ScandAsia Singapore April 2013

APR 2013

Singapore

Theme: International School

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AprilScandAsia.se 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 1

At Stamford, I get my own iPad to use for research and completing my homework. We get to use apps in class to reinforce what we’re learning and I can make videos and give multimedia presentations on my iPad. I even teach my parents new things!

Stamford is a world-class school with integrated technology for students from 2 years old through High School, offering a 1 to 1 Elementary iPad Program and 1 to 1 Middle School and High School MacBook Programs.

Stamford offers daily Mandarin and Spanish and the rigorous IB Program enhanced by American standards.

Open House on Friday, April 12th Register at www.sais.edu.sg

+65 6602 7247

www.sais.edu.sg

Stamford American International School CPE Registration Number: 200823594D Period of Registration: August 10, 2010 to August 9, 2014

Coming Events Open art exhibition Date: 9 – 16 April 2013 Location: Norwegian Seamen’s Mission

EuroCham Lunch Talk Series: Can Europe Regain Its Competitiveness?

Date: 9 April 2013, 12.00 p.m. – 2.00 p.m.

Location: Fullerton Hotel EuroCham will hold its lunch talk series: Can Europe Regain Its Competitiveness? on Tuesday 9 April, featuring a presentation from Bernd Brunke, Partner and Member of the Executive Committee at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. Participation fees, including a 3-course luncheon, are SGD 70 per person for EuroCham members, SGD 85 per person for members of National Chambers and Embassies, and SGD 110 per person for nonmembers.

For more information or registration, contact info@eurocham.org.sg

In cooperation with SWEA, the Norwegian Seamen’s Church is hosting an art exhibition for hobby artists. It’s a platform for anyone who wants to exhibit photos, paintings, sculptures or any other arts. It’s free to exhibit. 25 per cent of sales will go to the church. The exhibition will be open from April 9-16 during regular opening hours of the church.

For more information, contact Lise-Beate Ringsby at lbr@sjomannskirken.no

Singapore-Finnish Business Council Evening visit to International SOS Date: 18 April 2013, 5.00 p.m.

Location: International SOS

(331 North Bridge Road, Odeon Towers) Singapore-Finnish Business Council is inviting its members to join an evening visit to International SOS, the world’s leading international healthcare, medical assistance, and security services company that provides solutions that help travellers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through a worldwide network of assistance centers, clinics, and health and logistics providers.

The trip offers an opportunity for FBC members to learn more about International SOS and its operations. After the presentation, FBC members are welcome to continue discussions over a drink at Loof, a nearby rooftop bar.

Seats are limited (max 35 participants).

Interested people are suggested to register asap at fbcsg@fbcsg.org.

Norway – Asia Business Summit 2013 Date: 26 – 27 April 2013 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Organised by Indonesia Norway Business Council (INBC) in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Innovation Norway, Norway – Asia Business Summit 2013 will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 26-27 April 2013. The summit will offer a platform for representatives from the Norwegian business communities in Asia and Norway to connect with each other, as well as to share and accumulate experience during the meetings and networking events.

The topics to be discussed at the summit include: Changing Asia – Protectionism, New opportunities and changing trade patterns; Are Norwegian companies competitive in Asia?; Responsible business practices; Norway Inc – Where are we today and what’s our strategy?

For more details on speakers, venue and registration, contact the INBC Secretariat, attention of Ms. Bente Toxopeus-Ekdahi at nabs@inbc.web.id

Family & Portraits - Photographing with John Clang Date: From now until 26 May 2013 Location: National Museum of Singapore Gallery 1 (Basement) This exhibition explores the theme of the ‘Family’, the central building block of Singapore society, by looking at Singaporeans’ sense of identity, rootedness and connection to their families both in Singapore and abroad, in cities such as London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Presented over five series of works by Clang: Being Together, The Moment, Fear of Losing The Existence, Guilt and Erasure, the exhibition will showcase over 90 works by the artist, and more than 40 historical portraits of the family from the National Museum of Singapore’s own collection.

For more information, visit www.sistic.com.sg April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 3

Opinion

Growing Up Purple

I

am 23 but I always tell my friends that I have been around for only 6 years. My life, as I see it, started when I was 17 – on one rainy evening and I just arrived home from school. I was on the phone talking to my best (girl) friend about what we found most interesting – love, and she asked me for whom I had an eye for. The breeze and stormy clouds set the scene so perfectly; lonely and yet intriguing, that I felt it was a time to tell the truth. I confronted to her that ‘I am gay.’

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in Singapore ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish residents in Singapore.

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in China, Thailand, and the rest of South East Asia.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Assistant Editor: Wachiraporn Janrut wachiraporn@scandmedia.com Advertising : Frank Leong frank@scandmedia.com Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com

It wasn’t a big surprise for her though, since she had long hinted at my habits and my love for Mariah Carey and musical theatre, to know that I was different than the other guys. At that very moment, I felt like the great walls which I’ve caged myself into had finally tumbled down.

For the first time, I found a home.

Born into a middle-class family in a quiet provincial town in the South of Thailand, I have a loving mother and a gentleman father who both love me dearly. But for a long time, I wasn’t happy being around them. In fact, I was insecure being around, almost, anyone at all.

Remember when you were growing up, your family, schools and society kept feeding you with certain kind of cultural contexts – the bad/black and the good/white – that you had to follow and admire and to distaste and dismiss. Oftentimes, they left out the gray area.

I grew up not knowing that I was different. But the painted picture of the manly young country boys who were into sports and liked to play in the rice fields caused me much headache because I didn’t fit into any of those frames. I was too young to understand the mental complications that I had at the time, so I chose an easy way out by trying to be normal, well, straight.

I played like the boys. I acted and talked like one. People, including my family, saw me like one.

However, I always had an admiration for the fluttering boys with confident characters. The Thai society called them tood or kathoey – boys who love to act like girls. The words are negatively used, casting them as funny and overtly unnatural. But I didn’t want to be like girls so I tried to get away from that stereotype as much as possible.

I hid my real confusing ‘self’ and sought escapism through many kinds of harmless entertainment: films, radio and TV. (It was a time when the Internet was pretty much irrelevant.) I became quieter, and didn’t want to share my stories with my family anymore. I felt so wrong all the time and life was but a series of repressive acts.

At times, I blamed the place I lived in. Nothing satisfied me there. But as I got older, I learned that my condition was rather simple: I wasn’t being myself. And when you’re not yourself, there’s no chance that a healthy state of mind can be attained.

That missing gray or gay area seems so little but can create a huge impact on one’s identity, especially during the adolescent years. It took a broader view of life, a help from the right people and immense courage to finally break the barriers down and be free.

But society can play a role to help educate the young who feel a little bit different like I was and let them create the best version of themselves, regardless of genders or race.

We need to bear in mind the gender choices in which children might – mentally – be inherited to in order to avoid leaving them suffered from not being who they are.

Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com Graphic Designer : Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution : Wanvisa Rattanaburi wanvisa@scandmedia.com Printing : Advance Printing Services Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com Front cover image courtesy of UWCSEA

Sippachai Kunnuwong is a graduate from Thammasat University in Journalism. Before joining ScandAsia as a journalist, he was trained at the Bangkok Post and BBC World News in London.

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Tlf +45 62 22 80 80 reservations@bookcar.dk ScanAsia_april_singaporesoutheastasia.indd 1

20/03/13 13.16

Past Events

The Annual Norwegian Seafood Dinner 2013

N

orwegian Business Association Singapore (NBAS), in cooperation with The Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Sponsors, held its extravaganza 17th Annual Norwegian Seafood Dinner at Fairmont Ballroom, Raffles City Convention Centre on 8 March 2013.

The event was a huge success with a total of 1,000 guests and tickets for 96 tables were sold out in a day. This year there were six live cooking stations in addition to various choices of delectable seafood buffet. The starring top chefs from Singapore were Eric Teo, Sam Leong, Justin Quek and Swizz chef Otto Weibel.

The starring top chefs from Norway were Sven Erik Renaa and Adrian Løvold.

For the fourth year in a row, the annual NBAS Award was presented. And this year the rightful winner was Olav Eek Thorstensen, the Chief Executive Officer of Thome Group.

The annual NBAS Award is given in recognition of a significant contribution to bilateral business relations between Singapore and Norway. In its citation, NBAS said the award recognizes Mr. Thorstensen who has distinguished himself and demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing the bilateral trade and investment and business relations between Norway and Singapore.

6 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

News Brief

Swedish support for fisheries and habitat management in Asia

O

n 5 March 2013, the Government of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) committed SEK 48 million for continued cooperation with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in support of fisheries and habitat management, climate change and social well-being in Southeast Asia. The Agreement covers five years from 2013 up until the end of 2017.

The aim is that the support will help facilitate the establishments of agreements among countries of the ASEAN and Southeast Asian Region to cooperate on the sustainable use of aquatic resources and reduced vulnerability to climate change by coastal and rural communities in the ASEAN Region.

Actions promoted through the SEAFDEC-Sida cooperation will seek to contribute to enhanced social well-being, including improved working conditions and alternative livelihoods involving both men and women.

The geographical scope targeted is the ASEAN region with a special focus on the four important sub-regions of the Gulf of Thailand, the Andaman Sea, the Sulu-Sulawesi Seas and the Mekong River Basin.

In follow up to social obligations the cooperation will seek to address problems and opportunities of poor and inland communities who face declining catches and increased competition and conflict over natural resource use and space in coastal and inland waters of Southeast Asia.

“The SEAFDEC-Sida cooperation is playing a crucial role in helping the ASEAN region and target sub-regions to balance aquatic resources utilization, social concerns and environmental sustainability in support of the building of the ASEAN Community by 2015. We, on behalf of our member countries and people in the region dependent on aquatic resources, are delighted over the continued commitment from Sweden to support this important mission”, said Dr. Chumnarn Pongsri, Secretary-General of SEAFDEC.

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 7

News Brief

Singaporean to lead Norwegian Prince’s NGO in Cambodia

A

Singaporean has been chosen to chair the Global Dignity movement in Cambodia, established by the Crown Prince of Norway.

Young Global Leader (YGL) and Singapore’s first Rotary Peace Fellow Mr. Yap Kwong Weng, 35, is the first Singaporean to fill the role in the independent non-government organisation (NGO) since it was launched in 2006.

Led by the Crown Prince of Norway, the NGO promotes human rights and acceptable standards of health care, education, income and security.

“The task ahead of me will be filled with many uncertainties, but I am willing to give my best to the people of Cambodia. As Singaporeans, we sometimes do not realise how lucky we are to have a stable society that empowers us with basic dignity. We have dreams and we know that we can live them. This is far more than any child in Cambodia can hope for,” says Yap. “I want to help raise awareness of the principles of dignity and give the youths of Cambodia a chance at leading a life of dignity,” he adds. “For a start, it is just me, with a vision to instill dignity in every Cambodian.”

Galanga Living launches new brand ‘Ginger’

G

inger is an Asian-Scandinavian lifestyle brand which is now launched by Galanga Living in Singapore.

The first product series of the Ginger brand is a collection of melamine tableware and kitchen utensils in the world of colours, patterns, texture and functionality which will characterize all Ginger products.

The melamine collection is practical and fun for children and ideal for picnics, parties and informal dinners. It is spreading colours and joy into your home.

It is non-toxic, unbreakable and dishwasher safe.

“We love its retro look in contrast with vibrant and contemporary colours.

A wide selection of colours to mix and match – a really fun way to set your table,” says Galanga Living.

You find Galanga Living on 211 Henderson Road, Singapore 159552. www. galangaliving.com

Svensk tv - nu utan parabol i Asien - dygnet runt via IPTV! Du får de flesta svenskproducerade programmen från Sveriges Television, ca 40 kanaler från Sveriges Radio och en del tilläggstjänster - direkt till din tv!

Signalen kommer via internet - ej via parabol eller kabel - uppkoppling på minst 2 Mbit/s rekommenderas. Den nya hybridboxen köper du förmånligast under sommarens besök i Sverige.

Mer info hittar du på: svt.se/svtworld Abonnemang tecknas via: www.connova.se 8 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

News Brief

Sweden appointed new Honorary Consul in Brunei Maersk Line adds more ships to Singapore base

M

r. Shamsul Bahrin has been appointed as Sweden’s new Honorary Consul in Brunei Darussalam. In February, the Swedish Ambassador to Singapore Ingemar Dolfe visited Brunei and handed over the diploma confirming his appointment.

Mr. Shamsul Bahrin is the General Manager of Orchid Garden Hotel in Brunei and also the President of the Brunei Association of Hotels.

A

(c) Marie Schram

.P. Moeller-Maersk A/S, owner of the world’s biggest containershipping company, plans to add more vessels to its Singapore base after making the city-state its biggest hub after the headquarters in Denmark.

Maersk has about 120 ships under the Singapore flag, the most after 180 in Denmark, President of the Maersk Line Asia Pacific region Thomas Knudsen said during a recent interview. Additions to Singapore have come at the expense of Hong Kong, where the company now has about 40, he said.

“There’s a maritime cluster around Singapore where you have access to pretty much all the different aspects of shipping,” Thomas said. “The last five years we have really cleaned up to concentrate on fewer flags to get the economy of scale. You can definitely get lower costs if you go to Panama or Liberia, but we feel that Singapore is a good combination of cost and quality.”

Maersk Line plans to fly most of the new vessels it will receive under the island city’s flag, Thomas said in Singapore without elaborating. Maersk, due to take delivery of the world’s biggest container ship in June, will register that vessel under the Danish flag, Thomas said. The ship will be able to carry 18,000 twenty-foot-equivalent boxes at a time.

Singapore is also close to new markets for the company. In February, Maersk Line shipped a container box filled with seafood from Myanmar to the U.S., the first time in about a decade, Thomas said. The shipping company also plans to open its own agency in the Southeast Asian nation in the second half as trade demand is expected to increase after U.S. sanctions were lifted in 2012.

Ambassador Dolfe with New Honorary Counsul Mr. Shamsul Bahrin

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 9

A friendly battle between close countries Ika Forsell reports on the annual Scandinavian Sports Day, held on 2 March 2013 at Jurong West Stadium, Singapore

By Ika Forssell

T

he tradition goes on – once again, like every year. The Norwegian Seamen’s Mission and The Swedish Church in Singapore organized a national team challenge, where families and friends could enjoy friendly competitions in a number of different sports events.

Under the blazing hot tropical sun, with groovy music pumping out of the speakers spreading over the neighborhood, people of all ages and sizes wearing red and yellow shirts were scattered around the huge Jurong West stadium. An additional shirt colour could be seen this year, and that belonged to a newly joined nation - Denmark - in white shirts.

Danish guest competitors The event was a success, as usual, with over three hundred participants.

Though only about thirty of them

Three nationalities in the top 10 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

Long jump for Sweden

cake sale

were Danish, Lise-Beate Ringsby, who had been responsible for the overall planning of the event, was not so concerned.

“This is only our first try to invite the Danes as our guests,” said Lise.

“We shall see if the turnout is better next time, provided that the response from those who participated is good, and that they want to join again next year.”

Lise is approaching the end of her three year term of employment at the Norwegian Semen’s Mission, and feels sad about that. She said she has truly enjoyed working at the church and will go back to Norway with happy memories.

Lise is impressed with the sportiness of members of the Swedish and Norwegian communities. Participants have even come to her and requested new events to be added to the program of this yearly event. New for this year was the 400 meters race, which indeed is a very tough distance to run. So is the distance that was added to the program last year – 3000 m.

As a casual jogger of distances way longer than that, I thought I might as well join the race, to get a real feel for all aspects of the event when writing this article. I can assure you it was really tough, given

Ebba

Camilla at the top

the exceptional heat, and the fierce competition of three fast and strong Norwegian ladies.

Sports event for everyone All in all, everybody at the event enjoyed contributing with something towards their country’s gain, all from the very youngest ones, who competed in the 10 meters race for kids below age 3, to the dead serious and prestigious men’s football match between Sweden and Norway. The long jump was a well-polished achievement for some and a mere skip in the sand for others. This day was truly meant for everybody to enjoy. A great job at keeping the spirits up for all participants did the two speakers at the event, Annika Jerkfelt and Christian Cramer. Tirelessly, they announced the different events, cheered on the contestants and congratulated the winners throughout the day. All the way from the fun and joyful warm-up session at 9.30 a.m. to the last medal ceremonies at around 3.30 p.m.

Throughout the day, plenty of water was handed out, and other refreshments were available to buy at the event. The sale of hot dogs, fruits, ice cream and homemade cakes was handled by this year’s group of confirmation students at the church. They

Marcus

did a fantastic job, and the revenue from the sale was a good addition to the church’s economy. Altogether, about 80 volunteers helped out during the day. Runners need to be flagged, long jumps need to be measured and matches need to be refereed. For the above mentioned serious football match, I noticed that an official referee had been hired. In my opinion the whole sports day is a perfectly well balanced mix of lighthearted playfulness and strong competitiveness.

Embassy trainees on the run One of the valiant Danes that showed up at the event was Sepher Bashari, a sporty young man from the University of Southern Denmark, who is spending about six months as a trainee at the Danish Embassy.

“I didn’t hesitate one minute to sign up – I love sports!” Sepher expressed. He knew about the Sports Day from the Danish ambassador, who passed the invitation to all of her staff. Sepher joined the event’s 60 meters sprint, the relay and the football match.

Marcus Johansson is one of two trainees at the Swedish embassy. He is studying political science at the University of Stockholm. Marcus joined

Sepher

60 meters sprint and the relay. He explains that the relay team consists of the best two women and best two men from each country, and they run 4 x 100 meters. “What a great feeling to complete the last leg of the relay for the winning team!” exclaimed Marcus while praising his three Swedish team mates for a great job.

Medea Lager and Stephanie Lindqvist are two young ladies who apart from being best friends also today became proud medal winners for the Swedish team. They are both six years old, and here they are together with their families. They both clearly enjoyed themselves at the fun sports event.

Norway best nation At the end of the day, when all ice cream was sold out and every participant was longing for a nice cool shower, the results were calculated.

All in all, Norway was the strongest team this year. They managed to collect the most points. As many as 108 points went to Norway, 72 to Sweden, and 33 well-earned points to Denmark. Norway came out as the winner, and Camilla, who won the ladies’ 3000 meters race, received the winner’s trophy on behalf of her country. Congratulations Norway!!!

Medea and Stephanie

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 11

Monica will find you a home Monica Berglund at Zest Property Pte Ltd. shares her experience as a property agent in Singapore

By Ika Forssell

E

very expat living in Singapore can attest to how important it is to appoint an agent who understands your needs and wishes when it comes to living. With the immense amount of properties of all kinds available to rent on the island, it is nice to know that you have someone on your side to guide you through the maze.

Getting to know your client As a property agent at Zest Property Service Pte Ltd. for 16 years, Monica Berglund has established her own niche among the Scandinavian expats in Singapore. A Swedish expat herself, she has an unmatched understanding of what Scandinavians in general are looking for in a home.

Nevertheless, she aims to avoid making the mistakes from making presumptions.

“Everybody is unique, including the Scandinavians,” she says.

According to Monica, it is typically the HR department that welcomes new expats from Scandinavia. At this time, Monica learns as much as she can about the clients’ preferences.

She then lines up a few objects for the clients to view during one day, or half day, out. She usually picks her clients up and drives them around in her car. That way she gets a chance to show them around and tell them a little bit about life in Singapore in general. She takes the opportunity to supply them with many good tips about important things such as choosing schools, medical clinics, grocery stores and explaining about typical Singaporean systems such as the COE for car owners and the ERP

road toll system or maybe about how to hire a domestic helper. Monica always keeps a few copies of the SWEA magazine and the ScandAsia magazine in her car to hand over to her clients.

“All of that is what we call value added services. It is my highest priority to make sure that my clients are happy with their new homes,” says Monica in her calm and assertive way, which is very representative of her professionalism.

What do Scandinavians want?

Monica says that there are no major differences between the Scandinavian nationalities when it comes to preferences. She shared with us that in general they are fond of large outdoor space, whether it is a balcony or a patio. They also appreciate a large and practical kitchen and good bathrooms. Location preferences vary quite a lot, but a trend that may be detected lately is that more and more tend to opt for locations further away from the city centre.

Monica says that most of her clients now are better informed than when she first started, given that most vacant apartments are posted on the internet. Some clients do a lot of research before even coming to Singapore, and then provide Monica with a list of places they have seen pictures of that they like. Monica then organizes viewings at the ones she considers worth looking at. Monica wants to point out that her clients’ preferences may well change after having viewed a few units. What one thinks would be lovely may sometimes prove to be disastrous.

12 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

A newcomer may for example have a romantic impression of an urban lifestyle, but trashes that idea as soon as they see (or hear) their first construction site in the city. Or they may believe that a landed house or a condo unit on the ground floor is the only option they could tolerate, but then get absolutely enchanted by a breathtaking view from the 25th floor of a condo.

The broker system in Singapore allows all certified agents to market any unit that has been listed as available. In the cases where the owner already has appointed another agent, Monica has the opportunity to cobroker with them. The commission to the agent is paid by the landlord, and in the case of co-broking, it is shared by the two agents. There is no extra cost involved for clients when seeking the services of an agent.

What has changed in the market?

The most obvious difference lately is that new condos tend to all have large balconies. A few years ago, it was nearly impossible to find units with good balconies, and the few that had them were the older ones.

A natural result of that was that Scandinavians seemed to flock to a few condos. Now, there are no obvious choices anymore.

Another huge change is that all property agents have to be licensed by law since 2010. When the law was imposed, all agents needed to pass a test to become licensed, and every year they need to go through certain training to stay licensed. This ensures the quality of the agents in the market.

My reputation in the market is so precious. I must at all times set the clients’ needs first.

A third very important change is a standardization of the tenant’s contracts. About 7 – 8 years ago, it was much more complicated to read through and understand a contract.

This has minimized the risk for misunderstandings and harsh surprises for the tenant, and of course facilitated Monica’s job somewhat.

Precious reputation The niche that Monica has chiseled out for herself in the Singaporean property market is very important to her.

“My reputation in the market is so precious,” she comments. “I must at all times set the clients’ needs first”.

Once, Monica even walked her client out of a contract signing as she felt they were being cheated into signing unreasonable terms. She knew that she could find an equivalent unit for her client, and felt they were better off staying away from this particular landlord.

In fact, Monica gets a lot of business from word-of-mouth communication or satisfied clients who have found their dream homes in Singapore. Monica helps to make the whole search and contract signing much less of a hassle.

It is very comforting to have someone who knows the market and possible pitfalls on your side. It makes your house hunting a pleasurable experience instead of a frustrating chore.

Contact Monica Berglund at Zest Property Service Pte Ltd. (License No: AD041-3006416H) email: berglund@singnet.com.sg phone +65 9671 7937 url: www.monicaberglund.com April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 13

Consumers are no longer looking for just a product. They aim to have a feel good experience, be happier, make a statement, or even contribute to changing the world.

Design with Jonas Wulff Moller, Managing Director of Georg Jensen in Singapore, shares the idea behind Georg Jensen designs, the company’s charity campaign and its plan for expansion.

By Ika Forssell

D

anish world renowned design company “Georg Jensen” started its operation in 1904. Since then, it has always stayed true to the original idea of its founder, goldsmith Georg Jensen: Aesthetic and timeless design should be applied to objects with good functionality, created with genuine craftsmanship and deep understanding of the material. He called it democratic design.

High end career Democratic design is still a virtue that the Managing Director of the company’s Singapore branch, Jonas Wulff Moller, holds close to his heart.

Jonas started his career as a trainee at Bang & Olufsen in Denmark in 1997.

The high end Danish audio company had him tour the world experiencing and learning about the markets in different corners of the globe, from America to the Middle East and Asia. It has been seven years since Jonas came to Singapore, and two years ago, he was appointed Managing Director of Georg Jensen Singapore.

Fascinated by design as well as the complexity in consumer behavior, Jonas seems to be the perfect man for the position. He understands the importance of adapting to changes in consumer behavior and different demands in different markets.

“Consumers are no longer looking for just a product. They aim to have a feel good experience, be happier, make a statement, or even contribute to changing the world. If it were only the product they needed, they would pick it up easily, and probably cheaper too, from the Internet,” says Jonas.

Middle of luxury segment Georg Jensen is a company situated 14 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

somewhere in the middle of the luxury segment. Jonas described it as “affordable luxury”, as prices range from a couple of hundred dollars up to several thousand for a piece of well-designed jewelry. One of the closest competitors in the market is Tiffany’s. There are, however, huge differences in many aspects of the customers of the two companies.

The high end market in Asia is entirely different from Europe. There are no commonalities whatsoever between what drives the consumption of luxury items in Europe and in Asia, according to Jonas. This is consequently reflected in the business of Georg Jensen as well. Jonas makes an estimate that only 20 percent of the product mix that is sold in his store in Singapore is the same as what is sold in Denmark for example.

Maturing market Even if the markets in parts of Asia, for instance Singapore, have matured significantly, there is still a preference towards flashier jewelry in this part of the world compared to Europe.

Jonas says that it is important that a piece of jewelry looks expensive for others to see that you can afford it.

According to Jonas, one thing that characterizes a mature market is the customers’ yearn for that extra value associated with a certain product. They ask about the history behind a piece, or for a certain meaning or symbolism of an object rather than just counting the diamonds or assessing its gold content. The customers understand and appreciate good design as an art form, and they very often take a particular interest in the life of the designer. Many are attached to Georg Jensen for the world renowned Scandinavian simplicity that draws its inspiration from nature, fresh air and clean water.

Jonas speaks with confidence about today’s market, where every-

body has access to virtually the exact same knowledge, the same materials and the same manufacturing facilities.

Under those circumstances, there has to be something else attached to a product that makes it more attractive than the rest. This is where the consumer‘s experience comes in.

Let’s take an example.

Time is now One of the most widely known products in the Georg Jensen collection for several decades is the Vivianna watch. Designed by a Swedish sculptor named Vivianna Torun BülowHübe, the iconic watch has become a classic and for many it is the very symbol of Georg Jensen design.

Fascinated by the story of its design, Jonas explains that Vivianna, interestingly, was not really on terms with the concept of a timepiece.

She did not agree with the common obsession with time, and didn’t want to carry a watch to be reminded of it. Vivianna was an artist who refused to be a prisoner under the slavery of time, which is the grim fate of most people in the modern world.

Instead, she rethought the concept of a watch. She made the dial of the watch into a mirror, symbolizing that time is here and now. The arms of the watch are very thin and show the time very discretely on the dial.

In addition she shaped the armband into an open loop allowing it to slip easily on and off the wrist. This gives its bearer a sense that you can slip in and out of time as you please, and thereby be less dependent of it.

Stories like this intrigue the modern consumers and make up an important aspect of Georg Jensen’s legacy.

Red Cross charity event In line with a long tradition of the company, Georg Jensen Singapore launched a charity campaign for the Red Cross last year around

a Meaning Christmas. They invited 14 different local celebrities, including the Danish ambassador, to spend some time in the store wrapping gifts for the customers. The customers would get a hand written note from their favorite celebrity and have their picture taken with them. For any donation they would leave, Georg Jensen would match the amount. And quite a considerable amount was raised throughout the campaign. The money was donated to Red Cross Singapore and benefited many poor families during the festive season.

Red Cross is the largest charity organization in the world with huge and urgent relief projects in hard hit areas such as floods in the Philippines.

On the other hand, there is a great need for support in Singapore as well, where there are a number of families with young children living with no other means than help from charity.

Jonas talked passionately about the charity campaign and pointed out that he was happy to support the local community.

Plans for expansion Jonas is responsible for Georg Jensen in the whole of Southeast Asia region, although the shop in Singapore is the only one in the region at the moment. Nevertheless, Jonas says this will not be the case for long since the plan for opening a shop in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is underway. The company also has plans to expand in other countries in the region such as Thailand and Indonesia.

Jonas sees the expansion as an exciting development as he takes a great interest in marketing strategies in different environments. He says he is well aware of huge differences within the region and ready to adapt to whatever circumstances that rule the markets.

Georg Jensen is located on level 1 in Paragon on Orchard Road.

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 15

Choosing Your School To decide on something as important as your child’s education and well-being might be the toughest part about moving to another country.

By Gregers Moller

16 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

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hoosing a new school when moving has become increasingly difficult for parents. There are more and more schools established all the time, and each institution has its own unique philosophy and attributes. Comparing what they offer with the needs of your child is no simple task.

Most parents probably start out by asking other parents of their own nationality which school they have chosen and why. Then you find out they have chosen different schools and for different reasons and you are back to square one.

There is probably no way around making your own inquiry into each available option.

Local vs International First choice is if you are looking for a local school or an international school? In most countries in Asia, a local school is an option - although certainly a more challenging option for your child. If you child is mixed Scandinavian - Asian this may, however, not be so frightening a prospect. And mostly it will have an economic silver lining as local private schools are less costly compared to international schools.

However, physical punishment has not been abolished in many Asian school systems, so take this into consideration. Talk to the school how they administer physical punishment and ask if they can make an exception for your child if you are not comfortable with this.

If you go for the International school, consider that international students grow up and evolve in a cultural environment that is vastly different to that of your own. Known as Third Culture Kids (TCKs), they often develop a very different attitude to many issues compared to their former friends back home. If you are uncomfortable with this prospect you may prefer to look into the option of choosing a local school or a boarding school back home.

Once this is said, most expat families decide to go for the international school, at least through primary school up to grade 9, where other options may come into play. At this point, not only boarding schools in Scandinavia but also boarding school in Asia may be considered.

A few suggestions So now you have the table filled with brochures of different schools and wonder what to look for.

Here are a few suggestions to help you make up your mind: First: How far away is the school from your home?

Before spending time looking through school courses, you need to make sure the school is not

too far away. Bear in mind that in most big cities, it is the traveling time between your home and the school that matters. How long will it take for your child to get to school and home afterwards?

How will your child be going there?

Especially in cities like Bangkok, you will be challenged by some of the heaviest rush hour traffic in the world.

Second: What reputation does the school have?

Talk to people as much as possible. This is where your first intuition comes handy. Don’t listen to opinions expressed by people who have no children at the school themselves - parents are quick to seek confirmation of their own choice by adopting opinions about the competing schools.

The age of the school is no sure indication either. Nothing guarantees that the reputation of a hundred year old school is better than a one year old school.

Third: How are the courses at the school?

The school’s courses and programs will most likely be listed in the school’s information packages. They will talk about British Curriculum and American Curriculum and - what most Scandinavians these days go for - the IB curriculum.

This is important as you will most likely have to relocate again in a few years.

Find out if the native language and culture of your child is taught as optional learning. It is important for your child to keep his or her ties to your cultural background. It is also important for you.

Ask questions about the tests and exams which are offered and used as evaluation method.

If your child is already a secondary school student, ask how well the graduating students do in getting accepted into major universities both in your current country, back home and elsewhere overseas.

Fourth: What other activities can the school offer your child?

Besides the fundamental course works, what kind of arts, sports, community service does the school offer? Are there proper facilities to support those activities?

It seems that schools almost compete with each other when it comes to sports, thus many schools will have gymnasiums and sport complexes, which are either new or remodeled. But maybe your child is more into other activities computer programming, performing arts?

Most schools offer after-school/weekend programs as well as field trips and community services. You should be able to freely pick the activities that best suit your child.

Fifth: Does the school have qualified personnel?

This is not as obvious as you may think. The school is most likely private and qualifications for employment are not as strict as for schools back home. What educational degree do they hold?

How long have they been teaching at the school?

What kind of teaching methods do they prefer?

Are they involved in planning and evaluating the curriculum? Will they be giving special attention to each child’s problems or personal needs?

Sixth: What do the current students think of the school?

If it’s possible, talk to some of the existing students. Are they happy there? Do they look motivated to learn? How will the school help your child get started? Do they assign so-called “buddies” (another student from the same country) for new students? Most schools have established student organizations to provide service to students at a personal level. Here, students can get help about studying, working, individual needs and so on.

Seventh: How is the relationship between the school and the parents?

You will obviously not be able to monitor your child in school. The teacher will have to be your eyes and ears. You must be notified of your child’s functionality regardless of grade, and regardless of whether it includes bad behavior or progress your child has made. Make sure that you can get informed as often as possible. You may join a parents’ volunteer program if available.

Some schools may offer activities for the whole family as well.

Watch your child!

Never mind how diligent you do your homework - and maybe the above list is a bit excessive you will never be able to foresee if your child will thrive at the school.

It is therefore important that you make a habit of spending more time than you used to at home talking to your child about how school was today. What they did in class, and what they did outside. Let her or him tell about their new friends. Listen.

All may initially sound fine and uncomplicated, but that may just be a honeymoon period. This is the most important step of them all. If your child develops in any way you find disturbing or even develops signs of discomfort with going to school, you should think twice before you tell your child that “this is life - it is not always pleasant!”.

A change of school at the right time might be the single most important decision to make to put the future of your child on the right track!

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 17

ISS International School was founded in 1981 to serve the expatriate community in Singapore

ISS

is an authorised International Baccalaureate (IB) World School with a multicultural environment for students from more than 50 countries with no dominant group. It is the ONLY IB World School in Singapore specialising solely in the IB, incorporating IB Primary Years, IB Middle Years and the IB Diploma Program. It is also the first to offer a one-to-one Apple Macbook program. ISS has a high percentage of IBO workshop leaders, moderators and examiners among its staff, one of the highest in Asia.

ISS International School is:

Academic Program

• An established PYP, MYP and DP authorized IB World School, with years of experience offering each program.

• A truly international school with a multicultural environment, comprising of students from over 50 countries with no dominant culture.

• A school with outstanding student support, including ESL, counselling and university advising.

• The first international school in Singapore with an Apple MacBook program.

• Known for student activities, including an established CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) program with an extensive list of activities, field trips and the adventurous activity week held each year.

• ISS is an authorized IB World School offering PYP (Kindergarten 1 – Grade 5), MYP (Grade 6 – 10) and DP (Grade 11– 12). The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation enables ISS to offer a High School Diploma to their IB Diploma and IB Diploma course graduates.

• ISS offers pre-IB Diploma skills and IB Diploma subject preparation courses during the summer.

• Academic Year – August to June (Semester 1: August to December, Semester 2: January to June).

Faculty • Teachers from 18 countries.

• Predominantly trained in United States, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Many faculty members are IBO moderators, examiners and workshop leaders.

Student Information • Students from over 50 countries.

• Class sizes – elementary school: 15-20 students, middle school: 20-24 students, high school: 15-20 students.

Admissions • Admissions staff are available year round to meet with potential families regarding admission for all three schools.

• Applications are accepted year round, subject to places being available.

• Please refer to the following link for the admission procedures: http://www.iss.edu.sg/ admission_procedures.php • Students must pass the English language proficiency test to be eligible for admission.

ISS International School Elementary and Middle School campus 25, Paterson Road, Singapore 238510 Tel: (65) 6235 5844 High School campus 21, Preston Road, Singapore 109355 Tel: (65) 6475 4188 www.iss.edu.sg Email: admissions@iss.edu.sg 18 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

TheIB World School in Singapore!

Specializing ONLY in the IB curriculum

Focusing on Personal & Social Development, Maximizing Academic Excellence ISS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

An authorized IB World School specializing only in the

Established in 1981

IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programs

Elementary & Middle School Campus 25 Paterson Road, Singapore 238510 Tel: (65) 6235 5844 Fax: (65) 6732 5701 High School Campus 21 Preston Road, Singapore 109355 Tel: (65) 6475 4188 Fax: (65) 6273 7065 Website www.iss.edu.sg

SINGAPORE

PROVISIONAL

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Email admissions@iss.edu.sg

Accrediting Commission for Schools

SINGAPORE

for ages 4 to 18. Extensive range of IB Diploma subject options.

1st International School in Singapore with a 1 to 1 Apple Macbook program.

Multicultural environment with students from more than 50 countries – no dominant group.

Outstanding student support services including university advising, counseling and a guardianship program.

Esteemed faculty members with a significant number of IB workshop leaders, examiners, moderators and authors.

PROVISIONAL

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Cert No.: EDU-3-3095 Validity: 12/07/2012 - 11/07/2013

ISS is registered by the CPE • Registration no: 198104012C • Registration period: 16 June 2011 to 15 June 2015

The impacts of multilingualism

By Frazer Cairns, Head of UWCSEA Dover Campus

Author biography

Frazer Cairns started his career as a management consultant and journalist after graduating from the University of York in the UK. He retrained as a science teacher and subsequently taught in the UK, Indonesia and Switzerland. He is currently the Head of UWCSEA Dover Campus.

Gajo, L., (2007) Linguistic Knowledge and Subject Knowledge: How Does Bilingualism Contribute to Subject Development? The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 10(5) pp 563 – 581

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espite multilingual education dating back to the ancient world in a variety of different cultures, multilingualism was seenuntil relatively recently by many education researchers as an exceptional, even hazardous, phenomenon. Trying to learn through a language other than the language spoken at home (for example learning science in English rather than Danish) was cited as the root of a number of difficulties: cognitive overload, semi-lingualism and language confusion to name but three. Learning through more than one language was, essentially, bad for you.

This point of view obviously has profound implications for international schools, where a potentially large proportion of the community is learning through a language other than their home language. It is not at all unusual for parents sending their children to a school where English is the working language to worry that speaking their home language with their children will at best impede their progress in English and at worst confuse them so that they end up speaking no first language.

Thankfully, modern educational research now sees multilingualism as a potential asset that provides learners with a strategic (and significant) advantage rather than as a cause for concern. As one might perhaps expect, speakers of multiple languages learn further languages more easily—they seem to have a higher metalinguistic awareness (in other words, they show a better understanding of the nature of linguistic structures) and a more analytical approach towards the social and pragmatic functions of language. However, more interestingly, research has suggested that a ‘uniqueness’ exists in the development of multilingual students when compared to their monolingual peers.

Empirical research has shown that multilinguals ‘know things’ that transcend the purely linguistic level according to Laurent Gajo1, a professor at the University of Geneva. In Gajo’s view of learning, the different languages interact and combine to generate, not the simple addition of distinct competences (i.e., not just two monolingual halves welded together), but rather an original, individual, complex competence on which the user may draw. Speaking multiple languages, it seems, makes you better not just at other languages, but also potentially more creative and better at mathematics, science or history.

It is important to say that learning through a language other than your home language is not an easy option or one that will yield instant results. Though

20 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

many children attain basic communicative competence in a language relatively quickly, the more specific language demanded in an educational setting takes longer to acquire; most students will, in fact, initially see a drop in their overall performance as they try to adjust. Much will also depend on personal factors such as motivation, the child’s communicative needs and levels of anxiety. However, in the medium term, the drop is usually compensated for and a multilingual child usually regains their age-appropriate progress. Often times they surpass their monolingual peers.

Going back to the worried parent, should you, then, speak to your child in English at home if it is not their mother language? The research is clear - no. For a child learning in a second language it is vital to maintain their mother tongue. Skills acquired in the first language can be transferred to the second language so, for example, if your child has developed good reading skills in French or Korean, she is likely to be able to apply these skills when reading English. (One useful transferable reading skill is the ability to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from context.) Similarly, the skills of being able to plan out a piece of writing or develop an argument in a persuasive essay can be applied in the second language once they have been learned in the first.

Many children in international schools plan to return to their home country at some point to continue their education. Students who neglect their mother tongue can often suffer from problems of identity loss or distance from their parents, and from other family members in their home country. Both of these are strong reasons to make sure they do not have gaps in their mother tongue.

Educational research has generated its fair share of false conclusions—playing Bach to your children and having potted plants in the classroom does not necessarily make them better at maths despite the claims made in some studies. It is important to recognise that the range of factors that go together to generate the positive consequences of multilingualism are not as yet fully understood, and that much will depend on the personal factors mentioned above. The choices of the institution (for instance, its language curricula and its teaching methodology) will also have a critical influence on a learner’s willingness, or reluctance, to transfer resources from one context into another. However, what is clear is the importance of the strategic and transferable skills that multilingualism can bring to children as they face a complex and rapidly changing world.

A School Like Never Before

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tamford American International School (Stamford) opened its permanent campus in August 2012 and has now settled into the impressive, new facility.

Stamford approached the design of the school with the intent of creating the best and most advanced learning environment for children, and the result is a definitive success.

Stamford is the flagship of Cognita’s international portfolio of schools. Cognita is one of the world’s largest K-12 education providers with more than 60 schools across the UK, Europe and Asia. Stamford is unique in Cognita’s portfolio as it was conceptualized and built based on a government bid for new, quality international schools to be introduced to the Singapore market. Stamford won the bid and has proven through their tremendous growth that there was a hole that needed to be filled for a school with a rigorous curriculum and teaching standards, a commitment to developing in students an international mind-set and withtopof-the-line resources.

Stamford’scampus design features top notch academic and athletic resources including cluster-style classrooms, specialist learning environments,swimming pools, sports fields, as well as safe and convenient underground parking.

Unique highlights include the Learning Resource and Media Center(LRMC) which is far beyond a traditional library and occupies an entire floor.

The LRMC houses e-book collections, an Apple Computer Center and the CognitaiLEarnTM interactive learning environment equipped for video conferencing with experts from around the world. The Science Center is also noteworthy as it was designed to mimic the scientific method 22 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

and showcases teaching laboratories, break out spacesand special presentation areas.

Kim Duda, mother of 4 students, offers, “Stamford has provided the perfect environment for our boys to not only make friends from all over the world, but to experience and enjoy cultural differences, as well as familiarities, all while getting an incredible education in a safe and comfortable community atmosphere.”

Since opening in 2009, Stamford has been an innovator within the international education scene. Stamford is the first school in Singapore to offer both the International Baccalaureate (IB) as well as American academic standards. Students get the best of international and American education to prepare them to live, learn and work in our increasingly globalized world. The curricula is concept-based, building on children’s natural

curiosity through formal content mixed with a broad range of associated, ‘real-world’ experiences.

This creates a solid platform for information and concepts which students will build on while at Stamford and for the rest of their lives.

Stamford is also the first school to offer daily Mandarin and Spanish language instruction. Stamford offers a global approach to education with its strong foreign language foundation that covers reading, writing, speaking and culture. With native speaking teachers, Stamford’s daily Mandarin and Spanish language program begins from age 2 and increases fluency, fosters international understanding and encourages students to embrace their role as global citizens.

Technology is a priority and Stamford focuses on building students’ experience and comfort with integrated technology. There are interactive Promethean boards in every classroom and the 1 to 1 iPadElementary School Program and 1 to 1 MacBook Secondary School Program ensures that technology is fully integrated into classroom activities.

Stamford is not finished with their vision for creating the new benchmark of international education as opening in 2014, Phase II will add further enhancements to the state-of-the-art campus. The Phase II development will include the expansion of the Secondary School, the addition of another swimming pool, student cafeteria and Learning Resource and Media Center, a full performing arts Theatre, and the first of its kind, an Innovation Center complete with a trading floor and Center for Entrepreneurship where students can work with business leaders to address real world business challenges.

For more information: www.sais.edu.sg +65 6602 7247 admissions@sais.edu.sg

Come & Study at Sweden’S Leading boarding SCHooL

Sigtuna Humanistiska Läroverket (SSHL) is Sweden’s leading boarding school, situated in the picturesque village of Sigtuna, 17 minutes from Arlanda airport and just 40 minutes from central Stockholm. The school has approx. a total of 500 day and boarding students.

With a view of Lake Mälaren, the SSHL school campus is a safe and supportive environment where students are prepared to meet the challenges of higher education and the working world.

The school offers a stimulating and challenging learning environment with excellent facilities to support students in performing to the best of their ability.

Classes are small and each student is given an academic tutor who guides them through their time at SSHL. Because SSHL is a small, close-knit community where teachers are actively involved, students have virtually unlimited access to mentors and teachers.

SSHL offerS a range of Study programmeS in botH SwediSH and engLiSH for StudentS between tHe ageS 12 and 19. programmeS taugHt in engLiSH

• IB - The International Baccalaureate programme • The Business and Management Programme • The IB Middle Years Programme – MYP programmeS taugHt in SwediSH

• The Natural Science Programme • The Social Science Programme • The Business and Management Programme boarding Life at SSHL

SSHL’s well-equipped and beautifully situated boarding houses are uniquely placed at the heart of the campus, enabling students to experience the very best of life at the school and all that this entails both in terms of academic support and extra curricular activities.

There are presently ten Boarding Houses: five for girls, five for boys. Each House has 25-30 students between the ages of 12-19. In each House, there are three House Parents in each house, who act as a mentor, an advisor and someone to ensure that the House is a home from home for all students.

A uniquely Swedish school with a strong international profile, SSHL places great emphasis on celebrating and upholding many of the country’s unique traditions to share and promote an understanding of the best of Sweden and Swedish culture. SSHL students learn and experience firsthand how the natural environment is such an important part of Swedish identity with opportunities to participate in activities dependent on the season.

In spring and summer students make the most of the good weather by swimming in the lakes, going orienteering, rowing, having barbecues, etc. In the winter there’s cross country skiing, skating on the lakes, ice fishing and other opportunities such as making use of our own slalom ski slope.

Summer CourSeS

During the summer SSHL organizes summer courses in Swedish and English.

Come & ViSit uS

The only way to experience SSHL, with its unique blend of Swedish and international culture, academic excellence and student care is to see the outstanding facilities, meet our friendly students and staff, by coming to visit the school.

To arrange a visit, please contact us by filling out the form you will find on our website at sshl.se/visit. For information about applying to SSHL, please visit sshl.se/apply.

Box 508 193 28 Sigtuna +46 (0)8-592 571 00 info@sshl.se sshl.se

FrontRow for those on the Back Row FrontRow is a Danish company using the sound-field system to improve students’ learning ability through improvement of the sound in the classroom.

By Kristene Silva Marie

Teacher leading class using FrontRow Pro Digital with IR Speaker in corner

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hen it comes to student’s learning in school, we tend to take it for granted that as long as the teacher is teaching in front of the class, all the students are able to participate and understand what is being said.

This, however, is not true. Sound dims as it travels to the back of the class and the students who are sitting there, actually lose out on information.

Teachers raise their voice in hopes that it would be clear enough for those who sit at the back and when they ask the students if they can be heard, the usual responses are various versions of “Yes!” However, the teachers are unaware that the tone of their voice is fluctuating due to having to yell out every sentence. This would also happen if they were to be answering a question from one of the students in the front row which leaves the back row students out of the loop.

At this point, students away from the front row begin getting bored as they lose interest in what the teacher is saying. Some still try to keep up but most tend to drift away into either daydreaming or well, dreaming.

Learning Environment FrontRow system tackles two problems. Problem one, students get an unclear message, and problem two, teachers take medical leave due to loss of voice or laryngitis.

Buranee Clausen, the Managing Director of the Active Listening, a distributor of FrontRow in Thailand said the teachers that have tried the product so far see it as an investment for better education in their schools.

“FrontRow helps regulate and distribute the teacher’s voice throughout the classroom like surround sound so everyone feels included and like the teacher is talking to them, not just the kids in the front row,” she added.

The system comes with a wireless pendant 24 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

microphone which the teachers hang around their neck like an extended chain, and speakers installed around the classroom. It also comes with a wireless microphone included.

The pendant microphone enables teachers to have both hands free as they teach in their normal tone of voice forgetting the device is even there.

For the students, the speakers help regulate the sound sent through the microphone to the entire classroom.

The wireless microphone is for students when they are required to answer a question or say something out loud in front of the whole class. It helps boost their confidence with the knowledge that what they say is clear and understandable to all.

Buranee explained that FrontRow especially helps younger children’s learning process as they get familiar with phonetics and pronunciations that they would not be able to learn without being able to hear with clarity.

She then explained that what drove her to this business was when she became a mother of a child going to school around the same time someone from PhonicEar approached her in 2009 with the interest of bringing the product to Thailand.

After researching the sound field concept on the internet and discovering many research papers done on it, she decided to get involved. She started by proposing the idea to NIST, her daughter’s school, suggesting that they try one system to start.

At the end of the trial period, the teachers were glad that the students listened to instructions even when they spoke in their normal tone and since then have purchased over 30 systems for various rooms in the school.

Overall, FrontRow seems to solve a problem classroom environments usually have, sound distortion, which is a step to gaining quality education for the coming generation.

To learn more about the FrontRow system, visit http://gofrontrow.com/en

Struggling to get your kids keep up their mother tongue

German European School Singapore (GESS) 72 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289 760 www.gess.sg l info@gess.sg l Tel: +65 6469 1131

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any expat parents worry about the language development of their children. Growing up in an English speaking environment makes it challenging for children to speak in their mother tongue, when their friends and teachers all speak English and the only time they hear their native language is at the dinner table.

The ability to speak multiple languages is a gift which many envy and kids growing up in an international environment like Singapore are therefore in a very privileged language situation. Apart from the parents, the international schools play an important role in supporting children to keep up with their mother tongue. While research is conclusive about the importance of multilingualism for children’s development, as it helps them gain a deeper understanding of language and how to use it effectively, many people are not aware about how quickly children can lose the ability to communicate in their mother tongue.

Returning to your home country may become a major struggle for the children and eventually the whole family.

Research shows that multilingual children perform better in school when the school effectively teaches the mother tongue and, where appropriate, develops literacy in that language. The German European School in Singapore (GESS) supports children in several language programmes. The core languages at GESS are English and German and all students from preschool to grade 12 are learning these two languages at a variety of levels from beginner to native speaker. Additionally, the school offers different mother tongue programmes that are fully integrated in the curriculum of the German and the European IB Section. There is a Danish mother tongue programme which starts in Kindergarten with a Midday Programme, continuing in primary school with after school classes, then a fully integrated programme offered in middle and high school (where applicable). For other languages, GESS offers a mother tongue support programme that is directed by the school’s language coordinators in conjunction with external tutors. This programme allows students in secondary school to follow almost any additional language at mother tongue level.

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GESS - Giving Children Roots and Wings International education in German and English from Pre-School to Grade 12, encouraging students to develop their strengths and become balanced, responsible and informed world citizens 1,500 students of more than 50 nationalities Authorized IB World School for PYP, MYP, and IB Diploma programmes taught in English (est. 2005) German curriculum with all school leaving certificates (founded 1971) Dedicated, caring international staff. Low student to teacher ratio 2 green, spacious campuses close to nature reserves Modern facilities and ICT, bright airy classrooms Wide range of co-curricular activities including vocal and instrumental programme C.A.R.E.@GESS uniting charity, community service and environmental projects offering students hands-on encounters and understanding of Asia.

GESS 72 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289760 www.gess.sg . info@gess.sg . Tel: +65 6469 1131 CPE Registration Number: N05-01-443, Period of Registration: 22/06/2011 - 21/6/2017

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 25

Every Kid is an Artist at Artskidz Inspirational texts describing some collaboratory artwork by students meet me in the entrance of this happy preschool. The colourful creations are clearly made with both passion and background understanding of both media and the source of inspiration.

By Ika Forssell

Holistic approach to learning Ms. Kalliope Coplin is the school’s principal, and she begins to passionately talk about the vision of the school. At Artskidz they take a holistic approach to learning and aim at nurturing confident and communicative students with great problem solving and social skills. “It’s fun and easy to learn when you are curious and interested,” Kalliope explains.

The enthusiastic principal illustrates by giving a good example of a holistic learning unit at Artskidz. In one of the age groups the children studied Van Gogh for several weeks where they also talked about the famous painting “Sunflowers”. Not only did they study the artist and his works, but they also investigated the botanical aspect and learned about plants. When, later, it was time to produce a piece of artwork of their own, they incorporated mathematics by measuring the size of sketches they had made of their planned artwork in proportion to the canvas they would transfer it to. When it finally was time to paint the painting, the children already had a thorough understanding of several aspects of the subject.

The Masterchef Day Under the theme “Food Glorious Food”, the school organizes a yearly event that they call “The Masterchef Day”. Several weeks are spent in preparation for this day learning about different aspects of a chosen theme around food. This event involves all different age groups, and the chosen themes may include food cultures, healthy vs. unhealthy food, different categories of food and so on. The classes produce different kinds of food and drinks to serve to the parents who attend the event. In the process they learn about mathematics while measuring ingredients, science while analysing foods, and humanities while studying different cultures. In addition they are encouraged to come up with strategies to sell their produce to the parents. It is a fun and holistic event in all.

Singaporean and international Artskidz is designed to provide families with a complete preschool curriculum, which prepares the children for entry into the Singaporean primary school system. Children are expected to know how to read and write when they start school here. That poses no conflict to the intention of Artskidz, but the difference is that here they will also learn skills within the arts, such as playing an instrument, giving speeches, expressing themselves in visual arts and performing in drama plays.

At the school’s main branch in Tiong Bahru, about 30% of the students are Singaporean. In response to increasing demand from expats from many different countries around the world, a second branch has opened in Upper Bukit Timah area. This learning centre has an even freer project based learning approach which is more similar to that in western countries, such as Scandinavia.

They even have one Danish staff member which makes the school very attractive to Danes who want their children to keep up with their mother tongue while at the same time experience a more local school environment than the large international schools can offer. The school presently has a couple of Danish and Swedish families enrolled.

Other languages that are offered at the preschool with native speaking teachers are Mandarin, Japanese and Korean. The children can benefit from this either by keeping up the level of their own mother tongue, or by learning a new foreign language.

26 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

Sustainability across borders Talent development and internationalization through an exchange project with a partner school in Singapore

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• Talent and exchange project with the Millenia Institute in Singapore • Common theme is sustainability • Participation in the project is a reward for students across year groups and classes at Nyborg Gymnasium • Students visit each other and stay in private homes • Project is part of the internationalization, which is on the agenda of Nyborg Gymnasium

nternationalization opens the world and brings us closer together across language, culture, education etc. A good example is the common talent and exchange project between the Millennia Institute in Singapore and Nyborg Gymnasium. The common focal point of collaboration is the theme sustainability.

Singapore like Denmark lacks natural resources. Why not inspire each other in ways to solve our challenges? That is what the partner schools, the Millennia Institute in Singapore and Nyborg Gymnasium from Denmark, do.

The theme of cooperation is sustainability- cultural and enhanced talents are side benefits.

• The Millennia Institute is a business school, but we have chosen science as our approach to cooperation. Therefore, it is exciting for both parties to work with sustainability from an environmental, scientific and economic perspective, says Helene Bendorff Kristensen, IB Coordinator at Nyborg Gymnasium.

• Our students receive not only an international horizon, but they will also be able to use their subjects and their English on a professional basis. It provides a vision of a different culture, where you do things in a different way.

International reward for talent • Participation in the project is an academic and cultural reward to those students given the chance thereto. They really learn about other cultures, broaden their horizons, says Helene Bendorff Kristensen: • It is also extremely instructive when students live privately with local students from our Asian partner school. And from a subject content view it is rewarding to deal with the common theme sustainability.

Millennia Institute’s website: http://www.millenniainstitute.moe.edu.sg/

With Danish-Speaking Staff

ARTS KIDZ international

Nestled amongst the lush greenery of Upper Bukit Timah, Arts Kidz International takes a unique approach to learning in the early years. Not only do we focus on traditional learning areas, but we also include the arts within the everyday, Monday to Friday programme in order to offer children a well-rounded and enriching educational experience.

The children’s adventure into the Arts includes violin; visual arts; speech and drama; a mind and body programme integrating yoga, music and movement; and second language choices of Mandarin, Japanese or Korean.

We are also excited to offer Danish language activities at Arts Kidz, designed to promote Danish communication and language skills.

Arts Kidz Education Center 262 Upper Bukit Timah Rd #01-03/04 Old Fire Station, Singapore 588207 (65) 6469 1739, enquiry_bt@artskidz.com.sg www.artskidz.com.sg

Arts Kidz Pre-School - 67A Eu Chin St (Level 2), Tiong Bahru Community Centre, Singapore 169715, (65) 6456 8003, enquiry@artskidz.com.sg April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 27

LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS The arts are not mere diversions from the important business of education; they are essential resources.

Elliot W Eisner, “The Role of the Arts in Cognition and Curriculum” (2001)

M

usic, visual arts, dance, drama- as Elliot W Eisner says, the arts form an essential part of a well balanced education. At KIS International School, the arts are valued as a means of communication and self-expression, and as a way for students to develop an understanding of the world around them.

But art isn’t just a way to become a better student. Studying art can be a pathway to a successful career. Design and creativity are fast growing industries, with more new employees in these fields than other fields. A degree in the Arts provides a broad foundation for many career choices. KIS students have been accepted with scholarships into prestigious art universities such as San Francisco Art Institute, Savannah Collect of Art and Design and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

There are more reasons for doing the arts. In a digital age, art is valuable in offering students the opportunity for fine motor skills development, keen observation and an alternative means of communication. A student fluent in the arts will have more success at making connections and also develop intra-personal understanding. The arts also provide an outlet for students whose strength is in using their hands or bodies to express ideas more ably than in written form. It’s a different way to be successful.

Throughout their journey at KIS, each child participates in many art activities.

There is a special “Artigras” week, there are plays and performances, art exhibitions and competitions, a film festival, visiting artists, busking day, talent shows and more.

There are ways for children to express themselves which go beyond writing essays. Each child should be given the opportunity to try various forms of expression, and to engage with the arts to become well-rounded, creative, international citizens. KIS allows each student, through their particular talents and thoughts, to be a star and shine.

Linda Belonje, BA Eng, MA Comms Director of Marketing and Development KIS International School, Bangkok linda@kis.ac.th www.kis.ac.th Tel. +66(0) 2274 3444 28 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

Nyborg Gymnasium has stx, hf, IB and boarding school

A

Danish upper-secondary school environment with an international agenda.

Nyborg Gymnasium addresses the growing internationalisation with programmes, study streams and a boarding school, which makes the ‘international’ the order of the day.

The students at Nyborg Gymnasium have an eye open onto the world, and they are fully capable of exploring this in school. This happens, for example, if they are students in the study stream Going Global, stay at the boarding school with other young people from all over the world, or if they are students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, where all subjects are taught in English.

Over recent years Nyborg Gymnasium has expanded and rebuilt school facilities to ensure that the framework for the tuition is updated and inspiring. The latest addition to the school is a new building for the sciences, and a special ‘language’ zone. At the boarding school the students have their own rooms, a strong community, and a kitchen, with focus on organic cooking, providing the meals of the day.

Nyborg Gymnasium ….en route to the world

Bergen International School

T

he educational programme of the International School of Bergen (ISB) has been developed to help prepare its students for a successful future, whether that future is in the Hordaland region or outside the borders of Norway. Parents also choose ISB for the English language learning environment, the small class sizes and the challenge of the International Baccalaureate programmes. Our mission is to provide an internationally accredited education which serves the Bergen and business communities.

An education at ISB is recognized as quality far and wide. The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer their Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes.

ISB is committed to the ethos of continual school improvement and strategic planning which are essential features of accredited schools.

Our students and staff ISB provides educational programmes in English to children between the ages of 3 and 18. The students represent more than thirty different nationalities. The teachers all hold university degrees and appropriate teaching qualifications. Class sizes are small with normally 16 – 18 students.

Bergen International School Wilhelm Bjerknesvei 15, 5081 Bergen Phone +47 55 30 63 30 Fax +47 55 30 63 31 Website: www.isob.no E-mail: post@isob.no

International Baccalaureate

- an alternative to the Danish ‘Studentereksamen’ • internationally recognized • gives admission to universities all over the world • taught in English You can stay at Nyborg Gymnasium’s boarding school.

Contact us for more information about the programme and the boarding school.

Deadline for applications: 15th of March

Nyborg Gymnasium & Kostskole Skolebakken 13, DK-5800 Nyborg, tlf +45 65 31 02 17 post@nyborg-gym.dk, www.nyborg-gym.dk

EngElskspråklig privatskolE for barn og ungdom mEllom 3 og 18 • • • • • • •

Få elever i hver klasse Trygt læringsmiljø med god individuell oppfølging God kontakt med foreldre Internasjonalt godkjente og utfordrende læreplaner Utmerkede resultater i internasjonale og norske nasjonalprøver Sentral beliggenhet med bybanestopp rett utenfor døren Nyhet– Internasjonal Videregående med godkjenning fra Lånekassen Contact us for more information: Tel 55 30 63 30 eller post@isob.no

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 29

Medium

Danish Ham with Beer

By Anders Holm Nielsen

A

terrific meal when serving a large number of guests. This recipe from Denmark combines the Danish love of pork with the fact that Danish beer is world renowned.

Evil

Serves 10 people Ingredients • 1 ham -- tenderized • ½ teaspoon • dry mustard • 4 tablespoons water • 1 cup brown sugar • 10 bay leaves • 1 liter of beer

Preparation • Remove all but a thin layer of fat from the ham.

• Score the top. Place in a roasting pan.

• Mix mustard, water and sugar to the consistency of prepared mustard.

• Cover the ham with this mixture.

• Stick cloves in the ham surface.

• Fasten the bay leaves to the ham with small skewers or toothpicks broken in half.

• Pour the beer over the ham and bake, uncovered, 30 minutes to the pound in an oven preheated to 220 ºC • Use the liquid in the pan as a sauce for the ham.

Danish Scalloped Potatoes (Creamed Potatoes) Potatoes are a very important ingredient in traditional Danish cooking.

Try this recipe for Danish scalloped potatoes. The potatoes go well with any type of steak or roast (beef, pork, lamb, veal).

Are you done?

Preparation

W

hen you have completed the above puzzles, please send your solution by fax to +66 2 943 7169 or scan and email to puzzles@ scandasia.com. We will make a lucky draw among the correct answers. Five lucky winners will receive a ScandAsia polo shirt.

Name:

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Age: ________________________

Mobile:

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Address:

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Deadline for submitting your solution is 15 May 2013 30 ScandAsia.Singapore • April 2013

Ingredients • 5-6 pounds potatoes • 6 large onions – finely chopped • 4 crushed garlic gloves • Salt • Pepper • Mornay sauce (Béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese) • Cream (or milk if you are on a diet)

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices.

• Chop the onions • Mix mornay sauce and cream. ¼ of mornay sauce and ¾ of cream • Mix potatoes with onions and place it in an ovenproof dish • Add mix of cream and Mornay sauce so it nearly covers the potatoes.

• Add garlic, salt and pepper and stir lightly.

• Place in preheated oven at 180 degrees.

April 2013 • ScandAsia.Singapore 31

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