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24Nov

Parent Teacher Meeting at CIS

First PT meeting of Sem 1 on this Thursday and Friday. Parents have the chance to individually meet with teachers and talk about their children’s ‘ performance in every aspect as academic results, ASAs, social communications, etc. Teachers provided personalized advice to every student during the meeting and parents are sending us very positive feedback about our amazing teachers and courses. It’s so glad to hear some students even want to come to school during weekends. PT meeting is so important, however communication happens not only at PT meetings but also in daily school life. So, feel free to talk to us anytime!

Meanwhile, we did some interview with our parents and teachers, to see their opinions on PT meetings and what they think is most different from Chinese PT meetings.

As a teacher, what do you think is most important in a PT meeting?

The purpose is to touch base with the parent and let them know how their child is doing in the class. The report card doesn’t always say everything that’s important for the parent to know. If we can meet with the parent, they we can explain to them how to help their child to be successful. And I like to meet parents face to face, if they have any questions for me about their child, it’s easier to do that in a face to face session.

I had one student yesterday whose mother said that her main concern is not grade, is socializing. Her child felt isolated and lonely, if they were trying to appear like an academic parent and not go there, then I wouldn’t know it’s a problem for her child.

What are the advantages of individual PT meetings?

The advantage is we can really talk about personal things about their child, cause each child is totally different. Even if you have two students have the same mark, they both learn differently, and they do different  things in class. And there maybe things that are uncomfortable for their parents to hear, maybe their child is struggling with something. I wouldn’t want to say that in front of other parents.

In what way do you think PT meeting will impact communication between parent and teacher?

It definately has positive impact because when parents know what’s going on in the classroom, then they can help their child more at home, they can ask questions and know where they are at grades and how they’re performing in the class. PT meeting also shouldn’t be the first time that we talk. I sent wechat to my parents, communicate with them in other ways, especially when there’s a issue. I think communication is extremely important between parents and teacher. PT meeting is just a very nice middle point of the year.

What have you done to overcome the culture and language barrier for the PT meeting at our school?

Last year I taught elementary and parents were very confused that I wasn’t sending home homework. From public schools they seem to have a lot of homework and a lot of things to memorize. What I did is talk to the parents about why I don’t send homework home and why I don’t have them memorize spelling words and we didn’t do spelling tests. I just explained the reasons because in my learning, I’m studying on how students learn, what works for them and what doesn’t. Homework and memorization are very old ways of thinking about school and it’s not proven to be effective. Maybe some students can learn very good in that way, but not all. I would explain to them that instead of having them memorize this is how you do math, I want them to understand why do it that way, so that it applies to other places, it makes their knowledge more board and able to use in the real world.

Language barriers yes, but culturally not really. Their concerns are understandable, they want their child to do better.

What do you think we should do differently to improve PT meeting next time?

Translators, we didn’t have them last time, and this year we have, it’s a lot better.

We should ask students to translate for their parents, it’s good to have students to speak up for themselves.

16Nov

To Raise Future Leaders | Parents Workshop Highlights

The CIEO/CIS International Education Conference 2018 was an inspiring event and with over 500 attendees, it was a fitting way to mark the 18th anniversary of CIEO. Speakers from across the international school community explored emerging issues around education today. The conference included parent workshops aimed at providing information to support their children’s learning. Drawing from the wealth of experience from educational professionals, the sessions drew on a wide range of topics.

Sonia Iong, Language Pathologist at The International School of Macao (TIS) opened the workshop by discussing “Second Language Acquisition And Bilingualism”. The session shed light on the effects of Second Language Acquisition And Bilingualism have on children’s cognitive, educational and language development and introduced useful strategies and approaches in raising bilingual children.

The positive effects of bilingualism in children include better selective attention, increased cognitive flexibility, improved planning skills as well as enhanced problem solving abilities. These continue into adulthood and can have decreased effects of aging on the brain and delayed onset of dementia.

The session also highlighted the differences in acquiring more than one language and how a child learns another language. Simultaneous acquisition (at the same time) and Sequential acquisition (one after another).

One of the common misconceptions of bilingualism on children’s development is that bilingualism can delay language, when in actual fact, there is no difference between bilingual and monolingual children.  Useful tips and strategies on how to raise bilingual children are, to speak in a language you are most comfortable with, play dumb, model as much as you can and don’t test them and keep it light and fun. Some possible red flags to look out for, based on a child’s first language ability are if by the age of three/four, the child is not using sentences or asking questions and if by the age of five/six, the child is not able to retell a sequence of events or not following 3-step oral instructions. Parents with concerns can seek help from a speech and language pathologist to support the development of communication and literacy and to treat different types of communication and swallowing disorders.

Howard Stribbell, Director of International Education for CIEO provided insights on “What is a World Class Education?” and revealed interesting tips and ideas on how we can give our children an advantage by giving them the best educational opportunities. He explained how education ignites talent, develops character and gives our children the necessary skills for the future. Education prepares our children for university and work and can help them achieve happiness and success.

How do we go about choosing the right school for our children? It depends on a number of factors including, the destination for  university (less necessary now), internationally; based on the strength of the curriculum, based on the strength of the individual school or a school that aligns with your values. Curriculum is measured in various ways and one of them is the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development (OECD). It measures 15 year old student performance on Language Arts, Mathematics and Science, administered in the language of the school and repeated every 3 years. Top countries that perform well in the PISA tests include Finland and Canada, along with territories such as Hong Kong, Alberta and Shanghai performing exceptionally well.

So what determines World Class? World Class means being ready to face the future as a true global citizen. Yong Zhao a Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of education at the University of Kansas whose works focuses on the implications of technology and globalization on education defines a successful global citizen as one who competently negotiates cultural differences, manages multiple identities, comfortably interacts with people from different cultures and confidently moves across cultures as well as the physical and virtual worlds.

Giving our children the advantage of a world class education is one way to secure our children’s futures, fulfill their potential and equip them with the tools and skills needed to be successful 21st Century global citizens.

In the closing session “The Role of International Education”, Dale Cox, Vice President, Asia Pacific, International School Services explained how globalization has brought new technology, products and services, jobs and ways of working.

How does this affect our children in the future? In China, globalization has facilitated many changes including the implementation of reform and opening up and the adoption of a new kind of economy. It also paved the way for the “one belt one road” initiative. Globalization has fuelled tremendous growth of international education in the world and in China. International education gives students access to Western Universities, opportunities to learn English, gains from comprehensive learning, exposure to different cultures and languages and exposure to broader international experiences.

What schools will prepare students for the future? Key components that identify high quality schools are good governance, good quality teachers, strong curricular and activity programmes and quality facilities and resources. The characteristics of a student that succeeds in the future is determined by their ability to communicate, collaborate, think critically and create (innovate). These are key skills that universities are looking for today.

International education can prepare students to enter the new world as a global citizen with an “international mindfulness”. International mindfulness may be expressed as the ability to to be prepared for the 21st century global challenges, an awareness that the world is a much larger than the community in which we live and a respect for other perspectives, cultures and languages. The world will need global citizens; leaders who can communicate effectively across cultures, understand other’s views, collaborate on solving problems, think critically and deeply and care about a better world for all.

16Nov

Reading Benchmark at CIS

Before each report card goes home, and sometimes in between, we test all students at CIS on their reading skills using a program called Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System.  This program is known world-wide and is used in schools across Canada as a tool to determine students’ reading levels. This program is one of the tools that teachers use to determine if students are reading below, at or above grade level.

Reading is about more than being able to read words. It is also about being able to understand what you are reading. This Benchmarking system gives teachers valuable information about the student such as their word accuracy and their comprehension of the text. Once the student is done reading the benchmark book, the teacher can determine the Independent, Instructional or Hard reading level for each student.

The Independent Reading Level
The Independent reading level is the level that students should be reading when they are reading alone, to a friend or to a parent. It is the reading level that they are comfortable with because they will know 98% to 100% of the words that are in these books. Students who read books at the Independent level are reading for pleasure and to enjoy themselves!

The Instructional Reading Level

The Instructional reading level is the level that students should be reading when they are working in small groups or one-on-one with a teacher. This level is just a little bit beyond what they are comfortable reading because students will know 90% to 97% of the words that are in these books. The goal of reading beyond their independent reading level is to push the student’s skills a little bit further than where they are currently. However, because the teacher is right there supporting them, they will not feel uncomfortable reading books that are a little bit too hard. Students who read books at the Instructional level are reading to learn, to push their comprehension and to push their reading skills.

The Hard Reading Level

The Hard reading level is a level that students should not be reading because they will know less than 90% of the words in the books. Because they are unfamiliar with too many of the words, they often cannot understand what the book is about. Students who read books at their Hard level are often frustrated and dislike reading. We want to encourage students to read at their Independent or Instructional level, not the Hard level.
As you can see, it is very important for teachers to determine students’ reading level. This can help them confirm that the student is reading the correct level of book; this ensures the students love reading! Also, many teachers use the results to create reading groups in their classrooms.

Sometimes, a teacher may communicate to parents about reading level using a letter. Below is a reference to know what the letters refer to. 


If you want to know more about your child’s reading level, please don’t hesitate to ask their homeroom teacher.

12Nov

Trish Roffey: Design the Future Unknown

Trish Roffey is a teacher and emerging technology consultant from Alberta, Canada. She works with 96 schools in her district, bringing Maker Education to all students. Her keynote made us question in the world we live now, are we preparing our students? How do we give an authentic educational experience to the generation of tomorrow?
She began by grabbing the audience’s attention by showing pictures of Canadian weather and talking about the innovation that happens right here in Guangzhou! Among its many projects, the Chinese government will step up efforts to promote innovation with a focus on the city’s five strategic industries of IT, biomedicine, new materials and high-end equipment, new energy vehicles, and energy conservation and environmental protection, all by 2020! We start to question, with this kind of unprecedented innovation in the real world where an entire city is ready to “Lead Tomorrow” where does that leave us as we “learn today”?
Learning today in our schools can be filled with many twenty-first-century buzzwords like makerspace, design thinking, hack shop, genius hour, STEM Lab and many more. School and parent communities are clamoring to buy robots and 3D printers to ensure that innovation is part of the classroom. Before we get too excited about the shopping lists and makerspaces. We have to remember that “learning today” isn’t about what you have…is it is about what you believe.  What do you really believe about teaching and learning with technology? Does technology really disrupt education? What do you envision as the role of the teacher and the student? Today we want to challenge you to think about those roles and how technology truly impacts it. Do you teach like technology exists? How will today’s technology change how you teach and how students learn?
There is one absolute that we can all agree upon in education, that we as educators are in the business of preparing students for their future. There is also one absolute that we all disagree on, what exactly that future is and what students will need to know. The scary part of this entire debate is that our reality is preparing students for a future that is in motion using curriculum and pedagogy frozen in time. We have to realize that we are living in a “postFordism” world where we have to examine our responsibility as educators to consider the implications of what we do in our classrooms to ensure our students are adequately prepared for a productive life. We want students to feel successful and excited to learn in our classrooms. A moment when all the hardship and struggle is worth it. You will fail. It is going to happen. You will have moments when your students are frustrated with the design process. You will have class periods that tank. However, failure is part of the process for innovative teachers. Each mistake is simply another iteration on the journey toward success.
We have the opportunity to make sure that our learning culture allows for projects that are based on the student’s passions, ideas, and needs. We can rid our classrooms of dumpster projects that were recipes handed to them to repeat and not create. We can allow for authentic demonstrations of understanding. The paper “get it done” then throw it out does not value the learning experience. We can use the creativity as a tool for students to demonstrate what they know.One thing is for sure though. We need to stop being the last industry to question “if” we should have technology. These innovations were possible because we did not rely upon paper alone.Welcome to design thinking…

 

CIS IDEA Lab…

The wait is over!! Very soon students of CIS will work on their own design thinking within our IDEA Lab Makerspace. What does this mean? Students will begin to have computational thinking embedded within their daily curriculum. We will be coding, building, tinkering, using robotics and recycled materials to problem solve real life problems. Ms. Guzzo will be working with all teachers, exploring the curriculum and as a team decide how the IDEA Lab can bring that real-life component within the classrooms.

CIS has invested in the latest technology for our students to work and explore with. Our goal is to look at the process as the children design, not just the finished product at the end. All students from Pre-K 2A to grade 12 will work within the IDEA Lab, building on constructivism and design thinking. Understanding that through our mistakes and failed attempts to make something work, that is where the real learning takes place.
At CIS we create the platform so that our students experience opportunities so that we stay on the fore front of Education! #WEARECIS
12Nov

How Can We Train Adaptable Children for the Future?

November 9, 2018 — Integrating Chinese and Western cultures and aggregating global wisdom; we aim to highlight the Maple Leaf Spirit of Canada in an atmosphere of elegance.  Learn Today,  Lead Tomorrow – the theme of our international education conference – co-sponsored by CIEO and its Canadian International School (CIS), was held on the sparkling, new CIS campus as grand announcement of CIS arrival as an international school. Participants from diverse areas of Chinese and foreign educational circles attended the meeting.

CIEO’s slogan is “Education is Love” and in keeping with this message, we endeavor to educate future leaders with world influence through conceptual development of multiple intelligence and global wisdom. Our conference hosted a dialogue among global education experts and set up a high-quality platform for top international school educators from all regions to engage in meaningful communication, bringing new and cutting-edge ideas to Chinese parents.

Ms. Rachel Bedlington and Mr. Qingwen Wu both expressed their respective greetings sincerely to all attendees and shared views on education in addition to blessings on CIEO’s 18th anniversary.

 

The Consul General of Canada in Guangzhou, Ms. Rachael Bedlington

Mr. Wu Qingwen, Deputy Secretary of Bureau Branch Committee of CPC;  Deputy Party Secretary of Offices Directly under the Bureau;  Deputy Director, Education Bureau of Panyu District

 

Keynote Speaker:Designing Future Learning with Design Thinking

Trish Roffey – Emerging Technology Consultant for the Edmonton Public Education Bureau in Albert, Canada

In modern education circles “Design Thinking” is a global trend as we, as educators, cannot afford to stay put in our understanding of theory. Keynote speaker, Trish Roffey – Emerging Technology Consultant for the Edmonton Public Education Bureau in Albert, Canada, elaborated on the theme of “Designing Future Learning with Design Thinking.”

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CIS 学生

Building Prosthetic Hands

She emphasized that only constant innovation can adapt to the ever-changing world and, through the theory of Design Thinking, she proactively explores the forms and directions of future learning so as to cultivate well-developed students becoming positive citizens of the future. Through 18 years of practice, CIEO has been a leader in innovation and works to put ideal education concepts into practice, allowing children to grow naturally and independently.  We combining this with positive elements of Chinese culture to explore the world with an open mind and vision.

 

 

Teacher’s Workshops: Creative Education Experiences

Shelly  Smith-Dale, Art teacher of TIS 

Teachers’ workshops, in bringing together scholars, experts and teachers dedicated to innovative science and technology education domestically and abroad, talked about a broad range of topics including the practice of STEAM, Project-Based Learning (PBL), interdisciplinary integration, youth innovation ability and critical thinking training among many others.  They also discussed the essence of education, in terms of helping children embrace the future, especially one where they are potentially to be competing with artificial intelligences which could surpass the capabilities of most humans.

 Justin Rankin, Elementary Teacher of CIS

Teacher’s Workshop

The steady delivery and discussion helped display the rapid development of STEAM and PBL over the past few years, as well as the possibilities for, and appropriateness of, a non-testing evaluation standard for future education.  These ideas greatly opened many eyes for teachers and participants.  It also helped frame for educators that learning need not be under a certain banner or following traditional trends, but that its purpose is to make children adapt to the society they’ll live in.

 Philippe Bureau, ESL Consult of CIS

Workshop

Parents’ Workshops：Understanding Educational Thoughts

Standing in a new era and facing changes in international patterns we all, as educators and parents, we must have a profound understanding of the educational thoughts of the times.  Not only based in certainties of grasping the characteristics of our age, but through absorbing historical nutrition for growth.

 Dale Cox VP of International Schools Services Asia-Pacific Region 

Sonia Iong  Elementary Teacher of TIS,  Language Pathologist

Our parents’ workshops brought together the wisdom of Chinese and Global representatives to talk about world-class education, what it means to be a world citizen, and second language acquisition and bilingualism. Participants engaged in free exchange, discussing multicultural understandings and sharing an exploration of in-depth thinking on each topic.

 

Howard Stribbell, Director for International Wducation for CIEO 

In one short day, the 2018 CIEO/CIS International Education Conference managed to successfully enable collaboration in education, innovation and practice. Teachers, students, parents and guests of different skin colors, countries and disciplines left us with great memories as well as many smiles. We believe that the cultural exchange platform built by CIEO will continue to support endless interaction.

 

International Innovative Education with Global Frontier Wisdom

Education is the lamp of life. Only when everyone carries it can the city be properly lit. At the same time, education is also a long-term cause. Patience and tenacity are required for the cultivation of culture and the preservation of spirit. CIEO looks to warm every corner with love through educators from diverse backgrounds being active in its classroom, sharing their understanding of education, interpretation of disciplines and exploration of problems. CIEO’s students also demonstrate their positive mental outlook and international style in class.

 

Through 18 years of elaborate cultivation in the field of international education, CIEO Currently runs over 30 branches including 25 kindergartens, 9 English training centers, 2 foreign language schools (CLS), 3 international school (CIS, CGA & Lanna), 1 international preparatory college, and 1 cultural exchange center. CIEO employs a professional education team of more than 1000 people including over 200 international educators and over 800 Chinese staff members who provide education services to nearly 20000 students between the ages of 2 and 22 from more than 30 countries and regions around the world.

4May

Cambodia Sports Trip: Introducing CISSA

CISSA (Canadian International Schools Sports Association) is a new member association where Canadian schools across Asia have joined forces and each year will meet to celebrate Canadian education and the sports that our students love!

This year marked the first annual meeting, where Middle Schools students from Guangzhou, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Malaysia and Macau came together in Cambodia. Three days of great sport, making new friends and Canadian sportsmanship followed. We thought it was the perfect opportunity for a daily diary, please enjoy!

 

 

 

 

DAY 1 – Thursday 26th April

We woke up very early, I woke up at 5:00am. Our flight was at 8:45am. Once we arrived we were early so Mr. Bowden and Mrs.Rola went to drink coffee and we had a little walk in the airport. Our flight was late 1 hour because the airport was very busy. When we arrived we had no time to go to the hotel so we went directly to the school. When we arrived we had to change our clothes, but Gorden forgot to bring his top, luckily he had a black shirt to wear instead.

It was very fun playing hockey with other teams because they were very friendly. We finished playing before the others so we went to the hotel. We got stuck in the traffic so we were 10 minutes late. When we went back to the school we had a pizza party. The pizza was very good. We went back to the hotel at 7:30, we had a little meeting about the rules and then we went to our hotel room. It was such a fun day.

Written by Laresa Khamis (Grade 6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 2 – Friday 27th April

Today we woke up at 6:30, we got dressed in the red Grizzly uniform for basketball. This is day 2 of this journey. We ate breakfast at 7am then we headed out to the school at 8 am. We were supposed to play the first game against TIS but the floor was wet, so we had to wait till it’s dry. When the floor was dry we played basketball for 4 rounds behind each other with no stopping, so technically 2 hours and 30 minutes of basketball! We first played against the Malaysian school and lost by 1 point, same with Bangkok. Chris shot a lot of three pointers, his shooting was great! All of us did great, we all worked hard and didn’t give up.

After all the games we took a shower and dressed in nice clothes, we went to the mall Aeon and bought dinner for me, Lulu and Ms Rola for the boat cruise party later. We got ice-cream from Mr. Bowden. After buying the dinner then headed out to the boat cruise party, we ate dinner and had lots of fun on the boat and meeting new people from other schools. That was day 2, such a fun and kinda tiring day.

Written by Aryam Muthana (Grade 8)

 

 

 

 

Day 3 – Saturday 28th April

Today marked the final day of this unique and awesome competition. The children were again awake very early and after a healthy breakfast at the hotel, it was on the bus to our final tournament, soccer!

Competing in a strong field, I was so proud of the enthusiasm and skilful play from all our students. The chant of “lets go Grizzlies, lets go” was heard by everyone in Phnom Penh!! We finished 3rd in the soccer competition which was a great achievement, well done to all our athletes.

The final evening was a special end of tournament banquet, with a delicious buffet dinner for all the students and coaches. There were students from 21 different countries around the world competing in this tournament. At the banquet, all the students were talking, playing and making new friends, such is the power of sport.

I am a very proud Teacher and thank-you to our students for making it such a fantastic experience!

Written by Mr. Bowden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13Apr

Celebration of Learning (13th April 2018)

Friday afternoon is time to look back and reflect on the fantastic first week back at school after Qing Ming festival. This week we will look at one of our new options program and Grade 3 Social Studies.

LEGO CLUB | CIS OPTIONS PROGRAM

As part of our new options program at CIS some of our students are really enjoying the Lego Club. Each class Ms. Gee presents a Lego Challenge and the students work together and in teams to complete the building challenge of the day. Not only is playing with Lego fun but it helps our students to be creative, innovative and problem-solve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRADE 3 | SOCIAL STUDIES

In Social studies in grade 3 we examine the traditions of 4 diverse cultures around the world. The grade 3’s designed Pysanky, which is a traditional Ukrainian Easter egg decorated with folk designs using a wax-resist method. The word pysanka comes from the verb pysaty, “to write” or “to inscribe”, as the designs are not painted on, but written (inscribed) with beeswax. They used melted beeswax to create designs in layers and dyed in multiple colors. Once complete, parents helped to melt the wax and wipe it off to reveal the colors underneath. The children had a great time and were very careful around the candles and hot wax. Thank you to the wonderful parent volunteers who came in to help. Some even made their own to take home.

 

9Mar

Celebration of Learning (9th March 2018)

It’s Friday on our first week back after the holidays, time to get a sneak-peek at some of the learning happening at CIS, today we hear from Grade 3 and Grade 11.

Grade 3B – Ms GuzzoIn grade 3 we used our visible thinking routine of see, think, wonder. The students were given pictures and had to use thinking strategies of that the images where. From there we made a model using clay of what the inner ear looks like. Using hands on learning the students become more engaged then just by memorizing a worksheet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grade 11 – Ms GriggerGrade 11 did their first lab to investigate the properties of molecular and ionic compounds. As it was our first lab we also took the opportunity to practice general lab skills like using measuring cylinders and recording results. Before we started the lab we each wrote our own hypothesis about what we expected to observe and then after the lab was finished we discussed the validity of our hypotheses in our lab reports.

 

 

 

 

 

19Jan

Celebration of Learning (19.1.2018)

That Friday feeling means one thing to us at CIS, sharing the wonderful memories that our children have been making this week!

Please find our middle school Basketball match review article posted on the CIS wechat subscription or our website under COMMUNITY – GRIZZLIES ATHLETICS.

This week for Celebration of Learning, we will focus on two of our Grade 3 and 4 classes, let’s hear from Ms Guzzo and Mr Rankin!

GRADE 3 – Ms Guzzo: Different forms of summative assessment are used in grade three. Rather than just using a multiple choice or short answer test, the grade threes created mind maps to show all they have learned during our rocks and minerals unit. This differentiated method ensures all children are successful and able to show case what they know in a manner they understand. Much more information is given than just what a paper and pencil test can give. Please enjoy the pictures below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRADE 4 – Mr Rankin: Fourth graders have been exploring how to retell the events of a story using a different form or medium. Tableau is a form of dramatic art in which participants silently hold different poses to convey meaning. We learned about the criteria of a successful tableau and then performed a routine consisting of three important scenes from whichever book we were reading. They were able to convey so much using only their body shape and facial expressions!