Secondary Newsletter 4 – September 4, 2020
Counseling
Students in Grades 6 – 11 have completed the VIA character strengths survey. Character strengths are personal attributes that energize us, feel like us, and enable optimal performance. We tend to be intrinsically motivated to put them to use. Playing to our strengths increases resilience, vitality, confidence, and happiness while decreasing stress.
Students will consider their strengths when selecting service as action projects. The strengths will also come in handy when creating goals and deciding on a future career path. People who engage with their strengths at school or work perform better. If their career choice does not lend to using strengths, work dissatisfaction and disengagement can be a problem. Sometimes, as parents, we steer our teens to study in fields better suited to our character strengths and values instead of recognizing fields suitable for our child.
Two things to consider about character strengths are that we will focus primarily on the students’ top five strengths, but that does not mean ignoring the others. If leadership is not a top strength, students will have opportunities to engage in leadership activities to build their capabilities. They will also figure out that they can overuse or overdo a character strength to the point of it becoming a weakness. For example, someone with the strength of having a zest for life can be annoying if they always take over in a group situation or do not recognize when others need calm and quiet.
Ask your teen about their top character strengths. What did they learn about themselves? You might also want to take the VIA character strengths survey for adults and share yours.
University Counseling
Registrations and deadlines:
Due to COVID, universities are offering optional online workshops and events. The dates and registration links will be provided for students to register as interested. Students should prioritize universities from regions they wish to attend, and in fields they want to pursue.
Upcoming International SAT Test Date & Deadline
How to Register for the SAT
Spotlight
How a UK Business and Management Degree Can Future-Proof Your Career
Sept 8 – Undergraduate Application for OSU Aviation Webinar
Oct. 17 and Dec. 12 – Ursinus College – Virtual Events
Virtual Tour at a Bryn Mawr College, this is a distinguished Women’s College
Virtual Tour at Carnegie Mellon University
Virtual Tour at Columbia College
Virtual Tour at Dartmouth University
Virtual Tour at University of Maryland
Virtual Tour at Washington University in St. Louis
The University of Melbourne Open Day
Computer Science and Digital Technology
De Montfort University Leicester
World Literacy Day
World Literacy Day is Tuesday, September 8th this year. In previous years at BIS, the library has led the celebration of this important day with a whole-school, family-supported silent read outside as well as other literacy/reading-focused activities. This year, obviously, some of those things (as well as the quality of) are either not possible or severely compromised.
In lieu of a school-wide engagement in reading for World Literacy Day, a realistic way of participating with the sentiment of the day is to remind the BIS community of the ways the library and the school in general offers literacy and reading opportunities and to promote some relevant materials that may be of interest and benefit to all.
Even though our school is in the midst of Distance Learning, the library’s materials are still available for use. You can find the details here. We strongly encourage everyone (parents included) to take advantage of this opportunity. Additionally, this is a good time to remind everyone of the audiobook and e-book offerings we have as well as our research sources (which includes books and magazines/journals).
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to some books in the Library that relate to some current world events. There’s a fine line between authentic, intellectual exploration to deepen understanding of an important issue and token pandering as a way to attach oneself to an issue in a self-serving way, all of which is set on a politically charged background that can foster division. The promotion of these books below is not that; this is simply to make you aware that we have access to some of the exact quality literature that is being used across the world to find understanding and have important discussions; in this way, you can join the world conversation.
Below is a list of books the BIS Library has available for checkout that consistently appear on recommended reading lists pertaining to the current events surrounding overall racism, violence against, the marginalizing of and oppression upon minority communities and communities of color. These books also are recommended for increasing understanding of different ethnic and societal groups. The Library encourages all members of the BIS Community to borrow these books if they are so inclined.
-Hair Love by Matthew Cherry
-American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
-March Vols. I, II, III by Rep. John Lewis
-The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
-Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
-Stamped From The Beginning by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
-The History of Institutional Racism in the United States by Susan Dufresne
-American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
-My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
-Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
-Becoming Kareem by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
-Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi
-Call Me American: A Memoir by Abdi Non Iften
-Spoken Here by Mark Abley
Please contact the Library for additional information regarding these books or make an appointment to see them for yourself.
Sincerely,
Mr. Marshall & the BIS Library staff
MYP Service as Action & DP Creativity, Activity, Service
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As an IB World School, each community member is tasked with developing the ability to see the world through another’s eyes, expand one’s ability to empathize, and take purposeful action. Covid’s impact on our planet is undoubtedly challenging this responsibility for our BIS Community.
Over the last several weeks, our MYP and DP Programme students have brainstormed ways to provide sustainable assistance and solutions for our community’s needs. Students have reflected on their character strengths and how they can best employ them in the service of others. It’s essential to get students involved again, especially during this pandemic, as many aspects of our community need our help. Given the current restrictions and requirements to successfully protect our community from COVID, we kindly ask that you support your child in being active, providing service, and enjoying being creative while still following the health protocols put forth by BIS.
We will soon start our Service as Action (SA) and CAS in organized groups. Each group will decide what they want to accomplish, plan, and take action. At this time, due to the pandemic, and according to our safety protocols, BIS does not encourage students to be physically engaging with the community. Creatively fulfilling this BIS graduation requirement is a challenge we will support all students to accomplish.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Vera Pereira – CAS & SA Coordinator
Mathematical Modeling with Grade 9
How is it possible that Central banks announce exchange rates a year ahead? How can the population of a city be estimated for the coming 25 years? How could the International Baccalaureate provide grades without student’s sitting the DP Finals?
The secret lies within two words: data and modeling.
This week, Grade 9 students worked on constructing their first mathematical models by observing the repeating pattern in the half-life of a nucleus, compound interest calculations, and population growth. Since both estimating a mathematical model and observing a repeating pattern are great tools in understanding the real world, Grade 9 students had the opportunity to use both of the tools observing mathematics in our daily life.
Dinner table question: How do you use math in your daily life?
Murat Gökalp – DP & MYP Math Teacher