Maker Movement Why industry is looking for people who know what to do with the knowledge that they have.
Positive Psychology Understanding your child’s behaviour through their neurological limitations
A Personal Project
Allowing students to explore a topic of their choice over the course of their final year.
internationalschoolparent.com
Autumn 2015
GET READY.
THE WHOLE WORLD IS WAITING.
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Welcome to the autumn term edition of International School Parent Magazine! After an active summer, and no doubt a busy start to the autumn term, your children are probably well into the swing of things! As the cold weather is closing in, but the snow has not quite arrived yet, our top autumnal tip for residents of central and western Switzerland is to take a trip to the old salt mine on the eastern most tip of Lac LÊman in Bex. A visit to the mine can be enjoyed whatever the weather, as it is a fixed temperature of 18 degrees year round, and always dry! You can take a fantastic guided tour and follow the plight of miners back in time to the 17th Century, and see the tough conditions in which they excavated these minerals by hand 300 years ago. More information can be found here www.mines.ch. For those further east, a trip to the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne is a great day out. It is one of the best museum experiences around, with interactive and static displays showing the development of transport, mobility and communication systems. It is well worth spending a whole day there. Find out more at www.vekehrshuas.ch. As usual, we have some great articles from educational experts. This term, we look at understanding your child’s behaviour though their neurological limitations; how the maker movement is transforming education; and the MYP Personal Project, which students take in the final year of the programme. I would like to extend our invitation to teachers, parents, and practitioners in all fields of education to contact us about writing and interview opportunities.
Meet us on campus for a private visit or an Open Day : 18th September / 23rd October / 20th November
CONTACT GREGOIRE PITTET Regional Admission Manager swissrecruitment@lesroches.edu +41 (0) 21 989 26 85.
We remain committed to the task of helping parents and children make the most of the fantastic opportunities an education at an international school in Switzerland provides. All that remains to be said is that I hope you have a wonderful start to the academic year. Work hard and be the best! Nick Gilbert Editor & Publishing Director International School Parent Magazine Tel: +41 787 10 80 91 Email: nick@internationalschoolparent.com Visit: internationalschoolparent.com Facebook: facebook.com/internationalschoolparent
Contents 03 A Personal Project 08 Maker Movement 12 Returning to School 14 Meet the Head Teachers
www.lesroches.edu
We would love to discuss with you the opportunity to be featured in the magazine and on our new website at www.internationalschoolparent.com.
16 Both Sides of the School Fence 18 Positive Pyschology 22 Inspirational International School Parent
27 School News 36 Family Constellations 40 World Class Education Systems
48 My Journey From Zugerberg to the Rockies 51 What You Need to Know About the Flu
IT’S MORE THAN A DEGREE. IT’S A CAREER-MAKER. 79% of Glion Alumni are in management positions. We’re developing the next generation of global business leaders in the hospitality industry through our successful, proven methods. Will you be one of them?
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR SWISS NATIONALS OR PERMIT HOLDERS
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We offer unique programs with global opportunities and many specializations on our campuses in Switzerland and London. Register for an Open Day or a private visit. Gregoire Pittet - Admission Manager / gregoire.pittet@laureate.ch / +41 21 989 26 85
STEPHANIE BROOK – MYP EDUCATOR , PERSONAL PROJECT COORDINATOR GEMS WORLD ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, ETOY
International School Parent Autumn 2015
If your son or daughter is enrolled in an IB World School and is between the ages of 11 and 16, then they will be studying the Middle Years Program (MYP) of the IB. This is an exciting time in their education, where they are starting to dig deeper into subjects that matter most to them, and to try and understand how the world works on so many different levels. One of the most exciting things that your son or daughter has to look forward to is the opportunity to complete the Personal Project in their fifth and final year of the MYP. The Personal Project allows each students to explore a topic of their choice over the course of their final year. I like to think of it as a “genius hour” project that takes a bit longer. It is a culminating project at the end of the MYP, allowing students to demonstrate the skills and knowledge they have honed throughout the program.
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The Personal Project comes out of the MYP’s inquiry model to teaching and learning. This is very different from the top-down teaching model, where the teacher feeds information to the student and they feed it back to the teacher in the form of tests or assignments. The inquiry model has the teacher acting as more of a guide, and directing students as they research and explore. Let’s use the topic of war as an example. Traditional approaches to education would introduce a list of important wars that students should study, along with the memorisation of dates and key figures as well as important battles and outcomes. These lists would vary from country to country, and textbooks written from one perspective would almost certainly be used. The MYP approaches the topic of war by asking the students to formulate questions for research such as: Why do people fight? What are the results of war? What are some alternatives to war? How has war affected me? How has war affected the country I am living in?
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Most projects have a product or outcome, and students are given a chance to share these at an exhibition evening later in the year. Additionally, a report is written on the process of completing the project, allowing students to look back and reflect on what they were able to learn throughout the year. The topics that students choose for their projects are diverse and exciting, and students are encouraged to choose something that ignites their curiosity. Often, teachers select a project to supervise based solely on the topic (without knowing who the student is), and many teachers have reported that they have learned a lot from this experience, or that they were able to share something about themselves with a student that is completely unrelated to the subject they are teaching. It is really good for students to see that scientists can also be musicians, and that artists can also be mathematicians. This past year, projects completed by students at our school included a huge range of topics: organising a fashion show; building a quad copter; teaching a horse to jump; composing, singing and recording an album; writing and recording a documentary; building a longboard; exploring body language; fair trade and designer knock-offs; the science of basketballs.
The answers to these questions will vary, based on geographic location and personal history, adding to the richness of the inquiry. Students are often moved to action and take what they have learned our into their community. As an MYP educator, I have seen a big difference in the level of engagement on the part of MYP students, who were given a chance to explore a topic from a variety of different angles and to ask questions to which they were interested to find the answers to. The Personal Project challenges them to apply their inquiring minds to an independent project. I have the privilege of organising the MYP’s Personal Project in the school where I am currently employed. In their final year of the MYP (Year 5), students are required to complete the Personal Project. It is a year-long inquiry into a topic of their choice, where they are given a chance to explore something that really interests them. Each student is assigned a teacher supervisor, who is available to help if and when needed, but the project is organised and completed entirely by the student.
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“Each student is assigned a teacher supervisor, who is available to help if and when needed, but the project is organised and completed entirely by the student.” internationalschoolparent.com
Many schools organise open discussions between students who have already completed the project and those who are just beginning. These discussions allow for honest feedback on the experience and the process of organising for the task ahead. Although the project is like none most of these students have ever completed before, every student who completes the project comes away with a tremendous sense of accomplishment. The biggest challenge that most students face surrounds the organisation of the project, so this is usually the area where the coordinator and supervisors lend the most support. Every school organises the project differently, but the overall goal of providing students with support that will allow them to maintain control over the project and to independently complete the work remains the same.
This is a group project completed at the end of the PYP (Grade 5). The IB has built these different projects into its continuum of programs to allow students ample opportunities to practice the independent inquiry skills that they are learning throughout their IB education. By the time students have reached the end of the IB Diploma Program, they are given the challenge of completing the Extended Essay, which is a more academic inquiry project. This essay allows students to demonstrate the range of skills they have learned over the years and is an incredibly challenging, yet rewarding, experience for students as they complete their IB education. As parents, I encourage you to find out more about the MYP Personal Project in your IB school or in the IB schools in your area. Take time to attend the exhibition evenings and witness the incredible learning that is taking place by students in your community. If your son or daughter is in Year 4 or 5 of the MYP this year, take some time to find out about the Personal Project at your school. Many schools have a Projects Coordinator, or you can also speak with the school’s MYP Coordinator if you have any questions. You can find our more about the MYP Projects on the IB’s website here: http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/middleyears-programme/curriculum/ myp-projects/
There is a feeling of connection and a sense of community among students completing the Personal Project, as this is something that is being undertaken by thousands of students all around the world. Accredited MYP schools are required to register all students completing the project for external moderation, which allows the IB to maintain a level of excellence amongst their schools world-wide. Additionally, the IB has recently introduced what is known as the Community Project as an optional project for schools to use half-way through the MYP. This is a group project, and is a good introduction to the idea of the Personal Project, but in a group setting. Many students coming into the MYP have not completed the PYP (Primary Years Program), which culminates with a project of its own known as the PYP Exhibition.
internationalschoolparent.com
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
It goes without saying that the 21st century is the age of the Digital. For those of us living during the transition from the Industrial Revolution into this period, it can feel quite conflicting at times. We are aware of the vital need to educate our young people to use digital tools. At the same time, we worry about the increased time spent in front of computer screens. There is no shortage of articles in mainstream media either striking fear in the hearts of parents regarding too much technology, or setting off worries about our kids’ futures if there is too little technology. There is another movement underfoot, that parents might be unaware of. It is called the Maker Education movement. Maker Faires and Hacker Labs are popping up all around the world. In our Lake Geneva area, we have the Post Tenebras Lab in Geneva, the Hacker Space Fix Me in Lausanne, and the Fab Lab in Neuchatel. This past June, Nyon hosted the first Leman Maker Faire weekend.
to insert computer-programming education within school curriculums. Since September 2014, the United Kingdom mandates computer science education in primary school and upward. They were only preceded by Estonia in 2012 and Greece 2013. Increasingly, country governments are awakening to this, including the United States. In fact, it is partly due to the push of Code.org that changes in the USA in terms of computer science education are currently underway. Obama became the first USA president to write a line of code during last year’s Hour of Code organized by Code.org. The Maker Education movement gives immediacy to children’s computing education by providing opportunities for them to apply their new coding skills. Parents who feel a bit conflicted about 1:1 digital education (1 laptop for every 1 child) can feel confident that their digital education is for fruitful ends, when they see their child programming a hand-built weather station to collect temperature data for a scientific experiment.
“One of the greatest appeals of Maker Education is the possibility of integrating technology in with the Arts subjects.”
The Maker Movement is Transforming Education VIVIAN CHOW KWAN
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internationalschoolparent.com
Maker Education brings the two worlds of the Industrial Revolution and the Digital Age together. Maker Education essentially is about giving students openended time to explore physical materials to build new creations. Most projects are open-ended and up to students’ individual innovativeness and motivation. The Digital Age is brought in as they use their programming “super powers” in order to bring life and interactivity to their creations. Using technology to solve problems is one of the core tenets of the Maker Education movement. It is robotics, but it is more than robotics. Here we have a happy balance between children manipulating the physical world in order to learn, and the amazing engagement and powerful tools they have when on a computer screen.
The Future is in Computing
Code.org predicts that there will be 1.4 million computing jobs by 2020, but only 400,000 computer science students to fill them. This is a 500 billion dollar opportunity that countries around the world are hoping to have a piece of. To these ends, governments around the world are starting
internationalschoolparent.com
Maker Education is Exploration of the Arts
There are two ways that children tend to explore their worlds. One way is the “Patterner” (often a boy) who loves creating patterns and following formulas and seeing them run. Programming robotics appeals to Patterners. The other is the “Dramatist” who is someone that prefers to tell stories (often a girl). Maker Education is not just for the electronic and computer geeks. It gives room for Dramatists to tell their stories too. An example of a dramatist project might be a bookmark with a Firefly on it that senses when it is dark and then lights up for reading in the dark. Particularly exciting is the recent invention of washable microcontrollers and conductive threads, creating possibilities for E-Textiles or Soft Circuits. Textile projects and clothing can now be embedded with technology to be interactive. An example of a Soft Circuit project might be a skirt whose lights twinkle according to the rhythm of your dance steps. One of the greatest appeals of Maker Education is the possibility of integrating technology in with the Arts subjects. Educational circles call this STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math).
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Maker Education returns us to our roots
So, the Maker Education movement is transforming education by allowing students to participate in the Design Cycle in ways that were unimaginable before. It is a happy marriage of the Industrial Revolution with the Digital Age; combing the two schools of thought of Dr. Papert and Dr. Piaget. I call it “TECHXture”.
In many ways, Maker Education brings us back to the original roots advocating technology in Education. The philosophy of using computer technology to learn actually started with Dr. Seymour Papert in the 1960s. He was a famous MIT and Education professor who spent time teaching in the University of Geneva. His original idea was that children learn to program robots in order to enhance their education. Dr. Papert built the first programmable toy in the world, in fact. If you ever tried programming with LOGO while in school, it was Dr. Papert who invented this programming language for children.
Maker Education prepares us for the future In our day and age of Education, it is no longer sufficient to have knowledge. Industry is looking for people who know what to do with the knowledge that they have. They want inventors who can harness their knowledge in novel ways.
Dr. Jean Piaget was another famous educator with Swiss roots. He was a developmental psychologist and one of Dr. Papert’s mentors. There is not an educator around who did not learn about Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development. In his developmental studies, he proposed that children learn best when they can be hands-on in their learning. (This is probably where our fears of too much screen-time come from.)
This requires the ability to think creatively, critically, and to innovate to a degree that traditional book-study simply cannot address. In order to foster Innovation in young people, students need opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, to learn how to collaborate across networks, to lead by influence, to be agile and adaptable, and to be curious and to use their imaginations (Forbes). Giving them time and open-ended makerspaces for Maker Education goes a long way to fostering all of this in our 21st century world.
His ideas about hands-on learning might seem obvious to us, now. During his time, though, students sat in rows in school and only worked through their books; it was a huge shift in pedagogical thought. Indeed, computer scientists are needed in every sector and industry now, including the Fine Arts. There is something in physical computer for everyone.
Maker Education is Innovation
Maker Education follows the heels of the “20% Time” philosophy that Google provides for its employees. Google gives employees 20% “free time” during their week to work on their own projects, hoping that something innovative might be stumbled upon. (Gmail and Ad Sense are two projects that were birthed out of the 20% Time.) You may hear schools calling their 20% Maker Education time “Genius Hour” or “Passion Project” time. Besides giving students time during the school day, schools that are passionate about Maker Education allocate space and materials for it. In many schools, the Maker-Space can be found in the library, alongside library computers and media stations for research help and digital tools for their projects.
Maker Education is Hands-On
Materials can be anything and everything: cardstock, wood, fabric, wool, LEGO, and even things pulled out of the recycling bin etc. The tools would be familiar to those of us who took Industrial Arts or Sewing & Textiles classes while in school: hammers, saws, soldering irons, sewing machines, etc. New tools might include microcontrollers (small embeddable computers) like Arduino or Raspberry Pi, programming software to run the microcontrollers,
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Vivian is a Canadian living in Switzerland. She is a PYP Classroom and Music Educator, and an International Parent to 4 of her own. Twitter @ChezVivian
laser cutters, and 3D printers. The importance of introducing microcontrollers and programing in students’ computing education can be seen in the recent initiative announced by the UK to give every Year 7 student a free microcontroller called the BBC Micro: bit. Besides supplying new tools and materials and teaching coding skills, some traditional skills are making a comeback. The ability to program physical objects requires the ability to build electrical circuits and to troubleshoot for conductivity. (The microcontrollers are attached to physical objects by way of electrical circuitry.) Here is a way where traditional teaching and learning of electrical circuits has immediate relevance and application for students.
Maker Education makes computer science education accessible to all
Maker Education does more than bridge the gap between the Industrial Revolution and the Digital Age, while appealing to both boys and girls. It also gives opportunities for early childhood to learn computer science and how it relates to their world. “Squishy Circuits” gives them conductive play-dough, electrical wires, and batteries in order to learn about electrical circuits. “Little Bits” and the “Makey-Makey” are examples of microcontrollers for early childhood that do not require soldering. Apps like Scratch Jr enable pre-readers and pre-writers to code. These all enable concrete learning experiences for very young children, at a stage when they can’t learn through the abstract.
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University of Rochester
20 Universität Bern
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EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAM We’ll change the way you think. In Switzerland since 1995.
www.20-years-robe.ch www.rochester-bern.ch
International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Returning to School: Preparing for Success SABINE HUTCHESON – ACADEMIC DIRECTOR AT TUTORSPLUS
The end of the summer holiday is an exciting time for students who look forward to diving back into the familiar school environment where they can thrive and continue to learn. This isn’t the case for everyone, though, as anxieties may stem from moving to a new school or country, changing the language of instruction and adapting to a new social environment and set of rules. Yet, for all concerned, plans can be made to aim for a successful academic year where success means a stress-free learning experience and academic results that correspond to the student’s maximum potential. Start as you mean to go on! The best way to settle into the new term is to prepare for it so you hit the ground running. Stress can act as a barrier to learning and efficient studying. It builds up fast when a student feels overwhelmed and disorganised so getting ready for school properly will help maintain the course to success. Moving up through the year groups poses increasing demands as the academic content becomes more specialist and the pressure of exams mounts. The students who will feel these growing expectations the most are the 11-12 year olds starting secondary schools, the 14+ year olds taking IGCSE courses and those moving into higher education, whether for the IB Diploma, A Levels, the French Bac or Swiss Matu. So where do you start with preparations? With the basics. In the bedroom (or study for the luckier ones), create an environment conducive to learning. Involve your child, even at a younger age, in making the transition between the holidays and the school term by putting away the summer paraphernalia and tidying up their study area. Ideally, there should be a space for homework and study, a clear desk or table, some shelves, not only for school books but for other reference and inspirational books, and plenty of stationery. For families in which homework happens at the same time for several children, stationery should be kept in a box (like a tool box) that can be carried to a larger communal study space; this helps avoid the distractions of comings and goings to find erasers, rulers and such like.
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internationalschoolparent.com
Students can also plan for their own learning by setting up a routine schedule of study versus play time. Again, children respond better by being involved in drawing up the rules. Not all schools provide a set timetable for homework, but this is easily done in collaboration with teachers and takes the stress out of forgotten assignments and last-minute revision. In primary school, children can cope with up to half an hour a day. Even if they are only set homework once a week, the daily routine of reviewing the week’s topics, spellings, revisiting some reading or simply sitting down with a book, a documentary or one selected educational website will be beneficial to instilling good habits and an effective work ethic. In secondary school, it is common to allow two hours a day for homework and revision. If possible, the routine should be kept up with additional reading or making revision notes in case of lighter homework. Educational websites and Apps where learning happens through games are perfectly valid sources to complement homework, so look them up now so your child is ready for the term. It is important to allow time for leisure and after-school activities, especially sport, for quality family time at weekends or anything that the students can look forward to as a reward after a week of hard work. The students (and parents) who have been organised and used the summer holidays to recap and consolidate what they learnt in the previous school year will be better prepared than others. Once all possible online activities and games for last year’s topics have been tried, or the widely available holiday revision booklets have been filled, the best way to move forward is to make a list of what was not understood or what was a little difficult, and ask specific questions to the new teacher or tutor who will start the new term. This will help the student of course, but will equally help the teacher/tutor know where the student is in terms of level of comprehension and ability. It also shows the new teacher how dedicated the student is; positive first impressions contribute to a successful relationship. Revision books for the coming year offer a useful complement to homework. Students can draw from them as an additional source of material, they can model their own revision notes on them and can also use them to test themselves at the end of a topic unit. The temptation, especially if pressured to do so by parents, is to work ahead of their class on topics not previously covered by their teacher. This may be counter-productive and result in misguided learning with negative consequences. Support means accompanying, encouraging and pushing without applying pressure or demanding unachievable results. The beginning of the school year is a good time to set targets, in the same way we have New Year’s resolutions. Whilst the latter are often unrealistic and, therefore, soon given up on, academic targets must be smart: specific,
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measurable, achievable, relevant, timed. This targetsetting tool is commonly used in English curriculum based primary schools as it empowers the students to take responsibility for their own learning. Targets can be set with the help of teachers or other education professionals. Once the timetables are in place, the clubs have started and the routine has set in, it is worth thinking about ongoing additional support. Far too often, tutors are called upon at the last moment to catch up an entire semester and perform quick fix revision during exam periods. Although this can work, nothing can replace weekly sessions that build upon deep layers of knowledge and understanding. Setting targets trains students to think long term and will eventually help them focus on that towards which they are working. In order to make a good start, you need to know where you want to end up. So at the start of the first term, a student needs to look ahead. Imagine yourself at the end of June, having had a successful academic year. What did you do to get there? How did you achieve so much? Find the answer and make sure you apply it throughout the year. Prepare, aim high and stick at it! Sabine Hutcheson is a British-trained school teacher with over a decade’s teaching experience in Switzerland, the UK and neighbouring France. She has taught a variety of subjects to children from 5 to 18 years old, as well as adults, and is now Academic Director at TutorsPlus.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
School: What characterises the students graduating from your school?
They will have an IB Diploma and therefore have access to universities all over the world. They will have excellent life skills from our Personal Social Education programme, will have had experience in serving the community locally and internationally and have 3 languages. They would have been given student voice and so will be politically literate as well.
What would you say makes the learning environment extra special?
Meet the Head Teachers
AUDREY PEVERELLI - GEMS WORLD ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, ETOY
Background: What initially inspired you to pursue a career in education?
I first studied child psychology and travel with my husband’s work pushed me to get interested in Education Internationally so I followed that degree with a teaching degree. I also wanted to work with children and families before they developed issues.
How do your own life/work experiences inform your approach to your work?
What have you learnt from your time as a head teacher of an international school?
The students that attend those schools come with multiple experiences and perspectives that we need to hone in on and celebrate. Due to my experiences I have been able to put all my skills to work daily to make sure we deliver on our mission and give students the best educational experience possible. The skills that I have found to be the most useful are: student centered decision making, teamwork and collaboration, organization, entrepreneurship, excellent communicator, in tune with multicultural and multilingual families.
The many international locations I have lived and worked in, as well as the 4 languages I speak and my multicultural background have pushed me to being particularly suited for International Schools.
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internationalschoolparent.com
The PSE provision, languages, service opportunities, access to high tech science, design, digital learning and media that is facilitated by savvy staff as well as dynamic and entrepreneurial teachers. All that in addition to a state of the art Sports Center, World Language Learning Center and Music Academy.
Which features of the school do parents value the most?
The High tech provision, personal care and special staff attention as well as the Sports Center.
Approach: What are the main principles and philosophies you promote at the school?
The GEMS Core values are: Global Citizenship (make an active contribution to the community), Leading through Innovation (find the courage to challenge convention), Growing by Learning (strive to develop your potential) and Pursuing Excellence (work to continually exceed expectations). We are also an IB school so use those standards to guide all our practices.
How do you encourage understanding between cultures and nationalities?
We begin at a local level inviting in students from the public schools to our sports center and language schools. All subjects taught bring in multi-perspectives represented by our students and staff. Different religions, values and traditions are celebrated rather than ignored and students are invited to see that “other people with their differences can also be right” IB quote.
Switzerland: What is the best thing about leading an international school in Switzerland?
The varied perspectives that we are able to bring into a child’s education including his/her family, despite the quiet and safe environment they find themselves in.
How do you make the most of everything Switzerland has to offer?
Our students go on multiple field trips locally that enhance and indeed transform the curriculum. They also go skiing, hiking and go on adventure trips in Switzerland.
How do you help international students settle in when they first arrive?
We offer parents a large selection of workshops that help with transition, curriculum and parenting in general. Our parental engagement programme is comprehensive with the intention of gaining partners in our parents. All conversations about student progress include all parties (student/teacher/parents).
The future of education: What are the main trends in education that you are seeing at the moment?
How do you get children to do their best academically? Students have personal and academic goals and we monitor progress towards the achievement of those.
The use of digital technologies and media for learning that are completely transforming and helping document learning. A balance must be found across disciplines so that children end up with a well-rounded child centered experience that truly prepares students for what is coming in the future.
Which other areas of education and extracurricular activities are you developing?
What are the main challenges for education as a whole in the future?
We offer opportunities to develop all aspects of a child so have a comprehensive Extra-curricular programme as well as a World Language Learning Center that offers 9 languages, a Music Academy that offers multiple instruments as well as voice lessons and a Sports Center that comprises multi-sports courts, 2 swimming pools, a climbing wall, a dance studio and a fitness suite.
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Diversity should be championed and not feared, as it is a great source of inspiration and perspectives that can lead to excellence and innovation. Collaboration is the key.
How are you equipping your students for future success? By helping them develop life skills as well as intellect, talents and passions.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
As a teacher it’s always fun to meet students’ parents, sometimes the resemblances are so blatant that I can guess whose mum or dad has just sat down in front of me before the child slinks round the corner. It’s often in the gestures or the way people sit or write that we can see similarities as well. It’s good to have the opportunity to explain how I teach and what I expect from my students; in that respect it’s a pity that we can’t have these meetings earlier in the school year. However there’s a lot to be said for waiting a while so that I can get to know them and the way they learn better. Sometimes it is hard to see what parents want from these meetings, I describe my lessons before talking about their child and his or her work and attitude, before finally giving suggestions on possible improvement. These suggestions are more for the students than the parents, which brings me to my next point – it’s extremely important that your child can come to parent’s evening, after all it’s their learning we are talking about.
Both Sides of the School Fence – Parents’ Evening
The down side of these evenings (apart from the fact they take place after a long school day and I get home after dinner twice a week for two months!) is when we have to deal with difficult cases or very specific questions and issues from parents. This is really not the place to do this, as a teacher if I have something specific or very important to tell a parent then I will contact him or her before the meeting and meet them separately, and it’s a good idea if parents do the same; not only do such discussions eat into time allotted to other parents but a prickly discussion with one particular teacher will spoil the whole evening and make it hard to get an overall impression of your child’s progress.
Added to which, I’m exhausted after a long day, apparently the teachers are too, we still have homework to get through when this is over and there’s something about being sat opposite a teacher that brings out the nervous pupil in us all – even us teachers! To compound matters, as a parent of bilingual children in a French speaking school I’ll have to have that awkward conversation with their English teacher who is uncomfortable speaking English to me (more so when she finds out I’m a teacher too!) and who has only just realized that the child in question is English-speaking as they tried to hide it behind a put-on accent for six weeks to avoid being singled out in class! The secret is for both sides to listen carefully to each other, and also to realize that whatever your position and view, the other party knows the child pretty well. Even if as a parent you think you know your child well, remember we all behave differently in different settings – you aren’t the same at dinner with your boss as at dinner with your best friend are you? The secret is for both sides to realize that we are on the same side – that of the child.
Your Say…
We’d love to hear your opinions on parent’s evenings, and any other subjects that concern both sides of the fence.
BUSINESS EDUCATION l GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Another negative point is that sometimes it seems that we only see the parents of children who are doing really well, whereas those with more specific issues such as behavior problems miss the meetings, a question of preaching to the converted.
BUSINESS
SCHOOL
RACHAEL HARRIS – LYCÉE RUDOLPHE TÖPFFER
In this regular column Rachael Harris gives you her perspective of issues that concern all parents, and teachers. As a member of both camps she will share her insights into what teachers really want and mean.
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Rachael has two children aged twelve and fifteen, she has taught English in primary and secondary schools for over fourteen years. For the last nine years she has been teaching at Lycée Rodolphe Töpffer, where she coordinates the Advanced English Programme for native speakers and Cambridge examinations. internationalschoolparent.com
As a parent I think parents’ evenings are a waste of time –isn’t that awful? I already know how my children are doing, I follow their results and dinner-table talk fills in plenty of gaps. I know if there was a serious problem the school would have already contacted me, and that this is not the time or place to ask if Johnny could have a different dessert on Tuesdays. I only go so that the school knows I’m behind them and keeping a close eye on my child’s education. If I didn’t go I would look like a bad parent and then the teachers would really want to talk to me, by going I ensure them of the contrary, so they don’t really have anything to say to me!
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UNIVERSITY IFM - Institute of Finance and Management Tel : +41223222580 - www.universiteifm.com - Geneva
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Po
ive t i s
Pyscho
log
International School Parent Autumn 2015
If we, as parents, are aware of these different stages and how they manifest themselves in a child’s behaviour, it is easier to predict, understand and control them.
y
Upstairs and downstairs brains
In the most basic terms, we have an “upstairs brain” and a “downstairs brain”. The upstairs brain consists of the “prefrontal cortex”, also known as the “wise leader”. This part of the brain helps children to make a success of their academic years, controlling working memory, inhibition, impulsiveness, focus, planning, mental flexibility, selfawareness, judgement and empathy. The “downstairs brain” is the emotional part of the brain, our old mammalian brain, also known as the “lizard brain”. Within this area there is a tiny almond-shaped gland called the “amygdala”, which acts as our guard dog or alarm centre, reacting to immediate danger. You know that feeling when you are stepping into the road and suddenly you see a car speeding at you? What happens in that split second? You don’t know, but you have stepped back out of the road, heart thumping, palms sweating and out of breath. This was thanks to the implicit workings of your amygdala. When you feel threatened or angry, it can respond not only irrationally but also sometimes even destructively. It is a subconscious and fast evolutionary mechanism designed to keep us safe. One of the most important things to remember is that when the amygdala takes over, the “upstairs brain” switches off, which is known
as the “amygdala hijack”. Under conditions of danger, anger or stress, the upstairs brain activates stress pathways that induce high levels of noradrenaline, dopamine and cortisol, which in turn strengthens the amygdala function and impairs the frontal cortex. We feel this as the famous fight, flight, freeze response. So how does this relate to our kids? Well, neuroscience now firmly tells us that kids physically cannot take in what we are saying to them while they are heavily emotional. The brain becomes flooded with stress hormones, the upstairs brain shuts down and advanced thought processes like compassion and rationality are compromised. At some stages, this effect is even more pronounced in our kids’ behaviour, due to how the brain is developing. For example, when we are born, our downstairs, emotional brain is pretty much fully constructed and ready to roar, whereas our logical and rational upstairs brain is very much under-construction.
Driving with the breaks under construction
Having a fully functional downstairs emotional centre with an underdeveloped upstairs control centre, means we have fully charged emotions with no breaks! Recent research and MRI studies show that the brain is not actually fully developed until the age of 25, so our 18-year-old “adults” are effectively learners in the driving seat of a Ferrari.
DR. LAURENCE VAN HANSWIJCK DE JONGE
Understanding your child’s behaviour through their neurological limitations “For goodness’ sake! What were you thinking?!” is probably the most common phrase used by mothers of teenagers worldwide. Teenagers are renowned for taking risks, being disorganised, making haphazard decisions, engaging in high excitement/low effort activities, acting on impulse, misinterpreting social/emotional cues, and being unable to hold back emotions, or recognise the consequences of their actions. And what do we demand? Exactly the opposite, often making the teenage years a rough ride. Mothers with young children can be similarly perplexed. I’m sure we all recognise scenarios such as, “We have to leave now, why are you not dressed and your teeth aren’t brushed? I told you ten minutes ago…” Young children throw tantrums at the smallest request, are often forgetful and unreasonable, and have seemingly random outbursts.
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Shouldn’t they be capable of making sense of their emotions, being able to reason, organize themselves, and not be impulsive? The difficulty is that toddlers, infants and teens are not equipped with the hardware to meet these parental demands. It is still under construction and will not fully function for a number of years! Parents know about taking care of a child in terms of when to go to the doctor, how to kiss a bump or clean a cut. However, even the most caring and educated parents often lack basic information about the development of their child’s brain. This is mainly because we can see them growing on the outside, but we cannot see what is happening on the inside. The brain, a magical three-pound lump of grey mass, drives almost every aspect of our being: self-discipline, decision-making, planning, motivation, selfawareness, learning, relationships, emotions, inhibition, attention, and more. In children, the brain is constantly developing and maturing through clearly defined stages.
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Carl Benz School of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering College of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology What Will the Future Bring for Your Kid? You are looking for an English-taught Mechanical Engineering Bachelor Program (B.Sc.) for your child? Carl Benz School could be the right choice for you as well as your offspring.
One-Stop-Office and Mentoring Program Our individualized mentoring program offers support in the academic, professional and personal development. Furthermore, CBS offers an exclusive on-campus dormitory.
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High Quality Education for a Successful Career Small classes (up to 50 students) Constant support & mentoring Internships in the German industry Additional workshops & courses
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What about a Summer School in June/July to get a first impression?
for Early Admission Exams: February 15 for Pre-Semester (prepatory courses): June 1
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www.carlbenzschool.com
International School Parent Autumn 2015
The lines of the graph below represent a rough illustration of how the upstairs brain (frontal lobe) and the downstairs brain (amygdala) develop and affect control over behaviour and emotions. As you can see, during the toddler years, kids are almost pure emotion, lacking control over their behaviour, as the upstairs brain is catches up. This means that at these ages, emotional outbursts are as normal a biological response to anger and frustration as a yawn is to fatigue. Kids from about 18 months to 4 years are simply hardwired to think “magically” and not “logically”, meaning things that may seem rational to us can be alarming to them. This releases cortisol, a stress hormone (“Tantrum Juice”), which activates the downstairs brain, shuts down what little of the upstairs brain has developed, and voila! A tantrum occurs. As the upstairs brain develops, things become more manageable. At a certain point, the upstairs brain develops enough so that infants begin to manage emotions, improve listening skills and become more compliant. Piaget’s developmental stages demonstrate the changes nicely. Between roughly 3 and 7 years children develop symbolic thinking skills so that when they get upset it is easier to calm them down and talk logically when calmed. The pre-teen years see deductive and abstract reasoning (upstairs functions) and formal operational thinking. At this stage, children are governed by emotions differently, feeling them but trying to rationalise them and make sense of them, which can be confusing. Our teenagers now have a much more developed upstairs brain, although not completely. This is often the dangerous part. Although they are given more of the responsibilities and expectations of being able to govern themselves as adults, they don’t yet have the same level of brain development to make adult decisions. Recent studies have used MRIs to compare the activity of teenage brains to those of adults. While adults can use rational processes when facing emotional decisions, teenagers are simply not yet equipped to think through things in the same way.
International School Parent Autumn 2015
“Teenagers are not in any way incapable, but we now know that it is unfair to expect them to have adult levels of organisational skills, decisionmaking or emotional control before their brain is fully developed.”
The adolescent brain should be viewed as a work in progress, and parents and educators can help through open communication and placing clear boundaries. Teenagers are not in any way incapable, but we now know that it is unfair to expect them to have adult levels of organisational skills, decision-making or emotional control before their brain is fully developed.
Tactics to tame the mush behind the madness
Now that we understand the mush that lies behind the madness we see, there are certain tactics we can implement to navigate our children’s emotions better, for example, when the emotional centre switches on and the rational, logical reasoning centre switches off. Some key things to consider are outlined below. Toddlers are a force of nature who often confound even the most calm parent or teacher.
When calm has been restored, it is worth trying to understand what the situation was all about, and whether their fear or anger can be talked through with them to avoid it in the future. Try to mirror feelings back at them through tone of voice and body language, showing them that they are understood. We do this naturally with babies, but stop as soon as kids start talking. Studies show that only 7% of your communication is understood through words! Yelling is going to light up the downstairs brain even more and further switch off the upstairs brain. Bonus, effective mirroring seems to release the calming love hormone Oxytocin. We can also identify and label the emotion we’re feeling, which, research suggests, goes a long way towards controlling it. Teaching our children an emotional vocabulary goes a long way in reducing externalising behaviour. As they say “naming is taming”! There are certainly good and bad ways for parents to handle poor behaviour, but the existence of tantrums, and the tendency for young children to tackle their woes through screaming, is perfectly normal because it’s sometimes their only recourse. If your universe was amazing, terrifying, frustrating and unpredictable, and you didn’t have strong communication skills or much of an upstairs brain, you’d freak out occasionally too! As your child develops from toddler to teenager, teach them to put words to feelings, to come up with as many different solutions as possible, to think forward through multiple steps, and definitely avoid letting them stop or back down. All of this engages and strengthens the frontal part of the brain, helping the downstairs brain become less rampant. Teenagers often learn through trial and error, which is how our brain learns best. Be there to guide them, and help them think through solutions. When they fail to problem solve, discuss how to do it better next time. If we solve all their problems for them, this part of the brain gets lazy. Not only does all this problem solving and strategic thinking build the brain that puts the breaks on risky behaviour, it also increases optimistic thinking too!
The researchers found that when processing emotions, adults have greater activity in their upstairs brain than teenagers. Adults also have lower activity in their downstairs brain. The frontal part of the brain eventually puts the brakes on the desire for risk-taking, but is the last area to develop! The results of these studies do not mean that a teenager will always make irrational decisions. They do, however, suggest that teenagers need guidance as their brains develop, especially in the realm of controlling emotional impulses in order to make rational decisions.
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However, just as children quickly slip into anger, they can quickly slip out of them. The average tantrum lasts about three minutes, according to research (Potegal et al). So when there is a big rush of emotion it is better to wait for it to pass before trying to talk logic. That’s why, shortly after a tantrum, your child is back to playing as if nothing happened, while you’re still quaking half an hour later! The immature upstairs brain actually becomes an advantage here, as it allows them to move on without dwelling on things.
Enjoy your child and enjoy the ride, the brain is truly magical and parents can help sculpt it if they understand what is under the hood!
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Inspirational International School Parent KATHERINE GUBBINS – GOODNESSGRACIOUSFOODS.COM
What initially brought you to Switzerland?
I worked a Winter season a long, long time ago and fell in love with the mountains. I then came back and worked as a shepherd in the Alps for a summer, and stayed.
What inspired you to start Goodness Gracious Bio Food?
Like most mums, I wanted to cook for my baby when she started eating at 6 months. I had no idea what to do! I had previously done a 10 day fast with colonics twice a day and when it came to eating again, I had papaya (I was in Thailand). It was not the act of eating but the sensory explosion of smell, colour, taste, texture and chewing. This was in my mind when I started feeding Grace (my eldest, after whom Goodness Gracious is named). I wanted wholesome, nourishing, balanced food, preferably organic. We were going away and pots of Tupperware food go off. I went to the shop and was disappointed. I wanted my kids to be interested by food. I didn’t find anything suitable and thought if I can’t find it, I will do it myself.
How does being a parent yourself influence and shape your business?
Every day I see more and more reasons why parental responsibility in teaching our children how to eat properly is so important. As they grow older, they become more exposed to other foods, not necessarily what we eat at home. One of the key messages in my packaging is to engage children with the food, so they can see what they are eating and know what an apricot or a plum looks like.
Can you briefly describe your products and who they are aimed at?
Goodness Gracious makes SuperFoods for Super Families! We started as a baby food company but more and more, we have children of all ages and adults using our products. Particularly for sport or out for a hike or picnic.
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What are the principles that guide you when making your products? (Also, could you explain a little more about the Ayurveda principles and why they are important to you and your business?) I had been teaching mummy and baby yoga and making Ayurvedic teas and cakes for the mums and babies (sugar free, balanced and healthy!) I find Ayurveda works so my recipes are based on these 5,000 year old principles. Ayurveda is a state of balance between the soul, senses and mind. It makes my family and I feel good. For example, fruit ferments in the stomach, inhibiting digestion, so it’s not advised to mix fruit with meat, fish or vegetables. I follow this principle in my recipes. I also use ingredients that bring a benefit to the body.
There are six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. It is important that children know this variety, not that we eat lemons or fermented foods all the time, but neither should we eat sweet too much. A baby’s taste buds are set in the first three years. If we can give them the right start, they know what’s good and what’s a treat when they come to make their own decisions. If my girls can have nourishing, healthy, wholesome foods, then all children should have that option, hence Goodness Gracious. I never put in my food what I would not use at home: no concentrates, no additives, no added salt or sugar. As their mother, I make the decisions for my girls, and am aware of their likes /dislikes. It’s my responsibility to give them a wide variety of foods and tastes and help build a healthy relationship with food, which will set them up for life.
What are your favourite products that the business is currently producing and why?
Apple, Apricot, Cinnamon. I love it! I like them all, and they are all flavours I gave my children as babies and they continue to enjoy them now, aged 7 and 4.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
What do your customers and suppliers like most about your products?
The ingredients, the flavours they give and the packaging, both the design and the fact it’s flexi and practical.
You are also a yoga instructor. How can yoga and meditation help parents and their children? How has it helped and influenced you?
Yoga keeps me strong. It helps my body work as it is supposed to. Meditation helps me keep perspective, focus and calm. My children also practise yoga and sometimes meditation. We have a great little CD called ‘Sitting Still like a Frog’ that we use. I have been practising yoga for so long now that it has become part of my life. Through yoga, I have learnt about Ayurveda and the teachings of both have helped me find my path. Practising meditation helps me to focus on today and not worry about tomorrow, which is a great tool when you have your own business!
Is ‘eating organic’ a fad?
No, I don’t believe it is. Organic is how we grow food at home. I don’t buy everything organic, I like local too. I know in Switzerland we are lucky to have strong laws on food production. Stronger than the EU. If Europe signs up to the TTIP, and we embark on having American food which has much less stringent food requirements, it will change dramatically the quality of our food and what is in it. We have to protect eco systems, bio diversity and increase our seed banks to protect what we have.
How does the Goodness Gracious Community (“GG Mums”) work and how does it influence your business? How can other mums get involved? What are the most important issues to the mothers you engage with?
GG Mums, at its simplest, works like Tupperware. There are lots of mums with young children looking to earn extra money, or just be involved in doing something, and they like what Goodness Gracious does and want to be involved. They talk about our products in their communities, the places they hang out with their children and use our products to get the brand out there. We pay a commission to them. We welcome any mums who believe they can add to our community. The more the better! I think lots of mums are concerned about the quality of baby food by other brands. Of not being heard or listened to. I spend a lot of time engaging with my consumers, through events or in store promotions / samplings. I think they like talking with me because I am a mum too and can empathise – I am either in it or have been! I used to teach prenatal and mummy and baby yoga so I can help allay fears and put their minds at rest for feeding, eating, stages that their children are at or other.
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Building your academic future today
What would you say are the three main things you have learnt from creating and developing your business?
Giving birth made me realise just how far I can go with something. I have learnt I am more resilient than I thought before I had children. Never give up. There’s always a way. A start up is a long and lonely journey. People think I am doing really well and being successful. They only see the outside. I feel like a swan: graceful on the surface but paddling madly under water trying to keep myself above it.
QUALITY TUITION ACROSS SWITZERLAND
What were the main challenges when setting up your business in a foreign country? I actually have a UK registered company and my products are made there. The UK is a highly competitive and developed market and I never expected to go on sale there so I was always quite happy with being an ‘exporter’. In Switzerland, the main challenges are the import (outside the EU) and the language. Each region is not only linguistically different but culturally different too. Each country has its local customs that need to be addressed.
What advice would you give to other parents living abroad who might be thinking about starting a business?
Go for it. Do your research and have a passion. There is no one who will be as passionate about your business as you are. But make sure it is a viable proposition before taking the steps. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes and don’t, for one minute, think it is easy. It takes time. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and think ‘if only’ or ‘what if’. Life is there to be lived. Do it!
What is family life like for you in Switzerland? How do you make the most of living here? What do you like to do at the weekends with your kids?
We love Switzerland. It’s a great place to bring children up. We speak the language and integrate in our village. We go to the mountains, we go to the lake. We like to ski and now the girls are older we can ski as a family, so that’s a lot of fun. We like hiking, being in/on the water too so we try to make the most of what Switzerland has to offer.
What does the future hold?
Who knows? As the Buddhist in me would say, I can’t change what’s happened, and I can’t change what’s going to happen. I can only change today, so that’s what I focus on. Taking each day as it comes.
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Information Day A one-stop resource for parents, educators and specialists Saturday 7th November 2015
Time: 8h30 - 15h30 Location: The Ecumenical Centre, 1 Route des Morillons, 1218 Grand-Saconnex, Geneva
Register now!
come and learn
ask all special kids
Register now and find out more at: www.allspecialkids.org Bring the whole family - there will be a supervised activities at the Kids Corner
Theme: Children with Different Learning Needs including High Potential - How can we help them flourish? Speakers Maria Peirera da Costa
Dr. Deidre MacIntyre
Maja Perret-Catipovic
Jennifer Armstrong
Claudia Jankech
Rebecca Tyrell (Co-presentor)
Vice-Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Université Paris Descartes. Researcher in the field of children with High Potential Directrice médico-psychologique à l'Office Médico-pédagogique (OMP) Specialist in Child and Adolescent Psychology
Clinical Psychologist & Co-founder of the Institute of Child Education and Psychology (ICEP) Europe Principal of Primary, La Châtaigneraie, International School of Geneva Head of Support Services, Primary School, La Châtaigneraie, International School of Geneva
The latest news from Switzerland’s top International Schools.
SCHOOL NEWS: The British School of Geneva
SCHOOL NEWS: Collège Champittet Pully
Class of 2015!
www.britishschoolgeneva.ch
lent year for their recent BSG is delighted to announce another excel s at A Level and graduates. 94% pass rate with 75% A-C grade r education, university GCSE. For the students moving on to highe
, University College London, places include Clare College Cambridge rsity of Wales alongside Loughborough University and The Unive Stockholm! universities in Lausanne, Eindhoven and
www.nordangliaeducation.com/our-schools/champittet
boarders First weekend for our tion weekend sed the traditional integra The boarding team organi all over The boarding students from on 29th and 30th August. rts and nd in Verbier enjoying spo the world spent the weeke e! A great way Everybody had a great tim teambuilding activities. r! to kick off the school yea
Entrepreneurs at Collège Champittet Since September, Collège Champittet has been working on Students discover circus arts
introducing students to entrepreneurship. The goal is for students
During their lunch activities
to develop an innovative spirit and an understanding of the steps
students are being introduced
that lead to the creation of a project. The extracurricular activity
to circus disciplines in a fun and
“Graines d’entrepreneurs” open to 8th - 14th graders encourages
engaging way.
students to realise their own project with the help of a team of professional coaches made of experts and entrepreneurs. Subjects studied in class such as maths and economics can be
Peace Run
applied in practice. The Collège also organised in cooperation
The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is a global
with the “Graines d’entrepreneurs”- team a “Junior Start Up Day”
relay that seeks to promote international friendship and
held on Saturday, 26th September. This event enabled students
understanding. Since its inception in 1987 the Run has
aged 12-18 to discover, within the space of a morning, the world
crossed over 100 nations and on 19th May 2015, the Peace
of entrepreneurship: from the creation of a project to the project
Run was warmly welcomed by staff and students at BSG.
pitch to an audience.
In preparation, Years 1– 6 worked on the theme of Peace through art, literacy and music creating acrostic PEACE poems to reflect what peace means to each of them. The children had a chance to hold the torch and meet the runners before the Peace Run continued on to its next stop in Lausanne. An unforgettable experience for everyone involved, we can’t wait for them to return to Geneva on April 5th next year. peacerun.org
Bake sale for Vietnam During the autumn break, boarding students will travel to Vietnam. They will not only discover the country but also take part in a humanitarian project. In fact they will spend some days of their trip participating in the construction of bamboo hous es which will be used to accommodate families in need . To support their project, they bake d cakes which they sold to their classmates and teach ers during morning break. The fund s collected will help finance the houses.
SCHOOL NEWS: GEMS World Academy-Etoy
SCHOOL NEWS: Geneva English School
www.geneva-english-school.ch
www.gemsworldacademy-etoy.com
Service at GEMS World Academy-Etoy During the week of September 14th-18th, the GEMS World
Year 4 visits the Roman Museum
Academy-Etoy community demonstrated one of the GEMS GEMS World Academy-Etoy: the road to accreditations
core values: Global Citizenship. In an effort to help the refugee
After a mere two academic years, GWA-Etoy has succeed ed in becoming an IB World School with an authorisation to deliver the IB Diplom a Programme, as well as becoming a member of CIS. The IB authorisation was achieve d in a record 18 months, instead of the typical 2-year process. Staff at GWA-Etoy worked hard to complete the
crisis, families donated clothes, sanitary items, blankets and
professional development requirements, and prepare for the consultation process which included demonstrating that the infrastructure, skills, academic programmes are all in place. Being an authorised IB World School demon strates the commitment to provide rigorous, challenging and unique educational
programmes of very high
standards. The school is still a candidate for the PYP and MYP programmes which take slightly longer to be delivered. Authorisations should be made before the end of December 2015. CIS membership was granted to GWA-E toy in December 2014 and
marked the beginning of the journey to full accreditation.
treats which were sorted through and organised by the students. One of the GEMS staff members joined a voluntary aid group and drove in a convoy to deliver the items to the camps where she helped distribute them and spent 3 days helping. Global Citizenship is about making an active contribution to your local and global community. It means to respect and celebrate diversity and to recognize that there are
Food Fun @GES
many things that unite us all. The difference we make in our
bananas with a strawberry on top!!
local communities is to have a sustainable planet to share and
Great fun at Food Fun!
to live with honesty, confidence and integrity.
CIS is a global organisation
and as a member, schools are given access to new internat ional educational practices, gain recognition for their accomplishments, attract quality teaching staff and facilitate connections between students and leading universities
worldwide. GWA-Etoy welcomed back CIS inspectors for another preliminary visit in June 2015. Both were very impressed by all that had been accomplished over the last 2 years. They invited the school to proceed to the next step in the CIS Accreditation process which is the Self-Study that takes 18-24 months. In principle, the following team evaluation visit is scheduled to take place in March 2017.
Year 4 braved the elements yesterday and took part in a Roman treasure hunt in Nyon as well as enjoy ing a rather warmer guided tour of the Roman Museum. Spirits remained high despite the downpours! Well done, Year 4!!
Fruity, smoothy and everyone going
End of year BBQ @GES A BBQ in the outdoor classroom in June 2015 and a Teddy Bears Picnic
An Evening with Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
for #geschoolnews! It’s all about
at GEMS World Academy-Etoy
eating Al Fresco! It was great to see
On Thursday 3rd September, GEMS World Academy-Etoy had the honour of hosting an evening event with the famous French author Eric-Emmanuel
all the children sampling their classes
Schmitt, the same day as the release of his new book “La nuit de feu”. GEMS-Etoy has a partnership with “Le Livre sur les Quais”, a renowned
meeting new friends!
and teachers for next term, and
to literary event held annually in Morges. As a partner, the school was able er offer workshops to students on the afternoon of Thursday 3rd Septemb hosted by 4 authors and an illustrator (Katie Hayoz, Kevin Crossley Holland (winner of the Carnegie medal), Hubert Benkemoun, Anne Crausaz and Christine Pompei). The day was crowned by a wonderful evening conference with Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt. It was a warm, meaningful and philosophical evening whereby GEMS students read poetry and extracts from Mr Schmitt’s novels, followed by a speech and dialogue with the author and ending with a book signing. Over the last two decades, EricEmmanuel Schmitt has become one of the most read French-language authors in the world. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, his plays have won several Molières and the French Academy’s “Grand Prix du Théâtre”. His books have been translated into 43 languages, and his plays staged in over 50 countries. According to recent statistics, he is now the most studied author in schools and colleges. GEMS students will be reading works from Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt and the presence of this French author shows the school’s continued intent to engage and integrate in the local community.
GES @Les Gets
residential Year 5 children on their Despite the heavy rain the museum visit the mechanical music to Les Gets were able to and time waited sun with a hike and then enjoy the long-a to play by the lake.
SCHOOL NEWS: International School of Central Switzerland
SCHOOL NEWS: La Côte International School
New Leadership & Leadership Prog ramme This year at ISOCS initiated a new cour se centered around outdoor and leadership educ ation. Learners take part in activities and tasks which
www.i socs.ch
www.nordangliaeducation.com/our-schools/aubonne/
actively develop
their personal, interpersonal, entrepren eurial, and outdoor skills. Our faculty will be work ing with all
Secondary students to learn about the environment in the environment. This year we starte d with orienteering and outdoor safety whic h includes exploring alpine geography and geol ogy,
Model United Nations Club have had to address in a conference chaired by Le Rosey gathering delegates of 7 schools. The Model United Nations (MUN) a simulation of the UN organisation which is student-led and run all over
wilderness
ecology, group dynamics, idea gene ration, sustainability, and responsible leade rship. As part
Model United Nations: Hot debate over cold waters Who owns the Arctic? That is the critical question that members of our
world. La Côte International School has set up a club to help students,
is
the
eager
to learn international relations, to get organised as a MUN committee.
of
this curriculum learners work towards earning the Duke of Edinburgh International Awar ds Scheme.
In the club students are presented with a topic and they conduct research in order to formulate positions that they will later debate with their fellow delegate s during the conference. The point of view they defend should be true to the actual position of the member they represent and it might differ from their
What’s Happening at ISOCS? encouraging At ISOCS we pride ourselves in involving our communities, exploring and the buzz! We have innovation, and inspiring our learners. This year we are continuing with global events already had internal sports tournaments, taken part in various local and to visit to and have had local visitors come to ISOCS. We have also taken our learners enhance our local businesses and organisations linking to our curriculum in order to going forward students’ learning experiences. We’re looking forward to continuing this and have a very colourful calendar full with events and activities coming
up ahead.
personal point of view. They will also learn to develop arguments with the aim of creating strategic alliances with other nations. MUN is a great way to develop negotiating and debating skills. It also highlights the importan ce of the role of diplomat in modern economic times and helps students to understand global mindedness and global cooperation. In today’s debate, students from La Côte International School were representing the positions of Canada, Singapore and the Aleut International Association, an Alaska Native interest group. The status of certain portions of the Arctic sea region is in dispute. Canada, among other nations, regard parts of the Arctic as national waters, whereas other representatives with conflicting interests
Year ISOCS Continues to Shine into it’s 7th g this year at ISOCS beautiful and ever-growin There was great excitement at the start of ed us and exuberant students and faculty enjoy campus in Cham, just outside of Zug. Curio ce the third floor which houses the new scien exploring the new Secondary extension on nt ooms and most exciting of all,the new stude labs,German and Spanish language classr y delighted to welcome new families and facult common room with table football! We were to grow. our warm and inclusive family continues from Switzerland and all over the world as e” at ISOCS! We invite you to visit us, and to feel the “Shin ISOCS to Offer the IB Diploma Prog ramme To support the continued growth of our school offerings, ISOCS is in the final stage s of the authorization process to offer the IB Diploma
from
August 2016. IB programmes have a reputation for their high academic standards and for preparing students for life in a globalized 21st century, and for helping to develop the citizens who will create a better, more peaceful world. ISOC S is committed
to engaging all our students in the full in the belief all students can shine in
IB Diploma
an involved,
innovative and inspiring school com munity.
argue
over rights to passage along what they see as international seaways. The debate gets even hotter because of the possibility that lucrative petroleum and natural gas reserves exist below the sea floor…
Dragon Boat naming ceremony Members of our school community, partners, friends and children all came together to celebrate the 2000 years old Chinese tradition on the Divonne lake at the beginning of October. We officially awoke the “Dragon spirit” of our 2 Dragon Boats, which we received as a generous gift from a kind benefactor, by following
The Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performi ng Arts programme rolled out successfully This term started with a ‘bang’ at La
Côte
International School, literally, with the Juilliard percussion workshops led by Mike Trues dell, a Juilliard School Alumni and one of artist in residence”. The school was
the “teacher
treated to
a special performance on the maracas,
which
completely enthralled students. After the mesmerising performance he inspired secondary school students to experiment with rythm for themselves on a variety of drums. The high energy workshops were a hit!
the ancestral ceremony, which involved dotting the eyes on the decorative dragon head with red paint. Before watching a hearty parents-teachers race, the boats’ names chosen by our students were unveiled: one boat has been named “Poseidon” like the Greek god of the Sea and the other one “Hydra” like the water serpent with nine heads, each of which, if cut off, grew back as two. No doubt that those names, coupled with strong muscles, good rowing rhythm and the willpower of our students will scare any competition! We want to keep encouraging our students to reach for the stars and with this great gift we hope to integrate Dragon Boats in our Physical Education curriculum and host a club on Sunday morning in Divonne for our students if we have enough participants. The school also made an important announcement last night and offered to make the 2 Dragon Boats available to companies with which parents have a relationship, so that unforgettable team building activities can take place thanks to them. You heard right: the offer to borrow the Dragon Boats for a corporate event is on the table! Please contact Annabel.Molnar@international-school.org for more information.
SCHOOL NEWS: International School of Berne
SCHOOL NEWS: International School of Berne
www.isrh.ch
Outdoor Education
ISBerne students head Every fall at the start of the school year, Alps. The camps, which are out for a week of camp in the Swiss nts get to know each hosted by Village Camps, help the stude a team. It has repeatedly other and learn to work together as the school year! proven to be an excellent way to start
tional Day ISBerne’s Annual Interna PTC (Parent the school year ISBerne’ Every June at the end of fair, a fantastic family ds it’s International Day Teacher Committee) hol entertainment Each year the games and event open to the public. amazing derie, community and the may vary, but the camara ays constant! international food is alw
Ground Breaking On August 21st, 2015, a glorious end-of-summer day, the International
School of Berne held its official Ground Breaking Ceremony for the new ISBerne Campus, schedule d for completion in December of 2016. The day was a momentous occasion as this project has been in development from anywhere between 5 -12 years, depending on whom you ask. The Ground Breaking Ceremony followed the Swiss tradition of laying the foundatio n stone, complete with the customary box filled with mementos of the day and well wishes for the future of ISBerne. Mr Andreas Rickenbacher, Minister of Economic Affairs for the Canton of Bern, presided over the event. Rickenbacher was the school’s most prominent champion, playing
a key role in campaigning for cantonal financial support for the construction of a new campus. The plans for the campus reflect and blend with the natural surroundings of green fields and hillsides, with the use of an exposed wood construction, local stone, and ample windows that will flood the interior with light. The windows will open onto the surround ing grounds and give all classrooms direct outdoor access with a lovely view. In true Swiss style, the campus is designed to be efficient and ecologica lly responsible. Multi-purpose spaces have been specifically planned and optimized to promote a sense of community, surplus heating from the nearby HACO facility will be piped to the campus Tanzania Trip ISBerne Grade 10 and 11 CAS students joined with other international school students from schools in Finnland and Dubai, for a ten-day-long community service and cultural trip. Over three days, the students helped build an ablutions block and assembled over 120 desks for a Fun Run with Terre des Hommes This year ISBerne ran its annual Fun Run in conjunction and for the benefit of Terre des Hommes. With the assistance of the established local charity, ISBerne was able to make the event bigger and better than ever before! It was a great success, and both parties are looking forward to joining forces again next year!
local school. They then spent a day planting trees on the slopes of Kilimanjaro for a reforestation project that was initiated by Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist. The trip culminated in a 2-day safari during which they visited the Ngoro Ngoro Crater and Lake Manyara national parks and saw an abundance of African wildlife.
for heating, and the long flat roof will contain solar panels for electricity,
of which any surplus will be fed back into the grid. All details of construction will be of the most up-to-date ecological materials and meet or exceed LEEDS Gold Standard requirem ents. As a result of this forward thinking, and currently living within the limitations of outdated
technology,
ISBerne has ensured that the new campus will be prepared to support
the inevitable increase in use of online applications, distance learning, and its 1-to-1 computer initiative, by installing full fiber-optic connectivity. This new modern campus may expand the catchment area of ISBerne.
Given the ease
of access by both car and rail, the current catchment area for ISBerne is
already surprisingly large, with students coming in from the cantons of Fribourg, Neuchâtel, and Solothurn, and numbers from these cantons will invariably increase if ISBerne launches its proposed shuttle system for groups of students in outlying areas. With solid backing
by the Canton
of Berne, the local community of Muri-Gümligen, and its parent company
Pansophic
Learning, plus a new campus finally on the way with room for growth, the
school is poised on the threshold of a very bright future and has very good cause to celebrate !
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Families are complex entities, particularly in modern times. They are not only characterised by the group as a whole, but by the individual matrix of relationships within them.
wh
, g in
u at, o sb if anyth y t irth u o rd e r s a y a b o
?
d
oe
According to some researchers, where you fit into this mini-network defines a lot about you, your personality, and even your life choices. According to others, the ‘science’ of this theory is patchy at best. The phrase ‘family constellation’ (from the title of psychologist Walter Toman’s 1961 book on birth order theory) refers to the structure of a family: the dynamics of the individual relationships; birth order and number of siblings; the genders of the family members; the blending of families; spacing of children; and so on. While the most important relationship within a family is widely agreed to be the parent-child relationship, there is increasing interest among researchers into the influence of siblings on our development. Psychologist Alfred Adler was one of the first to use his studies to show the significance of birth order and sibling relationships in shaping personalities. More recently, scientists such as Professor Brent Roberts at the University of Illinois, have conducted extensive studies into the topic and found that it is very hard to quantify the perceived differences. Either way, it is impossible to reject outright the notion that the skills we learn through our siblings inevitably sculpt our adult behaviour. We learn much from them about how we should behave among our peers in school, university, the office, with our spouse and ultimately, how we should bring up our own children. Sibling relationships are some of the most enduring we will experience throughout life. They define our formative experiences and test our early social and cognitive skills. People with good relationships with brothers and sisters throughout their lives report lower levels of depression, and greater life satisfaction, because of the emotional protection that a close sibling bond can offer in the outside world. Authentic relationships with our siblings can be full of fun, friction, emotion, intimacy, conflict, warmth, respect, rivalry, and (hopefully) most of all, love. Even when siblings are at loggerheads, there is an underlying awareness that the relationship is permanent, which helps teach us conflict resolution, patience, how to manage social tensions, how to conduct friendships, and handle ourselves in group situations. Even with the most difficult early relations between siblings, warmth can develop later on, due to the sheer number of shared experiences. If we are to believe the stereotypes of birth order, some tension between the siblings, and how their parents treat them, is just part of what makes up their characters.
The stereotypes of the characteristics of first-born children are mainly derived from the fact that they have their parents’ sole attention for the first stage of their life, until a second child comes along. As a result, they are said to often have superior language skills, as their primary interlocutors at this time are adults. They are also often the children that their parents are most strict with, because they are essentially the experiment, and are therefore the recipient of much parental anxiety that may ease by the time parents have more children. This supposedly results in first-borns feeling more pressure to behave conservatively, in order to please their parents, and to become ambitious and motivated (and often indeed feel crushed) by this pressure. As more children come along, first-borns will inevitably act in loco parentis at least occasionally, which means they become comfortable with responsibility, assuming authoritative roles, and acting like mini-adults. They may exhibit nurturing and teaching characteristics. The behaviour of the middle child is said to be characterised by ‘de-identification’: the idea that in order to compete for parents’ precious attention and resources, a younger (usually middle child) is likely to develop an opposing personality to his older sibling. This is thought to be because they are unlikely to win on the same ground as their older sibling, due to him or her being at a higher stage of mental and physical development, so they must find new activities to excel in, and gain their parents’ attention. This can manifest itself in difficult behaviour, for example, if the older sibling is exceptionally academic or conformist, or can be as simple as them choosing a different sport or musical instrument. In a middle child, this is said to manifest itself in the most varied characteristics of all birth positions, they can be more rebellious, and are often the most sociable outside the family fold. Because they cannot compete on strength or knowledge for a number of years, youngest children are often funny and charming and have keen social skills, helping them to win their place among their older siblings. They are said to be less bothered about status or power, having had to play catch-up for most of their lives. They have the advantage of being able to see the consequences of the paths that their older siblings have chosen, and also benefit from a more laissez-faire attitude of their parents, who by this point probably worry less about their parenting skills. Only children are said to exhibit both traits of the firstborn and the last-born child. They often earn more money, are academically successful, mature for their age, are comfortable being the centre of attention, and happy on their own. Of course, many of these stereotypes are clumsy and irrelevant, but occasionally some of them are confirmed by research.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
Recently, in a study led by scientist Feifei Bu at the Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, it was claimed that first-born girls are statistically more likely to be the most academically successful and ambitious. It is often cited that half of US presidents are first-born sons, while only a four are last-borns. Psychology Professor William Ickes, Ph.D., at the University of Texas at Arlington found in his research that children who grow up with opposite sex siblings find interactions with the opposite sex easier later on. Children’s development and characteristics are also found to be affected by gender and the spacing between children. Dr Kevin Leman, a psychologist and author who has researched birth order since the 1960s, found the effect of gender to be so strong that if a girl is born into a family of boys in whatever position, she is likely to exhibit characteristics usually associated with a first-born. Similarly, if a second child is of the opposite gender to the first child, they are likely to also exhibit first-born qualities. Simply defining our children by the stereotypes that are associated with birth order alone therefore gives us an incomplete picture. Roberta M Gilbert in her book The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory, indicates that there are actually eleven significant birth order positions that denote certain characteristics: • • • • • •
Oldest brother of brothers Youngest brother of brothers Oldest brother of sisters Youngest brother of sisters Male only child Oldest sister of sisters
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• • • • •
Youngest sister of sisters Oldest sister of brothers Youngest sister of brothers Female only child Twins
(Note that middle children are not included as they are likely to be closer to one or other of the above categories). If we add spacing (the age differences between siblings), the age adopted children join the family, family size, or the blending of families to the equation, things get even more complex, and even further away from the idea that birth order stereotypes mean anything when taken on their own. From all of this varied research, one thing is clear. Our family constellation affects us in complex and differing ways. We may not adhere to the direct stereotypes so often ascribed to ‘oldest’, ‘middle’, ‘youngest’, or ‘only’ children, and we might choose to try and reject the influence of birth order on our personality as crude and inaccurate. However, our birth position, when mixed with the influence of our gender, the amount of input we get from our parents, the age of our other siblings, whether we have step-siblings, twins, or much older or younger siblings, as well as the size of our family, leaves an indelible mark on our characters. Our family structure is the first and largest influence on our behaviour before we step into the outside world. With our own children, whether we stick to what we experienced from our parents and siblings, or whether we branch out and bring them up in an opposite way, we are no doubt acting under the influence of this constellation.
internationalschoolparent.com
Building for the future. Our youth is our future. They will become our future leaders, builders and educators, so it is our mission, at ISBerne, to help them become the best they can be. ISBerne is also building for the future with its new campus construction which is currently underway. Our new campus is purpose-built to support many future generations of education and learning. For more information about our IB curriculum and our new campus, scheduled for completion in December 2016, see our website at www.isberne.ch
International School Parent Autumn 2015
National and global concerns collide in education systems all over the world. Who is winning the international race to prepare their students for the future?
Wha
ed
t makes a
ucat
m ion syste
?
Public education systems the world over are one of the most clear expressions of a country’s identity, and a reflection of the cultural, economic and social values that it aims to develop and promote. In a country’s schools, it is possible to see how policymakers view their country’s future; by the challenges it is preparing its citizens to cope with. The resources spent on education are an investment into its workforce and can be a chance to focus on certain sectors or fields, if they are considered particularly necessary to the country’s success. An education system can be an agent of social and economic mobility, lifting people out of poverty and on to better things, or a way to maintain the status quo, for better or worse. The outputs of the system - literacy rates, graduation and completion rates, the percentage of students going on to higher education, and the level of advancement of the workforce - are all a measure of how efficiently the government can allocate the resources available to them. We are constantly being reminded of the effects of globalisation, meaning that our students are no longer facing only the competition of their national peers, but are increasingly in a global race for exam results, university places, and eventually jobs. It is no wonder, therefore, that the major global education indexes, such as Pearson’s global Learning Curve index and the OECD’s PISA (Programme for International School Assessment) scores garner so much attention. Asian countries now top most of these global education rankings, with a few regular entries from Europe. So what are the values and practices that the education systems of these countries espouse? What makes them successful, and what has driven their success? And in what ways does this success come at the expense of other aspects of life? If our students are competing at a global level, are any of these features transferrable between nations, and can we learn from the way other countries are educating their kids? Here we take a look at four examples in the top five education systems from Pearson’s most recent assessment.
South Korea
EDITORIAL TEAM
Just 60 years ago, after suffering under Japanese annexation and the war with North Korea, South Korean society was almost totally illiterate. Today it enjoys an almost 100% literacy rate, achieved since the mid-60s, and an advanced, highly skilled economy. Graduation and completion rates at all levels of the education system are among the highest in the OECD. Teachers are among the best-paid and respected professionals in society, hired directly by the Ministry of Education.
internationalschoolparent.com
The government spends only around half of what the US spends on education, yet South Korean children are steaming ahead of their American peers. This huge and rapid success story is very much the result of a collective attitude among the South Koreans that investment in education is part of their civic duty and vital in ensuring their country’s future success. Educating the workforce that has driven the development of their ‘tiger economy’ is ingrained in teachers, politicians, parents and students alike. The ethos running through the system from kindergarten to university is still largely based on the Confucianism that still permeates South Korean culture - conformity, order, standardised testing, rote learning, memorising, egalitarianism, and high expectations to perform. Parents pray for the good results of their children above all else, and significant social status is attached to the academic success of a son or daughter. This inevitably leads to long hours of studying, a high proportion of wages being spent on extra tutoring and after-school crammer schools (called ‘hogwans’), as well as heavy pressure to get into the best universities. The university exam process includes a daylong entrance exam, called the ‘suneung’. The pressure to achieve academically is so strong that the ‘hogwans’ have had curfews imposed on them. Although this results-focused system produces incredibly successful and skilled graduates, forcing children to study from waking until sleep is not without downsides, of course. The country has a high suicide rate and it is the number one cause of death in people aged 15 to 24. This has led policymakers in the country to reassess the level of arts and creative elements in the curriculum, and to warn parents when their children may be at breaking point. They are increasingly finding that the type of education needed for the country’s rapid industrialisation is not the same as the one needed for a society with a more developed middle class and a modern, developed economy. As a result, policymakers are currently looking at ways to make the system more about supporting the students to find their own paths, develop analytical skills, and social and emotional capabilities.
Japan
The Japanese education system is built on a mix of practices from around the world, including elements of the French, German, US and English systems, melded together with strong Japanese values. The curriculum is renowned for its rigorous approach, with politicians currently prizing maths and science even higher than liberal arts and humanities, particularly at universities, in an attempt to re-vamp the workforce and spur economic growth. The focus in the Japanese system has traditionally been on problem solving, teaching the underlying concepts of disciplines, accompanied by a great deal of rote learning.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Japan’s meritocratic culture and the high importance attached to effort over relying on talent alone, are the principles underlying the whole system. In a similar way to the South Korean culture, there are high societal expectations on achieving academically, especially from family, peers, and teachers.
The egalitarian style system means that centralised and equal funding is apportioned to each school, and the national curriculum means that all students are studying the same thing, at the same rate. They also study for a larger proportion of the year than their western contemporaries.
While teachers are among the highest paid civil servants, as it is considered among one of the most aspirational professions, government spending on education on the whole is comparatively low by global standards. The funding is almost all directed to academic pursuits, rather than anything extra-curricular or even basic facilities, such as kitchens.
The main criticism of the system is that it is largely one-dimensional. There is little room for extra-curricular activities, or fun within the school day. The recent drive to boost maths and science in the education system also narrows any existing focus on an achieving an ‘all-rounder’ education.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Singapore
Singapore’s incredibly successful education system has been a mainstay at the top of international education rankings for years. This is a huge achievement for a nation who was largely illiterate as little as 50 years ago. At the beginning of its transformation into an economic success story, Singapore’s policymakers focused chiefly on raising literacy rates, before moving onto improving teaching methods, and encouraging students to develop beyond learning by rote. Traditionally the system was based on a centralised national curriculum, with a unified approach to teaching across subjects, which focused on national exams at the end of primary and secondary school. As a result of this heavily entrenched model, classrooms are still orderly, teachers tend to speak and students listen, and in many cases, high levels of debate or discussion are not encouraged, with much of the learning still occurring by drilling. Much of the testing traditionally concentrated on whether children knew the right answer, as opposed to awarding marks for how they got to it, or wider understanding around the issue. Students continue to be streamed based on the results of these exams, which inevitably determine their success later on, as they compete for the best universities. The perceived success of this results-focused system to date has not allowed policymakers to rest on their laurels. There is significant research and government funding into evidence-based educational research, and, in the past 10 to 20 years, a huge drive to ‘modernise’ the system away from the obsession with exams. The government believes that cutting elements of the curriculum (by as much as 10-20% in some areas) will lead to a less pressurised system in which students are taught less, but learn in a more effective way. They are implementing initiatives to encourage teachers to promote creative thinking, innovation, knowledge building and problem solving, and not just teaching directly to the highly regarded national exam syllabus. Despite this, the longstanding practices are difficult to shake. Teachers enjoy high status and a fair amount of autonomy, while parents place high expectations on them and their children to succeed. Universities and employers still judge students on results prized by the old system. Therefore, most stakeholders in the system still prize exams above all else, so while this means the country scores highly in international ranking systems for maths, science and English, it also means it is a huge challenge to motivate everyone involved to bring about change. The loyalty to the existing system is partly borne out of a collective cultural commitment to education as part of a state project to build an economically strong, ethnically diverse, meritocratic state. There is a shared understanding that while education is important for the individual, it also serves a greater purpose and is part of one’s obligations to society and family.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
The government is hoping to build on this enormously valuable commitment to education and achievement and bring the system in line with its ambitious ‘teach less, learn more’ policy. Singapore’s position in global education rankings in the years to come will tell if the Asia Pacific focus on exams can be exist in harmony with softer Western educational practices.
Finland
40 years ago the Finnish government implemented wideranging and extensive education reforms. Since then the system has routinely been held up as one of the finest in the world, and the best in Europe, with high participation and completion rates, the highest proportion of University graduates in Europe, a high number of students taking useful, vocational courses, and teaching being seen as a respected profession. The country is renowned for shunning the ‘testing-based’ model that is employed by much of the rest of the world. Children do not begin formal schooling until age 7 instead they are encouraged to learn through play and exploring the outdoors. The idea is that once they reach 7, they are mature enough to concentrate properly, and learn better. The children are not streamed, regardless of intelligence and ability. School days begin later, there are fewer lessons in a day, and there is more time allocated to extracurricular pursuits, including ‘real-world’ activities,
such as cooking and woodwork, as well as outdoor activities. Crucially for participation rates, children have very little homework and almost no testing until they are older. In fact, there is only one major state exam that they must do at the end of school, age 16. One of the most significant features of the education system is the relationship of the student with their teacher. Firstly, teachers are highly respected, and the BA and MA university courses that are required for the profession are among the most competitive in the country, so they attract some of the brightest minds. In schools, teachers have more flexibility with their time, due to the fact that they teach fewer lessons and tests, so they have more time to spend on planning and preparing for classes. Often, a teacher will teach the same class up for a number of years, so the children benefit from a consistent relationship. The fact that Finnish government spending on education is around a third lower than in the US should come as no surprise, given the widely held ethos among the country’s educators that ‘less is more’. The real crux of the system is a strong belief and high value attributed to a strong relationship between parents, teachers, and children, and the expectation that if everyone plays their part, the system will deliver for every child.
Three reasons to enrol at our language centre Practical language learning for adults and children
Our World Language Learning Centre is open to the whole community and offers: • Intensive and individual courses in English, French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Dutch • Evening courses for adults • After-school classes for children • Language support and revision classes for the IB, French BAC, A Levels, Maturité and Abitur • Bespoke language and presentation courses for companies • Examination and non-examination courses
Summer “Language in Action” programmes
• Learn French or English using theatre techniques as well as our TV and radio studios • For children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years
Wednesday afternoon language through drama classes • For children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years
For further information or to reserve a place in person, contact us at GWA-Etoy, La Tuilière 18, 1163 Etoy by email at: language_gwe@gemsedu.com by telephone on: +41 (0)21 964 18 18
International School Parent Autumn 2015
Conclusion
These schooling systems give a narrow glimpse into the factors that propel students to the top of their abilities, albeit as assessed by certain criteria. As a whole the Asian nations exhibit views such as rewarding diligence over pure ‘talent’ or just being ‘smart’, the aim to be meritocratic and nationally centralised, with little variation between schools. There is huge pressure from all angles to perform, with parents doubling up on the efforts of teachers to get their children a good education. Testing is largely prized in Asia, although this seems to be losing appeal. In the UK, which also ranks highly in these ratings, there is a current debate about whether to revert to a more Asian model of testing, at a time when many Asian nations are looking to introduce softer Western ideals into their harsher practices.
1. South Korea 2. Japan 3. Singapore 4. Hong Kong
It is important to note the context in which these education systems have become some of the best in the world. Most of these nations were on their knees economically and politically at the time when the education reforms were implemented. Education, therefore, was used as one of the principal tools to lift the country up and develop the skills of the population. This explains the shared belief among policymakers, parents, students and educators that the value of education extends far beyond the individual, even to the extent where health, fun, mental stability, and happiness should be sacrificed. If students do not succeed in these contexts, they have much further to fall, and less to rely on if they fail.
5. Finland
Now that the countries have reached economic success of various levels, they are looking at which values and practices are appropriate for the country’s next phase. In many cases, this means moving away from the notion of academic success at all costs. Finland is an example of a developed nation with a newly reformed education system that is designed to work for all children and a high focus on wellbeing and learning outside the classroom. The fundamental thing it shares with its Asian peers is the commitment of parents, teachers, policymakers, and students, proving that the value of education can be instilled in a culture at any level of development. These systems also have in common a high level of respect and resources for the teachers.
15. Australia
6. UK 7. Canada 8. Netherlands 9. Ireland 10. Poland 11. Denmark 12. Germany 13. Russia 14. United States 16. New Zealand 17. Israel 18. Belgium 19. Czech Republic 20. Switzerland Source: Pearson/ Economist Intelligence Unit
Despite the success of the Asia Pacific nations, it is important to note that the top 20 often includes countries such as Switzerland, the UK, the US, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada and so on. We may be in awe of results achieved by Eastern peers in maths and science, but they are increasingly also looking back West for a deeper understanding of how to engage students in a more creative and fulfilling education.
Places are limited so please register well in advance. www.gemsworldacademy-etoy.com/wllc
TOP 20 EDUCATION SYSTEMS 2014
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
My journey from Zugerberg to the Rockies RETO AMMANN AND CHRISTINA NEYLAN – LUCERNE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND ARTS (LUASA)
My name is Reto Ammann and I am studying International Management and Economics at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (LUASA). Currently however, I am completing an exchange semester at University of Colorado Boulder in the United States. In this article, I would like to tell you about my journey to Bolder. My interest in foreign cultures and international studies goes back a long way. As far as I can remember I have always had friends from all over the world. My family moved to the U.S. when I was very young, and we stayed there for 5 years, I feel this exposure to another culture at an early age made me curious about other people. I wanted to be a global citizen. At the age of 15 my parents sent me to the Institute Montana, an international school in the canton of Zug, where I studied for my High School and International Baccalaureate Diploma. The campus extends along the crest of the Zugerberg at an altitude of 995m offering beautiful views over the lake of Zug. The school has some famous alumni such as John Kerry and Marc Forster. In addition to an international schooling system, the Institute Montana offered me the opportunity to interact with different cultures and languages on a daily basis. This nurtured and developed my interest towards international communities even further and ever since, I have felt comfortable in any international setting. During the summer break of my senior year, I participated in the Global Young Leadership Conference, which was held over two weeks in Washington DC and New York. This conference was set up as a model United Nations simulation, during which we gained deeper insight into the inner workings of the UN and what issues the delegates confront.
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It was a very interesting and exciting time for me and was one of the main reasons why I decided to enroll in an International Management and Economics Bachelor (IM&E) at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Lucerne. My first day in Lucerne was strange, which is not uncommon, I was excited to meet new people. Looking back now, my five semesters at the university has been a great experience allowing me to make many valuable connections and friends. The lecturers are very supportive and the courses are taught in an inclusive fashion that encourages teamwork and collaboration. Students are given a fair amount of responsibility and autonomy; this teaching style prepares students well to transition from the academic world to the professional field. I am fortunate to have studied at an institution that understands the significance of such qualities and effectively integrates them into its syllabus. However, due to its competitiveness, the Bachelor studies can be very demanding and time-consuming. It is therefore essential to have a good work-life balance. For that reason, I took part in many extracurricular activities, such as participating in the Student Union and playing ice hockey and tennis. Apart from sports, my passion is traveling to visit my friends who live in various countries around the world. In my sixth semester at LUASA, I opted to go on exchange for one semester to the University of Boulder, Colorado. Initially, I had to adapt to the American education system, which offers more guidance than the Swiss system. In my opinion, both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. CU Boulder guides their students through the process of obtaining their Bachelors degree, which is arguably why they have a lower fail rate than the LUASA. Moreover, the American system places higher emphasis on teaching critical thinking and debating skills. In contrast, the IM&E bachelor provides students with the skills needed to obtain a degree and offers students the freedom to use those skills as they see fit.
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This teaching method arguably emulates the professional life more realistically than continuous guidance, which is why I personally believe LUASA graduates will find the transition to the work life easier than those who obtain American University degrees. I arrived in Boulder in early January, to find a beautiful, trendy and progressive town located at the base of the foothills of the Flatirons at an altitude of 1,655m. Colorado is known for great skiing and for a Swiss this means hitting the slopes as often as possible. During spring break I joined the College Snowboarding Club on a ski-trip to Lake Tahoe, where we rented a house sleeping 35 people. The trip included skiing, swimming in the stunning lake, eating delicious food with a fun group of people and, not to mention, losing some money at the Casinos. From Bolder it is easy to travel around the country, the best trip so far has been our excursion to Coachella Music and Arts Festival, just outside of Palm Springs, California. The great line up of artists; the fantastic sunshine and the fun festival goers made it an unforgettable experience. Over the next few weeks my friends and I plan to visit some national parks in Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
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Sadly, my exchange semester is coming to an end, my time in the United States has been fantastic; I have had the privilege of meeting many amazing people from around the world whose friendships are invaluable. I know that these new friends are planning on visiting me in Switzerland, which makes leaving a bit easier. My exchange semester at CU has been nothing short of amazing and it will be very difficult to leave Boulder. I can say without doubt, that these have been some of the best months in my life so far. My time at here has motivated me to enroll in a Masters program in the United States. My experience at both institutions, LUASA and CU Boulder, have thoroughly prepared me to take these next steps both academically and professionally. In acknowledging the instrumental work of both institutions, I must also take a moment to thank my family for making all those amazing moments and experiences possible. Their advice has been invaluable, and support unwavering and encouraging in both my academic and personal life. For that I am deeply grateful!
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
DR. PENNY FRASER – HEALTH FIRST
As the mornings are getting mistier and the kids start swapping coughs and colds at school, our thoughts may already be turning to the winter flu season – and how to avoid it. We use the word ‘flu’ quite freely when someone has ‘just’ a cough, bad cold or fever but actually true influenza, an infection with the influenza virus A, B or C is quite a different affliction. Influenza, the ‘flu’, la grippe, die Grippe, Spanish fever – whatever you call it in your home, it is an illness that needs to be taken seriously. It is said that the way you can tell the difference between a common cold or influenza is this: You are looking out of the window from your sick bed and see a 100CHF note lying on the grass. If you have true influenza, you just can’t get out of bed to get it! This is a humorous way of explaining how severe the symptoms of influenza can be. From a more medical point of view, the characteristics are:
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• Sudden onset of high fever (above 38°C) often with shivering/shaking • Feeling very unwell and fatigued • Joint and muscle pain • Cough – usually dry and can be severe • Headache • Sore throat • Runny and/or stuffy nose • Red, watering eyes • Possible diarrhoea and abdominal pain, particularly in children Most people have a miserable 7 days with these symptoms whilst resting, drinking plenty of water and taking simple painkillers. However, the virus can cause a more severe illness, and even death, in certain high risks groups in our community. Rare complications of influenza include pneumonia, ear infections, meningitis and infection of the heart muscle. In fact, influenza has had a dark history over the centuries. The Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918, for example, was due to a particularly dangerous strain of the virus that infected 500 million people around the world.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015
International School Parent Autumn 2015
It sadly resulted in the deaths of 50-100 million (3-5% of the world’s population at the time). This is an impossible number to imagine but perhaps compare it to the death toll of the concurrent World War I, which was 37 million. Sadly, influenza is still a worry for us living here in Switzerland in 2015. According to the Federal Office of Statistics, last winter there was a jump of 17% in the number of people who died from the complications of influenza compared to other years. 2200 people died, most of who were over 65 years of age but there were also a significant number of young children and pregnant women. This all seems very alarming but the good news is that there are some simple, effective measures that we can all take to protect ourselves as well as the more vulnerable members of our family and friends: • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze - if not the virus can spray into the air at speeds of up to 200 km/hour! No tissue? Sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow. • Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose as this may bring the virus right to the places where it can easily invade the body. • Wash your hands regularly. The flu virus is killed dead by humble soap. Alcohol hand rub is excellent when soap and water are not available. • Clean surfaces at home, school and work that are touched by many people – think door handles, telephones receivers, kitchen worktops etc. • Avoid close contact with poorly people if you can – text or call to see how they are instead. • If you get sick, stay home! Don’t be brave and struggle to work, do the shopping, and take the kids to school. Someone with influenza is contagious one day before they show symptoms and then for the next 5-7 days, maybe longer. Be selfless and stay away. • Get vaccinated...
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Who should get vaccinated?
There are three main groups of people who should be vaccinated for different reasons: Those who are at high risk of getting very ill or dying from influenza. These include people over 65, pregnant women and those with a newborn baby, premature babies for the first two winters after their birth and people who have a chronic health condition, e.g. heart or lung disease, kidney problems, diabetes, cancer, spleen problems, HIV etc. Those who live with or work with the people described above or with young babies under the age of 6 months. This includes workers in nurseries and day care centres, nursing homes, hospitals etc. Young babies are so vulnerable to influenza and yet their immune systems are too immature to be vaccinated. We can vaccinate ourselves to be part of a bubble of protection that surrounds those who we care for. People who work with poultry, wild birds or pigs. This is to prevent the ‘human’ form of the virus mixing with the ‘bird’ or ‘swine’ forms to make a particularly dangerous influenza strain. Not sure if this includes you? Take this simple online test from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health to find out: http://www.vaccinateagainsttheflu.ch/en-us/impfung/ grippe-impf-check.html
Where can I get vaccinated?
Ask your paediatrician or family doctor, or you can take a look here http://www.kollegium.ch/grippe/f.html for a list of doctors and clinics. Look out for Flu Vaccination Day – 6th November 2015 – when many clinics throughout Switzerland will be offering the vaccination without appointment for a set fee.
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International School Parent Autumn 2015 Advertorial
International School Parent Autumn 2015 Advertorial
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Summertime is also time for kids’ activity camps. For you, this often means packing and repacking several times. How annoying when only one sneaker comes back from camp, or when the raincoat is lost or towels are missing. Being well prepared is often the key: This usually means hours spent on labelling all clothing, shoes and other items with your child’s name. Stickerella DOTS will save you plenty of time and energy – and ensure that your child’s belongings can be differentiated from those of his friends. Our DOTS are fresh, easily personalised, washing machine and tumble-drier safe. Create your DOTS online, then just stick and go – happy summer!
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Are you ready for the next step in your international career?
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