WelcomeLiving On Friday April 20th 2018, On Friday, April 20th, 2018, hundreds of thousands of students in every state in America walked out of their classrooms. ‘We are walking out for those who lost their lives to gun violence, to talk about the real problems our country is facing, and to find solutions the problems that our leaders have failed to address.’ This was about the failure of the US government to legislate against guns and therefore prevent gun crime in schools. The concept of young people taking action has only gathered strength and direction since and one Swedish student in particular has now focused the attention of the world on an issue that affects us all. On Friday March 15th, the students of the Eco Club at BSQ presented an assembly linked to the International Day of Action for Climate Change. Students watched a video of Greta Thunberg the 16-year-old Swedish activist talking about how she became passionate about campaigning for all of us to stop talking about saving Earth and get on with doing it! In her Ted Talk of August 2018, she expressed her disbelief that ‘everyone keeps saying climate change is an existential threat and the most important issue of all, and yet they just carry on like before.’ As a result, Greta has inspired hundreds of thousands of young people – including here at BSQ. We have started our own work to make a difference and are completing our action to undertake genuine campus recycling. In addition, we are planning a programme of events across the school to mark World Environment Day on June 5th. As Greta Thunberg says, ‘instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then, and only then, hope will come. https://www.ted.com/talks/greta_thunberg_the_disarming_case_to_act_right_now_on_climat Book Week Next week, from March 25th – 29th, BSQ we will have our annual Book Week. Rebekah Murray (New Zealand) and Carmen Helena Pazmiño (Ecuador), book authors, will be visiting BSQ and reading their promotional books to children in KS1 and KS2. The agenda during the week will be the following (additional information will be sent this week): If you’d like to order a copy of the books, please send the money in an envelope addressed with your child’s name and the book title. This can be handed to Sandy in reception on or before March 25th. Also be sure to include a note if you’d like the book dedicated to someone.
Learning Our enrichment programme at BSQ continues to offer a wide range of opportunities for students to polish their skills, learn new ones, explore ideas, be creative, be active and offer service to others. Each week we share information about those activities on Facebook but here is a montage of the some of the different opportunities available this term. Developing enrichment further is something that as parents I know you are keen for us to explore and it is certainly something that we are discussing for the programme for next year. I know that music and the arts are top of your lists and we will certainly ensure that there are more of those types of activities next year. We will also be continuing to develop and expand our community projects and work with the wider community. Please see below for the early closure on April 5th for Teachers´ Day when we celebrate all the hard work our staff undertake every day. From the Staff and Students Continuing with our teachers and their stories about learning in the classroom this term. This week we hear from Ms. Ngwenya in Secondary and from Mr. Mercer and the Year 1B students in Primary. Ms Claire Ngwenya – Secondary Maths Teacher During this partial in maths, the year 9s have been looking at shapes and developing their geometrical and spatial reasoning: plans and elevations of 3D shapes, isometric drawings, reflective symmetry, and constructing lines and polygons using a pair of compasses and ruler. In the week before the holiday, they learnt about a type of angle measurement known as bearings. They started by naming the points on a geographical compass, and then writing each of these as bearings. To practice, they did an activity outside and in pairs. One person in the pair was blindfolded and the other person told them the bearing (angle or direction) and the number of steps to walk to get to a certain point. The class also discussed scale drawings and what they are used for. They each thought of some careers that might utilize scale drawings, such as architects, cartographers, artists, designers, and engineers. The next step was to learn to interpret the scale of a map, which is a key that tells you how a distance on the page represents a larger distance in real life. For example, 1cm represents 1km, written as 1:100,000. The final task in the topic was for each student to create a treasure map. There had to be a start point, an end point, and at least 3 instructions to get from start to finish. The instructions had to include details of the bearing to take, and the distance to travel in real life, which then had to be converted to centimetres on the page using the map scale chosen by the student. Optional extras to include were obstacles such as lakes, mountains, forests, and dangerous monsters. Some students also became creative and aged the maps with techniques such as burning the edges of the paper and staining it with tea. The year 9s have not only created some excellent pieces of display work which show off their understanding of bearings and map scales, but they have also developed their navigational skills and map skills. Bearings and scales will be revisited in the IGCSE and will also be of practical use for any students partaking in the Duke of Edinburgh award as they embark on independent walking and orienteering expeditions. Mr. Teddy Mercer – Year 1A Teacher This Wednesday 20th March, the United Nations will celebrate the 6th annual International Day of Happiness. This year's theme is what we have in common, rather than what divides us. The campaign is coordinated by a group called Action for Happiness. "A profound shift in attitudes is underway all over the world. People are now recognising that 'progress' should be about increasing human happiness and wellbeing, not just growing the economy." The United Nations website lists the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that seek to end poverty, reduce inequality, and protect our planet – three key aspects that lead to well-being and happiness. Other resources include Smiling Mind, a not-for-profit organisation that intends to make mindfulness accessible to all. Their YouTube channel hosts a range of free resources for children and their families. In Year 1A, we have been focusing on the things that make us happy and taking a moment each day to be grateful and mindful. Why is this important? Aside from the obvious benefits for wellbeing, interweaving mindfulness and gratefulness into education has been scientifically proven to boost students' positive emotions and, thus, enhance their academic achievement. We encourage you to take a moment this week to pause and think about what makes you happy, healthy and productive! Dates for your Diary March 21st – Nursery Pizza Trip to Tumbaco March 21st – Year 1 trip to the Zoo May 3rd - Labour Day Holiday (note change of day) April 4th – Years 1, 2 and 3 Parents: PSHE Workshop. 8 – 9:30am April 4th – Art Sale 1:30pm Library. April 5th - School closes at 12pm for Teachers´ Day April 6th – Family Fun Day April 15th - 19th - Easter Week Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update On Saturday the students from Reception to Year 5 enjoyed a morning of musical discovery and composition, with a wide variety of styles and performances on display. Though many people enjoy the pleasures of music and perhaps understand the intrinsic value of musical education, there are many benefits to exposing our youngest students to music from an early age: 1. It helps to improve their brain power. It has been scientifically proven that music has advantages and health benefits for children. One of these benefits is that it helps to improve their brain power and memory functions. According to this research here, it was discovered that the brain of a musician works differently than that of a non-musician. It was also shown that students who were exposed to music while growing up excelled better in academics than those who were not. Music helps in stimulating the part of the brain that is responsible for reading, math and emotional development. 2. It helps them develop social skills While growing up, many children will face challenges of adapting socially. The best way to help them overcome this is by encouraging them to learn how to play a musical instrument or be part of a singing group. This helps them develop social skills, such as how to relate with people, how to work in a team, leadership and discipline, and how to appreciate rewards and achievement. 3. It helps them build their confidence If you notice that your child is having problems with confidence, then learning how to play a musical instrument may help a lot. When he or she realises that they can develop a skill on their own, it gives them that self-belief and confidence boost that they require. As time goes by, they will become better, and become even more confident in their abilities. 4. It teaches them patience If you have ever observed a choral band playing, then the one thing you notice is how patient each member is. Band members must always wait for the signal from the person in charge before they play, or else there will be no harmony in the song they are playing. This is the same way it is when your children are playing with others in a group; they learn the virtues of patience and how it affects others. They also learn how to work together with others while making something as beautiful as music. 5. It is a great form of expression and inspires creativity What better way for your child to express themselves than through music. Skills such as songwriting, singing and stage performance will help your child develop social skills which will in turn help them express themselves. Whether it is writing the lyrics to a song or practicing a new way to play the guitar, your child is also going to tap into their inner creative spirit. 6. It teaches them discipline. Learning how to play a musical instrument or become a better singer requires discipline and patience. Your child will need a lot of practice. When your child picks up this habit, it teaches them the importance of discipline and following through. They know that in order to get better, they need to put in the time. This helps them become better disciplined and pursue their goals. Now you know the benefits of music for children as they grow up. Here are some simple and fun ways to make it part of your routine:
Star of the week Marcus Madden Head of Primary Being BSQ – Secondary Update The Future - Part One It's that time of the year when many of our students in Secondary are making choices that may well affect their futures. In Year 9, students are being asked to choose the subjects they will study at IGCSE level. In Year 11, students are choosing their IBDP subjects. My advice, for what it's worth, is to prioritize your choices in the following order:
The Future - Part Two Our students didn't stage a walk-out on Friday, as thousands of other students across the world did, but perhaps they should have. The global protests are a demand for action, a cry for help, a rebuke against their parents' generation and its leaders, who have so far failed to protect their planet and their children's future. They want action, not words, on greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and the extinction of species. They want change, are willing to bring that change about, but are crippled by their age and the vested interests of those in charge of their nations and the world. We have a duty not only to listen, but to act, and now. Jim Wild Head of Secondary From the BSQ Counselling Team This week our school counsellor, Andrea Carrera, talks about how to promote a healthy social-emotional development in your child.
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