OIS Dynamite
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OIS Dynamite Events in January January From the Principal Dear Parents and Students, I hope you all had a relaxing break and are now fully charged for the spring term. The autumn term was busy with so many activities and events re- lated to our school’s 10th anniversary. Thanks to all students and teachers who were involved in the organisation of the events! ~ * ~ On Wednesday 6.2. we shall hold a Parents’ Evening with topics related to learning English and S2 (Finnish as a second language), as well as gr 9 issues (Joint Application and Personal Project). I hope to see many of you there. ~ * ~ At the beginning of the new year we would like to remind all parents that the school does not pro- vide supervision for children staying on the school premises before and after school hours. Students are advised to come to school at the earliest half an hour before their school starts in the morn- ings. After their lessons have ended, students ei- ther go to afternoon care, an organised club ac- tivity, or home. They are not allowed to stay unsu- pervised in the school premises unless awaiting collection within half an hour. If there are stu- dents who have a pressing need to stay in the school premises for longer than half an hour be- fore or after their school hours, we need to know what their reasons are. For that purpose we have permission cards which can be obtained upon re- quest from the class/homeroom teacher. ~ * ~ We would like to know if there are any parents wil- ling to share their expertise with us in their child’s class or in any other way. If you would like to co- me to school and either teach us something or tell us about your work, please contact your child’s class teacher in the PYP, or the Student Counsellor in the MYP. ~ * ~ Wishing you a grear year 2013 and many fresh outdoor days in January, Raija Perttunen Coming up in February February Week 1 Wed 2.1. School starts (normal time- table followed) Week 2 Wed 9.1. Students dismissed at 12:15 due to teachers’ planning after- noon Week 3 Wed 16.1. and Thu 17.1. lukioiden avoimet ovet (upper secondary schools’ open days for gr 9 students) Week 4 Wed 23.1. at 18 OIS info evening for new families Week 5 Oulu International School’s Newsletter January 2013 Week 6 Wed 6.2. at 17 Dream Team meeting (Parent Reps + Management) Wed 6.2. at 18 Parents’ evening Week 7 Gr 9 Parent teacher conferences this week Tue 14.2. Valentine’s Day activities Wed 13.2.-Fri 15.2. Gr 8 Work Practice Period (TET) Week 8 22.2. at 13 Entrance tests for new students Weeks 8-9 Student Trainees from University Week 9 The OIS 10th Anniversary Musical Celebration on 4.12.2012 was the first time ever in the history of OIS to have every single class perform on stage. Pictured the grade 5 students who gave their view on the MYP Areas of Interaction. More photos on p. 2 and 3.
Transcript of OIS Dynamite
OIS DynamiteEvents in JanuaryJanuary From the Principal
Dear Parents and Students,
I hope you all had a relaxing break and are nowfully charged for the spring term. The autumn termwas busy with so many activities and events re-lated to our school’s 10th anniversary. Thanks toall students and teachers who were involved in theorganisation of the events!
~ * ~On Wednesday 6.2. we shall hold a Parents’Evening with topics related to learning English andS2 (Finnish as a second language), as well as gr 9issues (Joint Application and Personal Project).I hope to see many of you there.
~ * ~At the beginning of the new year we would like toremind all parents that the school does not pro-vide supervision for children staying on the schoolpremises before and after school hours. Studentsare advised to come to school at the earliest halfan hour before their school starts in the morn-ings. After their lessons have ended, students ei-ther go to afternoon care, an organised club ac-tivity, or home. They are not allowed to stay unsu-pervised in the school premises unless awaitingcollection within half an hour. If there are stu-dents who have a pressing need to stay in theschool premises for longer than half an hour be-fore or after their school hours, we need to knowwhat their reasons are. For that purpose we havepermission cards which can be obtained upon re-quest from the class/homeroom teacher.
~ * ~We would like to know if there are any parents wil-ling to share their expertise with us in their child’sclass or in any other way. If you would like to co-me to school and either teach us something ortell us about your work, please contact yourchild’s class teacher in the PYP, or the StudentCounsellor in the MYP.
~ * ~Wishing you a grear year 2013 and many freshoutdoor days in January,Raija Perttunen
Coming up in FebruaryFebruary
Week 1 Wed 2.1. School starts (normal time-table followed)
Week 2 Wed 9.1. Students dismissed at12:15 due to teachers’ planning after-noon
Week 3 Wed 16.1. and Thu 17.1. lukioidenavoimet ovet (upper secondaryschools’ open days for gr 9 students)
Week 4 Wed 23.1. at 18 OIS info eveningfor new families
Week 5
Oulu International School’s Newsletter January 2013
Week 6 Wed 6.2. at 17 Dream Teammeeting (Parent Reps + Management)Wed 6.2. at 18 Parents’ evening
Week 7 Gr 9 Parent teacher conferences thisweekTue 14.2. Valentine’s Day activitiesWed 13.2.-Fri 15.2. Gr 8 WorkPractice Period (TET)
Week 8 22.2. at 13 Entrance tests for newstudentsWeeks 8-9 Student Trainees fromUniversity
Week 9
The OIS 10th Anniversary Musical Celebrationon 4.12.2012 was the first time ever in the historyof OIS to have every single class perform onstage. Pictured the grade 5 students who gavetheir view on the MYP Areas of Interaction. Morephotos on p. 2 and 3.
OIS DYNAMITE January 2013Page 2
Primary Years Programme
New Programme ModelsHeidi Tuomela, PYP Coordinator
This autumn we were introduced to the new IBprogramme models. These models have beencreated to illustrate the coherence across thefour IB programmes and highlight each program-me’s unique elements. The new models continueto be built around the learner profile, with anunderpinning theme of international-mindedness.
Approaches to teaching and learning arenow embedded within all four programmes (PYP,MYP, DP and IBCC), which are further aligned byeach one culminating in a learning experience.
The core circle remains illustrative of thelearner’s position at the heart of the PYP curricu-lum framework. The three components of thePYP curriculum cycle (written, taught and asses-sed) now embodied in Approaches to Teaching,aligns with MYP, DP and IBCC programmes. Thenew model also reinforces the PYP pedagogy ofauthentic learning that is inquiry-based and con-ceptually driven. There are still six subject groupsin the next inner circle, but the distinction bet-ween them is less marked to indicate the trans-disciplinary nature of the PYP.
The PYP culminates in the Exhibition, andthis features on the new model. This circle de-monstrates the clear alignment with action, andwith the culminating activities in MYP, DP andIBCC.
International-mindedness, encompassingmore than just the individual learner, features inthe outermost circle as it underpins and alignsthe PYP with the three other programmes.
As all this IB jargon might be a little con-fusing and hard to understand, we decided toform a parent team to work with these issuesand help us make them more understandable onthe grassroot level. Three parent representativeswill work together with the coordinators on edu-cational issues, such as creating parent-friendlytools and guidelines to support your child in anIB school and better understand its special featu-res, such as the inquiry-based learning.
Grade 4 students performed a song Just a single candle.It told us how important one person is for the wholecommunity.
In their song, gr 1 students sang about the start ofschool. They wore caps with text "Keltanokka liiken-teessä." (photo Jaakko Myyri)
OIS DYNAMITE January 2013 Page 3
Middle Years Programme
10 years of OISHistory – 10 Years ofMy Personal HistoryText & photos Raija Johnson
My eldest child started her school career inMyllytulli English speaking classes, and she wasin grade three when OIS started as an inde-pendent school. My second child started in thefirst grade at OIS 10 years ago. My third oneentered the school when OIS was two yearsold followed a year later by my fourth child.There was a time when all four were in thesame school.
Every child’s school path is unique. Eachchild’s first day of school makes their mothercry because it is a milestone when one part oftheir childhood is over. Each child’s last day ofschool in grade 9 makes their mother cry be-cause they are starting a new phase in theirlives. They have ‘roots and wings’, knowledgeof who they are and the skills to fly out to theworld.
I have been fortunate to see OIS growfrom a toddler to a 10-year-old. As OIS hasgrown with my children, I have grown togetherwith OIS and my children. As parents, whatskills and knowledge did we wish our childrento gain when we chose OIS as the place forour children? After all, these are the most im-portant years of their education.
We chose the school because wewanted our children to be interculturallyaware. We wanted them to be academicallybilingual and to acquire such language skills thatthey could communicate on a high level withboth of their parents. The IB programmes havesupported all of the above in a very construc-tive way. The programmes challenged our chil-dren and made them thinkers and open-minded. They have challenged us parents, tooas we were, perhaps, more involved in ourchildren’s school work.
The best things about OIS, according toour children, have been the tolerant atmos-phere towards different cultures, their experi-ences with different English accents and theabsence of textbooks. Finally, the stunning OIS10th anniversary celebration had a lasting effecton them - and their mother.
Gr 8 & 9 students performing their own song Uusi alku. Thelyrics were written by 9th graders Riina Posti, Sara Walsh andSusanna Paasovaara and it was composed by 8th grader HillaVanhala .
A public recognition of the good work done at OIS: the Sus-tainable Development (KeKe) Certificate. The certificate wasreceived by gr 9 students Jordi and Sofia. (photo Karin Parker)
6th graders’ song Come with Me was full of action.
Page 4 OIS DYNAMITE January 2013
Personal Projects by Anneli Jokelainen
With the spring approaching, it is worth remindingourselves about one constituent of the IB MYP thatstudents would perhaps rather forget: the PersonalProject. All Level 5 (grade 9) students are requiredto complete a Personal Project in the MYP.
The Personal Project is a piece of independent research,probably taking more time than anything any 9th grader hasdone before. It is a product of the student’s own initiative andshould reflect his/her experience of the MYP. It provides anexcellent opportunity for students to produce a truly crea-tive piece of work of their choice and to demonstrate theskills they have acquired.
Personal Project gives students an opportunity to dem-onstrate their awareness of the Areas of Interaction and effec-tiveness of their Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills. For stu-dents continuing in the IB Programme, the Personal Projectprepares them well for the Extended Essay. For those stu-dents who decide to continue in the national upper secon-dary school system, The Personal Project provides a wonder-ful experience of project work, which in time will turn out tobe valuable. At this moment it is perhaps hard to see thevalue of the Personal Project. Ask any former student of oursand they will convince you that it was a good experience!
Each gr 9 student has a teacher supervisor, with whomthey meet regularly to receive guidance and advice. On the15th of May, we shall organise a Personal Project Fair whereall the Personal Projects will then be displayed. We can lookforward to hearing music, seeing performances or videos andmuch more! Every year it is wonderful to see happiness andpride on the faces of the 9th graders: “I did it!”
The Personal Project may be for example: an original work of art (visual, dramatic, performance,
etc.)a written piece of work on a special topic (literary, so-cial, psychological, anthropological, etc.)
a piece of literary fiction (creative writing) an original science experiment an invention or specially-designed object or system the presentation of a developed business, management,
or organizational plan, i.e. for an entrepreneurial busi-ness or project, a special event, or the development of anew student or community organization.
Important dates in theSpring Term
Spring term 2.1. - 1.6.
HolidaysSkiing holiday: Week 10 (4 - 8.3.)Easter holiday: 29.3. -1.4.Vapunpäivä (May Day) 1.5.Ascension Day break: 9 - 10.5.
For those planning their summerholiday trips, autumn term startson Monday 12.8.
“For students continuing in the IBProgramme, the Personal Projectprepares them well for the Ex-tended Essay. For those studentswho decide to continue in the na-tional upper secondary school sys-tem, The Personal Project providesa wonderful experience of projectwork”
Would you like to advertisein OIS Dynamite?
We would gratefully receive dona-tions (e.g. books and magazine sub-scriptions) or any other contributionyou can make to our school. In returnwe can advertise your company orproject in OIS Dynamite. If you wouldlike to know more, send an email [email protected]
