From the Director
Dear ABC community,
I think you all know by now how passionately I believe in an holistic approach to education that properly prepares young people to be able to flourish, and be agents of positive change, in tomorrow’s world. I think our ABC values, qualities and skills provide us with a great template for supporting children in their journey towards becoming true ROCs. I am a particularly strong advocate for developing emotional intelligence in our young people; I think it is perhaps the single most important skill to have if one is going to be happy and successful in life and work. But how does one teach emotional intelligence? And if we do find a way to teach it, how will we assess it?
What follows is a series of success criteria taken from an emotional competence framework developed by “The Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organisations”. They are aimed at adults so you may find them interesting to reflect upon in terms of your own professional life (as I did!) but I am pretty sure they could be adapted, or selected from, to produce something that could work for assessing young people. See what you think….
People with high levels of emotional intelligence:
Show a sense of humor and perspective about themselves
Are effective in give-and-take, registering emotional cues and fine-tuning their message accordingly
Guide the performance of others while holding them accountable
Stay composed, positive, and unflappable, even in trying moments
Admit their own mistakes and confront unethical actions in others
Find a sense of purpose in the larger mission
Help out based on understanding other people’s needs and feelings
Use complex strategies like indirect influence to build consensus and support
Orchestrate win-win solutions
Build team identity, esprit de corps, and commitment
Reflect on, and learn quickly from, experience
There are many more and, believe me, reflecting on the full list is a pretty humbling experience (at least it was for me!). Nevertheless, regardless of how many of these kinds of attributes we feel we possess, or to what degree, I think we would all agree that people who have these sorts of skills and abilities are forces for good in our families, our communities and our workplaces and in general make our world a better place. If that is so, then the question we must ask ourselves, as both parents and educators is: what are we doing to purposely develop these competencies in our young people?
Don’t get me wrong, much of what we do with our young people will help to develop the kinds of skills listed above but an incidental, even accidental, way. We must become more focused in our efforts and more consciously plan ways in which we can promote these qualities. There are two things we can do very easily to make an immediate impact:
Share the What and the Why- give students the language of emotional intelligence; share the success criteria (in student-friendly terms) and articulate what they really look like and be persuasive about why they are so important.
Assess- whether it be self-assessment or peer assessment, formative assessment or summative assessment, we must encourage students to reflect on their level of competence and incentivise improvement. For good or ill, 30 years in education has taught me that, if you want students to take something seriously, you need to assess it.
Watch this space….
….and have a great weekend!
Stephen Lang
Director
From the Head of Primary
Welcome to our Y Cohort
We have had another successful week of hybrid with our Cohort Y in school from 1st to 5th Grade. Here is a video with some photos.
Mask Information
Please make sure your child is ready in the mornings to have their temperature checked with their mask on. Only KN95 or N95 masks can be worn. We do not accept masks with valves. Please ensure they have 1 or 3 spares with them.
Cover
This week we have emailed parents if the class teacher or assistant is absent. When in-school staff have been absent, and we have covered the class with a different member of our team. All cover follows our hybrid protocols, and the cover teacher will have been working online and therefore not had any contact with another bubble for 14 days previously. Please be reassured we will tell you if the absence is a suspected or confirmed Covid-19 case, as this will mean that the bubble is closed and your child will need to switch to online learning. There may be more absences than usual as we are being very careful not to allow any staff or students with even mild or non-covid symptoms to attend school. However, all staff or students who feel unwell, must visit their doctor immediately to provide us with further information, as we are very well aware that Covid-19 can present a wide range of symptoms, especially in children.
Online timetables
Many of our students continue with online learning, either full time or on alternate weeks. Some of the online timetables have been extended to provide more lessons during the day. Some parents have been concerned about the amount of screen time. Firstly we have been so impressed with the way our students have adapted to online learning and their ability to engage virtually. Secondly, our teachers have been developing creative ways to ensure a virtual lesson is not screen time, with the children completing practical, active tasks away from the screen and using the Google Meet for communication only. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact your class teacher. Please note that all online lessons for 1st to 5th Grade are compulsory, including specialist sessions and that students must have their cameras on. If your child can not attend and session or cannot use their camera, then please contact the class teacher so that they know. We are keeping detailed records or both the levels of attendance and engagement of students. The online timetables for Pre-Kinder, Kinder and Prepa may be too demanding for some of our young students. Class teachers can create a more flexible timetable based on your child’s needs, interests and other activities. Please request a meeting with your class teacher to start this process. Please remember that if your child is online full-time that they should attend the additional sessions with their class teacher as per the timetable.
Continuing to Celebrate our Teaching Assistants
Mauricio Paredes
I started working at the ABC as an intern in 2017, and worked with many grades from PK to 4th grade. In 2019 I was hired as a learning assistant for Pre-Kinder. I am an ABC graduate, and qualified as a teacher in Educacion Inicial and Parvularia. I am also almost nearly done with my licenciatura. I have participated in all of the professional development opportunities provided by the school, including the Educare certifications... and with such great professional development opportunities, who knows what awaits next! My biggest strength is working in Early Years. I love the ABC pedagogy, letting children learn through play and through their interests. You get to know the children individually, their experiences are broad, and they get excited with the smallest learning step and every achievement they make. You can keep challenging them, because you know they are capable of overcoming whatever challenge you set them. If I enjoy teaching this much, then I cannot imagine how children feel!
Dates for your Diary
PRIMARY
May
Monday 3rd - Week ‘X’ Hybrid Plan
Monday 3rd - Día de la Cruz
Wednesday 5th - “Superhero T-shirt Day”
Friday 7th - Soldier Day
Monday 10th - Mother’s Day (school closed)
Tuesday 11th - Week ‘Y’ Hybrid Plan
Monday 17th - Week ‘X’ Hybrid Plan
Monday 24th - Week ‘Y’ Hybrid Plan
Monday 31st - Week ‘X’ Hybrid Plan
June
Monday 7th - Week ‘Y’ Hybrid Plan
Monday 14th - All students online
Tuesday 15th - All students online
Wednesday 16th - All students online
Wednesday 16th - Last day of school
Thursday 17th - Father’s Day
Tuesday 22nd - Teacher’s Day
As you know our Grade 11 are back in school. They have all been following our school protocols and expectations, it is really lovely to see them on the school campus again.
Here are some pictures of the first G11 students to be on campus since March 2020!
ABC Art Exhibition IB2021
Ms. Angélica Hernández
Our group consisted of eight emerging artists:
Isabella Bolaños Fontg
María Jimena Castro Chico
Sofía Jan Eun Liu
Luciana María Loucel Morales
Alana Isabel Palomo Hernández
Luciana Palomo Menéndez
Gabriel Alejandro Rivera Gómez
Alissa Elizabeth Velásquez Peraza
They are a committed group that has known how to overcome challenges and work with
greater autonomy. They put their creative ability to the test during challenging times, when
even the acquisition of materials was limited.
Their creations provide answers to reflections on global situations where they invite the
viewer to be part of the group that will begin to make significant changes in society and
that are so necessary in our time. Some of the themes of their artwork are: awareness of
our ecological impact on nature, the role of women in society, the social impact of the
pandemic, racial problems, stereotypes, childhood, migration and its impact on families, etc.
They are themes that sensitize and motivate us to think about our particular contribution so
that these problems or situations are overcome.
Art is more than just drawing. In this program, the student becomes a citizen who
motivates us to overcome barriers or who illustrates a certain problem so that we are
moved to act in favour of a better society.
In this exhibition there are 74 pieces in total, but behind this there are hundreds of drafts,
experiments and other artistic analysis processes.
All of this would not be possible without the invaluable support of families.
In the end, these young artists, through the use of graphic language, have managed to
show part of what our current reality is, contributing to the construction of our culture.
Pre University Program
Grade 12 can register for virtual sessions in our Pre University Program that will run from Monday May 3rd to Friday May 21. These sessions will provide them with skills which will come in handy as they embark in their next journey to a more independent lifestyle.
Sessions will include a wide range of topics; cooking, budgeting, cleaning, safety, healthy eating, travel tips, and more.
We want to help them navigate what will be the next chapter in their lives. Students have access to sign up sheets to register for each session that have the dates and times for each session and materials to be used.
Cameras
Again we are asking for your support regarding the use of cameras.
HoY will be contacting you with our policy regarding the use of them. Please encourage your children at home as we are doing in school. Having cameras on improves concentration, student participation and engagement in class. Here are some of the reasons why all children should have them on:
It helps build a sense of community within the “classroom.”
When other people can see what you are doing in class, it forces you to focus.
It sends a message that you are engaged in class.
Camera use allows teachers to better gauge the needs of their classes.
Secondary Book Week
This week was Book Week in Secondary and what a wonderful Book Week it was. This was the second year we have held it completely online. This year, however, was a very different Book Week Experience from last year's event. This year, our librarians teamed up with librarians from the other IB schools in El Salvador, the Internacional Book Shop, and various authors from around the country to plan a variety of powerful activities. The LRC Team put together a Book Week website to which they added collections of challenges, video sessions, and book fair links.
LRC Challenges were provided for students and in some cases by students as was the case of the Read 2 Books per Month challenge. Additional activities included the Calligram and Creative Writing Exhibition challenges. A prize will be awarded to the top submission in each category.
During Book Week, students in 6th,7th, 9th, and 12th-grade students took part in a variety of exciting activities, in which they interacted with authors and students, locally as well as in other areas of the world. Please visit the LRC Blog to read more about all of the activities that took place during Secondary Book Week.
Kind regards,
Carmen Chávez
Assistant Headteacher - Student Wellbeing
Dates for your diary
SECONDARY
May
Monday 3rd - Cohort X - for Grades 6, 7, 8, 9 & 11 Hybrid
Monday 3rd - School Mock Court Project (commences)
Wednesday 5th - Second Superhero T-shirt Day
Monday 10th - Mothers Day (National holiday-school closed)
Tuesday 11th - Cohort Y - Grade 6, 7, 8, 9 & 11 Hybrid
Thursday 13th - Secondary DVA-PAC: Theme Earth a Tribute
Monday 17th - Cohort X - Grade 6, 7, 8, 9 & 11 Hybrid
Monday 24th - Cohort Y - Grade 6, 7, 8, 9 & 11 Hybrid
Monday 24th - Cohort Y - Grade 6, 7, 8, 9 & 11 Hybrid
Monday 24th - G9/11 Exams
Monday 31st - Cohort X - Grade 6, 7, 8, 9 & 11 Hybrid
June
Wednesday 2nd - STEAM Fest - Exposition launch
Thursday 3rd - Class 2021: Acción de Gracias, de forma virtual
Monday 7th - Cohort Y - Grade 6, 7, 8, 9 Hybrid
Monday 7th - School Mock Court Project (ends)
Thursday 10th - Class of 2021 Graduation
Friday 11th - STEAM Fest - winners announced
Saturday 12th - Class of 2021 Graduation Dinner
Monday 14th to Wednesday 16th - All Secondary grades online
Wednesday 16th - Last Day of School Year 20-21
Thursday 17th - Father's Day (school closed)
Friday 18th - First day of summer holiday (school closed)
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