Outdoor Education Taking lessons into the wild Food for Thought Arming your kids with an appetite for success
Choosing an International School for Your Child A checklist for success Mindful Parenting Using mindfulness to improve parent-child interaction
The Case for Teaching Kids to Code
internationalschoolparent.com
Summer 2015
Welcome to the summer 2015 edition of International School Parent Magazine! This time of year is always a period when older students are looking forward to an exciting, exam-free summer, but equally many parents may be wondering how to entertain their children over the long holidays. Which camp should I choose for my child? What happens if the weather is bad? How do I stop my children just wasting the wonderful weather and staying inside on their consoles? Luckily, there are so many fantastic places to go in Switzerland, and you can see a lot of them on foot or by bike for free. Websites like ballades.ch for the French-speaking part and wanderland.ch for the German-speaking part offer some truly breathtaking walking routes to try out. Making picnic lunches with your children (to carry in their own backpacks!) and then heading off on a hike together through the mountains is a great way to fill a day without relying on the X-Box whilst the sun is shining. The website schweizmobil.ch has further ideas for places to go canoeing, rafting and mountain biking. So what’s stopping you? The ISP summer camps guide on our website internationalschoolparent.com also has some excellent suggestions for day and residential camps, plus loads more great articles, some of which are not featured in our magazine. For our summer edition, our editorial team has been completely convinced by The Case for Teaching Kids to Code, looking at why our digital native children need to be encouraged not just to interact with technology, but to be able to create and understand the fundamentals of it, to give them the best chance to become future innovators.
In Food For Thought, we explore how discovering new food cultures and developing an ingrained curiosity for cooking and eating is an enriching part of growing up. As usual, we have some great articles from educational experts in areas as diverse as teaching Mindfulness, to first aid, to promoting tolerance. I would like to extend our invitation to other specialists in all fields of education to contact us for writing opportunities. We welcome all enquiries about being featured in an issue of the magazine. We remain committed to the task of helping parents and children to 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 end to the term and a fantastic summer holiday. 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 05 The Case for Teaching Kids to Code 10 Outdoor Education Taking lessons into the wild 14 Learning Outside the Classroom Creating creative learning
18 Dealing with Differences Tolerance and understanding 20 Food for Thought Arming your kids with an appetite for success 24 Both Sides What teachers really mean
27 School News 36 Educational Quotes 40 Mindful Parenting Using mindfulness to improve parent-child interaction 42 Choosing an International School for Your Child
46 Become a School Run Super Mum Ten tips to help you conquer the school run 50 Itchy Head Head lice advice! 54 Drowning Do you know what to do?
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AL RI O IT ED
AM TE
International School Parent Spring 2015
In many European countries, the technology industry is the fastest growing sector of the economy, creating a huge numbers of exciting jobs and opportunities for young people. Unfortunately the European industry continues to lose ground globally, particularly against the US and Asia, due to the lack of proper investment in the skills and development needed to keep up. According to the US National Science Board, only 17% of EU students take engineering, mathematics and computer science courses, compared with 31% in China and Taiwan. Despite a huge drive by the European Commission to enhance the industry’s prospects, considerably less is invested in research and development than in countries such as Japan and the US. In this context, there is a huge need to equip the next generation to fare better against their peers across the world. At a more grassroots level, teaching computing skills, in particular coding and programming, is hugely enriching for children and can teach a better understanding of the things they are doing in everyday life, and the world around them. We regularly hear our children described as ‘digital natives’ when it comes to interacting with technology, but their abilities often to not extend to the process of creating or understanding the fundamentals of it. They are lucky that they are natural consumers of digital products, but we need to teach them the systems behind them, otherwise they automatically miss out on the chance to become the next innovators and creators. In one generation, computers have become 100,000 times faster with almost 10,000,000 times the memory than their first prototypes. If we do not teach children the principles that form the basis of all of these fast-paced developments, how can they hope to understand and help shape future innovations? So what is coding? Coding is using computing language to instruct a computer to do something. It is the combination of all of these instructions that creates the software that we use to do anything from finding directions on Google maps, to playing Candy Crush. The commands are written in different coding languages, such as Ruby, JavaScript, Lisp, Python, HTML and others. Once you know how to use these languages to create instructions, all you need is a good imagination and the sky is the limit. Coding is just the first step to understanding the world of computers. Arguably the most important element to grasp is programming, which is essentially creating the structure,
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internationalschoolparent.com
International School Parent Spring 2015
“Because the fundamentals of the processes are based on a mix of logic and creativity, learning them inadvertently develops a whole host of other related areas of the brain such as mathematics, creativity, the imagination and science.” process and logic of how we use code (‘instructions’) to build a service or product. Even if our children are not destined to be superstar coders or software engineers (who, by the way, can earn six-figure salaries), teaching programming is vital in fostering the computational thinking that underlies how the world now works. Because the world is increasingly dependent on all of these processes, understanding coding and programming means understanding the fundamentals that drive most of the devices we are using on a daily basis, for example, playing games on iPads, watching videos on YouTube, reading the news on the internet, playing computer games, or using any of Google or Amazon’s services. What is more, we will only become more connected in the future. We have seen the rise of the ‘Internet of Things’, connecting things in our homes (such as fridges, toasters, and central heating) and in the wider world (including farm crops and medical devices) to the internet through sensors, so that they can be controlled remotely.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Technology continues to drive huge advances in professional fields as diverse as engineering, music, physics, archaeology, biology, medicine art and design. In this context, being able to speak (or at least understand) the language of software is becoming as important as basic literacy and numeracy. Aside from teaching children about the technology they are using and setting them up for a wide variety of career paths, there are other educational benefits to teaching coding. Because the fundamentals of the processes are based on a mix of logic and creativity, learning them inadvertently develops a whole host of other related areas of the brain, such as mathematics, creativity, the imagination and science. Programming and coding at any level of sophistication show children how to break down large problems and devise specific solutions to solve them, and despite how it sounds, can be very artistic. As is the case with learning languages, these skills and ways of thinking are best developed as early as possible, when children’s brains still have a sponge-like quality and they have a natural curiosity for everything. Although many parents and teachers are increasingly tech-savvy, the generational gap means that many adults today are still forgiven for not completely understanding coding, programming, and may even struggle with using a computer. For most of our lives, many of us have also viewed spending time on computers, playing video games and so on, as activities be rationed, a bit like TV. Nobody can deny that it is right that children should turn of their machines and go and run around outside. However, we need to bear in mind that although the idea of encouraging children to spend more time on their electronic devices may seem a little counter-intuitive, if we can focus their attention in the right direction from an early age, it can be an important part of their education, just like riding a bike or learning to read. In many schools, coding has become part of the curriculum, which is a very positive step. Many of the previously archaic exams in the subject, such as the A-Level in Computing, have been overhauled and modernised, with teachers improving their skills and encouraging more students to take up after school clubs in coding. Parents groups and non-profit organisations are also mobilising to put pressure on schools to do more to build these skills into mainstream education. There has also been a notable surge in the teaching of robotics, a branch of technology and engineering that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots, which has captured the imaginations of students of all ages. These are all necessary developments to help prepare the next generation to make sense of and have real influence in their professional and personal lives.
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Find out more Alongside school initiatives, there are a whole host of resources to engage children in coding and programming. Here are some of our favourites: Scratch scratch.mit.edu An MIT project designed for kids aged 8 to 16. Used by educators and parents around the world to help kids develop animations, interactive stories, and games through dragand-drop code blocks. Codecademy codecademy.com For older children and adults, 24 million users are learning to code interactively, for free. Kano kano.me Child friendly computers enable children to build a computer and understand the components, without even realising they are learning. Hopscotch gethopscotch.com An iPad app that lets kids drag and drop blocks of code to create a program. NCCR Robotics, Switzerland nccr-robotics.ch/education_plan This centre runs a wide variety of robotics workshops for kids of all ages both during the academic year and in the holidays, for ages 4 to 18. If you need more reasons to get your kids into tech, have a watch of Mitch Resnick’s TED talk on the subject, entitled Let’s Teach Kids to Code, which has over 1 million views. You can find it here: ted.com/talks/mitch_ resnick_let_s_teach_kids_to_code
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SISTERS n Sport Swiss Summer Netball Camps
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England A & Team Bath International School Geneva GEMS Academy
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Ex Wales International & Celtic Dragons International School Geneva GEMS Academy
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EDITORIAL TEAM
Taking lessons into the wild!
“Outdoor education can provide powerful ‘penny-drop’ moments, linking parts of children’s lives together, to increase their understanding of the world as an interconnected whole.”
Teaching children concepts and skills through exposure to the natural world is becomingly increasingly popular in mainstream education. Many proponents of outdoor education methods believe that every young person should be given the opportunity to experience the world beyond the classroom, as an integral part of their personal development. Children are now being taught through a huge range of naturefocused activities, like pond-dipping, nature walks, forest exploration, and other ways to observe habitats, weather and wildlife. A whole host of other skills are also being introduced to young people through outdoor pursuits such as hiking, water sports, cycling, raft-building, rock climbing and orienteering. The key thing that all of these activities have in common is that they are based around teaching skills above and beyond those that they can learn inside. They are focused on cultivating a sense of adventure and exploration, in an era when many children spend a lot of time disconnected from nature, in an environment of endless risk-assessments and health and safety checks. Giving children a level of freedom and responsibility is also a key characteristic of these activities. They learn to discover the world they live in for themselves, rather than expecting everything to be delivered to them on a plate.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Some parents have gone as far as to send their children to kindergartens where they are taught solely through exposure to the great outdoors. The film, School’s Out: Lessons From a Forest Kindergarten follows children and the teaching methods in a Waldkindergarten in Switzerland, as well as looking at a more standard kindergarten in the US. In the Swiss example, the children, aged four to seven, spend all of their school days playing outside, in any weather conditions, and learn through social interaction, and activities such as making fires and dens, and singing. This is the extreme end of the concept, and in fact, arguably some of the most productive outdoor learning occurs when it is undertaken in conjunction with classroom learning. For example, in science and geography, subjects like geology that are initially studied in textbooks are brought to life through student visits to see unusual landscapes and rock formations, challenging children to apply their knowledge to explain the characteristics of the land. Similarly, primary school children can experience the reality of wildlife and their habitats, life cycles and populations from visiting a nature reserve and being encouraged to record anything from pond life to bird populations. These kinds of visits are most fruitful when they are compared to further visits across different seasons, or in varying locations and habitats. Outdoor education can provide powerful ‘penny-drop’ moments, linking parts of children’s lives together, to increase their understanding of the world as an
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interconnected whole. Take, for example, gardening and farming. Many gardening clubs have sprung up in schools, in order to increase children’s awareness of where our food comes from, teach organic growing methods, and the inventory of a healthy kitchen garden, from herbs, to roots, to fruits and vegetables. Learning about the bountiful produce that flourishes in nature’s garden opens children’s minds to living and eating in a healthy way. In some countries, organisations such as the School Farms Network in the UK or Schule auf dem Bauernhof in Switzerland, have been set up to encourage schools to either set up their own farms, or bring students to visit participating farms. Many schools have found that starting a ‘pop-up’ farm to grow small vegetables and flowers, has been so popular that they have developed it into a full blown allotment club, or even found the land to continue their own mini-farm. Outside school, visits to farms to see arable and pastoral farming methods are engaging ways to answer a variety of questions, for example, ‘How do farmers raise animals in an efficient and profitable, yet humane manner?’, and ‘How do farms protect the soil and environment but still grow enough crops?’. By stimulating children’s interest in the processes in the natural world, we can encourage them to see the full chain of events that result in, for example, the food on supermarket shelves. Greater understanding of all these interdependent elements and the consequences of human action at each stage will hopefully create more responsible consumers out of our children, as well as provide hugely memorable impressions of their school days!
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Using the outdoors in education encourages young people to be more environmentally-conscious and consider the effects of human activity on the planet. The aim in exposing children to nature is to foster a sense of wonder and respect, an understanding of the delicate circles of life within it, and an awareness of the need for the sustainable use of resources. WWF and other organisations provide ideas for environmental learning projects on their website, for example, collecting rainwater, recycling, making model habitats, building a fish aquarium or measuring air and soil quality. The more often students come into contact with animals, fish, insects, plants and other life forms, the more appreciation they are likely to have of the impact of their behaviour on nature later now and in the future. As well as the educational outdoor activities that are directly linked to the topics that children are learning in the classroom, introducing children to pursuits such as sailing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, orienteering, raft building, high ropes, and climbing, are excellent ways to teach children skills that are almost impossible to foster in other ways. Learning to work as a team to solve problems, or acting as the team leader, and behave responsibly are all central to these sports. Mastering practical skills, often from scratch, can give children a remarkable sense of selfconfidence, through anything from learning to tie knots, command a boat or knowing how to using the correct equipment. Encouraging children to be more adventurous also develops their risk-assessment and common sense skills as they push their boundaries. For some children, this will involve overcoming fears and phobias, leading to greater self-assurance. Physical activities like these are a source of natural adrenaline, helping young people see that they do not need to turn elsewhere (to drugs and alcohol) to find a rush. Most of all, making children realise they are able to do things they did not know they could do before the activities session started is a sure-fire way to encourage a ‘can-do’ attitude to problems or physical challenges they meet later in life. And the fresh air always helps freshen their mood! Taking students outside also greatly enhances the development of their visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning skills. They learn by doing, rather than by constantly being shown and presented to, so they are more likely to connect with the topics they are learning about. In many areas, encouraging children to spend more time in natural environments helps their concentration levels, decreases stress levels, and has been shown to lower the risks of disengagement and antisocial behaviour, as well as improving their psychological well-being. This is also because through spending time outside, particularly when engaging in physical activities that also engage the brain, children learn to experience being fully absorbed in the task at hand, without distractions.
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Although some of these activities require professional instructors, proper equipment and safety measures, one of the great things about outdoor learning on the whole is that it does not have to encompass all of these things, and what is more, does not need to cost a whole lot of money. The benefits can be felt from simple activities – even an extra visit to a nearby park once a week. In fact, one of the main points of outdoor education is to experience the world as it is. It is to learn through being alert to all of the wonders that the world has to offer and questioning how it all works, and how it relates to you. It is also one of the best ways to answer questions such as ‘Why are we learning this?’ or ‘How does this affect me?’.
Find out more School’s Out: Lessons From a Forest Kindergarten schoolsoutfilm.com WWF wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ teacher_resources/ Schule auf dem Bauernhof schub.ch School Farms Network farmgarden.org.uk
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Learning Outside the Classroom SABINE HUTCHESON, EDUCATION CONSULTANT AT TUTORSPLUS
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internationalschoolparent.com
International School Parent Spring 2015
No holidays for education
The darling buds of May have been and gone, the summer fete stalls are almost ready and P.E. teachers are polishing their whistles ahead of sports day. All this means that the two months of summer holidays are once again upon us. Children may rejoice but many parents will be breaking into a cold sweat about how to keep their children occupied in a meaningful way for practically the length of a term. Fear not! There is plenty to do, whatever the location or weather. This is the time when learning can become truly exciting again; not that it isn’t in school, but with no time pressures, homework or tests, inquisitive little minds can get creative.
“Learning is not exclusive to the school environment and, as a parent, you are in the best position to provide the right environment and opportunities to facilitate learning experiences for your child.”
School is out for summer and your child is relaxed and, therefore, receptive. Just because your child has reached optimal conditions to learn, though, doesn’t mean you need to don a mortarboard. Learning is not exclusive to the school environment and, as a parent, you are in the best position to provide the right environment and opportunities to facilitate learning experiences for your child. Naturally curious and active children will be easily guided through a series of educational activities but those who associate them with a negative experience at school, either through their own learning difficulties or merely lack of interest, will need more covert tactics. Games, friends and the great outdoors will certainly feature high on your list, but don’t forget purpose.
Get creative
Someone said that schools kill creativity. However debatable this statement may be, this is the perfect remedy. Being creative goes beyond a pot of paint; it is about thinking outside the box, a skill that will be increasingly sought after in tomorrow’s world of work. It encompasses the ability to think, make, build, solve, sort, tell, write, sing, dance, draw, cook and so many others.
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Thinking creatively also means making links. Art and environment: make paper and plastic jewellery, lamp shades, flower pots. Suddenly you’re in the garden with biology and cooking: plant some summer vegetables so you can create an exotic dish. Now you’ve jumped to geography and history: have your child organise a themed evening on a particular culture, serving food, listening to original music and discovering all about it in atlases, history books and through online documentaries. Is there an exhibition on the subject nearby? Maths is on the cards with working out bus or trains timetables, entrance fees and pocket money. City architecture also lends itself to simple geometry, so encourage your child to carry a notebook where they might want to sketch shapes and outlines. This cross-curricular project, which might be carried out over several weeks, can easily culminate in English and media studies: a report to sum up the exhibition findings, a holiday brochure or persuasive letter to convince you to take them to the newly discovered country on your next holiday, or perhaps a filmed diary of their educational and cultural adventure so far. The possibilities are endless if you want to have fun with your children while they are learning. It does take a little time and some planning but the experience can be shared amongst a group of friends so that parents can also share the burden of time off work. Children will get double the benefit from spending this quality time with their parents as the school term often reduces communication to homework nagging and fleeting conversations.
Life skills
Other than broadening knowledge and adapting curriculum subjects to less constrained environments and methods, learning outside the classroom is predominantly about acquiring and refining life skills.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Whilst these are present in the primary classroom, they increasingly make way for the curriculum in secondary school as each teacher must concentrate on delivering subject specific knowledge and skills. Education programmes recognise the need for teenagers to continue to be trained in key skills but it is sometimes easier for students to develop them outside the classroom, in contexts that better suit their interests. At TutorsPlus, our teachers often spend equal amounts of time on such skills as they do on course content. Here are some of these key skills and examples of activities to apply them. •
Problem solving: set your teenage son or daughter the task of organising a dinner party, incorporating set parameters, such as a particular recipe, a tight budget and some special dietary requirements.
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Working in groups: get the children in your area to organise a small-scaled sports day, involving games for all ages; they may also have a go at producing an open air theatre play in the park.
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Research skills: help your children peel themselves away from the Internet and set them a treasure hunt-like mission that will force them to carry out real-life research around town, observing, taking notes and photos and paying attention to detail they may otherwise never have noticed; on rainy days, show them how to use the local library – this is a disappearing skill which they will need if they go to university.
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Communication skills: good old-fashioned postcards are a great way to develop succinct communication, a method that pre-dates Twitter where focus and clarity is essential. Writing to family abroad by email is also useful for logical structure in narrating events. For less traditional methods, let your children use media, such as tablets, to create their own minidocumentaries and TV reports, which they can also send to friends and family.
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The no-plan plan
The let’s-go-to-the-park-and-see-what-happens plan is a fantastic opportunity to let your children get in touch with their creative side. In today’s world it seems inconceivable to imagine that our children might be content to do what previous generations did over the Summer holidays: going with the flow, getting on our bikes and making up our own adventures and games, spending as much time outside as possible. Today’s parents are too often made to feel the pressure of providing constant structured and educational entertainment. Children, as well as their parents, need a break from the pressures of term, packed school days, busy after school clubs and the incessant rushing to and fro. They need time to reflect, take it all in, and to daydream – something frowned upon in school but necessary to develop imagination. A carefree afternoon spent with other children playing close to nature, laughing, kicking a ball and making daisy chains will not be wasted. It will provide a much needed and deserved battery recharge. Again, parents may take it in turns to accompany a group of neighbours’ children and friends to a local park and let them come up with their own entertainment. Rudimentary games will soon take shape and imaginative creativity will be rife. Remember the cliché jumpers for goal posts? Happy days!
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Dealing with Differences – Tolerance and Understanding DEAN ANTHONYWOLFE MARRIOTT
When addressing the issue of differences, I suppose the logical starting point is to define the meaning of ‘different’. Unusual, not the same as somebody or something, separate and individual are all examples of how ‘different’ could be defined. However, in order to categorise something or someone as different, it must be necessary to identify what or whom they are different from. Appearance, behaviour, language, accent, religion, education, employment, gender, sexual orientation – where to start is a difficult choice, but whatever we start with, one thing is clear: in order for a difference to be noticed, a norm or standard must first be established. Norms can vary considerably. What is deemed to be acceptable or appropriate in one country, may be considered the complete opposite in another. Even within a country’s boarders significant changes can be seen by travelling a relatively short distance. Today, we sadly witness ever increasing civil unrest in countries as a result of religious groups fighting to eliminate differences and establish themselves as the norm within a given territory. We don’t have to search hard for examples: Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Sudan, Rwanda, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, to name but a few. More and more young people are identifying with and joining so-called extremist groups as a result of alienation within their own societies. The imposition by society of the concept of ‘fitting in’ and minimising differences must surely be held to account here. This intolerance and lack of understanding can rapidly lead to a feeling of isolation and injustice. So what can we do to address this?
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Schools provide social interaction for children from a very young age. Here children are educated with regard to what is right and what is wrong. However, schools can also be key culprits in creating and accentuating differences. One easy way to try to address differences is by masking them. To me this is equivalent to a manic depressive being prescribed anti-depressants without undergoing any counselling to address the bigger issues. It’s a quick fix. Think about the following: • Single-sex schools • Religious schools • School uniform Each of these are about creating an environment in which the participants are placed on a more equal footing. They are made to feel part of an artificial community, which is secure within, but differs from the outside world. But, who is really different? This depends on the perspective taken: those within the group view outsiders as being different and those outside of the group identify those within the group as different. As a student, I was always uncomfortable within educational establishments, as I found that rules imposed by schools and what was being preached by the teaching staff were often in conflict with each other. At my primary school, classes were mixed. However, at break time the boys and girls had separate playgrounds as we were supposed to engage in gender appropriate activities which conformed to the societal norms. In secondary school, our teachers segregated us and created more differences from day one: we had to wear a uniform between the ages of 11 and 16 but not in the sixth form
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International School Parent Spring 2015
(ages 16 to 18), students receiving free school meals had to stand in a different queue, we were put into subject sets according to our academic ability and only a minority of students were invited by the headmaster to take part in certain extra-curricular activities, such as the young Rotarians. Alongside this, we were being encouraged to be team players and work together as equals. This was incredibly challenging having already been told how different we were. Both adults and children are quick to recognise what is different from their acquired norms: not only by identifying who you perceive to be different but also when you realise that you are the one who is different. Finding yourself in a position where you are the different one can be very uncomfortable. Airing your differences may lead to you being labelled as argumentative, confrontational or not a ‘team-player’. You will certainly get noticed, but you may not get liked. Our desire to be liked, accepted and fit-in, may give rise to an internal battle. Do you risk voicing your opinion and making known your differences, with the fear of criticism, ridicule, abuse or persecution? Or do you sit in silence and try to conform to societal norms; existing in a community in which you feel increasingly alienated?
International schools, by their nature, attract students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, which may often result in a wide range of norms being brought to the classroom. This offers huge potential for an educator to instill a culture of mutual respect, tolerance and understanding with regard to individual differences and for students to embrace these from an early age. It offers an opportunity for differences to be encouraged and celebrated rather than diluted or suppressed in order to conform to a certain model or way of doing things. However, even within culturally-rich International Schools, selection bias may be evident. High school fees, entrance examinations and academic profiling, could inevitably lead to the elimination of students from certain socio-economic backgrounds or with differences deemed to be less desirable which may upset the status quo of the school. So, can tolerance and understanding ever genuinely exist, or is it just a myth that we all feel obliged to act out our part in? Equality is about recognising that people are not the same. We are all unique and all different to each other. Equality is about embracing differences, it’s about tolerance and understanding, it’s about establishing a new norm, a norm that says no one person is superior to another simply because of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or socioeconomic background. But equality requires change and those who dominate usually fear change the most. Let’s hope that this world of tolerance and understanding, of embracing all of our differences, this Utopia of equality, one day becomes a reality.
“Equality is about recognising that people are not the same.”
The concept of dealing with, and being sensitive to, differences has failed to be adequately addressed by society, whether at school or in the workplace. Legislation and enforcement agencies exist to attempt to counter discrimination. Some legislation extends to specific groups such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in the US and the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in Switzerland, whereas other legislation, such as the Equality Act 2010 in the UK is more all-encompassing.
The UK’s Department for Education’s May 2014 guidance notes publication on the Equality Act 2010 helps to clarify the issues at hand. These guidance notes provide clear examples of what does and does not constitute discrimination due to differences in sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and pregnancy or maternity. This not only relates to students but also extends to those with whom the student is associated, for example, parents. The notes also look in detail at the three areas previously mentioned which contribute to highlighting differences and potentially giving rise to discrimination: compulsory school uniform, single sex schools and religious (or faith) schools.
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Until then, the next time you find yourself confronted by someone who is not conforming to your perceived norms, or maybe you are that someone, think about the words of Steve Jobs: ‘Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they’re not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.’.
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Arming your kids with an appetite for success EDITORIAL TEAM
International School Parent Spring 2015
Whether making the leap overseas means sacrificing Cheddar, Veggiemite or Peanut Butter, leaving behind those edible home comforts can be a difficult reality for any child to digest. But does moving abroad always leave little stomachs rumbling with nostalgia? We explore how discovering new food cultures and developing an ingrained curiosity for cooking and eating food should be recognised as an enriching part of growing up. With terrifying statistics of childhood diabetes, obesity epidemics and poor nutritional awareness being hurled onto the parental radar, the need to remodel our kids’ attitudes to food is more pressing than ever. Jamie Oliver’s pioneering campaigns have catapulted the issue into the public eye, particularly his Food Revolution Day (which falls this year on May 15th). The Naked Chef’s global aim is to take up arms (and wooden spoons) against diet related diseases, admirably ‘fighting to put compulsory practical food education on the school curriculum’ in all G20 countries. Parents, schools and politicians seem to be taking him seriously, with visible results and legal reform from the UK to South America. Although we haven’t afforded his campaign the credence it deserves, not when we consider the serious implications of his message, realistically, we are still a long way from achieving wholesome, rosy-cheeked, fresh-veg-crunching kiddy nirvana. But why? One of the many factors in play, apart from the obvious socio-economic ones, is a lack of open-mindedness at the supermarket. Moving countries can be a perfect opportunity for getting kids into experimenting with diverse foods, as expat parents are thrust into new realms of grocery shopping. Whilst initially many will be tentative, and understandably so, the transition should be embraced with gusto. Surrounded by Aladdin’s caves of unusual fruits, curious cuts of meat and different local herbs and spices, international kids could be at a real advantage here. Participation in the growing, purchasing, preparation and cooking of food is increasingly becoming recognised as a way to encourage healthy habits; throw foreign flavours into the trolley and you provide your tot with a powerful cultural tool.
“An open-minded approach to food breaks down a number of other barriers too. Those children willing to embrace other food and cultures will be more open to the prospect of foreign travel and perhaps even living and working abroad.”
Studies have shown that introducing new flavours to a young palate comes with a wealth of benefits. Children equipped with a fearless approach to food tend to feel fewer boundaries in travelling abroad as young adults. Needless to say, food is a necessity, but it’s also a social vehicle, a common denominator and cultural currency connecting countries and continents.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Giada De Laurentiiis, a famous Italian-American chef, contends that ‘food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love’ and nothing aids a child’s development more than love. An open-minded approach to food breaks down a number of other barriers too. Those children willing to embrace other food and cultures will be more open to the prospect of foreign travel and perhaps even living and working abroad. Want your child to chase their dreams? What if their dream job is in London, or Paris or Rome yet they’ve not embraced other cultures growing up? It is going to be much harder for them to make the decision to go, and even more difficult to make the transition once there. And that all starts with food. Exploring food in general should be compulsory part of any kid’s education. Following a recipe not only enhances comprehension and numerical skills or practising fractions by slicing their pizza fiorentina, or being able to open a can of tuna when they leave home (you’d be amazed how many university students can’t do this!) but also incites a culture for which we have more need than ever before: a culture of progression and harmony. With Britain now building up to an in/out referendum on Europe, the Grexit ‘threat’, worrying growth in support
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for French nationalism and every other political worry from Baltimore to Moscow, there are threats to our global communities. Understanding foreign cultures is crucial to preventing this threat, and again, this starts with food. Learn about the fuel that feeds a culture and you take huge steps towards understanding that culture. What’s more, on a purely educational level, a nutritional liberalism gives your tykes the opportunity to engage in learning about different cultures. Food tells stories, and stories stimulate the imagination. What your child can learn about a country through the food they eat is fascinating. We tested the theory while living in Sicily and found that tales of the Spanish domination of the island’s east coast were brought to life while eating the very foods that were a product of these stories. From blood oranges, to almonds and granita – a refreshing, crushed ice alternative to gelato originally made with the snow from Mount Etna – it’s easy to see the link between engaging kids with food and inspiring imaginations. Whether it is stories of Eastern Invasion and spicy fish stews, or quests to collect the snow from Mount Etna to make gelato, or even on the west coast Moorish seafood couscous showing the ingenuity and craftsmanship of a people. Young minds need feeding, so give them the vivid stimulation they crave.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Trying new food Trying new food certainly comes hand in hand with promoting a go-getting zest for life abroad. So to finish, we suggest these simple ideas to help them say cheerio to Cheerio’s and hello to jalapenos! • Try a new dish once a fortnight (one meal in 14 days, you’ll have tried 26 new dishes in a year) • Make it interactive: teach your kids where the food you’re cooking is from and how to make it. • Make it educational: get them to write a creative story about the dish afterwards or give them recipes scattered with sums. Read more at: foodrevolutionday.com/campaign/
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Both sides of the school fence RACHEL HARRIS - LYCÉE 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. 24 |
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.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Homework
As a teacher I totally agree with regular homework, setting exercises to be completed out of class is the equivalent to adding a couple of hours a week to my programme. Homework is a way to revise and consolidate the learning that takes place in the classroom, ideally it levels the playing field by enabling those who need more time to learn to take that time in their own homes and arrive prepared for the next class. It means regular contact with my subject, something seen every day or so is going to sink in quicker and further than something only studied once a week for example. Homework is a way of bringing school home, and vice-versa, it makes school an integral part of life, not just somewhere a child disappears to for most of the day. Homework is also a way to start a conversation about school, we all know that the answer to “What did you learn today?” is “Nothing”, however the answer to “tell me about this homework?” can be more revealing. As a parent – I hate it! It takes up precious family time and turns me into a nag, “Have you done your homework?” will be engraved on my tomb, along with “It’s where you left it”. Homework always seems to involve printing something just when the printer has died, or reading some book that has been left at school. It’s hard finding time for homework, straight after school my kids are exhausted and need some down time, but how much downtime? If we don’t start soon then it will spill over after dinner. If you can get your children to do their homework on Friday night, then all I can say is “wow”. It’s no wonder we dread Sunday evening, it’s not the thought of work on Monday, it’s discovering that we have a pile of exercises to get through and have to find cardboard, string and a photo of them as babies that is terrifying. The secret, that many parents don’t realize is this; teachers don’t expect sheets of perfect exercises, we don’t want your child to go to bed at midnight in order to complete list of verbs. Personally, I would be, and am, satisfied with your best attempt. By “you”, I’m actually talking to my student, that’s another thing teachers don’t appreciate, there’s absolutely NO POINT in a parent doing the homework, even if the child copies it afterwards. I would prefer a piece of work with plenty of mistakes; this gives me an idea of what I need to go over again. Don’t forget that F.A.I.L. means “first attempt in learning. What I want is for my student to look over what we learnt in class in order to complete the homework, and by doing so, realize what he doesn’t understand, and come to class with plenty of questions. I do expect some evidence that homework has been attempted, an empty page and “I didn’t understand the exercise” doesn’t cut much ice with me, surely you could have written the title, and a few phrases?
After all homework on a subject that is completely new is pretty rare. Also, as a language teacher I expect complete phrases, written on paper, noting “am, is, are, isn’t,” in the textbook doesn’t substantiate learning in the same way as writing the whole phrase. I’m sorry, I know it’s boring but by writing “I am happy” you learn that “I” and “am” are linked in a way that you won’t learn if you just fill in the gaps. Finally, I don’t really appreciate notes from parents explaining how some event prevented little Jo from doing his homework ( hat had been set the week before), not only does it undermine me in class, but I also know that in the time he spent begging you to write the note, he could have actually made a pretty good effort at doing the work itself. Homework, is just one of so many areas where school and home work best together, so if you have any doubts or questions, then ask your child’s teacher – there’s usually a simple and logical reason behind everything they are asked to do.
Your Say
We’d love to hear your opinions on homework, and any other subjects that concern both sides of the fence.
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The latest news from Switzerland’s top International Schools.
SCHOOL NEWS: Collège Champittet Pully
20km Lausanne
www.nordangliaeducation.com/our-schools/champittet
As every year Collège Cha mpittet participated in the sporting event 20km de Lausanne. About 200 stud ents, parents, alumni, tea chers and staff took up the challenge of the various runs. Boarding students were also there as runner s or fans. Teachers, students or sup ervisors ran together we aring the school t-shirt, sha ring joy and laughter. “The 20 km de Lausanne was a hig hlight of our community that weekend. It brought us together in the values of our boarding school suc h as mutual support and the sense of effort” said Salomé, 12t h IGCSE.
Humanitarian trip to Thailand During the Easter holidays a group of students and teachers travelled to
The Haute Route 2015
20th, Jeanne, the departure day was finally there! On March After weeks of training and preparation, tackled the s teacher, Mr. Schonne and a mountain guide Marie, Anthony, Arnaud, Mattéo, their sport a total of 90km skis from Chamonix to Zermatt in 7 days, challenge of the Haute Route: hiking with pex. With the the group left Argentière to climb up to Cham (5500m D + and 8000m D-). That weekend, The strong winds, snow faced with the harsh mountain elements. poor weather conditions, students were ion. nts’ commitment, mutual support and cohes and challenging route reinforced the stude Zermatt which was to with the remaining route from Verbier to The adventure continued a few days later to the White Rosa, the “Extreme de Verbier” and climbed up take 5 days. The group left on the day of next day our skiers they spent the night at the Prafleuri hut. The mythical stage of the glacier patrol where peaks of 130 km/h race at the Dix hut. With winds reaching rallied the Grande Dixence dam to end the g it to the summit of Luette. On the on the idea of makin and strong snow falls, the group had to aband forced to divert to sed the avalanches danger, climbers were 4th day, heavy snowfalls significantly increa ition. Students were the decision was taken to stop the exped a safer route, by going up to Arolla where ition. able to partake in five of the seven day exped and very cooperative. students were motivated, physically ready “The expedition was very well prepared: s and the mountains. and certainly learnt a lot about themselve They loved the breath-taking panorama t the mountain virus a head full of images! They must have caugh They returned home full of emotion and like to thank all we will return to finish the expedition! I would because they were quick to ask me when ne. ambitious project possible”, said Samy Schon members of the Collège who made this
Thailand, to the village of Mai Jan Tai where the group helped build a school for local children. It was the first time these students had undertaken humanitarian work and experienced life in a small rural village. The week was very demanding as the students worked hard but the experience they gained from this trip was unique. “The trip was challenging, being away and not being able to communicate with home, the manual labour, the living conditions but I loved it! I overcame the difficult parts by continuing to remain open minded and by simply focusing on putting 100% effort into every task I did, no matter how small!” said Eleonora, 13th IB. Collège Champittet Foundation has been a partner of Jan & Oscar Foundation for the last 10 years. This was the 6th humanitarian trip organised for students of the Collège.
year? To be continued... Will there be a Haute Route expedition next
SCHOOL NEWS: The British School of Geneva
www.britishschoolgeneva.ch
p Geography Field Tri to investigate urban to the UK in March trip ng -lo ek we a d ha ar 12) The AS students (Ye e group collected and Portsmouth. Th randing of London reb d an t en pm surveys and elo redev vironmental equality ionnaires, maps, en est qu s, iew erv int seum, Canary information through ndon Docklands Mu of sites from the Lo ge ran a d ite vis ey observations. Th en enjoyed a night the Thames. They ev wn do at bo r rive a as well as the Wharf, the O2 Arena ended with a trip up huge success. They a s wa ich wh r rille see Th d out at the theatre to . A fabulous trip an new marina at sunset the g kin oo erl ov r dinne to their exams. Spinaker Tower and al weeks leading up students in their fin hy rap og ge r ou great motivation for
Girls in ICT By Molly Brown, Year 10 On Thursday 23th April 2015 the Year 10 and 11 girls visited the ITU for the Girls in ICT event. We were given our disposable lab coats then were given 30 seconds to attempt to make a duck out of six pieces of Lego. Rather more complicated than it sounds as there are roughly 720 possible combinations to make a single line! In the afternoon we discussed possible careers with several mentors who explained how each of our dream jobs would end up revolving around ICT. A computer coder from Google joined in to explain what a typical BSG Talent Show
inment with ted an evening of enterta The BSG Talent Show hos to A Level and across the year groups students as young as six ional this year, from s. The variety was except performing fantastic act ll as music, dance Yo Skills to Live Art, as we Urban Dance to Ballet, YoWest End! and drama. Next stop: the
day at Google is like (it is true, by the way, that they use a slide to go down a floor) and to explain the benefits of understanding code. To top the day off, BSG student Rumbi came 1st place in the blog competition. Maria and I came in 3rd and 2nd and we each won an iPaid mini. We had such a great time learning about technology and now I’m going to learn how to code!
SCHOOL NEWS: GEMS World Academy-Etoy
www.gemsworldacademy-etoy.com
World Scholar’s Cup Regional Round at GEMS World Academy-Etoy On Sunday 3rd of May, GEMS World Academy-Etoy hosted the World Scholar’s Cup Regional Round Switzerland for the second time. Several teams from schools in the region, as well as from the American Academy in Casablanca, participated and competed in this academic competition y-Etoy es visit GEMS World Academ Canton de Vaud State authoriti sure World Academy-Etoy had the plea On Monday 4th of May, GEMS esenting state & communes of welcoming over 26 guests repr ’s cture, the visit was a 1 in 10 year authorities. Organised by the Prefe sites GEMS was chosen as one of 9 event for the district of Morges. ngst mism and assets of the region. Amo proposed to showcase the dyna omy a, State Council in charge of Econ the visitors were Mr Philippe Leub Roulet, elle Moret, as well as Mr Michel and Sport, National Council Isab the ors. Grade 10 students greeted syndic of Etoy, deputies and may e, a perfect blend for our service guests and hosted a welcome coffe ol. Groups then visited classes and in action programme at the scho emy visiting the new GEMS World Acad interacted with students, before ls in April but the two swimming poo Sports Centre. The centre opened re re, hence this was a premiere, befo were just delivered the Friday befo this ents at GEMS now benefit from the May 28th inauguration. Stud r S Parents and Staff as well as othe amazing space, also open to GEM S panies, illustrating the wish for GEM schools, sports clubs and local com
that celebrates learning and challenges students to work in teams. The theme of this year’s World Scholar’s Cup was “The World Unbound ” which spanned across several subject areas such as “Movements towards Freedom”, “Liberating technologies” and “Heroes and Superheroes”. Students competed in four major events including: collaborative writing, a multiple choice test, a debate and a game show, making for a rigorous yet exciting opportunity to learn, laugh and make new friends. The debate showcase as well as the closing and awards ceremony were held in the new GEMS Sports Centre. GEMS students were very excited to participate as well as being the host of this event. All qualifying students are invited to the global round in Kuala Lumpur in June.
ity. to tie links with the local commun
RE-CODE DNA Dance Workshops at GEMS World Academy-Etoy London’s award-winning Combination Dance Company performed “Recode” at GEMS World Academy-Etoy ahead of their London tour. REcode is a dance work explaining cutting edge medical research for cancer treatment. This dance performance was created with the support of Imperial College London; dancers transform molecular biology into entertaining dance, whilst reflecting the experiences of those
visits GEMS World Academy-Etoy 5-Time Olympian, Charmaine Crooks, S World Academy-Etoy had the On Thursday 7th of May, students at GEM e Olympian Medallist Charmaine pleasure to receive a surprise guest; 5-tim Sports Centre where Charmaine Crooks. GEMS students gathered in the them with stories, humour as talked to them about values and entertained ns. well as inspiring them to pursue their passio
who have received treatment. The scientific content is based upon and was developed with help from Imperial scientists Professor Michael Seckl and Dr Ana Costa-Pereira and their team. There were several 20-minute performances throughout the day open to students, teachers, staff and parents, which required audience participation and evoked many emotions and offered insights into cancer research.
SCHOOL NEWS: Geneva English School
A fantastic performance « The Peace Child » at GES A second fantastic performance of The Pea ce
www.geneva-english-school.ch
Child! Thanks to all of the parents and families wh o came this evening to sup port GES Upper School! Well done!
Baking Cakes to help children in Nepal 5’786 CHF was raised on Thursday by the children for the children affected by the recent earthquake A normal week at GES! Visits to the Alimentarium, cooking, French scientists, solar eclipses, netball matches, music making and dance... Just a normal week at GES! GES Year 6 girls at the « More Than Mines » exhibition at the United Nations. On 1 April Year 6 girls attended the opening ceremony of the ‘More Than Mines’ exhibition at the UN, in presence of Mr Michael Møller (acting DG of UN Geneva) and other leading personalities.
in Nepal! The whole community joined together in usual GES style baking cakes and biscuits to sell and wearing hats of their choice for a donation! GES Year 5 goes Greek! An exciting week involving cooking, playing Olympic Games, learning the Greek Alphabet from a Greek visitor and visiting the Olympic museum! And what amazing costumes! Well done, Year 5!
SCHOOL NEWS: International School of Central Switzerland
www.i socs.ch
celebrated This year, ISOCS y. her Language Da International Mot d the es in our school an the various languag Students explored ected d the cultures conn t the languages an ou ab rnt lea d an world teachers guidance, . With parents and es ag gu lan se tho to us led rides, tried vario nces, went on dogs students learnt da s of fun! foods and had lot
ISOCS Science and Design Labs ISOCS Secondary School students are involved in planning for next year’s new Science and Design Labs . We seek student input at every stage in keeping with our focus on involvement and inquiry. Students can be creative and also learn how
IMD Business School Professor Stefan Michel visits ISOCS.
our ideas go through a design and business process to become a realit y.
Secondary students at ISOCS were both spellbound and challenged by the interesting and engaging real-life scenarios that Dr. Stefan Michel posed during his afternoon of marketing workshops. Dr. Michel brought two E-MBA course experiences to ISOCS: •
Determining the optimum price point for the “iPhone 7”
•
How branding affects us all
The workshops had students and teachers alike wanting to sign up for his E-MBA!
entrepreneurs Innovation and inspiration – working with orative got together for a ground-breaking, collab More than fifty students and entrepreneurs ) and Michelle Blanchet (University of workshop led by Dr. Peter Vogel (ETH Zürich ative “experienced” participants explored innov Lausanne). Together the young and more life then pitched their best concepts to the real ideas. Students from ISOCS, ZIS and ISSH of St. from Thomson Reuters, Tesla, University entrepreneurs including senior executives student one was wowed and moved by the final Gallen and ETH and other enterprises. Every life opportunities. presentations. Connecting learning to real
SCHOOL NEWS: La Côte International School
www.nordangliaeducation.com/our-schools/aubonne/
La Côte International School chosen to be an inaugural school for the Julliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts programme. From September 2015, students at the La Côte International School will benefit from a unique performing arts curriculum jointly developed by Nord Anglia Education and The Juilliard School. The programme is designed to inspire our students with artistic ambitions and to enrich the creative skills of all students beyond the arts. It will give each student a “Creative Key” to unlock their imagination and creativity which is useful in all types of learning and in all walks of life. We hosted an introductory event on Friday, 24 April. Armando Braswell, Julliard Alumnus and soloist at Basel Ballet performed at the event and told his life story through the medium of dance. We were thrilled to have been part of such a unique and moving event and all are looking forward to many more wonderful events as the Julliard-Nord Anglia Performing Art Programme develops.
Personal Projects La Côte International School’s Mid dle Years Programme (MYP) 5 stud ents have completed and presented their year-long personal projects . Through this process, students experience the responsibility of completing a sign ificant piece of work over an extended perio d of time. The aims of the MYP projects are
to encourage and enable students to: participate in a sustained, self-direc ted inquiry within a global context generate creative new insights and develop deeper understandings through in-depth investigation demonst rate the skills, attitudes and know ledge required to complete a project over an extended period of time com municate effectively in a variety of situations demonstrate responsible action through, or as a result of, learning apprecia te the process of learning and take pride in their accomplishments. Their projects covered a huge rang e
of interests; architecture, music, the impact of culture on fashion, circus perf ormance choreography, the chan ging face of the modelling industry, the man ufacture of skis, safety in the mou ntains, and the history of the watch. We are very proud of this group of students whose work, enthusiasm and presentation skills were all outstanding.
A D V ERT O RI A L
SCHOOL NEWS: International School Rheinfelden ISRH
www.isrh.ch
Paper, Writing and Printing ISRH visited Swiss Museum for g the Basel Paper Mill, home Grades 1-4 had an exciting day visitin ng and Printing. of the Swiss Museum for Paper, Writi with a vast variety of all kinds The museum provided the students ancient past to the present. of paper and book samples from the produce step-by-step their own Moreover, the children were able to fibres. Motivated by this piece of paper with the use of cellulose r to apply their creativity to the experience, the students were eage um. For example, they used other practical work on offer at the muse ts to write their own messages to real feathers and old-fashioned inkpo lity paper. Later on, the children family members on smooth, high-qua g’s letterpress printing which was got to know the principle of Gutenber rt. explained and illustrated by an expe for having experienced such The ISRH children were really grateful r Mill. an educational day at the Basel Pape
ISRH students enjoyed EBM ’s Solar Workshop A highly awaited event at the Swis s power supply company Genossenschaft Elektra Birseck in Münchenstein (EBM)
turned out to be a very enjoyabl e and for all students from ISRH.
educational time
Thanks to the practical hands-on approach during the solar workshop, the ISRH children of Grades 1-4 learnt how electricity can be generated by renewable energy. With pleasure and much interest each child constructed their own solar vehicle. The students could see how their solar trains were moving through the use of sunrays, a process which helped them to understand the principle of solar energy usage. The ISRH would like to thank EBM for the exciting workshop. As a result of this much appreciated event, all Grade 4 students will attend the ‘Workshop Lampe’ next academic year where they will learn how to build their own LED lamp.
A D V ERT O RI A L
SCHOOL NEWS: International School Rheinfelden ISRH
Easter 2015
linked from ISRH took part in many activities On Tuesday 31st of March, students of time ut the week the children spent a lot to the Easter celebrations. Througho ities that related to this time of year. learning about and engaging in activ t how communities celebrate the These activities included learning abou holiday around the world. g, arts ing parents spent the day doing bakin Our teachers and a few of our amaz uraged to the holiday. All children were enco and crafts and singing songs related d children that brought the eggs in share to bring in eggs to use on the day. The g’ ing our principles of ‘sharing and carin with those that were unable to, follow national skins. They also took part in more inter such as dying eggs in boiled onion ities activ Swiss l tiona tradi in part All children took had a great day! The whole learning community at ISRH baking sweet bread Easter bunnies. and eggs their ing paint as such activities
in Basel ISRH visited the Tinguely Museum went on a field trip to the Tinguely On the 12th of March, our students in Grades 1-5 went with staff to Museum in Basel Stadt. The students understanding of the Units of further improve their knowledege and es 1-2 had just finished their UOI Inquiry (UOI) they were doing. Grad the many ways in which Jean about ‘Materials’ and learned about use of recycling materials to Tinguely designed his sculptures. His of art was a real eye opener. create the amazing, yet crazy pieces of their UOI looking into ‘Simple Grades 3-5 were coming to the end ct time to visit this museum. Machines’, which meant it was the perfe l sculptures using many of the The children saw kinetic, mechanica t about in class. All children directional force changes they had learn way to finish their UOI’s. and staff believed this was a perfect ot wait to return in the future! Many of the children and teachers cann
Fasnacht 2015 The annual tradition
of Fasnacht caused quite a stir in our sch ool this February. would be a good The staff agreed tha idea to get the ch t it ildren involved in the parade in Rheinfel den’s Kinderfasnac ht. Each class dressed up as something the y were learning ab out or something class. The Early Ye that was special ab ars created costume out their s that symbolised light, which was the were doing at sch Unit of Inquiry (UO ool. Grades 1-2 de I) that they signed costumes tha t highlighted the dif were learning abou ferent materials tha t. Finally, Grades 3-5 t they decided to dress up as pandas and ba class. The children nanas, the name of spent a lot of time their at school and at ho me creating some so proud of walkin amazing costume g in the parade wit s. They were h their classmates. Many families turne in our second, and d out to support the hopefully not last, ir children Kinderfasnacht.
International School Parent Spring 2015
DANIEL HANDLER, LEMONY SNICKET
Parents and teachers! In need of some Inspiration? Here are some of our favourite education quotes.
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internationalschoolparent.com
International School Parent Spring 2015
DR SEUSS
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International School Parent Spring 2015
ALBERT EINSTEIN
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International School Parent Spring 2015
DAVID WALLIAMS, GANGSTA GRANNY
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International School Parent Spring 2015
ELA AMARIE, PSYCHOLOGIST, MINDFULNESS TRAINER & COACH
USING
TO IMPROVE PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Mindfulness is a buzz word these days. But what it is exactly and how it can help you to create more positive parent-child interactions? Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present with one’s present, moment-to-moment experience, with kind attention, without the mind trying to make it different. More often than not, we are on “automatic pilot,” mindlessly driven by mental patterns, preoccupied with a future that never quite arrives and a past that is no longer happening. As a result, we become distracted and distant from our immediate reality and fall prey to reactive emotions and automatic behaviour. By living with greater attention and presence, we respond more effectively to any given situation – be it positive, negative or neutral-in a way that benefits our own and our children`s happiness and well-being. Mindful parenting is the practice of using self-awareness to know when it is time to self-intervene: to slow down, think, and decide the course of action that will keep your child close to you. It is about doing whatever we do purposefully and thoughtfully, rather than letting our anxiety, frustration, or fatigue dictate our reactions to the challenges that will inevitably arise. Mindful parenting is about moment-to-moment, openhearted and non-judgmental attention. It’s about seeing your children as they are, not as you want them to be. It is about bringing more awareness to your unmet needs, agendas, issues, so that you take responsibility for what is unfinished in you, rather than projecting it into your children. Practicing mindful parenting doesn’t mean you are never going to be judgmental, or you will never have fear and expectations—those are part of being human. The process is to really begin to see when that happens, to be able to pause and to ask yourself “How do I choose to respond to this situation?”. When we talk about mindfulness-based exercises, we talk about formal mindfulness meditations and informal practices. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Make space for a short mindfulness meditation practice, every day
Mindful parenting depends on being more present, so establishing a daily mindfulness practice is very important. Just sit for 5-20 minutes bringing your attention to the breath in the body. When the mind wanders (which it will!), simply notice when this happens, let go of all inner commentary and thoughts, and gently bring your awareness back to the breath in the body, again and again.
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2. Mindfully manage your stress
Parents often experience strong emotions when interacting with their children, and these emotions can be difficult to manage and restrain. Mindful parenting recommends pausing before reacting in such situations. You can actually shift from a mindlessly reactive and stressed mode to a mindfully responsive mode by using the STOP acronym below. Stop. Whenever you notice stress or imbalance, simply pause in awareness. Take a breath. Just bring your attention to your breath, paying fully attention to the sensations of the breath. Breath awareness actually harmonizes the cardiovascular systems in the body and increases calmness and peacefulness. Observe. Simply notice how the breath begins to naturally bring balance to the systems of the body. Observe what is really happening, in the moment. Proceed. Having shifted to a more mindfully responsive mode, take an action that is more skilful, appropriate and best attuned to your situation.
3. Listen to your children with full undivided attention.
Listening helps children feel important, appreciated, and respected. A conversation that could have just touched the surface, deepens dramatically when we really listen to our children. How many times you are only partial present in the interactions with your children, while you are lost in the trance of thoughts, worries, distractions or endless multitasking? Mindful listening is a skill that goes beyond just hearing words. It takes energy and understanding what feelings are beneath the words — the emotions and context within which the words are framed. The greatest gift you can give to your children is your full presence. You must begin with yourself first. Being present, modelling this capacity for your children, is priceless. Mindful parenting is a lifelong practice. But you can start right now, in this very moment.
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EDITORIAL TEAM
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Set your child up for success by placing them in the right environment Your family is moving countries and you need to find a perfect new school for your child. Among all of the other things you have to think about when embarking on a new adventure abroad, the task to find the best international school can be overwhelming! A completely new system of schooling means a world of opportunity, but also comes with a sea of questions. Here is a checklist with the key issues to be thinking about. Tailor the approach to the child. As with choosing any school, a truthful assessment of your child’s strengths and weaknesses and preferred learning environment is where the process should start, as this will determine the types of things you will be prioritising when looking for an international school. Obviously, if your child is extremely sporty or has high energy levels, a school with extensive grounds or at least good sports facilities will be high on the list. Some children will be passionate about music, technology or art, in which case these need to be nurtured with the time and effort of staff and proper equipment. If they are strong in languages, a bilingual school (or even local language school) could be the best way to develop their talents. If they are extremely academic, they may need to be mentally stretched, as often they can be distracted and naughty if they are not using their brains. Other personality-driven things to consider include how well they respond to pressure and whether to place them with or apart from their siblings. It can be easy to focus on the things you would like to be more pronounced in your child, but start with their natural tendencies. You probably have a good idea of these yourselves and from existing school reports and tests, but it could also be advisable to get a professional opinion. Many education experts provide unbiased testing in verbal reasoning, mental arithmetic, logic, and other skills, the results of which can add greatly to your decision making process. The process of choosing a school should be child-focused as far as possible, but the decision should not be down to them. All the same, it is very important to communicate with them on a level that they can understand, to make sure they feel like their opinion matters. When moving to a new country they may feel daunted, as well as excited, so keeping communication open with them about how they are getting on is going to be important as they start their new school and make new friends. Ask their impressions, feelings, hopes, likes and dislikes about choosing a new school, but remember the decision is essentially yours. This means that it is often sensible to go to viewings of the school without your child initially, and to submit them for the entrance test, open day, or second viewing only if you think it is a realistic option.
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That way, you will not get into any battles over your opinion vs. theirs. If they have a particularly positive reaction to one of the schools that is already in your shortlist of excellent options, everyone will be happy. Single sex or co-ed? There is lots of research to show that girls learn better in girls-only environments, whereas often boys learn better around girls. Often the decision to go single-sex is motivated by the desire for better academic results, fewer distractions, and more self-confidence in their academic abilities, particularly in subjects not traditionally associated with their gender. Girls and boys learn in very different ways, and a more gender-specific approach can work very well for some children. Many parents base the decision to go for single-sex schools for their kids on their own experience as a child. This is obviously all good information, but really single-sex schools vary one from another as much as co-ed schools, especially across countries. If you are considering singlesex schools, visit them and speak to them about their vision for their girls or boys and see if you agree with them. All other normal rules apply: meet with parents at the schools and ask about the benefits of the environment, look at the results, but above all base it on your child’s temperament, desire to learn, concentration levels and personality. Do you agree with the school’s values and vision? Although it is widely agreed that the most influential conversation in a child’s life is the one being had at home, the ethos of the school also plays a vital role in shaping their perspective on the world. Schools usually have a creed and set of principles, sometimes religious, that they base their education methods on. This includes the school’s discipline policy and its pastoral care provision. Particularly for international children coming from all over the world, it is good to have an understanding of how the school helps the students adapt to their new environment and make the transition less daunting and more exciting. Meet the teachers. The head teacher will give you more of a ‘birds-eye’ perspective of the school. Where possible it is also good to speak to the teachers personally about their teaching methods, the syllabus, specific curriculum, discipline/rewards system, afterschool clubs, class size, homework, parent-teacher evenings, and other issues. Teachers will give you the most detailed overview of daily life at the school and the real expectations that will be placed on you and your child. They may be able to put you in touch with previous parents and students, and give you an idea of what their students do next, be it at university or in future careers. It will also give you a sense of whether you like the teaching environment – hopefully you will find a group of teachers who can be memorable, positive influences for your children in the years to come.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Can they cater for special education needs? Many schools have specially trained special education needs teachers who work with children alongside, or instead of, mainstream classroom learning. If your child requires their support, meet them personally. This is key because of the personal (often one-to-one) nature of the relationship they will have with your son or daughter. Again, it makes all the difference to have the chance to speak to them about your child’s specific situation, your previous experiences of successful teaching methods, the teacher’s experience and qualifications, and their approach. As all parents know, there is a whole support infrastructure that goes into meeting special education needs, and it is good to speak to everyone involved so they are aware of all the details upfront. Do your homework! Spend time researching schools, looking through their websites, speaking to existing parents (where possible) and drawing up a shortlist before you look around the schools. Make a spread sheet to keep everything from contact details to uniforms to school fees. The school visits will be much more fruitful if you already have a comparative landscape of the other schools in your mind, particularly if you are new to the area or the country! If you have colleagues whose children attend certain schools, reach out and ask them for candid advice. It may be good to enlist the help of local educational specialists who will be in touch with all of the schools on a regular basis.
Corporate packages may influence your decision. Companies that move employees around the world often have a relationship with a specific (or a number) of schools. Companies who are paying for school fees as part of the employment package might essentially make the choice for you, in that they will only pay for those schools with which they have partnerships. Speak to the company’s relocation agents about why they chose a partnership with these schools, as well as ensuring they put you in touch with everyone. Be across the details of exactly when and how the company will pay the school fees until, and whether they may taper them off gradually. Be across the practicalities and timeline for applying. Particularly if you are applying for more than one school at a time from abroad, it is important to be very aware of the deadlines and to leave enough time to prepare all of the necessary materials beforehand. You may also need to pay admin fees for each application and if transferring money internationally remember that this can take longer. Coordinating international travel and time off work (and school) to make the visits also add to the complications of looking round schools – so make sure you schedule your visits all in one block of time so you can blitz it. Above all, enjoy the fantastic opportunities that life at international school brings!
FROM KINDERGARTEN TO UNIVERSITY Kindergarten, primary, lower and upper secondary school Swiss Maturité French Baccalauréat International Baccalaureate Bilingual classes A Geneva Institution with an international vocation. Florimont offers all the qualifications needed for international, French and Swiss universities
37, av. du Petit-Lancy 1213 Petit-Lancy, Genève Tél. : +41 (0)22 879 00 00 www.florimont.ch
International School Parent Spring 2015
Become a school run super mum! EDITORIAL TEAM
“As much as possible, create routines for your children.”
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Ten tips that can help you deal with the daily challenge of the school run. Get stuff ready the night before
This may seem obvious, but the more things are prepared, the less everyone needs to be alert to potentially forgetting things in the morning, when tensions are running high, people are tired and (let’s face it, grumpy!). Keep spares of things in the car, such as hair ties, snacks and so on. Packing school bags, preparing lunches, laying out uniform and finding matching pairs of socks for everyone may seem like micro-managing, but it can actually save precious minutes.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Make a weekly planner
Every week will have its own unique things going on, but most of the school activities and lessons run on the same timetable each week. So creating a timetable of what each child needs to remember on each day means that you don’t need to keep all of this information in your (or your children’s) heads. You can even include a sticker chart on the timetable for rewards. If you daughter needs her violin every Tuesday or your son needs his football kit every Thursday, put that on your fridge!
Remove distractions
Don’t allow toys, TV, playing, video games (and so on) until everyone is completely ready to go. These should not form part of the routine as 20 minutes spent on Mario Kart while still in pyjamas will not help getting them to the gate!
“If you send the kids off to school after a bit of a disastrous morning, don’t beat yourself up.”
Create routines
As much as possible, create routines for your children (and for yourself), so that when everyone is bleary eyed in the morning, you can act in autopilot mode as much as possible. Running the school run to the same schedule every morning sounds a little bit military,
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but if children know they must be dressed by 7.20am, finish their breakfast by 7.30am, wash their hands, face and teeth by 7.40, be in the car by 8.00, they will gradually come to expect to do the same things each morning. The hope is that routines become habit.
The journey
Get help from gadgets
Carrot and stick
If you find it hard to get up in winter mornings, try using technology to soften the waking up process. For example, a natural light alarm clock can wake you up gradually, a coffee or tea maid can set up a cup of tea for you before you wake. Get up before the kids, so you have time to think through things or have a shower before the madness begins.
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If you get stuck in traffic at a certain time each morning, make sure you dodge this by leaving earlier. If there is scope for your kids to scoot, cycle, or walk part of the way, that can be a nice reward if they are on time.
Be strict, be prepared to get cross, and offer rewards. If they are ready on time it is great to praise and reward them with treats and your good, happy mood. If they are late, tell them the reasons why and that tomorrow this is not going to happen again. If anything is forgotten, sometimes it is good not to allow them to go back and get it, particularly if they are really late – that way they can learn the consequences of forgetting their piano books, or their games kit.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Bring the teacher into it
If your child is winding you up and refusing to get dressed, bring in the teacher as an extra source of authority, in comments such as ‘do you think Miss Brown will be pleased if you are sitting in the classroom in your pyjamas?’. Introducing other children’s opinions or the idea of missing out on an activity their friends will be enjoying can be equally effective. This shows your child that it is not just you imposing your will on them – they must get dressed and join in because the world demands it!
Don’t feel bad if it doesn’t go to plan
If you send the kids off to school after a bit of a disastrous morning, don’t beat yourself up. It can feel upsetting if you drop them off after a morning wrestling with various arguments, but start afresh tomorrow, remember that others are going through this too. If you tell them every day to have a good day, work hard and that you love them, that can go some way to easing tensions when you drop them off.
No comparisons
Don’t take any notice of other mothers’ seemingly perfect appearances, super handmade cakes for the bake sale or remarks about your child’s strange interpretation of the World Book Day dressing up theme. Shrug off any anxieties caused by comparisons, smile, have a sense of humour and be friendly – it can help create a more collaborative and less competitive atmosphere at the school gate. Worrying what other parents think about your outfit is a waste of time. After all, we are all in this together.
BERLITZ KIDS & TEENS CAMPS Language Camps in Switzerland for Kids & Teens from 7 to 18 years!
FUN WITH FOREIGN LANGUAGES • Camps in French, German and English • Great afternoon activities e.g. sailing, photography, horse riding • Junior Leadership Training for teens MORE INFORMATION Tel. +41 (0) 43 388 83 12 e-mail: kidscamps@berlitz.ch www.berlitz.ch
International School Parent Spring 2015
Itchy Head? Head lice advice! EDITORIAL TEAM
It can be a bit of a shock, the first time you hear that a case of head lice has been reported in your child’s class. Possibly worse is to find that your own child has them. Most schools have a head lice policy. This will usually include alerting all parents in your child’s class that head lice have been found in a classmate’s hair. You should check your child’s head immediately, and again on a regular basis over the next three weeks using a special fine-toothed lice comb. Checking with a lice comb is best done after wetting your child’s hair, preferably after adding a small amount of conditioner. There are also treatments available from the pharmacy, such as Paranix, which help with the combing. Comb through small areas of hair, in both directions. After each pass of the comb through the hair, wipe the comb on a tissue and check the tissue for lice or eggs. It may help to have a strong magnifying glass, and to use a bright light, as the lice can be quite pale in colour, and the eggs are quite small. Comb the hair until you are satisfied that if there is an infestation you’ve found it and removed it. It may well take 10 minutes or more.
What are head lice?
Head lice are very small pale wingless insects that live on the human scalp and in the hair. They will infest any kind of hair, long or short, clean or dirty, during close contact between children such as during play. Lice do not communicate disease, or do any harm to the child, but the itching can be uncomfortable.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
“Head lice are unable to crawl, jump, fly or swim. They like to stay in their normal habitat, hair and scalp, and are are mainly acquired by direct headto-head contact with an infested person’s hair, such as during play, study or sport.” Infestation is common among children from three to eleven years of age, with girls being infested more than twice as often as boys. Keeping long hair tied back will limit the amount of hair-to-hair contact, so reducing the likelihood of infestation. Head lice are unable to crawl, jump, fly or swim. They like to stay in their normal habitat, hair and scalp, and are are mainly acquired by direct head-to-head contact with an infested person’s hair, such as during play, study or sport. Occasionally lice can be transferred with shared combs, hats, hair grips etc, but they can live only for 1-2 days away from a human host. If you do find any on such items, they are probably already dead or dying.
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How do I detect them?
The first signs are usually an unusual itching, or even a sensation of something moving in the hair. There may also be an itchy reaction to the bites of the scalp, which in turn in extreme cases can cause sores as a result of scratching, which can become infected.
What are the head lice facts?
Head lice is an infestation of head lice (“pediculus capitus”) that can occur on the hair, eyebrows and eyelashes. Nits: Nits are the eggs of head lice. Nits are laid by the adult female, at the base of the hair shaft usually around 6mm from the scalp. They measure 0.8 mm by 0.3 mm, are oval in shape, and usually coloured yellow to white. Nits hatch in about a week. Any nits located further away from the scalp are likely to be empty shells. Nymphs: The nit egg hatches a nymph. The nit shell then becomes easier to see, as it becomes a dull yellow, and remains attached to the hair shaft. The nymph looks like an adult head louse, but is smaller; about the size of a pinhead. Nymphs mature into adults about a week after hatching.
“Removal of nits is highly recommended to prevent new lice hatching out, so you need a comb that is fine enough to remove the nits as well as the lice.”
Adults: The adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed, is brown to grey or even white, and has six legs with claws. In children with dark hair, the adult louse will be darker. Females, larger than the males, lay up to eight eggs a day. Adult lice can live up to thirty days in a child’s hair, and need to feed on blood several times a day, without which they will die within a day or two. Only the adult lice can spread to another child.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
The life cycle of the head louse is from one to three weeks; this makes it important to repeat the treatment regularly over this timescale to ensure that the life cycle is properly disrupted.
Signs and symptoms to look for:
Head scratching, possibly resulting in scratch marks on the scalp especially behind the ears, near hairline and at the back of the head and neck. Live lice in the hair. Nits, smooth glistening specks stuck to the hair near the scalp. You may find a one or two, or hundreds of nits in the hair of an infested child.
How do you get rid of them?
There are a variety of lice treatments available in the form of medicated shampoos. Most are insecticides, and you may choose not to use such strong chemicals on your child’s scalp. They are available at the Apotheke, along with the special lice comb. The fine toothed plastic combs are best. The shampoo only kills the adult lice, so to disrupt the lice cycle, you’ll need to shampoo once a week for three weeks, together with thorough combing.
If you choose not to use a medicated shampoo to kill the lice, removal with the comb can be an effective alternative. Combing wet, conditioned hair with a fine detector comb more regularly, every other day for a fortnight, will remove the lice. Removal of nits is highly recommended to prevent new lice hatching out, so you need a comb that is fine enough to remove the nits as well as the lice. If in doubt, your school nurse is there to help.
Should You Clean Your Home?
Research suggests that if adult lice do fall off the child’s head, they are likely to be already dead or dying, so will be unable to lay more eggs. It’s therefore unnecessary to treat your entire house. However, changing your child’s pillowcase, laundering or vacuuming car seats, washing hats and scarves, and cleaning hairgrips etc is worthwhile.
It’s Normal!
Don’t feel bad! Head lice infestation is not a reflection on your parenting, or on your child’s cleanliness; the lice aren’t choosy like that.
Removing nits with a comb is beneficial to the treatment as it prevents new lice being hatched. You should check the hair of everyone in the home. The scalp may be itchy for a few days after treatment.
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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
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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 Places are limited so please register well in advance. www.gemsworldacademy-etoy.com/wllc
International School Parent Spring 2015
Drowning – Do you know what to do? BY DR PENNY FRASER
“Correction of hypoxaemia (lack of oxygen in the blood) cannot wait for the arrival of trained staff… bystander resuscitation… is the biggest single determinant of survival in… children once they are rescued.” British Medical Journal – 14th Feb 2015
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Our bodies are about 50-60% water, 70% of our world’s surface is covered by water and we all need to drink about 2-3 litres of the stuff per day. And here in Switzerland, we have some of the most beautiful lakes, rivers and thermal baths to enjoy. Yet, despite its life-giving, restful, rejuvenating, fun and sporting aspects, water must be approached with caution – always. Sadly, the World Health Organisation recently reported that 372,000 people lose their lives worldwide per year from a variety of water immersion episodes – these include falls into ponds, fountains, hot tubs, baths, buckets, as well as during water sports such as swimming, canoeing, sailing etc. In Switzerland, 9 out of 10 cases occur in open waters (lake, rivers etc.), 7% occur in public pools and perhaps surprisingly, only 2% happen in private swimming pools. In children, drowning is the second most common cause of accidental death, with a large peak in preschool children 0-5 years old and another peak in males aged 15-24 years.
What happens when someone drowns?
Unlike the dramatic movie scenes of noisy splashing and arm waving, drowning is usually a silent, unobserved event. The reality is that a child can slip under water and drown in less than 20 seconds. A person underwater will initially hold their breath but this will progress to involuntary gasping leading to large amounts of water being inhaled into the lungs (“wet drowning”) and swallowed into the stomach. Alternatively, the larynx may close up (laryngospasm) and stop water going into the lungs (“dry drowning”). The larynx (the voice box) is made of cartilage and muscle and sits in the windpipe where the Adam’s apple is. It normally controls the voice and breathing and also prevents swallowed food or water from entering the lungs. In dry drowning cases, there may be no water in the lungs, but there is no oxygen going in or carbon dioxide coming out either. In either circumstance, if the person is not quickly rescued from the water, the lack of oxygen and rising levels of carbon dioxide means that the heart will slow down and stop, i.e. a cardiac arrest. This might all seem scary but the good news is that you can do something to save someone who is drowning. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a practical skill that anyone can learn, that anyone can use to save a child or adult’s life.
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How do you give CPR to someone who has drowned? Note: CPR is only given to someone who is unresponsive and NOT breathing. If the person is unresponsive yet IS breathing, put them into the recovery position and monitor their breathing until the Emergency Services arrive. 1. Check for DANGER to yourself Do not enter the water if there is a risk to your own life. 2. Get the person OUT OF THE WATER Only if you can do so safely. Use a life-ring or other equipment if available. 3. Check for a RESPONSE Are you ok? Can you hear me? 4. Shout for HELP Can someone phone 144 or 112 for an ambulance, please? 5. Open their AIRWAY Open their mouth and tilt their head back 6. Are they breathing? No? Give 2 RESCUE BREATHS Seal your mouth round their mouth and breathe out gently for 2 seconds. Give 30 CHEST COMPRESSIONS Put your hands in the centre of their chest and push down hard at a rate of 100 compressions per minute Continue giving 2 rescue breaths and then 30 chest compressions NON STOP until the Emergency Services arrive and are ready to take over, i.e. their hands are hovering over yours, prepared to perform the next chest compression. Even if the person is very cold, blue and has no signs of life, carry on – there is evidence that drowning in cold water (0-8 °C) will cool the brain and other tissues and therefore increase their chances of survival – this is called the ‘neuroprotective effect’.
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What else do I need to know?
Sometimes accidents and illnesses can be interrelated. Remember that someone might have been taken ill near, or in, the water. This might cause them to become unconscious and then drown. Examples include a heart attack, stroke, fainting, seizure, diabetic hypoglycaemia, head injury, excess alcohol intake, drug abuse and deliberate self-harm (suicide). When the Emergency Services arrive, give them as much information you can about the person’s health and circumstances.
If someone seems to be fine after a near-drowning incidence, do they still need to go to hospital?
Yes, they do. A doctor will need to check them for associated injuries and potential complications. The checks may be done just once and then the person allowed home. Alternatively, they may be required to stay in hospital for several hours, or sometimes days, to be sure that the body has recovered completely.
What complications might occur? • • • • • •
Brain damage and swelling. Head or spinal injuries from a dive or fall. Infections in the bloodstream, sinuses, skin, brain, lungs etc. Hypothermia. Kidney damage. Dilution of the blood due to absorption of excess water via the stomach or lungs.
About Dr Penny Fraser Dr Penny Fraser MB BS BSc(Hons) MRCS (Eng) is a British-trained Emergency Medicine doctor working at the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève as well as the mother of two little swimmers aged 8 and 10. She is one of the Medical Directors of HealthFirst Sàrl, who deliver unique, practical First Aid Training and Health Education in English throughout Switzerland. Contact HealthFirst for more details about how the team can come to your home, school or business to train you in these important life-saving skills.
What is “secondary drowning”?
This condition has been in the media quite a lot recently It can occur between one to 48 hours after a neardrowning episode and is slightly more common after freshwater immersion. When water is inhaled, the normal secretions of the lungs are lost or inactivated. This means the lungs can’t exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide properly and breathing difficulties can start. A child may be short of breath, coughing, have chest pain, become drowsy or unconscious. If this happens, ensure that the child is breathing, put them into the recovery position and call the Emergency Services. All this information might seem a little shocking but I hope it equips you with some knowledge of what might happen and how to recognize primary and secondary drowning. If you want to know more about CPR and the recovery position, take the time to attend a HealthFirst First Aid course and practice these simple steps that you can take to save someone’s life.
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healthfirst.ch © HealthFirst 2015 Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. All reasonable care has been taken in compiling the information but there is no legal warranty made as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. HealthFirst and Dr Penny Fraser are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any form or damages whatsoever resulting from the use of information contained in or implied in this article.
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International School Parent Spring 2015
Making and playing with friends are two things that children do naturally and are skills that we ordinarily take for granted. Yet for many children with learning differences and special educational needs, these two aspects of childhood do not come easily. The effects of specific learning differences may in fact preclude children from interacting appropriately with their peers. They are challenged to acquire the “unspoken” rules of social behavior and poor self-esteem, low frustration tolerance and possible problems with anger and/or aggression are a constant source of concern for parents and teachers. ASK Bilingual Summer Day Camp is dedicated to offering a special haven for children aged 5-19 who have Learning Differences and Special Educational Needs. Our summer programme allows children with learning differences to develop their study skills and for some to develop their social skills in two separate groups in the morning. The children are integrated in the afternoon, where they experience creativity and learning through fun games and activities, which are structured according to age and the child’s skill level. Our highly qualified staff include child psychologists, experienced specialist teachers, counselors, a speech therapist, an ABA therapist and a nurse. Our unique programme offers;
1:1 camper to staff ratio multi-sensory games which encourage team building and group interaction social skills activities which allow self-discovery and build self confidence arts and crafts - exploration through different art mediums to encourage imagination and creativity drama and music with a weekly group performance 1:2 tutoring by SpLD specialist tutors for children wanting support in specific subjects outings to explore nature and local culture
For registration and more information please visit our website www.allspecialkids.org
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