It is very important to believe that our children can still thrive when times are tough. Supporting a child to work through challenges and experience success builds that child’s belief in themselves

Every Friday, this blog will update you on what is going on in the Elementary School. It is wonderful to have you all with us.

This was always going to be a year like no other but no one could have predicted just how ‘like no other’ it was going to be. 

It goes without saying that this has been a very challenging year. We did a lot of things right. We also discovered that we could do a lot of things differently. 

This week, I thought that I would share with you a fun resource that some of our students are enjoying. It is called Freerice.

A New Zealand story about an 82 year old retiree earning his PhD 60 years after graduating with his first degree got me thinking last week.

Students need to know that comparing their lives to others will not bring as much happiness as contributing to the lives of others.

Even reputable and more traditional media outlets seem to focus more on the mistakes people make rather than what people achieve. Why?

This week we celebrated Ms. Delphine’s 40+ year connection with ISY. You will know Ms. Delphine from the Elementary School office where she has served our community for 26 years.

The final quarter of any school year is important. This is often the quarter that students make the deepest connections and most progress.

Further to Dr. Hedger’s Tuesday update on the majority of our faculty departing Yangon the weekend before Thingyan, we would like to update you on how you can expect school to operate after Thingyan.

Our children are wonderful models of how effective a beginner’s mindset can be when nothing is certain and every challenge seems new.

Sometimes it is difficult to look on the bright side. But research shows that in difficult times, it is important for our mental health to allow ourselves to acknowledge that times are difficult and to feel rather than suppress negative emotions.

We have long term, yearly, quarterly, monthly, and weekly plans but our planning and preparation has now taken more of a day by day focus.

It is very comforting to know that as technology continues to provide us with new ways to communicate and work together, we have students who understand that simple human actions and gestures like good manners still make the world go round.

Children themselves are usually in the best position to let us know what their needs are and how we can meet them.

Over the last two weeks, our Early Elementary team has been working with Dr. Linda Henke. Dr. Henke has a wealth of experience in many school settings and has a particular interest and expertise in developing a capability and love for deeper learning in our youngest children.

Even in the context of 2020-2021, this week has been a particularly challenging one. But we got through it.

Today marks the end of our second semester. We are halfway through this academic year and the first year of our SDG-inspired interdisciplinary approach to learning.

It is challenging work at times but it is exciting for us to be working alongside our students as we create a new normal.

All three of our grade level Transition Days went very well from both student connection and safety points of view.

We go to the break not quite having finished the first semester. At the end of January we will have got to the halfway mark of the year.

Join us THIS SATURDAY for the Sports-A-Thon! Also in this edition, reopening our campus is a complex challenge that is welcomed by all of us.

Join us on Saturday, December 12th for the 3rd annual UWS-ISY Sports-A-Thon!

According to legendary basketball coach (and teacher), John Wooden, there is an important difference between winning and succeeding.

We hope you enjoyed chatting with your child’s teachers this week. You can contact any of us at any time keep the conversation going.

Childish wisdom mixed with a global perspective and some ‘grown up’ expertise and experience will go a long way in finding the answers to many of the problems that our children will need to solve.

It is strange to think our children might be benefit from this crisis but if we want to develop lifelong learners, this is the time to do it!

We have made a good start to this year like no other. The Thadingyut break comes at a perfect time for us to rest and reflect on the last 8 weeks.

We finished this week in Chinthe Colors! Next week, we will be celebrating Thadingyut (Thursday) and Halloween (Friday).