Patana News Volume 26 Issue 2

Sarah MccorMack

What Makes a HealtHy learning Habitat?

Sarah McCormack, Primary Principal

Oftenmy best work comes during the summer holidays. This is when I find I have space to think and to make connections. This summer, the question on my mind was activating the school’s mission of supporting our students to reach their full potential and the link with student belonging and agency. This has also been fuelled by my summertime read and course entitled ‘Transforming Schools – Creativity, Critical Reflection, Communication and Collaboration’ by Jefferson and Anderson and a sneak peek at ‘Street Data’ by Safir and Dugan.

Back in Northern Ireland, I have two fine young nephews called Sam and John. They love the natural world and spend much of their days exploring the Irish coastline. They are also becoming resident experts in rock pools and have started to curate their own YouTube channel the Coastal Kidz. Inspired by their seaside rambles, I started to think about our school as a dynamic learning habitat, much like a rock pool, where various elements come together in a harmonious symbiosis to nurture life and growth.

From these idyllic musings of summertime reverie, the pivotal inquiry for this academic year emerges: What constitutes a thriving learning habitat at Bangkok Patana? How can we all work together to achieve harmony and balance so that all students can flourish and grow? There is a lot of further thinking to be done, but here is the analogy as it unfolds and the planned action steps so far:

THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: SETTING THE STAGE

Imagine a rock pool, a bustling ecosystem where various organisms thrive. Similarly, our school's physical environment provides the foundation for exploration and growth. Thoughtfully designed classrooms, creative shared spaces, newly equipped playgrounds and inviting labs and libraries serve as the nooks where curiosity is nurtured. We begin this project by asking the students to consider the similarities between rock pools and our classrooms. How does their physical environment support them and influence their well-being and learning? We used this video created by Coastal Kidz to help us. Our Mordern Foreign Language (MFL) classes even turned it into a learning project!

THE SOCIAL ECOSYSTEM: NURTURING CONNECTIONS

In a rock pool, organisms interact, each playing a part in maintaining the ecosystem's balance. Similarly, our

school's social fabric thrives on relationships and interactions that enhance learning. Collaborative projects, teamwork, peer discussions and extra-curricular activities create opportunities for students to engage and learn from one another. In two staff CPL sessions last week, we considered how to build collaborative classroom communities and Ms Kate McClenaghan shared some great resources that parents might find useful:

• An introduction for parents with some practical suggestions: How To Encourage Teamwork and Cooperation in Children | Bedtime Stories (storyberries.com)

• The article from Lego gives examples of collaboration at different ages: How to Encourage Collaboration in Kids Through Cooperative Play | Official LEGO® Shop AT

• This article has some nice ideas about building up teamwork within the family setting:15 Ideas for Family Team Building - Project Management for Parents

• Another quick and easy resource with some team building games: 15 Team Building Games, Activities & Ideas for Kids in 2023

THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT: A FOUNDATION FOR WELL-BEING AND RESILIENCE

A rock pool's serenity hides the intricate relationships that sustain it. Our teachers take on the role of mentors, guiding students with kindness and understanding. Friendships hold a key place in a student's emotional journey through school, serving as the foundation for their well-being and resilience. Just as the inhabitants of a rock pool rely on each other, the emotional connections between peers are key. This term we will be looking at our positive behaviour approaches and policies to further support positive interactions and relations in the Primary School.

NAVIGATING TIDAL SHIFTS: CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION

Julia Donaldson's book "Sharing a Shell," tells a tale of the trials and triumphs faced by the denizens of an

ever-changing environment. Just as the rock pool harbours its resilient occupants, our classrooms play host to an array of steadfast learners. Yet, with every tide's shift, a novel entity, be it a sea creature or a new student, has the potential to usher in change and transformation. This year, we gladly welcome 181 new students to the Primary School and it is in our Early Years classes that we see the greatest enrolment. To support this process, we are excited to announce that Mr Michael Dolan-Hodgson (FS2) is taking on a newly created leadership role as Community Liaison Lead Teacher for the Foundation Stage with a focus on belonging and inclusion.

SYMBIOSIS: A TRIAD OF SUPPORT

Just as a rock pool thrives through symbiosis and the teamwork of its inhabitants, our effectiveness as educators hinges on the connections between students, teachers and parents like you. As we start a new term, the precious input and special understanding you offer about your child forms the foundation of our approach. Additionally, when we all share similar expectations and values, it forms a solid structure that guides the journey of learning and progress. Coming up on 29th August, we look forward to welcoming parents for the ‘Introduction to the Learning’ meetings with our class teachers where we outline our ethos, provision and curriculum. Additionally, myself, Mr Chris Sammons and the Primary Leadership Team invite you to attend a parent workshop on the same day looking at the year ahead. Do also check ISAMS for other parent partnership workshops that will be offered.

As the academic calendar progresses, the question of what makes a healthy learning habitat will serve as our north star. An exploration undertaken not just by the students, but by the entire Primary team. We hope you, as parents, will join us as we embark on a collective journey to further consider and co-create a flourishing educational space and ecosystem in the Bangkok Patana Primary School.

PrOteCted, Safe and SeCure

Cindy Adair, Cross Campus Assistant Principal, Continued Professional Learning

Therehas been a flurry of professional learning taking place over the past eight days as our staff upskill to ensure they can support our students and keep them protected, safe and secure. Here are just some of the workshops and accredited training that has been undertaken:

•Our new staff have participated in safeguarding workshops which included common scenarios and reinforced our reporting channels;

•Our Primary PE Team and Swim Department have undertaken the SST Water Safety Plus qualification to ensure they are ready and able to support a student in an emergency situation in and around water, including the operation of an AED, deploying a spinal board and performing CPR;

•Our TAs have undertaken their annual First Aid update, which included learning to treat both minor and major first aid emergencies such as; the delivery of CPR, treatment of choking, asthma attack, anaphylactic shock, nose bleeds, cuts, and soft tissue injuries;

•Our whole staff are undertaking online safeguarding training via TES/Educare, this year focusing on Child-on-Child Abuse;

•Over 300 ECA providers and part-timecoaches undertook their annual induction which included essential information on our emergency procedures and safeguarding expectations.

Next week we welcome Chiang Mai Rock Association to run Climbing Wall training for our coaches and Climbing team and a group of Secondary staff will undertake their Water Safety Plus training ahead of our Secondary Residential visits in November.

PriMary

Habitat art COMPetitiOn

(Foundation Stage - Year 6)

Submit your entry to the Primary Art Room by Monday 18th September. Please include your name and class on the front of your artwork. All entries will be displayed and one from each Year Group will be selected to win a prize!

tranSPOrt COrner: Car SeatS

In a proactive move to prioritise the safety of younger students, our school has been supporting a policy that aligns with the recent announcement from the Royal Thai Police. According to the Royal Thai Police’s latest directive, it is now required to use car seats for children under the age of 6 years old, effective from 17th August 2023.

Our Transport Department took a bold step by implementing this policy a year in advance, recognising the importance of child safety during the journey to and from school. With the new policy coming into effect, we are proud to be ahead of the curve in ensuring that younger transport users are protected while traveling.

tHai CurriCuluM bOOkS

tHai CurriCuluM bOOkS

Our Thai teachers in both Primary and Secondary have written and published the first edition of Bangkok Patana Thai books for Years 2 - 9. We designed these books following the Thai Curriculum for International Schools, as issued by the Ministry of Education. Moreover, our teachers created exercises that are specific to our students’ context, in which they primarily utilise English as their main language for daily communication.

I am confident that this set of Bangkok Patana Thai books will strengthen our students’ knowledge and understanding of Thai language and culture to their full potential.

Transport Department

Pinkarn Vajrapana, Head of Thai Programme

starting year 7

Chloe Lin, 7J and Eva Collier, 7J

As evening nears, the nervous feeling takes its place. What if we get lost? What if we get detention on the first day? Although we are anxious, the joyful feeling starts to take over. Imagine… we’re going to be in a new class! And we’re going to have different teachers for each subject! How will we remember everything? All we can think about is starting Secondary.

The next morning, we slip into our smart new uniforms ready for Secondary school. On the way, we get all jittery. We are also enthusiastic and eager, as we approach the freshly painted school gates. For the first time, we tap our cards…we are now in Secondary!

As soon as we reach the Theatre, we scan the crowd, looking for our friends. Finally, we spot them and all our feelings rush to the top of our chest. A flood of adrenaline fills our bodies… a whole summer without seeing them and now, we’re here. We sit down with our tutor and

DANCE ACADEMY

TheDance Academy hosted their annual trials this week for the competitive team division, popularly known as Tiger Cats (new addition being Tiger Kittens), with record turnout. The studio lounge and waiting areas were packed as eager parents showed up to encourage and show support for their child(ren). With over 180 registrations, the Academy coaching team are now busy screening videos and making selections for all the different teams! This is a mammoth task with a goal to ensure that we put each child onto a team that will be best suited for them and, if they haven't made the cut, to provide them with alternative growth pathways through a combination of development programmes, recreational and yearlong ECAs. Good luck to all our students and get ready – training starts next week!

soon feel safe and welcome, knowing that even if we get lost, we will always be found and really, it’s not that scary.

Once we reached our tutor base, we were given our (very fiddly) lockers and our teachers introduced themselves. Soon after that, we started a fun treasure hunt to learn more about our new surroundings. Next, it’s lunchtime and we enter the ginormous cafeteria, a tsunami of people surround the snack bar as we dive in to buy the much anticipated ice-cream.

By lunchtime we already felt at home and the rest of the day went by in the flash. Soon, it was already the end of day and we couldn’t wait for tomorrow. We were so excited to once again go to the cafeteria, get lost in a fun way, meet new teachers and friends. Secondary School is going to be good!

Vallary Lokre, Head Dance Coach

Wildlife spotting with coke suMMer expedition to south aMerica

Alexander Coke Smith V, Secondary Environmental Sciences Leader

aspiring Medics Visit chulabhorn hospital

Aspart of the Aspiring Medics group at Bangkok Patana School, several Year 13 and Year 12 students, as well as careers/university counsellors Mr Haughton and Mr Kim, participated in a visit to Chulabhorn Hospital. The visit was a truly valuable experience that allowed us to delve into the practical side of medicine, providing us insights into the medical field, including the realistic challenges and rewards of a doctor’s everyday life.

about the biggest life lesson he had learned so far. He answered by sharing his personal experience of when one of his university students suddenly passed away one day, unexpected considering how healthy the student was. For the doctor, this incident served as a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment. Although studying medicine had really pushed him to his limits, he called it the “best feeling” when he was finally able to apply his knowledge in meeting and helping patients. The biggest life lesson pushed him to proceed with his profession as a doctor; he truly appreciated the privilege he was given to be able to help so many people on a daily basis.

Our tour continued at the Thammasat University Hospital, a vast medical facility that caters to patients across various specialised sections. Finally, the most memorable part of our visit was the Gross Anatomy Lab. As we examined bones, skeletons and even a cadaver under the guidance of a dissection-specialist staff, we were struck by the reality and intricacies of the human body. Though initially shocking, the experience gave us a deeper appreciation for the complexity of medical practice.

The day began with an introduction to the undergraduate programmes in Medicine, Dentistry and Optometry at the hospital. Meeting with two Bangkok Patana alumni who are now medical students provided us with a further understanding into the hectic schedule and workload of a medical student. We had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with them, where we eagerly posed questions about medical student life, interview tips and more. Their honest feedback served as a valuable guide for our future endeavours in the medical field.

Our journey continued as we explored the Simulation Lab and Operating Room, where we learned about cardiovascular and thoracic technology. The highlight of the visit was witnessing the ground-breaking Cardiac MRI technology that enables doctors to capture the heart in motion without the need for radiation. We also had the privilege of spending time with the cardiac doctor who graciously answered our questions, sharing his personal experiences and insights.

One particular moment that struck a chord was when one of our group members asked the cardiac doctor

On behalf of the Aspiring Medics group, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the staff mem-bers and our University and Careers Counsellors for organising this enriching experience. The visit to Chulabhorn Hospital enabled us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the medical field, while also igniting a newfound respect for medical professionals. The lessons learned and insights gained will undoubtedly guide us as we make informed decisions about our future careers in medicine.

Yerin Kang, 13R

#252: What parents need to knoW about ai Virtual Friends

Artificial intelligence is probably the hot topic in technology circles right now, with questions being raised worldwide about how AI might conceivably affect the very future of the human race. In the short term, however –definitely as far as its impact on young people is concerned – the clearest risk is almost certainly the AI-powered ‘virtual friends’ which are springing up all over the internet.

There’s Replika and Kuki, for instance, while Snapchat has recently got in on the act with My AI – and search engines like Bing and Google have developed their own versions. Are these machine intelligences suitable online companions for young people? What are their limitations and weak spots? Famialirise yourself with this guide on AI ‘virtual friends’.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Brian Taylor Assistant Principal, Technology for Learning

New Patana Parents Bring Blockbuster Movie “One and Only” to Thailand

Currently Top-3 movie in Thailand, be sure to check out “One and Only” in theatres now!