ISY Elementary Blog
How are we doing?
Mike Simpson, Elementary School Principal
4 September 2020
It feels good to have finished our first week online. There is a real positive energy around campus. That energy comes through online from our students and our teachers are building on that as they implement our planning and adapt it to engage and meet the needs of our students. Also, we are very proud of our Chinthe Learning Online coordinators and students who are all over the world and getting things done. Our teachers developed that program from scratch over the summer and we are very proud to see our students working through it.
We are thankful for all of the supportive messages from families and the feedback that we have received during the week. As I wrote last week, feedback from our students’ families is key to meeting our students’ needs online. Be sure to complete our Online Learning Survey to help us keep adapting and improving our programs. This survey will be emailed to you directly from our Communications Coordinator.
Kind regards,
Mike
Elementary School Family Forum
6:30 – 7:00pm – Tuesday, September 8
This Tuesday, September 8, at 6:30pm, I will host an online Elementary School Family Forum. This will be a chance for us to introduce me to you as the Elementary School Principal and to share with you our vision for the Elementary School this year. It will also be a chance for you to ask us any questions that you may have. Dr. Hedger will also be in attendance.
If you have questions that you would like us to address, please email them to me at msimpson@isyedu.org.
The Zoom Link for the meeting is shared in today’s email from me Elementary School families.
This Week’s Online Learning Tip: Learning Environment
My favorite part of the day is walking past classrooms at about 8:25am to see teachers getting ready to go online. It looks like they are getting ready to read the news on television! They are making sure they have all they need near them – papers, pens, coffee…
I know our teachers have been sharing tips with students about making sure they are also ready to learn each day and our students seem very organized when I pop into classes. They are seated in front of the camera with everything they need near them. Some students are really personalizing their spaces which is lovely to see.
One thing I have noticed and reminded of as I read this article from wired.com is the importance of lighting. If your child’s image on the screen is dark and blurry, it is easier for them to drift off. Seeing people’s faces is an important part of keeping us all connected online. Try to keep light sources behind the camera, away from the lens and avoid having your child’s back to window.
Another tip that I got from watching our teachers is to have your child elevate their computer. If they are hunched over a low computer, they might end up with headaches or a sore back. You will see from the pictures below, many of our teachers put their computers on piles of books or a box so they are sitting up straight and their screen is close to eye level.
Culture and Communication Studies
Last year, we introduced a Cultural Studies studies class from Kindergarten to Grade 5. This year we offer the same class but we are aligning it more closely with our French and Mandarin language programs. We have renamed the class Culture and Communication Studies and the purpose of it is to help our students develop an understanding of the nature of language and culture and important intercultural communication skills. Culture and Communication Studies classes will develop these skills by focusing on the culture, identity, perspective, and experience of every child in the class and will draw from their cultures and mother tongues. Their understanding of the nature of language and culture will then be applied to the language of their choice – French or Mandarin. Students in Grade 2 to 5 will begin their French and Mandarin courses this week. These students will be using a platform called Education Perfect to practice their French and Mandarin skills following a weekly Culture and Communication Studies class. Our Grade 1 students will spend more time developing their understanding of culture and language by focusing on their culture and languages and those of their classmates.
Previous Elementary School Posts
Elementary School Blog – October 8, 2021
Tuesday was World Teachers Day. I had not realized until a student emailed me an apple!
Elementary School Blog – October 1, 2021
It is a good feeling to work with teachers who believe that they can cause learning and are committed to reflecting and acting on evidence to make sure that every single student is learning.
Elementary School Blog – September 24, 2021
All cultures have big stories like The Odyssey that students can read and think about big ideas. The more big stories they read the better!
Elementary School Blog – September 17, 2021
Emma Raducanu, this year’s US Open tennis champion, has proven that a wise and humble young person can be very, very strong.
Elementary School Blog – September 10, 2021
All students will be able to apply their knowledge and skills to adapt and contribute to an uncertain or unknown future.
Elementary School Blog – September 3, 2021
Self-efficacy is the belief we have in our own abilities, specifically our ability to meet the challenges ahead of us and complete a task successfully.
The International School Yangon
20 Shwe Taungyar Street
Bahan Township
Yangon, Myanmar
+95 (0) 9 880 441 040