a new ISBerne single-season record with 9 Gold, 24 Silver, 13 Bronze medals won, a total of 46 medals for the season.

60 |

This is a great accomplishment for our small team.

Congratulations to our swimmers!

Ready Enough for a Party On Monday, January 23rd, ISBerne

had the privilege of hosting the annual GGBa Night, despite the camp us not being finished. The Great Hall, however, the heart of the new campus and the place where the event was held, looked quite finished and impressive!

The GGBa is the international busin ess development agency for western Switzerland. Representative s were in attendance from all the development agencies of the western cantons as well as international business specialists from around the globe whose job is to advise and recommend Switzerlan d as a place for international corporate investment. The Minister of Economic Affairs of Switzerland, Christophe Ammann, gave a speech, which was followed by a lively discourse on the economic strength and viability of Switzerland.

Hosting this event was timely for ISBe rne as the school moves into a bigger, campus with room for growth.

The new campus made a strong impression and served its purpose well in showcasing ISBerne as the elite school that it is.

www.isberne.ch internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Are you ready for the next step in your international career?

Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration International Management & Economics A bachelor’s degree programme in English in Lucerne Visit our Information Evenings in Lucerne, Zurich, Bern and Basel. www.hslu.ch/bachelor-ime

| 61 160927_w_i-ins_ba_programme_A5_intern.indd 1

28.09.16 09:05

We’re here for your child throughout their IB Diploma PRE-IB SUMMER CAMP

MID-IB SUMMER CAMP

SPRING EXAM PREPARATION

ONLINE PRIVATE TUITION

to prepare for the IB

to get ahead in second year

the final push before the exams

personalised one to one tuition wherever you need it

Helping students through the IB since 2004. internationalschoolparent.com www.lanternaeducation.com

+44 (0)20 3318 0578

Lanterna Education

YOUR FUTURE IS UNIQUE

Collège du Léman is one of the most renowned Swiss international schools educating the sons and daughters of the world’s leaders in business, politics and the arts. Nestled on the outskirts of Geneva, Collège du Léman enrolls boarding and day students in a vibrant campus setting that brings together students with global perspectives to learn in a dynamic and secure educational setting.

Summer Camps - Day and Boarding School - Gap Year www.cdl.ch

admission@cdl.ch

+41(0)22 775 56 56

International School Parent Spring 2017

Can sport safety keep up with a new generation of extreme athletes

BY AMELIA MARTYN-HEMPHILL

internationalschoolparent.com

| 63

International School Parent Spring 2017

64 |

t’s every parent’s worst nightmare: receiving the call that your child has had an accident. For Rose Crosthwaite’s mother, the news arrived mid-afternoon on a Saturday. Her 12-year-old daughter was in accident and emergency with an exposed nerve and missing front teeth, after being hit in the mouth with a hockey stick.

“It was a complete freak accident,” said Rose, now 24, as she recalled the details.

She had been waiting on the sidelines of the sports field playing around with friends, when a team mate’s rogue practice swing hit her full in the face with a sickening thud. Her mouthguard was sitting in her pocket, unused. “At first I was just in shock and didn’t really realize what had happened,” she said. “And then suddenly the pain hit, I had a tooth in my hand and there was blood everywhere.”

Managing the balance between risk taking and safety concerns can be a challenge for both schools and parents. High impact sports have been shown to help children challenge their physical boundaries and develop complex strategy skills. But with many schools now offering extreme sporting options from downhill skiing to thai boxing, the stakes for safety awareness are increasing. The latest research data from the U.S. shows that head injuries and concussions among high school athletes has doubled in the last ten years. American football, ice hockey and soccer accounted for the highest percentage of head injuries, with cumulative concussions hiking the risk of permanent neurological damage by 39 percent. So how can young adults tread the fine line between playing hard and playing it safe?

Investment in properly fitted, certified equipment is one way to help limit potential injury and vast medical costs. Mouthguards, and particularly custom fitted ones, may play a more important role in preventing head injuries than previously thought, according to the latest research from the Academy of Dentistry.

A recent study found that among high school football players in the U.S., those wearing custom fitted mouthguards were only half as likely to sustain traumatic brain injuries than those wearing store-bought ones. Lead author of the study Dr Jackson Winters explained that despite increasingly advanced helmet design, “a custom made, properly fitted mouthguard is also essential to player safety.”

For Nick Gilbert, the concept of wearing a mouthguard was seemingly a no-brainer. But as a parent standing on the sidelines

of numerous school sports matches, he noticed multiple children removing uncomfortable mouthguards while they were running or simply not wearing them at all. Then came the problem of actually finding somewhere in Switzerland to professionally fit a mouthguard for his young daughter. “It was expensive, time consuming and a real hassle,” he said. Determined to streamline the process, Nick is teaming up with Swiss dentists to create Mouthguards.ch, a startup providing custom mouthguard fitting service directly to schools. “Properly fitted mouthguards reduce face and head injuries in every case where they were worn,” he explained. “And as parents we need to be able to judge that we’ve done everything we can.”

A growing appetite for riskier and more extreme sporting options has also been fuelled by a boom in online videos. With snowboarding, BMX biking and rock climbing all on the Olympic program for 2020, dangerous sporting pursuits are having a moment in the spotlight with younger viewers. Roughly 100 hours of GoPro sports videos are uploaded to YouTube every hour, says U.S. Consultancy Delaware North. They also predict that the surge of interest in more high risk sports is just the beginning of a growing trend. Thrill seekers are starting younger and high profile competitions are adding a competitive edge to what were previously considered more peripheral sports. In the next 5 years, the company estimates, extreme sports will seriously challenge professional and collegiate team sports for the title of most watched online content.

But despite more students than ever getting involved in riskier physical training, safety laws and fixed regulations have been slow to keep up. Fear of litigation can frequently leave schools or sports providers feeling exposed and the knock on effect can mean fewer opportunities for regulated and supervised practice.

“Sensible risk management is not about creating a totally risk free society,” the UK Health and Safety Commission explained, but added that both parents and schools need to make active decisions on safety precautions.

While it can be tempting for parents to simply limit a child’s exposure to seemingly dangerous sports, diversifying physical training has been shown to actively reduce injury rates and improve mental health. Research from Norway during the 1990s also suggested that teenagers allowed to experiment with more extreme physical sports committed fewer drug offences and were less prone to antisocial behaviour. Child sport psychologist Dr Patrick Cohn agrees, pointing out that encouraging safety is a more effective strategy than discouraging risk taking. “Kids must be focused and mentally prepared for these sports” he said.

“They need to be trained properly and have the ability to concentrate to stay safe.”

Rose Crosthwaite was back on the hockey field at the first opportunity following her accident. But though it didn’t take long to rebuild her confidence she said, after having a root canal, tooth implants and her bottom teeth capped, her attitude to sport safety changed dramatically. “I definitely used my mouth guard all the time after that,” she remembered. “It shouldn’t knock people’s confidence, but the safety precautions are there for a reason.”

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

PLAYING IT SAFE: TOP TIPS ON SPORT SAFETY INVEST IN EQUIPMENT A custom fitted mouthguard and a European standard approved helmet are worthwhile investments for any kind of contact or high risk sport. The National Ski Areas Association recommends that at whatever their level of experience, winter sports enthusiasts should look for helmets fitted with Multi Impact Protection Systems (MIPS). Back protectors have increased in popularity as high tech skies facilitate faster downhill speeds. Appropriate footwear, shin pads and wrist guards should also be part of every child’s safety kit.

COMMUNICATE BOUNDARIES Setting attainable goals for progress requires planning and self awareness from both students and teachers. As more advanced gear facilitates sporting performance that is faster, harder and more extreme, the stakes for injury also ramp up. Fostering a supportive, talkative environment allows young athletes to make calm, realistic judgement calls.

BUILD SKILL PROGRESSION Confidence comes with steady skill progression. Most sporting injuries tend to be sustained during practice, so having a professional coach to guide training strategy is key. A focus on building physical strength should always be coupled with stretching and flexibility training to help protect against strains and sprains.

“Properly fitted mouthguards reduce face and head injuries in every case where they were worn.”

BE RISK AWARE NOT RISK AVERSE Encouraging students to try a wide range of different sports builds confidence and allows them to develop strength and agility, while preventing burn out. It’s important to make sure that schools are making use of the most up to date equipment and training methods, especially when offering more high risk sporting options.

Poorly fitted mouthguards are bulky (pictured above) and do little to protect against dental damage.

Poorly fitted mouthguards are bulky (pictured above) and do little to protect against dental damage.

internationalschoolparent.com

| 65

International School Parent Spring 2017

Make 2017 YOUR year

BY DORTE ERTBOLL

66 |

It’s that time of year again.

The beginning of a New Year.

New year, new goals, new aspirations, new optimism that this time, we’ll follow through on our resolutions.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

| 67

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

ut is there any chance that your goals look quite similar to the ones you set this time last year?

Most of us are much better at setting goals than we are at completing them.

And I’m no exception that! But over the years I’ve learnt to improve my skills. A lot!

When I was 13, I lost a parent to cancer and this event kicked off a life-long quest to truly understand health, balance and happiness in life. And for me, a large part of that was understanding how to set and reach goals for myself. Health, physical and general life goals because all of these goals are what help us to live a meaningful and happy life.

So why does the excitement of goals tend to wear off so fast, leaving us back where we started?

Essentially, this happens because we keep getting in our own way.

But we can change that of course and here’s where you can start:

How: Write down your goals, keep them in front of you so that you see them every day. Write them on a post-it note and stick them to something you see often throughout your day (your bathroom mirror, your fridge, your desk, the dashboard of your car). Or use it as wall paper on your phone or laptop or create a reminder in your calendar that pops up at least once every day.

And then start to measure the results you are getting. If it’s weight loss, keep a little diary, write down day by day how you are getting on with sticking to your plans and with the results you are getting.

2. I LOSE MY MOTIVATION AFTER JUST A SHORT WHILE… The excitement of the goal can wear off as soon as the routine of everyday life sets in and every time we’re tempted to stray.

Suddenly the goal doesn’t seem so appealing anymore and we lose our motivation.

The solution: Become crystal clear on WHY you set the goal in the first place. What does the goal actually mean to you? What will be different by reaching this goal? Why does it matter?

What will it change to how you feel, look, live?

Be really clear on this so that the goal is rooted in a deep meaning that you can go back to whenever you need to remember why it’s more important than the distraction or temptation. And digging deeper into your actual motivation, also helps you to make sure that your goal is the RIGHT goal for you – one that will actually make a real difference and not just as ‘nice-to-have’.

68 |

5 TYPICAL GOAL SETTING ISSUES – AND THEIR SOLUTION 1. I LOVE SETTING GOALS – I JUST CAN’T STICK TO THEM… Setting goals is exciting to most of us. Even starting our work towards the goals is exciting, but a few days or weeks into the effort, the excitement wears off. Sounds familiar?

What happens is that you keep getting sucked back into your old ways, the comfortable way. And you don’t even notice it.

The solution: You need to keep your goals present and visible in your day-to-day life. Essentially you need small constant reminders, both of your goals and of the progress you are making towards them so that the goals stay at the front of your mind.

And you need to track your results so that you stay motivated.

Also remember to keep your goals measureable – being able to measure your progress is motivating. If your goal is too vague, your progress will be vague and your motivation will soon dwindle. Set weight loss goals in specific numbers, write exercise goals as a plan, create business goals in numbers of clients, money, actual results.

3. I REALLY WANTED TO GO BUT THEN… The unforeseen happened…!

“I did plan to go to the gym but then my little one was sick and had to stay home from school. So I’ll go tomorrow instead. If she’s better.”

Did that ever happen to you? It happens to most of us.

But even if a very real situation, this is still an excuse.

When we truly want to achieve something we make it happen.

The solution: If your baby is sick, you might not be able to make the planned gym session but what about a plan B. Would it be possible to get a sitter for her for an hour so you could make a later session? Do you have some home work-outs you could do instead? Or, if the gym session is part of a quest towards more health, is there something else you could do that would still move you in the right direction – like planning the week’s meals and make the shopping plans given that you are house bound

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

anyway? Or organising your new healthy recipes so you feel ready for the days and weeks ahead.

5. I’LL DO IT WHEN I HAVE MORE TIME TO MYSELF…

Could you somehow find a way to still do something that will move you towards your goals?

“I’ll join when I have more money. I’ll cook better when my kids are less difficult. I’ll be able to go to the gym more when my children are all at school. I’ll start going to the gym when I have less work.”

If you need some help to catch yourself when making excuses, consider getting an accountability partner. Make a deal with a friend so that you keep each other accountable and stop each other from making excuses. Or work with a trainer or coach who will make you stick to your plan. Ask them to help you make the necessary changes to the plan o that you can reach the results you want.

Even if our circumstances are not ideal at the moment, we can work within the constraints that we have. And we can also challenge some of our beliefs and see new ways of doing things.

The solution: Take full responsibility for your journey and your experience. Many people reach extraordinary life or health results in spite of immense adversity. Always keep in mind that nothing external holds so much power that we lose our ability to influence our situation.

4. I DECIDE ON A WEIGHT LOSS GOAL BUT I JUST NEVER ACTUALLY REACH IT… This statement could be true for so many more things than weight loss. You set a goal, you feel that you putting in the effort, but you don’t actually achieve the end result we had in mind.

You’re losing the same 5 kgs over and over. You start and stop with your gym programme. You’re running in circles.

The solution: Once your goal is set, you need actions and deadlines. You need a solid strategy that will take you there.

Break your goals down into doable daily actions.. Divide them into small steps, with realistic dates and commit to taking small daily actions in line with your plan.

When we take full responsibility for our experience, we will start looking for solutions, possibilities, work-arounds. We could look for a gym with early morning sessions before work (because we know if we do early in the morning, we’re less likely to make excuses). If children’s needs and schedules make it hard for us to go to yoga classes, we find do-at-home solutions on the Internet, on DVDs or we find a teacher who has a class that the children can take part in too. We don’t have money? We trawl the local area for cheaper alternatives, we find free offers on Youtube, we approach coaches we like and offer something else in exchange, we go together with a group of friends and negotiate a group discount on a course we like the look of.

In short, we make it happen anyway.

Goal setting is not an easy thing and takes practice and persistence, but when done well, it can give our life a completely new sense of direction and satisfaction. All of these can be used to take things into your own hands and start to set goals in a way that allows you to actually finally reach them. I’d love to hear from you. I help people achieve their goals step by step every day.

I’d love to help you as well. Please feel free to reach out to me at dorte@soul-v.com or on Facebook where you find me as Dorte Ertboll Loken.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dorte is a healthy lifestyle ambassador who works with women and men who want to live better, happier and more fully. She teaches nutrition, health, mind-set and habit building and helps her clients feel slimmer, fitter, better, younger, happier and more fulfilled. She delivers her signature programme the Feel Fab Formula online and in various locations in the Geneva area. Visit her on www.soul-v.com or www.Facebook.com/ groups/FeelFabLab

internationalschoolparent.com

| 69

Building your academic future today

QUALITY TUITION ACROSS SWITZERLAND

Tuition Across Switzerland

Education Consultancy

One to one tuition in all subjects and all international and Swiss curricula

Helping parents choose the right education system and school for their child

Special Needs Support

SAT & ACT Test Preparation

Assessments and tutoring to help students with special needs realise their potential

Convenient and flexible options for face to face prep through individual or group courses

www.tutorsplus.com

|

+41 22 731 81 48

|

info@tutorsplus.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Finding Energy to Juice More out of Life!

BY JUDY OKTEN

72 |

My quest to find more energy started about 5 years ago. My first child was one year old, and I had just returned to work after a long maternity leave. In one day, my schedule was completely changed. Each morning, I rushed to get her off to crèche and myself to work on time. I raced all day long to complete my job in half the time so I could pick her up right as the crèche was closing. Then, I rushed to get dinner on the table, get her to bed, and finally – crash myself. I felt like I had given everything I had to give, and I had absolutely nothing left. Not for me, not for my family, not for my friends. Just, done. Gym memberships went unused. I was falling asleep at my desk after lunch. Date nights with my husband turned into fall-asleep-on-the-couch nights.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

o me something was missing – there was more to life than this.

I had to find a way to create more energy in my day. So I made it my mission to figure this out. In my research, I learned that it’s actually our internal processes that drain most of our energy.

And one of the key ‘jobs’ of our internal organs is digestion. Some sources say digestion itself eats up between 50-80% of our total energy – daily! “The less energy spent on digestion, the more energy you’ll have.” (Brendan Brazier, Thrive Energy) Ok so now I was starting to get it. The better you can facilitate digestion in the body, the more energy you have left for other things. For playing with your kids. For training as hard as you can. For bringing your best to whatever challenge life throws at you. This was getting exciting.

In the following weeks (and to this day) I changed the way I ate.

I did this by following some really simple and straightforward rules to eat for optimum digestion and energy.

The result? After a few weeks, I felt like a new person.

I remember coming home from work one day feeling like I could run a marathon! I didn’t have any more energy slumps during the day. I wasn’t falling asleep on the couch in the evenings.

I was alert and present for every moment I had with my daughter.

I started running again. I had so much more to give!

So what did I do exactly? What did I eat, what did I avoid? I’m really excited to share what I’ve learned with you. Here are the 7 basic principles I followed and what was (and still is) on my plate.

• Start every day with lemon and hot water. One of the most alkalizing foods, lemon is packed with enzymes and vitamin C, and supports the liver function to detox.

The hot water promotes cleansing as it relaxes your gut.

A perfect way to gently cleanse your system daily, giving you a ‘clean slate’ as you start your day.

• Drink green smoothies daily. This is the single most important daily change you can make to your diet, and immediately start seeing results in your energy level. Leafy greens like spinach, kale and romaine lettuce, are the most nutrient dense food on the planet, and we need to eat a lot of them (Victoria Boutenko, Green for Life). They are incredibly alkalizing, packed full of vitamins, minerals,

enzymes and full of fiber – all exactly what the digestion system needs to operate efficiently. When you blend them, their cellular walls are broken down and “pre-digested”, so your body skips a lot of the work to digest the food and can quickly metabolize it into useable energy. See the sidebar for a basic recipe you can make at home, or skip the work and sign up for weekly green smoothie deliveries with BonJu (www.bonju.ch).

• Green salads before every meal. This is another way to sneak in more greens (and we already know greens are good!) It also allows you to fill you up before moving on to your main course – resulting in consuming less overall calories, yet still feeling satisfied. A sustainable way to help lose a few kilos in the long term, too.

• Stay hydrated. You want to drink when you’re really thirsty (morning) and throughout the day, especially in between meals. It’s important to remember not to drink too much with your meals, as it can slow down digestion and create bloating. Drink water at room-temperature – ice water can shock the system and expend more energy to warm the liquid to your body’s natural temperature.

We have much better things to do with our limited energy reserves!

• Cut the caffeine. I used to drink 2 venti lattes every single day. I felt I couldn’t function properly without my coffee.

But I learned that caffeine can create spikes (and dips) of energy, and over-consumption can be tough on the liver and also lead to increased levels of cortisol, a stress response hormone. Turns out that coffee-induced jittery feeling is not actually giving you the result you want. Try replacing it with green tea at first, or even better with herbal tea or hot water and lemon.

• Avoid the refined sweets. This is not easy, as sugar can be very addictive. For all of you with a sweet tooth, I hear you! But instead of creating lasting energy, sweet snacks create an immediate rush as it elevates our blood sugar, which then quickly dissipates as it crashes. This leaves us wanting more sweets, creating a vicious cycle that is a total drain on your energy. Try to reduce at first – replace refined sugar with stevia, coconut sugar or date paste, and choose whole fruits like apples, dates or grapes as sweet snacks when the craving hits. Replace soda with water. (I recently cut sugar out completely for 6 weeks – life changer! Look out for my next article on that topic.

Very difficult, but so worthwhile.)

• Eat more plants! Whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, veggies – they are all energizing power houses.

“Plant beauty foods are super energizers to help replenish us from stress, while digesting easily and having lots of fiber to provide sustained energy without weighing us down.” (Kimberly Synder, Beauty Detox Solution.)

See sidebar for some of my favorite energy-boosting plant foods.

internationalschoolparent.com

| 73

International School Parent Spring 2017

As you can see – there’s no mention of dieting here. Each one of the suggestions above is meant to be a daily habit to incorporate into your lifestyle. My suggestion is to tackle one or two changes at a time and stick with them for 6 weeks (the time it takes to create a new habit.) Try simply drinking lemon/ hot water and a green smoothie every morning. Change nothing else. You will see that this alone will make a huge difference! And the beauty of it is that as your energy goes up, so does your willingness to continue making healthy choices throughout the day. So naturally you will choose fresh fruit over a sugary sweet.

You will crave a salad at lunchtime. You won’t need your coffee to wake up after lunch. Soon you too will be writing me about having the energy to run marathons after work! I cannot wait to hear your transformation stories.

Let’s juice more out of life!

74 |

GREEN SMOOTHIE 101

ZESTY LEMON BASIL HUMMUS

SWEET POTATO FRIES

– 2 cups of chopped raw leafy greens

– 1 can of chickpeas, drained

– 6 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into

(try spinach, romaine lettuce, or kale) – 1 frozen banana – 1-2 cups of fresh fruits (try strawberry, mango or kiwi mixed with apple & orange)

– Zest and juice of 1 lemon – 2 cloves of garlic – 4 tablespoons of tahini – Handful of basil leaves

– Wedge of lemon

– Salt and pepper to taste

– 1 tablespoon of flax seeds

– Enough water to blend,

– At least 1 cup of water, likely more > Add water and leafy greens to blender – mix. Once liquid, add rest of ingredients and mix again. Sip slowly and enjoy! For

a few tablespoons > Add all ingredients to blender and blend away! Serve with cut up raw veggies. Enjoy!

wedges or sticks – 2 tablespoons olive oil (should be enough to thinly cover all fries – 1 teaspoon paprika – Salt and pepper to taste > Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Mix the olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Add to potatoes and ensure each piece is coated with marinade. Place on parchment covered baking sheet, ensuring the fries have enough space and are not touching (otherwise they will be soggy,

a boost of protein, add 1 tablespoon of

not crunchy!) Bake around 25 minutes

hemp seeds on top.

or until starting to crisp around the edges.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

TOP PLANT POWER FOODS Bananas: They are high in potassium,

Berries: Blueberries are especially known

Dates: Full of fiber, potassium, magnesium

which is necessary for digestion and

to promote brain function and boost energy.

and carbs, dates provide fuel for your brain

muscular function. Antioxidant, fiber and

Strawberries are high in fiber and very high in

and muscular function. They travel well and

carbohydrate rich, bananas are a perfect

Vitamin C (more than an orange!) Toss them

pair very well with almonds for a sweet pick

snack to take with you whenever you need

into your daily smoothie or make yourself a

me up when you need it.

an extra burst of lasting energy.

berry dessert bowl.

Apples: Packed with powerful antioxidants,

Avocado: The healthy fat from avocados

check. Fiber, check. These little seeds

apples are also a rich source of fiber, vitamins

provide a slow, steady stream of energy

provide sustained energy and help the body

and minerals. I always keep an apple in my

and are also a great source of fiber. I love

to fuel up or recover after a workout. Chia

bag when I’m on the go!

to make avocado toast, guacamole or toss

comes from the ancient Aztec’s in South

chunks into salads or Buddha bowls.

America, and the Inca warriors would eat

Nuts & seeds: These heart-healthy snacks

Chia seeds: Protein, check. Omega-3 fats,

them daily for strength and stamina. One

are rich in protein, B vitamins and omega-

Raw sauerkraut: As long you buy the raw/

3s, help you absorb fat soluble nutrients,

unpasteurized variety, sauerkraut has more

fill you up and give you a burst of energy

beneficial bacteria than in live yogurt! High

anytime you’re feeling sluggish. Almonds

in Vitamin C, K and iron, it strengthens

are my favorite – they are especially high

your immune system, aids digestion and

Sweet potato: A deliciously sweet source of

in magnesium, which increases energy

energizes your body. Try adding them to

slow-release carbs, sweet potatoes are rich in

production, supports the immune system

salads when you can.

fiber, vitamin C, beta carotene, magnesium,

and boosts your mood.

Quinoa: Quinoa provides slow release

Hummus & veggie sticks: Chick peas are

energy and is a great source of protein

a great source of protein, and together with

containing all the essential amino acids. It

veggies make the perfect salty energizing

is also high in fiber, iron, magnesium and is

snack. Carrots, bell peppers, cherry

gluten free. I like to keep cooked quinoa in

tomatoes, celery, cucumber – all high in fiber,

my fridge so I can toss together with veggies

nutrient-dense and super energizing!

for an easy, filling and tasty salad.

tablespoon of chia was considered enough to sustain a warrior for 24 hours! (Fun fact, Chia means strength in Mayan.)

iron and potassium (all essential energy nutrients). They help to balance electrolytes while exercising and give you lasting fuel.

Try baked sweet potato fries with paprika (see recipe), or simply bake and eat!

| 75

Plant foods are super energizers to help replenish us from stress, while digesting easily and having lots of fiber to provide sustained energy without weighing us down.”

Kimberly Snyder internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Supporting students with dyslexia in the home environment

BY BAMBI GARDINER FOUNDER OF OAKA BOOKS

76 |

As we go through life, we experience a vast array of new concepts, learn an entire set of new skills and acquire knowledge along the way. How we get there though is almost entirely down to individual preference; we all have our own unique way of learning best.

However, from a young age we are arranged into classes full of different mind-sets and personalities and, more often than not, teachers don’t have the time or resource to adapt their teaching style to address the individual needs of every student. All too often, this means certain children - especially those with dyslexia or visual learners – can switch off and become disengaged with their learning, which inevitably has an impact on behaviour and attainment outside of the classroom too.

For these children, information needs to come to life. They need to be able to see concepts in action and actively partake in the learning process. With the right techniques and tools available to them in schools, children are able to learn effectively. So, how can we continue this outside of the classroom and how can parents reinforce these practices at home to ensure their children continue to flourish and develop? internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

ere, Bambi Gardiner, founder of Oaka Books, provides tips that parents can use at home to engage visual learners or children with dyslexia and help them unlock their full potential.

I myself have a child with dyslexia and, from a young age, we noticed that there was very limited progress with my daughter’s reading. Despite this, she was given the same textbooks as her fluent reading peers and set the same homework. In spite of our efforts, it wasn’t long before she would refuse to even open her books when we sat with her in the evenings, which ultimately meant that she fell even further behind in class.

Because she struggled to keep up with the work, she feared failure and thought she wasn’t capable of learning like her peers.

So instead, she simply switched off and wouldn’t even try. It was very much a ‘if you don’t put yourself out there, then you cannot fail’ mentality – a coping mechanism that is prevalent amongst children who struggle with learning.

However, someone with dyslexia needs to be given encouragement and confidence in order to learn. This way, they develop the perseverance and persistence to overcome tasks, even when the first or second attempts may not be entirely correct.

Every school year we made sure that all our daughter’s teachers were aware of her issues, and requested that she wasn’t asked to read aloud in class. However, this request wasn’t always heard.

Somehow I doubt if anyone would ask a child with one leg to run in front of the rest of the class but, for some reason, it is deemed acceptable to ask a child who can’t read, to read out loud in front of all their peers.

While the learning support (LS) department in the school was offering my daughter various interventions, she refused to participate; she didn’t want to be different. I knew my daughter had the capabilities and the intelligence, it was just a case of understanding how she works best and coming up with alternative ways for her to read and retain information.

Rather than page after page of text, she needed something more visual; something bright and colourful that would come alive on the page. Her learning needed to become more hands-on and kinaesthetic. Therefore, we created our own resources at home to suit her learning style and we soon began to notice a difference, both in her academic ability and in her confidence.

Despite the challenges that students with dyslexia face they have many other strengths, including oral skills, visual awareness and often artistic or sporting abilities. Therefore, providing them with a range of options for learning is the most effective route. Having these aids in the classroom is a good start, but this also needs to be reinforced at home in order to continue supporting their specific learning style. After all, teaching a child is only effective when teachers and parents work in unison to bring out the best in a child and help them achieve their potential.

Here are just some of the things we as parents can do at home in order to help our children…

HELPING WITH HOMEWORK Homework can be a real sticking point for children with dyslexia, so firstly, ensure your child isn’t struggling with their homework. If a pattern emerges whereby they are taking too long or disengaging from it because it’s ‘too hard’ then talk to their teacher.

Reading aloud can also be a challenge and can conjure feelings of stress or embarrassment if words are misread or pronounced incorrectly. Therefore, take it in turns or join in with their reading to reinforce what they’re learning, and help them better understand what is being discussed. If they are really reluctant, then try audio books and encourage them to join in with the narrator. The more familiar they become with the subject, the more confident they will become.

TRY A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH Giving your children different ways to learn allows them to realise that if one method doesn’t quite work for them, then there are alternative solutions that may be more effective. It helps them realise that the problem lies not with them, but with their learning – and this can be easily changed!

Visual aids are really effective in engaging students with dyslexia or those who struggle to process large passages of text. Therefore, sit with them and encourage them to make notes on coloured cards, highlight key words or draw pictures. Pictures are a good trigger and are more easily remembered, acting as a visual clue.

Also consider creating video clips, animations, as well as graphs and mind-maps or flow charts; these will all be a lot more appealing and easier for students to memorise.

TRIALLING TECHNOLOGY Most students will prefer working on the computer as, unlike the pages of a book where text can appear to ‘jump around’, there are a range of fonts, colours and templates that can be used to improve their ability to read and focus. Therefore, ensure their teacher is happy to accept typed homework.

There are plenty of benefits of using computers and online software, with one being spellchecker. It’s a discreet and unobtrusive way of highlighting any errors, meaning they won’t be singled out in front of the class for misspelling or mispronunciation.

These days the internet has the answer to most things. Use it to research digital study guides and resources available for students to use at home to reinforce what they’re learning in the classroom.

Investing in those that specifically follow the curriculum - in a more visual way - will give you the reassurance that they’re learning the right topics for general study as well as in preparation for their exams.

internationalschoolparent.com

| 77

International School Parent Spring 2017

IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES AROUND THE HOUSE

Visual aids are really effective in engaging students with dyslexia or those who struggle to process large passages of text.

Quite often, students with dyslexia fail to remember or recall spoken or written instructions. Therefore, try to use visual aids to help them become more organised, although be mindful of where you place them. While these strategies are important, it’s vital to put them somewhere they will be seen. For example, pin a picture to the back of the front door so that, as they leave the house, they are reminded to bring their PE kit to school.

Suggest colour coding their timetable so that it’s easy for them to determine at a glance which lessons they have the following day, and encourage them to get into the routine of packing their bags the night before and leaving them by the front door so that nothing is left behind.

REINFORCE LEARNING THROUGH TEACHING

When your child comes home from school, set aside some time to ask them what they learnt that day. When teaching others, it is believed that we fully absorb around 90 per cent of information, therefore, getting them to explain what they have learnt will help them better retain and recall information.

78 |

Allow them to become the teacher by asking them questions and offer to help them research topics further if they show an interest.

It helps give them a sense of ownership, which will in turn increase their confidence and self-esteem.

Again, if they aren’t big talkers, then get them to draw representations, storyboards and animations of what they have learnt. As I mentioned earlier, providing children with alternative avenues will help them decide how they learn best and will give you a clearer indication of the way they learn.

Ultimately, the barriers our children face need to be broken down; we need to show them that there are always a number of pathways to reach the right answer and no one solution is correct.

As parents, we have a responsibility to help and support students in their learning and show them that they have the capabilities to soar, rather than sink.

And if you have any doubt left as to whether or not to embark on this international life journey, don’t take my word for it.

I offer you great advice from one of my all time fav’s:

For more information on supporting visual learners and students with dyslexia, visit: www.oakabooks.co.uk or to access the Oaka Books digital resources for a free trial, visit: digital.oakabooks.co.uk.

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

Why choose ISBerne?

• O ur ISA test scores place ISBerne in the top tier of schools around the world.

• Happy students – 96% of our students enjoy school.

• H appy parents – our families appreciate and contribute to a strong, supportive parent community.

• New campus opening in April 2017.

• E asy access by train, car or tram. Bussing can be made available for groups in Fribourg, Neuchâtel, or Solothurn.

SSC_A5.pdf

2

30/01/17

13:42

For more information visit our website at www.isberne.ch.

For questions, please call us at +41(0)31 951 25 58.

| 79

The Swiss Scholarship Competition 2017 Compete with the best students in Switzerland and win a scholarship!

For more information visit: euruni.edu/ssc

Submission deadline: May 15, 2017 Email submissions to: ssc@euruni.edu

internationalschoolparent.com

International School Parent Spring 2017

YOU GET AHEAD WHEN YOU START FROM TWO PLACES For a truly international career, look no further than Glion.

We are ranked in the top-three hospitality schools worldwide and, with our new London campus, we just got even better.

80 |

Our multicampus bachelor and postgraduate programs in event or hospitality management enable you to study both in Switzerland and London. It is a uniquely international degree which combines tradition and excellence with big-city opportunities.

www.glion.edu

Contact Gregoire Pittet for more information about our campuses, programs and scholarships at swissrecruitment@glion.edu or +41 (0)21 989 2685. Visit us during one of our next Open Days in Switzerland or in London: Glion, Switzerland: February 18th, March 18th, April 22nd 2017 London, United Kingdom: February 11th, March 11th, April 28th 2017 internationalschoolparent.com