SummaRISe - Issue 125

Thursday May 2015 Issue 89 Monday, 24th 21 April 2017 Issue 125 GENERAL GENERAL

NURSERY

KG FS

PRIMARY PRIMARY

SECONDARY SECONDARY

Outdoor Education Field Trip

PARIS SCHOOL CLINIC

DATE

EVENTS

April

Monday, 24 April

External Examinations—Year 6 and 9

Thursday, 27 April

Parent Student Conference

Saturday, 29 April—Thursday, 4 May

Council of International Schools Accreditation Visit May

Monday, 01 May

IGCSE Examinations starts

Tuesday, 02 May—Thursday, 04 May

Nursery Field Trip

Wednesday, 03 May—Thursday, 04 May

Years 5-6 Camping Trip

Thursday, 04 May

Year 1 Annual Concert

Sunday, 07 May—Wednesday, 10 May

Years 4-6 Annual Production Rehearsal

Sunday, 07 May—Thursday, 11 May

Nursery Science Week

Sunday, 07 May—Thursday, 11 May

FS Field Trip

Thursday, 11 May

Year 4-6 Annual Producation

Sunday, 14 May—Thursday 18 May

Year 1 Field Trip

Tuesday, 16 May—Wednesday, 17 May

Years 7-11 Annual Production Rehearsal

Thursday, 18 May

Years 7-11 Annual Production

Thursday, 18 May

Nursery Black Day

Sunday, 21 May—Wednesday, 24 May

Year 2 Field Trip

Message from the Principal RIS to welcome The Council of International Schools Visiting Team The purpose of the accreditation programme

The main purpose of the CIS programme for School Evaluation and Accreditation is to support international and internationally-minded schools in their pursuit of educational excellence by providing a system for periodic self-examination combined with external appraisal. The process has a strong focus on student learning and student well-being. Congruency (what is said and what is done) between the school’s own Guiding Statements and school practice as well as the promotion of internationalism/inter-culturalism are other strong areas of focus in the process.

The benefits of the accreditation process The Award of Accreditation itself: Accredited status can be very reassuring to parents and is an indication to the school community – and to other individuals and establishments such as universities - that the school offers an education of quality.

The opportunity for self-assessment: To some extent this is already a feature of many schools. Schools receiving Accreditation tend to agree that introspection and the actions for improvement which that generates are the most valuable aspects of the entire process.

The opportunity for improved intra-school contact and understanding: It is the common experience of schools undergoing evaluation that the Accreditation process becomes a unifying force in a school.

The opportunity to receive a detailed, objective evaluation conducted by fellow professionals: These peers have been trained in the evaluation process, and are familiar with the nature and concerns of international and internationally- minded schools.

A plan for the future: the Preliminary Report, the Self- Study Report, the Visiting Team Report, serve as working material for the school as it maps out its direction for the years ahead. The recommendations contained in these reports serve as excellent bases for the construction of School Plans - indeed, school planning and the improvement work to obtain and maintain accreditation should be fully integrated.

Closer links with CIS and with other international schools: These are created by contacts with in-coming Visitors and by the school’s own staff serving on teams visiting other schools (which is itself excellent professional development for those individuals).

Confirmation of the school's needs: Accreditation reports, including the Visiting Team Report, will serve to guide staff, board and administration in establishing priorities.

RIS, Assessment and the UAE National Agenda Parameter With the removal of National Curriculum levels, there is a greater emphasis on schools to develop an assessment framework that supports student attainment and progress. As part of the UAE National Agenda Parameter, RIS have adopted the benchmarked Progress Test Series as suitable benchmark assessments for our children http://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/products/progress-test-series Used year-on-year the series supports teachers in identifying current levels of attainment and monitoring progress. Close attention has been paid to ensuring the group test reflects the new English National Curriculum as well as the other UK curricula, making it up-to-date and highly relevant. The following assessments in English, mathematics and science (only from age 8 upwards) will apply to students from FS2 to Year 9 inclusive and as confirmed by KHDA, will take place during the normal scheduled lesson time over a period of two weeks. Please note students are not able to specifically revise for these assessments although I have provided below some links to sample questions: http://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/sites/gl-assessment.co.uk/files/images/digital-demos/PTE-Demo/ AssessmentRenderer.html http://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/sites/gl-assessment.co.uk/files/images/digital-demos/PTM-Demo/ AssessmentRenderer.html Progress Test in English (PTE) is a standardised assessment of students’ technical English skills (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and reading comprehension. This is designed for use year on year to support teachers in benchmarking student’s English knowledge, and measure their progress over time.

Progress Test in Mathematics (PTM) is a standardised assessment of students’ mathematical skills and knowledge including number, shape, data handling and algebra. This is designed for use year on year to support teachers in benchmarking student’s mathematical knowledge, and measure their progress over time.

Progress Test in Science (PTS) is a standardised assessment of students’ science knowledge including the three core areas of Physics, Chemistry and Biology as well as ‘working scientifically’. The test is designed for use year on year to support teachers in benchmarking students' science knowledge and measuring their progress over time.

What can you do with the data from the Progress Test Series?  Benchmark knowledge and measure progress in the core subjects year-on-year  Identify students' strengths and weaknesses, set targets and personalise learning  Implement and monitor interventions  Support communication with stakeholders and provide evidence for inspections.

These external assessments will provide us with reliable, regular information against which can benchmark our students’ academic outcomes. In addition, it will provide a more objective picture to measure student progress, identify gaps in student understanding and make amendments to the curriculum and teaching accordingly. Furthermore, this assessment information will help us to monitor objectively the progress we are making towards meeting our targets for TIMSS and PISA (for students who are 15).

SLMT Team

International mindedness must ‘permeate every aspect of Raffles International School’ Our Vision Providing world class education At RIS students are expected to 'develop and transform their attitudes beliefs those which are in tune with ideals of world citizenship, which 'would include the breaking down of barriers and prejudices .... Transforming t h e focus of young people's thinking from the parochial to the global and from the narrow-minded to thebroad-minded' (Waterson Hayden, 1999: 18). The Dalai Lama refers to international mindedness as the "the oneness of humanity", and he goes on to explain: "nowadays, whatever happens in one region eventually affects many other areas. Within the context of our new interdependence, self-interest clearly lies in considering the interest of others".

Cross cultural awareness and appreciation of diversity are keys to global citizenship this century.

‘International education’ has become an even more important approach to preparing students for active and purposeful lives as global citizens. The essence of international education and a challenge for international schools is embracing the concept of 'international mindedness'. In fact there lies the success of international education as students of such schools develop global perspective that is built upon understanding and respect for one's own culture and that embraces knowledge of global issues and their interdependence and cultural differences.

In 1974 UNESCO stated that 'international education should about peace and human rights in order enable every person to promote international solidarity and co-operation, which are necessary in solving world problems" (Hill, 2012). At RIS the aim is to prepare our children for the future and to embed core values such as integrity and respect which will guide them on their educational journey ‘for success in an ever changing world’. At RIS international mindedness goes in tandem with the ideas of collaboration and helping others. International mindedness 'is a frame of mind and an approach to issues, an attitude towards oneself, others and the world at large (Ellwood & Davis, 2009), it must permeate every aspect of the school; teaching, extra-curricular activities, celebrations, sport, music, art and community projects Embedded in the RIS mission statement is the concept o f a student centred international school challenging every student to become responsible obal citizens. Comprising students representing 90 plus nationalities and teachers 27 nationalities, RIS is by name, definition and make -up a multi-national, multi-cultural community which only strengthens our uniqueness and strengthens our identity because there is so much diversity. Our aim should be to support each other and to value and promote international mindedness and understanding.

Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another's uniqueness.” Ola Joseph

Mr. Michael William Clack Principal

Dear Parents, We are pleased to announce that with the continued growth in our Secondary School, we have appointed Mr. Peter Rowlands as Head of Secondary School. Mr. Rowlands has a wealth of experience in the UK and overseas and he will join RIS from August, 2017. I know he is looking forward to meeting you all and becoming part of the school. Please find below a brief introductory message from Mr. Rowlands.

I am really looking forward to working with you at Raffles. I have been teaching for over twenty years. I started teaching Physics in Reading, England before progressing to Head of Physics followed by Head of Science at a high preforming school in Hemel Hempstead. Since then I have been a Head of Sixth Form developing a growing community of students, before becoming Deputy Principal back in Reading. Here I was responsible for the curriculum and worked with the heads of departments to maximize student achievement. I then decided to travel to New Zealand for two years. I was fortunate to become first Deputy at a top school in Auckland. Here we developed an ethos of high supported challenge leads to high success. The students achieved great success both academically and in their extracurricular programme where our aim was for every student to take part in something. The two years became ten and I found myself ready for a different challenge.

I have been working at the International School Seychelles as Head of Secondary school for the last two years. I relish the challenge of helping students achieve their potential and go on to be successful in their chosen career. In the Seychelles we study the Cambridge IGCSE and A levels and I believe this gives a strong foundation for students progressing to further education. I have supported the learning of students, particularly at A levels, through focused target setting for students and working with staff to enable them to get the best for the students. I have a philosophy that we can all improve as teachers and I support an open learning environment amongst the staff to enable all of us to become better practitioners.

I have gained the Headship qualifications in England, ( NPQH) and while in New Zealand completed the New Zealand equivalent (NAPP). I will complete my Masters in Educational Leadership in July this year.

When I get time I enjoy spending time with my 2 boys(aged 5 and 8), I also enjoy rugby and sailing. My highlight being sailing in the Fastnet yacht race – a five day challenge from Portsmouth to Ireland and back.

On behalf of the RIS community, I very much look forward to welcoming Peter and his family this summer.

Message from The Vice Principal and Deputy Head of Primary School Breakfast for Diversity.

On Thursday, 13th April, Raffles International School had the opportunity to be part of a ‘once in a lifetime’ event. We were invited to take part in a Guinness Book World record for the Most Nationalities all having Continental Breakfast in one venue.

The event was organised by the Gurunanak Darbai Sikh Temple in Jebel Ali. The number of people who turned up for the event was amazing and it was wonderful to see the camaraderie that people showed as they came together for this ‘Breakfast for Diversity’. Needless to say we surpassed the Guinness World book requirement of fifty five nationalities and we created a new world record of one hundred and one nationalities.

Zeba Khan Vice Principal and Deputy Head of Primary School

Progress Report for Loharpur School,

Supported

:

Nepal has a population of 28 million people. Although Nepal’s ranking on the UN’s Human Development Index has steadily improved over the last ten years, a quarter of the population remains below the poverty line of US$1.25 a day. Before Nepal’s revolution in 1950, only 1 child in 100 attended school. Today, the total adult literacy rate in Nepal is just over 50% nationally, but in rural communities like Loharpur, the illiteracy rate still nears 80%.

The village of Loharpur is a community of approximately 700 people located in the Kailali region. It is about 0.01 km from the closest main road, and 70 km from the offices of Dubai Cares’ implementing partners. Most of the people are laborers and subsistence farmers who breed livestock and grow corn, rice and wheat to generate income.

With your help, the people of Loharpur now have increased access to education that will help effect change in the lives of children, parents, and grandparents for generations to come. Each new school helps Nepal increase literacy rates one community at a time.

Built by Community Before the support of Dubai Cares and Innoventures Education, the community in Loharpur lacked adequate classroom space for all their students and teachers.

The men and women of Loharpur deemed this situation to be unsuitable for learning because teachers were teaching multiple classrooms and grade levels in the same room at the same time.

Before breaking ground on a new school, every member of the Loharpur community, both men and women, signed a Covenant. This Covenant was a solemn promise between Dubai Cares and the men and women of Loharpur outlining their respective A typical temporary school structure in Nepal contributions and commitment to the project.

Each Covenant embodies the consensus of an entire community, and for many of the women in Loharpur, it was the first time they have been asked to sign their name. Whilst most of them signed with a thumbprint, everyone was overjoyed to pledge their commitment to a school that will improve access to education and literacy skills for their children, their grandchildren, and themselves.

Dubai Cares’ implementing partner contributed the engineering materials, skilled labor, and project supervision for each project. Each village provided the land, local materials such as sand, and the unskilled labor to build the school. Additionally, every village promised to send girls and boys to school in equal numbers

Community members in Loharpur volunteer to help build a new school for their children Loharpur School Because of your support, a new three-classroom school block was completed in Loharpur Village in Nepal, and has been in operation since February 2017. The school contains two gender specific latrines, and is furnished with desks, chairs, carpet for children, and permanent chalkboards.

The project broke ground in November 2016 and the parents of Loharpur contributed a combined 1,011 volunteer workdays to help build the school for their children. Today, 120 children (58% girls) ages 6-14 receive classes at the school in Loharpur, and there are six teachers who teach five grades at the school.

Dubai Cares’ implementing partner will continue working with the community of Loharpur to identify out of school children in the village and enroll them in primary school classes with anticipation that enrollment will substantially increase as the 2017 school year progresses. Additionally, they will work with the community and partners at the local Ministry of Education to add additional grade levels and classrooms as they are needed to accommodate for the growing number of enrolled students. The entire community has not only reported increased morale of the students and parents of the community, but they have expressed their satisfaction with a vastly improved working environment for teachers. Most significantly, community members are overjoyed that students no longer have to have classes on the ground or in a structure that is unsuitable for learning.

On behalf of the children of Loharpur, Dubai Cares would like to convey its heartfelt thanks to Innoventures Education for sponsoring the new school in Nepal. With your help, Dubai Cares is breaking the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education.

We look forward to continuing our relationship with Innoventures Education, and supporting even more children.

The students of Loharpur attending class in one of their new classrooms

GENERAL

NURSERY

FS

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

Dear Parents, Grandparents and Extended Family, One of our priorities as Montessori teachers has been to teach our children that they are an important part of our global community. No matter what their age is, their actions can affect and contribute to the world. In simplified ways, our children have grown to understand the importance of being culturally aware, understand the importance of communicating across cultures and languages. This term’s nursery topics raised the question of how parents can teach global citizenship at home. As our world is so much more interconnected than ever before, we as the adults need to look for ways of raising our children to understand the world with empathy.

Dr. Maria Montessori was an inspirational figure in peace education and the concept of global citizenship -or children being citizens of the world. She developed a concrete pedagogy for peace which focused on the development of the whole child and cherished creative and critical thinking skills, as well as interpersonal skills, which are so critical for our children to turn into adults who will be motivated and prepared to build lasting peace. Our classrooms and the role modelling by our teachers reduce undesirable behaviour as our children are genuinely engaged in their work. Developing internal self-discipline is a vital outcome of Montessorian and other types of peace education.

Global citizenship and the values we want to inculcate in our children to be world citizens is an essential thread that is woven throughout the Montessori philosophy and the curriculum we follow in class.

Helping our children learn about other countries and cultures through the ‘Culture’ area of our curriculum has been a fun way to increase global awareness in a simplified form. By providing such experiences, our children learn that there is much more out there beyond their daily world. While many of the words associated with global citizenship may seem daunting or ‘heavy’ for young learners and challenging for adults to explain and children to understand, there are a variety of resources, activities and books which have enabled our children incorporate an international mindedness, respect and attitude of tolerance in these past few months.

Garima Kapoor Assistant Head Early Years

GENERAL

NURSERY

FS

A child's work is play

Mathematics in Montessori is learnt by working with Concrete materials

Cultural awareness of our host country is carefully integrated within the Monressori work day

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

Children enjoy Zumba

Montessori worktime

Children learn sensorially. Play is a child's

GENERAL

Nursery

FS FS

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

PRIMARY SCHOOL Dear Students of RIS, Global Citizens and the classroom approach To be effective Global Citizens, young people need to be flexible, creative and proactive. They need to be able to solve problems, make decisions, think critically, communicate ideas effectively and work well within teams and groups. These skills and attributes are increasingly recognised as being essential to succeed in other areas of 21st century life too, including many workplaces. These skills and qualities cannot be developed without the use of active learning methods through which students learn by doing and by collaborating with others. These skills are developed in every lesson, every day. The children are encouraged to be proactive problem solvers through our teaching methods.

How does Raffles see Global Citizenship?

Raffles has committed to actively promote internationalism and interculturalism in education through: 

  



ETHICS - the discussion of substantive matters of principle from multiple perspectives,  DIVERSITY - the understanding of the histories, cultures, beliefs, values and perspectives of a range of individuals and peoples, GLOBAL ISSUES - the understanding of current issues of global significance relating to geopolitics, the environment, health, trade, sustainable development and human rights, COMMUNICATION - the development of fluency in multiple languages including mother tongues, languages used in local environments and physical communication cues associated with languages, SERVICE - the development of their disposition to serve the community, local and global, through engagement in meaningful and reflective service, and LEADERSHIP - the acquisition and refinement of the skills of leading and following within the cultural context.

A Global Citizen is someone who:  is aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as a world citizen  respects and values diversity  has an understanding of how the world works  participates in the community at a range of levels, from the local to the global  is willing to act to make the world a more equitable and sustainable place takes responsibility for their actions.

“Education must be not only a transmission of culture but also a provider of alternative views of the world and a strengthener of skills to explore them" Jerome S Bruner Susie McShane Assistant Head of Primary

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FS

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

FS2 A warm welcome back after the Spring Break. On the first day back to school, the children were enthusiastic to share their holiday experiences with their peers and teachers.

The Mother’s Day celebration was a huge success, the students performed on stage with great pride and enthusiasm. It was lovely to see their excited faces ready to sing for their mums. They displayed a great deal of confidence, this is a commendable effort.

During the Montessori work cycle, they eagerly set to work and are now independently choosing advanced material to challenge them according to their needs.

Our next theme topic is “The Solar System.” The children will be introduced to outer space, asteroid belt, atmosphere, appearances and properties of the Planets. They will also be able to compare the other planets with Earth.

Swimming lessons are a huge success with all the students. The lessons have been taking place once a week.

The children have been introduced to moving safely in and around the pool area. They are also showing more independence while changing and maintaining their swimming kits.

FS Team Year 1 Welcome back after the Spring Break. We hope you all had a restful and fun vacation.

The children will continue to enrich their cultural awareness during the Circle of Culture lessons in class.

Parents are welcome to come in and share information about their country with the children. After learning about the new country, children are engaged in various activities in order to consolidate their learning. The children’s work is visible on the display boards outside the classrooms.

In mathematics, the children are now learning how to transfer their knowledge they have learnt by working with the concrete materials to abstract. They are learning to complete mathematics problems without the use of the didactic materials. This is to ensure a smooth transition to Year 2.

Seeing that April is the month of Poetry, the children have been working on writing their own poems during their Creative Writing lessons. Be ready to be charmed by the beautiful poems written by your children.

GENERAL

NURSERY

FS

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

Last Thursday, the children took part in their very first Recycled Fashion Show. The children sported unique, one of a kind, homemade designs. They had a great time walking down the runway modelling their creations. A big thank you to all parents for helping the children to create their recycled designs. A gentle reminder of a few upcoming events; Artist Week is coming up the week of Monday, 24th April. The children will be exploring the life and work of the chosen artist.

Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up on the Thursday, 27 th April. Please do sign up and book an appointment, at the earliest, with your child’s teacher. The children are eager to show you their acting skills during the Peter Pan show in May. Year 1 Team

Year 2 News Global citizenship is a stimulating and contemporary idea for children. It encompasses many subjects which are of fierce debate in the global community today including conflict resolution, inequality and environmental harm. Students often ask about these issues after hearing them on the television or the internet and wonder what they can do to help. They are indeed very challenging subjects particularly to address with a Year 2 class however, it is our responsibility as teachers to bring these big issues into the classroom in a child friendly to be openly discussed. This can only be successfully achieved through a thorough cycle of planning, teaching and assessment.

Planning, teaching and assessment work together in a continuous and flexible cycle in Year 2. We as teachers need to observe and respond to children’s interests and motivations for learning in order to plan engaging and effective lessons. An example of this would be when a student asked why there were no recycling bins in the class at the beginning of the year. The class proceeded to make recycling bins for the class but when asked why it was important to recycle the class were less sure. This quick assessment of their understanding led to research into the reasons to support recycling. This cycle of planning, teaching and assessment is vital to the teaching of any subject including Global Citizenship.

Year 2 Team

Year 3 News Year 3 was very busy this week with revision for the end of year examinations in May. The students worked extremely hard and showed an eager attitude towards learning and achievement. They did a great job.

In English, the students learned about pronouns and where and how to use them in their sentences.

They learned how to spell some difficult high frequency words to improve their own writing. The children revised some topics that we have already covered such as story writing and comprehension questions.

The children did very well with the revision booklets which is a sign of the hard work and dedication they have put in this year.

GENERAL

NURSERY

FS

Primary

SECONDARY

In mathematics, the students learned about fractions. Before Spring Break, the children learned about fractions and how they are several parts of a whole. This week, they learned about the relationship between fractions and equivalent fractions. The children learned the strategies for finding equivalent fractions. This was quite a difficult concept for the children to grasp so a lot of practice was needed.

Next week, the children will be learning about mixed number fractions and elapsed time. The children will also be revising different topics for the end of year examinations.

In science, the students revised a range of different topics covered since the beginning of the year. The children revised the parts and functions of the plant, states of matter, materials and their properties, exploring forces and friction. The children will continue to revise more topics next week in preparation for the examinations.

In Social Studies, students had the opportunity to research different countries around the world and compare and contrast it to the UAE. The children researched Japan. The children discovered many facts about Japan through research. They then used that information to compare it to the UAE. Japan had some similarities with the UAE in terms of weather and climate. However, Japan had some differences to the UAE for example in education, food, location, currency etc. The children showed great initiative and a positive attitude during their research.

Year 3 Team

Year 4 Last week the Year 4 students settled back nicely into work after the Spring holidays. We managed to share some exciting stories about the adventures and many places students travelled to during the break. We even learned some interesting facts about these different countries and cultures around the globe.

In science, we have been investigating many different experiments on the topic of magnets. We have tested strengths of magnets, we have looked at floating magnets, magnets in the environment and we have even created our temporary magnets. This has provided the opportunity for the students to learn through fun and exciting ways.

In mathematics, the students have been working on shape and symmetry. We have investigated to find out where we might see the different 2D and 3D shapes in our environment. We have used our knowledge of shape and symmetry to link the topic to Islamic Art. The students are aware of the different patterns evident in this form of art, helping to develop their global citizenship and cultural awareness for the country we live in.

In English, we are looking at poetry and the different features of poetry. We are working with an aim to create our very own poems about a particular city. The children have worked hard to create their own examples of personification for the city of Dubai and for their own home countries. We have shared these examples in class and it has allowed for further cultural experiences and peer assessment.

Year 4 Team

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SECONDARY

Year 5 News In Year 5 we use learning as a tool to equip children with the ability to think critically, process information, analyse and evaluate intellectually. They promote the values of integrity, compassion, respect, responsibility and commitment. Teachers’ thorough knowledge of their subjects and of their students, and the accurate assessment and tracking enable them to support their students effectively so that all make very good progress.

In Year 5, students are busy completing their Invention Projects. Invention Project is a unique opportunity for them to take their ideas and transform them into real-life inventions.

Also, this term we will focus upon the following: 3Ms  Manners  Mindfulness  Mindset We have been teaching students to see different situations with their Kindness Glasses on, will certainly reduce the unnecessary problems and concerns arising due to lack of understanding, empathy and kindness, eventually making the world a better place and our children being sensitive Global Citizens.

Year 5 Team Year 6 News As we commence Term 3, we have a lot to look forward to; beginning with the Checkpoints examinations. Students are now working on practice papers and working on areas that need attention.

We hope and wish the very best to them.

Year 6 have started learning about World War 1 and at present they have explored the causes of the war and how it started. Students enjoyed enacting the scenes that depict the declaration of war on hostile countries in various European alliances.

Some of our students attended the Breakfast for Diversity, which set a world record for the maximum number of nationalities having breakfast together.

Following on the Checkpoint examinations, we have the overnight camping trip and the trip to the movies. This is much needed after the children have worked on their Checkpoints. Year 6 is also presenting “Treasure Island” on Thursday, 11th May. We request that the costumes be sent to Homeroom teachers as soon as possible.

Also coming up in the term is the annual Science Fair; this year students will prepare the projects in the classrooms and it will have a special link to STEM. Various activities have started to work on the transition of Year 6 to Year 7. This week we had a talk by the school Head Boy and Head Girl sharing a day in the life of Secondary School.

Last, but not least we are all gradually getting ready for the Primary School Graduation in June.

Confirmed date will be notified shortly. Time seems to have flown by and yet another year is ending.

Year 6 Team

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NURSERY

FS

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SECONDARY

SECONDARY SCHOOL Teaching and Assessment Central to the standard of education children receive around the world is high quality teaching and assessment. For me, effective teaching encompasses a variety of aspects including purposeful planning, clear communication, high expectations and perhaps most important, the distinct passion for your subject. I trained to become a teacher in the United States. My university course was comprehensive and I will be forever grateful to my lecturers and mentors for preparing thoroughly for the multi-faceted challenges of education. During my teaching degree I read a book titled The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer. From this book I realised that teachers actually teach who they are. What does that mean exactly? In short, it means that as we teach, we project the condition of our soul onto our students, our subjects and our way of being together.

We so often are asked why we teach, what we teach, how we teach and where we teach – but seldom do we dig deep into the inner landscapes of the teacher at heart and ask the “who question”. Teachers have a unique identity, and essentially good teaching comes directly from good people. Good teachers have a distinct nexus between many aspects of life. Our culture, our upbringing, our own education, our mentors, our experiences. Through these bonds we develop an identity as teachers and each day communicate this through our lessons and our passion for our subjects.

My passion for sport and Physical Education is what has connected me to my students throughout my career. Many of us were called to teach by our encounters with mentors but also a particular field of study. Many teachers are also drawn towards a body of knowledge because it shed particular light on their identity. It was through my PE lessons at school that I developed a love for sport. It was also through the PE teachers I enjoyed the most that I learned and developed the most. Teaching has that everlasting impact on people.

I suppose that over time teaching and learning has evolved immensely. In all honestly, I think 21 st education has been overcomplicated largely by governmental reform and absurd politics. I am a firm believer, however, that students who learn are the finest fruit of teachers who teach. Teachers create atmospheres that inspire students to succeed in all types of environment. Great teachers understand what motivates, inspires and drives students in their care. It is that simple.

Other news Thank you to all students, parents and families that attended the third RIS Family Fun Day. It was a big success and once again a wonderful opportunity for our Secondary students to demonstrate their entrepreneurial skills.

Our IGSCE examination are underway and the Year 11’s enter a demanding stage of their lives studying and preparing. Recently all Year 11 students sat the PISA test in which their results will be analysed in comparison to many countries around the world. It is very refreshing to take a test that digs deep into real life questioning.

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FS

Primary

Secondary

As always, if you would like to communicate with me regarding anything related to the Secondary School at RIS, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail, give me a call or stop by the office.

Ian Plant Deputy Head of Secondary

Year 7 News Family Fun day was a huge success as it epitomised the internationalism that exists in the RIS community. The bridge between parents, staff and students was evidently strengthened as everyone worked together to ensure an enjoyable day was had by all.

As Head of Year 7, I must say that I was very impressed by the hard work and dedication of the students, who spent weeks preparing their creative games and demonstrated their collaborative skills as they manned their stalls.

In our ever changing world, it is imperative that our student body experience the challenges and rewards they will face in the future. In the world of business, innovation will be the mother of success, therefore here at RIS we encourage activities which enable the students to take ownership of various challenging projects within a supportive environment.

Year 7 Team

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Secondary

Year 8 News As the third term starts students’ minds are naturally concentrated by the prospect of the end of year examinations and stress levels begin to rise. While assessment is an essential part of the teaching and learning experience it is even more essential for students to realise how to manage stress and the challenges of school.

One of the main things I will be working with Year 8 this term is firstly how to deal with stress and how to manage their workloads to avoid it in the first place. One of the key skills that students need to learn is that of sensibly managing their class workload – prioritising the subjects they ned to study most for, finding ways of revision that work for them and reducing distractions.

On top of this I will also be working on some of the areas that are essential for student wellbeing, such as self esteem and self confidence, as well as developing a positive mind set. As the students prepare themselves for examinations, and later the challenges of Year 9, it is essential they are well prepared and approach things with a positive attitude.

More important perhaps than this I will also be concentrating on rewarding students – there has been some great achievement across the year group. I will be rewarding those students with the highest number of green notes, as well as those who have improved most in behaviour and maturity. There will also be awards for those students who have gone the extra mile for their friends and peers – an incentive if one were ever needed to be nice to those around you.

Year 8 Team

Year 9 News This week the Year 9’s will be taking their Cambridge Checkpoint examinations. This assessment is the most important of their year. It is an opportunity for them to celebrate the successes of their efforts over the past three years. I have been extremely pleased with the attitude and approach to learning shown by the students. I am sure that they will reap the rewards of all their hard study.

One of the key things that I want each student to do is to approach their examinations with a growth mindset.

Fixed Mindset Intelligence is static: People have a given level of intelligence, and it can’t be changed.

Success and therefore a positive self-image are achieved by performing well and looking smart.

Growth Mindset Intelligence can be developed: People can develop their intelligence. The brain is like a muscle that can be exercised and strengthened.

Success and therefore a positive self-image are achieved by learning and growth through effort.

Desire to look smart and a tendency to: Avoid challenges Give up easily See effort as worthless

Desire to learn and a tendency to: Embrace challenges Persist in the face of setbacks See effort as the path to mastery

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NURSERY

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Secondary

This can often be most evident when students are seen not wanting to make an effort, as effort is linked to a negative reflection of their intelligence. Essentially, if they were intelligent, they would not need to make any effort with the particular task. This is one of the biggest hurdles that face all students of all ability. At RIS we endeavour to encourage a Growth Mindset, but very often it is the language that we use which can have the greatest impact.

Instead of....

Try thinking/saying....

I’m not good at this.

What am I missing?

I’m great at this.

I’m on the right track.

I give up.

I’ll use some of the strategies we’ve learned.

This is too hard.

This may take time and effort.

I can’t make this any better.

I can always improve, so I’ll keep on trying.

I made a mistake.

Mistakes make me learn better.

A positive approach towards the Checkpoint exams can be the most powerful tool we have in the arsenal of skills and this is definitely something that can be easily supported at home and part of the learning dialogue between students and staff.

To celebrate the end of examinations we will be having a film and pizza event after school on Wednesday, 26th April. A letter will be emailed shortly with the final details.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me bryonyl@rafflesis.com Year 9 Team

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SECONDARY

Year 10 and 11 News We have reached the time of year where IGCSE examinations are around the corner and the marathon of studying for exams has begun. In addition to the IGCSE preparation, Year 11 students had to take the PISA tests (Programme for International Student Assessment). PISA is a triennial international survey which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of students. Students were assessed in science, mathematics, reading, collaborative problem solving and financial literacy. For several decades Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has conducted the PISA tests. The OECD Directorate for Education has found that student achievement in mathematics and science are a sound indicator for future economic health. In other words, nations or cities with good schools can expect a healthy economy, whereas a nation or city with suffering schools can expect consequences to its economy.

In the last few weeks students were preparing for the third Family Fun Day. Similar to previous years, students have shown their entrepreneurial skills and have worked in teams to design and market ideas for activities/games. All groups were able to spend up to 200AED, given by PARIS, to invest then grow into as much profit as possible. Once again we have been very impressed by the teamwork and creativity of the students.

Year 10 and 11 Team