The Termly Magazine of Bangkok Patana School
Bangkok Patana
Magazine
Issue 63 Term 2, April 2021
SECONDARY RESIDENTIALS Year 9 Residential
LEARNING
Secondary Poetry
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP World Music
Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School accredited by CIS
LEARNING
CONTENTS
Issue 63, Term 2, April 2021
SECONDARY RESIDENTIALS 8 Resilience and Teamwork 10 Ready and Raring to Go 12 Action Packed Visit to Chiang Mai 14 A Challenging Residential 16 Let’s TOK about it
LEARNING 18 Academic Integrity 22 Poet’s Showcase 24 Improving Speech, Language and Communication Skills
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP 20 26 28 30
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Developing Cultural Awareness Through World Music Traditions From Patana to Film, A Passion for Media Arts Led to a Feature Film Strong Ethical Values at Bangkok Patana International Day
• Bangkok Patana School
L ELAORBNAI LN C G GI T I Z E N S H I P
FOREWORD
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ver since I have been at Bangkok Patana, the chance to spend the week away at an exciting location participating in brilliant new activities with friends has always been one of the most anticipated weeks of the year. Whether we were going to a beach, a campsite or an historically significant railway, the opportunity to not only spend a week away from home but also learn in a new environment has never stopped being one of the greatest things about attending Bangkok Patana School. When we began to go on Residentials in Year 3, one of the most exciting things about going away was the prospect of spending a week away from parents; but this was, of course, always coupled with the feeling of nervousness. Initially, there were always those who got homesick on the first day, but, over the years, with the guidance of our supportive teachers, the independence that everyone learns from Residential overcame this so that by the time the final TOK Camp came along, the entire Year group was unified in an anticipative buzz for the week ahead. Whether we were spending time with our teachers outside of the classroom, cooking or white-water rafting, Residentials have given us all incredible new memories and experiences. In many cases, these have benefited our learning, either relating to what we study in Geography or History, or because it gave us a chance to practice hiking with a team for our Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. The week has always been a chance to try new things, learn more about ourselves and the world around us and, perhaps most of all, strengthen and make new friendships. – Henry Brosnahan, Year 13
643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna Tai, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Email: reception@patana.ac.th www.patana.ac.th
Henry and friends at the Year 4 Residential in Kanchanaburi
Editor: Shana Kongmun Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2411 Email: shkn@patana.ac.th Advertisement: Finn Balslev Tel: 081-866-2577 Email: finn@scandmedia.com
Design & Production: Scand-Media Corp., Ltd. Tel: +66 (0) 2943 7166-8 www.scandmedia.com
Bangkok Patana Magazine is the termly publication of Bangkok Patana School published three times per year and distributed to 2,000 members of the School community. Reproduction of articles, artwork and illustrations by written permission only.
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• Bangkok Patana School • Bangkok Patana School
LEARNING
THE YEAR 7 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
RESILIENCE AND TEAMWORK Shane Owen, Head of Year 7
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nd we’re off! The tyres of the buses started rolling away from the Bangkok Patana gates leaving crowds of parents waving off their loved ones. On the inside of the bus windows, smudges could be seen as students pressed their faces against the glass, trying to get a final glimpse of their parents/ caregivers. This was evidence that the eagerly anticipated Residential had begun. The sugary snacks soon followed. We arrived at Rayong Chalet Resort around 11.00 am and students checked in, had lunch and were briefed. Following this, students worked in their activity
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groups through a carousel of activities which included snorkel training, beach sports, games and probably the most popular of all, the safety tour. The aim throughout the week was to encourage students to meet new people and develop friendships, work in teams and develop resilience and leadership skills. The evening activity was a quiz with the most difficult question being, “Will students sleep well this evening?” As the sun slowly rose above the clouds, students also slowly rose from their rooms to start the first morning with a buffet breakfast. Credit must be given to students as they all arrived on time, some even early, with very little prompting or knocking. This either says something about the quality of rooms, quality of breakfast, or quality of students nurtured here at Bangkok Patana.
Wild Planet gave their instructions and students gathered their belongings for their respective activities. Daily activities included kayaking, Thai cooking, ecoorienteering, visiting the Turtle Sanctuary or snorkeling and reef exploration. The post-residential survey showed that all activities were enjoyed with kayaking and snorkelling being slight favourites. The survey also highlighted Tuesday evening’s activity, ‘Trash to Fash’ as the most favourable evening activity by some distance. It was safe to say that any Monday evening jitters were soon forgotten when handed with a bag of trash to re-create Paris Fashion Week in the Residential Conference Centre. This event we called ‘Trash to Fash’. With the famous Tik Tok hit ‘Say So’ by Doja Cat queued on the sound system, our finalists paraded in their fashionable attire made
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from reusable trash with ambitions of appeasing the expert judging panel. After a close fought final, we found an eventual winner who was crowned the Trash to Fash winner 2020. The prize - a bag of sweets. Day 3 and 4 followed the same format as Day 2 with students rotating activities but remaining in the group with the same students. Typically, students left the resort around 9.00 am and returned at 4.00 – 4.30 pm for free time until dinner. Activities offered during free time were the Sea, Swimming Pool, Games Room, the Beach and the Restaurant. It was great to see students playing and interacting during free time and allowing time for staff to bond with students in a different setting. We were fortunate enough to have excellent weather during the evenings which meant all activities
could go ahead. Wednesday evening was Film Night with the Disney film, ’Mulan’. On Thursday, the group of students visiting the Turtle Sanctuary delivered the money that had been raised during the Bake Sale for The Rayong Turtle Conservation Centre. I am pleased to say that we raised over THB 35,000 and I thank every person for their contribution to this fantastic achievement. Thursday was also the day that carried probably the most hype and anticipation. With Mr Stewart due to open the Disco at 7.00 pm, with a playlist of student selected songs, it was clear that excitement was running high. Because of this, it started slightly early. The Disco was the main talking point amongst the kayaking group this day up until Mrs Richards capsized and
was unable to get back into her kayak. Thank you to Mrs Richards for diverting some of the attention away from the fast approaching disco that evening. As the remains from the disco the night before were cleared up, students woke for their final breakfast at Rayong Chalet Resort. To show appreciation, each group leader made a final morning speech and awarded their Star of the Week Certificate. I have to say that these were extremely difficult to choose based on the quality of effort shown by all throughout the week. A big thank you goes to Dan Baker who gave a thank you speech to all staff at Rayong Chalet speaking in both Thai and English. The journey back was a little quieter and sleepier than going, which shows the Residential, at least, met some needs of the students.
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LEARNING
THE YEAR 8 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
READY AND RARING TO GO Katie Chatterton, Acting Head of Year 8
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t 7.58 am all Year 8s were on the buses, all of their bags were on the buses; we were ready to go. Not to mention, we were two minutes ahead of schedule; quite an impressive feat when it comes to Residential. To be honest, the students started as they meant to go on; their punctuality and organisation was brilliant all week. Not being able to eat copious amounts of snacks on the bus this year meant that other forms of entertainment had to be found; there was some very loud and sometimes quite questionable singing to be heard for pretty much the duration of the four-hour journey. Thankfully, despite the bus karaoke, we all arrived with our ear drums and voices intact. This year we were really lucky and were given freshly renovated and never used before rooms in the newest part of the hotel in Kanchanaburi. We were all very impressed at the lovely accommodation; it’s definitely the best out of all the Residentials. Once everyone was settled, lunched and refreshed, we headed up to the top field to do some ice-breaker, team-building and leadership activities. There were some new games this year that worked well and the students were keen to get involved in. One of them was snake identification and education; this was a really informative and interesting addition to the programme, although I think a few of the students were a bit nervous hearing about all of the venomous wildlife they may come across in the Kanchanaburi countryside. It was great to see them all getting involved though; from the outset, the whole Year group were encouraging, inclusive and enthusiastic. As well as the Year 8 Residential having close links with the school’s History curriculum, the trip was also designed to encourage students to reflect on personal attributes. Before the trip, students did some work on thinking about their own character strengths. The Residential is, of course, a very fun trip but it can, in many respects, also be quite challenging. Therefore, it is an opportunity for these character strengths, such as bravery, resilience, teamwork and perseverance, to shine through and be recognised. Teachers were always on the look-out for students who demonstrated particular character strengths and the students were also encouraged to nominate their peers. It was heart-warming to see the floods of nominations that came in on a daily basis; there was a strong sense of camaraderie and solidarity. 10
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Bangkok Patana Magazine
The students showed immense team spirit in all the activities that we did. Whether they were giving advice whilst on the bike ride, encouraging their peers to jump in the somewhat chilly water with the nibbling fish at Erawan Falls or helping to prepare the food to feed to the elephants, everyone made an effort to support and celebrate the success of one another. The days were long and jampacked so the little bit of down-time in between activities and dinner was much needed. The bit of relaxation gave everyone time to reenergise in preparation for Mr Staley’s epic quiz, some absolutely wonderful performances in the talent show and some interesting and energetic moves at the disco. The activity that many of the Year 8s were apprehensive about was stand up paddle boarding (SUP). Most of the students were inexperienced at this and were understandably quite nervous. Nevertheless, I was so impressed at how they tackled it. There were some strained expressions and uncomfortable wobbles at the start but after 10 minutes or so of being on the river and some stoic resilience, everyone got the hang of it. There were certainly some skilful maneuverers and some speedy paddlers on the water. Personally, I just thought it was lovely opportunity to relax and appreciate the stunning beauty of Kanchanaburi; I almost forgot I was on a school trip for a moment. An equally special moment on the trip was on the Wednesday: Remembrance Day. The groups doing the History activities on this day were fortunate enough to be able to attend the memorial service at either Hellfire Pass or the Commonwealth War Cemetery. The students were invited to take part in a two-minute period of silence and lay poppies in honour of those fallen in the line of duty. Every single one of the students was so thoughtful and respectful; they were wonderful representatives of the school and made us teachers very proud.
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LEARNING
THE YEAR 9 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
ACTION PACKED VISIT TO CHIANG MAI Sam Stuart, Head of Year 9
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ne of the highlights of the Bangkok Patana calendar, for students and staff, is our annual Residential visit. Having been on the Chiang Mai Residential previously, I was really keen that our Year 9 students should have the opportunity to experience this wonderful trip for themselves. I was delighted when we were told that the full trip could, with careful planning and management, go ahead as usual. As expected, the excitement was quick to spread and very soon rooms were being planned, activity groups were being discussed, equipment was being checked and travelling snacks were being bought! It was to be an action-packed few days, with little time for sitting around. By general agreement, the highlight was the white-water rafting – a new experience for many and one that will live long in the memory. Kayaking on and cycling
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around the beautiful Mae Ngat Lake also gave our students a chance to experience first-hand, the beauty of Northern Thailand. A huge thank you must go to the fantastic team from Wild Planet who were there to help us all the way. For other students, the most fun and laughter was had back at the hotel, where everyone had the chance to paint an umbrella, show off their Muay Thai skills or try their hand at Thai dancing for the first time. Thank you to all the instructors and helpers for demonstrating how it should be done! The camping night was great fun. The campfire and talent show, led by Mr Baker, was enjoyed by all and resulted in many tired but happy students falling asleep in their tents. Finally, thank you to Sofia and Dara from 9D for providing this description of the trip from a student’s perspective:
Bangkok Patana Magazine
This year, Year 9 was able to experience a wonderful trip to Chiang Mai. We were able to carry out a range of different activities. On Monday morning we all met at Don Mueang Airport. It was an early start, but by 6.30 am we had all boarded the plane as planned. We landed safely in Chiang Mai and, having collected our luggage, got back into our travel groups for the trip to the resort. When we arrived Mr Stuart introduced us to the Wild Planet staff, then we all went to our rooms, rested and had a tasty lunch. Then it was the icebreaker games, which included Spider’s Web and Tarp Volleyball. After we finished our games, Activity Group 1 and 2 were asked to pack their bags for camping. Then the groups began their travels towards the campsite whilst the other groups enjoyed more games and some time to rest. Camping was incredible, to be far away from the city lights and everything we know really opened our eyes to how wonderful nature really is. As the sun set the groups ate dinner and even had s’mores! After an evening Talent Show, everyone was exhausted and we climbed into our tents for a well-deserved sleep! The next day our camping group was introduced to white water rafting, starting the morning off with practising and safety precautions, before heading 10km upstream. The experience was unforgettable. On the same day, Group 5 and 6 went kayaking and biking around the beautiful lake in Si Lanna National Park. Groups 3 and 4 stayed at the resort and had great fun experiencing traditional umbrella painting, Thai dancing, Muay Thai and archery. All of the activities were finished at around 4.00 pm. After a shower and dinner, we settled down with a few snacks to watch ‘Jumanji’ during movie night. The next morning, Groups 1 and 2 left for their biking and kayaking adventure, Groups 3 and 4 were looking forward to spending some time on the river, while Groups 5 and 6 stayed at the resort for the cultural activities. Everybody appreciated this day and we were all looking forward for the evening to come – the disco! After dinner we all got dressed up and started dancing. This year we were surprised with an incredible performance by Macky and Jomei. As their amazing duet took the stage we all started clapping and had the night of our lives. The overall experience was unforgettable and the Year 9 Residential was voted the best one so far. It was a great experience and we got to meet a lot of new people. The memories will stay with us forever!
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LEARNING
THE YEAR 10 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
A CHALLENGING RESIDENTIAL Christina Bickford, Year 10
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ear 10 Residential is definitely one to remember. As soon as we arrived at the Golden Gold Resort and Spa located in Khao Yai, the challenging journey commenced as some had to start their 8km trek to the campsite soon after their arrival. Others, including myself, spent the day working in our tribes and coming up with an identity for our group. This consisted of coming up with a chant and using bandanas and face paints. We had to perform our chants to everyone including a panel of judges. The winners of this were the “Bruddas”. We had also spent time planning our route cards which would end up helping us massively when it came to navigating the wilderness in which our walk would take place. The night ended with the movie ‘Jumanji’ and popcorn. The next morning was a challenging one. It started off with a 5.30 am start; as it was my walking day. We ate breakfast and packed our lunch, dinner and breakfast for the rest of the day. We were given a GPS phone and were sent on a minibus for our journey to start. The whole way anticipation started to build as we seemed to be heading into nowhere and eventually, the bus came to a halt. As I picked up my massive, heavy bag it was confirmed we had reached the destination. There were grass fields on either side and nothing else to be found. The journey consisted of a mixture of all types of scenery from walking along main roads, fields, houses, forestry to even a golf course. It was hard to ignore the beauty of it all. I felt quite lucky because the weather was just perfect – not too much sun, no rain and a really nice breeze. Though we didn’t have to tackle the weather, we had to face the navigating part of the walk. We came across several intersections and, with the help of our compass and maps, we headed down the right path. After a staggering six hours, we had finally reached the end of the walk. Everyone was exhausted and couldn’t wait to reach the campsite. Just as we were near the campsite Mr Tennant introduced us to our last challenge of the day: crossing the river using a bamboo bridge. 14
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Bangkok Patana Magazine
This was quite nerve-racking as we had heavy bags on our backs but with determination, everyone made it to the other side. At the campsite, everyone chose their tent buddy and relaxed. As evening approached, we got out the Trangias and began cooking our dinner – pasta. On Wednesday morning, there were mixed emotions, from some who were excited to embark on the journey and others who wanted nothing to do with it. But I think it was safe to say that everyone just wanted to get the walk done and over with. My group started strong at the beginning and just as our motivation was dimming, we came across eight small puppies on the side of the road. It was the best thing that could happen and
within seconds everyone had cheered up. My group ended up getting lost a few times and we were last to get back to the campsite at around 2.00 pm. It was challenging to keep going after getting lost, but we didn’t let that get to us and the feeling of achievement was worth all of it. In the afternoon, we had the Fancy Thailand Activity arranged by Khru Somchok which I enjoyed. We walked through the hotel’s fruit farm and even planted our own banana tree! I found the activity very fascinating as we learnt about the different fruits that Thailand is so fortunate to have and even try them. Khru Somchok also talked about the importance of bananas in Thai culture and introduced us to five different types of bananas. In the evening we
had the Quiz night, which was super interesting as we found out a few facts about the teachers. On our last full day, we started the day with cooking Thai dishes - Pad Thai and Som Tum. I truly loved that we were able to make Thai staple dishes by ourselves and saw what was in the dish that gives it the taste that we all know. In the afternoon we headed to Scenical World. The weather was quite miserable as it was raining but the waterpark was extremely fun. We went down lots of slides and it felt like a reward for completing the walk. The night ended with the disco, which is always the perfect way to end every Residential. On Friday, we waited for the Thursday walking group to get back from their walk and welcomed them with large smiles and congratulations for completing the hard trek. We then hopped onto the large buses and headed back to school. This trip was worthwhile and I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity that I had to learn new skills such as navigating and cooking and being able to experience the outdoors. Overall, it was a fabulous experience and one that gave the largest sense of achievement and accomplishment! TERM 2 – 2020/21
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L ELAORBNAI LN C G GI T I Z E N S H I P
THE YEAR 12 RESIDENTIAL VISIT
LET’S TOK ABOUT IT Pim Wongswan, 12Z
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nce the Year 12 students and their piles of luggage were loaded onto the bus, we ventured to Nakhon Nayok for our last ever Residential. Whilst many saw this as a temporary escape from the rigorous IB, others were feeling less than enthusiastic about the five days of workshops, lectures and group projects. The Year 12 Residential Visit is different from previous visits as the entire trip is oriented around the study of Theory of Knowledge (TOK). This subject is one of the compulsory aspects in passing the IB diploma where students must reflect on the nature of knowledge and take a step back to question how we know what we know. Throughout the day we attended sessions where the nature of the workshops and lectures varied on the subject area. Sessions ranged from Human Sciences to the Arts, providing us with a better insight into the different Areas of Knowledge (AoKs) and thus preparing us for future presentations and essays. For example, in the Human Sciences session we explored this area of knowledge through the lens of Economics. We discussed the limitations of economic models as they assume individuals are completely rational or ‘homo economicus’ and thus allowed us to judge the reliability of models (due to the many assumptions that must be made). In addition to these sessions, there was a collaborative group project. The Group 4 project is a collaborative research project where students from different specialised areas of science must choose a solution from a geoengineering category and evaluate its efficiency through the lens of ethics, social and economic impact and perspectives (from different AoKs). We had to collaborate to exchange ideas, allocate the jobs and present the final presentation. Overall, everyone learnt something new from each session which will help enrich our learning in the future. To allow us to unwind and relax after a long day of critical thinking, we were given generous amounts of free time providing us a chance to socialise and enjoy the lush vegetation and scenery of the resort. One of the highlights was the ‘Old Skool Sports Day’ where tutor groups wrestled it out (literally) in a variety of events including the egg and spoon race, three-legged race and tug of war. It was a 16
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Bangkok Patana Magazine
“TOK camp has a great balance between learning and decompressing. Thank you for your work to make this Residential what it was!” – Patrick Ledoit “The Year 12 Residential was genuinely so much fun and was a really nice switch from the standard classroom style of learning. It was really interesting learning about all things TOK the different AoKs and gave us an opportunity to learn about areas that aren’t necessarily within our comfort zones. The evening activities were also fantastic, specifically the hungry games with Ms Dewse’s brilliant recreation of Effie Trinket!” – Anna Meller
very relaxing way to unwind after a long day of learning. One of the main features of this afternoon was that each tutor group had dressed up in common themes ranging from FoodPanda deliverers to Christmas attire. Over the course of this TOK Camp, the funniest moments occurred during the ‘Hungry Games’ (a games night arranged by Miss Dewse). As the different ‘districts’ battled it out to be crowned the ultimate winner, we may have looked slightly crazy in the process. The night composed of students cracking eggs on their heads, ‘pushing’ (throwing) friends to win a game of Dead Ant, the entire Year group cheering over a game of rock – paper – scissors (no exaggeration) and much more. Although out of context this may present Grad 22 as slightly bizarre, we are in fact a group of caring and composed individuals who are simply enthusiastic and filled with positive energy (until you mention competition at least). As a tired group of Year 12s left Cholapruek Resort on Friday morning, we felt content with the knowledge gained, friendships built and memories created. It is certain that we will be “TOKking” about this Residential for many years to come. TERM 2 – 2020/21
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LEARNING
LEARNING
LEARNING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY The Secondary Academic Integrity Committee, Bangkok Patana School Chairs: Andrew Roff, Senior Teacher – Curriculum and Assessment and Meadow Armiger, Year 11. Other Members: Emily Fuchs, Nandini Mehrotra, Tanzila Sumaiya, Year 10. Porpiang Bunnag, Darsh Rawat, Year 7.
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ssential values that we hold dear as a community of learners are a commitment to being responsible and honest as well as ethical and informed. These are all aspects of integrity, one of the most important assets that any of us have. Over recent years we have driven an agenda of increasing the prominence of Academic Integrity throughout the Secondary School at Bangkok Patana. While we are proud of the high standards of integrity which continue to be demonstrated by our community, this must not simply be assumed but actively taught. With this in mind over the last two years, the Academic Integrity Committee has: • Revised, had approved and published a Secondary Academic Integrity Policy; • Worked with key stakeholders to publish an Academic Integrity curriculum, which continues to be embedded within subjects throughout Secondary; • Collaborated with the New South Wales Board of Studies to create a series of online modules that students complete every year to ensure understanding of and adherence to the key principles of Academic Integrity in their work at Bangkok Patana; • Presented to parents at coffee mornings theoretical scenarios that they might encounter to encourage discussion about how best to support their children’s understanding and adherence to our shared high standards of integrity. 18
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This year the Academic Integrity Committee consists of a group of students younger than previous committees which has ensured that we have been inclusive of their views. The committee has worked on constructing a notice board highlighting key aspects of academic integrity to the student population and writing the following article highlighting two very important aspects of it.
the same action might be seen as either one. Because of this, it is really important that teachers clearly explain the learning intentions for any particular activity and that students know where the limit lies between giving and receiving a suitable amount and too much help. Key to this is asking questions so that students are very clear on expectations for a task. Examples of the sort of questions that students might ask to avoid collusion:
The fine line between collaboration and collusion
• Do I have to do this on my own (is this an independent task) or can I work with my friend on this? • Can I get help on this from my mum, dad, brother, sister, tutor? • How many people need to contribute to this project? • What is the role of each member of the group? • What should the outcome of my work look like? • How long should this take (for each member of the group)?
Collusion is giving or receiving too much help with your work, whereas collaboration is a valuable learning attribute. For example, a student checking their history essay the day before it is due is getting some help from their mum. If she is making corrections to the spelling, grammar or content herself without discussing it with her child, then she is giving too much help. However, if mum is reading it out loud and pointing out where there is a mistake or error for her child to correct, then this is being highly supportive of her child’s learning. Different pieces of work require different amounts of collaboration. For example, can you imagine trying to play a football game on your own or an orchestra with only one musician? Whereas how much room is there for lots of people to be working together on an essay intended to demonstrate one student’s learning on a topic? It is important to understand where the line lies between collaboration and collusion. Depending on the task set,
What is plagiarism and how to avoid it? The International Baccalaureate Organisation defines plagiarism as “the representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment” (2014, p. 2). Plagiarism can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and to all sorts of degrees, from copying word for word an entire essay, to simply forgetting to add quotation marks and citation to something
Bangkok Patana Magazine
someone else said. Our research has found lots of terms for the different sorts of plagiarism that are possible: direct, mosaic, mashup, paraphrasing, self and snip plagiarism as well as fraudulent and inflated bibliographies to make work appear more credible than it really is (turnitin.com, 2016). While it is possible to write at length about each of these, a quick Google search would allow you to read more about each, but that is not the scope of this article. More important is to emphasise that students should not be concerned about plagiarism as long as they complete their work with integrity. As long as any idea that is not your own is credited, the format of that credit is less important (until students reach university) and teachers
The committee has worked on constructing a notice board highlighting key aspects of academic integrity to the student population and writing the following article highlighting two very important aspects of it. can work with students at an age appropriate level on how to appropriately add citations in their work. Acting with integrity can be hard. Students will need to call on their passion, resourcefulness and resilience in order to do so at all times, and resist the temptations that different pressures may present. Discussing these temptations, raising awareness of them and considering how to navigate them with a principled moral compass is essential. Not only does this form an important part
of the Academic Integrity Curriculum at school, but is also a valuable conversation to be having at home. Bibliography - International Baccalaureate Organisation, 2014. Academic Honesty in the Diploma Programme, Geneva: IBO. - turnitin.com, 2016. The Plagiarism Spectrum: Instructor Insights into the 10 Types of Plagiarism, s.l.: turnitin. com.
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WELL-BEING
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
DEVELOPING CULTURAL AWARENESS THROUGH WORLD MUSIC TRADITIONS Lisa Mallett, Primary Music Teacher
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s a teenager growing up in London, I had played the flute since the age of nine, following the traditional route of grades and Western classical training. My world of music consisted of the classical greats in the school orchestra, the 80s hits on the radio and my parents’ record collection. It was in this stack of records that I was drawn to the sound of Indian music for the first time on the track Within You Without You on the classic Beatles Sergeant Pepper Band album. The mysterious sounds of the sitar blending in with the song were enticing and were, in part, responsible for my unfolding journey into the study
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of Indian music years later. At music college, I delved further into exploring ‘world music’ traditions, playing with Indo-Jazz fusion bands and improvising music based on Indian classical scales (ragas) on my western silver flute. This eventually led me to India, where I studied the Indian bansuri bamboo flute. Discovering Indian classical music opened up a whole new perspective and perception of music as did learning an instrument that was similar but yet so different to my own flute. I was immersed completely, both musically and culturally. My understanding of music theory was turned upside down in this new genre of time cycles and
ragas, whilst culturally, I was learning about a whole new country, its people, languages, customs and food that were all invariably intertwined with the music. It was a defining moment as a musician and educator. I’ve had a fascination with ‘world music’ ever since and its gateways to cultures and people across the globe. Music education is key in helping support our young learners on their journey as global citizens and developing their cultural awareness. The universal language of music is the perfect platform to explore and address challenges of cultural stereotypes. The inspirational TEDX talk by the Nigerian
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author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie raises a pertinent point on the danger of a ‘single story’. It is about what happens when human beings are reduced to a single narrative, when all Africans, for example, are stereotyped from media images of famine hit countries. This relates to music also. If your perception is, for example, that all music out of India was that of the Bollywood hits, then this single story would lead to misconceptions of the vast array of music and culture from this subcontinent which crosses folk, classical, electronic music, indie and urban hip hop to name but a few. A rich and varied music curriculum therefore is essential for developing an appreciation and understanding of different musical traditions and musicians, offering a window outside of what children ordinarily listen and connect to. In Bangkok Patana, the Primary Music curriculum covers a range of genres. African and Samba drumming units in upper Key Stage 2,for example, enable children to learn and play traditional rhythms and instruments of Gambia and Brazil whilst exploring the respective countries and cultures. Our ECAs range from choirs and wind bands to Thai Traditional orchestras and Japanese Taiko drumming. All these practical experiences shape our young learners, helping to inform and break down musical and cultural stereotypes whilst opening opportunities for critical dialogue too. Understanding the impact that these cultural traditions have had on popular music is a vital part of the learning. Blues music, for instance, is firmly rooted in African music. It emerged from the oppressed and disadvantaged AfricanAmerican communities in the rural southern states of the United States of America in the years following the American Civil War. Blues singers were descendants of slaves and elements of their music have origins in the work songs from that era. The call and response format can be traced back to these songs and are a feature of Blues music too. In the classroom, singing these songs enables students to sing different languages and connect histories and music to the present day.
Our Musician of the Month project is another strand of our curriculum that focuses on musicians from across the globe. The Queen of Salsa, the Cuban Celia Cruz, was our featured September musician. Learning about the challenges she faced, as well as the successes in her life, introduces students not only to Salsa music, its instruments and dance steps but also the inequalities she encountered. Discovering that she was unable to return to Cuba for many years because of political circumstances leads to further dialogue on the present-day similarities people face in countries across the world and in turn, develops empathy. Music is a powerful medium for connection and communication in society. A study by Harvard researchers found that people around the globe could identify lullabies, dancing songs, and healing songs, regardless of the songs’ cultural origin, after hearing just a 14-second clip. The finding suggests that not only is music deeply rooted in human nature, but that some types of songs transcend cultural boundaries. By instilling an appreciation of these world music traditions from a young age, this can only strengthen and enhance our students own cultural awareness of the world around them.
Lisa Mallett with her flute teacher Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, the renowned bansuri musician and composer. TERM 2 – 2020/21
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WELL-BEING
LEARNING
EXTENDED LEARNING POET’S SHOWCASE Hannah Davis, English Teacher
In the Year 9 Extended Learning in English ECA, we looked at reverse, palindrome and specular poetry – all forms of poetry in which the poets play with structure for effect by ‘mirroring’ lines. Writing this form of poetry is incredibly difficult and takes great time and skill, but the students were up for the challenge and produced some brilliant poems – as you can see in Krista and Shruti’s powerful poem.
Theme – The Girl in the Mirror This reverse poem, when read top to bottom, is about girl who hates how she looks because of her weight. However, when read backwards, it is about a girl who doesn’t care about her weight and knows she is still beautiful.
I hate the girl staring back at me in the mirror I refuse to believe that, I have a right to live, and the world needs me. ‘Weight is just a number’ But I believe that My weight defines who I am. People say that ‘You’re fat’ And there is no hope. Nothing will make me happy. I will never believe that I should be happy. [READ BACKWARDS] By Krista Shim and Shruti Zariye, Year 9
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We also explored different types of ‘found poetry’ – in the ECA – when a poet creates their poem from words or phrases they have found elsewhere. The students had real fun playing with this form and finding poems in different places, including: from words they found on school displays; from words ‘collected’ from English teachers; from Trump’s speeches; and even from the school dress code! In this poem, Advi took a book she loves and recrafted it into her own beautiful piece of literature. Enjoy! “I really like Harry Potter and I think that the writing is really good so I took a page from the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling to turn into a poem.” a cannon blast the golden flames erupting between them light hitting both of their faces in red-glow bursts and then the world resolved itself into pain and semidarkness the high voice shrieked and like the monster it had once commanded a terrible cry that might have burst for centuries expressed agony of a kind neither flame nor curse could cause the shock of the moment suspends his body feeble and shrunken hit the floor with a mundane finality the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face By Advaita (Advi) Sinha, Year 9
Art The art of realisation, in which Agonising guilt Brings forth a Relapse of horrid Memories we thought were Gone. Though, do not forget The art of accepting. Accepting that we cannot Navigate through a maze In a single attempt. Allowing ourselves to instead Explore Every crack in the walls. To uncontrollably adore Every step taken Regardless of the destinationI do believe that is the most precious of them all.
Chaos is Still Beautiful Marvel at life; For life itself is where the Unfathomable unexpectedly Strikes you. For life is such a cacophony of thoughts, So pitiful yet Refreshing. Interesting. For it holds things one cannot Imagine existing. It transforms, metamorphoses Both Life and death Into a glorious array of shattered glass. Each shard tragically intricate in design, Never able to return to its old self. Yet, in some marvelous way, Able to transfigure into Some different form of Art.
By Kylie Kim, Year 11
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LEARNING
IMPROVING SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS Anna Lawlor, Primary Speech and Language Therapist
What is Speech and Language Therapy?
Who needs it and why does it matter?
As some may be unfamiliar with Speech and Language Therapy and what it involves, let us begin with a brief introduction. Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) provide support to people of all ages with a wide range of speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN), including:
Speech, language and communication abilities are essential life skills. In fact, in terms of employability, good communication skills are rated highly as a prerequisite for young people applying for their first job. Below are some facts related to SLCN:
• Difficulties understanding what others say • Problems with using language (vocabulary, sentences) • Difficulties with producing sounds correctly • Social interaction difficulties • Stammering • Voice problems SLTs assess and treat speech and language and communicate needs to enable others to communicate better. Although we work with people who have specific SLCN, we also provide information and support for the speech and language development of all children.
• Seven percent of children at the age of around five have SLCN • Children with poor language skills at age 5 are four times more likely to struggle with reading at 11 years of age • Children with vocabulary difficulties at the age of 5 are significantly associated with mental health issues, poor employment outcomes and problems with literacy • Developmental Language Disorder (difficulties understanding and/or using language not explained by hearing problems or a physical disability) affects approximately two students in every classroom • SLCN are the most common type of special educational need in children that are 4 to 11 years of age Speech and Language Therapy is effective in supporting those with SLCN. It can also benefit children and young people beyond language improvements and includes gains in social skills, peer relationships, selfconfidence and literacy skills. What does it look like at Bangkok Patana? SLTs work in a range of settings including hospitals, clinics and schools. Being based in a school provides an opportunity to work closely with teachers and parents to support the communication skills of students. Students are seen for Speech and Language Therapy in individual one to one sessions or in a small group setting. In addition to direct sessions, support may also be provided through advice, resources and training for teachers and parents. I have recently had the opportunity
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to work with a whole class during a lesson which was very exciting and I look forward to further exploring my role in the classroom in the future. The Primary Learning Support Department also run well established groups using the ‘Social Thinking’ curriculum. Having ‘good’ social skills means following unwritten social rules in society. These lessons help students understand ‘how the social world works and why specific social skills are important in different contexts’. Teachers in the Primary School use ‘Sign4Learning’ which uses signs (based on British Sign Language) along with the spoken word to increase learning of targeted vocabulary. This academic year we have also introduced a new Extra Curricular Activity (ECA) called ‘Singing and Signing’ where we sign key words as we sing them in songs. Signing can be helpful for children with communication difficulties for English as an Additional Language (EAL) students, as well as all children, as it provides a visual reinforcement of spoken words. Final thoughts This is my first year at Bangkok Patana School and I am very much enjoying my role here. I look forward to continuing to build support for students with SLCN and raising awareness of what Speech and Language Therapy can offer. If any parents and/or members of staff have concerns or are interested in learning more about Speech and Language Therapy, please feel free to get in touch with me anytime.
References and Resources:
Bercow: Ten Years On, 2020. Speech Language and Communication Factsheet [Online]. [Accessed 14th January 2021]. Available from: https://www.bercow10yearson. com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Speech-languageand-communication-factsheet-final2.docx.pdf GARCIA WINNER, M. 2008. Think Social! A Social Thinking Curriculum for School-Age Students. Think Social Publishing, Inc. Makaton, 2020. Who uses Makaton? [Online]. [Accessed 14th January 2021]. Available from: https://www.makaton.org/ TMC/TMC/About_Makaton/Who_uses_Makaton.aspx RADLD, 2020. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Fact Sheet [Online]. [Accessed 14th January 2021]. Available from: https://radld.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ DLD-Fact-Sheet-English.pdf RCSLT, 2020. Supporting Children and Young People [Online]. [Accessed 14th January 2021]. Available from: https:// www.rcslt.org/wp-content/uploads/media/Project/ RCSLT/rcslt-supporting-children-fact-sheet.pdf?la=en&hash=3 1C6D86B8916DA4EA6374825D03D67D289DC34ED RCSLT, 2020. What are Speech, Language and Communication Needs? [Online]. [Accessed 14th January 2021]. Available from: https://www.rcslt.org/wp-content/uploads/media/ Project/RCSLT/rcslt-communication-needs-factsheet.pdf?la= en&hash=0AE5CCD92C2A06D73B67F661815EBFE9A 387517D RCSLT, 2020. What is Speech and Language Therapy? [Online]. [Accessed 14th January 2021]. Available from: https://www.rcslt.org/wp-content/uploads/media/ Project/RCSLT/rcslt-what-is-slt-factsheet.pdf?la=en&hash=1F 2F048362707F33F1E288A5383736CC7C105912 Sign4Learning, 2020. Welcome to Sign 4 Learning [Online]. [Accessed 14th January 2021]. Available from: http:// www.sign4learning.co.uk/
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LEARNING
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP ALUMNI STORIES LIFE AFTER PATANA
FROM PATANA TO FILM, A PASSION FOR MEDIA ARTS LED TO A FEATURE FILM Although Sophie Saville, Grad’10, only spent a few years at Bangkok Patana School, she credits the importance of having a supportive community and the connections she made to guide her on her current path. After graduating from Bangkok Patana, Sophie returned to Australia to earn a Bachelor’s in Media Arts and Production at the University of Technology Sydney. Sophie is working on filming her first feature film after freelancing as a videographer and photographer.
“My journey begins at Bangkok Patana, where I always had my Sony handicam in hand (it still sits in my office as a reminder of where I started). I created various videos for different school activities including Habitat for Humanity, Wat
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Pong Ploy, Patana Idol, and the graduation videos for the classes of 2009 and 2010. After graduating from Bangkok Patana I went on to study a Bachelor of Media Arts and Production at the University
Bangkok Patana Magazine
of Technology in Sydney where I studied all things media and film. Soon after graduating I began freelancing as a videographer and photographer under the name SOSAVY for four years. Over those years I put my university degree into practice, making a few short films and, of course, learning and making a few mistakes along the way! During those years I also met my creative partner Rowan and in 2019 we co-founded our video production company The Story Mill. Day-to-day we create branded content for local Sydney brands and businesses. I most recently directed the successful short film PEACH, which has gained international recognition and nominations at film festivals including the Iris Prize, Outfits and Frameline. I’m now embarking on a big dream of mine and making a feature film called ‘Evicted! A Modern Romance’. It’s a hilarious, heartfelt story about the trials and tribulations of finding a new share house in Sydney. We planned to start filming in January 2021. I’ve even employed a fellow Patana alumni, Holly Dover (Class of 2009). We met during our time at Bangkok Patana and became particularly close when she starred in, and I filmed, the school production of The Wizard of Oz. We stayed in touch from opposite sides of the world after school until Holly moved from the UK to Australia five years ago. Holly was working in events and experiential marketing
when COVID-19 hit which greatly impacted her job. We were able to take her on at The Story Mill where she’s supported us with project management, marketing and new business. She’ll also be putting her degree in Drama and Theatre Arts to use and help us bring the film to life as our Assistant Producer! I have a few passions beyond film; I go crazy for avocados, roller skating, and playing guitar (stemming from performing at many Patana Plugged and Unplugged gigs). I’ve always been passionate about saving the environment so much so that I was nicknamed the Eco Warrior at Bangkok Patana. You can follow the films journey on instagram at ‘evictedthemovie’ or on facebook- https://www.facebook.com/ evictedthemovie2021 We have also launched a Facebook donation page to help raise some extra support we need for the film. All donations big or small are welcome and can be made here https://www.facebook.com/donate/280683467624 2334/
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GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP ALUMNI STORIES LIFE AFTER PATANA
STRONG ETHICAL VALUES AT BANGKOK PATANA GUIDE WORK ROLE A native of Taiwan, Chang Wan Lin attended Bangkok Patana School for seven years before graduating in 2015. After graduation, Wan Lin studied International Hotel Management with Finance at Les Roches International School of Hotel Management. This was followed by a Master’s in Applied Economics at Hong Kong Baptist University in 2018. Currently, Wan Lin works as a wealth management manager at AIA Group Limited. “Bangkok Patana will always have a special place in my heart. It is the birthplace of my interests in Economics and Finance. The cultural diversity of the community at Bangkok Patana School helped me blend with foreigners in the places I have lived and worked. These include Switzerland and Portugal, where I briefly worked, and now Hong Kong. This exposure has had a lasting impact on my life.” “I’ve always been a people person so I went to study international hospitality management in Switzerland, but after working briefly in hospitality in Europe, somewhere in my heart I knew something was missing. During the last year of college I found the missing piece in my Finance major. By the time I graduated from university, I knew I wanted to be involved deeply in this field, and there’s no better place for Finance in Asia than Hong Kong as the international financial hub of Asia Pacific. To further pursue my passion, I enrolled to earn a Master’s in Applied Economics in Hong Kong.”
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“My active role in Bangkok Patana’s Interact Club and Habitat for Humanity has left a mark on me, leaving me with strong ethical values that will remain throughout the rest of my life. I interviewed and explored hundreds of financial companies in Hong Kong looking for the right one for me, and I found it. AIA Group is the largest multinational insurance and finance publicly listed firm in Asia Pacific.” “As a wealth management manager, I assess client’s current financial status by conducting financial needs analysis. Additionally, I work in risk management, retirement planning, asset allocation etc, insurance and corporate MPF and group medical insurance.” “To put it simply my role has a purpose; to protect people’s main source of income and make sure their future generation have income. From what you may say? The unexpected high costs from sudden diseases like COVID-19, or the loss of income from having to receive treatment, the loss of cash flow from economic changes. However, my role also helps
clients achieve their goals like buying their first house, support their children’s college education and inheritance. Also, not only do I help my clients, but also with each business the AIA Group will donate to charity in my name.”
“I am so passionate about finance that stock trading and working with stocks is one of my hobbies. However, I realise the need for a variety of hobbies outside of work so I also enjoy hiking and wine!”
Visiting Bangkok? Want to come back for noodles? To book your alumni visit, get in touch at alumni@patana.ac.th
Life After Patana Stories Our alumni have had some amazing experiences since they left Bangkok Patana. Scan the QR code to learn more about their journeys.
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GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
INTERNATIONAL DAY 18th November, 2020
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