August 2016 Newsletter

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The Triannual Newsletter of The Association of American Schools in South America

August 2016 Edition Table of Contents

Upcoming Events in the AASSA Region ��3 From Your Executive Director ��5 Expanded AASSA Offerings for the Year Ahead ��6 AASSA Learning2 Conference ��7 AASSA 2016 Governance Conference ��9 AASSA 2017 Educators’ Conference �� 11 Rio Educators’ Conference Workshop Proposal ��12 AASSA’s Main Services ��13 Get Involved with AASSA Virtually ��14 Welcome to Our Newest Members ��14 Welcome to Our New Heads of School ��15 ASCD Online Courses ��15 Child Protection ��15 Margaret Sanders Foundation Scholarship ��16 AASSA Newsletter Articles Welcomed ��17 Colegio Menor to Pilot the College Board’s AP with WE Service Program ��20 Aprendizaje Colaborativo: Una Experiencia de Grupo ��22 Happiness and Learning through Cups of Coffee ��27 Are Two Heads Really Better than One? ��34 Middle Humans of EARJ ��40 Purposeful Reflection ��44 Self-Evaluation By Young Learners: This Is Possible and Real ��51

August 2016 Edition

Table of Contents Upcoming Events in the AASSA Region AASSA Calendar of Events 2016-2017

Event Venue Dates Deadline

Pan American School of How to Use MAP Results to Differentiate August 26 & 27 and Improve Student Learning Institute Porto Alegre, Brazil Lincoln School, Buenos September 14-16 Restitution 1 Institute Aires Colegio Nueva Granada, September 15 & 16 CNG Learning Center Symposium Bogota Lincoln School, Buenos September 16 & 17 Lincoln Educators’ Conference Aires Marriott Dadeland September 21 AASSA Board Meeting Hotel, Miami Pre-Conference: Marriott Dadeland September 22 September 6 AASSA Governance Conference for Hotel, Miami Main Conference: Heads and Board Members September 23 & 24 Practical Strategies for Making Math Truly Escuela Campo September 23 & 24 Work for All Students Alegre, Caracas International School of September 29 & 30 EVAC Educators’ Conference Monagas, Venezuela Escola Americana do Rio September 30–October 1 International Deeper Learning Institute de Janeiro Principles for Academic Success in Academia Cotopaxi, English: Understanding Language October 8, 2016 Quito Acquisition and Valuing Bilingualism Mathematics Education Conference: Engagement and Globalization of Math Alliance Academy, Quito October 10 Education

Learning 2.016 Conference Colegio Menor, Quito October 13-15 October 1 Academia Cotopaxi, October 20-22 GIN Conference Quito

VANAS Teachers’ Convention 2016: Colegio Int’l de Caracas November 18 Making Connections

American School of November 18-20 AASSA Instructional Coaching Retreat Brasilia

August 2016 Edition Page 3 Back to TOC AASSA Calendar of Events 2016-2017

Event Venue Dates Deadline

AASSA Business Meeting Grand Hyatt, Atlanta December 1

AASSA Recruiting Fair Grand Hyatt, Atlanta December 1-4 Margaret Sanders Foundation Scholarship Deadline December 5 Latin American Administrators’ Grand Hyatt, Atlanta December 5-8 Conference (AdvancEd)

AASSA Newsletter Articles due January 13 Carol Morgan School, February 16-19 WIDA International Academy Santo Domingo The Columbus School, Session I: Feb.17-20 Cognitive Coaching Institute Medellin AASSA Global Citizen Award Deadline March 3 Project Based Learning Transforms the Academia Cotopaxi March 3 & 4, 2017 Classroom Graded School, March 5-7, 2017 Next Frontier Institute Sao Paulo, Brazil Graded School, Sao March 9-11, 2017 Social Emotional Learning Institute Paulo

Graded School, Sao March 25 & 26 WIDA Symposium Paulo Workshop Proposals Due: October 17 Pre-Conference: March 29 American School of AASSA Educators’ Conference Heads’ Rankings Rio de Janeiro Main Conference: March Due: October 25 30-April 1, 2017 Hotel Deadline: Feb 22 AASSA Newsletter Articles Due May 8

Marriott Residence Inn, Hotel Deadline: July 17-19 AASSA Business Managers’ Institute Aventura, FL June 16

August 2016 Edition Page 4 Back to TOC From YourTeaching Executive Teachers Director Teaching Teachers As a new academic year sprouts from the relative relaxation of the long break between years, it’s worth taking stock of where we are as a profession so that we can go forward not blinded by our own enthusiasm—or worse—inertia.

We have learned a lot over the past decade about how ineffective many of our long-standing practices and goals in educating 5-16 year olds have been as analyzed by the Education Endowment Foundation1, for example: having students repeat a year, block scheduling, school uniforms, the perceived importance of a school’s physical environment, performance pay, encouraging children’s different learning styles, and streaming students by ability. Our schools virtually all aim to reduce class size to less than 20, to staff classes with teaching assistants, and to hire teachers with graduate degrees, yet these are expensive approaches that are only marginally impactful.

We have also managed to downplay or not implement a number of practices in spite of researched evidence that they very positively impact a child’s learning, such as: providing immediate and detailed feedback about one’s learning, metacognition (learning to learn approaches and strategies), early years’ interventions, collaborative group learning, one-on-one learning, oral language interventions, peer tutoring, incorporating digital technology, and mastery learning. The common trait of all of these approaches is that ALL require what John Hattie of the University of Melborne calls “teacher expertise.”

Quotesgram.com

As Thomas Kane of Harvard University noted, “Surgeons start on cadavers, not on live patients.” Yet in education we have tended to train our teachers through “abtruse theory” rather than “intense, guided practice grounded in subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical methods.” 2 An article in the June 11, 2016 edition of The Economist contends that “Great teaching has long been seen as an innate skill. But reformers are showing that the best teachers are made, not born.” 3 Ours is “an incredibly intricate, complex and beautiful craft” that requires practice, coaching and relentless assessment “like that of a top-flight athlete.” 4 The article purports that the myth of the natural-born teacher coupled with insufficient classroom practice in college prior to teaching--compounded by a lack of accountability on the job--has resulted in our profession’s being less effective than we could otherwise be. 3

August 2016 Edition Page 5 Back to TOC Back to TOC

Teachers tend to become better at their craft in their first few years on the job, but then improvements tend to fade because “schools neglect their most important pupils: teachers themselves. Across the OECD club of mostly rich countries, two-fifths of teachers say they have never had a chance to learn by sitting in on another teacher’s lessons; nor have they been asked to give feedback on their peers.” 5 Our approach to professional development has to be one of working to improve teachers and teaching through exposure to new ideas followed up by ongoing coaching, feedback and clear expectations— all of which must be professionally embedded.

1 Education Endowment Foundation. 2 “How to make a good teacher.” The Economist 11-17 June 2016: 13. 3 “Teaching the teachers.” The Economist 11-17 June 2016. 24. 4 “Teaching the teachers.” The Economist 11-17 June 2016. 24. 5 “How to make a good teacher.” The Economist 11-17 June 2016: 13.

Expanded AASSA Offerings for the Year Ahead

OurExpanded plans for this year include AASSA expanding services, Offerings primarily: for the Year Ahead  Promoting our new Consultant Search Service which provides schools the opportunity to inexpensively utilize master teachers within the region as professional development Our plansconsultants for this year include expanding services, primarily:  Offering the first Learning2 conference in the Americas at Colegio Menor in Quito from •PromotingOctober our 13-15, new Consultant2016 Search Service which provides schools the opportunity to inexpensively utilize Assisting master schools teachers in within sourci theng best-practiceregion as professional documents development consultants •Offering Offering the morefirstLearning2 school-based conference institutes in the (17 Americas have been at scheduled Colegio Menor to date!) in Quito from October 13-15, 2016 Promoting the latest child protection efforts •Assisting Promoting schools online in sourcing videos best-practiceof all AASSA documents schools  Expanding AASSA’s listserves to include Instructional Coaches, Human Resources staff and •OfferingELL Coordinatorsmore school-based institutes (17 have been scheduled to date!) •Promoting Offering the a latestuniquely child collaborative protection efforts Educators’ Conference in Rio in March 2017 with two Pre- •PromotingConference online sessions videos of(Aspiring all AASSA Lea schoolsders facilitated by Barry Dequanne and a Retreat for Instructional Coaches). •Expanding AASSA’s listserves to include Instructional Coaches, Human Resources staff and ELL  Partnering with ISS for AASSA’s and ISS’s Recruiting Fairs in Atlanta Coordinators  Promoting the AASSA Recruiting Service to U.S. universities and through WIDA •Offering a uniquely collaborative…………………………………………………………………Educators’ Conference in Rio in March 2017 with two Pre-Conference sessions (Aspiring Leaders facilitated by Barry Dequanne and a Retreat for Instructional Coaches). •Partnering with ISS for AASSA’s and ISS’s Recruiting Fairs in Atlanta •Promoting the AASSA Recruiting Service to U.S. universities and through WIDA

August 2016 Edition

Page 4 6 Back to TOC

AASSA Learning2Upcoming Events Conference

The AASSA region’s first Learning2 conference will be held from October 13-15 at Colegio Menor in Quito. Learning2 was launched in 2007 in China and is dedicated to creating professional learning opportunities run by international school teachers for international school teachers.

The October 13th Pre-Conference day will feature the following sessions: Designing a Learning Rich Makerspace Get Connected—Your Students and Colleagues Need You! La Enseñanza de Stem Con Robots: Más Que Un Juego de Niños Design Thinking: Let’s Explore, Let’s Redesign

For those interested in presenting a workshop or facilitating at cohort, there are buttons on the registration form to express your interest. A member of Learning2 will contact you regarding submitting a proposal to facilitate either a workshop or cohort group.

At Learning2, participants are expected to “be different, be social and be a connector.” This will be like no other conference you have ever experienced!

For conference information, Quito hotel reservations and to register, please visit http://learning2southamerica.org/

The registration deadline is October 1 ………………………………………………………… 5

August 2016 Edition Page 7 Back to TOC Back to TOC Planned, Taught , & Learned

CURRICULUM EFFECTIVENESS

August 2016 Edition Page 8 Back to TOC AASSA 2016 Governance Conference 2016 AASSA Governance Conference for School Heads and Board Members

September 22 - 24, 2016 Marriott Dadeland Hotel Miami, Florida

………………………………………………

Pre-Conference: Thursday, September 22, 2016

Everything you always wanted to know about Governance but were afraid to ask!

A Personalized Pre-conference for Trustees and Heads of Schools

The shift towards more personalized learning is one of the most significant educational directions of recent years. As so often though we fail to recognize that learning is scalable. What works for student learners works for adult learners, too. We need personalized learning as much as our students do. This pre-conference recognizes that principle, and so builds its structure around your expressed personal learning. We'll be finding out what your aspirations, concerns and questions are through well-planned surveys, then molding our day around the emerging trends in your responses.

Facilitated by Teresa Arpin and Kevin Bartlett

………………………………………

August 2016 Edition Page 9 Back to TOC Back6 to TOC

Main Conference: September 23 & 24

The Systemic School: From Siloed Schools to Connected Communities

Throughout the conference we will be exploring how the Power of Principles can be utilized to address all manner of governance challenges, whilst fostering deeper levels of cohesion amongst all school stakeholders.

The program will feature three deep dive topics that will enable participants to engage with in-depth new learning, reflect together and then discuss its application to your school challenges.

The three topics explored in this year’s conference include:

THE LEARNING PRINCIPLE: Trustees are collaborators with school leaders in the development and support of connected ecosystems for the defining, designing, delivery and demonstration of learning.

THE GENERATIVE PRINCIPLE: Trustees are collaborators with school leaders in the process of generative thinking.

THE STORY PRINCIPLE: Trustees are collaborators with school leaders in the task of telling the learning story of the school and helping others find their place in that story.

Over the course of Friday and Saturday you will have the opportunity to choose two of the three topics to dive in deeply, growing your understanding and exploring principles related to that topic.

The conference format will also include interactive whole group sessions that will both frame this unique learning experience and provide opportunities for authentic application of what you are learning to real-life situations in your school.

Facilitated by Kevin Bartlett, Teresa Arpin, and David Willows ……………………………………………………………

All information pertaining to the conference, daily schedules, additional details, the registration form and the hotel reservation link are posted on the AASSA website at: http://www.aassa.com/page.cfm?p=410

The registration and hotel reservation deadline is September 6th

We look forward to seeing you in Miami! ……………………………………………..

August 2016 Edition Page 7 10 Back to TOC Announcing the opening of the website for the Announcing the opening of the website for the Announcing the opening of the website for the AASSA2017 AASSA 2017 Educators'Educators’ Conference Conference

2017 AASSA Educators' Conference

Hosted by: Hosted by: Escola AmericanaEscola doAmericana Rio de Janeiro do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro,Rio Brazilde Janeiro, Brazil

Pre-Conference March 29, 2017

Main Conference March 30 – April 1

Pre-Conference Based around the themeMarch of 29, (Re) 2017, Pre-Conferencethe conference design is centered around a collaborative think-tank whose aim is to (re)thinkMarch and (re)invent 29, 2017 international education. The conference Main Conference will feature 3 keynoters (Craig Johnston, Michael Ehrhardt and Myron Dueck) who will chal- March 30 – AprilMain 1 Conference Based aroundlenge, the themerespectively, of (Re), the the conference current design system is centered of international around a collaborative education, think- the teachers, and the students. tank whose aim is to (re)think and (re)invent internationalMarch education. 30 The – conference April 1will feature 3 keynoters (CraigBased Johnston, around Michaelthe theme Ehrhardt of (Re) and, the Myronconference Dueck) design who is will centered challenge, around a collaborative think- respectively,We the will currenttank have whose system a wide aim of international isvariety to (re)think of education, sessions, and (re)invent th moste teachers, internationalof which and the willstudents. edu becation. collaborative The conference by design: will feature Teacher Work- We will haveshops, a wide3 Ted keynotersvariety Talk of sessions,workshops, (Craig most Johnston, ofcohorts which Michael will each be collaborative day Ehrhardt of the by and conference, design: Myron Teacher Dueck) reverse who mentoring will challenge, sessions led by Workshops, Ted Talkrespectively, workshops, the cohorts current each system day of of the international conference, reverse education, mentoring the teachers, sessions and the students. led by EARJEARJ students, students, Edcamp, Edcamp, and a Learning and aFair Learning Gallery. InFair addition, Gallery. we are In planning addition, an all- we are planning an all-day institute day institute each Weday forwill up have to 100 a wide conference variety participants of sessions, (different most of each which day) willto work be collaborativewith our by design: Teacher three presenterseach todayWorkshops, drill for deeper up tointo Ted 100 the Talk reinvention.conference workshops, Please participants cohorts take a eachlook atday(different the of AASSA the conferen eachwebsite day)ce, and reverse to work mentoring with our sessions three presenters the video -to (Re) drill 2017led deeper byConference EARJ into students, Teaserthe reinvention. for Edcamp, further information and Please a Learning take on the a Fair themelook Gallery. atand the we AASSAhopeIn addition, to see website we are andplanning the video an all- - (Re) 2017 you in Rio! day institute each day for up to 100 conference participants (different each day) to work with our Conferencethree presenters Teaser for to drillfurther deeper information into the reinvention. on the theme Please and take we a look hope at tothe see AASSA you inwebsite Rio! and the video - (Re) 2017 Conference Teaser for further information on the theme and we hope to see you in Rio!

Conference Registration and Hotel Reservations will open in October!

We hope to see you in Rio! ………………………………………………..

AASSA’s Main Services August 2016 Edition In addition to conference and institutePage offerings, AASSA continues to offer our long-standing11 key services: Back to TOC Back to TOC Purchasing and Shipping Service Payroll Processing Service & AASSA Recruiting Fair ………………………………………………………………………………….

The AASSA Educators’ Conference 2017 Rio Educators’ Conference Workshop Proposal The AASSA Educators’ Conference 2017

Hosted by Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro,Hosted Brazil by Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro We are now acceptingRio Proposals de Janeiro, due Brazil October 17 for:

We are nowTeacher accepting Workshops Proposals due October 17 for:

Teacher Workshops Ted TalkTeacher Workshops Workshops

Learning TedFairTed Talk Gallery Talk Workshops Workshops Display

& Learning Fair Gallery Display

Exhibitors' WorkshopsLearning from Fair& Associate Gallery Display Members

Exhibitors' Workshops from& Associate Members Pre-Conference Institutes: Wednesday, March 29 Pre-ConferenceMainExhibitors’ Conference: Workshops Institute Marchs: from 30Wednesday, – Associate April 1 MembersMarch 29 Main Conference: March 30 – April 1 Based around the theme of (Re), the conference design is centered around a collaborative think-tank whose aimBased is around to (re)think the theme and of (r (Re),e)invent the internaconferencetional design educatio is centeredn. The around conference a collaborative will feature think 3 -tank keynoterswhose (Craig aim Johnston, is to (re)think Michael and Ehrhardt (re)invent and Myron interna Dueck)tional educatio who willn. challenge, The conference respectively, will feature the 3 current keynoterssystem of (Craiginternational Johnston, education, Michael the Ehrhardt teachers, and and Myron the students.Dueck) wh o will challenge, respectively, the current system of international education, the teachers, and the students.

on March 29th will be limited to two sessions: The Pre-ConferenceThe Pre-Conference on March 29th will be limited to two sessions: LeadershipLeadership in Focus: in Focus: Barry DequanneBarry Dequanne InstructionalInstructional Coaches Coaches Retreat Retreat

The mainThe conference main conference will feature will featurea wide avariety wide variety of sessions, of sessions, most ofmost which of which will be will collaborative be collaborative by by design: design: Teacher Teacher Workshops, Workshops, Ted Talk Ted workshops, Talk workshops, cohorts cohorts each daeachy of da y the of conference, the conference, reverse reverse mentoringmentoring sessions sessions led by EARJled by students,EARJ students, Edcamp, Edcamp, and a Learningand a Learning Fair Gallery. Fair Gallery. In addition, In addition, an all- an all- day instituteday institute will be willheld be each held day each for day up forto 100up toconference 100 conference participants participants (a different (a different group group each eachday) day) to workto with work our with three our presenter three presenters to drills todeeper drill deeper into the into rein thevention reinvention of international of international education. education. Please take a look at the video - (Re) 2017 Conference Teaser for further information on the theme Please takeand awe look hope at tothe see video you -in (Re) Rio! 2017 Conference Teaser for further information on the theme and we hope to see you in Rio! August 2016 Edition Page 8 8 12 Back to TOC AASSA’s Main Services

In addition to conference and institute offerings,AASSA continues to offer our long-standing key services: Purchasing and Shipping Service

Payroll Processing Service & AASSA Recruiting Fair

Announcing AASSA’s Partnership with ISS

The next teacher recruiting season is just around the corner. In an effort to enhance the recruiting experience and expand the candidate pool at the Recruiting Fair we are happy to make the following announcement…

“In partnership with International Schools Services (ISS), ISS teacher candidates are welcome to attend the AASSA December 2016 Recruiting Fair in Atlanta.”

At this point we have no idea how many, if any, ISS candidates will take advantage of this opportunity and for those that do we will make their candidate files available virtually to all recruiters.

Additionally, the fees for hiring an ISS candidate at the AASSA Recruiting Fair will be those already set for our organization. In other words, school’s will pay the AASSA recruiting fee if they hire an ISS candidate (please note that ISS premium member schools attending the AASSA fair will not pay a fee for hiring an ISS candidate due to the arrangement already in place between them and ISS). AASSA candidates will, likewise, be able to attend the ISS Recruiting Fair in Atlanta if they are also attending the AASSA’s Recruiting Fair.

We will keep recruiters and candidates informed of any developments with regards to this situation as needed and as the timeline of preparing for the recruiting fair demands. Currently, we just want you to know that we are working on everyone’s behalf to enhance the recruiting experience and expand the candidate pool our recruiting fair.

August 2016 Edition Page 13 Back to TOC Back to TOC Get GetInvolved Involved with with AASSA AASSA Virtually Virtually

Please subscribe to the AASSA Blog by going to www.aassa.net/blog, enter your email in the right sidebar and then verify your email address. It’s that simple!

You will be able to search for past newsletter articles as well as receive announcements of postings between newsletter publishing dates. Contributions are tagged and categorized to make it easier for you to find areas of interest. This blog platform’s aim is to encourage continued conversation and connections between AASSA member schools and staff around articles, guest posts and international teaching and learning in general. Subscribe via RSS or get notified via email of any updates.

For up to the minute announcements and curated information relevant to the international educator, administrator and schools, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook:

http://www.twitter.com/AASSA_SA http://www.twitter.com/AASSA_SA

https://www.facebook.com/AssociationAmericanSchoolsSouthAmerica https://www.facebook.com/AssociationAmericanSchoolsSouthAmerica

………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………… Welcome to Our Newest Members Welcome to Our Newest Invi tational Member School EscolaInvitational Internacional Memberde Joinville, Brazil School (IM)

Escola Internacional de Joinville, Brazil (IM) Welcome to Our Newest Associate Members Educational Technology Recruiting (edtechrecruiting.com) NewestVocabulary Associate Spelling Members City

An updated list of Associate Members Educational and eventTechnology sponsors Recruiting appears on the AASSA website. Please support our region’s Associate MembersVocabulary by availing Spelling yourself City of their services and products.

An updated list of Associate Members and event sponsors appears on the AASSA website. Please support our region’s Associate Members by availing yourself of their services and products.

August 2016 Edition Page 14 10 Back to TOC Welcome to Our New Heads of School Welcome to Our New Heads of School Andrew Melnyk, Knightsbridge Schools Internationals, Panama Barney Latham, International School of Port of Spain, Trinidad Dan Yamasaki, Colegio Panamericao, Colombia Elza Cristina Giostri, Escuela Internacional de Joinville, Brazil Eron Strong, Colegio Albania, Colombia Esther Dayan, Escola Beit Yaacov, Sao Paulo, Brazil Gustavo Sever, The American International School of Bolivia, Cochabamba John Gillespie, Colegio Alberto Einstein, Quito, Ecuador Kathy Fine, Colegio ATID, Mexico City, Mexico Kristina Nefstead, Centro Educativo Internacional Anzoátegui, Venezuela Larry Molacek, Pan American School of Bahia, Brazil Michael Boots, International School of Curitiba, Brazil Mike Johnston, Colegio Maya, Guatemala Pablo Chiappe, Colegio Bureche, Colombia Rafael Serna, Escuela Las Morochas, Venezuela Robert Trent, Country Day School, Costa Rica Ruth Allen, The Columbus School, Medellin, Colombia Terry Christian, Escuela Campo Alegre, Caracas, Venezuela Tom Pado, Escola Americana de Campinas, Brazil

ChildChild Protection Protection Thanks to the fine work of the International Task Force on Child Protection, committees have been Thanksworking to for the the fine past twowork years of to the develop International materials and Task process Forcees aimed on Child at protecting Protection, the children committees in havebeen workingour care. for the past two years to develop materials and processes aimed at protecting the children in our care.

The resulting documents and resources are housed on the Education Portal of the website of the InternationalThe resulting Centre documents for Missing and and resources Exploited are Children. housed on You the will Education find information Portal of theon Awareness website of & the Preven - tion,International Policies and Centre Procedures, for Missing Accreditation, and Exploited Recruiting, Children Reporting,. You will and find other information resources. on Awareness & Prevention, Policies and Procedures, Accreditation, Recruiting, Reporting, and other resources.

ASCD Online Courses ASCD Online Courses ASCD and AASSA have a partnership whereby AASSA member schools receive substantially discounted rates (50%) on ASCD online course offerings. Please go to www.ascd.org/AASSA-pdonline (case sensitive) and ASCD and AASSA have a partnership whereby AASSA member schools receive substantially enter the discount code Z111 at checkout. discounted rates (50%) on ASCD online course offerings. Please go to www.ascd.org/AASSA- pdonline (case sensitive) and enter the discount code Z111 at checkout.

August 2016 Edition 11 Page 15 Back to TOC Back to TOC Margaret Sanders Foundation Scholarship Margaret Sanders Foundation Scholarship Application Deadline: Monday, December 5th

Margaret Sanders established a scholarship fund, the Margaret Sanders Foundation, to help graduates of our schools attend college. Over each of the past five years, AASSA students were selected as recipients.

Four scholarships ranging in value and to be decided by the overseeing foundation are awarded each spring to graduating seniors at international schools who demonstrate persistence, motivation, resourcefulness, and acceptance of other cultures and points of view. Attendance at a 501C (non- profit) university is mandatory, academics, educational and vocational aspirations, financial need and involvement in journalism are also considered in the selection process.

Each regional association ultimately chooses one candidate for consideration by the Margaret Sanders Foundation. Each AASSA member school may nominate one candidate, whose application must reach AASSA by Monday, December 5, 2016. Any applications received after this date or that are incomplete after December 5th will be disqualified.

Instructions and the application forms are available on the AASSA website at: http://www.aassa.com/page.cfm?p=618

AASSA will then select a maximum of one student from our region and forward that student's papers to the United Way Foundation. Recipients will be announced at the AAIE Conference in February.

August 2016 Edition

Page 12 16 Back to TOC AASSA Newsletter Articles Welcomed AASSA Newsletter Articles Welcomed We welcome articles from our schools and Associate Members for the AASSA Blog and the AASSA Newsletter. We are currently accepting articles for immediate publication on the Blog. Articles submitted for the Blog will also appear in the January Newsletter.

The Newsletter deadlines for the 2016-2017 academic year are as follows: January 13, 2017 May 8, 2017

Publication notes:  There is no limit on article length since we have an electronic publication  Please submit in MS Word (Times New Roman font, 12 pts)  Either insert photos or send them as attachments, preferably in jpeg Since articles are now being published online, please be sure to provide copyright source information for photos or quoted material

Thank you for your contributions.

And now, onward to articles submitted by our member schools…

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AASSA MEMBERS GET 10% OFF!

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August 2016 Edition Page 13 17 Back to TOC Back to TOC Don’t get LESS for LESS . . .

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August 2016 Edition Page 18 Back to TOC SUNY Buffalo State International Programs for International Educators

Master’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies-- An affordable and flexible degree designed for internationally-minded educators

• American/International Schools host the degree program on site

• Host school staff collaborate with Buffalo State staff to design a degree program that aligns with the professional development initiatives of the school and the goals of individuals in the program

• Courses apply across grade levels and curricula creating an opportunity to study with a diverse group of colleagues

• World-class instructors with extensive experience teaching international school educators

• Courses can be delivered on site, electronically, or through a combined approach of on-site/on-line depending on the course as well as the needs of the school

Over 1000 enrollees in more than 35 schools and a proud history of several hundred graduates over the last decade

SUNY Buffalo State also provides the option of graduate credit for professional development offered at American/International Schools.

Argentina • Bolivia • Brazil • China • Colombia • Dominican Republic • Ecuador • Ethiopia • India • Indonesia • Japan • Jordan • Kuwait • Mexico • Mozambique • Nigeria • Oman • Philippines • Qatar • Singapore • Thailand • Turkey • Ukraine • United Arab Emirates • Venezuela

For more information please contact:

I II

I I I

I I

I I I I I International Graduate Programs for Educators I http://igpe.buffalostate.edu

August 2016 Edition Page 19 Back to TOC Back to TOC Colegio Menor to Pilot the College Board’s AP with

WE Service Program By; Ashley Hiller, AP Human Geography Colegio Menor, Quito

Quito, Ecuador—During the upcoming 2016-2017 school year, two Advanced Placement Hu- man Geography classes at Colegio Menor will be participating in the pilot of The College Board’s new AP with WE Service Learning Program. This program is a collaboration between The Col- lege Board and WE, “the educational arm of the international charity Free the Children” (The College Board, 2016). The core purpose of the program is to directly connect AP curriculum to service learning opportunities locally and globally, allowing students to strengthen knowledge and skills and enact positive change in the lives of others. According to The College Board,

“The AP with WE Service pilot program will connect a rigorous academic experience with service learning in an effort to help students become mindful leaders and active citizens. Through this model—which encourages broader discussion of demanding academic material due to the experiential and problem-based nature of service-learning projects—young people will be urged to take action on the service opportunities that matter most to them,” (The College Board, 2016).

In implementing the program, schools and the respective course teachers are required to choose one of two provided modules for student participation. Students at Colegio Menor will be focusing on the “Access to Health Care” module, examining issues of access to health care at the local and global levels by investigating issues and needs, creating an action plan, completing direct service in the community, and assembling a portfolio. Students will also receive recogni- tion and endorsement from The College Board on their diploma upon successful completion of the program.

AP Human Geography Teacher Ashley Hillier and students at Colegio Menor are eager to par- ticipate in the program, especially in the wake of the devastating earthquake that occurred on the coast of Ecuador on April 16th, 2016. Colegio Menor is part of a very small group of schools piloting this program, and one of only a handful participating outside of the United States.

The College Board, AP with WE Service. (2016). AP with WE Service Press Release [Press release]. Teacher Resources--AP with WE Service. Retrieved August 10, 2016, from https:/lp.collegeboard.org/ap-we-service/teacher-resources

August 2016 Edition Page 20 Back to TOC 2X 3X 2.5X

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Central America, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru Eduardo Remis [email protected] Tel: +52 1 442 237 9703 Other Locations Elva Smith [email protected] Tel: +1 321-558-4093

August 2016 Edition Page 21 Back to TOC Back to TOC Aprendizaje Colaborativo: Una Experiencia de Grupo Por Leticia Daza Noya, Cristina Erazo, Florencia Labombarda y Claudia Romeo. Asociación Escuelas Lincoln. Buenos Aires, Argentina

La verdadera comprensión se logra a través de la interacción. En Mayo, cuatro profesoras de Lincoln de tres secciones del colegio diferentes y que enseñamos distintas materias, trabajamos de manera colaborativa en un curso sobre la Enseñanza para la Comprensión, dictado por la Escuela de Educación de Harvard. En esta experiencia, aprendimos que la EpC promueve el aprendizaje autónomo del alumno a través de desempeños que desafían su comprensión. De esta manera, se apropia de principios teóricos o científicos que lo habilitan a descifrar y transformar su entorno. Estos desempeños se manifiestan en la aplicación de tópicos a un contexto significativo para el alumno y la interacción con sus pares. Descubrimos que las dimensiones de comprensión posibles son múltiples y variadas. El desafío residió en aplicar este nuevo enfoque en una Unidad Didáctica puntual que condensara no sólo todos los ingredientes del modelo, sino también las perspectivas de cuatro profesoras de disciplinas, niveles y recorridos diferentes. Nuestro reto devino en una aventura de aprendizaje y colaboración.

El modelo de EpC constituye un enfoque de aprendizaje basado en competencias y desempeños, asociado con las teorías constructivistas, y desarrollado desde la década de los noventa en el Proyecto Zero, de la Uni- versidad de Harvard. Según la premisa de Epc, los alumnos producen una gran cantidad de actividades sobre un tema determinado; no obstante, encuentran dificultades dentro del corto plazo, para evocar y utilizar la información o aplicarla en otros contextos. Esto da muestra de una comprensión superficial o ingenua de lo aprendido; justamente lo que debemos evitar. Según David Perkins la comprensión se define como “poder re- alizar una gama de actividades que requieren pensamiento respecto a un tema”, denominadas “desempeños de aprendizaje”. Estos desempeños visibilizan el proceso de reflexión para entender en profundidad un tópico.

La variedad de puntos de vista y la experiencia en diferentes materias y niveles nos facilitó encontrar con más comodidad ejes transversales que cruzaban las distintas disciplinas, y sí definimos hilos conductores o ejes amplios que funcionaban como guías. A diferencia de las metas de comprensión o preguntas que desenca- denan la reflexión más allá del contexto del aula o lo escolar. Las ideas que cada una presentaba posibilitaron alternativas que, tal vez, no hubiesen surgido en el trabajo individual sobre un plan de desempeños de comp- rensión coherentes con los hilos conductores. Una clave que descubrimos en el proceso fue la acertada elec- ción de herramientas y canales de comunicación dentro del equipo, que agilizaron el intercambio de ideas y la participación colaborativa.

El modelo de la EpC nos propone el diseño de un Metacurriculum que atraviesa transversalmente a todas las materias enseñadas en la escuela. Al establecer hilos conductores que trascendían nuestra disciplina, notamos que cada docente habilitaba oportunidades de aprendizaje sobre otros dominios distintos a los de su materia y, además, estimulaba en los alumnos pensamiento e instancias de reflexión sobre un tema. De esta manera, ori- entamos nuestra práctica docente en beneficio de colegas de otras disciplinas y, en especial, de los alumnos. Al final, prevaleció el ejercicio de comprender, pensar y valorar, así como producir a partir de un tema en lugar de aprender un contenido. El aprendizaje con autonomía entonces es posible, pues precisamente ‘el desarrollo de la autonomía...significa llegar a ser capaz de pensar por sí mismo con sentido crítico, teniendo en cuenta muchos puntos de vista, tanto en el ámbito moral como el intelectual.’

August 2016 Edition Page 22 Back to TOC Resignificamos el concepto de aprender: encontrar el equilibrio entre el aprendizaje individual y la incorpo- ración de las ideas ajenas, pero transformadora. Es el nuevo sentido que EpC propone se promueva entre los alumnos, a través de la interacción centrada en desempeños estimulantes tales como explicar, generalizar y aplicar lo comprendido. Y fue enriquecedor experimentar cómo nuestras prácticas docentes se potenciaron en el encuentro y la interacción entre colegas y habilitaron nuevas instancias de reflexión. Nuestras unidades didácticas y comprensión del currículo son ahora más amplios y transdisciplinarios. Sin duda, abrimos una nueva puerta para la colaboración.

Fuentes Citadas:

1. “David Perkins y el proyecto de Enseñanza para la Comprensión.” 2010. 5 Aug. 2016 2. Kamii, Constance. La autonomía como finalidad de la educación: Implicaciones de la teoría de Piaget. (Adaptación de Patricia León Agusti). Universidad de Illinois, Círculo de Chicago. 1988

August 2016 Edition Page 23 Back to TOC Back to TOC WIDA: Discover what your learners Can Do

“Teaching and learning should revolve around who our language learners are, what they can do and how we can benefit from the tremendous assets they bring to school.” - Margo Gottlieb, WIDA Lead Developer

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WIDA Academy - Santo Domingo Dominican Republic February 16-19, 2017 - Carol Morgan School An introduction to the WIDA English Language Development standards framework and assessments, this WIDA Academy will help schools build capacity for a systemic approach to serving ELLs using the WIDA resources

WIDA Symposium - São Paulo, Brazil March 25-26, 2017 - Graded American School This 2-day reciprocal professional learning event is intended for experienced WIDA educators as a forum for discussing innovation, implementation and systems to support English language learners

[email protected] | 1-877-272-5593 wisc.wceps.org

August 2016 Edition Page 24 Back to TOC Are you a teacher or administrator looking for a job in Latin America or the Caribbean?

The AASSA Recruiting Service & 29th Annual Recruiting Fair The AASSA Recruiting Service is specific to Latin American and Caribbean International Schools.

• Typically, there are over 350 positions available annually • Our schools vary in mission and size and offer a range of curriculum including “American international,” Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, as well as country-specific programs. • Contracts may include housing, medical benefits, shipping allowance, transportation, home leave and competitive salaries. TO REGISTER AS A CANDIDATE AND FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE Please contact us if you have any questions: Esther Nicolau, Paul Sicard or Paul Poore Phone: 954-436-4034 Email: [email protected]

August 2016 Edition Page 25 Back to TOC Back to TOC

There is a new platform for online courses: amplifiEDucation.com. Their mission is to help educators “amplify” their own learning and, by extension, the learning of their students. We know that reflecting, There is a new platform for online courses: amplifiEDucation.com. Their mission is to help connectingeducators and sharing “amplify” (amplifying) their own l earninginvites and,new, by and extension, previously the l earninguntapped, of their possibilities. students. We know that reflecting, connecting and sharing (amplifying) invites new, and previously untapped, possibilities. We hope to enhance the dialogue around education innovation, not only with our courses but also with our blog, TwitterWe hope chat to #amplifiEDu enhance the dialogue, newsletter around and educati otheron resources. innovation, not only with our courses but also with our blog, Twitter chat #amplifiEDU, newsletter and other resources.

Our Courses Each amplifiEDUcationOur Courses course contains resources, templates and materials for use with students. Each amplifiEDUcation course contains resources, templates and materials for use with students. Courses Coursesare simple, are simple, step-by-step, step-by-step, convenient convenient and and come come withwith a amo money-backney-back guarantee. guarantee. Our courses Our courses are affordable,are affordable,being offered being foroffered under for underU$10.00. U$10.00. We are We excited are excited about about the thepotential potential for for increased increased dialogue and dialogue and knowledge sharing in the region. amplifiEDucation courses support teachers in knowledge sharing in the region. amplifiEDucation courses support teachers in developing the skills to better developing the skills to better communicate, collaborate, connect and create in order to share in a communicate,global collaborate,learning network. connect and create in order to share in a global learning network.

Exciting Progress ExcitingWe Progress have launched our first three courses in our online store, designed for the curious educator We have wholaunched is ready our to firstlearn, three connect, courses create in and our share online with store the ,world designed. We also for offerthe curious free resources educator and who is ready downloadables for a small fee. to learn, connect, create and share with the world. We also offer free resources and downloadables for a small fee. More to Come More courses are currently underway, in the area of digital badges, mindfulness, and STEAM to name a few. We have our finger on the pulse of innovation and are keen to hear about our More to customers’Come personalized needs to learn in their own space and at their own pace as we develop More coursesnew courses. are currently We have underway, impressive guestin the authors area whoof digital are writing badges, courses mindfulness, and contributing and resourcesSTEAM to name a to our amplifieducation.com site. One way amplifiEDucation strives to be different is through our few. We havecommitment our finger to amplify on the thepulse conversation of innovation to include and are educators keen to beyhearond about the English-speakingour customers’ personalized needs to world.learn inWe their are own in space the processand at their making own pace our as course we develop offerings new available courses. We in otherhave impressive guest authorslanguages who are(Spanish, writing German courses and and Portuguese contributing for now). resources to our amplifieducation.com site. One way amplifiEDucation strives to be different is through our commitment to amplify the conversation to include educators beyond the English-speaking world. We are in the process making our course offerings available in other languages (Spanish, German and Portuguese for now).

August 2016 Edition Page 26 Back to TOC Happiness and Learning through Cups of Coffee By: Esther Clark, Director of External Relations and Communications Academia Cotopaxi American International School, Quito, Ecuador

The smell of ground espresso and sounds of violin and cello mix with the rush of students making their way to class on a crisp Friday morning in Quito, Ecuador. Sweet Morning Charities Coffee Shop has opened for business and there is a buzz of activity in AC’s High School Cafeteria.

Four months ago a small but powerful group of students and educators at Academia Cotopaxi American International School (AC) joined efforts to start the first ever inclusion school coffee shop in Quito. The goal? To bring together the AC community over cups of coffee every Friday morning in a shop led by students in AC’s Learning Support program. The result? Happiness.

Of course there are many other results from the program such as learning to “work under pressure” says High School student Paola or “making economics real” says Ms. Jackie, Learning Support Program Coordinator; nevertheless, anyone observing the Friday morning coffee shop will sense the happiness radiating from the early morning group that does everything from filling pre-orders, selling baked goods, designing special pro- motions and delivering five-star customer service.

Making clients happy is the essence of great customer service and delighting customers is the heart of any business; these are just two of the learnings from the coffee shop project that grew out of a desire to bring the application of tangible life skills as part of the learning support program at AC. Mr. Jerome, Learning Support Educator, explains that “every skill we cover in class becomes significant.” He adds that “if you don’t tally up the decimals correctly, you lose money” or “if you don’t accurately describe the skills on your resume, you might not get the job.”

The idea of a student led coffee shop was suggested by Ms. Vanessa, Learning Support Educator, during a team meeting at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year. After the team investigated the concept, they discovered that the coffee shop idea had been implemented successfully in other schools and with other learning support programs. Ms. Vanessa explains that it may sound counter-intuitive – children with special needs selling hot coffee – but learning happens for all children when you make skills real. Paola agrees; the coffee shop, she says, shows her how “math is important in real life.” Parents of a student in the inclusion program describe how every Friday, their son is out of bed and happy to start “his work” – showing an eagerness for learning that they have never seen before.

After investigating the feasibility of the coffee shop and getting support from the AC Administrators, students in the inclusion program hit the ground running. This included mock interviews with the AC Human Resources Director Ms. Gina Del Hierro in order to understand the interview process and the importance of a strong resume or CV. After the interview, High School student Camilo reflected on the process: “I wonder what my Dad’s first interview was like…I wonder if he was nervous like me.” (Continued on the next page)

August 2016 Edition Page 27 Back to TOC Back to TOC Students in the Learning Support program also recruited and interviewed AC student volunteers who were interested in supporting the initiative. Ms. Jackie explains that the success of the coffee shop was due to the incredible support of the community and integration of students in the learning support program with students in the mainstream program. “It has had a ripple effect” she explains, “it has touched different parts of the school: the music department, the administration, the school counselors, the cafeteria, the student body…our entire learning community.”

Parents and board members also visit the coffee shop regularly to see what the buzz is about and to enjoy a great cup of coffee. “Who doesn’t want a cappuccino on a Friday morning?” says one smiling parent. With the experience of successfully starting a coffee shop and business venture, students and educators in the learning support program are now thinking even more creatively about what is possible in the future. Paola looks for ways to improve the shop and ideas that can bring in more business. Camilo manages the inventory list and finds ways to make it run more smoothly. The entire group visited a coffee shop in the city to learn about customer service and merchandising. Students are also voted on what charity will receive the proceeds from the coffee shop – the idea being that “Sweet Charities” supports the work of a foundation whose mission resonates with the students.

Mr. Jerome ponders the future: “we are building it as we go along and the key to building something great is to start small and troubleshoot as you go along.” “The possibilities are endless” he says, “We are discovering new ways to tie in graphic design, CAS (Community Service) hours, Economics, and extracurricular classes into the project.” His advice for others who want to start a coffee shop? “Go for it!” he says smiling. He adds that it’s important to cover the basics before you launch (how to serve coffee, how to compute, how to deliver great customer service) and get community buy-in for the project.

“The coffee shop makes learning in community and life skills a reality” states Mr. Jerome… “And we make people happy!” chimes in Paola.

Note: The Sweet Morning Charities Coffee Shop is part of the Learning Support Program at Academia Cotopaxi American International School. At AC, we have been an inclusive school for over 20 years. In 2015, under the leadership of School Director Madeleine Maceda Heide and with the guidance of the AC Board of Directors, AC has renewed its commitment to inclusion through investment in additional resources in the Learning Support program and as an active member of Next Frontier Inclusion. More info: www.cotopaxi.k12.ec/learning-ac/ learning-support-services.

August 2016 Edition Page 28 Back to TOC Google Apps for Education G A F E ImpactLab presented by edtechteam

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August 2016 Edition Page 29 Back to TOC Back to TOC ASSESS RECRUIT TRANSITION

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August 2016 Edition Page 30 Back to TOC Accredited. College-Prep. Online.

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August 2016 Edition Page 31 Back to TOC Back to TOC August 2016 Edition Page 32 Back to TOC

Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname, Brazil Ecuador Colombia Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Felipe Vilar Julie Pisano Gloria Bohórquez Axel Montero Delia Ochoa [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +55.11.99476.0133 +593.99.783.5029 +320.492.9859 +51.95.161.3840 +407.462.8013

August 2016 Edition Page 33 Back to TOC Back to TOC Are Two Heads Really Better than One? Launching Co-Teaching By: Bianca Nunes (ELL Teacher, American School of Brasilia)

How many times have we heard that “two heads are better than one?” True or not, there is a reason why this proverb is still alive. Co-teaching is now best practice in education and is starting to gain momentum across international schools.

At the American School of Brasilia, teachers are working together to solidify and implement co-teaching models and strategies at various school levels and thus addressing student needs simultaneously.

In the Lower School, developing co-teaching partnerships and implementing co-teaching models to help all learners attain successful academic language and success is an expectation. The general classroom teacher focuses on content and the language teacher enhances the academic language of not only the English Language Learners (ELL) but of all students. In other words, co-teaching “draws on the strengths of both the general educator, who understands the structure, content, and pacing of the general education curriculum, and the [specialist], who can identify unique learning needs of individual students and enhance curriculum and instruction to match these needs” (Hanover Research, 2012).

Changing the “i-Culture”. Establishing co-teaching models and practices begins to blur the individualism in education, the “I” and call for a culture of “we;” where the classroom teacher is not the sole adult responsible for students, instruction and assessment. It now becomes a collaborative culture of our classroom, our students, our planning and instruction, our efforts to maximize student learning. Essentially, “each teacher brings important knowledge and skills to the classroom, and they learn from each other without trying to be interchangeable” (Friend, 2016).

If schools now follow the inclusive model of education, doesn’t it make sense that our teachers and specialists are also included in everyday instruction in mainstream classrooms to target students’ various needs at once?

August 2016 Edition Page 34 Back to TOC Realistic? In theory, it sounds easy and sensible. However, realistically, co-teaching does take time and effort in order to co-plan before co-teaching. It is simply a matter of collaborating and setting expectations for all teachers. Some teachers may argue that co-teaching is another “to-do” in our already long list of duties. However, using two heads to plan will speed up the planning process and generate innovative and engaging lessons for students targeting different learners. So, two heads are better than one, and why not use it then to our advantage?

Reflections. In my second year co-teaching, I have seen how challenging it is to make it work, but recognize how effective and powerful it actually is when implemented. Ultimately, the secret is to persist. Through trial and error, I have come to the realization that co-teaching can address the needs of all students at the same time, given the specific roles and areas of expertise of the teachers in either content or language, which are pre-established before the lessons.

There were many times throughout the early stages of co-teaching, that our lessons did not turn out as expected. And, that is when our team reflection really played an important role. In the beginning, reflecting became part of our weekly meetings since we were still trying to get to know our teaching styles and how we could best work together to meet the day’s objective and reach all students. As weeks went by, we slowly began to understand and respect the different views and styles, and combined the strengths each teacher brought to the classroom.

According to research, teachers who have adopted co-teaching have reported a significant improvement in “classroom management skills, collaboration with other adults, more teaching time, deeper understanding of the curriculum, [and] more opportunities for self-reflection” (St. Cloud State University).

(Continued on the next page)

August 2016 Edition Page 35 Back to TOC Back to TOC Start Small, Achieve Big. Co-teaching does not happen overnight, but baby steps can be made to start planting the co-teaching seed in the school. 1...... Set a time (at least once a week) to meet with your team (general educator and specialist). 2...... Co-Plan: figure content and language targets for the lesson/week. Choose a co-teaching model and explicitly divide the roles for instruction delivery. Co-teaching can occur during one block or multiple blocks a day. Start in content areas other than literacy, since literacy tends to already provide personalized and differentiated individualized instruction. 3...... Co-Teach: deliver the lesson. 4...... Reflect: What worked well? What did not work well? How can we improve next time? 5...... Try again. 6...... Try again. 7...... Try again.

In the co-teaching marriage, there is no recipe for success, but the willingness to try, make mistakes, learn, and presence the end-result of maximizing student learning with specific needs in the classroom. No wonder it is now considered best practice in education! From these basic steps, other ideas can emerge and this routine of co-planning and co-teaching will begin to fall into place and maximize your time as teachers as well.

Launching co-teaching in schools is a challenging, yet rewarding and effective learning process that enhances instructional delivery and student learning in the classroom.

Therefore, this best practice in education and from experience does confirm that two heads are in fact better than one.

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August 2016 Edition Page 37 Back to TOC Back to TOC DISCOVER A COLLEGE

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August 2016 Edition Page 38 Back to TOC Always know who’s it. Tag offers a mobile solution for safe school pickup, attendance, early release, extended day, student arrival & dismissal, and more. Easy communication… happy parents.

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August 2016 Edition Page 39 Back to TOC Back to TOC Middle Humans of EARJ By: Andrea Buffara Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro

A few months ago and came across a blog called the Humans of NY. It touched me deeply. I was amazed at how articulate our fellow humans are and how we all have stories to tell. The problem is that no one listens. Brandon Stanton took the time to listen and record the stories. It was unintentional and not planned, as much of what happens to us in life is. His blog became an instant success. As I read the stories I was transfixed by the emotions that they evoked. Some stories made you laugh, others made you cry they were so tragic. Everyone was trying to make meaning of their lives. So, I thought to myself. I am sure our students have a lot to say. I asked myself , “Do we really listen to them?” We don’t listen enough to each other and I wanted to create an an opportunity for students to say what they wanted to say. Uncensored. A blog was born called the Middle Humans of EARJ and I asked students to contribute to this blog.

The prompt was open. “What do you want people to know?” I was moved at the answers. Listen to some of these voices….

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are, but if you don’t do wild things when you’re young, you’ll have nothing to smile about when you’re old. Sixth Grade helped me grow a lot. It changed me in a good and permanent way. Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change. I found that growing up means being honest. It’s about what I want. What I feel. What I need. Who I am. -Noah L.

Dear World, I think you should know that we humans are being ignorant, we are not taking care of you. We humans are wasting our energies in things that harm you when we could be helping you and taking care of you. We are polluting and killing animals for sport, we need to realize that you are our home and friend. We need to open our eyes and wake up from this horrible dream we are living and make a change. We will soon open our eyes to realize that without you we are nothing. Well, that’s all I have to say, I just think that you should at least know, With all Respect - Ines C.

August 2016 Edition Page 40 Back to TOC “I want to accomplish something ‘out of the ordinary’ in life.”

“What would you do?”

“I am still not sure. Life is not like a book- people do not predict things or write their own story. We humans always worry about the future and not the present. I want to live right now, not worry about who I am. We all change through the years. But for now, I want to be me. When the perfect time comes, then I will figure it out.” -Ines L.

I feel we need to stop and look at the other and respect what others have to say without judgment. That is what empathy is all about. We need to trust each other. Kids were their authentic and true selves and you will learn, like I did, that our students are very perceptive and reflective and already engage in deep thinking at an early age.

Why the blog? At EARJ, we want students to develop competencies that will help them navigate the demands of the 21st century. We want to move students towards developing skills and knowledge to succeed in life. This blog was an attempt to have students think critically, collaborate, and communicate effectively. Read the full blog. Middle Humans of EARJ Blog Listen to these voices. Open your hearts to them!

August 2016 Edition Page 41 Back to TOC Back to TOC TAUGHT IN DUBAI. READY FOR THE WORLD.

See where ISS can take you. Discover new opportunities at our upcoming International Recruitment Conferences and Job Fairs.

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August 2016 Edition Page 43 Back to TOC Back to TOC Purposeful Reflection By: Mike Kaufman Carol Morgan School, Dominican Republic

According to Cathryn Berger Kaye, in her article Meaningful Reflection, a Practical Approach, reflection can be informative, generative, or at its most powerful, transformative. Her work here focuses on how to integrate meaningful reflection into your classroom for your students. Reflection does play an important role in student learning and should be a integral part of all classrooms, I also believe that these ideas apply equally to the reflection that teachers need do to improve their own practices.

Like many teachers, reflection is a natural and regular part of my life. I spend a lot of time and energy reflecting (often it feels like too much time and energy!); I think about Student A on my walk home from work, Lesson B while laying down going to sleep, Colleague C as I take my dogs around the block at night, Meeting D over a bowl of cereal at breakfast. While there are many meaningful benefits of this natural and routine reflection, I often do it without planned purpose.

Reflection should occur naturally but should also be planned and purposeful. Here are 3waysI incorporate reflection purposefully to improve my teacher and my students’ learning.

Make It A Part of Your Lesson Plans

August 2016 Edition Page 44 Back to TOC This year I began adding a blank Reflection section at the bottom of each of my lesson plans. I still print my lesson plan to have them nearby during a lesson in order to stay organized and use planned questions or prompts. At the end of each lesson I then have a space to write down my reflections of the lesson. This is a generative process. I look back on my lesson to see what I will do differently in the future. Sometimes the reflections are specific to a particular lesson, like adding extra time to a think-pair-share activity or to reword directions of an assignment. Other times I draw larger conclusions that apply to the unit or my teaching in general, like to incorporate more cold call discussions or design a tracking system for which students I worked with during that particular day. This helps my lessons and my teaching to evolve and become more focused towards student learning.

Peer Observations and Reflections Like the Beatles said, “I am going to try with a little help from my friends.” Reflection is great alone but can be even more powerful when done with others. Over the last two years my middle school social studies colleagues, including HighFiveHistory’s own Jason Deehan, and I have set up peer observations. Our group, led by department head Marlene Perez, created a schedule and a protocol to follow. We decided on a technique of having the observing peer write down a series of clarifying and probing questions based on their observations of the lesson. Then after the class, we sit down and discuss the questions - with no unsolicited advice or judgment.

August 2016 Edition Page 45 Back to TOC Back to TOC The reflection that came about was informative. It is amazing to “see” your class from another person’s viewpoint and to reflect about details from the class you don’t always notice with your own eyes. I have come away with many aha moments from these reflective discussions - how I lead discussions, who I call on, how I move about the classroom, how the class flows. What makes this peer-led reflection so powerful for me is the safe space that my peers and I have created between us. By focusing on questions, and not feedback or judgment, we have allowed ourselves the room to reflect, with a little help from our friends.

Seek Out Student Input I have always been open and honest with my students, and I try my best to create a trusting relationship with them. This means at times pulling back the curtain on my teaching and showing them what I do and why I do it. It also means seeking out their opinions of lessons and activities, to get a feel of the class from their perspective. I do this informally by talking with small groups of students who happen to stay a little late or I discuss it with the entire class at the end of a unit or project. I also do it formally by creating student surveys. I use surveys at the end of certain units, especially when I am trying something new, and in the middle and end of the year as a general look back. What started out as paper and pencil feedback forms has turned digital with the use of Google Forms (here is an example of a survey I used last year). What hasn’t changed is the valuable feedback, and opportunity to reflect, that comes of seeking out student input.

Some of the most transformative moments of my teaching have come out of these student feedback surveys. What I have come to learn, especially with middle school adolescent students, is what you think you do as a teacher and how you intend to be, is not always as important as how the students interpret what you do and construct who you are. Similar to the shift in teaching and learning, it’s not what a teacher teaches as much as what did the students learn. To reflect, or to look back, as a teacher is not just looking back at yourself in the mirror but looking back at yourself from the eyes of your students.

August 2016 Edition Page 46 Back to TOC Do you purposely reflect? If so, how? Please share your own ideas and experiences in the comments below. Mike Kaufman is a middle school social studies teacher at the Carol Morgan School in the Santo Do- mingo, Dominican Republic. He is also the co-creator of HighFiveHistory, an educational blog that focuses on best practices and edtech tips for teachers. Follow Mike on Twitter @MrMikeKauf

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION NEASC OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES Commission on International Education

CIE accredits and supports international schools in over sixty eight nations worldwide, and promotes transformative approaches to teaching and learning. cie.neasc.org We invite you to learn about our groundbreaking new accreditation framework, ACE. Please view the ACE Overview at cie.neasc.org/ace.

“...education is not about teaching or knowledge transmission. Rather it is about supporting learning. ACE provides an excellent framework and process that can help schools start the shift.” — Yong Zhao, Ph.D., author of World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students

A globally recognized standard of excellence, NEASC Accreditation attests to a school’s high quality and integrity. It provides independent assurance cie.neasc.org that a school has the commitment and resources to achieve its mission and to engage in meaningful, ongoing whole school improvement.

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TAKE YOUR STEM CURRICULUM TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH GIZMOS

ExploreLearning Gizmos will help your students acquire a deep conceptual understanding in Math and Science through highly interactive online simulations founded on inquiry based learning. Gizmos will give your students an opportunity to visualize, experiment and interact with concepts in a more tangible way.

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“Gizmos are an excellent resource for all levels of math and “Using Gizmos in the classroom allows me to offer an interesting, science. What sets these simulations apart from the rest of the simulation interactive and entertaining activity to my students without ever sacrificing field are the teacher resources that accompany each Gizmo. The academic rigor. The Gizmos simulations align well with my curriculum exploration guides do their best to lead students to discover the scientific standards and I am confident that after my students have completed them, relationship on their own through data collection and analysis. Explore they will be able to demonstrate a solid understanding of the concept Learning had developed a valuable asset that encourages student covered. My students love them!” discovery and develops critical thinking” Laura Napier, Colegio Nido de Aguilas HS Science Teacher, Colegio Nido de Aguilas Grade 7 Science Teacher & Team Leader MS Science Department Chair

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August 2016 Edition Page 49 Back to TOC Back to TOC Prepare Your Students for the SAT®, University, and a Career

An Overview of the PSAT-Related Assessments for Counselors

The PSAT-related assessments help educators monitor student progress as they prepare for the SAT®. These assessments reflect what students are already learning in the classroom and allow educators to pinpoint areas for student improvement. The PSAT™ 8/9, designed for the equivalent of U.S. 8th- and 9th-grade students, is closely aligned to the PSAT™ 10 (for 10th-graders) and the PSAT/NMSQT® (for 10th- and 11th-graders). The PSAT-related assessments are: Tightly aligned with the new SAT, giving students the chance to become familiar with the format and content covered on the SAT. Designed to measure skills and knowledge in ways that make sense for different grade levels. Based on the same score scale so you can monitor and track students’ growth over time as they prepare for the SAT. Historically, students who take the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 assessments score higher on the SAT (on average) than those who do not take the assessments. The SAT Suite of Assessments

™ ® ® PSAT 8/9 PSAT/NMSQT™ SAT sets readiness and PSAT 10 connects students baseline let you check on to university student progress

To bring these assessments to your school, visit psat.org.

© 2016 The College Board. College Board, SAT, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Visit the College Board on the web: collegeboard.org. 791578 00374-024

00374-024-PSAT-OverviewFlyer-Intl.indd 1 6/7/16 12:44 PM

August 2016 Edition Page 50 Back to TOC Self-Evaluation By Young Learners: This Is Possible and Real

By: Alecsandra Maciel Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro

This article aims on showing my own experience as a teacher who uses self-evaluation by young learners on a daily basis in the lessons, the challenges I had to face, and the benefits I truly believe it has for the students and teachers.

I have been teaching for more than fifteen years and throughout all of this time I have been always trying out some strategies to make my students play a significant role in the learning process. I believe that students must feel part of this mechanism once it grows their sense of responsibility. Also, when we make students think over their own works, we are building their critical thinking skills. Responsibility and critical thinking are two very important skills that should be taught at school once they help people “read” the world.

But how could I apply that to young learners? Was it possible? Those were the questions which came to my mind when I started to teach children at the age of 4-5 years old. Then I figured out I had to adapt my self-evaluation forms and techniques to reach that new audience. Once I could do that it was time to put my thoughts in practice and check if they were able to do it. At the beginning, it was hard be cause I was used to working with students who were able to read and write and think by themselves. Then, I realized I had to start from the very beginning. In my country, it is not very common to make children think about the activities and exercises they do at school, so I had to build that tradition in my classes.

The great tip begins from the very first week of school and is incorporated into your daily routine. Students may think it is different and strange. In the beginning some used to make fun of that and were not very honest when answering the forms… However, to my surprise, as time went by they got used to it. I realized I underestimated my pupils because once children begin to understand it is a natural part of the learning process they are able to do it as their sense of responsibility grows.

August 2016 Edition Page 51 Back to TOC Back to TOC There are many different ways of having students evaluate themselves. However, as the young learners’ implementation was a new experience for me, I decided to begin by making use of these two strategies: First, I found out that it was nice to do at the end of the school day by having the whole group orally answer some questions on my chart (on the board): What was the thing they liked learning that day? What was hard for them? What was fun? What was not good? etc. As time went by and students got used to it we could add more questions to this group-evaluation such as: what was difficult? What was easy? What would you like to share with your family at home? etc.

Secondly, I developed a form for them to check for self-evaluation after some activities done in class such as show & tell sessions, individual project presentations, family projects, science experiments, etc. For that we can make use of smiley/average/sad faces to circle while you read some criteria for the students. In both cases, we should be clear in advance what the teacher’s expectations are about the students’ work: This is known as rubrics. The term may be not part of the children`s vocabulary, but I am sure they can understand you saying what you want from them. Besides, as my students are very young I always send parents a message explaining my assignments. It avoids misunderstandings. We can also make use of a self-evaluation for behavior. I myself have found bunches of that on the internet. All the students may answer that every day or we can use it with the troublemakers only. It will help the child see how he/she acts throughout the day and understand the good or bad consequences of his/her actions.

August 2016 Edition Page 52 Back to TOC Another very positive aspect about having self-evaluations is that it also has benefits for us as teachers. We can analyze the collected data to consider improvement to our daily teaching practice. It involves students and teachers in the consideration of the effectiveness of their learning/teaching process. As you can see, there are several possible ways to use self-evaluation with students even when they are little 4 or 5 year-old pupils. The first challenge we should face is to exterminate our own prejudice of thinking they are not capable of thinking about their learning experiences. Never underestimate your students no matter how old they are! Then, open your mind for adaptations and suggestions. Most of times your own students are the ones who give you the most important input. And remember; use this precious collected data to enhance your teaching practice.

The CIS Membership Community of Schools and Universities is strategically focused on the development of global citizenship.

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August 2016 Edition Page 53 Back to TOC Back to TOC Protecting the health o knowledge seekers

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August 2016 Edition Page 54 Back to TOC Let’s Build a Strong Foundation for Children Together

For nearly 30 years, Teaching Strategies has been supporting the critical work of early childhood educators like you. We offer award-winning, research-based, and effective solutions, from curriculum and assessment to professional development and family connection resources for programs serving children from birth through kindergarten.

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