SummaRISe - Issue 127

Thursday May 2015 Issue 89 Thursday, 18th 21 May 2017 Issue 127 GENERAL GENERAL

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Events @ RIS Parent Appreciation Morning

Annual Production

PARIS SCHOOL CLINIC

DATE

EVENTS May

Sunday, 21 May—Wednesday, 24 May

Year 2 Field Trip

Tuesday, 23 May—Wednesday, 24 May

FS Graduation Ceremony

Wednesday, 24 May

Open day

Sunday, 27 May

Beginning of Ramadan*

June

Thursday, 08 June

Nursery Concert

Tuesday, 13 June

Year 6 Graduation Ceremony

Thursday, 15 June

Year 1 Annual Concert

Thursday, 15 June

Nursery to FS - Certificate Ceremony

Thursday, 22 June

Students' last day

Thursday, 22 June

Nursery Rainbow Day

Tuesday, 26 June

End of Ramadan & Eid Al Fitr*

Tuesday, 27 June

IGCSE Examinations end

Thursday, 29 June

Teachers' last day

Message from the Principal A curriculum ‘fit for purpose’

Perhaps the greatest challenge we face in school education is to identify and develop the knowledge, skills and attributes required for life and work now and beyond. This is an ongoing curriculum challenge.

At RIS we recognise the centrality of our curriculum in preparing students for life and work in the 21st Century:     

We are teaching our students the importance of knowledge and how to apply their understanding of key concepts and principles to real-world problems.

We are teaching our students to examine challenges and problems and consequently provide solutions from a cross-curricular standpoint.

We are encouraging our teachers and students to promote creativity and the ability to develop innovative solutions to entirely new problems.

We are seeking better information about students’ abilities to work in teams, use technology, communicate, present and solve problems.

We are encouraging students to develop their teamwork skills, requiring good interpersonal and communication skills.

The challenges we face will not be addressed by changes to the curriculum alone. They also depend on investments in teacher quality, changes in pedagogy and the alignment of assessment processes to new curriculum priorities. Nevertheless, the content and organisation of the curriculum and the emphasis given to different forms of learning in the curriculum are important factors of student engagement and learning outcomes.

Although there is much more to the school curriculum than literacy and numeracy, students’ abilities to read and understand different forms of written material and to apply mathematics to everyday problems are among the most important outcomes of an effective curriculum. These are building blocks for many other curriculum areas and essential skills for life and work beyond school. It is for this reason that many countries including the UAE, monitor the literacy and numeracy levels through international benchmark assessments such as TIMMS, PIRLS, GL, IBT and PISA surveys.

At RIS we provide a curriculum that prepares students for life and work, one that includes:

   

Deep understandings of subject matter and the ability to apply what is learnt; the ability to communicate and solve problems in teams; the ability to think critically and to create novel solutions; and flexibility, openness to change and a willingness to learn continually.

I will continue on this theme in the next edition of SummaRISe. I would like to thank Teacher magazine for the basis of this article and in particular the author, Charles Fadel, Global Education, 21st century skills. www.teachermagazine.com.au/article/global-education-21st-century-skills Mr. Michael William Clack Principal

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Message from the Dean of Student Here at RIS we have adopted a whole school curriculum approach in order to ensure that your children receive a high quality education. RIS is actively involved in an on-going process of curriculum development and implementation.

Curriculum development involves the following steps:  Identifying the learning needs of all the children  Setting priorities in these learning needs for curriculum development  Searching and retrieving resources from within and outside the school  Designing the curriculum  Implementing the curriculum  Evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum  Making adaptations to the curriculum Assessment A well-structured curriculum should enable the school to follow a procedure of teaching intervention, incorporating assessment, programme planning and evaluation. To achieve this aim, criterion-referenced assessment designed by the school is recommended.

Assessment should not be seen as something external to the learning process or something added on at the end of a learning sequence simply for administrative purposes or as a means of reporting to parents.

Rather, it is an integral part of effective learning, whereby the children are provided with feedback on their progress. All teachers should plan a comprehensive scheme of work whereby the learning experiences will impact the child with a positive outcome. Similarly, as part of his scheme of work, all teachers should plan the assessment of the children’s progress.

Organization of Resources Successful curriculum development also depends upon the effective utilization of resources within the school and the community, particularly human resources.

All members of staff can contribute to the curriculum development in terms of their personal knowledge and experience. Through regular contact with your children, teachers can identify the range of knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes which need to be further developed within the classroom. Our teachers understanding of your children's learning needs will enable us as teachers to see the different parts of the curriculum as an integral whole. It is therefore essential to involve all teachers in curriculum development.

Specialist staff are also be encouraged to contribute to the enrichment of the curriculum. They are encouraged to suggest how existing programmes can be adapted to meet the needs of children with additional needs.

You the parents are also a valuable resource of the school. We very much encourage you to participate in the curriculum development and to follow-up at home on what your children have learnt at school, thus reinforcing their learning. This joint effort between the school and parents will contribute much to the education of your child.

Gary Williams Dean of Students

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MFL News As Dubai is becoming an increasingly multicultural society, we have a duty to provide our children with an understanding of other cultures and languages. At Raffles International School, we believe strongly in the benefit of this and have therefore begun implementing the teaching of French and Mandarin for all children (Y3 to Y6), although we encourage and support a whole school approach.

At RIS, we use a variety of teaching and learning styles in our MFL lessons. Our principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills, and understanding. We aim for a balance of whole class, group and independent learning. Wherever possible, we encourage children to use and apply their learning in other areas of the curriculum; English, ICT, PE and music, for example, are particularly appropriate for cross-curricular teaching.

Our implementation of the French curriculum is being supported by an excellent quality of books and resources. Children have the opportunity to support their work with a variety of resources. There is a emphasis on speaking and listening and the children are provided with many opportunities to speak with each other, in French, during their lessons and around the school. There are also opportunities in class for children to access French beyond their weekly lesson. Instructions are often given in French and Mandarin to extend the children’s access to it and enhance the opportunities they have to develop new vocabulary.

In all classes children have a wide range of abilities, and we seek to provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. MFL is a highly inclusive subject, however, and despite our principal aim of developing children’s knowledge, skills, and understanding, the initial focus will be on enjoyment. At our school we teach MFL to all KS2 children, whatever their ability and individual needs. MFL forms part of the school curriculum policy to provide a broad and balanced education to all children. Through our MFL teaching we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make good progress. We strive hard to meet the needs of those pupils with special educational needs, those with disabilities, those with special gifts and talents, and those learning English as an additional language (EAL), and we take all reasonable steps to achieve this.

We are delighted with the progress the children have made so far and will continue to build on this as they move up to through the school and prepare for KS3 and KS4.

Maya Yaghi Head of MFL Department

May 2017: RIS Speech and Language Awareness month A language disorder may be spoken and/or written (reading and writing). It may also be receptive (understanding) and/or expressive (talking, reading, writing, or signing).

Early spoken language disorders can result in problems with reading, writing, and learning. They also may lead to problems with social skills, like making friends. Early detection leads to early treatment. The earlier you get help for your child, the better.

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help children of all ages who have spoken and written language disorders, speech sound disorders, stuttering (disfluency), and voice disorders. Audiologists help children with a hearing loss. Children may have one or more of these communication disorders.

“All Children with special needs just need a little help, a little hope and someone who believes in them�

Faryal Saeed Head of Learning Support

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Dear Parents, Grandparents and Extended Family, Maria Montessori, who was responsible for introducing the Montessori Method of education, often quoted, “Help me to do it by myself,” describing each child’s expression of an inner need for independence. The curriculum at the Umm Suqeim Raffles Nursery emphasizes this need by encouraging investigation and discovery with direct, hands-on experiences. While the Montessori Curriculum itself is divided into five parts, the materials that support the introduction and practice of concepts closely meet the benchmarks within the EYFs charter.

Practical Life-On first entering the nursery class, children are given the opportunity to develop important life skills which will allow them greater freedom in the classroom. The children pour liquids, polish silver, wash tables, sweep, and in doing so, are developing calmness, order, concentration, coordination and fine motor skills. At the same time, through the process of learning to meet their own needs, learning to take care of the classroom environment and through the experience of helping others, children in Montessori programs begin to develop independence, self-confidence, and self-respect. Practical life activities develop independence, fine and gross motor skills, social skills and confidence. These are genuinely useful jobs that keep the work environment neat and tidy, and allow the children to learn using their imagination as they are working with real things.

Sensorial-First learning is done through the senses and the Montessori Sensorial material cover a range of well thought-out exercises to help children sort, match and compare objects by shape, size, touch, taste and sound. These early sensorial impressions boost the children’s powers of observation and deduction, broaden their vocabulary and contribute to their later understanding of formal educational concepts. The Sensorial materials lay a solid foundation for mathematics, geometry, geography, botany and art. The materials are self-correcting and so the children become comfortable with the fact that errors are essential to the process of learning.

Mathematics-Mathematics is about understanding relationships in the environment and being able to express them in abstract terms. In the nursery class, Montessori materials such as the number rods, spindle boxes and golden beads provide step-by-step learning. The children learn to count, associate quantity and numerals, and gain a sensorial impression of the decimal system. Once again the materials are self-correcting, which means that children can see at a glance if they have made a mistake. Each child progresses at his or her own rate and understands each stage before they move on to the next.

All early mathematics exercises are worked at the sensorial level so as to ensure that the child relates the quantity to the symbol (example: Spindle box which introduces the concept of ‘0’).

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Language-Our language materials are based on a carefully structured phonic approach to writing and reading. At first the children learn sensorially by tracing sandpaper letters with their fingers while being told the sounds. Soon, they are writing simple words with the moveable alphabet, matching words with objects and reading their first pink three letter words.

Culture-Culture brings an awareness that everything in the universe is connected and all components depend on one another. This forms a ‘whole’ that works in harmony; we are part of this whole and our contribution towards the well-being of this whole is important. Children use globes, puzzle maps and flags, which help them to build their understanding of other countries, cultures and people. They use pictures and name cards to match, classify and name the elements and species of the natural world.

Classroom plant-growing and caring for pets help to form a bridge between the child’s knowledge of the immediate environment and the wider world.

Following the Montessori curriculum within the framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage, our Nursery has integrated the Early Learning Goals by extending learning outside the classroom as well, by efficient and imaginative use of the three outdoor play areas, the Indoor playroom, the Early Years Activity room, the Nursery Library and the Music room. As such, by spending scheduled time in the week in all of these areas, the children have a rich learning experience and are able to meet the Early Years Goals in the seven areas of:        

Personal Social and Emotional Development (Self Confidence, Managing feelings and behaviour, Making relationships) Physical Development (Moving and handling, Health and self-care) Communication and Language (Listening and attention, Understanding, Speaking) Literacy (Reading, Writing) Mathematics (Numbers, Shapes, space and measure) Understanding of the World (People and communities, The world, Technology) Expressive Art and Design (Exploring and using media and materials, Being imaginative)

The Montessori philosophy encourages children to be independent, and to learn through a carefully prepared environment. The education is designed to meet the needs of the child, allowing them to develop at their own pace and build an awareness of others. We have over the years, taken a conscious effort to continue to learn, continue to grow and provide a more enriching experience for our children through a series of Reflecting on Quality workshops, Professional Development programmes for our teachers and ‘listening’ to the voice of our children. The aim remains simple- through our curriculum and its implementation thereof, we guide our students to their fullest potential academically, emotionally and socially, therefore preparing them to be responsible citizens within our international community.

Garima Sachdev Kapoor Assistant Head, Early Years

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Casa D having fun with a giant bubble experiment

Travelling Water Experiement (Science )

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Field trip to Cafe Ceramique

Working in ''Collaboration'' to make a ''Princess Castle''

Ivan and Augustin experimenting on ''Gravity'' during our Science week.

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PRIMARY SCHOOL Curriculum Implementation Following the Cambridge curriculum gives the students clear guidelines to follow. Each stage corresponds to a particular year group and for this reason it is very clear to see the student benchmarks for each level.

This week children are doing their Cambridge Progression tests based on their year’s work. Children have been preparing well and have been revising all topics in the core areas of the curriculum.

This year has been very exciting having just gone through a CIS accreditation visit - the teaching and learning was rated as very good to outstanding. This further validates the skills of our teachers in ensuring a holistic education. This process has been enlightening due to the fact that evaluating our school has shown me the many strengths we have as a school body. Internationalism was highly recommended. The core values of our school drives everything we do in the curriculum and we were able to prove our holistic education during our CIS visit.

The children are able to confidently discuss the curriculum in a number of ways through assemblies, though their sporting achievements. Most recently the children in upper primary came first in the IVEI Debating competition showing once again, our children’s strong English skills and vocal talent.

Last week it was a real pleasure to see the annual performance of the upper primary students, again showcasing the holistic education we offer at RIS. Children were all involved in singing, performing, playing instruments. Following on from this, the Art department have been involved in an IVEI Art competition which again showed the talents of our students where children excelled in different art perspectives.

Overall, Raffles is a place where children develop their skills and talents and are offered a range of holistic curriculum experiences which are linked in a cross-curricular and meaningful way. I feel privileged to be a part of this team of children and staff and know that the year ahead brings even greater opportunities for our students to be all rounded great citizens for the future.

Jasmit Kang Deputy Head of Primary School

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FS2 News The children in FS2 have been busy working within the Montessori work cycle. It is an amazing experience to watch the children working peacefully and independently with a wide range of materials. The children have worked really hard on letter and number formations while working with more abstract concepts. They have consolidated their foundation of phonic sounds of the letters and display a strong foundation for reading according to their ability level.

The children in FS2 participated in their second assembly they watched a small video about one of the core value i.e.

Respect. The Principal addressed the importance of respect.

Each class received a certificate at the end of the day on displaying the RIS Core Values within their peer groups and with teachers.

FS2 have enjoyed a wide variety of activities this week related to our topic Ocean life. They had a field trip to Dubai Aquarium, where children were thrilled to look at the sea creatures up close and were amazed to learn about their unique qualities. It was a wonderful experience for all of them.

FS Team

Year 1 News Year 1 students have been very busy in their classrooms.

The implementation of the new Social Studies curriculum this year has allowed our students to further explore the world around them. We have discovered our role in our environment, as well as learning how we can help make the earth a better place for us all. Year 1 students have taken part in recycling events along with learning about the importance of self-esteem. The variety of topics in this curriculum has provided our students with great insight, not only to our immediate surroundings but the wider world.

Students have thoroughly enjoyed completing projects for our Circle of Culture. This has allowed each student to showcase their country and share all they are proud of.

Year 1 students have also been learning to tell the time and about doubling numbers during mathematic lessons. We have been practising our creative writing skills, including writing postcards to our friends and collecting facts about different animals.

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Our recycling fashion show was a great success, all the children were enthusiastically involved. We are now looking forward to our upcoming class trip to Kidzania.

Year 1 Team

Year 2 News In Raffles International School we follow the Cambridge Primary Curriculum framework. In Year 2 homeroom classes we follow the frameworks for English, mathematics and science. Specialists follow specialist frameworks to provide instruction in music, PE and ICT, to name a few. This ensures we provide a robust and diverse curriculum for our learners. Cambridge Primary Curriculum frameworks are designed to prepare students for life helping them to develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning.

In Year 2, classes teachers work very hard to plan exciting, innovative lessons based on the learning objectives detailed in the subject frameworks. The implementation of the curriculum objectives is something which teachers are very passionate about and which can be done in many creative ways. As children’s learning and development are not linear, we try to provide cross curricular links where ever possible to link children’s learning together providing more opportunities to teach and review concepts explored throughout the year.

We believe that children should be excited about learning and have fun while they are doing so. We ensure curriculum objectives are delivered in an active manner taking into account children’s differing styles and preferences in learning. We believe that all this leads to an enthusiastic cohort of lifelong learners which we, as teachers, are lucky enough to teach every day.

Year 2 Team

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Year 3 News The school follows the UK Cambridge Primary Programme which gives a framework to facilitate students in acquiring the knowledge and skills of the Cambridge Primary Curriculum. Appropriate and relevant internationally, Cambridge Primary has been designed to be culturally sensitive. It includes top quality teaching and assessment resources appropriate for teaching and learning in local and international schools. Training opportunities for Cambridge Primary teachers are available with both online courses and face-to-face training events in various regions of world.

In Year 3, we try to cover all areas of the curriculum, modify it and then implement it according to the needs of the children. It leaves a lot of room for the teachers to plan hands on activities for the students, to keep them engaged and highly motivated.

Whatever helps effective delivery of the lesson and enhances student understanding is incorporated.

The effectiveness of the curriculum and the progress in teaching and learning is then gauged through the Cambridge progression tests.

The children were given revision packs to practise for the Cambridge progression tests. All the topics were revised and strategies discussed in class to enable the students to be at ease while attempting the tests. The students were briefed on expectations and conduct during the tests. The parents also cooperated and helped the children at home. In school, a Year 3 parent, Ms. Amalia taught the children to stay calm and focus on the examination by conducting a meditation session. The tests were conducted smoothly all across the school.

Year 3 is now gearing up for the GL assessments in English, mathematics, science in the coming week.

Year 3 team.

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Year 4 News Year 4 students have been busy completing their Cambridge Progression tests. In the classroom we completed lots of revision for these tests and completed some practice tests in English, mathematics and science. This allowed us to peer and self-assess our work and find out what our strengths and weaknesses were in each of the subject curriculums. With this additional information we have managed to prepare effectively for our tests and complete them with a smile on our face. We are also working hard to prepare for the upcoming GL tests which will further show our progression of the objectives from the Cambridge curriculum.

In science, we are very proud of the hard work the students have put into their projects for the upcoming Science Fair which will take place on Sunday, 21st May. It is a pleasure to see each student displaying and presenting projects on the different areas of the science curriculum. We are now finishing our topic of Sound and revising topics we investigated throughout the year.

During these coming weeks the children will be completing a lot of project based lessons and activities.

We will continue to work and improve our research skills in all subject areas. We will also have time to look back over the topics we may have found difficult throughout the year and implement particular areas of the curriculum.

Year 4 students had their annual concert ‘The Treasure Island’. It was indeed a great performance. The Year 4 team would like to take this opportunity to wish all our Muslim families, ‘Ramadan Kareem’, and may the blessings of the holy month bring peace and happiness.

Year 4 Team Year 5 News Students have been able to use prior week’s learning to help prepare themselves for their Cambridge progression tests. As part of this process, Year 5 students have been able to reflect on key parts of their curriculum in all subject areas of their learning. For example in science, students have been able to complete interactive quizzes of the life cycle of plants. This has enabled Year 5 to implement everything they have learnt through stage 5 curriculum by demonstrating knowledge, understanding through diagrams and scientific explanations.

Moreover the curriculum has stretched the creativity of students throughout the year in English. Year 5 have been able to implement and transfer their writing skills in-between topics such as Explanation text and our recent project of Inventions. Here students have been able to cross curricula their learning by writing a technical explanation using introduction, problems, text structure and conclusion. This enabled Year 5 to present their learning to a wider audience across the school.

Year 5 are able to self-assess their learning by reflecting at the end of their topics by carrying out a self-assessment test. This has enabled students to check their learning against the curriculum; allowing students to become more responsible and aware of their learning needs.

Year 5 Team

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Year 6 News With the Checkpoints over it was time for Year 6 to have some fun and experience a different kind of learning. Forty five plus students went to the overnight camping trip and spent time together in various activities such as paddle boating and swimming.

The following week students went to the movie trip “ Born to be Wild” where they familiarised themselves with how some individuals had initiated and save young animals from extinction by working on projects and initiatives in Africa and Indonesia.

Finally, it was time for the Annual Concert and Year 6 were part of the production” Treasure Island” a well loved classic adventure which entails challenges and how to overcome these. Great acting by some of our Year 6 students; Meera 6C. At the moment we are coming to the end of our learning journey and working on Algebra in mathematics, Poetry in English and World War One in Social Studies. Year 6 students are also busy preparing for their science fair projects due on Thursday, 18 th May. Final assessments take place the week of Sunday, 21st May and then students will sit the GL assessments a set of standardised test in English, mathematics and science the results of which will inform the school of how well our students stand in terms of attainment worldwide.

We are eagerly looking to the graduation on Wednesday, 07th June and preparations are in swing for the same. We would like all parents to come and celebrate this momentous event with our students. Further details will follow soon.

Year 6 Team

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Poem by: Laura Ganeeva Paper Boat A little girl sat quietly up on the river bank, Her hair was tangled up, her mind was fully blank.

She murmured something silently and reached into her coat, Her trembling, pale hand held a tiny paper boat.

She set the boat on water, and watched it splash and swim.

She followed it in silence ; her gaze was rather grim.

She turned around and headed towards her nearby home.

The time was close to sunset ; there wasn’t time to roam.

She came back to her room, still not saying a word.

She hears a call from far away ; assumes it’s just a bird.

Her mother’s sleeping somewhere, her cat on the windowsill.

Her father is not here, and she starts feeling ill.

A tear escapes her ocular, a sob escapes her throat.

She whispers a prayer to her little paper boat.

“Oh little boat, oh little boat, I wish you stay afloat.

I beg you not to drown, I beg you not to loose your route.

One day please return back here, be it a year, or less, or more.

Just please, don’t disappear like dad on the Lusitania, and return to the shallow shore."

IVEI Debate Winners On Wednesday, 10th May RIS successfully defended its title as the IVEI Debate Winners. A group of students from Years 5 & 6 travelled to CAS to compete against the other Innoventures schools after weeks of preparation.

RIS were involved in three debates, acting as either the affirmative or negative team for the motions: - Video games have a negative effect on a child’s behavior (Orion, Hassan & Habiba) - Career choices should be based on ability over interest (Shayan, Laura & Hessah) - Year round schooling will benefit students (Zlata, Jaidev & Amru) The students all did a fantastic job of creating strong, clear arguments which they could defend when rebuttals were made. They then listened to the opposing teams and challenged them with questions in order to develop the arguments further. Students from our secondary school also did a super job of asking thoughtful questions as they formed part of the debate’s audience.

This is the second year in a row our school has won the competition, beating all the other Innoventures schools. Well done to all those who took part your commitment and enthusiasm was clear for all to see.

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SECONDARY SCHOOL Raffles International School follows the UK Cambridge Curriculum for English, mathematics and science in the Secondary School. Specialist subjects such as Physical Education, Art, Music and Humanities are aligned to the National Curriculum in England.

Cambridge Secondary 1 combines a world-class curriculum with high-quality support for teachers and integrated assessment. The curriculum is dedicated to helping schools develop learners who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged. Cambridge Secondary 1 develops skills and understanding across the core subjects for learners typically aged 11–14.

The National Curriculum in England’s aims are to “provide students with an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated citizens. It introduces pupils to the best that has been thought and said; and helps engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement” (1).

When teachers refer to curriculum, they largely talk directly about the content, skills and knowledge students are expected to acquire at certain Key Stages (or Phases in the UAE). Regardless of the curriculum, it is an expectation that teachers modify strategies accordingly to meet the needs of Raffles International School students. This may include modifying the teaching of currency from pounds to Dirhams, from Shakespeare to local writers or from British culture to Arab culture. Whatever these adaptations may be, it is essential that students leave school with a well-rounded learning experience.

Further information regarding the Cambridge and National Curriculum can be found at the links below. http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-secondary-1/cambridge-secondary1/curriculum/ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-secondary-curriculum Over the past twenty years there has been great debate on what a curriculum should entail. Whilst many people believe primarily on that of knowledge others would contest that a skill based curriculum is more effective for the whole learner. Should students leave school with a mastery of content or be ready with the skills needed later in life? Obviously both would be great but this is easier said than done, especially with the pressures schools face from assessment and examinations.

One question I get asked a lot as Deputy Head of Secondary is about the differences between the Cambridge Curriculum (specifically A levels) and the IB Diploma. Below is a good article that discusses this topic, although my opinion would veer back to the importance of curriculum delivery – i.e. high quality teaching, pedagogical approaches and assessment methodology.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/expateducation/8076313/The-International-Baccalaureateversus-A-levels-which-one-will-help-your-child-shine.html 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 References https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/381754/ SECONDARY_national_curriculum.pdf

Year 7 News In its broadest sense, curriculum refers to the “total learning experiences of individuals not only in school, but in society as well” (Bilbao et al., 2008). Here at RIS the learner is placed at the centre of the curriculum. Therefore it is imperative that we address the goals, needs and interests of the learner by creating experiences from which the students can learn. This includes enriching and modifying the curriculum to suit the learner’s characteristics, whilst maintaining the integrity of syllabus.

Innovation, critical thinking and creativity are learning skills that we value. It follows then, that every time there are changes or developments happening around the world, the school curricula are affected. There is a need to update them in order to address the society’s needs so we can ensure we are preparing our students to become global-citizens adequately equipped for an ever-progressing work world.

Year 7 Team

Year 8 News One of my key themes for Year 8 this term has been to recognise and reward achievement from students across the year group. We have already rewarded those students who were best speakers and the winning team from the Year 8 debate competition in assemblies. Now we turn to those students who have consistently worked hard, been good role models and those that have improved their behaviour and attitude throughout the year.

The teachers of Year 8 have been asked to choose students from each form who fulfil these categories hardest working, most improved and best student role model – to be rewarded in the last assembly before the Holy month of Ramadan begins at the end of May. The choice of teachers has reflected the hard work and dedication of many of our students, and it has been tough to choose as there are so many deserving candidates. In the end we have selected those student who exemplify the values the school is founded on, and the simple value that those who have put the most into the school should be those who get the most out of it. I do not want to say anymore, as the announcements should come as a surprise.

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Finally there will also be a reward for one male and one female student that will be voted for by the Year 8 students themselves – that of community spirit. This is for the student that their peers feel deserve to be rewarded, who are always good friends and will always do the best for those around them. I think it is especially important that the views of the students themselves are represented, and that they get to choose who they think are best amongst them.

Year 8 Team

Year 9 News The Year 9 students are now fast approaching the end of their curriculum for this phase. They have sat their Cambridge Checkpoints, and are now preparing to sit their end of year internal examinations and GL assessments. It has been a long and challenging term for them, throughout which they have shown resilience and focus.

The curriculum that they have studied has given the students opportunities to learn in a variety of ways; kinesthetic, visual, reading/writing and auditory. Each student has their own preferred way of learning and this helps the information to stick. Every student learns differently and a student’s learning style refers to the best way in which the student absorbs, processes, comprehends and retains information. A student’s learning style is dependent on different factors including cognitive, emotional and environmental, as well as their prior experience. Everyone’s different. These differences in students’ learning styles, can be seen in the way they revise and the strategies implemented at home and school. Personalising a student’s learning to suit their strengths is important to ensure every child is able to attain their best possible results. Below I have set out different revision strategies which will suit different students: Visual Learners  Recopy notes in colours  Visually organise or reorganise notes using columns, categories, outline forms, etc.  Remember where information was located in visual field  Create timelines, models, charts, grids, etc.  Write/rewrite facts, formulas, notes on wall-hanging, bedsheet, poster for visual review at any time  Facts, formulas, notes on index Auditory Learners  Need to discuss concepts/facts/aspects with friend immediately after new learning  Tape records lesson or notes for re-listening later  Must say facts/formulas/information over and over to retain  Simultaneous talking-walking studying  Set information to rhyme, rhythm, or music to aid retention  Prefer to listen without taking notes  Use of background music helps you to concentrate

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Primary

SECONDARY

Kinaesthetic Learners  Copy notes over and over, apparently to make them neat organised  Prefers to take notes during lesson as an aid to concentration  Must take notes, even when detailed outline is distributed  Doodles while studying  Must move about when studying  Alternates sitting still and moving during homework/studying  Simultaneous talking-walking, talking-exercising study, or walking-reading study  Move hands or feet for rhythm emphasis while studying  Make charts, grids, timelines, diagrams (usually several times)  Prefers learning by doing This Thursday the Year 9 students are taking part in the Secondary School music performance. I was privileged to watch them rehearse last week. It was another example of where they are making the most of the opportunities given to them. Good luck to them all.

If you need to speak to any member of the Year 9 team please do not hesitate to contact us on bryonyl@rafflesis.com References: http://www.sln.org.uk/geography/Documents/georevision/revision%2520ideas%2520for% 2520different%2520learners.doc.pdf Year 10 & 11 News Being a Cambridge school we follow the curriculum that has been designed by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). However, the teachers in our school work hard to ensure that our programmes and syllabuses are culturally sensitive, designed for international context and set a global standard for international education. Raffles International School has the responsibility to develop and implement a curriculum which is suitable for our culture and ethos, and which is tailored to our students’ needs.

Enrichment activities are a particular strength of the school. School offers a wider curriculum outside of the normal teaching day, before school, during breaks and lunchtime as well as after school.

Last week during the Years 10-11 assembly representatives from a student counselling agency (Intelligent Partners) came to inform the students about scholarship opportunities for universities around the world. Universities offer a range of different scholarship programmes for international students to help cover tuition fees or/and living costs.

On a different note, on Thursday, 18 May 2017 Secondary School will have its first music concert. Students have been working hard to prepare this show. Our school choir will be performing and there will also be some solo performances.

Parents are more than welcome to come and watch the show; show will start at 13:10.

Year 10 & 11 Team