Category: Staff

TILT Skills today – iPads (Seesaw)

Seesaw is an iPad app that is an excellent area to create an ePortfolio.
Students from PreK and up are able to use this app.
Today’s session is intended mostly for PYP teachers and TAs.

Sessions are held in the Strategy Room (C115), starting at the beginning of Lunch, and running for about 30 minutes.

Tuesday, August 18 – iPads – Seesaw – Tom
Wednesday, August 19 – Creating and Sharing Spreadsheets and Forms in Microsoft 365 – Emily
Thursday, August 20 – iPads – Seesaw – Tom
Friday, August 21 – Organizing your life with OneNote – Emily

MYP/DP Theatre Crew Recruitment!

I am looking for 2 more MYP/DP students for the Theatre Tech Crew. The work includes lighting, sound and video projection. We are intrinsic to all theatre events including assemblies, school events, productions, dances, etc.

The right person will show flexibility, dedication, willingness to learn and an appreciation for quality and detail. Previous experience is not a necessity. On-the-job training will be provided.

Interested? Please come to the Black Box Thursday lunch 1:00pm.

Email Mr Brown if you have any queries.

PAC Bookings

The PAC is open for bookings! If you are planning an event in which the Theatre or other areas of the PAC are required, please ensure you have booked the space with me (Sam Brown). Drop me an email or come and see me in the Black Box.

The PAC is heavily used and there are already some weeks which are completely full…so don’t delay your booking.

EARCOS Workshops

  • Author By gracekang
  • Publication date August 17, 2015
  • Categories: Staff

The upcoming EARCOS teachers’ conference will be held in International School Manila, Philippines and the theme is “Innovating Arts and Motion”. This year’s strand is on: Physical Education, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Design Technology, Counseling, Technology and General Education Topics. A list of the Keynote speakers and special presenters are uploaded on the website. Please take a look: http://www.earcos.org/etc2016/. If you are interested in being a teacher or a counselor Presenter, please email me and I will send you all the necessary information. The deadline for the proposal is due by October 9th, 2015.

Please check the attachment or the website (http://www.earcos.org/ww_approved_1516.php) for the upcoming workshops.

EARCOS Workshop Information

 

Language Acquisition

  • Author By
  • Publication date August 16, 2015
  • Categories: Staff

The most important advice

* Make it comprehensible! *

If the teacher can shape the input that each of the ELL/English B learners receives at a level just above their level of comprehension – by modulation of the written and spoken language to which students are exposed, through appropriate classroom organization and careful choice of activities and tasks – then the teacher is creating the most favourable conditions for learning, not only to learn English but also to learn the subject content. This is on the assumption that the cognitive challenge of the activities is also just above the level of comprehension – or in what Vygotsky called the zone of proximal development.The tasks also needs to be interesting and relevant.

PYP Teachers – Pencil Case Q&A

Good morning PYP teachers,

It seems that there have been a few questions about student pencil cases.  I hope that this quick Q&A will help in this transition year. 

Q. Who automatically receives a new pencil case?

A.  We are providing pencil cases to new students only.  

Q. What should returning students expect?

A. Returning students should use the pencil cases from last year, and refill items were available for pick-up in the PYP LGR. 

Q. What if a returning student has a broken pencil case?

A. If students have a pencil case that is broken (broken zippers, ripped, etc) from last year, they may request a new pencil case through Zoe.  Please provide the broken pencil case to Zoe so that we can follow up with common problems with purchasing.

Q. What happens if returning students threw out their pencil case last year because they were broken?

A. If students have informed you that their pencil case was broken and thrown out last year, please ask them if they need a new pencil case.  Some students may opt to use a pencil case from home.  If students would like a replacement pencil case, an empty one can be obtained by Zoe.  Refill items will already have been taken collected from the stationery boxes in the PYP LGR. 

Q. How do I get the pencil cases I need from Zoe?

A. Send Zoe an email by 3:30pm Wednesday that clearly states your homeroom + how many pencil cases you need for each of the 3 houses for your class.  We will need to place an additional order.  You will be informed of their arrival as soon as possible. 

Thanks – have a great week,

Arden

Pop-up: What do I do?

Hi all, If you get the following pop-up requiring action:

Username: Please type in your first and last name (e.g. tomjohnson)
and then for your Password use your email password

How to Print Double Sided in Black and White Color from Word.app

From Word application, here is how you can print double sided in back and white color:

1. Start printing from word File Menu >> Print

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.18.22 PM

2. The printing setup window will open. Click on “Copies & Pages” to see more options and open “Layout”

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.22.25 PM Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.22.37 PM

3. On the “Layout” page, turn on “Two-Sided” by choosing the way you want: “Long-Edge Binding” or “Short-Edge binding”. Now if you click on “Print” button you can print double sided.

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.23.01 PM

 

If you want to print in black and white, here is how: 

1. Start printing and from the printing setup window, click on “Layout”, find and open “Printer Feature” which is at the bottom of the list.

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.22.37 PM-1

2. Find the “Color Mode” from the “Printer Feature” window. Switch to “Black and White” color mode.  Print in Black and White, and save your printing money in your card.

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.23.20 PM

Save all your print setting and quickly get it next time:

1. Find the “Presets” from the printing setup window. It is usually under the printer.

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.24.27 PM

2. Save your printing settings. Next time, if you want to use the same settings again, you can get it all from “Presets”

Screen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.24.52 PMScreen Shot 2015-08-14 at 3.25.04 PM

 

MYP/DP Schedule FAQ’s…

Q: Why does my schedule say that my homeroom teacher is my Humanities teacher?

A: You are in two groups. One is your advisory, led by your advisor (duh!). The second is your “Study Group,” which is the group of people you see in your Humanities, PE, and some other classes (AKA: 6B or 10A, etc.). Veracross says your HR teacher is the Humanities teacher of your study group. This is basically a tiny glitch we cannot work around (yet). Think of it this way: You have at least two people who love you!

Q: Do I need to know which “Study Group” I’m in (6B, 10A, etc.)? 

A: YES! This is how we will line up at fire drills!

Q: Why do Grades 7-9 have one random, unscheduled blank in their schedules?

A: This is not random at all; it’s “Life 101” (formerly known as Lifeskills). Why is it blank? Who knows? Will is stay blank? Maybe. Does it matter (because you now totally get that this is your “Life 101” block)? Not really.

 

Keep those questions coming!

 

 

TILT Skills today – PowerPoint Presentations – 1:00

  • Author By
  • Publication date August 13, 2015
  • Categories: Staff

These will be held in the Strategy Room (C115), starting at the beginning of Lunch, and run for about 30 minutes.
Friday, August 14 – Designing Presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint – Emily

Monday, August 17 – Creating and Sharing Documents in Microsoft 365 – Emily
Tuesday, August 18 – iPads – Seesaw – Tom
Wednesday, August 19 – Creating and Sharing Spreadsheets and Forms in Microsoft 365 – Emily
Thursday, August 20 – iPads – Seesaw – Tom
Friday, August 21 – Organizing your life with OneNote – Emily

We hope to see you there!

Any questions, let us know: tomjohnson or emilyjohnson

Language Acquisition

  • Author By
  • Publication date August 13, 2015
  • Categories: Staff

Should I let ELL/English B students talk in their native language in my classroom?

It depends! There are occasions where stronger students can quickly explain things in their home language to the less proficient – this frees the teacher from constantly needing to check. It is helpful if the lesson contains a number of natural breaks in which less proficient students can be helped to understand the important points made or task set, otherwise students have a tendency of giving simultaneous translations and this can be disruptive for the whole class. Discussing things in their home language will help students develop a deeper understanding of the topic.

SAT testing

  • Author By
  • Publication date August 13, 2015
  • Categories: Staff

I am looking for someone who has experience of SAT testing. We need a ‘secondary’ SAT coordinator. On October 3rd, a Saturday, we are due to run the SAT tests, but I shall be out of the country. If you have this experience and would like to help out, please let me know, asap. Thanks.

 

Contribution to Staff Social Club

  • Author By hollywang
  • Publication date August 13, 2015
  • Categories: Staff

Contribution to Staff Social Club – ONE contribution of RMB100 for overseas and RMB50 for host country to be taken directly from your Aug pay.  Social Club will use the fund to send flowers to colleagues who are either sick or celebrating an important event (e.g. birth of baby, marriage) and other social events.  For anyone doesn’t want to join, please email me ASAP. Thanks!

Best Wishes,
Holly