Upload
slavica-milic
View
224
Download
3
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Â
Citation preview
Reflections 2010‐2011
www.KnightsbridgeSchools.com Knightsbridge Schools International
KeepSmilingKeepStriving
Issue 1 August 2011
Be All you can be
3
Welcome to our World
4 From the KSI Executive Team 5 Maggie Lopez Reflective Learning
6 Knightsbridge School Montenegro 6 Corine van den Wildenberg Magic in a classroom 8 Tamara Radakovic Our first year 10 Marija Djukic My meta‐inquiry 12 KS Camp Healthy body Healthy mind
14 Knightsbridge Global Citizenship Programme 15 Gamze Unay Keep Smiling Keep Striving 16 Nazli Açici Kindergarten reflections 19 Isil Adakli Dear team 20 Kismet İncer From day one 22 Zane Ziemelis Role models 23 Seana Ford Our student council 24 Meaghan Low Two stars and a wish 26 Serpil Çerniski Reflections on 2010‐2011 28 Mehrdad Wellington The evolution before our eyes 29 Melanie Flores The KGCP reading programme 30 Burhan Yildiz The KGCP’s five favourite ICT resources 32 Seda Acar Reflections on cinema club
35 Knightsbridge School in London 36 Magoo Giles We are not new anymore
38 Knightsbridge Schools International 38 KSI Looking forward 41 KSI Professional learning journals 42 KSI Staff list 2010‐2011
For more information or additional copies of Reflections 2010‐2011 please contact:
Fleur Primavera Knightsbridge Schools International
124‐128 Barlby Road, Unit 43, London W10 6BL, UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0)20 3159 4021 Email: [email protected]
5
Reflective Learning
June 30th 2011, marked the end of our first academic year working together – and what a momentous year it has been! We sincerely appreciate the individual and collective contributions of all our staff members. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to living the KS mission and values which symbolize “who we are.” The publication of our first annual KS Magazine – Be All You Can Be REFLECTIONS –demonstrates the many unique and diverse ways in “how we express ourselves” and illustrates our new understandings of how KSI is developing. We acknowledge and respect the many unique voices from our multi‐lingual, non‐native English speakers. These articles reflect everyone’s personal voices and expressions. Reflective learning is not only evident in the student work produced this year but in the deep conversations and inquiries happening at the school and executive levels. Our collective questions and wonderings are helping KSI form its strategy of “how our world will work” in terms of future global communications and collaboration. The dynamic photos captured in this magazine also tell special stories that words alone cannot capture. Enjoy the smiles, colours and learning engagements illustrated in these pictures.
Marguerite Lopez Maggie is the editor of “Reflections” and the Chief Academic Officer for Knightsbridge Schools International . She shares with us her own reflection of the 2010‐2011 academic year.
We strive to develop ourselves by learning from our experience. We seek out and are open to feedback, applying our learning to improve ourselves and reach our goals.”
“
We feel privileged to work with such a dynamic team, dedicated to “transdisciplinary” learning and themes at all levels of our small but mighty organization. We are true pioneers on a remarkable and compelling journey! Our contagious enthusiasm and creativity in this “place and time” of our schools’ development will contribute to “how we organise ourselves” in the future! We have a number of exciting projects and innovative developments to look forward to next year which will ultimately prepare us for looking at “how we share the planet” and enable us to create and maintain enduring partnerships with each other and our local communities.
I would like to extend a very special thank you to our creative designer and publisher of the magazine, Fleur Primavera, for her commitment to this project and many hours spent getting it “just right”.
6
Magic in a KS Classroom
Corine Van den Wildenberg Corine is the Head of KS Montenegro. She shares her passion for inquiry learning and her joy in seeing the students at KS Montenegro develop through its use since the school opened in September 2010.
“Why do you think some people at our school
have had more than one different passport while others have only ever had one?” the teacher asked her learners as they puzzled over the data collected from their survey. They had collected some interesting information after asking people about nationalities, home countries and citizenship. There was a pause and then the students’ faces, which had the usual scrunched noses, raised eyebrows and puzzled looks, started to transform into brightened faces of students with thoughtful ideas as they each began to formulate hypotheses in their own minds. Ideas and responses flooded the conversation, “because their parents each come from different countries” or “people keep moving to new countries” and “maybe because of danger.” One response was enough to guide the next thinker to formulate another hypothesis or to ask a more specific question. The ideas came forth. Falling back onto what they already knew, the students were able to further their hypotheses and create plausible assumptions and instead of an answer, they had created better questions. Inquiry allows for so much more to happen in a classroom setting. Magic seems to be a plausible explanation for the domino effect of thoughtful ideas from learners who understand that questions are more influential than answers. With confidence they start to formulate their own wonderings, using their acquired knowledge to guide them further
toward understanding. During this particular unit, the students came to accept some assumptions about the number of passports an individual could have but continued to explore how others could have three different passports without ever having moved from their family home. The teacher facilitated the discussion, offering strategies to analyse information or classify data collected. The learners were researching the concept of nation, the firmness of boundaries and identity and nationality. The energy was contagious. Their questions led to a basic understanding of global citizenship, national boundaries and governmental structure and this in turn lead to more questions. “Why do some passports seem to be better than others?” “How many passports can one person have?” “Why do we need visas for some countries and not for others?” A lesson that ends in more questions than answers, but leads to further exploration is inquiry alive. Magic is an illusion of course. The philosophy and the curriculum framework of the Primary Years Programme are well thought out, supported by research and best practice. The framework is such that it encourages learners to use what they know to further their inquiry and to construct new understandings. While it is enchanting, it’s not magic, it’s a structured cycle of planning for teaching and learning. In a Year One/Two classroom the learners are exploring the phenomena of Tsunamis after the recent earthquake in Japan. Two students are drawing pictures to explain plate tectonics. With the video found online and the atlas turned to Asia Pacific, one learner shows me
7
the two Lego platforms he’s constructed and begins to explain what he knows about the shifts happening along the ocean floor. Another looks on while spinning the globe to show where he understand the plates to be. Probing a little more, the students begin to share their own predictions and their understandings about why this is happening, where else it might happen and what we might do about it. While visiting a classroom of our youngest learners, it’s easy to smile as they engage in learning about journeys and the opportunities they present. Equipped with a clipboard of questions, they ask about how people have come to school and how they travel to visit their families back in their home countries. Modes of transportation are then sorted into categories of distance, cost, speed and environmental impact. The terms are new, but the thoughts are theirs. Inquiry is structured to explore the different reasons people make journeys and connections are made to their own journeys. Inspired by curiosity, the inquiry encourages the learners to build an understanding of change that can happen when we make journeys. The child who comes to learn this essential understanding then begins to apply it to other factors, travel for pleasure, for necessity and for exploration. In reflecting on my time in classrooms as a student, it’s remarkable to note the differences: the learner autonomy, the shift from the traditional teacher‐directed classes with pre‐determined questions to the current student‐centred classrooms with learner‐generated questions. The visible shift is from passive learning to active inquiry that leads to more meaningful learning, questioning and understanding. Learning that is authentic, that addresses personal interests and values all questions engages students deeply and conceptually to build understandings which endure and can be applied across the curriculum. It awakens the natural inquiry and reflective processes of a learner such that he or she becomes interdependently involved in learning, sharing and exploring. In this age of easy access to information, it’s important to equip students with the critical thinking and analytical skills needed to question further, to look for the relevance and significance in what
they are presented with while they develop their own understanding about the world in which they live. Inquiry is engaging; it is not magic. It is purposeful learning that is significant and relevant and empowering. The more learners are engaged to reason and to think critically, the more they come to expose the subtleties of the knowledge they have acquired. It’s not the end result that we search, it’s the next question – it’s the cyclical process of inquiry that is inherent in the lifelong learner. As Grant Wiggins points out in an article entitled, The Futility of Trying to Teach Everything of Importance, students cannot possibly learn everything of value. It’s impossible to think that passing from year level to year level a group of individuals with unique interests and life experiences will attain all that is important, worthwhile and necessary to know. We cannot create a finite curriculum. What can be created is an environment for learning that builds on transferable, conceptual understandings that equip individual learners to access their ideas and thoughts with confidence to explore and discover more. And so the magic continues, teachers collaborate to plan for inquiries that challenge learners to discover more about the world in which they live and to take those understandings and apply them to more questions. As one question leads to another, a new understanding fosters more learning and inquiring and skill building continues. In a magic show, doves keep coming from the black hat the magician holds out in front of us. Each time his hand goes in, another bird is set free. Each time a teacher sets forth a new central idea, the students’ questions begin to form and they lead to more questions and more inquiries.
A lesson that ends in more questions than answers, but leads to further exploration is
inquiry alive. ”
“
8
Our first year...
Tamara Radakovic Tamara is the School Administrator for KS Montenegro. She shares the remarkable transformation the school has undertaken from June through October 2011.
2.Alotofworktodo...1.Howitallstarted...
3.Alotoftraining... 4.Beingtheguest&thehostatthesametime...
5.TheMusicSchoolwasourhostwhilstourschoolwasunderconstruction...
9
6.Soonwehadthespacebutittookalot...
12.Ithinkwehavesomethingtocelebrate!
8.orthis...
9.Butnowtherearethreeclasses(andwillsoonbemore!).One...
10.Two...
7.tomakeitlooklikethis...
11.Three...
10
My Meta‐inquiry
Marija Djukic Marija is a local classroom teacher at KS Montenegro. She shares with us her reflection on her own personal and professional development at the end of her first year working as part of an International Baccalaureate programme (IB).
Ten months ago the IB world opened its door to me. Until that moment, I had been teaching my students as I was taught, taking those values for granted. I considered an educated person to be anyone who read a lot and kept a head full of facts, such as Latin names of endangered species or the height of mountain peaks in South America. To be honest, I wanted to believe I belonged to that club. The IB world looked exciting, I was eager to learn more, many new and important words fascinated me from the beginning. One of them, the very powerful word INQUIRY, “the seeking or request for truth, information or knowledge”, as stated in the dictionary. After watching a couple of videos about education, the tension in me started to grow. The message I got was – What traditional education, the only education I knew, teaches us is to “jump through the hoops” and use our heads as storage space, smothering our creativity. So many questions arose I did not have the answers for: What does this new kind of education look like? How do we as human beings naturally create higher understanding? How does it work in a real life classroom? How different is it from the classrooms I knew? I did not realise that yet, but I was caught in my own meta‐inquiry. So glad was I to see that many people had been dealing with this matter before me. I was introduced to many fabulous books, articles and models of inquiry: Yellow School Buses, and Lady Bugs, Swirling Tornadoes.
As we were sharing our experiences I saw that my colleagues were riding the
same roller coaster ..... ”
“
As we were sharing our experiences I saw my colleagues were riding the same roller coaster. It became clear to me that there was not just one truth and that the way I was so carefully guided into my own inquiry was just one of the ways. As I revisit my questions to see which ones I am now able to answer, more of them appear and remind me that this is a never ending journey, allowing you to go as far as you can and “be all you can be”.
12
What better place to spend sunny summer days than on the pristine Bay of Kotor in the beautiful town of Tivat, Montenegro, sailing, swimming, meeting new friends and exploring through adventure and creative arts!
Healthy Body Healthy Mind
KS Camp is Knightsbridge Schools International’s inaugural summer camp programme. Future KS Camp plans include developing a Language, Culture and Arts Camp in London and a Science and Technology Camp in Turkey, with opportunities for student exchange programmes between all three schools.
Atypicaldayinthecamp:
8:45am:Session1:Sailinglesson
10:30am:Snackandwaterbreak
10:40am:Session2:Courtorfieldsports
12:00pm:Lunchatschool,freeplay,groupgames.
1:00pm:Session3:Hiking,woodsgames,wildernessskills(orienteering,geocaching,etc)(snackprovidedonhike)
4:00pm:Poolorbeachswimandwatergames
5:00pm:Resthour,showerandchangeathotel(basketball,tennisandhandballcourtsavailableonsite)
6:00pm:Dinner
6:45pm:Eveningprogramme:Talentshow&campfire
KSCampactivitiesinclude:WaterSports:sailinglessons,swimming,poolandoceangames.FieldSports:Capturetheflag,soccer,football,ultimateFrisbee,kickball,groupgames.CourtSports:Basketball,tennis,gagaball,bocceOutdooradventures:HighandlowropesadventureCourse,hikingandnatureinterpretation,orienteering,naturegames.CreativeArts:Drama,dancing,campsongs,artsandcrafts.FieldTrips:Kotor,Submarinetour,beachtrips…
Professional sailing instruction on the Bay of Kotor
Ropes course adventures on Mt Lovcen for campers ages 5+
Snorkelling & swimming in the Adriatic Sea
13
KS Camp provides opportunities for peer group social interaction and English language development in an adventurous and creative environment. In this atmosphere, campers develop the values of the KS Code, such as self confidence, independence, respect and cooperation. The development of a “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind” is an inherent part of the active summer camp programme. Knightsbridge Schools International’s motto is Be All You Can Be, in every aspect of life both in and out of the classroom. Summer camp prevents learning loss, as lessons learned in the classroom are reinforced and extended by experiential learning away from the school over the holidays. In particular, giving English as a Second language students an opportunity to develop and practice their English. Campers are motivated to learn important life skills through the fun of games and physically dynamic activities.
School, work and life skills problem solving, self‐discipline, perseverance, goal setting and time management and team building
Gaining confidence and self‐esteem
Leadership and personal growth learning to inspire and to work as part of a team, achievements at camp builds self‐esteem and confidence
Becoming more independent
Igniting future career interests an actor, an astronaut, an athlete, an astronomer
Internalising morals and values
Specialty training mastering sailing, horseback riding, hockey, swimming, computer skills or debate transfer back to classroom work
Gaining better self‐awareness
Learning to try new things kids discover and explore new sports, crafts and challenges like high ropes or an adventure trek
Improving interpersonal and social skills
Learning through success and failure there are no grades at camp. Kids are encouraged in a supportive environment to test and master new skills and try again and again if they fail
Becoming a good community member and good global citizen
Physical activity and increased strength kids are up and active and using their bodies as well as their minds
Taking responsibility for self and others
KS Camp builds skills for life:
Traditional camp craft and outdoors skills take place at Mt Lovcen National Park The ropes course has 6 levels to ensure every camper is challenged
An English as a Foreign Language (EFL) curriculum that cultivates a community of global citizens who value and respect diversity, strive for academic excellence, pursue individual interests and make a positive difference in a changing world.
15
Education is a journey during which people meet the unknown and travel the untrodden! Our journey into the KGCP started in August 2010 in Kocaeli. Educators from all around the world, with different experiences and educational background gathered in the school with much enthusiasm and excitement to launch our new Knightsbridge Global Citizenship Programme. Being appointed as the KGCP Coordinator, I was (I still am!) feeling quite thrilled to be part of this exciting, globally‐focused educational endeavour. I knew that ‘Global Citizenship’ is a concept that goes well beyond knowing that we are citizens of the world; it is a way of thinking and behaving. It is an outlook on life, a belief that we can make a difference and make the world a better place. With all these in mind, our team embarked on their journey with great enthusiasm, open to new discoveries.
We have had a lot of challenges along the way. The process of transitioning from existing text book driven‐teaching and learning model to an inquiry‐based learning and teaching framework. This challenge and opportunity empowered the KGCP team to develop a strong sense of sharing and learning together as we moved towards the same goal. Now that we have reached the end of the year, we all look behind with warm smiles on our faces. A sense of pride developed from the visible and concrete results of what we have achieved and accomplished as a team over the past ten months: young learners communicating in English, questioning the world and many of them asking their teachers which books they should be reading over the summer vacation. What a rewarding journey! WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE ALL WE CAN BE, KEEP SMILING AND STRIVING!
Keep Smiling Keep Striving
Gamze Unay
Gamze is the Knightsbridge Global Citizenship Programme (KGCP) Coordinator for Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji, Kocaeli located in Izmit, Turkey. She reflects on the KGCP team’s journey at the end of their first year.
16
Nazli Açici Nazli is a local Kindergarten KGCP teacher at Kocaeli School Turkey. She shares with us her reflections on her first year teaching students in her class through an inquiry based curriculum.
Kindergarten Reflections from 2010‐2011
Thisisascenefromour“Friendship”unit,theveryfirstunitoftheinquiryjourney.Thestudentswerelearninghowtoshareandwhatwillhappenwhentheydon’t.Youcanseehowmuchfuntheyhadwhentheysharedtheball.
Thisisanotherscenefromthefriendshipunitandthestudentsareshowingthattheycareabouttheirfriendsbygivingthemacardthattheydecoratedthemselves.
Thiswastheverybeginningoftheyearandthestudentsstartedtounderstandhowtostartafriendshipsotheydecoratedtheirownfingerpuppets,gavethemnamesandpersonalitiesandactedoutthewaysthattheycanbecomefriends.
17
Thiswasinthemiddleofourfirstunitandthestudentsalreadystartedsharingthematerials,helpingeachotherandcreatingasa‘team’.
Thisisfromoursecondunitofinquirywhichwasaboutstories.Wewerereadingthembigbooks.
ThestudentscreatedtheirownfarminsteadofOldMacDonald’sFarmandtheydidthisinpairswhichhelpedthemtobuildupontheirfriendshipandsocialskills.
Thisisfromourthirdunitofinquiry.Weareexperimentingonhowmaterialschangeandthefouryearoldstudentsweresoexcitedtoseetheballoonblowingupwithoutthemusingtheirownbreath.
18
KindergartenissomuchfunGivethemataskanditisdoneCreativeandcriticalthinkersthestudentsarePositiveideaswillalwaysfly
Keepsmiling!!
Thestudentswereexperimentingontheirown.Theytouched,smeltandhadexploredthepropertiesofthematerials.
Thestudentshavesomuchfunwhentheyareengagedintheactivities!Theywerelittlecuriousmonkeys!Theytriedtoseethechangesthatwerehappeningtothesugarcrystalsandtheycouldn’tstoptalkingandarguingaboutit.
Thestudentshadachancetoworkandexperiencedifferenttypesofmaterialswhichledthemtounderstanddifferentmaterialsndhowtousethem.
Thestudentsalsohadmanyopportunitiestopracticetheirwritingskills.Theylovedexploringontheirownandplayingwithalltheletters.
19
Dear Team...
Isil Adakli Isil is an Upper Primary local KGCP teacher at Kocaeli School, Turkey. She shares with us an open letter of her reflections from 2010‐2011, with her colleagues in the KGCP team.
First of all, I would like to say that it was a pleasure for me to work in such a wonderful working environment with a lovely staff, plenty of new opportunities and horizons. To be honest, at the beginning of the term, I wasn’t very sure how we would end up with our students as it was going to be the first year of KGCP experience for Kocaeli students. However, the time passed so fast and we have done so many things in this period which can be considered as very short in terms of our professional lives. Together with my students, I also learned quite a lot by their performances and reflections. As a reflection, I want to state that although this year was not easy, we now know how to structure the next year stronger. In the first unit of inquiry, the Upper Primary students were so unfamiliar with the new programme. It took us some time to get them accustomed to the system and adopt it. The reason for this was the examination system in Turkey they had been used to, conflicted with the focus and learning with the KGCP. Yet, they surprised me by the end of the term with their progress and enthusiasm. Our first unit “Homes” helped us to unveil their potential from their personal identity and their attitudes originating from their local culture. As the end of unit goal, our students wrote a story using the Comic Life programme and reflected on their own learning. We also had a chance to monitor where each student placed himself in the programme with their individual skills. It was a way observing their strengths and weaknesses so that we could take action accordingly. In the second unit of inquiry “Role Models”, the students did quite well in the headlines activity as a part prior knowledge activity in which they defined what a role model is and what it meant to them. And we repeated the headlines activity at the end of the unit. The answers were so different being the proof of learning. We read books such as Martin Luther King and Frida. In my opinion the books inspired them somehow and they started coming up with impressive vocabulary such as discrimination, equality, determinant…etc. Our writing focus was to make a Power Point presentation about their role models. The presentations showed us that they changed their ideas about the function and characteristics of a role model. All these outputs were just the early signs of their understanding and adoption of the KGCP. I can say that we were only able to reap the fruits of what we have been trying to carve out by the end of our third unit of inquiry “How the World Works”. The students did a lot of research using the Netbooks and discovered the basics of architecture and design. They also made comparisons and contrasts between different cultures, geographies and climates. On coming towards the end, their end of unit projects were a great source of satisfaction, we teachers were so pleased to see their brochures telling us about a specific structure in the world by combining their ICT skills and knowledge. In our fourth unit of Inquiry “How We Organize Ourselves” we focused on specific workplaces such as school and theatre. The students made organisational charts and discussed the responsibilities and functions of each unit in a workplace. They worked on the characteristics and qualifications of employees. As the writing focus, the students wrote their own letter of job applications and tried to introduce themselves objectively to fit into their dream work. I believe all the things we have done has had a positive impact on our students helping them approach new situations with an inquiring mind allowing them to consider different perspectives. With all the ups and downs, it was a great year and I hope it will be so much better next year. Now we are about to end the year and I don’t think we could have come this far if it hadn’t been for my super colleagues doing their best, collaborating all the time and my dear superiors, Ms. Gamze Unay and Ms. Maggie Lopez, deserve the biggest thanks. Thank you so much for supporting and motivating us all the way. KGCP is a system that takes its energy from real collegiality and teamwork. It works like a body, thus we need to keep our body healthy and energetic to achieve our goals.
20
Kismet İncer Kismet is a Lower Primary local Teacher. She shares with us her reflections of 2010‐2011 from the first day that Bahcesehir‐Knightsbridge Koleji began.
From day one........
It was a sunny day. It was quite warm and in all the excitement it felt even warmer. Teachers were waiting for their students who were late due to problems with the bus service. This excitement
was almost turning into a small panic when the first classes filled up with cheerful little children. Yes, it was the first day of school in Bahçeşehır‐Knightsbridge Koleji. It was most likely the hardest day of all. We didn’t understand how the first unit of inquiry passed so quickly. When we started unit two, we
realised something was changing. The attitude of the our students towards learning English had changed, the way they responded in lesson and interacted with one another had changed and the way we were all growing and learning together, students and teachers, changed our relationships. We struggled many times with the limitation of language; the students, not being able to express themselves, we as teachers not being able to make ourselves clear in the second language. But somehow by the end of the second unit students were able to clearly express their understandings and thinking in our first ever experience of “Student Led Conferences.” When our students returned from their semester holidays, we felt another change; our students were more motivated and enthusiastic about the unit of inquiry. Their motivation and interest to learn helped them achieve more than we had expected from them. Sentences starting with “Why?”, “How?”, “When?”, “Where?” were the leading ones in our classrooms. Even if the questions sounded like this: “Teacher! I wonder why elephants … ” and the rest in their mother tongue. It was a perfect feeling that we could see the students actually trying to express their thoughts. Moreover, they did it in the second language! For us it looked like something ordinary, but for them, the opportunity to ask questions and inquire, research and share their learning with the whole class was so exciting and new for them. In the end
21
they created wonderful projects showing a full understanding of our learning objectives. The best thing about this was that no student was left behind; they all learned it in their own way. They enjoyed these end of unit assessments so much that the Student Led Conferences were very successful! …And it is warm again. Unit four is almost finished and our students are trying to finish their end of unit projects in the heat of the day. We end the year knowing that our students are more confident and knowledgeable. They enjoy learning English and will take this year’s learning experiences with them on their summer holidays; hopefully sharing their new understandings with their family and friends. During the professional development weeks we were told that this change would happen slowly, and it seemed totally unbelievable to me then. But now looking back, I can see it happened.
What will happen next year?
I look forward to the changes with wonder and excitement!
22
I love picture books. At first, it was all about the art for me. If it was a beautifully visual picture book, I was sold. But after sitting in many book stores and libraries, I found books in which the text enhanced the amazing images. The best picture books are stories told through a successful combination of text and visuals. “Frida”, a book about a determined woman and talented artist, was written by Jonah Winter and Ana Juan, was a perfect choice for the Role Models unit. At first look, the grade four and five students were unconvinced that the “woman with the uni‐brow” was brave, strong and an inspiration to many.
Zane Ziemelis Zane is an Upper Primary teacher. She joined the KGCP team from Canada in September 2010. Zane shares with us her reflection of one of the KGCP units of inquiry and how one book can change the students’ ideas.
Role Models
I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my
own reality.. ” Frida Kahlo.
“
The classes did a vocabulary activity in groups in order to understand the new words. The book was projected onto a big screen so we could share the reading as well as appreciate the artwork. The students wrote headlines expressing their ideas about the book. For this task, it was important for students to write down
their thoughts in any way they could. When we finished the book, I was glad to hear some students wanted to know more about Frida’s life. It’s fantastic how this picture book changed the way the students look and think about a person.
23
Our Student Council
Seana Ford Seana is a teacher for the KGCP. Along with her classroom teaching Seana was at the forefront of forming Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji’s, first Student Council. She shares with us their achievements in their first year.
MeetourBahçeşehir‐KnightsbridgeStudentCouncil!
Aspartofourschoolprogramme,allstudentsarerequiredtosignuptoacluborgroup.TheschoolwasnotveryfamiliarwiththeconceptofaStudentCouncilsowehadtoconvincesomeofthestaffthatitwouldgreatlybenefitourschool.Wewerecuriousifanyonewouldsignupbut,toourrelief,thesesixstudentsdidandwecouldnothavepickedabetterteam.
Fromdayonethestudentswereveryexcitedandtookchargerightaway.Theycameupwithplentyofideasfortheyear,buttheirmaingoalwastoraiseenoughmoneytopurchasewaterbottlesfortheentireschoolbodytohelpreducethenumberofplasticcupsusedattheschool.Theywantedtodothistohelptheenvironmentandtoreducetheamountoflitter.Theydecidedthebestwaytodothiswastohavebothabakesaleandaschooltalentshow.
MissionAccomplished!
Thestudentcouncilmembersenjoyedsellingdeliciousgoodiesandperformingtheirrockstarmoves!TheStudentCouncilaskedtheSchoolPrincipaliftheycouldorderwaterbottlesandhesupportedtheirinitiative.Theydecidedtosellsomeextrabottles,ataslightlyinflatedprice,tothecommunitytocoverthetotalcostandtoraisemoneyfortheschoollibrary.WeareveryproudofourStudentCouncil.Theyincreasedschoolspirit,helpedtosavetheenvironmentand,asaresult,setthebarhighfornextyear.
24
When I think of the past year I am reminded of a quote from a favourite film, The Man Who Would Be King. In the opening scene the character played by Michael Caine, Peachy Carnehan, begins his telling of a long and life changing journey with the words, ‘[I am] the same ‐ and not the same, who sat besides you in the first class carriage, on the train to Marwar Junction, three summers and a thousand years ago’. I feel a certain amount of empathy with this character. Our journeys could not be more different but this quote remains true and leads me to begin my reflection of the past year in a similar fashion: Eleven months and a thousand years ago I began my first year as a teacher, and what a year it has been! As the year comes to a close and I think back over the highs and lows of my first year, it can be difficult not to get too distracted by the challenges that have been faced. However, there were many amazing moments that have helped me to maintain my motivation and focus on the growth and improvement I can see for the future of the Knightsbridge Global Citizenship Programme. I wanted the structure of my reflection to fulfil two main requirements. One, I wanted to focus on the positive. And two, it needed to be something that we have used with our students. With these criteria in mind I have chosen one of the KGCP’s favourite Kath Murdoch reflection tools: ‘Two Stars and One Wish.’
Star #1:
Today I discovered one of the important moments that helped me to maintain my motivation completely by accident. During a school break I was walking down the hall and decided to drop in to one of the Grade One classrooms and see what they were working on. To appreciate the magic of this moment a little context is required. At the beginning of this school year computers in the classroom were a new idea, graphic organisers were unheard of, and the production of authentic material was a strange and confusing concept.
Two Stars and a Wish
Meaghan Low Meaghan is an Upper Primary KGCP Teacher in Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji. Meaghan’s home country is Canada from where she joined the KGCP team in Turkey in September 2010. She shares with us her reflections of the KGCP’s developments over the last year.
25
When I joined the class I immediately noticed that even though it was not technically class time the majority of the students were focused on the days task. They were writing and publishing their own adventure stories. One student in particular was working with his rough draft, a computer and his second draft simultaneously to publish the story he had written. He was so engrossed in what he was working on he did not realise I was taking his photo or even watching him work. There are countless stories of a similar ilk to be found from Kindergarten through Grade Eight. The growth that I can see in our student body is amazing and will never cease to be at least encouraging if not inspiring.
Star #2: It is not only in the classroom that I have noticed huge changes in the students in our school. Near the end of lunch one day a month or so ago, I was on my way to teach a Grade Five class when a student ran to tell me about a problem that was occurring between his classmates. At the beginning of the year he struggled to find the confidence to express himself in English. However, even though I was in the staff room surrounded by teachers who spoke his first language, Turkish, as well as English he chose to explain the problem to me. It may not have been perfect but he was perfectly able to convey what the problem was and the importance of my intervention, something that he would not have even attempted earlier in the year. Over the course of this year many of our students have gained the confidence to express themselves and experiment with language in new ways. This is something that I have always struggled with and consequently greatly value as a skill. Nothing is more encouraging than seeing a student grow in confidence as well as ability.
And one Wish:
At first I wanted to be very specific with my wish for the KGCP. But I think that the unexpected challenges life can send your way make me
hesitant to be too specific with my hopes for our future. So I suppose my wish would be that as a team, the KGCP will continue to maintain the energy and enthusiasm, and be able to find motivation, where ever it may occur, to make this programme the success I know it can be. In the end it may feel like eleven months and a thousand years ago that we began this programme, but it is important to remember that the reality is that the KGCP is new and developing. There have been many challenges and there will continue to be many more, but if we can find our stars and remember our wishes we will continue to grow and develop. If we can find the motivation and focus on our goals we will achieve success.
26
I have been teaching for six years and inquiry‐based teaching has been a great motivator in my teaching career. I always believe that being a teacher means to be a good guide for the children to make them think and inquire. It is not fishing for them; it is teaching them how to fish. As a teacher, I have seen that the students feel much more free to ask questions, synthesise ideas and you can see their desire to express their ideas to friends and classmates. Last year, I had some students who were almost silent; I could hardly encourage them to participate in the lessons; however, this year, they have been really active in group work and also willing to express their ideas in front of an audience. They have been involved in discussions by sharing their thinking with their peers or at times challenging their friends’ opinions. They have practised making “I wonder” statements. It is absolutely pleasing to see them build further on their self‐confidence and enjoy what they are doing. This year, in our Global Citizenship Programme, I believe that we have done a great job as a team. It
I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make
them think. ” Socrates.
“ was a challenging and busy year for students and teachers to adapt themselves to a very different programme especially when you think that the learners are inquiring in a language different from their mother tongue. When I compare this experience with my previous years teaching, I see a great change in the students’ desire to learn. They have developed an increasing interest in topics that we have researched.
During the year, we have had various activities in which the students have participated actively. They are given a chance to make mistakes and then correct them by helping each other as a group or individually. They have learnt to respect one another and share the successful end of unit products. The group work that we planned also worked well. It was a great experience for students to learn to respect and listen to each other. They were also able to solve many problems that occurred within their groups and come to a decision as a team.
Serpil Çerniski Serpil is a Lower Primary local KGCP teacher. She shares with us her class’ and her own personal development during the first year of the KGCP at Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji.
Reflections on 2010‐2011
27
Sometimes they created healthy shopping trolleys, sometimes they ordered story cards and they even wrote the stories by themselves. ICT was crucial in our lessons. It was amazing to see how fast the students improved. For example, when they learned to prepare a Venn diagram to express differences and similarities between celebrations on Kidspiration or create a story about transportation on Power Point and present it to their friends. The students also watched a lot of videos to gain visual knowledge and a great example came after they had watched videos about the life cycle of an animal or Chinese Dragon Dance. Some of them wanted to record their own video about the life cycle of a butterfly or their own Dragon Dance! The students have also experienced very successful Student‐Led‐Conferences. They presented their portfolios to their parents. It was great to see students walking around the class with their parents and explaining what they had done. They were also able to translate their studies into Turkish when their parents had difficulties or pretended to have difficulties in understanding their English. The children were so happy to get a chance to be able to show their success and self‐confidence to their parents and themselves as well . Of course, it was not always that easy. When you have ESL (English as a Second Language) students, it can be more challenging for both teachers and students, but it is not a big problem to solve. If you plan well as a team from the beginning, you can identify the language to use in the classroom so that the students will be exposed to the same structures and when they hear and practise these structures regularly, they start using them in the classroom. This helps both teachers and students to communicate well with each other . As a teacher, I feel lucky to be a part of this great team and programme. I believe that the programme will help students to have their own point of view, not someone else’s! As teachers, our responsibility is to guide and help them to find their own way. As one Chinese proverb says :
Teachers open the door, but students must enter by
themselves. ”
“
28
As the organisations literature states, “Knightsbridge Schools International (KSI) offer a 21st century, multilingual, experiential and digitally enhanced curriculum for learners.” In the fall of 2010 the new KGCP team, arriving from different parts of the world, assembled in Kocaeli, Turkey, to embark on a maiden voyage in international education. We set out to deliver the KSI brand of education in a school that was monolingual, virtually devoid of experiential learning, with very little use of digital technology in meaningful learning contexts.
I must admit that once classes began the challenges were almost overwhelming. The most difficult aspect of our work was that we were unsure whether we were making a difference. Now, as the academic year comes to a close, we are able to observe it as a continuous whole. Happily, we find that an evolutionary process has been going on at the school, especially in the KGCP. Reviewing student learning and recounting experiences from this year is like watching a tree blossom in time lapse photography.
The Evolution Before Our Eyes
Mehrdad Wellington Mehrdad is a KGCP Primary Teacher at Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji. He joined the KGCP team from Canada in September 2010. He shares with us his students’ achievements and passion for the KGCP.
The KGCP has been developing an increasingly bilingual approach to the curriculum, an initiative spearheaded by the new, Bilingual Kindergarten programme starting next year.
The learners here have embraced experiential learning with great enthusiasm, and are now arriving at a point where they are engaging in experiential learning on their own, and having a wonderful time doing it. During our inquiry into life cycles we planted sunflowers and observed the plants’ growth. A short time after, students were coming to class with stories about the plants they had started growing in their own gardens.
Digital technology, especially computer software, has quickly become a key part of how our young inquirers explore topics, and how they show their learning.
It is a wonderful sight, looking back at how the first year of the KGCP in Kocaeli has unfolded. Now that meaningful learning has flowered here, we can be confident that the evolution is moving in the right direction.
29
Our journey began almost a year ago in the hot
summer month of August. As the year comes to
an end and I begin to reflect on my teaching
experiences, one particular project stands out for
me this year. The KGCP Reading Programme for
six year olds has been a success for Nazli Açıcı and
myself.
Every Tuesday a small group of students explore
rich literature, engage in shared and guided
reading while developing their love for reading.
The most amazing part of this programme is that
for many of the six year old students this is their
first time being exposed to the English language.
Through our programme they are slowly
beginning to read in English. Every week they
take home a new book and read it with their
family, siblings and friends. The response from
teachers and the community has been positive
and many parents are amazed that these small
minds are already reading in a different language.
All six year old students get the opportunity to
explore new books and make meaningful
connections with teachers and peers. Through
student reflections we are able to see how much
the students have learned in a short period of
time.
We are very proud of the accomplishments of the
students and the success of the programme. We
look forward to reading with new students next
year!
The KGCP Reading Programme
Melanie Flores Melanie is a KGCP teacher at Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji. She also joined the KGCP team from Canada and her reflection explains the formation of the “Reading Programme” by Nazli and herself.
30
Burhan Yildiz As the ICT coordinator of the KGCP Kocaeli this year, Burhan researched many effective tools that can be used to support our Units of Inquiry in both lessons and during planning. The list of the websites that follows our ‘Top 5’ are at the end of this text. Next year he plans to create a website where more details and ideas can be found.
The KGCP’s Five Favourite ICT Resources
Little Bird Tales is a site developed for young learners to publish digital stories. It guides the user as they creates their own multi‐media story. The student or teacher can upload images, or student drawings and even record from a webcam. Students can write text or record their voices to narrate their stories.
How To Use It: Why not create a story as a class that the students illustrate and narrate themselves!
Wallwisher is ‘an online notice board maker’. It is a place to collaborate with peers and colleagues, share ideas and resources or even discuss a specific topic.
Telescopic Text is a great way to demonstrate to learners of any age how to expand their writing and include more description. It begins with a simple sentence and expands with each click of a grey word to include more detail or even new ideas. How To Use It: Try putting in short texts created by students and have them add to them to make them more interesting.
Littlebirdstales.com
wallwisher.com
How To Use It: How about a Virtual Wonder wall or an online Team Planning space!
Telescopictext.org
31
Prezi allows you to create non‐linear presentations. It zooms from one idea to the next and allows the presenter to move seamlessly between ideas. Prezi said it best themselves: ‘Presentations have not evolved much in the 50 years since the slide was invented, but Prezi is changing that. Prezi lets you bring your ideas into one space and see how they relate, helping you and your audience connect.’ How To Use It: Reading a book can be fun! What about scanning a story book and re‐organising it in Prezi! Pictures and sentences can be zoomed to focus on some details. Students will enjoy reading a story using a different fun way.
Prezi.com: The zooming presentation editor
Penzu.com Direct from the Penzu website: Privacy First‐ Penzu was designed to focus on your privacy. Unlike blogging your entries are private by default.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Insert your own photos and bring your entries to life!
Share If You Want To You can share your individual entries via email or create a public link and share with the world.
Instant Search Find long‐lost entries quickly and easily with our fast filtered search and sorting.
Comments Welcome Now you can share your thoughts with others by commenting on shared and public entries.
Auto‐saving is the New Save Never lose your entries again! Your work is saved as you type, so you never have to worry.
How To Use It: We all know free writing is important to help students develop into strong and confident writers. Why not use this as a safe and secure alternative to a class blog or wiki space!
Other ICT Resources: http://www.jux.com/ http://www.wordle.net http://www.animoto.com/education http://www.aviary.com/ http://www.glogster.com/ http://www.spicynodes.org/ http://www.doink.com/ http://www.acapela.tv/ http://twist.channel4.com/ http://typingtutorial.appspot.com
These resources are all worth exploration and have many different applications in the classroom. There is no limit to how you can use them. I hope you will find something of use within this list and that they help you to integrate ICT into your classroom!
32
Wewatcheddifferenttypesofmoviesinourcinemaclub.Whilewewerechoosingmovies,weaskedforthestudents’ideasandtriedtochoosemoviesfromdifferentcountries’sothattheycouldexperiencedifferentcultures.
Seda Açar Seda is a local Kindergarten teacher for the KGCP at Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji. She shares with us her reflections from her experiences of running the Kocaeli School Cinema Club 2010‐2011.
Reflection on the Cinema Club
Afterwatchingmovies,weresearchedthemindetail.Welookedatsettings,characters,costumes,narrative,genre,culture,genderroles,andmemorablequotations.
Wetriedtounderstandthewaypeopleinthemovieslive.Wethoughtaboutthesesentencesandwrotethingsthatsupportedourideas.
33
Weareproudofourwork!
AfterpreparingourPowerPointpresentations,wepresentedourownworktoeachother.Welearntdifferentideasfromeachother.
Wefinishedourworkbyreflectingonwhatwehaddone.
34
The KGCP was developed for private, independent schools who follow a national curriculum and are looking for an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) curriculum aimed at developing additional language competence and confidence in young learners through internationally minded teaching and learning strategies.
The Knightsbridge Global Citizenship Programme:
builds a school culture, which promotes peace and democracy, values diversity, and works towards a sustainable future for all
facilitates collaborative, intercultural leadership and professional learning
promotes an international minded and inspirational ethos
offers students a trandisciplinary EFL curriculum, comprehensive assessment and global networking opportunities
develops global citizens who are knowledgeable, empathetic, and empowered to take progressive action
uses an integrated technological environment that supports the most effective teaching and learning of English
provides students with opportunites to collaborate, interact, present and communicate in an adaptive and engaging context.
35
“We have built a community with a warm, nurturing environment. Our staff are fun, inspirational people. I expect fantastic teamwork between teachers and parents with a common goal: to make sure our boys and girls are confident, happy all‐rounders, with healthy bodies and healthy minds”.
Magoo Giles, Head of School
36
We Are Not New Anymore
Magoo Giles Magoo is the founding Head of Knightsbridge School in central London. He shares with us his experiences in opening what was once “a new school”.
The Knightsbridge School (KS) is five years old this September 2011 and I can, with conviction, say that we are no longer a new school. We have full occupancy, with our students placed, some with scholarships, in the finest independent schools in
the country. It has been no easy task setting up a school, in an area where there are already so many well‐established ones, including Garden House, where I was previously Head. I am proud of our achievement, but, how did we do it? Setting up a school currently seems to be "flavour of the month". Note Toby Young's "free" school in Hammersmith. So it is with trepidation that I offer advice to others, who all face different challenges albeit potential shared pitfalls. The motivation behind setting up KS was to provide education for my own children. I had been Head of a single‐sex school and I wanted my children to have friends of the opposite sex. The key element in starting our school was choosing a
good and trusted strategic team to iron out our vision and strategy. Each brought their own area of expertise to the table: finance (raising the cash), education (former Heads and current high fliers) and legal (to navigate the legal advice minefield). I soon adopted that old adage, "Storm, Norm and Perform”. Storm is pushing a new school into an area with well‐established schools holding a so‐called monopoly. Norm refers to settling into a routine once set up, and Perform relates to great all round achievement by the pupils. In Knightsbridge, expectations are high and success is linked to energy and new ideas. Great results are taken as read! We are now in the Perform stage but, to get there,
a Head needs to work seven days a week, be good at what they do and lucky! I was. As well as a school committee, I needed and got a parents' association "to die for", able to cope with, and control a challenging parent body and advise on the school's Constitution. It was quite a journey. KS came to also mean Keep Smiling... We started with a blank piece of paper and after months of brainstorming, we hammered
Running a school is like painting a bridge. You get to one end and start all over
again, every single year! ”
“
37
out a vision, a strategy and a three‐year plan nailing the integral issues of who we are and what we stand for. The question, "what makes us different from the other schools around us?" kept us on our toes. How could we compete and what was our objective? I wanted KS to be non‐denominational, linguistic and autonomous. I wanted to be seen as a co‐ed achieving school to attract a clientele who wanted a global citizenship with an English flavour. We had to decide how we were going to fill the school. Would we focus on special needs, or have a Gifted and Talented (G&T) arm? GCSEs were too much to aim for, so we chose the 3‐11 age group. It was an expensive decision to extend to 13 but worthwhile as it justified employing subject specialists which is essential from 8, but also inspiring. Then we had to "boost" our word‐of‐mouth reputation. Fortunately, because we are co‐ed, we haven't offended my old school's parent body as we are not rivals. Three years of "storming" later we entered the "norm", a stabilising period lead by our excellent Chief' Academic Officer. Thanks to her, we have an excellent team of staff who have embraced the challenges brought on by an ever‐evolving school. Once we had passed our first Independent Schools Inspection (ISI) with flying colours we brought in Robin Badham‐Thornhill from Summer Fields, Oxford to lead the senior school and the CE years. Running a school is like painting a bridge. You get to one end and start all over again, every single year! If I was doing it again I would plan, plan,
plan. You have to be ready to grow organically and deal sensitively with rising issues. You have to be robust, energetic, patient, broad‐shouldered, hard‐working, passionate, have high standards and be lucky. All the things, in fact, that we ask of our children. Other new schools will face different problems to us but if they can create the "ecosystem of happiness" that we have at KS, then they should be successful. But perhaps the best piece of advice I have, following on from all the other KS's, is one final KS. Keep it simple!
If I was doing it again I would plan, plan, plan. You have to be ready to grow
organically... ”
“
38
Looking Forward
KSI Values Knightsbridge Schools International has developed a set of guiding values that permeate all our written policies, operational procedures and decision making processes as an organisation. As an organisation, our focus for 2011‐2012 will be developing collaborative leadership throughout our schools and growing global network. Therefore, we ask that all staff members look for opportunities to take on responsibilities beyond the classroom that enable sharing information, resources and personal passions so that we may collectively achieve our stretching goals. We encourage everyone to be active communicators, involving your team members in decision making. In this supportive environment, we will be empowered to take risks and make decisions.
New Colleagues for 2011‐2012 We are very excited to welcome new colleagues to our schools. They collectively bring a wealth of knowledge and deep personal understandings of international education and global citizenship which is rooted in their varied experiences. We look forward to learning with you and from you.
Robyn‐Michelle LeRoux Age 6 Kindergarten Teacher Nicholas Paul Facey Lower Primary Teacher Mustafa Karagöl Lower Primary Teacher Colleen Macfarlene Upper Primary Teacher Orçun Bariş Upper Primary Teacher Amy Townsend High School Teacher Seda Tosun German MFL Teacher Ebru Bahadir Lower Primary Teacher
Jenny von Zastrow Years 3 & 4 Teacher Corinne Gerling Years 5 & 6 Teacher Milija Bozovic Years 5 & 6 Teacher
Irv Gerling Health and Safety Officer Paul Wilson VP of Operations
39
English and Turkish teachers in Kocaeli are preparing to launch our first Bilingual Kindergarten Programme for children age 5. Learners will engage in four units of inquiry taught 60% in English and 40% in Turkish. Learners will develop transdisciplinary communication, thinking, research, social, and self‐management skills. Special focus on developing bilingual literacy and numeracy skills will be planned collaboratively by teachers to ensure that learners receive a strong foundation in English and their Turkish mother tongue. We are very excited about this new Bilingual Kindergarten Programme and the potential for growth across the KSI network.
Knightsbridge Schools is adopting Atlas Rubicon Curriculum Mapping as our system for documenting the written curriculum and engaging in collaborative planning. It is based largely on the work of Heidi Hayes Jacobs in Mapping the Big Picture: Integrating Curriculum and Assessment K‐12 (ASCD, 1997) and Getting Results with Curriculum Mapping (2004, ASCD). It has an integrated database and template planners that support the planning of PYP units of inquiry. Why are we using ATLAS to map our curriculum:
Supports shift in teaching, learning and assessment
Integrates all curriculum and stores documents in one place
Easy to build connections and ensures smooth transition from year to year
Aligns curriculum planning to standards, outcomes and values
Operates in real time
Builds and support a collaborative professional learning community
Orientates new faculty and creates transparent partnerships
Strengthens process of continuous improvement
Atlas allows educators to look through the macro lens at a student's learning experience and build on what students have learned in previous years to prepare them for future classes and achievement. Using Atlas, curricular information can be assembled and used by curriculum decision makers to:
Determine what is taught, as it actually occurs in the classroom.
Understand how students are being taught.
Make appropriate, immediate modifications to the curriculum.
The curriculum is a 'work‐in‐progress', a 'living and breathing' document, whose ultimate owners are students. Curriculum mapping is a 'process', not a one‐time initiative. All teachers will be provided with individual usernames and passwords. Atlas is an online web‐based programme that can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
40
As part of our vision of educating a community of global citizens, Knightsbridge Schools is committed to language learning at all levels of our organisation. All students and staff will be given an individual user account and password which entitles them to access learning in over 25 languages. We are incorporating RosettaStone into our school’s curriculum to help accelerate language learning. RosettaStone’s user interface captivates learners from the first screen, keeping them engaged in learning while the program helps them acquire critical language skills. RosettaStone will support a variety of language programmes in our schools: 1. Host country language development for foreigners; 2. English as an additional language for those new to the language of instruction in our schools; 3. Continued mother tongue development; and 4. Additional language learning for those ready to embark on a new language. Innovative Technology
Advanced speech recognition technology guides students to more accurate pronunciation.
Contextual Formation engages students in lifelike conversations that let them produce spoken or written sentences from words and phrases they’ve learned.
Adaptive Recall schedules review material to appear at optimal intervals to test new language knowledge and ensure retention.
Engaging Activities
Interactive speaking activities help learners begin to speak the new language in just a few screens.
Milestones at the end of each unit simulate real‐life conversations.
Interactive grammar and spelling activities reinforce lessons and make language learning fun. Teacher and Administrative Tools
Easy‐to‐use, intelligent administrator tools establish role‐based responsibilities and student groups based on your unique organisational structure.
Register students individually or use import and mapping tools to upload an entire class.
Powerful tools deliver easy‐to‐use reports and graphs that track student progress.
An intuitive curriculum editor lets teachers customise courses for individual or classroom development needs.
41
Knightsbridge Schools International (KSI) values life‐long learning and participation in professional learning communities. All adults working with students in our schools are expected to set annual learning goals, demonstrate collaborative leadership and model reflective learning by maintaining a journal as part of their growth and development plans. The introduction of a professional learning journal is one part of our overall Professional Learning and Growth Strategy and supports our commitment to our KS Code, values, mission and vision for learners, and the philosophy of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes. Professional Learning Goals Starting September 2011, all staff members are requested to set annual learning goals in the following three areas:
Personal Language Learning – Through learning other languages, we deepen our understanding of other cultures and are able to learn and communicate in the global community in which we live. The medium of instruction in our schools is English; however, we place significant emphasis on the learning of the host country language and an additional language. All adults and students across the KS network have access to over 20 languages through our RosettaStone licences.
Student Learning – By looking closely at student achievement results we are better able to identify clear learning goals and opportunities for students. KS teachers are committed to adding value by helping each learner define and achieve specific learning targets in specific disciplines. We use a variety of assessment tools to monitor and provide evidence of student growth. Teachers are asked to set specific targets for their students and report on their achievement using a standardised measure.
Professional Inquiry – Teachers as learners and teachers as inquirers are the essential ingredient to creating our professional learning communities. Teachers engaging in the inquiry process in an area of interest will cultivate their “intellects, passions and imaginations” and create a culture of deep thinking, reflective learning, creativity and enthusiasm.
In 2011‐2012 we will inquire into…
Standardised formative and summative assessment strategies that inform teaching and learning and support differentiated goal setting and instruction.
Running records and PM Benchmarks.
English as an Additional Language.
Interactive and digital technologies that aid teaching and learning.
Developing our KS Residential Camp and Student Exchange Programmes.
Professional Learning Journals
42
Knightsbridge Schools International Community
2010‐2012
KSI Executive Team:
GOULANDRIS , Dimitri (Executive Director)
LOPEZ, Maggie (Chief Academic Officer)
PRIMAVERA, Fleur (Office Assistant)
SHEETZ, Emily (VP of Operations & Chief
Financial Officer)
KSI Board of Directors
ATTARD‐MANCHE, George
GILES, Magoo (Chief Ethos Officer & Head of
Knightsbridge School in London)
GOULANDRIS, Dimitri
GOULANDRIS, Ioannis
KELLER, Jeff
MARSHALL, Ros
PRINZ MAXIMILLIAN VON UND ZU
LIECHTENSTEIN
RUSSELL, William
TANGYE, Richard (Chairman of the Board)
KS Montenegro
BADŽA, Jelena (Classroom Teacher)
DEAN, Alexis (KS Camp Coordinator DEFREITAS,
Dorothy Ann (Classroom Teacher)
DUJMUSIC, Martina (School Nurse &
Administrative Assistant)
DJUKIC, Marija (Classroom Teacher)
Below is a list of staff associated with Knightsbridge Schools International in 2010‐2011:
DWYER, Jennifer (Classroom Teacher)
PEROVIC, Aleksandar (Security & Care‐taker)
RADAKOVIC, Tamara (Administrator)
VAN DEN WILDENBERG, Corine (Head of School)
ZIVKOVIC, Nadja (Classroom Teacher)
KGCP, Bahçeşehır ‐ Knightsbridge Koleji, Kocaeli ACAR, Seda (Classroom Teacher)
AÇICI, Nazli (Classroom Teacher)
ADAKLI, Işil (Classroom Teacher)
BAŞ, Belen (Classroom Teacher)
ÇILEK, Serdar (Classroom Teacher)
ÇERNISKI, Serpil (Classroom Teacher)
FLORES, Melanie (Classroom Teacher)
FORD, Seana (Classroom Teacher)
İNCER, Kismet (Classroom Teacher
KOLAYIŞ, Meral (Classroom Teacher)
LOW, Meaghan (Classroom Teacher)
SERT, Tuǧçe (Classroom Teacher)
TURAN, Hicran (Bilingual Administrative
Assistant)
USTA, Yasemin (Classroom Teacher)
WELLINGTON, Mehrdad (Classroom Teacher)
YILDIZ, Burhan (ICT Coordinator & Classroom
Teacher)
ZIEMELIS, Zane (Classroom Teacher)
For more information or additional copies of Reflections 2010‐2011 please contact:
Fleur Primavera
Knightsbridge Schools International, 124‐128 Barlby Road, Unit 43,
London W10 6BL UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0)20 3159 4021 Email: [email protected]