Issue 3

In-Service – A Learning Day for All
F
riday, November 28
was IC’s first In-Service
Day this year. Planned
and organized by the
ERC and school directors,
the day was filled with a
variety of workshop sessions
for teachers at all levels of
the school, beginning with
an important session for all
teachers focusing on Sudden
Cardiac Arrest. The session
was presented by members
of the Rubeiz family and Dr.
Richard Abi Saleh.
Following this session, faculty
attended presentations by Mr. John Joseph
devoted to Brain Research and Study Skills
always keeping “The Brain in Mind”.
Teachers throughout the school attended
sessions presented by the Educational
Technology
facilitators
focusing
on
Screencasting. In their comments about the
workshop, teachers came up with a variety of
uses and situations where screencasting can
facilitate both teaching and learning and made
suggestions for connecting the screencast
products to Moodle.
At the different school levels, teachers attended
various workshops designed to address areas of
interest. Preschool teachers received training
in first aid by the Lebanese Red Cross. Several
sessions were offered by Elementary and Middle
school teachers from both Ras Beirut and Ain
Aar to their colleagues. Elementary teachers
explored the topics of Literature Circles, Words
Their Way, Mindfulness, Conflict Resolution,
Making an Electronic Book and Why Wiki?.
Workshops at the Middle School level
included Teaching Language through Dance,
SPEC for new teachers, LTA, and Literature
Circles. One important session for teachers
of both the Middle and Secondary schools
tackled coordination across the two levels.
Other sessions for Secondary School teachers
included IB Reflection on the TOK and TPE
Coordination. Selected librarians attended a
session concerning the administration of the
school library catalog Destiny. In all, it was a
very full day for everyone. In the words of one
teacher, “… a very fruitful, interesting, and
beneficial day.”n
Healthy Eating Habits
s part of our IBII psychology class,
Miss Layal Bitar (former IC student),
a nutritionist and a dietician, gave a
presentation to students on how to maintain
healthy eating habits. Miss Bitar’s presentation
showed students which parts of the world suffer
from eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa,
anorexia, and binge eating, and pinpointed the
main approaches to treat individuals suffering
from such eating disorders. Miss Bitar made it
clear that leading a sedentary lifestyle makes
people more prone to gain weight and to become
Issue 3
December 2014/
January 2015
obese. By the end of the presentation, Miss Bitar
gave students healthy food tips about vegetables,
fruits, and whole grains, healthy fats and healthy
proteins, to drink water instead of sugary
beverages, and to limit the intake of salt and
sodium, sugar, fat, and caffeine. She also stressed
the importance of staying active, to exercising 2
to 3 times per week, and to maintaining a healthy
weight. She also recommended getting full
night’s rest whenever possible, because lack of
sleep can reduce student’s ability to concentrate
and perform well at school. n
1
Un début bien vert pour les “Enviromental Pioneers”
L
es
membres
du
club “Enviromental
Pioneers’’ ont visité l’AUB.
L’objectif de cette visite
était d’assister à la présentation
que deux personnes ressources ont
partagée avec nous.
Elles sont bien plus dures et plus
rigides que les feuilles persistantes.
Qui aurait dit que les végétaux qui
ont plusieurs branches près du tronc,
sont des arbustes ou « shrubs »? Et
les autres végétaux qui ont un tronc
unique et droit sont des arbres ? Qui
aurait dit que les végétaux comme
le palmier ont un tronc vide ce qui
indique qu’ils sont des plantes et non
pas des arbres ? Saviez-vous aussi
que certains arbres camouflent leurs
petites fleurs grâce à leurs feuilles
colorées comme le « Bougainvillier»?
Saviez-vous aussi que les arbres
banians ou « banyan tree » ont des
branches près de leur tronc et ont
d’immenses racines, ce qui indique
qu’ils ont besoin d’un grand espace
pour grandir et pousser? Saviezvous que quelques arbres ont des
feuilles qui ont une belle odeur
comme l’«eucalyptus» ? Ces feuilles
ne font pas seulement partie des
produits utilisés dans la préparation
des différents médicaments, mais
elles peuvent également être utilisées
dans les repas. Et bien, toutes
ces informations intéressantes et
enrichissantes en même temps ont
été partagées avec nous pour signaler
le début d’une merveilleuse aventure
avec les « Enviromental Pioneers ».
«Si vous êtes curieux pour en savoir
plus et que vous adorez la nature,
joignez notre club », dit Rindala el
Ahdab. Leen Chanouha 6eBn
L’indépendance
L
e matin du 21 Novembre, les élèves de
la maternelle se sont réunis pour fêter
l’indépendance de leur pays et pour comprendre
un peu plus leur culture.
Ils ont fabriqué des drapeaux libanais en
utilisant la pâte à modeler et la peinture. Ils ont
également dessiné le drapeau sur des papiers qu’ils
ont ensuite attachés à leurs poignets sous forme de
bracelets tout en respectant le vert, le rouge et le blanc.
Ils ont découvert des monuments historiques, des
maisons typiques libanaises avec leur toit en briques
et leurs arcades comme façade. Ils ont essayé d’écrire
des messages comme le faisaient les phéniciens et ont
fabriqué des pots et des vases avec de l’argile, matériel
que leurs ancêtres utilisaient souvent. Au rythme de la
musique libanaise, ils ont dansé et chanté pour clôturer
cette journée nationale. n
The Middle School Benefit Christmas concert
he middle school Ras-Beirut and Ain Aar choirs were joined together in a Christmas Concert for the benefit
of Ayadina at AUB Assembly Hall and at the Irani Theater at IC.
The repertoire was rich in Christmas songs as well as with songs from various countries and styles, including
Bonse Aba, a welcome song from Zambia, Tuxedo Junction, a Swing song with show choir moves, and a
song from the musical the “Snowman”.n
2
Visit to the soap factory (KGI Ras Beirut)
«L
ook it became soap!
It’s magic!”
“No it’s not magic…
the oil changed…”
“Yes, it changed, so it’s magic!”
“I told you it’s not magic, the oil
changed because they mixed it with
other ingredients, like the materials
in class became different when we
mixed them…”
This conversation took place
between fascinated KGI Ras Beirut
students while visiting the soap
factory in Saida, as part of their
unit “How the World Works”.
They observed and experimented
how olive oil became soap, helped
add scents and cut the bars. They
returned home carrying their own
freshly-made soap bars.n
La journée verte à la maternelle à Ras Beyrouth
N
otre environnement est quelque
chose de vraiment précieux. Les
enfants le savent bien et ils font très
attention à ne rien gaspiller, ou du
moins, ils essayent !!!!
l’IC a organisé une journée verte, c’està-dire sans papier, et pour clôturer cette
manifestation, sans lumière pendant 1/2
heure. Tout le monde a « joué le jeu » avec
beaucoup de sérieux.
Les enfants ont fait des activités sur le
tableau interactif, sur des ardoises et des jeux
de toutes sortes…
Les couloirs, les classes, le bureau, la salle
des profs, tout s’est éteint, sans oublier les
ordinateurs. Nous avons eu tout d’un coup
un sentiment étonnant de faire quelque chose
pour la sauvegarde de notre planète.n
Elementary delights
he Elementary School Christmas concert was held on December 17th in the Irani theater. The children may
have been small, but their voices were big! Cheerful and expressive, 28 students sang, danced and played
songs from an American, British, and French repertoire: La terre est si belle, I want a Hippopotamus for
Christmas, and Santa love Mambo are some of the highlights of the evening.n
3
Les copains lecteurs
L
es enfants de G.S. de Ras Beyrouth
ont maintenant l’habitude de
recevoir des « copains », en
l’occurrence de CM2, pour leur
lire des histoires.
Mais attention, c’est très sérieux. Les
grands préparent bien leur livre, ils sont
capables de lire, d’expliquer l’histoire et
d’en discuter avec les petits. Ces derniers
les attendent avec impatience, parfois ils
retrouvent un frère, une sœur, des cousins,
des amis…Cet échange permet à tout le
monde de se retrouver devant un livre et
de partager ce moment avec beaucoup de
convivialité. n
Our Interactive Library! «T
o commemorate the United Nations Day for
the Elimination of Violence Against Women
on November 25, classes came to the library
to see a display of the collection of books
and DVDs on women, feminism, violence
and empowerment,” said Silvana Bartlett IC Central
Librarian
“We used digital resources to show that violence against
women is one of the most tolerated forms of human
rights abuses in modern society and the importance
of speaking out. After some lively discussion, students
selected books to read at home and also came back to do
research for projects and presentations on these issues.
Among the resources we used wasTeri Hatcher’s very
moving speech on abuse. In putting together the Green Day resources, we wanted
to create a display that would
first make students reflect on the
causes of environmental issues,
focus on current environmental
projects and then let them voice
and share their own ideas for a
greener future by posting them
on the Environment Tree. We’ll
leave the tree up for a while to
see if these ideas lead to new
initiatives by students and staff so
the Green Day spirit can continue
throughout the year.”n
What is a Report Card ?
U
4
pper School director Diana Abu Lebde shared the middle school report card format with new middle
schoolers in grade 6/6ème. The students found out about the reporting process and about exemptions,
honor lists and requirements. They also found out that report cards are a tool to show students their
progress and to teach them how to be more effective learners.n
Le concert de Noël
L’
évènement de la maternelle à Ras Beyrouth
tant attendu est enfin arrivé. Les GS et KGII ont
présenté leur concert de Noël à l’auditorium
Irani, En entrant, nous avons pu admirer les
décors de la scène faits par les élèves de la maternelle. Les
enfants ont chanté derrière le rideau l’hymne national et
l’Alma Mater de l’IC, premier moment d’émotion ! Ils
ont appris toutes ces chansons, en français, en anglais ou
encore en arabe. Non seulement ils ont chanté, mais aussi
ils ont dansé, mimé, fait la comédie et enchanté le public.
Les professeurs de musique, avec tout leur talent, ont
entraîné ces petits chanteurs pendant de nombreuses
semaines, en les transformant en une véritable chorale
de Noël.
Les flashs des appareils photos n’ont pas cessé d’illuminer
la salle et le public a été conquis.
Ils ont ému toute l’assemblée présente avec leur voix
pure et leur enthousiasme.
Les larmes aux yeux, les parents et les professeurs ont
applaudi ces artistes. Si nous avions mis un applaudimètre,
il aurait explosé !n
Positive Citizenship
W
hat
does
positive
citizenship mean in our
world today?
The
entire
RB
Elementary
School
engaged
in a week long focus during
late November on that exact
question. The upper cycle students
learned about anti-bullying in a
presentation by Dr. Fadi Maalouf,
AUBMC psychiatrist and an RB-IC
parent. This group also learned
what digital citizenship means in
terms of responsible citizenship in
the digital age from Dr. Mahmoud
Shihab, IC ERC director. The
lower cycle students benefitted
from learning about peaceful
conflict resolution presented by
Sandra Marchi, student guidance
counselor at AA. Finally, all the
student body participated in traffic
and road safety given by the NGO
Kunhadi. In keeping with the
guiding statement of IC to provide
a safe and secure environment, this
annual focus on positive citizenship
helps to unify us as a school and as a
community. Thank you IC Parents
committee for your support! n
5
Clowns without Borders
he Ras Beirut Elementary
Grade 3 and CE2 were
privileged to receive some
very special visitors.
A
team of clowns scheduled to visit
some of the most impoverished
refugee camps in the country,
presented and performed in the
Irani Auditorium.
Their team
was made up of two Americans,
an English lady and a Lebanese
lady. They discussed the need for
bringing joy to those children who
have very little fun in their lives.
This connected with the planner
Who We Are and ensuring all
people have their full complement
of rights, including the right to
have fun! The students asked
some very poignant questions and
were treated to a great juggling and
musical performance. We wish the
clowns well on their quest, bringing
joy to the lives of those in need, and
not just in Lebanon but worldwide.
For more information: http://www.
clownswithoutborders.org/n
La diversité des langues enrichit la pensée
pprendre une langue, ce n’est pas seulement
acquérir une compétence pratique, c’est une
aventure à l’issue de laquelle on n’est plus tout
à fait le même, car les langues sont porteuses de
cultures et de modes de pensée avec lesquels l’apprenant
se familiarise peu à peu. Les cours de FLE, à l’école
élémentaire de Ras Beyrouth, ont pour but d’intégrer le
plus rapidement possible les élèves non francophones
à la langue française. Ces cours permettent de
développer les savoirs, savoir-faire et savoir-être des
apprenants, les inciter à mobiliser leurs connaissances
et à s’exprimer davantage en français. Plusieurs actions
ont été mises en place afin de leur permettre d’acquérir
la langue et de les sensibiliser à la culture francophone.
Pour cela les élèves de la section anglaise et française
d’un même niveau se sont rencontrés afin d’échanger
leurs idées sur un travail déjà effectué en classe où ils
ont eu recours à la pensée visuelle (couleur, symbole,
Image). Les élèves ont essayé de trouver un moyen afin
de communiquer leurs pensées en français de même
que nos jeunes apprenants français contents de jouer le
rôle de médiateur ont bénéficié de cet échange afin de
transmettre le message. Ce travail de groupe favorise les
investigations, les échanges verbaux entre élèves, l’aide
à émettre des hypothèses, à les tester, à observer et à
tout expliquer en argumentant. Nos jeunes apprenants
ont eu recours à plusieurs savoir-faire (savoircommuniquer et savoir-penser).Ils ont fait preuve de
coopération, d’engagement et de motivation.n
Differentiating through Technology
G
rade 5 students were given the option to bring their own devices to class in order to research how human
intervention impacts the environment. It was amazing to see how quickly students caught on to the new
tools that we introduced, including Instagrok and Evernote. It was a great way to differentiate, since
each student was given the chance to find resources at their level. Students submitted their research
for feedback via Instagrok, and then used their new knowledge to participate in whole and small group
discussions concerning various environmental challenges being faced around the world. Our trial has been so
successful that we’re planning to continue using “BYOD” for different projects in the future.n
6
Reading is for Awesome People!
S
pecial Arabic students in Grade 4 and
Grades 5 - CM2 enjoyed using prereading, reading, and post reading
comprehension strategies that helped
them in becoming more active readers.
Students were divided into small groups,
and students in each group received an
appropriately leveled text. The teacher began
by activating their prior knowledge through
engaging them in making a prediction using
the title. Then students reviewed their
predictions using a group of new vocabulary
words related to the text. In addition to
that, they created a purpose for reading by
answering the following two questions: Why
do you think the author wrote this text? What
is your personal reading goal?
While reading the first section in their texts,
students underlined seven words that they thought
were important in order to understand the whole
section. They used these words to write a main idea for
the section and shared their ideas in groups. Following
this, the students wrote the newly acquired words in
their “treasure “copy book and they practiced reading.
Then they used graphic organizers to foster their
understanding of the text. Finally, they posed and
reflected on whether their predictions were correct and
whether they understood the main idea.
These reading strategies helped improve the reading
abilities of the students. Even struggling readers started
saying things like, “I remember every part of that text!
Reading is fun!”n
A Sense of Wonder!
sense of wonder, of
curiosity, of inquiry and
the energy and eagerness
to pursue the “Why” and
“What” of everything, are what
make young children scientists.
Children need to explore the
world around them by observing,
listening, squeezing, pouring, and
having “hands-on experiences”
with science. We organized our
class activities around inquiry
into rain and where it comes
from and how to turn it from
impure to potable. KGI students
in Ain Aar came out with different
hypothesis, and we conducted and tried out most of them. Then we watched a documentary on YouTube to find
out that the best way to have drinkable water is to boil, strain it and expose it to sunlight. Our focus on rain
provided an opportunity to notice what is happening in the world outside; more and more of the children are
becoming aware of the changes that are taking place in their world!​n
7
R
Students and Writers Connect at Biel
BE Grades 3/CE2, 4/CM1, and 5/CM2
students visited “The Arabic Book Fair”
that took place at Biel. The students
listened to stories read by renowned
authors. They also engaged in an interesting
discussion with various authors. Following this
memorable experience, the students toured the
stands and had an opportunity to purchase Arabic
books. We can no longer say that Arabic books
are not interesting. Students openly showed their
excitement while purchasing books, the themes
being relevant and meaningful. A genuine love of
reading books in Arabic was evident!n
Color your World with Kindness!
his was not like any other day! The day
started with us pairing up, and our task was
to do random acts of kindness towards each
other. Nursery students in Ain Aar suggested that
the best way to achieve that was through using our
magic words, smiling all day long, giving hugs,
sharing and helping out. We spent the whole day
with our partner and we shared different things
from reading a book to playing games, riding
bicycles and spreading smiles. We made sure that
the other person was happy and smiling all day
long for when we share acts of kindness, we color
our world!n
Découvrir les Couleurs!
E
n Moyenne Section C à Ain Aar, nous avons
abordé le concept du changement à travers
des expériences sur les liquides. Nos apprentis
scientifiques se sont lancés dans des expériences
aussi instructives qu’amusantes ! Avec du colorant
alimentaire, un peu d’eau et des pipettes nous avons
découvert qu’à partir du rouge, du bleu et du jaune, nous
pouvons créer de nouvelles couleurs dont l’intensité varie
en fonction des proportions que nous utilisons. Nous
avons ainsi mêlé l’art à la science ! Et en ajoutant de
l’huile à nos concoctions, nous prenons conscience de la
notion de mélange : l’huile et l’eau ne se mélangent pas !
La liste de ce que nous voulons comprendre ne cesse de
s’allonger...n
8
La fête de la Sainte Barbe !
L
a fête de la Sainte Barbe, une
tradition libanaise que les
élèves de la maternelle et des
classes primaires de Ain Aar ont
célébrée encore cette année. Respectant le
thème du développement durable, ils sont
venus déguisés avec des costumes qu’ils
ont fabriqués eux-mêmes à partir de ce
qu’ils ont trouvé à la maison. A travers
les divers costumes créés, les élèves ont
montré leur créativité débordante. Ils
ont ensuite fait un tour dans l’école en
chantant à tue-tête. Bien entendu, la
journée s’est terminée en dégustant le blé
traditionnel !n
Magic in the Air!
KGII student’s mom, Mrs.
Abs, entertained the students
of her daughter’s class
with an amazing shadow
puppet show. Mrs. Abs executed
the puppets and single handedly
performed all the characters of
the story “Room on the Broom”.
This activity coincided perfectly
with our unit on light and shadow
and the KGII students in Ain Aar
were enthralled to see the effect of
objects blocking light in such an
amusing manner!n
PE Peacemakers!
D
uring PE, Grade 1 students in AA were playing
competition games in teams. Suddenly conflicts
arose! It was time to stop the game, sit together
and reflect.Why do conflicts happen in PE?
Let’s explore some answers: “Because we are different
and each one of us has his opinion and might think
differently”. Another answered: “Because we did not
respect the rules of the game” and others said: “Because
we want to win”...
It was a great opportunity to inquire about our unit
“Who We Are”. Yes, we are different and yes there
are common causes for conflicts! And this is why each
game has its own rules. These rules will help us reduce
our conflicts in PE; same things apply for the essential
agreements in class, in PE and everywhere.The rules and
essential agreements help us live better together and
play fair and enjoy more our time.n
9
The Kind Giving Tree!
he season for giving is here! And
this year the students at Preschool
and Lower Elementary (Ain Aar)
are spreading happiness to others
in a personal and meaningful way.
They crafted beautiful ornaments with
all sorts of materials and using many
different artistic techniques; putting all
their effort and care into them. Once
our busy little Christmas elves were
done, these ornaments were used to
decorate the tree at the Preschool. But
this is no ordinary tree, and these are
not ordinary ornaments! It’s the Kind
Giving Tree, decorated with individual
acts of kindness. All members of our
community visited our Kind Giving
Tree, chose the decorations they liked
and donated any amount they wished.
Parents and teachers also joined in.
Even the Upper Elementary and Middle students
contributed by picking decorations made with love
by our youngest students! The donations will be
used to buy food and toys for some orphanages and
organizations in our community. We would like to
thank everyone, children and adults alike, for their
participation and support in making this initiative a
successful one! Thanks to their generosity, we will be
able to bring joy to many little hearts and share with
them the magic of the holidays.n
L’art, la manière et le but…
«P
aperless Patchwork Art Green Day », un projet réalisé par Mlle Maya Tabbara et les élèves de 6ème
et de 5ème dans le cadre de la Journée Verte. En suivant l’exemple des chardonnerets qui , dit-on,
décorent leur nid d’un brin de
myosotis et d’une ou deux frondes
de fougères, simplement pour se sentir mieux
dans leur environnement, nos élèves ont
transformé le couloir qui mène à leurs classes en
un espace foisonnant d’arbres, de papillons et de
fleurs. Créer en partant de rien fut pour eux une
démarche passionnante : avec des chutes de tissus
ils ont réalisé un panneau géant représentant une
clairière traversée par un ruisseau. En utilisant
précisément la technique du patchwork pour cette
production artistique, ils ont voulu transmettre
un message en cette journée particulière pour
inciter le public à réduire la consommation de
papier afin de préserver les arbres et par la suite
lutter contre la déforestation. n
10
D
F
Visite au Musée de la préhistoire de l’USJ
ans le cadre du programme en Histoire, les
élèves ont abordé l’époque préhistorique.
Les classes de 6èmede Ain-Aar ont visité le Musée
de la préhistoire de l’USJ. Ils ont profité de cette
visite pour faire la connaissance de
l’ancien patrimoine libanais et des
restes de leurs ancêtres : ossements,
habitats, agriculture,
élevage…
Un documentaire audio-visuel a été
proposé. Il portait sur la fabrication
des outils en pierre, suivi par un
atelier de poterie. Les élèves ont
profité de cette visite pour acquérir
plein de connaissances, du savoir
et du savoir -faire d’un souvenir
confectionné par eux-mêmes. n
Independence Day
or Independence Day in Lebanon, the
students of the Middle school at IC Ain
Aar prepared two wall displays putting
together the final product of their search for
famous Lebanese people around the world.
They found that there are 18 Million people
of Lebanese origin in the world with only 4.5
Million Lebanese living in Lebanon today.
Some of their findings were that the oldest
continuous city in the world is located in
Byblos, that Lebanon has been occupied by 16
countries throughout history, and that Beirut
can be compared to the Phoenix as it has been
destroyed and rebuilt 7 times! n
Writing Competition
O
n the occasion of Independence Day, a writing
competition was organized by the Middle School
Arabic Department. Each level was assigned a
topic. The students, who had not been previously
informed of the topics and had not had a chance to prepare,
surprised their teachers with the way of expressing a sense
of belonging to Lebanon. Their writings shone with facts
and emotions. It was a great joy to have our students unite
about Lebanon. The following students were rewarded by
the director, Miss Diana Abou Lebdeh, on their writing
pieces: Karim Bekdash, Grade 9; Maria Nohra Grade 8;
Tiffany Saade Grade 7; Elena Hafez Grade 6 and Celia
Hitti Grade 6 (Special Arabic). n
11
La compétition de Noël à la maternelle
N
ouveauté cette année à la maternelle de Ras
Beyrouth, fini le jeu de Secret Santa!
Le comité chargé de cet évènement a organisé
autre chose : une compétition de décoration
de Noël entre niveaux. Après des conciliabules, des
échanges, des secrets et toujours de la bonne humeur,
les maîtresses de toutes les classes se sont lancées à
corps perdu dans ce jeu magnifique, aidées par toutes
les maîtresses spécialisées dans l’art de la décoration et
de l’imagination.
On ne peut imaginer combien les enseignantes sont
inspirées, combien elles sont créatrices et innovantes.
Le bureau aussi participe et on découvre des talents
insoupçonnés.
Chaque étage a son style.
Le bureau a représenté Le Pôle Nord avec le village
de Santa Claus, sa cuisine, son hôpital, son bureau…
Les PS et les Nursery ont fait le village du Père Noël,
avec le calendrier de l’avant et plein de trésors.
Les MS et KGI ont fait d’un côté la maison du
Père Noël, et de l’autre l’extérieur de cette même
maison , avec un décor digne des mille et une nuits.
Les G.S et KGII ont décidé de représenter « Noël autour
du monde », plusieurs pays nous livrent leurs secrets et
12
coutumes sur les fêtes de Noël.
Les enfants de tous les niveaux ont été mis à
contribution, ils ont participé, ils ont donné des
idées, ils ont décoré, dessiné, écrit, collé etc.…
Ils veulent tous gagner, pris par la frénésie de la
compétition.
Les maîtresses, quant à elles, vivent cette fête avec
enthousiasme, elles redeviennent des enfants au milieu
de tous ces décors enchanteurs, mais chut…
Les couloirs, les escaliers et chaque recoin de l’école
n’ont pas échappé aux lumières, aux guirlandes, aux
mille couleurs.
L’école vit au rythme des améliorations du décor,
jusqu’au jour J et jusqu’à l’heure H, où nous allons
connaître le gagnant.
Le moment tant attendu est arrivé. Le jury, composé
de membres éminents: Dr. Bergman et Mme Mourani,
visite, regarde, apprécie, goûte les spécialités, retourne,
discute, interroge et enfin délibère. Dans la salle des
profs, le suspense est à son comble et le verdict tombe
enfin ! Explosion de joie, tout le monde obtient le même
nombre de points et il n’y a que des vainqueurs.n
Mr. John Joseph and “Keeping the Brain in Mind”
F
rom November 24 to the 28, IC hosted Mr. John
Joseph, an expert on brain research and Director
of Focus Education in Australia, to work with
students, teachers and parents. During his time
with us, Mr. Joseph worked with Grade 6 and Grade 10
students discussing with them study skills, how the brain
works and how to become a more efficient learner, among
other interesting topics about the brain and learning. Mr.
Joseph discussed how addictive computer games are and
their effect upon the brain. One piece of advice he did
give to students was to ask their parents to allow them
to play computer games for a short time before doing
homework because the games ‘wake up’ the brain cells
and allow them to study better. As well, doing homework
before sleep helps the child better retain what has been
learned. Really?
On November 25, Mr. Joseph gave an interesting
presentation to a large number of IC parents entitled
“Partners in Education: Parenting with the Brain in Mind.”
The session helped provide parents with an understanding
of what the school is trying to achieve with their children.
He also explored and discussed with parents some
practical strategies to support their children’s academic
learning and emotional development at home.
During the In-Service Day on November 28, Mr. Joseph
gave workshops to all IC teachers covering the topics
of “Brain Research & Study Skills”, “Neuro-Education:
Learning with the Brain in Mind”, “Developing Emotional
Intelligence” and “Developing Critical and Creative
Thinkers.” Teachers carried several ideas away from
his lectures including the powerful connection between
sleep and how the brain stores information, the brain and
emotions, the Four Worlds, and so much more.
The ERC has two of Mr. Joseph’s books, Brainy Parents
-Brainy Kids and Learning in the Emotional Rooms:
How to create classrooms that are uplifting for the spirit
and several other references addressing learning with the
brain in mind; all are available for teachers to borrow.n
Compost barrel at the Elementary School
he grade 5/CM2 students of the Elementary School, Ras Beirut, have recently learned about ways in which
humans negatively impact the environment and ways in which they can lessen this impact. By each student
making small changes in his or her daily routines, they see that the compounded efforts add up to big results!
For example, they have been exposed to the benefits of organic farming and how decomposers help to break
down dead organisms into nutrient rich soil. In an effort to make this idea an experience, the Physical Plant built a
compost barrel where students and staff can bring in raw organic material to be composted into soil. The soil will
then be used to create an organic, seasonal garden that the students will tend. Our goal is that students experience
a way to live sustainably and help to make our LEED School even “greener”. n
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IC GO GREEN
S
ome people would think that IC Go Green is only related to
recycling plastic bottle caps and reusing and reducing papers.
However I say NO, this is not all. We IC students are taught to
be independent critical thinkers who think outside the box. We
are trained to be risk takers and problem solvers. Ever since I was at IC
I was taught to view things from different perspectives, to see things
not only by my eyes but by my brain and all my senses. This is exactly
what I did when I volunteered for this project. IC Go Green all started
because of a vision and a mission. The mission is to take care of the
environment and to protect and preserve it for the future generations.
For those empathetic hearts who believe in this mission and persevere
to make a difference, please read my story. I volunteered for an IC Go
Green project. The objective was to think about the environment and
present a creative project. I thought of a necklace because beading and
crafts are my talents. I saw my dad fixing the light in my room. I noticed
this tool box and it seemed to me like a treasure box. Most treasures
are not golden ones but simple things that can be turned into marvelous
creations. I decided to the use bulb sockets, nails, locks, screws, and keys that I found in my dad’s tool box. I also
decided to check in my storage room for some beads. I believe that if we all think about things in a different way
and use our creativity for the good of nature and the environment, we can all make a difference. To conclude, “A
journey of the 1000 miles all begins with a single step”. It doesn’t matter how you start it as long as you believe that
you can reach your goal.
Rhea Madhoun El Yafi - Grade 4 n
Visit to Beirut Art Center
ccompanied by art teacher Samia Nasr Boulad, IB1 students attended a guided visit entitled “Breath is a
Sculpture “at the Beirut Art Center. It consisted of sculptures, installations and drawings for international
artist Guiseppe Penone , a main figure in the Arte Povera movement.
“This contemporary art movement seeks simple materials to produce works that deal with time, space
nature and language…. Every breath
we take is unique. In cold weather, this
breath will be a temporary sculpture
blended in the environment around
us… In Propagzione, Penone stamped
his thumb on a canvas then propagated
it in ink on a 4mX5m wall to form
the rings of a tree… In Continuera a
Crescere tranne che in quel punto,
Penone implanted a brass cast of
his hand into a tree. The tree grew
around the shape of his hand. Penone
juxtaposes artificial produce with the
pure and flowing ways of nature….
The exhibition caused viewers to stop
and reflect on the close relationship
between man and nature as well as
nature and man”. (Aya Fathallah, Tarek
Mroueh and Zainab Taher, IB1 Visual
Arts students). n
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Teaching Third Language-Authentically!
S
tudents in Grade 4 were in
for a surprise when they
sat down in the Science
lab to begin their science
experiment, when Mr. Dani began
to speak to them in French. At
first they were not sure what was
happening and then the lesson
continued… in French! Mr. Dani
and Ms. Roula decided to take
advantage of this teaching moment!
This was a chance for students to see
the French, which is Grade 4’s third
language, being used authentically
and contextually. In order to follow
instructions and conduct their oil
spill simulation they needed to listen
carefully, search for meaning and
transfer the French knowledge they
had learned in French class onto a
new meaningful situation. n
Le partage de la planète
D
ans le cadre du thème
trandisciplinaire
“Le
partage de la planète”, Ms
Jaana Lundholm a fait une
intervention auprès des élèves de
CM1 A à Ain Aar pour leur parler
des Orangs-Outangs qui sont en
voie de disparition à cause des
activités humaines: chasse, capture,
braconnage et déforestation...
Ensemble, nous avons découvert
comment l’ONG “Ourangutan
Appeal, UK” s’occupe de ces
orangs-outangs. Les apprenants
étaient très intéressés par le film
documentaire que Ms Janna a
projeté en classe. Et ils veulent à
tout prix adopter un orang-outang
au nom de notre classe. Ensemble,
vers un meilleur futur! n
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Ras Beirut Elementary School Christmas Choir
Ras Beirut Middle School Christmas Choir
Ain Aar Junior Christmas Choir
The Inside I.C. Team: Lara Kasparian, Jocelyne Kobeissi, Hanan Loulou Ouri, Mishka M. Mourani, and contributors from the I.C. family.
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