The Weekly Bulletin of

Stonehill International School  Volume 7, Issue 113

21st September 2018

FEATURED STORIES

Sustainable Innovation and Creation in P8

In their current Unit of Inquiry, P8 are investigating the history of different inventions that have had a significant impact on the lives of people and the environment.

CONTENTS 01/FEATURED STORIES 03/MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL 06/WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS 08/PRIMARY NEWS 13/SECONDARY NEWS 14/INTRODUCING… 116/PTA NEWS

THE TIGER IMPORTANT DATES

SEPTEMBER 21st & 22nd DP LEADERSHIP CAMP 23rd 10 YEAR 10K RUN 27th – 29th MYP ISTA DRAMA FESTIVAL AT NEW DELHI 28th PRIMARY PARENT-TEACHER-STUDENT CONFERENCES

Students are working individually, or in pairs, to research and report on an invention they have selected. They are discovering answers to questions about why, when, where, who and how the invention came about. This will be presented as an information poster. Each investigation team will then plot their invention on a timeline. Taking this further, students will use their ingenuity to create and develop their own invention utilising recycled materials. They will follow the guidelines of a design cycle. Ms. Sarita Ngarden and Mr. Andrew Clark P8 Class Teachers

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Thank You!

I would like to thank all parents who contributed to the Staff Appreciation Breakfast this week. It is so important to let our teachers know that they are valued and appreciated. In particular, I would like to thank Jill and the rest of the PTA team for coordinating this event. We are very fortunate to have such a caring and supportive parent community.

Ice Cream Party

We had some fun on Tuesday afternoon with a Whole School Ice Cream Party. The community-building event was organised to celebrate the positive start to the school year as well as to mark the point in our school’s history of reaching 500 students. It is also our 10th birthday! Growth and Development Stonehill remains the school of choice for internationally-minded families seeking a quality IB education in Bangalore. Due to its popularity, our school continues to grow in size. Some of the grade levels at Stonehill are at capacity and we have now introduced waiting lists for the first time. On occasion, we may exceed the recommended class sizes (outlined in the Parent Handbook) by one or two students, while steps are taken to open an additional class (usually in the following academic year). It is worth remembering that, unlike many other international schools in Bangalore, Stonehill is a not-for-profit organisation. The revenue we generate contributes to developing our beautiful campus, hiring the best possible teachers and ensuring that our students have access to excellent learning resources. It is not our aim to fill as many places as quickly as possible. Our average class size is 17 students and our student to teacher ratio is 7:1. These figures are comparable with the very best international schools around the globe. We remain committed to providing a high-quality education for our students. We are now in the process of reviewing our growth and development plan, to ensure that we continue to grow and improve our facilities in alignment with the school’s Mission, Vision, Values and Beliefs. Whole School Goals This academic year we have identified three Whole School Learning Goals. The goals provide a common focus for school improvement and development. They enable teachers across the school to have connected conversations about learning and teaching at Stonehill. Our Whole School Learning Goals this year are as follows:

LEARNING GOAL 1

Our mission states that we provide our learners with ‘enhanced opportunities for technological innovation’. We are the only school in Bangalore that provides every primary student with their own iPad and every teacher with a MacBook Air. We operate a 1-1 learning environment with an excellent Wi-Fi network. Our new Makerspace provides opportunities to use green screen technology, Lego Robotics, Vex Robotics, Raspberry Pi, Makey Makey, Arduino and Microbits (electronic prototyping platforms), Cubelets (modular robotic blocks), Little Bits (magnetic modular electronic circuits), 3D Modelling Software, 3D printers and laser cutters. Students throughout the school learn to code using Scratch, Python, C++, Javascript and HTML. Students and teachers make extensive use of the Google for Education applications, safely within the stonehill.in domain. This year, we have introduced a teacher technology competence checklist to ensure that our teachers continue to focus on developing their IT skills. Many teachers have aligned their personal, professional goals with this whole school goal. To support our teachers, we have a dedicated full-time, Whole School Technology Coordinator and a PYP Technology Integration Teacher. The training and support that we provide for teachers this year will also include attendance at this year’s Google India Summit hosted at Stonehill between 16th-18th November. Throughout the year, teachers will also be engaged in ongoing, professional development that will enable them to identify ways that they can enhance and redefine learning with technology.

LEARNING GOAL 2

We strive to provide an inclusive, compassionate and caring learning environment at Stonehill. We believe that inclusion is important and that diversity enriches. As an inclusive school, we also recognise that differentiation is critical if we are to ensure the right levels of challenge, enrichment and support for our students. Important components of effective differentiation include:

knowing the students (and ourselves as teachers) knowing the curriculum developing a broad, researched-based repertoire of instructional strategies

(Powell & Kusuma-Powell. 2013) This whole-school goal will remain a focus throughout the year. To support this area of focus, we have hired an educational consultant, from Dragonfly Training in the UK, who will be leading our professional development day on Monday 22nd November.

LEARNING GOAL 3

Communities of practice (CoPs) are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do, and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. It is through the process of sharing information and experiences with the group that members learn from each other, and have an opportunity to develop personally and professionally. They develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems—in short, a shared practice. (McDermott, Snyder & Wenger. 2002). This academic year, teachers at Stonehill have selected an area of personal, professional interest and have formed Communities of Practice which will meet regularly throughout the year. The groups will work collaboratively to research their chosen topic, share information and learn together. At the end of the academic year, teachers will present their findings to their colleagues. Each CoP has developed a statement of inquiry - a conceptual understanding that will frame the inquiry and direct purposeful learning. The groups have chosen the following as areas for focus this year: Stonehill Communities of Practice - Statements of Inquiry Differentiated instruction caters to the varied needs of learners. Learning environments are flexible, inclusive and are indicative of host culture. There are many pathways to the learning outcome/goal and through differentiation of teaching

and learning we can meet the needs of all students. Taking technology in the classroom beyond Google Apps can increase student engagement and

teaching efficiency. The relationship between technology and language can enhance learning through

communication, differentiation and community practice. Learners are special and unique and catering to ‘Learning for all through differentiation is the

key’. Developing competency in the effective and consistent use of technology in our daily classroom

practices can enhance learning. Learning communities benefit when the role of the performing arts is valued, developed and

promoted across the school, both in specific subject areas and the wider environment. Technology can enhance skills-based learning. Making learning accessible to students with a range of abilities provides opportunities for all

students to succeed. Mastering new technology helps us to meet the various requirement of individual’s needs in

education and can further support us to engage students in their learning. Agency is the power to take meaningful and intentional action. Technology can be a point of access to the arts for students of all ages, abilities and

backgrounds. Extended, class-embedded coaching helps teachers improve their practice and improves holistic

learning for students.

We are committed life-long learners at Stonehill. We hope that our focused Whole-School Learning Goals, our Communities of Practice and the professional development training that we provide for our teachers means that we continue to be a learning-focused school, with educators who consistently reflect on the ways that we can improve the learning experience for the students in our care. Have a good weekend. Best regards, Simon McCloskey Head of School

WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS

UN International Day of Peace

September 21st marks the United Nations International Day of Peace. Each year, the Stonehill community marks this important day. The days leading up to September 21st are filled with all Primary grades, with the help of parent and teacher volunteers, working together to create hundreds of origami paper cranes, which are a symbol of peace. This year the Secondary students joined the celebrations! We had Primary and Secondary student presentations on the significance and history of Peace Day; P3 students created posters of what peace means to them and presented it to us, with the help of M4 students;

Primary students, led by Mr. Anthony and Ms. Maria, sang a beautiful song about how wonderful the world would be if the children of the world could live in peace. The celebration ended with Mr. McCloskey reading out an excerpt by Dr. Martin Luther King and talking about how action starts in a small way, with each of us caring and being respectful to those around us. We would like to Mr. Dave Abbott, for organising this beautiful celebration.

Feed Your Need to Read

Mark your calendars for the Stonehill Book Fair taking place in school soon! What better way to promote reading with our students than by supporting this important event? Support the Stonehill Primary and Secondary Libraries by participating in this three-day event. The fair will have books stalls provided by Scholastic, Kids2day, Books@Campus and RIC.

Date: 26th to 28th September, 2018 Timings: 7.30am to 4:00pm Venue: Primary Hall

We look forward to seeing you at the Book Fair! Stonehill Primary and Secondary Library Team

PRIMARY NEWS Dear Primary Parents, Our PTSCs will take place on Friday 28th September, 2018. The conferences will provide you with the opportunity to meet with your child's Class Teacher. You will be able to find out how your child has settled into their new class, discuss their progress and set some goals for the year. Subject Specialist Teachers will also be available to meet with you throughout the day should you wish to do so. An email with a link to sign up for the conferences should have already been sent out to you. You will need to provide a valid email address to register and make appointments. Please Contact Ms Nijika if you have any problems with the online booking system (primary.secretary@stonehill.in). Please note that the Primary School will be closed on this day and that students should attend conferences in school uniform. We look forward to seeing you all Friday 28th September 2018 Best regards, Karen Crooke Primary Principal

News from the Primary Library

A warm welcome from us here in the Primary Library! We hope that you all had a great a start to the new school year. It is wonderful having our enthusiastic readers and inquirers back in the library and to see them share books with each other, browse through our shelves and displays and look for new and old favourites to read.

We are looking for parent volunteers to read-aloud during lunch breaks. We would love to have some parents read in their home language to build enthusiasm for our new mother tongue section. If you would like to volunteer, please get in touch. Our library is open between 7:25 am and 4:00 pm. You are welcome to stop by, to explore our collection, read together, check out books and to make some book recommendations too. Mr. Raghu, Mr. Srinivas and I are looking forward to seeing you! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. Lamiya Bharmal Primary Librarian/Information Literacy Teacher lamiya.bharmal@stonehill.in

SECONDARY NEWS PTA Appreciation Breakfast

On behalf of the staff, I would like to thank all members of the PTA for organising such a fabulous breakfast for us on Thursday, 20th September. This thoughtful gesture was appreciated by all the teachers and staff. Diploma Leadership Camp The IB Diploma Breakout Leadership Camp for D1 and D2 students is in progress at the Kanakpura Leadership Campsite from Friday, 21st September to Saturday, 22nd September. Thank you to Ms. Manpreet for organising the camp. I would like to offer my deep appreciation for the chaperones - Mr. Mohammed, Mr. Sathish, Ms. Huixian, Ms. Neena and Ms. Manpreet who are supervising our students over the weekend. Late or Absent If your son/daughter is absent or late, please send an email to the secondary secretary with a copy to the homeroom teacher by 7:30 am. secondary.secretary@stonehill.in Telephone 080-4341-8300 Ext. 8511 (Ms. Tanuja Arora) Have a good weekend. Warm regards, Narendra Mehrotra Secondary Principal secondaryprincipal@stonehill.in

INTRODUCING… Each week we will feature a Stonehill Teacher in our weekly bulletin. This week we interviewed PYP Teacher, Aaliyah Honor Dargan. Name Aaliyah Honor Dargan Qualification and certifications BA (Hons) in Primary Education specialising in the Creative Arts and an MA in Early Childhood Education What do you teach at Stonehill? I am the P1 homeroom teacher. Where are you from and where else have you lived? I am originally from Durham, England, although we moved from there when I was 8, as my dad changed his job. We moved to West Yorkshire, specifically a place called Birkenshaw, that sits right in the middle between Bradford and Leeds. I spent the rest of my school years here and then went to Birmingham to study law. From there I moved back to Bradford, before spending a couple of years in Nottingham. It was at the young age of 29 that I made the decision to try life overseas and I have never looked back! 10 years in Japan, 1 year in Singapore, 6 months travelling in South America, back to the UK for 2 years, then 5 years in Bahrain, before my most recent move to India. I am certainly not the same person who left the UK. International living has opened my mind and taught me – is still teaching me so much. What inspired you to become a teacher? I did not go straight into teaching when I finished school, as mentioned above. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was 18! However, I always gravitated into ‘teaching’ or ‘coaching’ roles in my experiences and gradually came to the realisation that teaching was what I enjoyed the most. Over the years I had become involved in helping out at face painting and children’s parties – it was the combination of these two areas that brought me the most satisfaction. I went to help out in a couple of schools in my spare time and finally knew I had found my path. I signed up to start my 4 year B.A. in Primary Education and the rest, as they say, is history. What is your educational philosophy? As a teacher of young children, the most important part of my educational philosophy is the knowledge that children ‘want’ to learn. They want to be given opportunities to experiment, explore, and excel as they learn. Children want and need autonomy and the trust from those around them that they are capable and responsible beings. Of course, as the teacher, part of my job is to ensure the environment is safe and secure so that the kind of learning described can take place. But I am very aware that, as the adult, it is all too easy to step in and take over the learning from children and subsequently dis-empower them and their belief in themselves. Trying to personalise learning to meet the needs and interests of all the children in the class, while taking all of the above into account, is one of the most important things I can do. The other critical factor I always try to keep in my mind is that children ‘see’ everything that I and other adults ‘do’. How do I deal with difficult situations? Do I remain calm and problem solve my way through it, or do I lose control of my emotions and demonstrate a different kind of behaviour? Do I model the kind of attitudes and behaviours that I would like to encourage in the children?

And when I do, inevitably, get it wrong sometimes I make sure I apologise and talk through my feelings and reactions with the children. This is a vital part of modelling the learning and is exactly what I do to support the children when they face a difficulty or self-regulation challenge. Finally, there are many educational greats who have influenced my practice and my thinking about early years educational philosophy including Susan Isaacs, John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, and Joseph Steiner. I am also inspired by the 100 languages of children and the importance of the third environment as teacher incorporated in the work of Reggio Emilia inspired schools. What made you choose Stonehill? After 5 years in Bahrain I felt it was time to experience a new setting and continue my growth as an educator. In the first instance, Stonehill attracted me because of the IB curriculum and for its reputation. As I found out more about the school I realised it also had excellent facilities and a setting that, for someone coming from a land of desert, was going to be surrounded by lush green life throughout the year. This was something I had missed! As I went through the interview process the final piece fell into place for me, and has been proved during my first few weeks – the people! Schools are communities after all and I know how important it is to be working with like-minded people, who want the best for the children in their care. I feel that here and I feel very lucky to be a part of Stonehill. What is the best part of your job? The children! Seeing them grow in confidence. Hearing them being able to articulate their ideas and resolve their problems. Knowing that I have done my job when they make me redundant in particular situations and I am able to observe and share their successes. What are your hobbies and interests? I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction. I always have a book on the go! At the moment I am reading, ‘And the Mountains Echoed,’ by Khaled Hosseini, as well as ‘The Third Teacher,’ which is a collaborative project between Cannon Design, VS Furniture and Bruce Mau Design. I also enjoy playing around with technology. When I lived in Japan I created a travel website to help newcomers to the city. It is no longer available as I couldn’t keep it up-to-date after I relocated. However, I have recently started a couple of new projects linked to my hobbies: www.GetYourHennaOn.com is a website about using natural henna (no chemical nasties in the paste I make!) and I am about to start writing a new site about my other passion – storytelling. It is only a shell of a website at the moment but if you want to see how it grows you’ll find it at www.TheStoryary.com What is your favourite book? I like to read a lot so this is a really tough question! Do I have to choose one?! If pressed, my choice is a set of books – It’s the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. Though they are actually a set of children’s books, this particular set is one that still puts a smile on my face when I read it now as an adult. There is so much magic and mystery contained in these pages and my imagination runs wild as I get lost in each story. What is your favourite music? Again, this is a tough question. I like all kinds of music from classical to blues to pop. If I have to choose one, right now, I would choose Elgar’s cello concerto played by Jacqueline Du Pre. A beautifully haunting piece of music played by an amazingly strong woman.

PTA NEWS A heartfelt thanks to all of you who contributed time and food items to the Teacher's Appreciation Breakfast.

It was the most successful ever!

PTA Parent Coffee Morning and Bluefoot Tours Presentation

Dear Stonehill Parents, The PTA invites you to join us for coffee, light snacks and a stellar presentation by Bluefoot Tours! We're looking forward to meeting the newest members of our unique community and connecting with those of you we've known for a while. Do attend! It won't be the same without you.

When Thursday, September 27th 9:00 am-11:00 am Where Administration Building - Parent's Lounge

Best regards, Team PTA

StonehillInternationalSchool

259/333/334/335|TarahuniseVillagePost|JalaHobli(BangaloreNorth)Bangalore562157

T+91.80.43418300|Einfo@stonehill.in|www.stonehill.in

You are invited to join us for an interac1ve session, discussing the history and present day culture of India. The workshop touches upon many strong undercurrents that influence the way India operates today, and the dynamics among people, such as the Caste System, the Status of Women, Civic Sense, the Concept of Personal Space, the Percep1on of Time, Religion, Poverty etc. Kaveri also advises you on the right approach to take to deal with culture gaps, culture shock and emo1onal conflicts that might effect paren1ng and family harmony.

Kaveri is a Psychologist, Historian & Cultural Anthropologist. She is the Founder of Culture Rings (www.culturerings.com) and the co Founder of The Five Oceans Club (www.fiveoceans.club).

Workshop Designed and Conducted by KAVERI SINHJI

INDIA EXPLAINED: History & Life Culture

She organises tours and explora1ons of the city and also conducts workshops to bridge cultural divides.