DP Newsletter February

DP NEWSLETTER

February 2020

Dear DP students and parents, It was good to see so many parents at the Grade 12 3-Way conferences last week as the Grade 12 students are now reaching the crunch time in their DP courses. Extended Essay deadlines are upon us, as are ToK essays. It is vitally important that students meet the expected deadlines, in order to ensure that they can focus on their other upcoming IA’s in other subjects. It is also important that students make sure their CAS activities and reflections are up to date on Managebac – the mid-term break is an excellent opportunity to get on top of this.

Grade 11 students had their Semester One reports and it is important that they discuss with their teachers how to improve their grades. The Grade 11s are beginning their Extended Essay process and I’m sure they will be advised by their friends in Grade 12 that putting in the hard-work now will pay off later on.

Almost all students are representing themselves and the school by wearing appropriate uniform. There are, as always, a few students who are letting their standards slip and hopefully this will improve in the coming weeks.

It is of the upmost importance that students use their study-lessons wisely: playing chess or basketball may be good ways of releasing stress, but breaks from studying should be short, not 80 minutes long! Ms Christine and Ms Naomi are organizing places for students to study and there will be a requirement for students to sign-in to study classes when there are many students who have study lessons.

Kind Regards, Andrew Tomlinson, DP Coordinator atomlinson@ris.ae Ms Nicola Hewitt, Assistant to the DP Coordinator, DPC-assistant@ris.ae

1

HEADS OF GRADE Grade 11 This term I fielded a few student questions in regard to Raha’s school policies (academic, behavioural and student expectations). I have added all of these documents (and a few more) to ManageBac for all students; creating a well-informed community is the goal. I encourage everyone to have a read of these documents.

Year 11 so far, has presented with serious challenges. Transitioning into the DP is quite an accomplishment in and of itself, and we want the students to know that their efforts are not going unnoticed. For some of the Grade 11’s, overall points are not the whole story, which is why the Learner Profile Awards are also recognized. To informally celebrate the Semester One achievements of Year 11 (both academic and Learner Profile) an assembly is being held in the Auditorium in on the 23rd of February at 7:55am. This will be a short (30 minute), informal celebration, feel free to come if you are available; do also keep in mind that we will be holding a formal celebration at the close of Year 11 (formally inviting parents to attend). We would love to have you in attendance on the 23rd, however, we understand that not everyone will be available.

The award types: 1. Academic Awards- [Platinum 40-42 points; Gold 38-39 points; Silver 35-37 points; and Bronze 30-34 points] *based on Semester One report point standings.

2. Learner Profile Awards- Outstanding achievement in one or more of the following areas: Inquirers; Knowledgeable; Thinkers; Communicators; Principled; Open-minded; Caring; Risk-takers; Balanced; Reflective. The Learner Profile Awards are generated by the staff at Raha.

I am looking forward to witnessing our cohort push into the new semester. Especially, as we gallop towards the Year 11 Mock Examinations in June.

Have a restful mid-term break everyone!

Warm regards, James jjones@ris.ae

2

Grade 12 Dear Grade 12 Parents, We are almost at the end of the DP journey with Grade 12. After our return from the February half term we have nine school weeks left before exams! Students have already handed in most of their internal assessments and Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS will be wrapping up very soon too.

The goal over the next few weeks is to submit any internal or student-driven assignments and avoid possible distractions from the exams in May so they can be the sole focus for the students. Teachers are continually supporting Grade 12 as the end of their DP journey is edging ever closer. Thank you to parents and students who attended our final three-way conferences for Grade 12. Teachers really appreciated the opportunity to gain some face-to-face time with parents to discuss where their child is in terms of their development within individual subjects. As always, parents are welcome to communicate and meet with teachers regarding their child’s progress.

We are offering extra support to encourage students to use their time wisely as we draw nearer to exam season. Students will be expected to sign-in to the Study Hall, DP lounge or an assigned classroom during the following lessons: Sunday 2/3, 6/7, Tuesday 7/8, Wednesday 2/3,6/7. We have chosen these times for students to sign in as a large number are free at these times. Students are free to sign out if they wish, but will be requested to provide a reason why, to ensure that they are being productive.

In other news, Graduation is getting closer and closer. A reminder this takes place 30th May, 4:30pm in the auditorium at Raha. On 2nd February, students got the chance to have their individual photos taken for the yearbook and take photos with their friends dressed in their graduation caps and gowns. It was a really fun morning filled with excitement and anticipation. It really lifted some of the Grade 12s’ spirits which was fantastic to see.

Please encourage your children to make some time for themselves over the February break. No one is expected to work solidly through this time off and it is important they rest and take time to partake in activities they genuinely enjoy. We are always here to guide them with using time effectively and teachers are being extra vigilant regarding signs of exhaustion, burnout and anxiety. Ms Mellissa and Mr Brian, our counsellors are, as always, here to provide social and emotional support as well as guidance regarding university applications.

I hope you and your family enjoy a well-deserved break over the next week. Not long to go!

Christine Armstrong

3

Head of Grade 12 carmstrong@ris.ae

UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS

Grade 11: -

-

-

It’s time figure out the type of admission exams that you may need to write based upon study area, university and country. Map out a schedule well in advance and avoid writing these exams when your DP demands are high. If you think you might need to write an English proficiency test, then writing it in the Spring of grade 11 is a great idea. Those thinking the US as a destination, then writing your first SAT or ACT should happen this Spring. If considering to apply to Oxford or Cambridge, you should start to research the application process. Most UK medical schools require you to write the UCAT, yet some require the BMAT. Figure out which one you need to write and when can you sit this test.

Soon in tutorial, I will introducing you to the new university software called BridgeU. It has a very good matching tool to find best fit courses and universities. We will be using this software to plan, write, communicate, and execute your university plans.

Holidays are a great opportunity to walk on some university campuses to get a sense of what size, new or old, urban or countryside, type of residences and other personal preferences that will make you comfortable joining a learning community. These preferences can be added to your BridgeU profile, allowing the software to search for these ideal settings and courses.

Track the ongoing Night School sessions, and try to attend sessions that possibly could be your future destination. The sooner you start processing this information, the less stress and ease will be the actual planning and implementation of your university plan.

Start to think about setting up a meeting with me to discuss initial plans. Come with a group of friends or a parent(s) or just yourself to start the conversation. Even if you don’t have any idea of what or where, a first meeting could begin the process towards a plan.

Grade 12: -

-

A good portion of you have submitted all your university applications, while some are just getting started, while still others are waiting for their application cycle to begin. All of you will enter the “waiting period”, which requires a lot of patience and trust in yourself. Finishing strong in your DP is important to ALL universities. So don’t rest on your offers, there’s 14 weeks to go!

Do share your university offers with me, so I can post the universities on the bulletin board in the DP area.

Each offer is really an achievement for the entire cohort, so let’s celebrate every offer together.

Night School Sessions Return: 6:00 pm Feb. 19th DP Study Hall: Southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece) 6:00 pm Feb. 26th DP Study Hall: Southern Hemisphere (Australia, New Zealand, S.Africa) 6:00 pm March 11th DP Study Hall: Western Asia (Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia) Brian Marshall – bmarshall@ris.ae

4

CORE SUBJECTS

CAS

Carlos Noguera, CAS Coordinator cnoguera@ris.ae

At this point many of the Grade 12 students are ready for their CAS exit interview. During this last interview we look at the progress of each portfolio to close out the activities that have been completed, ensure that all CAS requirements have been met and lock thier portfolio which will mark the completion of the CAS program. All portfolios must be closed by April 16th.

It is very important that all students complete the CAS requirements prior to commencing the May exams.

Having this component out of the way, will give students more room to focus on their exams.

Are you ready for your interview? Book a meeting with Mr Carlos during any of these times: Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

L5 10:55-11:35

L410:15-10:55

L2 8:35-9:15

L6 11:40-12:30 L2 8:35-9:15

L7 11:30-12:10 L8-L9 1:40-3:00 L8 1:40-2:20 Let’s get it done!

Grade 11 students should be focusing on two main components; reflection on the activities that have been completed and initiating a CAS project.

Reflections can be written, recorded by voice/video or annotated photographs where you address these two points: 1) How did you meet each of the Learning Outcomes you chose?

2) How was this a meaningful experience for you? How did you grow as an individual from this?

A CAS project is a collaborative series of experiences lasting at least 1 month. This is similar to a "Full cycle" where you identify a need, make a plan, take action and reflect on what you achieved.

I recommended that you think about the things that you enjoy doing the most. For example; if you like to read? Maybe you could start a reading club for younger students or use some of your study time to read to the Early Years students. If you like sports, can you help organize a tournament afterschool? If you like technology can you organize a workshop for teacher or students? The possibilities are endless. My only recommendation is that you choose something that will not feel like a chore.

Remember, it feels good to do good!

5

Need more guidance for your CAS project? Check out our curriculum inspired document here

Extended Essay Muge Okur mokur@ris.ae

Grade 11: Following the information session held right after winter break, students are aware that their first formal meetings with their supervisors are to be held soon. Supporting documents, samples and guidance questions for this meeting can be found here. Students need to book a 20-minute meeting time with their supervisor to hold this meeting, which should be followed by the entry of their first reflection, of around 150 words, into the “Planning and Progress” section in their Extended Essay tab on ManageBac. The deadline for the first reflection and the Research Question is March 12th, Eventually, the completed reflection form will provide evidence for the “Engagement” criteria of their Extended Essay, which is why it needs to be completed carefully on time.

Next steps are to continue the necessary reading and research for the extended essay in order to come up with an outline of the essay by April. Students who are planning to collect primary data should be planning when and how to do that, aiming to have data completed by the end of May. There will be an opportunity to visit NYU AD Library in the second term for Extended Essay research, look out for information on that from Ms. Teejay.

Grade 12: The Extended Essay process has almost finished for Grade 12 students! This has been a huge task, congratulations to the Class of 2020 for completing it!

The last stage for students is to hold the last of the reflection meetings, after which, they will enter their third reflection on MB, latest by February 6th, 2020. There are have a few students who have minor format corrections to make, and have been emailed with details. I’m asking all students to check their Raha email inbox to see if they have received an email from me about their essay format. The format-improved essays should be uploaded into the dropbox on the MB calendar, on November 10, 2019.

6

Theory of Knowledge Aoife Abushaqra aabushaqra@ris.ae Grade 12 TOK students are currently putting the finishing touches on their final assessment, the 1600 word TOK essay. Responding to one of six prescribed titles set by the IB, our students have demonstrated their ability to formulate pertinent Knowledge Questions and generate suitable knowledge claims based on a range of real life situations.

They have been supported through the drafting process by their TOK teachers and guided towards exploring ideas that connect to their DP subjects and/or personal interests.

In these final weeks of our TOK course, we will explore Ethics as an Area of Knowledge. Students will be encouraged to quickly move beyond simplistic notions of good/bad and right/wrong. Class discussions will be centered around the presentation of ethical dilemmas and consideration of the role of emotion and reason in ethical decision making.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 3rd, Grade 11 TOK students have the opportunity to apply their understanding of TOK in the real world, with what promises to be an exciting and engaging trip to the Louvre, Abu Dhabi. In an hour-long activity, students will be challenged to make connections between The Arts, other Areas of Knowledge and various Ways of Knowing. This practical revision of key TOK concepts will undoubtedly prove beneficial as we prepare them for their TOK presentations later this semester. In addition, students will be encouraged to document their trip and add it to their CAS portfolio, demonstrating engagement with issues of global significance.

Please submit parental consent through Schoolsbuddy. Students must provide cash payment of AED35 directly to the TOK Coordinator, Ms. Aoife, by Thursday, February 20th at the latest. A minimum of 30 participants are required for this trip to go ahead. With your support, we can make this happen!

7