Contact Magazine Spring 2015 by MIS Munich International School

Munich International School - Volume 21 - Issue 2 - Spring 2015

C O N TA C T THE MAGAZINE OF MUNICH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Contents Head of School’s Introduction

Message from the Board of Directors

Feature: Transforming Learning Through Technology

Academic News

Community News

Athletics

Alumni and Friends

Giving at MIS

Upcoming Events at MIS

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Munich International School Communications: Amanda Crawley Lydia Tukarski Phone: 08151 366 156 Fax: 08151 366 109 Email: publications@mis-munich.de Design: Paul Rea Photography: Graeme Fordham Photography

Contact is published by: Munich International School, Schloß Buchhof, D-82319 Starnberg www.mis-munich.de

Introduction from the Head of School

Technology transforms learning Simon Taylor, Head of School

n 1978, I was introduced to a computer for the first time. It was housed in a large room in the university and was “operated” by someone else. It was not until 1985 that I began using a computer myself, teaching ‘basic’ programming to a Grade 6/7 class using an Apple 2. At that time, we knew that computers were used in business and science and therefore began to implement the use of simple word processors and spreadsheets. Few people at that time thought beyond the idea of computers replicating traditional modes of working. The introduction of the Macintosh with its graphical user interface and mouse changed the whole computer experience forever. Apple introduced graphics and publishing software which soon became the industry standard. Everyone could now be creative in a way that could not have been imagined by most of us. …And then came the web: how exciting it was to demonstrate the embryonic internet for an audience that had never seen it before. Twenty years have passed since then and the world is very different. The explosion of ideas, uses for computers and software development has been phenomenal. Computers among other technology devices are abundant and play a role in every aspect of our lives. So how does Munich International School see the role of IT in 2015? First and foremost, technology is not a gimmick. Technology is only used when it enhances learning. In general, we follow the Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition (SAMR) Model that offers a method for determining how technology might impact teaching and learning. Our aim is to move from technology as a substitute for non-digital activities to a position where technology allows new work and thus transforms learning. All of this is in the context of our learning objectives. Once these are known we consider the technology that might help us achieve those goals. Our main aim is to maximize student learning. We aim to do this with technology in the following ways: 1

Customizing learning • Providing differentiated unit or class content and instruction online • Giving teachers time to support those in need in class • Offering full online courses delivered by a third party

2 Organising learning • Providing systems for storage of and access to data that enhances self-management of academic work • Offering collaboration and communication tools to promote teamwork, networks and sharing 3 Inspiring learning • Using contemporary hardware that allows activities not possible before • Providing internet access at all times thus bringing the world to the School • Using common and specialised software that helps students create, search, connect, monitor, collect, check, sort, calculate, analyse, evaluate, synthesize, explain and present data, ideas and information. The 1:1 laptop programme for students in Grades 7 through 12 ensures that all students have equal access to the resources that enhance learning. In younger grades, computers and ipads are available as needed. All of this has meant that teaching is changing. As ever, learning activities should be challenging and relevant. These are still led by the teacher. However, the role of the teacher and learner is not as clearly defined as it once was. The learner does not rely on the teacher for access to knowledge and resources as was once the case. Therefore, the teacher’s role involves inspiring, catalyzing, customizing, planning, facilitating, organizing, coordinating, contextualizing and linking learning monitoring, tracking, supporting and encouraging more than ever before. It also involves helping students make responsible and safe choices when using technology. In this edition of Contact, you will find a variety of articles on exciting examples of our IT philosophy in practice. I invite you to browse…in the old-fashioned way. Sincerely,

Simon Taylor, Head of School 01 | CONTACT | SPRING 2015

Update from the Board of Directors

Dinosaurs and Aliens “Children are establishing a relationship to knowledge gathering which is alien to their parents and teachers” H. Green and C. Hannon, “Their Space. Education for a Digital Generation” 2007 Wanching Ang, Chair of the Board

have to admit to being a technology dinosaur. I have a dormant Facebook account. I can’t get my laptop to talk to my printer at home. I have to beg (and sometimes pay) my 18 year old to put together my Powerpoint presentations. I know I speak for many parents when I profess bewilderment at my kids’ learning experience at school, and suspicion of their relationship with their laptops. Why don’t they have textbooks? Why don’t they sweat to learn stuff, like I used to at school? Do I believe them when they say they are doing homework, always, on their Macbooks? Why don’t they respond to my emails (try Whatsapp instead)? When was the last time they read a book? And yet, it impresses me when I see the video presentations my second grader puts together with ease on the ipad for his projects. My seventh grader is breathtakingly efficient with a notetaking app for collating information from all manner of sources (web, paper, photo, voice memo), compared to my paper and pen. My eleventh grader patiently explained to me how she uses technology in her learning. All material from class is available online from home, including notes written on the smartboard, so she can concentrate on listening and participating in class, instead of writing notes furiously. She can also catch up more easily when she is away on sports trips. In Maths they watch the tutorials at home, then work on problems in class, where the teacher is available to answer questions. Working with a partner is easier as they can share documents online. Her classmate takes the IB Psychology course online, supervised by a teacher at School. Different teachers employ technology variously, to greater or lesser effect. Both she and her older brother also admitted to being more easily distracted with the laptop, and the need to be disciplined about how it is used. Good teaching and learning can still take place without digital technology, the way I grew up. But the Internet, social media, devices, apps and gaming are ubiquitous in today’s world. The education MIS provides cannot be disconnected from our students’ reality, and must prepare them to confidently navigate their futures. Technology, wisely leveraged, can help teach old material in new ways, and also teach new material. It can help address differences in learning pace or style. It can provide access to a wealth of information, and it can encourage collaborative work. It can empower learners to take responsibility for their own learning, and establish them on the path to become life-long learners. Just supplying our students with Macbooks and our classrooms with interactive smartboards will not in themselves make us a technologically innovative school. Beyond the smooth functioning of the technology infrastructure, the human element is crucial. Teachers need to be trained in good technology-based instruction to support student-centred learning. The school administration must provide them with professional development, support and 02 | CONTACT | SPRING 2015

opportunity for peer collaboration. Students must learn to use technology in a balanced and responsible manner. Parents play an important role in helping their children manage technology wisely. An important issue for the School relates to the cost of providing a digital education. Demands for connectivity and bandwidth have exploded, devices need frequent upgrading and compliance with data security regulations is increasingly complex. The consequent rise in investment and operating costs often outstrips the ability of the School to increase fees, particularly in a competitive market. It is imperative to invest wisely and to work efficiently. We also need to be transparent in communicating with parents about the School’s finances. In February two guests visited the School and and conducted workshops with students, teachers and parents. David Crystal, a world-renowned writer and lecturer on the English language, gave an informative and entertaining lecture in the annual Stefan Engelhorn series on “The Future of Englishes”, about the dominance of English as a global language and the impact of its majority non-native speakers on its development. Eithne Gallagher, an advocate of strong mother tongues at international schools, worked with teachers on strategies to promote inclusion of mother tongues in classrooms. These visits were made possible by the MIS Foundation, an endowment gifted by a generous ex-parent, for the purpose of enriching the educational, artistic and cultural life of students. On the subject of languages, what should be the status of computer and coding languages in an international school? In a vocational sense, they can surely equip students with powerful tools that are useful in a wide range of high-demand careers. In a broader intellectual sense, they engage many of the same cognitive skills that the study of world languages do. Can they also contribute to the School’s core mission of motivating our students to be globallyminded, academically successful, well balanced and prepared for future challenges and responsibilities? The School must constantly reflect on whether the education we provide prepares our students well for the lives they are likely to live as adults. Please enjoy this issue of the Contact magazine which focuses on Learning Technologies at Munich International School. We welcome your feedback. Sincerely,

Wanching Ang, Chair, MIS Board of Directors

Feature: Transforming learning through technology

Inside the Learning Technologies programme at Munich International School

n the year 2000, at the turn of the Millennium, Munich International School made a strategic decision: to take full advantage of advances in digital technology to enhance teaching and learning. Since then, whilst the implementation of that decision has changed with the available technology, the strategic imperative has remained essentially the same. One important difference, though, is that back then we spoke about modifying teaching and learning whereas, since 2006, we have spoken about transforming learning through technology. The change of emphasis is both deliberate and meaningful because the School does not simply want the use of digital technology to replace traditional forms of learning but to extend the possibilities of learning in ways that would not be possible without access to the technology students now have. One of the key decisions that supported the change in thinking about the use of technology was to implement a, so called, 1-to-1 Laptop Programme for students in Grades 7-12. In 2008, all students in Grades 7 to 11 were loaned MacBooks by the School and this was rolled up to Grade 12 the following year. In the same year the availability of MacBook carts for students in the Junior School and Grades 5 and 6 was enhanced. Since then, iPads have been introduced into the Junior School and, to a lesser degree, the Middle School.

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Why was the 1-to-1 implementation key to Munich International School becoming a school where technology transforms learning? In order for teachers to plan effective lessons, in which digital tools were used at the most appropriate time in the learning process, they had to become always available and not objects for special lessons. Teachers had to have the freedom to plan to use laptops for part of a lesson in the way any other learning activity would be planned. Quite simply, digital tools, particularly laptops, had to become as much a standard learning tool as books, calculators and pen and paper. Since the School embarked on this 1-to-1 journey, though, the available technology has changed almost beyond recognition. In 2007, the first globally successful smartphone was released and in 2010, the first successful tablet device. In less than 10 years since their introduction, internet connected mobile devices are outselling laptops and personal computers by a ratio of around 4:1. At Munich International School we are hotly debating how to take advantage of the ubiquity of these mobile devices without losing the strengths of the programme we have already developed.

What characterises learning that is transformed through technology? Firstly, students have greater opportunities to develop higher order thinking skills such as the ability to analyse, synthesise, evaluate and create. These skills, along with being able to communicate effectively and appropriately in a variety of contexts and being able to collaborate with others, have been identified by many educators, industrialists and politicians as being essential for successful participation in 21st century society. Furthermore, teachers are able to challenge the students with real-world problems set in meaningful and authentic contexts rather than the often contrived problems of school text books. In addition, and by no means least important, students are able to take control of their own learning and become self-directed, responsible and adaptable. The following examples, which represent a small selection of the excellent use of technology at Munich International School, will uncover some of the ways that students are both being challenged by their teachers as well as challenging themselves in new and innovative ways.

Documenting learning in the Junior School The Junior School is committed to supporting each child’s social, emotional and intellectual development. Technology is readily integrated into the curriculum and a shared responsibility between the Learning Technology Team and the classroom teachers. Classroom and subject teachers collaborate with the Junior School Learning Technology teacher to plan how technology will be used in their lessons to help students better access knowledge, share understandings and show what they know through the creation of books, videos and presentations. The technology model in the Junior School differs from that of the Middle and Senior School’s 1-to-1 Programme. In the Junior School, students have shared access to an IT room with MacBooks and iPads. Classes and individuals are able to schedule time in the computer lab to complete projects, and shared carts of computers and iPads are distributed throughout the Junior School facilities. Assessing student growth – Grade 1 Younger students in the Junior School use technology to cultivate a variety of important skills, build conversations about learning, share their understanding with peers and family and reflect. The focus in Grade 1, for example, is on documenting student learning by using technology to assess student growth. This can include reading aloud and assessing development through voice recording programs like Adobe Voice and Book Creator, exercising fine motor skills by drawing pictures with Drawing Pad and manipulating figures in brainstorming and storytelling apps that develop fine motor skills and require the manipulation and organization of ideas. Armin Martin who teaches Grade 1 at Munich International School explains that six and seven year old students experience rapid changes in ways of thinking about themselves and the world. Their skills tend to improve dramatically over the course of a school year. In documenting learning with the help of IT, students are provided with the chance to revisit earlier thinking and continue engaging in new understanding. He says, “The role of technology in the classroom is to help us do what we do better. As we learn, technology provides opportunities for us to create and communicate in different ways.” Developing an online portfolio – Grade 4 Older students in the Junior School use technology to not only develop an online portfolio of work, but also showcase the creative processes they go through. Tasks such as blogging in Grade 4 provide the opportunity for students to employ a variety of digital skills learned in earlier years and begin sharing their learning authentically with a broader audience. The blogging platform allows students to reflect on their learning via video production or oral recordings in addition to writing. Grade 4 Team Leader Susan Bushby explains that receiving feedback is easier through blogs as parents, friends and family can comment and ultimately increase student pride and motivation, giving them a genuine purpose to their work. She says that students who struggle with writing, for example, have a more successful way of sharing their learning. “Technology opens a world of opportunities for the students and develops skills in problem solving, patience, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and many more,” comments Susan.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The role of technology in the classroom is to help us do what we do better. As we learn, technology provides opportunities for us to create and communicate in different ways.â&#x20AC;? Armin Martin, Grade 1 Teacher

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Connecting subject content to the real world in the Middle School The “Middle Years Programme” in the Middle School is a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand connections between the subject content and the real world while developing critical and reflective thinking skills. Technology provides the channels and tools to assist Munich International School’s teachers and students in their abilities to develop and exemplify these practical connections. With the help of the Middle School Learning Technologies teacher, classroom subjects are brought to life and learning is given a new face. Presenting with multimedia – Grade 7 English In Kathryn Backhouse’s Grade 7 English class, students were given the assignment to look at conflict poetry, select a poem from an anthology, study aspects such as rhythm, pace, language structure and connotation and then visualise it. Kathryn says that most English assessments rely very heavily on written work and she wanted her students to understand that there are alternative ways to demonstrate what they have learned. In receiving this assignment, Grade 7 student Isabelle did not hesitate to produce a digital video with iMovie and Keynote to bring her poem to life. Using video as her medium allowed Isabelle to present different layers of meaning in the poem she studied. She added an assortment of visuals, including text and font to exemplify this and then evoked mood through her choice of music and sound effects. The pace of the poem was reflected in the transitions and text animation and she showed how text position can invoke meaning by having words appear horizontally and outlining pictures to emphasize and reinforce visual imagery. “English is not just about writing, it encompasses a range of skills, including visual literacy,” says Kathryn. Assignments like this are particularly good for kids who are frightened to write essays or struggle getting their ideas into written form. It is less intimidating and students are still able to demonstrate learning and understanding without needing to write an essay. Following the design cycle – Grade 7 Design Unit In Paul Murphy’s Design Unit, a range of software programs are being used by students to document the design cycle while creating a functioning robot. This includes iBooks Author on the iPad, EV3 Lego Mindstorm software and Design Engineer which is a tutorial for students to follow on their laptops as they learn how to program robots. There are two aims for the robotics activity: for students to understand the program and then to carry out their knowledge in designing and building a robot that will perform a complex task. The students follow the ‘design cycle’ to create a robot that will carry an empty coke can across a room. This includes documenting their progress by filming and taking pictures with the iPad Mini and collating this information into an iBooks using iBooks Author on their own Laptops. According to Paul, this activity fits the Middle Years Programme perfectly and addresses a wide range of key concepts. Students are engaged and on track without teacher intervention. He notes, “It gives the kids a different understanding of the design process because they are using different tools. They are building in a different way than they would be in the workshop. It’s more modular and systematic.”

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Encouraging self direction in the Senior School Throughout their time in the Senior School students are guided as they explore their own talents and start to determine what kinds of careers might suit them in the future. Within this context students of varying abilities and aptitudes are encouraged to develop their intellectual, social, moral, physical, creative, emotional and individual potential. By the time they enter Senior School, students have a clear understanding of the tools and technologies that will cultivate their interests and benefit individual learning styles. The Senior School Technology Teacher serves as a support and guide to facilitate the use of technology for both students and educators in the Senior School.

The use of video in the math department has been in place for more than five years and the benefits are innumerable. Students can catch up with topics while they are away or sick, there is more time to focus on application, problem-solving and big-picture thinking in class and teachers have more time in the lessons for individual guidance. Not only are lessons more student-centred as teachers have more time to focus on the students individually, students also have more time to practise with the teacher in class and are provided with more appropriate challenges. Phil, who is also Head of the Mathematics Department at Munich International School, notes that internet, social media and digital video technology make something possible that has not been possible before: “You couldn’t make 80 copies of a DVD and distribute it to the students every other lesson.”

Creating digital art – Grade 10 Personal Project

Showcasing student achievement – Junior, Middle and Senior School PE

Every student is required to undertake the Personal Project, which is completed in Grade 10. It is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate the skills they have developed throughout the MYP programme and to apply them to a topic of interest, enabling him or her to demonstrate initiative, creativity and the ability to organise. Grade 10 student Mohammed AlSaud was fascinated by 1920s, 50s and 70s design including comics, posters, movies, colours, patterns, photography and many others. Under the supervision of teachers Chris Floor and Helena Stauffenberg, he received guidance to develop his project ideas and overcome challenges through the use of digital tools.

In subjects like foreign language, arts and physical education (PE), technology is also a vital component in developing interactive, engaging and contemporary lessons. Specifically in the PE department, iPads are used as an expanded coaching tool across all schools to enhance student learning.

He wanted to use this inspiration for creating collages for his Personal Project but in attempting this with paper and scissors, he was not satisfied with the outcome. It was aesthetically not up to his standards, nor could it be archived or easily shared with others. Mohammed then considered creating digital collages using graphical sources from the web and chose Adobe Photoshop as a preferred tool. He spent three weeks watching tutorials about Photoshop on YouTube before his next attempt. “YouTube tutorials are fast and lots of them are really good. They taught me all the tools and what to do and not to do,” he said. Mohammed then applied his skills to create stunning digital collages, garnering very positive feedback at the Personal Project fair from students, teachers and parents alike. He had never thought about graphic design as a means to express himself before, but will continue with this artistic approach. “I discovered a talent that I thought I never had. Maybe one day I will use my digital art for architecture or video games design. That will help me in my future.” Flipping the classroom; revolutionising learning – Senior School Math In Phil Kurbis’ senior level math classes, students watch pre-recorded videos for homework and then apply the learning in the lesson at School the next day. Selected videos are ones that explain how to use something and how to do something. The advantage is that students can watch the videos anytime, anywhere and at any speed; stopping or replaying if necessary. In this way, students’ time is used more efficiently. Student feedback is always positive: “You can’t rewind the teacher in the classroom”, “It helps me stay organised when it comes to end of year exams”, “I can always go back when I want to prepare for assessments.”

iPads help students see and reflect on their movement and allow for personalised feedback: students film each other performing various athletic skills, then analyse the performance by watching the video and annotating it by drawing on the iPad. Students can also compare their action with an expert performer by blending their video with that of the expert, comparing themselves and improving their technique. “By seeing themselves in slow-motion with the video annotations applied, feedback is more personal and simply more effective,” comments Head of PE Dan Harcock. Dan explains that iPads can also maximise individual potential: students watch videos of expert coaches, apply the acquired knowledge and get hands-on personal support from their PE teacher in the lesson, “Students can rewind, fast forward and stop - and if they need me as a teacher, I am there. So they control their learning,” Dan explains. With younger students, hiphop, yoga and balancing apps are used, along with YouTube ‘How to’ videos. Parents can easily access footage of their children in action through the use of QR codes in portfolios. Junior School PE Teacher Melinda MacKenzie says, “Technology has helped bring a piece of PE action to life in our JS portfolios with the use of QR codes.” In the near future, the PE department will acquire heart rate monitors that can be displayed on iPads. Students will be able to understand how his or her body reacts to different types physical activity; students can enhance their performance over time by analysing and evaluating statistics and understand how training can have an impact on health.

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Academic News

2014 ISA Results

unich International School subscribes to, and administers, the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA) in Grades three through eight. ISA is an annual assessment programme that uses PISA norms for comparison purposes. The tests measure skills in mathematical literacy, reading and creative and expository writing. Munich International School outperformed other like schools in 21 of the 24 categories. Most eighth grade students at Munich International School are 13 years of age when they sit the tests and PISA norms are designed for 15 year-olds. Despite this two-year disadvantage, MIS would be amongst the top performing countries – especially for mathematics. The School is delighted that our three best results have been achieved in the last four years.

For each test, teachers have a detailed breakdown of results; showing the specific scores for each student and indicating which questions they answered correctly or incorrectly. This provides an overview of questions that the cohort answered well, and an indication of areas of focus for curriculum development. It also enables teachers to compare individuals with the cohort, for overall scores and specific questions. Along with teacher observation and internal assessment results, this data provides the basis for differentiation and individual support.

Invitation to Pakistan Embassy follows team success at THIMUN Conference, The Hague

hroughout the last week of January, 12 students from the Model United Nations elective course at MIS visited The Hague for the official THIMUN Conference, where they joined more than 3,000 other delegates from around the globe. Each delegate was placed in a different committee, including disarmament, environment and human rights, and represented Pakistan for the duration of the conference. Representing Pakistan proved to be very interesting for the students as it is a country heavily involved in global debate at the UN on a range of world issues from terrorism, to climate change and gender equality. They were required to devote a large amount of time to research in the months leading up to the conference in order to prepare themselves for the challenges that lay ahead in order to accurately represent the views of Pakistan on prominent issues such as Defining the Legal Status of Kashmir (General Assembly 6) and Contributing towards international cooperation on coastal zones (Environment Commission - Sub–Commission 1). In all sessions, delegates had to not only pay close attention to the ongoing debate, but also be prepared to lobby with other nations, ask pertinent questions and be prepared to answer any questions related to the issues of particular concern to Pakistan, as their expertise could be called upon at any time. An invitation by the Ambassador of Pakistan to the Netherlands was extended to the entire MIS delegation to visit their embassy in The Hague. This resulted in an engaging discussion on the issues currently challenging Pakistan and led to suggestions of potential solutions to such problems. After an hour of eye-opening conversation and a tour of the Pakistani embassy, the students were ready to apply their new-found knowledge during the remaining days of the conference. 08 | CONTACT | SPRING 2015

Grade 11 student earns highest mark in the world for the IGCSE language exam

unich International School student Ashwin Senthil, Grade 11, has been awarded the ‘Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award’ for his unmatched success in sitting the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGSCE) examinations in June 2014. Ashwin gained the highest mark in the world for the Foreign Language ‘German’ examination. Students from more than 40 countries worldwide sit the IGCSE examinations each June. Munich International School is proud of Ashwin’s outstanding academic achievement, as well as his demonstrated commitment to excellence in education. The IGCSE and GCSE syllabuses are offered by UK based examination boards and involve a programme of study leading to external examinations at the end of Grade 10. At MIS these examinations are offered in Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities and the Languages.

Munich International School hosts seven visiting schools for ISTA Festival

unich International School proudly hosted the 2015 ISTA Drama Festival, Thursday 19 February through Sunday 22 February. This year’s theme was ‘Speaking Out’ and looked at the power of theatre to raise awareness about issues and to honour those brave enough to speak out against oppression. Munich International School welcomed seven visiting international schools from around the globe to include American School of Bombay, India, Anglo-American School of Moscow, Russia, Copenhagen International School, Denmark, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, India, John F. Kennedy School, Germany, Pechersk School International, Kyiv, Ukraine, and Takev School, Izmir, Turkey. Throughout this four-day festival, students and teachers attended a vast and diverse variety of workshops, such as “Fairytale rock” with MIS Drama teacher Paul Stirling and “How to feel like (or be) a singer when you’re not” with MIS Arts Coordinator Pamela Stout. At the close of the festival, the Community was invited to attend the final festival performance and see the culmination of participating students’ work.

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Community News

MIS Foundation connects students with world-class intellectuals, authors and activists 8th annual Stefan Engelhorn Lecture features Dr. David Crystal

Dr. David Crystal and his wife (left), joined by Head of English Kate Beatty and Deputy Head of School Timothy Thomas (right).

he 8th Annual Stefan Engelhorn Lecture, sponsored by the MIS Foundation, featured Professor David Crystal, a renowned British writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster, best described by the Guardian UK as “the foremost writer and lecturer on the English language”.

Dr. Crystal presented his talk, “The Future of Englishes” to both student and community audiences on 18 and 19 February. Through thought-provoking and entertaining discussion, he covered topics such as the consequences of the global status of English for future development, the historical reasons for the language’s present position and the trends which are affecting English world-wide, both formally and functionally. The School expresses their appreciation to the MIS Foundation, Dr. Crystal and the many others who assisted in facilitating this visit.

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In preparation for Chris Jordan’s visit, Middle School students created an Albatross art project with recycled paper waste from the School.

Activist Chris Jordan

merican artist and activist Chris Jordan visited the School from 1 to 3 December, presenting his artistic work and his profound learning gleaned from many years of photographing and investigating the wonders of our planet and the tragic results of human abuse and neglect. Chris’ message extends beyond the realm of environmental protection. He urges students to reflect deeply on the emotions they experience when they learn of all kinds of suffering and atrocities. Aside from assemblies at which students viewed Mr. Jordan’s upcoming documentary film trailer and other works, smaller groups of students collaborated with him in creating artwork and exploring their potential for addressing pressing problems of our times. Issues addressed included the human impact on the natural world, how artists can affect political and cultural change, the processes and approaches of artists and the externalities of human commerce and business, to name just a few. Aside from, Mr. Jordan’s indefatigable spirit and hands-on engagement with our students, enormous contributions from other community members were also responsible for these three valuable days, including the support of the MIS Foundation.

Writer Anne Fine

nternationally acclaimed writer of childrens’ and adult literature, Anne Fine, came to campus on 20 and 21 January to meet and present to Munich Internatioanl School’s English classes, staff and school families. During her time she spoke about how she develops her novels through entertaining anecdotes from everyday life. Anne Fine is best known for her novel, Madame Doubtfire, from which the film Mrs. Doubtfire was adapted. Students were not only able to buy her books but also had the chance to get their book signed by Anne in person. Anne’s visit was sponsored by the generous support of the MIS Foundation.

ESL specialist Eithne Gallagher

n 24 February, Eithne Gallagher, a recognised authority in the field of ESL in international education, visited Munich International School to talk to the parent community about the importance of childrens’ mother tongue development at home and school and the ways that parents can encourage this. Eithne’s writings on ESL & Mother-tongue issues have been widely published in educational journals and magazines. Her book entitled ‘Equal Rights to the Curriculum’ argues for school reform to meet the educational needs of all children growing up in a multicultural society. Eithne is a regular presenter at international school conferences and has delivered workshops and lectures for teachers, administrators and parents across the world. Her visit was possible through the support of the MIS Foundation. 11 | CONTACT | SPRING 2015

Community News

All are invited to the annual Frühlingsfest on Saturday 13 June 2015.

Frühlingsfest 2015 MIS’ annual Frühlingsfest will be held on Saturday 13 June 2015, and will include the official opening of our magnificent new teaching and learning building. Please save this important date in your diary.

Successful additions to a diverse, educational and inspiring cocurricular programme

number of new after school activities have enjoyed considerable popularity this year, providing exciting opportunities for students to extend and integrate their learning in innovative ways. Alumni, faculty, staff, parents and certified external instructors lead activities. The following are just a few examples of the activities offered this year. The Aero Engineering Club has taken off (pun intended), teaching principles of flight, engineering and manufacture. Over the winter, the club built balsa wood model airplanes based on the famous Mr. Mulligan aircraft. In the spring season, the club is focusing on another area of “flight” and motion, building their own hovercraft. The leader, Kevin Rhodes, is a Design and Technology teacher with a background in automotive engineering at Rover and BMW. Sport Science Club, introduced this spring, is a Junior School activity that combines science and games. Children learn about how their bodies work through sports and scientific discovery. What does 12 | CONTACT | SPRING 2015

Artist Liuba Nosova brings her colourful professional history to the Illustration course.

your heart do? How do you measure your heartbeat? And what happens to your heartbeat when you run around? Romina Erhardt, the instructor, is also an MIS ski coach and a biomechanics researcher at the Technische Universität München. The Illustration course has offered students across the school a chance to connect language, narrative and visual art. The groups explore myths and fairy tales from around the world and learn how to tell their own stories through images using various media, including, for example, watercolours, gouache and collage. Liuba Nosova, brings her colourful professional history to the course - painter, ceramic artist and illustrator, she comes from the Russian countryside and studied fine art in Madrid, Milan and New York. We are always on the lookout for new activities that can contribute to our diverse, educational and inspiring cocurricular programme.

Athletics

Winter Season Highlights T

he winter season championships began with the annual Heinrich Harrer Cup ski race hosted by Munich International School in Seefeld, Austria. A team of 40 Middle and High School racers traveled to Seefeld to compete against seven other international schools in the 41st year of this three-day spectacular. Perfect racing conditions with compact slopes and sunshine helped make this a special event for Munich International School athletics. As defending champions, the Team started the day with the slalom races and continued to rack up points throughout the three-day competition to finish the Super G on Saturday with a grand total of 1019 points. With this victory, Munich International School mantained their status as defending champions of the Harrer Cup. One week later, six basketball teams and the rugby and swim teams traveled across Europe for their end of season SCIS or ISST Championships amidst a busy academic schedule back on campus. The Varsity Boys Basketball team, who won the mid-season SCIS Championships in Budapest, travelled to London to defend their Division 1 ISST basketball title. An extremely talented team who dominated the Bavarian Bezirksoberliga clearly had high hopes in London. After a successful first day and some surprisingly fierce competition, the team won their final game on Saturday against sporting giants The American School of London to come home with a bronze medal.

Ski Team competes in Seefeld, Austria for the 41st annual Heinrich Harrer Cup.

The Varsity Girls Basketball team had a similar run in their Division 2 championships in Bonn. They closely missed a place in the final after losing the semi final to host school International School of Bonn by just 2 points. They completed the tournament with a 4th place finish. As Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Bridget Szweda commented, “They juggled their sporting commitments with their academics and also made time to support one another. These girls fought hard on the court, studied for their mock exams, prepared for art exhibits and charity events, demanded the best from their fellow teammates, and sparred intellectually with one another on train rides.” The basketball champions for this season were the Junior Varsity Boys. They competed in a ten-team SCIS tournament in Geneva, and clearly won their final game 46-28 to receive the 2015 SCIS Junior Varsity Boys Championship trophy.

The Rugby team playing with intensity at ISSTs in Paris, France

The Varsity Girls Basketball Team exemplify ‘Wildcat Pride’ at ISSTs in Bonn, Germany.

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Alumni & Friends

Alumni return to campus to share NGO experience with students

Jana Naujoks, Class of ’00 and Henri Myrttinen, Class of ’92

unich International School hosted its first alumni workshop for Middle- and Senior School students, welcoming back Jana Naujoks (Class of ‘00) and Henri Myrttinen (Class of ‘92), who both work for the London based NGO International Alert. During their day on campus, Henri and Jana joined Social Studies, ToK, Economics and Geography classes to share their first hand experiences from the field as well as discuss the challenges faced by countries building peace after conflict and other upheavals. Jana and Henri’s passion for their ‘out of the box’ career paths made for thought-provoking discussions about the role of various topics in peace-building, to include Gender, Economics, Citizenship & Government, Environment & Climate Change, Crime, Violence & Instability and International Institutions. As Grade 11 student Sebastien Gaire said, “The presentation made me realise just how difficult it can be to communicate between cultures as the beliefs and gender roles can be completely different, rendering communication very difficult at times.”This visit was made possible by the generous support of the MIS Foundation.

he history of Munich International School is incomplete without reference to Fritz and Helga Tietze, who have been a part of the School community since 1969. The Tietzes met 46 years ago as new teachers at a young and newly established Munich International School. At that time, classes were relatively small and held in renovated stables, still faintly smelling of their former animal inhabitants. Needless to say, Munich International School has come a long way since, and the Tietzes have had the pleasure of seeing and contributing to the School growing into the diverse, dynamic and international institution it is today.

The early days Helga, a Munich native, spent 10 years living in Colorado, USA and studying at Denver University before returning to Munich in 1969 as a certified teacher. She had heard about Munich International School and immediately called looking for a job. Her original position as a substitute quickly led to a permanent position as a foreign language teacher in the fall of 1969. She explains that at that time, MIS had a “freedom of curriculum and culture”, which highly attracted her. Fritz, born and raised in San Francisco, USA, completed his teacher training at University of California at Berkeley and after four years teaching in the United States, pursued his desire to live and work in Europe. He had heard about Munich International School through a colleague and seized the opportunity to apply for an English position in the fall of 1969. He explains that the School faculty was “small enough to all comfortably fit into a one-room apartment at get-togethers”.

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15 | CONTACT | FALL 2014

Alumni Former Teachers Helga & Fritz Tietze continue 40+ year connection with School

Helga Tietze was a teacher and substitute from 1969 through 1998. Fritz Tietze worked as teacher, head of department and principal between 1969 and 2004 before officially retiring in 2006.

“In the early years, we had so many things to engage ourselves in,” says Helga. Some of her fondest memories include the staff theatre group who presented a yearly production, and the time the School received a May Pole and students and faculty took turns staying overnight for four weeks to guard the pole from traditional neighbouring theft. Fritz remembers the long standing tradition of ‘faculty versus students’ sport matches and the early days of Ski Week when he and Helga together with Dan Glover helped organise the PTO sponsored ‘Ski Week’.

Building structure and tradition While Helga contributed to the development of the IB Language A department as a German language teacher, Fritz established the Speech and Debate programme, became Head of English and also served as Senior School Principal for five years. According to Fritz, the School, regardless of whatever challenges, has always remained positive, and personal, lifelong friendships have developed. He says, “Professionally, it was always highly interesting. There have been many highly dedicated and committed staff members.”

Munich International School milestones

The community connection The Tietzes’ connection to Munich International School influenced their children and family. They never planned on settling in Munich but as new opportunities arose, they never felt the desire to uproot their family and careers. With the support of Munich International School, both were able to obtain a master’s degrees from Boston University’s Munich program. To this day, the Glover and Tietze children are still friends and Helga and Fritz regularly attend a stammtisch with former faculty. “Friendships were formed and kept alive because of Munich International School”, says Helga. These days, Helga and Fritz are certainly not strangers on campus and enjoy regularly attending community events and engage with the School’s ‘Alumni and Friends’. During the summer, they are also back on campus to lead a two-week English language summer camp for local German students, which they helped revive in 2006. “[Leading the camp] connects us to the School and to new staff”, says Fritz. “It’s really like coming home–it gives us a sense of still being in education and it is a great deal of fun.”

Helga and Fritz agree that it is difficult to single out one milestone that influenced the School’s development. However, according to Helga, the Building of the Junior School Round was one of the first major developments for the campus, finally giving the School a ‘face’. The most distinctive point in the School’s history that Fritz can remember was the decision to stay on the current Schloss Buchhof campus. “We were going to move to the Herrsching Gewerbegebiet (‘industrial park’). The Board had already made a decision and the School was worried about expansion on campus because of plumbing issues. In the end, the Board worked with the local government and were finally able to build proper infrastructure and get permission to expand so that the campus could continue to develop out in the woods and meadows”, explains Fritz. 15 | CONTACT | SPRING 2015

Giving at MIS

Building for Excellence Capital Campaign Update T

hank you to all those who have made pledges towards the Capital Campaign. Total donations since 2012 have now reached €846K (at time of writing).

We are extremely grateful to all donors, and the names of major donors will grace the plaque list in our new building. We also welcome more families to join their ranks as significant supporters of the ‘Building for Excellence’ project so that we might reach our goal of €1M in donations. This €14m capital project was launched in 2012 and is nearing completion. The track and field component of the project was officially opened in May 2014, and has since hosted many successful sporting events. Classes in the new adjacent building that will provide modern learning spaces and dedicated facilities for languages, design and the arts, will begin from August 2015. You are warmly invited to join us for the official opening our new building on Saturday 13 June 2015 as part of our annual Frühlingsfest celebrations.

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Upcoming Events at MIS More details can be found online by visiting www.mis-munich.de/calendar APRIL Open Day

Early Release

UK University Fair

Grade 6 Trip to Rothenburg

27, 28, 29

MAY

Giving at Munich International School

May Day (Holiday)

Junior School Parent Principal Forum

Half Day

Grade 4 Exhibition Evening

Grade 8 Trip to Dachau

Ascension Day (Holiday)

Parent Association Meeting

Pentecost (Holiday)

SCIS/ISST Athletic Tournament Weekend

Donations help further our mission of providing an excellent learning environment for our students and some gifts have the ability to transform lives.

JUNE

unich International School is an ambitious and independent, nonprofit organization, and the importance of donations to the School today, as has been the case right throughout the Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, cannot be underestimated. While income from fees covers running costs, and volunteers and other in-kind support enrich so many facets of the School, the generosity of financial donors enables the School to do so much more.

For more information about Giving at Munich International School or to discuss any ideas that you might have for making a gift to the School, please contact us via giving@mis-munich.de.

27-30

Early Release

Grade 12 Graduation

EC Sports Day

Junior School Sports Day

Corpus Christi (Holiday)

FrĂźhlingsfest: Grand Opening of New Building

MS Sports Day

Grade 7 BMW Day

Grade 4 Celebration

Last Day of Classes (Half Day)

Summer Holiday

27 June - 23 August

How do I become a part of the Munich International School Community?

How do I stay in touch with Munich International School?

Student Admissions: admissions@mis-munich.de

Munich International School Alumni & Friends: alumni@mis-munich.de

Employment Opportunities: employment@mis-munich.de

Giving at Munich International School: giving@mis-munich.de