BIS Newsletter

Newsletter January 2020 Principal’s Message Highlight of the Month : Language Showcase PYP Coordinator Message Spellathon Kite Flying : Kai-Po-Che Three Way Conference French Poetry Day Basant Panchami Celebration IH Brochure Making Guest Visit Bodhi Career Education Hub Student Corner

EW INDIA SCHOOL RANKINGS 2017-18 2018-19 International Day Schools International Day Schools EW INDIA SCHOOL EW INDIA SCHOOL RANKINGS 2017-2018 RANKINGS 2018-219 2019-20 International Day Schools EW INDIA SCHOOL RANKINGS 2019-20 EW GRAND JURY AWARDS 2016-17 2017-18 3rd 8th Emerging High‑Potential EW GRAND JURY Schools AWARD 2017‑18 EW GRAND JURY AWARD 2016‑17 2018-19 2019-20 5 th 3rd EW GRAND JURY Career Counseling Leaders AWARD 2018‑19 EW GRAND JURY AWARD 2019‑20

FROM PRINCIPAL’S DESK Dear Board Exam Candidates I have found the following exam ps from a blog wri en by Mr Jonathan Mar n which I think is worth sharing. Regards Venunadhan B. Pillai Principal “Exams are next week: how many of you are looking forward to taking exams? I hope the answer is many of you, because I believe that when a well­prepared mind engages with a well designed test, fireworks can happen inside our minds. I had many experiences of feeling more intellectually s mulated, engaged, crea ve and innova ve, when taking a well­designed exam than during almost any other me. My mind leapt to new insights and percep ons, made more connec ons and inferences, and discovered and constructed original solu ons or approaches to vexing problems. I loved taking exams. But you do need to be well prepared to be successful. Some sugges ons for you to be be er prepared. 1. When you study, don't just read: write! Too o en we think we are studying when we let our eyes dri over the words in our notes, our textbooks, and our study guides. That isn't enough; we must write to remember and develop be er understanding. My freshman year of college I struggled with my midterms, and was quite disappointed with the results. Come finals, I chose to do something I had never done before: I simply rewrote, word for word, every note I had taken during lecture– and when I went to take my exams I was flabbergasted with how much more I recalled and how much more confident and authorita ve I was addressing the ques ons. Recopy notes, or write about

your notes and texts: what are the most interes ng, more original, most surprising, most confusing, most important, most controversial ideas or informa onal nuggets in the texts you are studying?, Write these out, and you will be be er prepared. 2. Study in groups. When this works well, it is awesome; when it doesn't work well, it can be a disaster. The opportunity is great, but effec ve execu on is essen al. When you do it well, the result will be be er understanding and reten on of key factual content and key interpreta ons, be er an cipa on of what will be on the test, and far more breadth of wisdom in how to answer those ques ons. Here is my suggested strategy for group study: gather 3­6 students, no more, together for a couple of hours: be clear up­front that this is serious study me. Have food available: this is very valuable! Bagels and cream cheese (not donuts or candy) is my recommenda on. Spend thirty to forty five minutes brainstorming what you think will be asked on the test: review previous tests, study guides, textbook unit tests, and any other materials to guide you. You might have each member of the group individually write up 3­4 ques ons, and then share them with the group for discussion and feedback as you generate the best (and what you think are most likely) test ques ons you can iden fy. Then, having established the best set of poten al ques ons you can determine, spend 90­120 minutes answering them. You might talk about them, one at a me, taking turns having a group member be the note­taker, and talk as widely, deeply, and inclusively as you can about how to answer these ques ons. If you didn't come up with good, challenging, and representa ve problems in the first round, this round might fall flat. Some mes it works be er to divvy the ques ons up, have each of you individually answer them in wri ng, then share the answers out loud for discussion and expansion. The discussion benefits you two ways: as someone speaking and sharing your suggested answer, you yourself are gaining far more comprehension and reten on of those ideas because the best way to deeply understand and remember ideas is to explain it to someone else. Second, by listening to others, you will get new ideas and perspec ves to bring to bear on the ques on you might never have thought of, and by using this broader set of ideas in your answer on the exam, you will perform be er than you would have alone!

3. Exercise and sleep. This is common­sense and universally advised, but it bears repea ng. Exercise in par cular is so valuable; take the me to walk every 30­45 minutes around the block or up some stairs. You might even try to do very light exercise, on a treadmill or exercise bike at low rates for instance, while you are studying. 4. Move around. When you are trying to learn, master, and memorize ideas or facts, do so while moving from spot to spot. At each spot, focus on learning one idea/fact/topic, and do so while looking around and taking in your surroundings. Do this inside or outside your house or anywhere you might be. If possible, repeat, returning to the same loca on for the same nugget. Our brains are more like those of squirrels or pigeons than we realize; they are deeply wired to associate learnings with loca on. Squirrels memorize the loca on for their acorns so they can return to them months later; if we associate a physical loca on with an idea, it is imprinted in our brain, so that all we need to do is remember the loca on and the acorn buried there will return to mind in all its detail and specificity. 5. Connect smells to learning. This may seem bizarre, but as Proust taught us with the madeleine, memory and smell are deeply & powerfully intertwined. You might try sucking on a par cularly flavored altoid mint while you study a difficult subject, and then, (with the permission of your teacher!), suck on that same flavor mint while you take your exam. Medina, in his terrific book Brain Rules, tells us that research has demonstrated, this works. One more p, not about studying but exam­taking. When you encounter a ques on which en rely stymies you– one you think you have no idea whatsoever how to answer– just begin wri ng. Begin to fill that white space with something, anything. You might try just rewri ng the ques on, and then free­associate to anything at all you do remember about the topic at hand– even if your ideas have no direct rela onship to the ques on at hand. What you will find, more o en than not, is that ideas are connected to other ideas; ideas follow each other like a long train of widely varying units, and by beginning to write words and ideas you do know, the connected ones that you have forgo en begin to emerge in your mind and on the paper. Just get the train of ideas moving, and what you are looking for will come along before too long.”

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH LANGUAGE SHOWCASE T KALEIDOSCOPE: THE LANGUAGE SHOWCASE DAY he ambience was filled with expressions, emo ons and eloquence when the first ever languages showcase day was celebrated at school. The gala fest of unity in diversity involved students from grades 6­9 who exhibited all the best of ac vi es conducted round the year. The French version of 'faded' sung by students compelled the audience to tap their feet along; poetry recita on, nukkad natak, enactment of proverbial tale and French conversa on gave good glimpses into the language skills that Bodhians possess. The student organized games and food stalls were highly appreciated by all.

LANGUAGE SHOWCASE

LANGUAGE SHOWCASE

LANGUAGE SHOWCASE

NEWS FROM PYP

FROM PYP Coordinator Message Dear Parent, Another even ul month at Bodhi has just passed by successfully. The month of January has seen a flurry of ac vi es across school a month which showcased the physical ability levels of each student. While the a en on was on the prepara ons for the Founder's Day, our focus never shi ed from academics. We are extremely proud of how brilliantly well this year's PYP Founder's Day went and for the enthusiasm and team spirit our young Bodhians put forth. It was wonderful to see a great parent turnout. I would also like to men on that weeks of deliberate prac ce and constant feedback ensured our students performance in this pursuit of excellence was brilliant. As a new ini a ve to ensure seamless and consistent learning, we have started sending homework on daily basis. As a parent, please ensure that your ward completes and returns it on me. I o en meet parents who are willing to get involved in their child's learning more ac vely. Here are some ps for all parents who aim at it: As a PYP parent, this is what you can do…. At home, talk about, model and prac ce the IB a tudes and learner profile at­ tributes on a daily basis. Discuss current events and news. (local and global) Explore the world through maps. Experience different cultures within and outside your community. Ask ques ons, gather and organize informa on, and share learning. At School? Be ac ve in your community through volunteering, service­ learning projects and educa ng other parents about the PYP. Be involved and par cipate in PTA, school & class events (field trips, fundraisers, class parent etc.) Help connect what is learned at school to life outside the classroom. Stay connected with school/class/PTA and communicate regularly.

Meditation Session 04th January 2020 Bodhi Interna onal School acknowledges the fact that students feel stressed and worked up. But this cannot be avoided due to the fast pacing, compe ve scenario; in fact, an a empt can be made to maintain balanced mental health.

Spellathon 08th January 2020 To enrich the vocabulary, pronuncia on and understanding of words, an Intra­ Class Spellathon compe on was recently conducted at BIS for the students of grades Seedling to 5. It was a fun­filled contest. The contestants were asked to spell words taken from their current UOI. The students took part in the compe on enthusias cally. They got an exposure to a world of new words.

Kite Flying : Kai-Po-Che 11th January 2020 Makar Sankran , the fes val of kites and l chikkis was celebrated on the 11th of January. The students from seedlings to V were asked to bring their parents to fly kites in the majes c Bodhi Greens. It was an amazing sight to see the colorful kites in the sky and each student trying hard to keep their kite flying high. While a majority of children were able to quickly fly their kites, a few were struggling to get their kites released from the thread. One could also see the special bonding between the parents and their kids while flying their kite! Some parents even re­lived their childhood days and kept encouraging their kids. The students and parents thoroughly enjoyed this ac vity to the fullest.

Three Way Conference 18th January 2020 A Three­Way Conference is an opportunity for students to share their strengths, areas for growth and to set a learning goal with their parents and teachers. We held a Three­Way Conference to value the students' strengths, to encourage self­direc on in their learning and to enhance the development of a growth mind­ set in them. Through three­way, conference we explored ways for our students to share learning in physical educa on, music and art in a meaningful way. Through the 3­way conferences, we look forward to strengthen the home­school partnership and allow children to see their parents and teacher working together with them.

CHILDREN DAY French Poetry Day CELEBRATION 27th January 2020 10th October 2019 We, at Bodhi aim to encourage people to read, discover and be inspired by poetry. People always seem to have had a need to express themselves through poems. Keeping this in mind we organized our first ever French Poetry Day. Students from grade 1­5 recited beau ful French poems and enthralled the audience.

Basant Panchami Celebration 29th January 2020 Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami is celebrated in reverence to the Hindu deity Goddess Saraswa , epitome of learning, music & art. To celebrate this fes val, the students of the school held a Special Assembly. The spring of joy took over when a prayer ceremony worshipping Goddess Saraswa was led by offerings of spring flowers by all the students & staff of the school.

NEWS FROM SENIOR SCHOOL

IH Brochure Making 07th January 2020 “A brochure is an informa ve paper document that can be folded into a pamphlet or leaflet. Brochures are promo onal documents, primarily used to introduce a company, organiza on, products or services and inform I prospec ve customers or members of the public of the benefits.” nter House Brochure Making compe on for grades 6­8 (middle phase) was conducted on 16th Jan 2020 in IT Lab. Students were asked to choose one topic from four op ons, based on which they had to design an informa ve and a rac ve brochure. They were given one hour to explore and use their crea ve ideas to make a brochure of two pages, using document produc on tools. The budding designers displayed a good sense of crea vity, team spirit and presenta on skills using simple tools of document produc on.

Guest Visit The portals of Bodhi were blessed by dis nguished presence of Ambassador Dr Deepak Vohra Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Lesotho and Guinea­Bissau, Special Advisor Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Leh and Kargil.

Bodhi Career Eduction Hub “I wish to stress that parents cannot be uninterested in the education of their children, but it is necessary that they become even more aware that the school does not exempt them from their mission, but aids them in fulfilling it; and that they are the first educators of their children, the harmonious collaboration between family and school is indispensable: Both united in the impassioned task of forming men and women.” Pope John Paul II The above message itself explains the collabora ve and contributory role of the parents in the school system. As the exams are approaching, the stress, mood swings and confusion will be part of their daily rou ne. To ensure that their examina ons go well and they perform to the best of their poten al, here are the few ps for parents: Help them in keeping their study table organized and remove any clu er. The best way is to stack each subject in one rack that includes books, revision notes, prac sed past papers etc. as per the exam datesheet. Strategize the me of using a laptop/mobile with limited access as prolonged surfing/usage may lead to wastage of precious me. Nego a ons about the rules to be followed during exams prepara on help the students feel responsible. A nutri ous diet and good sleep are very important, especially during the exams. Talk to them for 10­15 minutes daily to discuss their progress in prepara on. This also helps them in be er planning as some mes students are unable to see the gaps in their study skills. A conversa on definitely helps. Insist on a break of 5­10 minutes a er every two hours as this will keep refreshing their brain to learn and perform be er. The most significant p to remember is, not to compare the child with any sibling at home or any child or friend or one in the neighborhood but with his/her own previous performance. Let's work as a team to make our students' future bright. Happy Paren ng!! Chetna Sabharwal Head, College Placements & Guidance

STUDENT CORNER

STUDENT CORNER My Project: Secret Candy Box I went to a science fest, so after sometime it was time to sit and do work. So, the teacher told us about positive wires and negative wire. Positive wire: red, because it has more shock chances. Negative wire: black, because it has less chances of shock. How we made it: First, I took the buzzer and the battery holder. I attached the wires of both of them. Then I kept it in a small box, then I put the switch and my secret candy box was ready. By: Vedant Kewalramani Grade 3 B

STUDENT CORNER Interna onal curriculum trains you for life as leaders and cri cal thinkers. Our Head Boy, Lakshya Bothra, and Head Girl, Meghal Jain, have already received mul ple offers from the best Indian and interna onal universi es as they have been focused about the courses they wish to pursue. Joining them in the league are Cherish Mundhra and Saniya Mundhra with substan al scholarships from USA and UK universi es. Career guidance, CV building , mentorship program, academic rigour, IAYP and many such ini a ves in last four years have resulted in the feat they achieved. Congratula ons! Lakshya Bothra Meghal Jain Grade : 12 Grade : 12 Cherish Mundhra Saniya Mundhra Grade : 12 Grade : 12

STUDENT CORNER Another feather added to our interna onal linkage program. Another feather was added to our interna onal linkage programthis year. Bodhi Career Educa on Hub feels elated to announce the selec on of Liyana Hussain and Ansh Chauhan to the pres gious 'The Junior Academy' by NYAS (Newyork Academy Of Sciences), Shazli Mekrani of IGCSE to summer program at Boston Leadership Ins tute, USA as well as Tulane University, USA.

STUDENT CORNER

STUDENT CORNER

www.bodhijodhpur.com