International Educationwith Local InsightSIS Swiss International School Nurtures International Education

The Relationship to the Immediate Environment

Autumn 2020 I Brazil

EDI T OR I A L

Mudanças profundas e um momento de reflexão

André von MalotkiCEO SIS Brasil

Caros leitores,Estamos em um momento de mudanças profundas. A atual pandemia do Coronavírus e as restri-ções impostas pela situação na vida cotidiana nos obrigaram a reorganizar nossas prioridades. Fomos forçados a desacelerar, refletir e desenvolver uma nova consciência.

Afinal, qual é a razão da vida? O que, realmente, é importante? Quais são as minhas reais neces-sidades e do que sou capaz de me desapegar? É imprescindível viajar para todas as reuniões de negócios? Que efeitos meu comportamento exerce sobre o clima e o meio ambiente? Podemos seguir aumentando o ritmo como nas últimas décadas? Tudo se resume ao consumo e à maxi-mização de lucros? Como estão os países que já enfrentavam um estado de emergência, antes da pandemia, e foram esquecidos? Povos que lamentam milhares de pessoas morrendo de fome todos os dias ou lutam para combater a AIDS, a malária e a febre amarela.

Não conseguimos responder a essas perguntas imediatamente. Mas podemos aproveitar a situ-ação para rever nosso comportamento e, conscientemente, buscar novos caminhos.

Nessa edição, focamos em um elemento central do nosso conceito educacional, que pode ser facilmente vinculado à situação atual em que vivemos: Educação Internacional – Visão Local. Para entender o mundo exterior, é preciso começar pelo mundo interior. Em outras palavras, as raízes locais fornecem a força necessária para gerenciar um mundo global, por isso, a impor-tância de conectarmos nossos alunos com seu país de origem, sua língua materna e sua cultura local. Dessa maneira, fortalecemos a conscientização das crianças e lançamos as bases para uma atuação internacional.

Leia, a seguir, sobre a importância das raízes, origens e experiências individuais de nossos alunos e entenda como os ajudamos a desenvolver uma mentalidade internacional no nosso dia a dia. Compartilhamos conhecimentos importantes sobre a psicologia da aprendizagem. Conversamos com nosso ex-aluno, Thiago Tostes. E falamos sobre as oportunidades, os desafios e as adap-tações no nosso projeto de ensino a distância, durante o período de fechamento das escolas.

Agradeço a todos os autores dessa edição. Gostaria de concluir com a citação de Johann Wolf-gang von Goethe: "Duas coisas devem ser dadas aos filhos pelos pais: raízes e asas". Seguimos esse conselho com nosso conceito educacional.

Aprecie a leitura.

Design conceptdezember und juli gmbh

Concept, editingPriscila Albuquerque,Milena Thraen

PhotosTeams at SIS schools

CirculationOnline

June 2020

With our “International Education – Local Insight” focus which is one of the eight pillars in our Educational Con-cept, we aspire our students to graduate from SIS Swiss International School as global citizens with a strong sense of their origins. This approach is easily connected to these extraordinary times we are facing with deep changes. The current Coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the situation have forced us to reorganise our priorities. To better act in the outside world, it is necessary to understand inward first. It is time to reflect on our behaviour and consciously find new paths.

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TA BL E OF CON T EN T S

Autumn 2020 I Brazil

In Focus4 International Mindedness – a Positive Impact

5 A importância do olhar local na formação de cidadãos globais

6 What Psychology Can Teach Us about Learning

8 Uma formação que dá suporte às escolhas dos nossos alunos Entrevista com o ex-aluno Thiago Tostes

From the Schools ESB Rio de Janeiro

9 Mantendo vivo o projeto educacional durante o isolamento

ESB Rio de Janeiro

10 Development of Active Citizenship in Students of ESB Rio de Janeiro

SIS Brasília 11 Reconnecting and Reinventing

This and That 13 What Are You Reading?

14 A Day with Mikke Mirtten, Middle Years Programme (MYP) Project Coordinator

15 What Do You Value Most about an International Education?

Olhar local 5

Reconnecting and

Reinventing 11

A Day with...

Mikke Mirtten 14

Projeto educacional

no isolamento 9

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International mindedness is a view of the world in which peo-ple see themselves connected to the global community and assume a sense of responsibility to its members. It is an aware-ness of the inter-relatedness of all nations and peoples, and a recognition of the complexity of these relationships. Interna-tionally minded people appreciate and value the diversity of cultures in the world and make an effort to learn more about them.

International mindedness is imbedded in who we are and what we do at SIS. The SIS community of students, parents and teachers is made up of a variety of nationalities and backgrounds which strengthen our international outlook. Our students learn in a setting where cultural diversity is the norm and is explored, incorporated and celebrated at every oppor-tunity. This includes such things as festivals, language weeks and the study of different cultures. We believe that broaden-ing students’ awareness of the wider world breeds tolerance and acceptance. To this end, SIS also promotes student and teacher exchanges across countries.

Language learning helps to overcome cultural barriers and encourages international mindedness. Here the SIS bilin-gual immersive approach is perfectly positioned. As students develop language competence and learn from each other, their appreciation of the different cultures is deepened.

Within the context of the International Baccalaureate (IB) cur-riculum, international mindedness is considered a building block to be woven into the teaching of each subject, enabling students to see the world from different perspectives thus gen-erating understanding and empathy for different view points and interests. International mindedness is anchored in the IB learner profile characterised by attributes such as being open-minded, caring, reflective, principled and knowledgeable to just name a few. Additionally, our specifically designed SIS Cur-ricula, along with resources that cater for our special bilingual status, brings together best practices from around the world.

Each school takes the opportunity to value and celebrate differ-ent cultures, building understanding and appreciation amongst students. These can be within a classroom context or involve the whole school community such as the annual Swiss party.

SIS intercountry activities are held once per year with the express purpose of strengthening the SIS international com-munity and encouraging international mindedness. In the past all 16 SIS schools have participated in story sharing, a maths competition and a joint photobook. Additionally, our annual International Sports Day, the SIS Cup, extends beyond the walls of the individual schools bringing the global SIS network to life and allowing for cultural exchanges and friendships around the world.

It is through these educational experiences, coupled with our diverse international community, that students at SIS develop a strong sense of international mindedness, enabling them to not only survive in an increasingly complex world but to also positively impact upon it.

The interconnectedness of today’s world makes it very important to equip students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to international mindedness. The inclusion of “Inter-national Education – Local Insight” as part of the SIS Swiss International School's educational concept gives us the unique opportunity to promote international mindedness through our diverse international community, school languages, international curricula, intercountry activities, cultural celebrations, sports events and student exchanges.

International Mindedness – a Positive ImpactJanet Meister, Chief Quality Officer at SIS Swiss International School Group

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A importância do olhar local na formação de cidadãos globaisAline Costa, Coordenadora do Primary Years Programme (PYP) na ESB Rio de Janeiro

Um dos principais aspectos de nosso Conceito Educacional é a formação de cidadãos globais, com fortes raízes locais. Esse relacionamento estreito com a cultura local pro-picia aos nossos alunos, além da formação da identidade, um senso de pertencimento, importante para o aprendizado. Essa abordagem faz com que nossos alunos consigam entender a sua relevância no mundo.

A construção da identidade de uma criança se dá a partir das relações que ela estabelece ao longo da sua vida, com-partilhando com diferentes grupos sociais objetivos, valores, rituais, crenças etc. A partir dessa interação, ela vai cons-truindo e reconstruindo sua identidade, processo determinante na maneira como enxerga o mundo e age sobre ele.

A Escola tem um papel primordial nesse processo, promo-vendo experiências de aprendizagem e interações sociais que favoreçam o desenvolvimento de habilidades fundamentais à formação de um cidadão crítico e reflexivo.

Um dos principais pilares de nosso Conceito Educacional é a formação de cidadãos globais, com fortes raízes locais. Portanto, a música, a arte, a literatura e as festividades brasi-leiras estão sempre presentes no nosso dia a dia, em nossas atividades. A educação bilíngue por imersão, também, pres-supõe uma imersão cultural nos idiomas. Esse relacionamento estreito com a língua, a cultura e a comunidade local propicia aos nossos alunos, além da formação da identidade, um senso de pertencimento, importante para o aprendizado.

Além disso, desde cedo, nossos alunos estão envolvidos na discussão de tópicos de abrangência global, na qual suas experiências pessoais, individuais e locais são valorizadas, exploradas e compartilhadas entre os colegas.

Nas Escolas da SIS Swiss International School, buscamos fomentar práticas pedagógicas que estimulem o aluno a sair de uma posição passiva, como mero receptor de conhecimento, para um verdadeiro protagonismo na aprendizagem. Durante esse percurso, eles desenvolvem projetos que têm como ponto de partida questões da realidade que os cercam, levando-os a uma ação que provoque mudanças reais na sociedade. Essa abordagem faz com que nossos alunos consigam entender a sua relevância no mundo e os impactos de decisões locais em temas de interesse global.

É preciso que o aluno enxergue sua perspectiva refletida durante o processo de aprendizagem, e, ao mesmo tempo, que ele vivencie e seja capaz de compreender outros pontos de vista. Por isso, promovemos, também, ao longo do ano, eventos que colocam os alunos em contato com diferentes cul-turas, propiciando a valorização e a celebração das diferenças, base fundamental na construção de uma mentalidade interna-cional. As Festas Juninas e da Suíça, as Semanas das Línguas Inglesa, Francesa e Alemã, as viagens culturais pelo Brasil e exterior, estudos de campo, dentre outros, são momentos riquíssimos, não, apenas, para a aquisição de conhecimentos culturais, mas, principalmente, para o desenvolvimento de atri-butos essenciais à essa formação global.

One aspect of SIS Swiss International School's educational concept emphasises the formation of global citizens with a strong sense of their origins. That is why in SIS schools, local culture and individual experiences are so valuable. The school has an important role during the construction of a child's iden-tity, by promoting learning experiences and social interactions. These aspects foster fundamental skills for the formation of a critical and reflective individual.

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Guest Article

What Psychology Can Teach Us about Learning Dr Alicia Chodkiewicz, Educational Psychologist

Psychology offers valuable insights into how students learn best and what we can do to inspire and support them to become lifelong learners. It is inherent and important for chil-dren anywhere in the world. This article draws out some of the ways to help children and students embrace a growth mindset, learn from their experiences and get the best out of any environment and community in a fast-changing world.

Embrace a Growth MindsetThe way we see and interpret the world around us is shaped by our internal dialogue, otherwise known as self-talk. This internal chatter can be cheerful, making us see ourselves and those around us in a positive light. At other times it can be negative, undermining our confidence, acting as a roadblock to our success by telling us that we are not capable. While everyone will inevitably experience both positive and nega-tive internal dialogue, studies show that individuals fall into set patterns of self-talk – either a fixed or growth mindset.

Individuals who have a fixed mindset believe intelligence is set, cannot be changed, and that ability and not effort leads to success. They focus on difficulties and barriers to learning,

often on the things they cannot do (e.g. I can’t learn Ger-man because I’m not good at languages). In contrast, individuals who have a growth mindset believe that intelligence and abilities can always be improved. These individuals show an openness to learning and a willingness to try new things, even if it means they will make mistakes along the way (e.g. It’s never too late to learn a new language).

When it comes to learning in the classroom, there is extensive research showing that children who believe their brains can grow and get smarter do better at school. This is because students who have a growth mindset believe that effort is an important ingredient to success and see failure as a normal part of the learning process. These students will

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be more likely to start a new challenge and stick with it. In comparison, students with a fixed mindset are often preoccupied with proving they are smart. As a result, they would rather avoid a challenge than try something new and fail. Research has shown that students with a growth mindset are not only found to be more persistent and resilient learners, they consistently perform better academically at school. So how can you help your children and students develop a growth mindset?

Ask: Encourage self-appraisal – ask your child or student how they feel things went, allow time for them to explain and talk it out, before jumping in to provide your own feedback.

Model: Model a growth mindset in front of your children and students, especially in challenging moments.

Praise: Give your children and students specific and sincere praise that focuses on the process and not the outcome –for example, instead of saying “you are very good at solving puzzles” you could say, “you are using a very good strategy to solve that puzzle”.

Learn from Success and FailureA key skill that defines successful learners is the ability to learn from their experiences. Too often students look for exter-nal explanations for their academic outcomes, blaming both success and failure on others, the task, or luck. By taking this approach, students feel a lack of control over their learning and will make little effort to change or improve.

In contrast, when students reflect on what happened and can identify specific actions that they took to cause an event, they will know what they can do better in the future to replicate their successes and avoid mistakes. Students who actively look to understand the role they play in academic outcomes are more likely to feel control over their learning and take the actions needed to improve. Research into student explanations have identified specific attributions that either help or hinder learning:

Helpful Reason Unhelpful Reason

Success I put in a lot of time and effort.I tried different strategies.

It was just easy.I got lucky.

Failure I left it to the last minute.I didn’t invest enough time.

The teacher hates me.I was unlucky.

How can you help your children and students learn from their successes and mistakes?

Talk: Have conversations after moments of both success and failure – ask "why do you think that happened?". If they respond with an unhelpful explanation, challenge them to identify something that they did to contribute to the outcome.

Model: Talk openly about why you believe you succeed or fail – practice using helpful explanations and avoid put-ting all the blame on others. Specifically, allow your children and students to see you learning from your mistakes, don’t be afraid to let them know that you are not perfect.

Be specific: When giving praise and feedback, include spe-cific reasons why you believe the event occurred. For example: "That was a fantastic presentation, you were clearly well pre-pared".

Set Goals for SuccessMost of the actions we take are motivated by our desire to reach a goal, be it big (i.e. I want to get into a top university) or small (i.e. I want to solve that problem). We are all striving to reach different goals and there is no single incentive that will motivate everyone. However, research has identified different types of goals that can either help or hinder a student’s learning. Goals can be broadly separated into two categories: approach goals and avoidance goals.

Approach Goals When you are working towards achieving a goal or getting something that you want.For example: I want to learn how to speak Ger-man.

Avoidance Goals When you are trying to avoid a bad outcome or negative consequence.For example: I don’t want to get a bad grade.

Among the most ineffective motivators are setting avoidance goals. It is tempting to think that telling someone to “work hard or you will fail” is an effective way to get them to study. However, this method is not supported by the research. Rather, students who are excessively focused on the goal of "not failing" often do the bare minimum needed to pass or can disengage entirely, leading to procrastination.

A more effective motivator is setting approach goals, where students are striving to achieve something. Ideally, students learn best when they are self-motivated and when they choose to learn or acquire a new skill. However, external rewards may be necessary when a student is not intrinsically motivated to learn something that is boring, challenging or unimportant to them. Students will learn best when they are supported to set achievable goals and identify strong incentives to keep them motivated. How can you help your children and students set goals for success?

Ask: Make time to ask your children and students about their goals – challenge their avoidance goals and help them find a positive goal they can work towards.

Help: To make a large goal feel more achievable – help them to break their goals down into smaller more manageable steps.

Reward: Set a system of rewards – identify rewards that motivate your child or student to work toward that you can both agree on.

Dr Alicia Chodkiewicz is an Educational Psychologist and published author of the book “Believing You Can Is the First Step to Achieving”. Dr Chodkiewicz has a private practice in Zug, Switzerland where she offers assessments, aca-demic support and therapy for school aged children and adolescents.

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Thiago Tostes é ex-aluno da ESB Rio de Janeiro e, hoje, cursa o ESSEC Bachelor of Business Administration (ESSEC Global BBA) na ESSEC Business School, uma das mais prestigiadas escolas de negócios do mundo. Thiago está entre os melhores alunos da universidade e possui bolsa por desempenho acadêmico. Thiago nos contou um pouco sobre como a ESB Rio de Janeiro abriu caminhos para a sua vida.

O ESSEC Global BBA permite cursar os semestres em diferentes campi da universidade no mundo. Que lugares você já visitou e como você avalia a importância de conhe-cer outras realidades?

Desde que eu cheguei, tive a oportunidade de estudar em três países diferentes, em três continentes. Primeiro, na França, no campus sede da universidade e, depois, em Cingapura, em outro campus da ESSEC. Agora, estou na Austrália, na Univer-sidade de Queensland. Quando você vai para um país novo, você não está, somente, estudando lá, mas morando em um novo contexto e conhecendo as pessoas locais. Ir para a facul-dade é muito mais do que estar nas aulas, é a possibilidade de ter suas noções de mundo desafiadas por pessoas que pen-sam e fazem as coisas de uma maneira diferente de você. Ter a curiosidade e a humildade de se interessar pelo outro é essen-cial. Eu aprendo muito mais com as pessoas com as quais estudo e com o ambiente novo do que com as aulas em si.

Quais aprendizados da ESB Rio de Janeiro mais contri-buíram no seu preparo para cursar um programa como o ESSEC Global BBA?

Ter a dupla formação do International Baccalaureate (IB) e do Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM) foi, talvez, o maior diferencial do ponto de vista acadêmico. Fazer os dois pro-gramas ao mesmo tempo te dá a capacidade de entender o seu potencial e a importância da organização do tempo. Enten-demos que, sozinhos, nós não chegamos a lugar algum. Ao ajudar os outros, você está ajudando a si. É muito importante saber trabalhar com pessoas que não concordarão sempre com você, mas que estão ali para lhe ajudar no processo.

Como ter estudado na ESB Rio de Janeiro contribuiu para que você fosse selecionado para o ESSEC Global BBA?

O processo de entrada em uma faculdade internacional foi muito facilitado pelo IB. Além disso, a faculdade busca um aluno completo e humano. Eu tive a melhor formação que podia pedir. Não basta ser bom academicamente. Tem que ser curioso, solidário e interessante. A ESB Rio de Janeiro criou as oportunidades que eu precisava, oferecendo as aulas de marcenaria, por exemplo, ou o projeto pessoal. Esse mix entre excelência acadêmica e curiosidade extracurricular foi crucial para o meu sucesso.

Como você percebia o ambiente internacional no seu dia a dia na Escola?

Fui aluno da ESB Rio de Janeiro desde o jardim de infância. E sempre senti esse ambiente escolar internacional, seja com as aulas de língua e cultura suíça, com os professores internacio-nais ou, até, nas festas típicas. Mas o que mais me marcou, ao longo dos anos, foram o interesse e o respeito coletivo pelo novo e estrangeiro. Professores, funcionários ou alunos, todos tinham esse DNA em comum. Não era algo falado, não era uma regra, era uma sensação diferente.

O que mais me marcou ao longo dos anos foi o interesse pelo novo e estrangeiro.

Entrevista

Uma formação que dá suporte às escolhas dos nossos alunosThiago Tostes, ex-aluno da ESB Rio de Janeiro e estudante da ESSEC Business School

Thiago Tostes studied at Escola Suíço-Brasileira Rio de Janeiro by SIS Swiss International School (ESB Rio de Janeiro). Thiago is currently attending the ESSEC Bachelor of Business Admin-istration (ESSEC Global BBA), at ESSEC Business School, one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. During his interview he talks about his impressions studying abroad with different people and cultures and also reflects how having studied at ESB Rio de Janeiro gave him the support needed to achieve his goals.

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A escola é um espaço onde as habilidades de pesquisa, de gestão da inteligência emocional e do gerenciamento do tempo são trabalhadas e ampliadas constantemente. O aluno aprende a ser crítico, curioso e criativo. Para que a escola desempenhe seu papel social, o aprender com o outro e através do outro, é condição essencial.

No entanto, nos últimos meses, o mundo vem enfrentando um momento de pandemia, que nos obrigou a viver um isolamento social e, nesse cenário, a tecnologia tornou-se a maior aliada para manter vivo esse projeto de educação. O desafio não é, apenas, o cumprimento do conteúdo programático, mas, acima de tudo, a humanização da educação online, trazendo a investigação para o ambiente remoto, mantendo vivos os vínculos afetivos. Essas passaram a ser as maiores preocupa-ções da nossa equipe pedagógica.

No início, a plataforma Moodle serviu como base para os alu-nos acessarem links com conteúdos e tarefas orientados pelos professores. Mas, logo, sentimos falta de maior interação e adotamos outras plataformas para proporcionar encontros virtuais entre professores e alunos. Em paralelo, trabalhamos, intensamente, para antecipar o lançamento do Office 365, solução mais completa e moderna para os desafios impostos. A ferramenta Teams, que faz parte do Office 365, tornou os encontros mais dinâmicos, organizados e frequentes.

A experiência vem se refletindo de maneira diferente em nossos alunos. Os mais novos, com menos autonomia para acessar computadores, precisam da ajuda constante dos responsá-veis. Já os mais velhos estão aprimorando a organização do tempo e priorizando tarefas. Nossos alunos do Ensino Médio compartilharam suas percepções sobre o período: “Aprendi a ter maior autonomia em relação aos estudos e a criar res-ponsabilidade para lidar com essa situação”, contou Júlia K. (2MSA). É natural que alguns tenham tido alguma dificuldade, no início, com os novos formatos de aulas e plataformas utili-zadas. Segundo Breno S. (2MSA) “Apesar dos obstáculos, o portal de e-learning serviu como excelente intermediário entre aluno e professor”. Para a grande maioria, essa jornada vem contribuindo para o desenvolvimento da autonomia, para o fortalecimento dos vínculos afetivos, aumentando a admiração pela equipe. “Tenho muito respeito pela dedicação dos profes-sores que, em momentos difíceis, são capazes de se adaptar.” ressaltou Bárbara D. (3MSF).

Foram muitos os desafios, também, para os responsáveis, que, além de auxiliarem os filhos, precisam se dividir entre o home-office e tarefas domésticas. Mesmo diante de tantas atividades, eles vêm se envolvendo no aprendizado online. “O processo de e-learning nos oferece a oportunidade de cone-xão e de engajamento com a proposta pedagógica da Escola. Essa consciência une pais, filhos e professores, tornando a escola um lugar ainda mais especial.” Compartilhou Ivna Fer-reira, mãe de duas alunas da Escola.

Sempre mantivemos o foco no desenvolvimento das habi-lidades necessárias para enfrentar as incertezas do mundo moderno. Mas não esperávamos que elas seriam postas à prova de forma tão súbita e intensa. “Talvez, o maior aprendizado desse período seja reagir de forma positiva ao desconhecido. Os alunos estão aprendendo a serem mais resilientes, flexíveis e a se adaptarem, rapidamente, a novas situações”. Declarou Ivna.

Nossa realidade mudou de repente. Vencemos desafios, apri-moramos nossas soluções e nos adaptamos com a ajuda das famílias e dos alunos. Mesmo sabendo que experiência a distância jamais será igual à presencial, conseguimos dar con-tinuidade ao ensino e à aprendizagem, mantendo vivo o nosso projeto de educação.

Rachel Guanabara, Diretora da ESB Rio de Janeiro

ESB Rio de Janeiro

Mantendo vivo o projeto educacional durante o isolamento

Observação: Esse texto foi escrito em maio de 2020, durante o período de ensino remoto da ESB Rio de Janeiro, por conta do isolamento social durante a pandemia do Coronavírus.

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When students arrive in their last two years of high school, ESB Rio de Janeiro they are involved in the Creativity, Activ-ity, Service (CAS) programme as an essential component of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. CAS aims to stimulate learning and develop citizenship through real activities with significant outcomes, ethical education, principles, attitudes and behaviours. In this way, we help our students to develop their own identities, recognise strengths and weaknesses, overcome challenges, and be stimulated by the pride and pleasure of having achieved their purpose. This helps them to reflect further on their experiences and ability to act in the world as responsible citizens.

The CAS programme developed at ESB Rio de Janeiro reflects the SIS Swiss International School concept of simultaneously promoting a wider awareness of the world and a relationship with the immediate environment. CAS involves our students in: experiences that explore their own interests and skills; volun-tary social work; international and national trips that deepen cultural understanding and worldviews; as well as local experi-ences where they have the opportunity to act and participate actively in the community. CAS helps to develop our students in becoming committed and motivated individuals.

During the two years of the programme, we usually make four trips. Last year, we went to Peru. There, our students partici-pated in wool dyeing classes, went hiking on trails to Portal Del Sol, Machu Picchu, and Huayna Picchu – which is 2.720 metres in height and took about three hours to climb and descend, overcoming challenges inherent to altitude and physical effort. In addition to knowing the history and experiencing the local culture, CAS activities propose that students leave their com-fort zone.

Another remarkable trip was the trip to the Amazon, where the students had the opportunity to visit indigenous villages and the Ribeirinha community on the banks of the Rio Negro − Comunidade Villa Nova. After a long conversation with the local manager, they visited the community school. It was a great shock of realities to see, up close, how an educational institution was able to function in those conditions. Promptly, our students organised donations to buy school supplies in the local market and, in addition, they left there committed to revert the amount collected during the ESB Rio de Janeiro Charity Dinner, held annually, for the benefit of that local school. It was gratifying to see the engagement and commitment of these students acting in the face of that reality.

The Charity Dinner is also part of the CAS programme at ESB Rio de Janeiro and takes place every year in favour of an insti-tution. Students are responsible for all stages of the event, from choosing the theme, shopping and budgeting, to the execution where they cook, serve the guests and auction works of art produced by themselves.

Throughout the CAS programme, our students come to carry out more than 20 projects, individual and collective. This year, as soon as the Coronavirus pandemic emerged, many mobi-lised in initiatives to help hospitals and communities. Among donations of gloves, masks and basic food baskets, they have helped to minimise the impacts of the virus on local commu-nities. Our CAS activities help to transform the lives of both the students who participate and the people involved in their causes.

Fernanda Ribeiro, Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) Projects Coordinator at ESB Rio de Janeiro

ESB Rio de Janeiro

Development of Active Citizenship in Students of ESB Rio de Janeiro

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Hayley Waghorn, Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator at SIS Brasília

Along with most of the world, SIS Swiss International School Brasília, has faced and continues to face extended school clo-sures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This current pandemic has demonstrated just how connected the world really is and how that can have both positive and negative effects.

At SIS Brasília, we have always strived to build a connected school community with a strong sense of belonging by embracing the diversity of its members and seeking mutual understanding and appreciation. With sudden school closure and continued uncertainty of when we will return, it immedi-ately became our mission to recreate those connections in our community, which happened in both surprising and inventive ways.

One of the first things we learn as educators is that learning doesn’t happen without connection. For example, a connection between teacher and student, school and family, student and content. The biggest hardship we all faced in this situation was the essential need to recreate these connections in an unfa-miliar territory. How would we check-in on our student’s well being? How would we work in partnership with the families? How would we integrate technology in the learning process? How would we maintain inquiry-based learning?

These were the big questions that were asked and explored in the process of transition to remote learning.

Once we had established our learning platform, we had created the technological channel for reconnecting with our students. During this time teachers researched online tools in the search to find the most effective ways to connect and help our stu-dents’ continued learning. Teachers connected amongst themselves as well as with teaching communities around the world to share experiences and discover the best tools for the challenge ahead.

With a technological connection established, our first prior-ity was re-creating our personal connections with students and families. As said by Tim Veltman, primary teacher, “An important thing had been lost… sustained person-to-person contact.”Week after week we were able to develop and improve, making more and more connections through the use of online tools. Initially we started with asynchronous online activities related to the current context – setting up a home learning space; understanding why schools are closed and investigat-ing what is Coronavirus; as well as journal writing to process thoughts and feelings. Following our teaching philosophy, this connected learning to a relevant and real world context.

Soon after this, we were able to implement synchronous online activities in the form of daily live classes. This provided much needed face-to-face contact for the social and emotional needs of our school community. Our school leadership team played an important role in creating connections between school and families with a new type of partnership that was essential to the success of remote learning. This included mak-ing regular phone calls, online meetings and use of online chat with individual families and class parent representatives. In this way we were able to receive feedback, provide support and understand the needs of our families. The school, families and students worked well together and kept an open-mind to adapt to new learning possibilities and expectations.

SIS Brasília

Reconnecting and Reinventing

An important thing had been lost… sustained person-to-person contact.

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It was important to understand the uniqueness of each fam-ily situation as well as provide flexible teaching and learning solutions. The implementation of a variety of high quality online tools and platforms helped with this process. The fast-tracked move to Microsoft Teams as our school’s learning platform was challenging but a valid solution. Teams has offered new resources and possibilities to interact with students, reported Edilma Gouveia, primary teacher. Teachers also implemented specific platforms to help engage students and allow them to easily interact with the new technology and take responsibil-ity for their own learning. “Seesaw, Epic! and Prodigy are the most kid-friendly learning platforms and allow the child to monitor their own progress…without the need for adult inter-vention,” says Maya Johnson, Parent. Isabella, grade 2 student, says that, “Epic! helped me to know more English, practising the pronunciation, reading and writing.” These platforms also allowed flexibility in how students could demonstrate and achieve learning objectives. “I like to record video and audio,” commented Bianca, grade 2 student. Some students even surprised their teachers with outstanding work and communi-cation skills (in both languages) that they would not normally demonstrate inside the classroom.

Throughout this process, inquiry-based learning has not been forgotten. Teachers have found new ways to work through the inquiry cycle with their students using online tools that provide new possibilities of investigation and collaboration. Grade 4 students have inquired into migration with the theme “Where We Are in Place and Time.” They interviewed family members of their past migration experiences and visited a virtual exhibition of the Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo. Learning was made transdisciplinary involving languages, history, geog-raphy, drama, music and IT. Students presented their work to each other during live online classes. Portuguese teacher, Edilma Gouveia, reports that they connected with the lines of inquiry in ways that were enriching given the challenging new context of learning.

In the face of these significant challenges, SIS Brasília has come together as a community and has gained a new per-spective of the importance of connection. As said by Jussara Berlie, parent, “I think (now) we can grow more as a community. I believe it will be a new form of teaching and learning.” This new understanding can now be taken and extended well into post-pandemic times, continuing to influence and better our way of education.

I think (now) we can grow more as a com-munity. I believe it will be a new form of

teaching and learning.

Note: This text was written in May 2020, during the remote teaching period of SIS Brasília, due to social isolation during the Coronavirus pandemic.

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SIS recommends

What Are You Reading?

The Mandarins

Recommendation of Anderson Vidal, SIS Brasília Principal.

Recomendação de Luciana Werner, mãe das alunas Nina Werner, 7º ano e Lara Werner, 2º ano da Seção Inglesa da ESB Rio de Janeiro.

Recomendação de David Dale-Harris, aluno do 2º ano do Ensino Médio da ESB Rio de Janeiro e vencedor do prêmio “O maior leitor da ESB Rio de Janeiro”, em 2019.

Queda de Gigantes

Estou lendo "Queda de Gigantes" do autor britânico, Ken Follett. Adoro romances históricos, envolvo-me nas tramas dos personagens, relembro e aprendo mais sobre temas de meu interesse. Foi assim que, após comen-tar que havia gostado de alguns livros sobre a Revolução Russa e a Segunda Guerra Mundial, esse livro me foi indi-cado por amigos.

Ele é o primeiro da trilogia chamada “O Século”, que atravessa o século XX, começando pela Primeira Guerra Mun-dial, passando pela Segunda Guerra Mundial e terminando com a Guerra Fria. A história começa um pouco antes da Primeira Guerra e nos apresenta cinco famílias cujas gerações serão personagens durante a trilogia, mistu-rando o enredo com fatos históricos.

Está sendo uma delícia avançar por esse romance, que aborda assun-tos fascinantes. Merece destaque a passagem que descreve o dia de Natal, que foi eternizado quando alemães e ingleses largaram suas armas e jogaram bola para celebrar!

A Guerra dos Tronos

“A Guerra dos Tronos” (The Game of Thrones) é o primeiro livro de “As Crô-nicas de Gelo e Fogo”, série do gênero fantasia épica do autor americano George R.R. Martin, publicado, pela pri-meira vez, em 1996. A história acontece em três ambientes: nos Sete Reinos, na Muralha e através do Mar Estreito. Nos Sete Reinos, após a morte do principal conselheiro do Rei, Lorde Arryn, o Rei, Robert Baratheon, recruta Eddard Stark (Ned), senhor do norte, para substituir Arryn. Ned aceita a posição ao des-cobrir que há especulações que Arryn havia sido envenenado pela esposa do Rei. Na Muralha, o filho bastardo de Ned, Jon Snow, junta-se à Patrulha da Noite, mas acaba voltando-se contra seu instrutor. Através do Mar Estreito vivem Viserys e Daenerys, filhos do assassinado Aerys Targeryen. Daenerys casa-se com um senhor de guerra em troca de uso do exército para recuperar o trono.

Mesmo tendo assistido à série, os livros são imperdíveis. A série é um resumo razoável de histórias muito mais ricas e detalhadas e o autor, ainda, não termi-nou de escrever a saga desses reinos.

Winner of the 1954 Goncourt Award, France's most important literary award, this book marks the definitive political and literary engagement of the author, Simone de Beauvoir, in her career. An existentialist novel, “The Mandarins” describe France's feverish atmosphere between 1944 and 1948: the repercus-sions of war, intellectual unrest, moral corruption, the dilemmas and doubts of the left and, above all, the ground covered with collapsed illusions.

An interesting element of “The Man-darins” is the constant allusion to facts in the personal lives of important characters in contemporary French history. Several intellectuals are cited in the form of alter egos. The trio that stars in the story is very suggestive in this respect. Henri Perron, Robert and Anne Dubreuilh would be Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beau-voir, respectively. Even Nelson Algren, Simone's lasting love affair in America appears in the work, in the form of Lewis Brogan. By the way, the book itself is dedicated to Algren, earning, in my view, an enviable honour too.

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SIS en route

A Day with Mikke Marttinen

Mikke Marttinen, MYP Coordinator, English and Literature Teacher at SIS Brasília

Mikke Marttinen, Middle Year Programme Coordinator (MYP), English and Literature Teacher at SIS Brasília

In 2019, Mikke Marttinen joined SIS Brasília team leading and implementing the Middle Years Programme as well as teaching English and literature with great success. Mikke is a veteran teacher with over 10 years of teaching experience in the US and abroad. In the following he reports a typical work day.

7:00 a.m. As I drive to school in the morning, I listen to my favourite podcast and prepare for the day by making a mental checklist of what I need to accomplish today. Upon entering the school, I greet Denis, our security guard, and any parents waiting in the lobby.

8:00 a.m. My first class of the day is grade 7. We are currently reading a book called “Freak the Mighty,” and discussing the theme of friendship. Today we begin with a discussion about what makes strong friendships and whether we believe the two main characters have a strong friendship or not.

9:30 a.m. Next up is grade 8, where we are talking about the hero’s journey and reading “The Hunger Games.” The students discuss the events from their reading assignment and how they reflect stages in the hero’s journey.

10:15 a.m. Time for our 30-minute morning break. During this time, I usually eat a snack that I brought from home, and make any last-minute preparations for the upcoming classes.

10:45 a.m. After the break grade 8 returns and we finish up our activity by sharing and discussing other stories that follow the hero’s journey story arch.

11:30 a.m. During my planning period I tend to administra-tive tasks and plan the remaining classes for the week. As our school will be going through the authorisation process for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP), I often use this time to communicate with my IB liaison named Over, and provide him with updates about where our school is in the authorisation process and what we are work-ing on.

1:00 p.m. I typically eat lunch at the school’s cafeteria with my fellow teachers. We talk about our weekend and things going on around the school.

2:00 p.m. After lunch, it’s off to class with grade 6. We are cur-rently working with mythology and reading a variety of Greek myths. Today, students study the 12 Olympian gods, and cre-ate their own Greek god.

4:00 p.m. Every Tuesday, I meet with the other middle school teachers for our weekly meeting. This is the time where we can collaborate with our colleagues to make sure that we are addressing any necessary issues and making sure things are running smoothly. At the end of the meeting, I tie up any loose ends before heading back home.

This is the time where we can collaborate with our colleagues to make sure that we are addressing any necessary issues and

making sure things are running smoothly.

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One question, two points of view

What Do You Value Most about an International Education?

Multi-Cultural Environment"A nossa verdadeira nacionalidade e a humanidade." (H. G. Wells)

A globalização ampliou nossa forma de pensar e ressignifi-car nosso lugar no mundo, abrindo-nos novas e inesperadas perspectivas. Cada vez mais, estamos conectados a diferen-tes culturas com formas ímpares de viver, agir e pensar. Nesse sentido, a educação internacional está em consonância com os desafios do século XXI. Ela é capaz de despertar no estu-dante o respeito à diferença, fazê-lo descobrir que seu destino está atrelado ao do outro, seja este seu conterrâneo ou habite no outro hemisfério do globo.

Na SIS Swiss International School, nossa principal intenção é formar cidadãos globais com forte consciência de suas origens. Sabemos que, pela linguagem, o homem constrói a si mesmo e o mundo humano. Linguagem e cultura são, portanto, indisso-ciáveis. Por isso, adotamos o método de imersão, que propicia a vivência cultural e linguística do português, inglês, alemão e francês, contando com o auxílio de um corpo docente de varia-das nacionalidades. Além disso, oferecemos um currículo com dupla certificação, preparando o estudante para ingressar em uma universidade local ou internacional.

Portanto, acreditamos que a educação internacional é propí-cia às percepções do díspare, para que o aluno não perceba o mundo, apenas, como um amontoado de pessoas, coisas e lugares, mas construa e encontre nele sentido. Cônscio, o estudante se entende como parte integrada à humanidade e busca aprimorar, de forma contínua, suas habilidades. Dessa forma, almeja ser útil à sua comunidade local e, de forma har-mônica, agregar-se à mundial.

During my work at SIS Basel, Switzerland and ESB Rio de Janeiro, Brazil I have valued most the multi-cultural environ-ment an international school offers.

On the one hand, teachers from different countries give stu-dents and also their colleagues various multi-cultural views and perceptions from their own experiences and beliefs. This ena-bles students to learn intercultural competencies in a way which is meaningful and relevant to them. An international curriculum with the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme teaches students to be independent thinkers, contributors to the com-munity and actively involved in current world challenges.

On the other hand, many international schools also have a great number of students from diverse countries and cultures. This is enriching to all students as they interact with children from various cultures which they might not have gotten in contact with on a regular basis. They broaden their horizon, learn to accept diversity and get to know traditions and languages of other countries.

From a very personal perspective I greatly value the opportu-nity to teach overseas. This offers a great possibility to work in schools with excellent faculty and facilities and to grow as a teacher through gaining various insights in a multi-cultural environment.

Juliana Barros, Professora de português da SIS Brasília

Jasmin Leins, German Teacher at ESB Rio de Janeiro

SIS Brasília

SIS Swiss International School BrasíliaSGA/SUL Quadra 905, cj BBR-70390-050 Brasília DFPhone +55 61 3443 4145info.brasilia@swissinternationalschool.com.br

ESB Rio de Janeiro

Escola Suíço-Brasileira Rio de Janeiro by SIS Swiss International SchoolRua Corrêa de Araújo 81, Barra da TijucaBR-22611-060 Rio de Janeiro RJ Phone +55 21 3389 2089info.rio@swissinternationalschool.com.br

SIS Swiss International School is a group of private day schools offering bilingual education from kindergarten through to college.

SIS is a company of the Kalaidos Swiss Education Group which belongs to the Klett Group Germany.

Educational Levels• Kindergarten• Primary School• Secondary School

Educational Levels• Kindergarten• Primary School• Secondary School• College

www.swissinternationalschool.com.br