Arusha Campus News – 29 Jan 2021

Anisa and her Granny enjoy a tree walk courtesy of Mark (Baba Ava) this week. 

In the short time since my last newsletter we have done some wonderful things nonetheless! I love this picture of Anisa and her Granny (thank you Mr Ali) as they walk around looking at our beautiful campus trees. A real ‘2020/21’ picture if ever there was one!

I shall keep my column brief. Well done to the D2’s. We are terrifically proud of you as you come to the end of your mock exams.

For the rest of us, we acknowledge that we are in the midst of a period of uncertainty. One of the best ways to prepare yourself at such a time is to say pleasant things to one another, accept that we all have slightly different ideas about everything and assume that everyone is doing their best.

Have a super weekend,

Phil

P4/5 share their knowledge on body systems

We have had an amazing week in the Primary school. P2/3 shared their learning with their parents. They taught their parents about the trees on our beautiful campus and showed off their ability to round numbers to nearest 10. At break time the P6 class put on skits to show their understanding of significant historical events. These were great fun and educational to watch. The P4/5 class shared their knowledge of different body systems during Share Time. They showed their Swahili play, body percussion pieces, song, experiments, poetry books and body systems books.
What great ways to end unit 3. We can’t wait to see what our next units bring!

Amanda

Finn, Linnea and Lola present their pop up drama about Women’s Rights in the USA

EC has had an exciting week! We have been learning of many ways we look after our pets. We had a visit from Lena the vet and enjoyed the experience of parents bringing in pets. This is Lena (above) with her family pet.

Antonio Damian and Lilian’s choice of WW1 poet (above) was David Jones

Through Approaches to Learning (ATL) in the MYP program, students develop skills that have relevance across the curriculum that help them “learn how to learn”. ATL skills can be learned and taught, improved with practice and developed incrementally. They provide a solid foundation for learning independently and with others. One of the ATL skills in the MYP program is “Research skills”. 

As I was starting and invigilating a number of mock examination papers this week in our Performance Area, I could not help thinking how lucky we were to be able to hold them face to face. Being in touch with former colleagues across the globe, I can easily say that the number of schools still able to have their full campus open and run “normally” is small.

Nonetheless we cannot deny that the uncertainty of the near future takes a heavy toll on the students, particularly the D2. I recently completed the survey sent by the IB, enquiring about our current situation. As of now, we are able to host the examinations next May. To compensate the fact that most schools were closed and had to set up a temporary (or still on-going in many schools) distance-learning programme at some point this past year, the IB has adapted the May 2021 assessments papers and weightings in various subjects, and in some cases even cancelled one paper. Still, we are reminding the students to work hard on their internal assessments and encourage them to start a revision schedule as soon as the mock examinations are over (next Monday is the last day).

In the meantime, the D1 are getting familiar with the challenges of the IB Diploma programme: organisation is key and following the internal deadlines will save them from unnecessary stress.
At this stage, any request of change of subject will be rejected, since the student will have missed more than a whole semester of teaching. Instead, we recommend the student to look for ways to improve, such as setting up a meeting with his/her teacher and/or start a study group with peers after school or during the weekend.

Nathalie Vignard
(IB Diploma Coordinator)

Whilst D2 were in exams, D1 Language and Literature Classes were playing pictionary with words from current studied novels.

We are excited to get back to the CCA programme this week for quarter 3, and what a quarter is promises to be with over 50 different activities on offer for our students. CCA’s provide a real opportunity for our students to develop skills, confidence and experiences well beyond the boundaries of classroom walls. Whether this be through creativity, action or service, our diploma students, staff and local coaches really look forward to an excellent 7 week programme.

Matt and Amanda

Sign-up procedures:

1. Sign-up on Google forms (email already sent to students).
2. To secure a spot on a trip, payment should be made directly at the accounts’ department asap. As there are limited places, priority will be given to students who finalized payment first.
For the Ngorongoro trip, a deposit of 25 % of the total cost should be made in January and the remaining balance should be paid by the end of February.
Our trip costs are made up of transport and food costs ; teachers, guides and porters costs, WMA
or National Park fees. The differing prices for Tanzanian and expatriate students reflect differing charges from WMA or National Parks. Prices below are in US dollars but payments can be done in TZ Shillings.

Rise and Shine

We continue to learn ways that life never ceases to surprise us, and yet we also find ways to persevere while we also learn more about ourselves along the way. It is so important that we not only learn how to handle life’s adversities in healthy ways, but also model strategies for our child. Beyond modeling, we can use direct instruction to help create an understanding of mental health and wellbeing for the young people who look to us in tough times. Next week is a special week to delve into this topic as the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families is providing a slew of resources for Children’s Mental Health Week 1-6 February. We invite you to explore

 https://mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/resources/express-yourself-children-s-mental-health-week-toolkit/?utm_source=sim&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=cmhw21

 to learn more about this important awareness week, and ways to provide your child with tools to maintain and enhance their mental health. The theme this year is “Express Yourself,” and there is so much that can be done to help children learn how to do this in creative ways.

Another way to help children discover their ability to express themselves and learn about resiliency is through the biographies of people who have overcome adversity and found success in life. Since February is Black History Month, this is a great time to introduce children to individuals who have risen in spite of their circumstances. A great place to start is with author and educator, Dr. Maya Angelou who has given many people an anthem for resiliency through her poem ‘Still I Rise’. Just like the mountains that overlook our campuses, we can all find ways to rise and build upon our inner strength no matter what life throws at us.

On the college counseling side, we are still inviting parents of M4-D2 students to request Parent Access to their child’s Maia Learning Account.where a majority of the post-secondary planning work will take place. You can send an email to counselor_moshi@uwcea.org

with your child’s name, grade level, your name, and preferred email address in order to be provided access to follow along on your child’s planning journey.

Finally, this is a tremendous time to learn more about post-secondary options that exist around the world. It is important to recognize that virtual visits by colleges and universities are not just for students, they are also a time for parents to learn more about the opportunities that exist for their child. Please take a moment to review some of the upcoming events on

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PkurQYYtwz1sdX5b44r22DgdZk4F-U8g/view?usp=sharing

and sign up to attend one or two that interest you. Then talk with your child about what you learned and how this might apply to their post-secondary plans.

Take care and persevere,

UWCEA School Counseling Team

CLear out your Christmas reads and donate your unwanted texts to our appeal! All books will be willingly received at our Main Reception.

My name is Gabriel Kalamata with many years of experience of teaching music theory, practical piano and voice lessons.
I follow the ABRSM (The Exam Board of Royal School of Music) curriculum from the UK whereby students can learn theory of music, voice and piano grade 1-8.
Piano students can take part in ABRSM exams once or twice a year.This is not compulsory, it is up to the student and parents to make this decision.

Here are the times available at the moment.
Monday 3:00-5:00 pm
Tuesday 12:12:30 pm and 3:30-5:00 pm
Wednesday 3:00-3:30 pm and 3:30-5:00 pm
Thursday 12;00-12:30 pm and 4:30-5:00 pm

Preferably individual lessons for primary students. One lesson is Tshs 20000 and for one hour is 30000 payable at the beginning of the term.
Parents who are interested to develop the talent of their children in music can call me on 0753 341076,0786 250226 or email me kalamata734@gmail.com

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