Term 2
Dear Parents
Welcome back to Term Two! We hope you have had an enjoyable holiday break and that you are as excited as we are to start the new term.
It is evident to us that the culture of the school is centred around our students’ well-being, and we value that. A safe and supportive school environment, as well as providing social-emotional support, is certainly at the core of our work.
Our school will be stronger with the support of its community. We invite you to take advantage of the opportunities to support our students’ learning and experiences. We look forward to meeting you at our parent-teacher meetings next week and working with you this term.
To start the term on a light note, I would like to share these amusing “Teenager Pro Tips” that were sent to me during the holiday. I think many parents and teachers can relate to these:
Teenager to Teenager Tips
“9pm is the proper time to request supplies for tomorrow’s school project.”
Or 10pm, if you’re an overachiever.
“When asked to go get a sibling, don’t go. Instead, stand next to the person who asked and scream your sibling’s name.”
“When reminded to do something say ‘I did’ until proven otherwise.”
“Teenager comes home from his first day of school, and his mother asks, what did you learn today? ‘Not enough,’ teen replies. They said I have to go back tomorrow.”
We continue to appreciate your unwavering support and encouragement; it makes a critical difference to our success.
Thank you.
Carmen de Villiers
High School Coordinator
(PHOTO: IGCSE Computer Science students hit the ground running this week)
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End Of Term
As Term 1 comes to an end, we can only reflect on how lucky we were to tackle this term without major disruptions and challenges. We are very fortunate that our programmes and events went as planned during the term. Students and staff were involved in a wide range of events and activities, and we once again enjoyed and celebrated many successes.
As our teachers continue to work hard this week to complete their extensive planning for Term 2, we are optimistic and hopeful that this landscape will continue into next term.
The High School’s academic reports once again testify that our students continue to develop and excel in their learning. The reports reflect the unique and distinctive scope and depth of our curriculum. Over the course of the term, we have received an increasing number of inquiries from parents, mostly for the High School, who hear about the value of a Cambridge education – especially the opportunities that the Cambridge qualification offers to students who want to study at international universities.
Our teachers are committed to building a school of excellence, and therefore, we kindly request that you actively participate in your child’s education. You are invited to contact or visit the school any time you have a question about your child’s progress. We consider it a great privilege and responsibility to be your child’s teachers and we look forward to working with each and every one of you in Term 2.
I trust that this holiday period will be a time of relaxation, family and special moments.
Carmen de Villiers
High School Coordinators
A special photo taken of our High School students after the Founder’s Day go-kart races.
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English
On more than one occasion I have had my students ask me why they need to learn English. As someone who has adapted to the language well since I was young, I never understood what was so challenging about it, until I found the poem below:
We’ll begin with box; the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox is oxen, not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, and two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose is never called meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a house full of mice;
But the plural of house is houses, not hice.
The plural of man is always men,
But the plural of pan is never pen.
If I speak of a foot, and you show me two feet,
And I give you a book, would a pair be a beek?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn’t two booths be called beeth?
If the singular’s this and the plural is these,
Should the plural of kiss be ever called keese?
We speak of brother and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his, and him;
But imagine the feminine… she, shis, and shim!
English is a language packed with rules, but at the same time has an exception to almost all of them! However, the beauty of the language lies within its sub-context. English allows us to say something without saying it. Imagine if a gentleman still wished ‘to be a glove upon that hand; that [he] may touch that cheek…’ or thought that you ‘doth teach torches to burn bright…’
Although the grammatical rules of the English language is not everyone’s cup of tea, it is the Literature that makes it worth loving.
There are so many words and phrases we use daily which were invented by the great William Shakespeare, that we don’t even realise we are quoting him when we do:
English isn’t an easy language and I understand why some students find it challenging. However, hopefully they won’t feel like they ‘haven’t slept a wink’ if they ever find themselves ‘in a pickle.’
And for those who choose to ‘fight fire with fire’ in English, it is definitely not for the ‘faint hearted’. In their case, they would much prefer to say, ‘what’s done is done,’ to ‘send [English] packing’ and wish it ‘good riddance.’
They may feel that ‘the world is their oyster’ and that they can never have ‘too much of a good thing’.
But in the end, ‘the naked truth’ is that in their ‘heart of hearts’, they know it is ‘a brave new world’ after all, and they can uncover a new love for English once they ‘break the ice.’ Their confusion and frustration will ‘vanish into thin air’, they will escape ‘out of the jaws of death’ and they will come ‘full circle’ in their new appreciation and love for English.
Mia Tossel
IGCSE, AS and A Level English Teacher
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Year 7 and 8 Cultural Outing
It is always a treat when the students are able to take some time away from their every day school routine for rejuvenation and energy. This is exactly what happened on Friday, 18 February, when the Year 7 and Year 8 students went on a cultural tour to Gardens and the Foreshore, where they visited the Iziko National Gallery and the Artscape theatre.
We were able to see two exhibitions at the National Gallery, “Drawing from the Collection” and “Tribute”.
“Drawing from the Collection” showcases a variety of drawings and works on paper from the Permanent Collection of Iziko South African National Gallery. The artworks represent an eclectic number of visual artists working in different styles and stretches across history and countries to provide an overview of drawing as a medium.
“Tribute” is an active display. Here we could interact with artworks especially chosen to support their classroom practice.
Our next stop was the Artscape Theatre in the Foreshore, where we had a guided tour of the costume exhibition. The exhibition portrayed the unforgettable moments for various productions dating back from 1971 to the present day.
After we had our fill of culture, we refuelled at the Food Court of the popular V&A Waterfront. This concluded our Cultural outing. With transport by Elwierda, we made our way back to Blouberg International School safe and sound.
Riaan Vosloo
IGCSE, AS and A Level Art and Design Teacher
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What role do physicists play in the advancement of human civilisation?
If it weren’t for physicists, the world as we know it, would be a very different place. I cannot imagine what life is like for the uncontacted North Sentinelese tribe which has none of our modern technology. If all modes of transportation and communication ceased to exist for a minimum of 30 days, how would your life be? Would the human race survive? It is these types of questions that drive physicists to constantly develop new technologies. Most of the cutting-edge technology used in the 20th century was developed by physicists collaborating with professionals from various disciplines. For example, in 1938, Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch discovered nuclear fission, which was used to build nuclear bombs and is used today in nuclear power plants to produce electricity for our homes and businesses.
A degree in physics equips one with analytical and problem-solving skills, which are in high demand. These skills also offer a background for understanding an increasingly technological society. Physics degree-holders wind up in a wide range of jobs, many outside of academia. Physics grads often work in the private sector and sometimes at government laboratories. “Financial institutions are always on the lookout for physics majors since they have the perfect blend of strong math skills and the training in how to apply math to modelling real-life problems,” says Jed Macosko.
Look at the evolution of computers: the first computer had a processing speed of 1 MHz, but through understanding quantum physics, the fastest computer to date, can process data at 100 million times faster than the classical computer.
Physics is the study of nature itself. The more we understand nature, the more we can advance as a civilisation.
Brian Sizani
IGCSE, AS and A Level Physics and Mathematics Teacher
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Greetings from BIS Interact Club!
As the 2021 academic year drew to a close, the Interact Club celebrated one of the highlights of the year, which was the hand out of over 50 gift boxes at Sam’s Creche Christmas party. It was indeed an immense privilege to witness the joy in the children’s faces when they received their gifts.
So thank you for your amazing contribution. This would not have been possible without your continuous generosity.
To add, this past Saturday a few Interact volunteers paired up with Friends of Blaauwberg Conservation and they did a beach clean up in Melkbosstrand. It was a fun opportunity to contribute to the environment on a beautiful summer’s day by the sea with friends.
On a final note, our board members cannot wait to share their exciting ideas for the year ahead. Amongst those ideas, we have recently launched a plastic collection drive for the whole school. The funds raised will go to selected disadvantaged schools in Langa, Mitchells Plain and Retreat to assist them with setting up recycling collection facilities. Further details of the collection drive will be emailed via Engage very shortly.
Elena Berger
BIS Interact Club
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High School Induction Day 2022
Foreword
Welcome back to Blouberg International School and the start of a new academic year. A special word of welcome to our new families – I trust that you already feel at home.
We recognize that in order to be successful in school, our children need support from both the home and school. We know a strong partnership with you will make a great difference in your child’s education. As partners, we share the responsibility for our children’s success and want you to know that we will do our very best to carry out our responsibilities. We ask that you guide and support your child’s learning by ensuring that
he/she:
- Attends school daily and arrives on time, ready for the day’s learning experience.
- Reads daily to develop a love for reading and to improve literacy skills.
- Shares school experiences with you so that you are aware of his/her school life.
- Informs you if he/she needs additional support in any area or subject.
Looking forward to a successful term and great year,
Mrs Carmen de Villiers
High School Coordinator
High School Induction Day 2022
The high school Induction Day for new students took place on Friday, 14 January 2022. It was organised and led by the Student Representative Council and Matric students, who showed commendable diligence by planning this event from Term 4 and in the last week of their holidays.
Students participated in a variety of games and activities designed to help them to get to know each other better. They were also taken on a tour of the school so that they could be familiar with their subject teachers and the building before their first day. Students were allocated a house and the Year 7s met their tutor teachers.
Something new that was introduced this year was Matric Mentors. The Matric students were allocated Year 7 students who they need to keep in contact with during the school year. The purpose of this is to help the Year 7s settle into high school and encourage student involvement and effective communication.
We would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new students. May your time at BIS be enjoyable and fulfilling.
Ms Sheila Marais
SRC Coordinator
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The Year 7 & 8 Art tells a lot more than a thousand words…
Teenagers are unaware of the incredible natural resource they possess: their boundless creativity. Our students are natural storytellers and the depth of their imaginations never ceases to amaze me.
And yet, students approach a blank page with trepidation. When they have to write a story, they aren’t thinking about sharing their ideas and stories. More often than not, they’re stressing about letter formation and proper spelling. However, when they start drawing freely they immediately begin to unleash their ideas. What they may not realize is that they are telling a story as they draw.
Illustrations contribute to the telling of a story. The Year 7 and 8 Art students used photography (Year 8) and paper cutouts (Year 7), inspired by the cut out artworks of Henri Matisse, to discuss and interpret details of the characters, setting and plot, thereby unleashing endless possibilities and unlimited creativity.
The main objective was to harmonise words and illustrations. They exceeded all our expectations when even the smallest details were created with small pieces of paper. We are incredibly proud of their outstanding work.
Ané Gornall & Riaan Vosloo
Year 7 & 8 Art Teachers
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Interact 2021
As the 2021 academic year approaches an end, I look back at the many events organized by the BIS Interact Club. I admire the ability of our students to adapt to the challenges that all of us had to face somehow. Our Interact Club members’ enthusiasm and willingness to serve the community has continued forth strongly.
The ongoing support of the BIS family has enabled BIS Interact to organise a stationery drive for Du Noon Primary School, collect tons of clothing for Home of Hope, fill two school vans to the brim with food for Peace Home and deliver boxes of canned food to Amathemba School.
The sandwich-making school competition earlier this year was a gigantic success, with over 4000 content and grateful bellies on delivery day!
Our Interact members also proposed initiatives for the wellbeing of our school, such as the Friendship Day board, where our students and staff could post heart-warming and encouraging messages to their peers. Their Mental Health Awareness Drive included a “green ribbon” civvies day, which was aimed at promoting ways to maintain a healthy mind.
Our last Interact drive for the year is the collection of gift boxes for Sam’s Educational Centre. The students are busy putting together the most amazing boxes to be delivered by “Father Christmas” himself. With the assistance of our Interact members, the event will consist of a surprise hand out celebration, which will take place at Sam’s Educational Centre on Tuesday, 30 November.
We kindly request that the gift boxes be handed in no later than Friday, 26 November, wrapped and clearly labelled with the child’s name.
Thank you for your invaluable support.
Elena Berger
BIS Interact Coordinator
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Preparing For Examinations
“ Good preparation is better than hoping for a miracle.” – Sunday Adelaja
The end-of-year examination has dawned upon us and there is nothing worse than going into the exam hall unprepared. This is a lot like a doctor walking into the surgery without the necessary tools or know-how to deal with an emergency situation. What do you think the consequences will be for that, and do you think you can trust that doctor? Every profession requires effective performance that eventually results in success, but the key ingredient for achieving this is good preparation. Think about this the next time you enter the exam room.
So here is a useful guide to help students with their exam preparations, starting with a list of ten practical study hacks from the University of Augustana[1] and Murdoch University[2]:
- Have a positive attitude. This is the first and most important attribute.
- Begin early and find a comfortable study space to cater for your needs.
- Create a music playlist for your study sessions.
- Have specific goals for each study session and set a time frame for your goals. For instance, make a note to cover section one for two hours between 12-2pm today, etc.
- Organise your study materials before you start the session. Make sure that you create short study sessions at multiple intervals so that you do not burn out and avoid procrastination.
- Create your own study materials, for example, flashcards, mindmaps, personal study notes, etc.
- Develop critical thinking abilities where you are able to seriously question concepts. In other words, ask lots of questions!
- Explain the subject or concepts to a study buddy. If you cannot find anyone, then stand in front of a mirror and practise on your own. You are your own best person.
- Take advantage of school resources.
- Eat healthy and engage in physical exercise/meditation to beat anxiety and stress.
Remember that you are more than capable of achieving success if you put your mind and heart into it, no matter what the circumstances. All the best with your preparations moving forward into the exams. Aim to go into the new year with great success.
Michellene Williams
High School English Teacher
[1] Adapted from Augustana University. 2021. 10 Ways to Prepare for Exams. Viewed at https://www.augie.edu/10-ways-prepare-exams
[2] Adapted from Murdoch University. 2021. Exam Study Hacks. Viewed at https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/exam-revision-hacks
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