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Issue 5March/April 2015

C’s Educational Resource Center staff organized and hosted the first Outreach Workshop session of this

academic year in February: A total of 327 private and public school teachers from 80 schools throughout Lebanon participated in 18 different workshops. On April 18, the ERC sponsored another successful Outreach Workshop session. The warm weather and beautiful day brought some 400 teachers from 87 public and private schools around Lebanon to the Ras Beirut campus. They attended a total of 18 workshops presented by IC teachers, staff, and directors.

The workshops, presented in Arabic, English, or French offered something for everyone. It was also noted that more workshops conducted in French have been requested and offered this year than in previous years. Topics from the workshop sessions included technology integration in the subjects and the library, integrating theatre into classroom practice, evaluation, classroom management and lesson planning as well as teaching theory and methodologies. All together, the workshops provided teachers with the opportunity for reflection on their teaching and to learn something new. Information in the workshops focused on

giving teachers practical ideas and technology skills as well as perspectives that they may not have recognized before and that can be used immediately with their students. “I’ve learnt that teaching is guiding,” stated a participant.

Teachers pointed out that they were provided with ways to allow their students more freedom of choice within guidelines, to think independently, and to become both motivated and engaged with their learning. “There are some new activities that I’ve learned today that would certainly improve my teaching strategies in the classroom and make the students more involved.” The teachers expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate

in the workshops. “Thank you for taking the time to provide such valuable information,” commented one participant.n

IC contributes to teacher education in Lebanon: Outreach 2015

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ur first exchange teacher of the year, Mr. Kevin Haddad, visited IC’s Ras Beirut and Ain Aar

campuses. Mr. Haddad came to us from the Ridgefield Public School system and is a 4th grade classroom teacher from Newtown, Connecticut. Mr. Haddad, who primarily came to learn, was eager not only to observe but also to engage with the children. In one 4th grade classroom, he took over read-aloud time and sent the kids home with smiles on their faces, dancing and laughing in the wake of his dramatic reading. He noted afterwards that although there are differences between schools and classrooms all around the world

–“kids are kids are kids.” March brought us four exchange teachers eager to visit the school and classes. The Secondary School welcomed two exchange teachers - History teacher Mr. Richard Stewart and English instructor Mr. Austin Davis – from Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. Mr. Stewart and Mr. Davis visited with the directors, the guidance office and department heads as well as visiting classes in a variety of disciplines. “Thank you for doing so much to facilitate the visit of Austin and me in your great school,” wrote Richard Stewart. “We had a wonderful visit to the country – seeing the great sites in several different parts of

it. You helped to organize several wonderful class visits. In some cases Austin and I even got to do some of the teaching…. I look forward to the day when I can return to Lebanon, revisit the school and see places I was unable to visit this time….Thank you for your hospitality.”We also hosted two teachers from the Ahliyyah School for Girls in Jordan: Mervat Wahab, Head of the Elementary Section, and Alia Husseini, PYP Coordinator, visited the Elementary Schools on both Ras Beirut and Ain Aar campuses. They spoke with various directors, PYP coordinators and a number of teachers on both campuses. n

IC’s International Teacher Exchange Program – A Great Experience

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Patterns are everywhere!

atterns are everywhere! In nature, music, art… even plants! As part of their investigation into the unit of inquiry “How the World Works”, the students of Grade I and CP classes in both Ain Aar and Ras

Beirut enjoyed watching a fantastic Arabic play by “The

Lebanese Puppet Theatre” at “Tournesol” theatre about the cycle of the four seasons and how seeds adapt to it. A great way to get the children of Ain Aar and Ras Beirut together.n

t Ain Aar, Carole Katrib and her students decided to be the pioneers in trying out e-portfolios this year. Using e-blogger, the learners are documenting their learning journey

in all areas: during the process, they are learning and developing many IT skills some of which are scanning, posting pictures, and adding comments to their work.

Many challenges arose and all group members are collaborating to find solutions. “Collaboration and effective time management are key in the success of e-portfolios. I am seeing how my students are becoming more independent and aware of where they are in their learning” says Carole.n

C’s Dr. Mohamad Monem attended the NESA conference in Istanbul and was selected to present

a workshop on Mathematics in the IB. Dr. Monem had already presented that workshop at a recent ERC outreach day.n

Portfolios Go Digital in Grade 2!

NESA SPRING EDUCATORS CONFERENCE in Istanbul

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e have purchased balls for the Lower Elementary students at Ain Aar, discussed how to play with them and of course, students were extremely happy to have four balls to share.

After a while, some balls went missing, others torn, and with all the good intentions in the world, we replaced them and reviewed the basic rules for using them. The problem persisted. We all convened and decided to

remove all balls and let the students (11 classes) talk to each other and come up with some solutions. Students engaged in long conversations with each other, talked during recess, in class with their teachers, explored solutions and came up with essential agreements-by themselves- which they committed to abide by. A lengthy process of 25 days! The balls are now back in the playground and things seem to be working well! n

oubnan ya kot3it sama”. C’est avec cette phrase tirée de la chanson de Wadih el Safi que Mme Samar Kazan a débuté sa présentation

Powerpoint sur le Liban en langue arabe. Les apprenants du CE2B de Ain Aar ont montré un vif intérêt aux propos tenus. Ils ont pris plaisir à découvrir la beauté, la richesse et la diversité de leur culture libanaise. n

A la découverte de notre culture!

Trust your students and they will solve it!

rage! Ô désespoir! ». Qui aurait dit qu’on volerait le trésor si cher à Harpagon et que l’honneur de Don Diègue volerait en éclats et effacerait ses années de gloire en

un tour de main? Qui aurait dit que des élèves auraient à vivre un dilemme

en lisant la scène IV De l’acte I du Cid de Corneille et le monologue de l’Avare de Molière de l’acte IV? Comment trancher? Eh bien, toutes ces questions ne sont pas restées sans réponses! Ces mêmes élèves de quatrième y ont réfléchi, les ont débattues et n’ont eu qu’à répondre à l’appel

du professeur : Ecrivez un monologue où Harpagon retrouve sa cassette, explose de joie, chatouille le lecteur à en rire jusqu’aux larmesSi vous êtes intéressés, si vous voulez en savoir plus, lisez ces extraits, écrits avec passion, humour mais surtout avec beaucoup de motivation... Graffiti attend ses lecteurs.Sawsane A. Malak. 4èmeAn

Lorsque la Tragédie et la Comédie se croisent sur scène ...

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année dernière, l’IC s’était illustrée en envoyant un élève à Paris pour participer avec l’équipe du Liban à la finale

internationale “ Des Ambassadeurs en Herbe” qui se déroula à l’UNESCO au mois de Mai.Cette année encore, l’AEFE reconduisait le projet et fixait au vendredi 6 Mars la finale zone Proche-Orient à l’ESA pour mettre en place l’équipe qui allait représenter cette zone au mois de Mai à l’UNESCO DE Paris.Au rendez-vous 15 équipes, venues de lycées et collèges homologués (75 élèves du cycle primaire, collège, secondaire), devaient s’affronter dans des joutes oratoires à l’issue desquelles 5 élèves seulement seraient retenus pour la finale internationale de Paris.C’est à 9 h qu’eurent lieu les tirages au sort des équipes devant s’affronter dans des joutes oratoires d’une heure chacune environ, à partir de documents iconographiques, de vidéos, de citations tirés au sort sur le thème “ Développement Durable”.A l’issue de ces joutes, 15 élèves seraient choisis pour être redistribués sur 3 équipes mixtes devant s’affronter à nouveau au cours d’une ultime joute qui retiendrait les 5 candidats représentant l’équipe du

Proche-Orient (Liban + Jordanie) qui s’en irait à Paris au mois de Mai.A l’issue de la première joute, l’IC, opposée à l’Athénée et au Grand lycée Franco- Libanais, tirait avec brio son épingle du jeu en parvenant à sélectionner 2 élèves pour la seconde phase de cette finale-zone: Tara Melhem de CM2 et Alessandro Khoury de 2nde.Suite à l’ultime phase de cette finale – zone, Tara Melhem fut sélectionnée. A cet excellent résultat est venu s’ajouter un autre: l’IC se qualifie aussi pour la finale - Liban sur le projet “ Débat de la Paix “ qui aura lieu vers la fin de Mai.n

algré les intempéries, les jambes cassées, et d’ autres obstacles, les parents de la MSA se

sont mobilisés pour venir faire part de leurs expériences en tant que professionnels et membres actifs et importants de la communauté. Mme Kazan, Mr. Mezher et Mme Tchilinguirian sont passés en classe pour partager l’histoire de la vie d’un avocat, d’un orthodontiste, et d’un directeur de marketing dans une maison d’édition. Les élèves étaient fascinés par les différents aspects de la vie professionnelle des parents.n

L ‘IC à la hauteur des défis : Des Ambassadeurs en Herbe

Les métiers de la MSA!

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C continues to reach out to our partners in the education process- the parents. Our Preschool parents attended

a session about play. Play allows for symbolization, encourages communication, confirms socialization and ensures a natural development of all literacy and numeracy skills. Literacy and numeracy development is embedded in the everyday communications, actions, thoughts and drawings of young children. When children play, they make connections and learn in an authentic way. At school, we use the classroom community, the environment and the curriculum to ensure that literacy and numeracy learning is authentic and based on problem posing and solving. When put in a problematic situation, children make connections and solve the problem while playing. In other terms, children are exposed to literacy and numeracy every minute of their day and they develop those skills by playing and

reflecting on their play. During the session, parents were put in their children’s shoes to experience how learning without connection becomes meaningless and frustrating. They were given examples, through pictures and

videos, of how children develop their numeracy and literacy skills while playing throughout the day. At the end, they were given a handout proposing play activities they can use at home to support their child’s development. n

Parents invited to learn about the significance of play

ast month Preschool and Elementary parents attended a session on students’ portfolios. Director Lina

Mouchantaf presented the What? How? and Why? of portfolios emphasizing the role of parents in their children’s reflection on their learning journey. During the student led conferences on April 1st, students used their portfolios to share what they have learned and the goals they have set in different areas of the curriculum.n

Parents inquire into students’ portfolios

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IC Robotic Club wins first place in Mission in Lebanon

fter more than 240 hours of work in the technology lab and under the supervision of Mr. Qusai Sawan the Middle-Secondary School

Robotic Club Team (Robovolution) participated at AUB in the FIRST Lego League (FLL) an international robotic competition for students aged 9 to 16. In preparation for the competition students learned advanced design techniques, scientific concepts, and programming robots. They also trained on teamwork skills in order to be ready to solve problems prior to and on the competition day. For the research part, students examined if they can improve the way people learn sign language. After comparing with existing solutions, they came up with a mobile application idea that translates the movements of the deaf person into written or spoken words. To assess the idea, they distributed a survey to possible users of the application and interviewed the head of computer science in AUB Dr. Wassim El Hajj to check the applicability of the application. Also, they shot a video to demonstrate the use of the application. Finally, they prepared a presentation and presented their work in

front of the judges and other teams.During the 12-hour 5th national competition, the IC’s team, Robovolution, won the 1st place in missions in Lebanon and the 5th place overall. Therefore, they were qualified to participate in the Arab Robotics Competition in Jordan. This great achievement made the students enthusiastic to start working on robots again to become Lebanon’s FLL champion in 2016. n

ans le cadre de la semaine de la Francophonie, une rencontre a été organisée entre des élèves de

Terminale et la classe de Grande Section. Accompagnés de leur enseignante Salma Kojok, Reef Torbey et Mazen Assaf, élèves en Terminale SM, se sont rendus dans la classe de GS pour présenter aux élèves des éléments de culture d’un pays francophone : la Côte d’Ivoire. La rencontre s’est déroulée dans un cadre convivial et a donné lieu à un échange enthousiaste. La culture africaine a été présentée à partir de divers objets comme des instruments de musique ou des sculptures d’éléphants. Le récit de contes africains et l’écoute d’extraits musicaux ont permis d’entrer dans un imaginaire nouveau et de semer de belles réflexions autour de l’Afrique et de la pluralité culturelle du monde francophone. n

Rencontre entre des Elèves de Terminale et de Maternelle dans le cadre de la Francophonie

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ans le cadre des rencontres interscolaires du prix littéraire des lycéens 2015, les élèves de l’IC

(International College) ont reçu ceux du Lycée Verdun. Le débat s’est déroulé au CDI de l’IC.

Une quarantaine de jeunes de la Troisième à la Terminale ont ainsi pu échanger leurs premières impressions au sujet des ouvrages qu’ils ont lus. Les 6 romans sélectionnés pour ce prix (Devenir Carver, de Rodolphe Barry, Les

Absents de Georgia Makhlouf, Réparer les vivants de Maylis de Kerangal, Le Collier rouge de Jean-Christophe Ruffin, De Père légalement inconnu de Françoise Cloarec, L’extraordinaire voyage du fakir qui était resté coincé

dans une armoire IKEA de Romain Puértolas) ont fait l’objet de discussions souvent passionnées qui ont permis aux élèves de s’exprimer sur les faiblesses et les atouts de l’histoire et du travail d’écriture. La discussion sur ces six romans a ainsi donné aux élèves l’occasion de poser une des questions essentielles de la littérature : comment l’écriture et l’histoire se mettent-elles au service l’une de l’autre pour créer un roman qui touche les lecteurs ?n

Rencontre littéraire entre les élèves de l’IC et du lycée Verdun

Earth Hour @ a Green Concert

arth Hour is a global movement in which over 170 countries and 1,200 landmarks turn off their lights

to raise awareness about the importance of climate change and sustainable energy development. The Environmental Pioneers of Middle School Ras Beirut with Ms. Sawsan Kibbi attended Earth Hour Lebanon in Biel. The concert featured a performance by Anthony Touma and other live performances. All the energy used for the concert was supplied by solar energy that does not produce any harmful pollutants. It is worth mentioning that Lebanon can save 1,330 tons of carbon dioxide if lights are turned off for one hour. So why don’t we turn of lights today for a brighter future?”

Wael Osman, Grade 8n

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STUDENTS’ INTERNATIONAL PEACE QUILT

he Schools’ International Peace Quilt involved 203 Countries in one wish for Peace all as a celebration of the London 2012 Games. For RIO 2016,

twenty-one of our IC Elementary students, both at Ras Beirut and Ain Aar, participated in the International quilt to promote the OLYMPIC TRUCE which dates back to the original games in the 9th Century BC. The central purpose of the Ancient Games was to provide for a pause in the endless cycle of violence through the observance of the Sacred Truce https://peacequilt.wordpress.com/ (For Lebanon, check date March 27th) n

everal IC IB2 students attended the TEDX Beirut Talk 2014. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas in the

form of short, powerful talks from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. These students had the opportunity to hear alumna Dima Boulad ‘2003, the co-founder of Beirut Green Project, www.beirutgreenproject.org talking about our city’s green spaces being a right to every citizen not a privilege. “And in cities like Beirut, we need them today more than ever!”

Ziad Al Haffar IB2 said that he thought the talk was going to be another cliché, a theoretical talk about the environment; but then Dima’s words opened up his eyes as to the existence of public spaces in Beirut city and how, before asking to have new green spaces, we have to, at least, maintain and use what we have. He never knew that 24 public gardens existed in Beirut. A few days after this talk, he passed with a friend by a park next to St Nicolas Church and for the first time entered it and enjoyed its green space. He also saw the advantages to have and

use these green spaces as stress relief, for children’s play…When asked what could he contribute as a student to this cause, he said that Dima’s advice at the end was very practical: that each of the 1000 attendants share this information with another person and use these green spaces, that will create a snowball effect that will add pressure on the Beirut’s authorities to grant respectable public gardens to its citizens. Talk is on www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaTc_FZ805U(with subtitles)n

GREENING GRAY BEIRUT

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r. Mahmud Shihab presented at the 7th Educational Leadership Forum “Motivation

through Continuous Educational Development and Innovation” in Saida. The forum, organized by the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development and the School Network of Saida and Neighboring Towns, marked the tenth memorial anniversary for Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. Dr. Shihab’s speech, entitled

“Motivation through Technology” highlighted the importance of creating a technology-rich learning environment for all our students. “Although technology has created a gap between digital native students and schools, we still have a chance to close this gap by enriching our classrooms and teaching practices with technology. We need to create technology-rich learning environments in which students are

creators, innovators, researchers, critical thinkers, collaborators, and ethical digital citizens (the ISTE Standards for Students). We also need teachers who use technology to plan, model, facilitate, and assess authentic learning experiences that address the diverse learning styles and abilities of their students (the ISTE Standards for Teachers). Rapid developments in technology and fast access to information have unlocked great

potentials in education. Technology offers learners greater control and ownership of their learning. It has personalized the learning experience and made self-directed lifelong learning possible. Technology can motivate learning by making it fun and more meaningful.”n

or nine consecutive years, International College has been organizing a Visual Arts exhibit -a display of paintings,

photographs, and 3D artworks- created by the IB Visual Arts students. The show took place at the Beirut Souks in two adjacent galleries. The exhibit was well attended IC’s new president Don Bergman reflected “I have attended IB Art exhibits for many years and this one was among the very best. Creative, artistic, thought- provoking, and a pleasure to the eye” .Elie Sehnaoui, former IC Board member commented “I was thrilled to visit your students’ exhibition. What a group of talented 17 and 18 year-olds! And most of them express themselves very well in English in addition to being versatile and passionate about their work”.n

IB2 ART EXHIBIT “YOU ARE WHAT YOU CREATE”

IC’s ERC Director: Motivation through Technology

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his year, during National Reading Week at IC Ain Aar, our students weren’t satisfied with reading in Arabic, French, and English…they wanted to discover an additional language and culture. Therefore, as part of our international mindedness philosophy, students were engaged in various activities that introduced them

to the Armenian language and culture! They listened to a story in Armenian, some Armenian songs and even learned how to write their names using the Armenian alphabet. With their open-minded and inquirer spirits, some students even requested to hear the Armenian national anthem! Armenian students relished the opportunity to share their culture, and other students enjoyed exploring a diversity of languages and cultures. n

Reading for Deep Reflection and Meaningful writing

Parev!

he Educational Resources Center organized and hosted a special outreach workshop attended by 22 Grade 5, 6 and 7teachers from both IC and schools around Lebanon. The workshop

was presented by Mr. John Deighan, and his wife Lola Robledo. John has been teaching for over 25 years, and is at present the Mother Tongue Coordinator, English Language B and EAL teacher at La Chataigneraie Campus, International School of Geneva, Switzerland. He has many years of experience in teaching in the PYP. Lola is presently the Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Campus des Nations, International School of Geneva, Switzerland. She has many years of experience in teaching in the MYP and IB Diploma programs.Their workshop, “The Use of Story Books to Encourage Deep Reflection and Meaningful Writing”, dealt with how asking questions about stories and reflecting on the answers can help create a range of class activities that help students go beyond the text to reflect and think critically. The questioning techniques using Bloom’s taxonomy and the practical activities presented by the Deighans showed how the stories can lead to a deeper discussion of how we live together, examine different perspectives

on life, and reflect on the sense of community we experience daily. Attending teachers appreciated the number of applicable activities and their application to a variety of class levels. “Thank you for such an enjoyable, well-organized workshop with such skilled presenters,” wrote one participant.After the workshop, the Deighan family spent another week of their vacation in Lebanon. “I want to continue exploring your wonderful country and show my family some of the things I enjoyed while here on my exchange visit last year,” stated John.n

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Curriculum Writing with Atlas Rubicon

ne série d’ateliers de travail ont été organisés par l’Agence pour l’enseignement français à l’étranger, au sein même de

l’IC. Ce stage vise les professeurs qui enseignent en langue française dans les écoles homologuées.L’ERC, en collaboration avec le département d’information technologique, s’est chargé de l’organisation de cette longue journée de stage.Les professeurs de tous les niveaux ont assisté, tout au long de l’année, à ces ateliers de travail. Environ 200 enseignants de différentes écoles francophones du Liban ont suivi des sessions de formation, chacun selon son niveau et sa discipline.Monsieur Michel Parmentier, Inspecteur de l’Education Naionale, en résidence à Beyrouth pour la zone Proche-Orient, a présidé la session d’ouverture qui a eu lieu à l’auditorium Irani. Il a également assisté à des ateliers de travail pendant la journée. n

Stage FIC à l’IC

ll during the months of January through March, teachers across IC attended initial training sessions on

the college’s newly launched online curriculum writing program Atlas Rubicon. The training sessions, conducted by ERC Director Dr. Mahmud Shihab, and curriculum coordinators Connie Hadba, Elie Hayek, and Dagher Mehanna, began with training the Educational

Technology facilitators who then assisted in the training sessions. The introduction of Atlas Rubicon to teachers took place during individual department meetings on both the Ras Beirut and Ain Aar campuses. During the sessions, teachers set up their accounts in Atlas, explored the site and accessed their already existing curriculum guides in the program. Now the teachers are ready to

edit the existing material and add to it to keep their curriculum up to date. A curriculum review session is planned for all Middle and Secondary teachers during the coming In-Service Day. This online site can be accessed by teachers at any time, from anywhere, and is a practical way to keep IC’s curriculum both current and informative for everyone.n

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So what’s Yoga got to do with PYP?

es, we are made up of cells, and tissues and organs and systems. Yes they all work together in harmony and make up who we are. But is that it? Well, not exactly! Through the presentation

by IC parent Lulia Turk, the students of grade 4/CM1 in Ras Beirut were introduced to the importance of not only physical well-being but also the importance of mental, emotional and spiritual well-being that go hand in hand in making us happy, productive and healthy human beings. Mrs. Turk talked about the benefits of Yoga and

how it affects our mind, body, how we cope with life’s problems and difficult situations, and helps us see things from a more positive perspective. Afterwards the students reflected using the ‘Sketch to Stretch’ visible thinking routine. One student created an acrostic poem with the words YOGA. She wrote: Y ou feel open to yourself with the help of Yoga.O nly exercise that helps us physically and mentally.G reat help with refreshing mind and feeling peaceful.A wesome amazing sport that lets you make choices.n

Vive la communauté

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ans le cadre de notre thème transdisciplinaire « Comment nous nous organisons », les élèves de la

M.S. groupe bleu (RB), ont décidé d’organiser un spectacle présentant l’histoire des 3 petits cochons. Ils avaient besoin de construire les maisons (que nous connaissons tous !). L’idée maîtresse étant « Les gens partagent la responsabilité

dans un système pour servir une communauté» ils ont fait appel à la communauté des parents et de l’école pour trouver les compétences nécessaires.Le professeur d’art de l’école complémentaire répondait à toutes les attentes. Non seulement elle pouvait aider les enfants, mais et surtout, elle a proposé d’élargir la communauté en faisant appel à ses élèves, bien sûr plus âgés que ceux

de la maternelle.

Chaque groupe composé des enfants

(petits et grands) a pu coopérer avec

un objectif commun : construire les

maisons.

L’expérience a été enrichissante

pour tout le monde et les enfants

ont pu ainsi concrétiser la notion de

système et d’interdépendance dans

le but de servir la communauté.n

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IC’s First Annual Teacher Sports Day

will draw this plant because it’s red…and I like red”“Look at these different leaves! They are not the same…

why?”“This plant is soft…why do we need it?”“Look at those flowers, they are dying… maybe nobody is taking care of them…”The students of KGI (RB) went on a nature walk around IC campus. They observed, smelled, touched and compared different plants in their environment. Later, they came back to class with many authentic questions that helped launch their inquiry of the unit “Sharing the Planet” and deepen their understanding of the central idea “Plants are a life-sustaining resource that people try to preserve”.n

Nature Walk

or the UN’s World Water Day, IC Elementary organized two basketball matches

in the new Gymnasium. With teachers playing against teachers and students as the audience, the matches were action packed and a real thrill for both players and spectators! Students raised funds to put towards new water filtration systems in two Lebanese public schools. The Rotary Club generously offered to double the amount raised to assist in this project, ensuring many more students are provided with clean, drinkable water now and in the future. IC’s event can be seen on the UN WWD website: http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/events. Next year, our plan is for more sports to take place and possibly even include parents as participants. This yearly event will ensure IC’s donation to water projects will become sustainable.

Mr. Ghattas and Mrs. Rasamny presented the project to the Grade 3/CE2 students, whose initiative it was originally to take action for their Sharing the Planet unit. The students showed real empathy in listening to how much the two new systems will help so many children and were also delighted to see the giant cheque for $2,500! n

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haque matin, durant la semaine de la lecture, les élèves de la maternelle ont eu le plaisir d’écouter Nayla (notre bibliothécaire) lire un livre. Ils ont suivi chaque étape de l’histoire, en s’imaginant avoir les images sous les yeux et en vivant pleinement ce qu’ils entendaient : « Nayla a plusieurs voix ! » En plus, les PS et Nursery de Ras Beyrouth ont fait équipe avec des élèves de CE2 et Grade 3 qui ont lu des histoires. n

S’informer, imaginer et rêver...

ho said preschool children are not capable of community service and social action??

Our own Doha Berjawi conducted an action research to study how community-building activities in the classroom would affect pre-school students in taking independent action to serve their community. Using a pre–post treatment test design with a sample of 180 students aged between 3 and 6, taking action was targeted through behaviors such as taking initiative in solving group problems or conflicts, in being helpful, and in organizing the community, as well as through cooperation, tolerance and concern for others. Various community-building activities were implemented; among the

most prevalent, were group-work activities, cooperative learning, conflict-resolution strategies, peer coaching, positive talk, community service, making pledges and team-building activities. The results of this study show that the community-building activities implemented contributed to increased independent social action in students. This was evident in the change in students’ behavior, particularly the significant increase in taking initiatives, cooperation, tolerance and showing concern for others in the post-treatment assessments.The research entitled “Developing increased independent social action in preschool students through community-building activities”- was published in the IB Journal

of Teaching Practice, Volume 2, Issue 2, December 2014, and was highlighted as the cover paper. Once again, IC is proudly sharing its expertise with educators on the international level.Proud of you, Doha!n

IC in IB Journal of Teaching Practice

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était durant une journée ensoleillée que les élèves de CE1A à Ain Aar ont invité leurs

pairs de Grade 2 à se joindre à eux pour jouer au football. Le mercredi 18 mars, les élèves des 2 sections ont participé à un match amical dans une ambiance de joie et d’enthousiasme!n

Célébrons autrement !

Fitness is integral to our life!

uring our 4th transdisciplinary theme “Where we are in place and time”, our Grade 3 students in the Ain Aar campus inquired into the concept of fitness and how it impacts our health and life.

The starting point was meeting Ms. Jaana Lundholm, the PE chairperson in Ain Aar campus and asking to learn more about fitness. Ms. Jaana gave them the contact of a parent at IC, Mr. Paul Kiserwany, a fitness consultant and the company director of “Future Fitness Center”. They decided to visit the center located in Mtayleb to learn

more about fitness and experience some training exercises. Therefore, they sent an email to Ms. Lina Mouchantaf, Lower Elementary School director, to ask for approval of the visit. Ms. Mouchantaf gave her approval, so they went on Friday April 17th. The students asked their questions about fitness, they learned what is fitness and they connected it to their daily lives. They learned that fitness can help improving their performance in all kind of sports and that it could be practiced by all ages.n

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Rewriting Goldilocks in KGI!

abillés en vert, pique-nique sans déchets…les élèves du CE1 B de Ain Aar ont profité de la semaine verte à l’école pour montrer encore une fois leur engagement envers la planète. Sans jamais oublier la réutilisation des papiers des deux côtés, le tri, le recyclage, le compost… Pensons vert !!!n

Pique-nique sans déchet au CE1 B!

nternational College has had a long tradition of working with, and for our community and families; this has always been strength at

IC. It enabled the KGI team to communicate more effectively and regularly with parents, and provided an environment for parents, students and teachers to post valuable information and start interesting investigations within our community. This term, we have been learning about cooperation within a system. Mr Habib Sayegh, Sofia’s dad who owns a publishing house, participated in our program by transporting some machines used for making books. He asked the KGI students to help him rewrite and illustrate a new

ending to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. He then guided them through the process of making a book by showing them how pictures are scanned, organized, printed and joined together in order to make a book. Through his demonstration, he helped students identify the importance of the roles of different people within a system. This investigation continued throughout the week, and it inspired students to write their own storybooks. The making of books ignited creativity in our budding artists and motivated them to share their publication with the school’s president and director. They even added a few copies in our Preschool Library.n

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urant la Semaine de Lecture, Mme Balian (la maman de Henry en GSA de Ain Aar) est venue en classe afin de

lire une histoire écrite en arménien et de la traduire en français. Les élèves ont profité de sa présence pour lui poser quelques questions concernant l’alphabet arménien et les traditions de ce peuple. À la fin de la visite, nous avons tous eu l’occasion de déguster de succulentes galettes arméniennes.n

Un conte arménien

Un Français chez nous!

e Jeudi 26 Mars 2015, les élèves de Grade 1 de Ain Aar ont rencontré M. Pascal Coz, titulaire de la classe de CE2 B. Pourquoi lui ? parce qu’il est de nationalité française et que Mars était le mois de la francophonie!

Durant les cours d’EPS, les élèves de Grade 1 se demandaient quels sont les jeux sportifs les plus populaires en France. Ils ont fait des recherches et ont décidé que M. Coz, pourrait les aider à répondre à leur question.Leur curiosité les a poussés à lui demander : quels sont les

repas les plus connus en France ? Le beurre, la confiture, les croissants, le poulet et les frites. Ils ont aussi appris que les écoles en France offrent le déjeuner à la cantine car les élèves y restent jusqu’à 16 heures. De même, ils ont appris que les sports les plus populaires en France sont le football, le basketball, l’athlétisme et la gymnastique !Après cet entretien, les élèves se sont amusés à jouer au football pour honorer le sport le plus populaire en France.n

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Who’s who?

he 8th Asian Junior Taekwando Championships was held from April 11-14th in Taipei, Taiwan. More

than 800 athletes from over 26 countries participated in the event.Ward Salman, 3ème, part of the Lebanese national team, won again the Lebanese Championship in Taekwando. Ward holds the title of the Lebanese Champion of her category for the 4th year in a row and was selected to represent Lebanon in the Asian Championship. BRAVA!n

FROM LEBANESE TO ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

n Mothers’ Day this year, PS and Nursery children at Ain Aar and their teachers

welcomed all the mothers into their classes to celebrate this very special occasion through songs, poems and doing an activity together. The highlight of this occasion was the wonderful portraits that the children drew of their mothers who went around trying to identify themselves! “Wow! My daughter’s drawing is one I will cherish all my life!” said one parent in tears.n

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out a commencé quand j’avais cinq ans, je me promenais avec mon père à Hamra, c’était une journée tranquille, et on riait bien, mais soudain j’ai vu un garçon, avec les cheveux décoiffés, le visage sale, les habits

déchirés, et les pieds nus, qui vendait des mouchoirs. J’ai eu un peu peur, et voilà comment a commencé l’histoire de notre livre qui, en français veut dire : « papa, ça veut dire quoi pauvre ? » …..On a commencé à discuter de ce qui s’est passé, mon père et moi. Il m’a expliqué beaucoup de choses que jusqu’alors je ne connaissais pas. Des choses sur les enfants obligés de travailler au lieu d’aller à l’école.A sept ans, on a commencé à écrire l’histoire, qui en fait est sortie de nos discussions continues. On notait tout dans un cahier que mon père gardait. Parfois il me le donnait pour dessiner ou pour noter mes remarques. Ensuite, on a arrêté pour un moment et on a on repris quand j’ai eu dix ans. Les idées venaient de nos discussions. Mon père écrivait et moi je faisais les dessins. En fin de mars dernier, pendant que je célébrais mon onzième anniversaire avec mes amis, mon père a choisi de me faire une surprise : mon cadeau d’anniversaire de la part de mon père était la première copie du livre qu’on a écrit, imprimée et publiée par Dar El Hadaek. Je suis très heureuse.

Kinda Harb _ Elève en CM2 A-n

L’écriture est pour tous les âges

IC at International Music Festival AMIS

ous un soleil radieux, Alessandra Gargour, Mayssa Goraeib, Laura Jahchan, Tia Manoukian, Joan Saniour et Yasmine Tohmé, se sont jointes à 93

autres choristes venues de 16 écoles éparpillées un peu partout dans le monde, pour partager, travailler, fignoler et transformer durant trois jours un répertoire de chants profanes et sacrés qu’elles ont pu offrir le samedi 11 avril 2015 ,à l’école américaine de Paris, à un public ravi et charmé par une performance digne de professionnel.Rappelons, que AMIS, est une association de musique pour les écoles internationales. Elle offre ,tout au long de l’année, des concerts destinés à différentes catégories de jeunes.C’est une expérience enrichissante et inoubliable qui s’offre tous les ans à six de nos élèves du complémentaire.

Elles en reviennent, riches de plusieurs nouvelles amies et la tête remplie de beauté.nSS

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PYP X in the Air

pring brings forth rebirth and new chances to grow. The same was true

at the Elementary School, Ras Beirut, in fifth grade, as the PYP Exhibition recently began. As the exhibition kicked off there was a buzz in the air, a special energy. Students began the PYP Exhibition thinking about “Who we are” as Lebanese citizens and how they can make the country better. They brainstormed problems that they felt were relevant and began to develop a plan to inquire into that specific issue. Students were grouped according to their interests and they began to work together to establish a research plan. Topics for this year’s PYP Exhibition include: Rights and Freedom, Building Safety, Green Spaces, Migrant

Workers, Homelessness, Animal Abuse, Racism, and the list just keeps going... The PYP Exhibition is a chance for students to show that they are true PYP learners and can learn collaboratively. Parent and

teacher mentors help the students stay on track of their inquiry and offer assistance when necessary. This year’s groups continue to be evidence that our youth is our future and that we all can make a difference!n

undi 16 mars, la classe de CE2B de Ain Aar a introduit la semaine de la francophonie lors de l’Assemblée.

Avec M Coz, leur enseignant français, ils ont fait découvrir l’étendue de la communauté francophone à travers le monde. Polynésie, Nouvelle Calédonie, Guyane, Louisiane, Corne de l’Afrique…des régions lointaines et exotiques faisant bien partie de notre large communauté linguistique. Que le monde est bien représenté avec la langue française

et quelle richesse avec cette diversité de peuples qui la parlent!

Les élèves ont également pu expliquer les raisons de cette présence étendue géographiquement. Ils avaient en effet bien fait le lien avec leur thème « Où nous nous situons dans l’espace et le temps » et les grands explorateurs. En effet, si on parle français au Canada, c’est bien parce que Jacques Cartier l’a découvert. Et puis, tous en chœur, la Marseillaise fut entonnée avec beaucoup de chaleur et de respect.

Vive la francophonie et la diversité des langues ! Dans toutes les classes, la fête de la francophonie pouvait commencer. Petit déjeuner français, chansons et autres animations allaient égager agréablement la semaine. Cette mise en lumière de la francophonie permet aux élèves de continuer à développer leurs compétences de reconnaissance de l’Autre et de l’altérité. C’est donc quelques pas de plus sur le chemin de la société globale que cherche à promouvoir l’IC dans sa mission.n

Vive la francophonie !

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Semaine de la francophonie: Échanges à travers le théâtre

our clôturer la semaine de la francophonie, les élèves du CM2B AA et de la 6ème AA ont choisi d’échanger leurs

expériences dans le domaine du théâtre en présentant des saynètes extraites des œuvres des deux géants de la littérature du XVIIe siècle : Molière et Jean de La Fontaine. Les élèves des deux classes ont passé des moments très agréables à l’auditorium, on pouvait le sentir à leurs rires et à leurs applaudissements. Les apprenants du CM2B ont eu un parfum d’avant-garde de la 6ème et ceux de la 6ème se sont remémorés les beaux moments du CM2. n

PP

ette année, comme tous les ans, nous avons fêté la francophonie à la maternelle de Ras

Beyrouth. Des intervenants sont venus parler aux enfants de la francophonie en général, et en particulier d’un pays francophone. Des expériences personnelles, des anecdotes, des photos, de la musique et des objets divers ont

agrémenté les interventions.Les enfants ont tout compris, ils ont aimé, ils ont participé et ils ont fait des recherches sur les pays présentés. Ils ont préparé des travaux, des dessins pour décorer les panneaux et tout était joli. Un grand bravo à tout le monde.Petite « ombre » au tableau : l’éclipse s’est invitée au milieu du petit déjeuner francophone (où

nous avions pensé à inviter nos

amis anglophones) et nous avons

dû réorganiser l’évènement pour

protéger tous les petits yeux de

l’école.

Les pays étaient représentés par des

aliments typiques, par exemple les

gaufres pour la Belgique. Nos chers

petits se sont régalés. n

La francophonie 2015

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omment s’organiser? Des chansons, suggèrent certains professeurs... des films, proposent d’autres... des recherches sur des célébrités de pays francophones, lancent certains...

des recettes à essayer chez soi et à déguster en classe, pourquoi pas? Une collecte de livres à offrir aux enfants dans les écoles défavorisées, rappelle notre chef de département ...Eh bien, tout le département s’est impliqué, corps et âme, bien déterminé à faire de la semaine de la Francophonie, comme chaque année, un prétexte pour voyager! Comment? Les uns assis dans leur fauteuil, les yeux grand ouverts, les oreilles tendues, les autres penchés sur leur fourneau, tournoyant et virevoltant entre les casseroles pour vérifier la cuisson des plats concoctés ...Enfin, certains perchés sur des caisses pour afficher les travaux réalisés...

Ainsi, il a suffi d’un brin de générosité, d’un grain de complicité, d’une gerbe d’entraide, d’une pincée d’amour pour la langue française, pour que le tour des pays francophones soit fait ; un tour pétri de promptitude, saupoudré d’efficacité.Ce qu’il en reste? Eh bien, des mélodies que les élèves fredonnent, des saveurs et des senteurs qui chatouillent encore les sens, des images de séquences de films qui viennent peupler l’imagination pour y élire domicile. Qui a dit que la langue française allait à reculons dans le monde? Pas à l’IC, en tout cas... Depuis plusieurs années, cette année encore, les activités sont venues de loin, de très loin, s’inviter dans nos classes pour que l’aventure ne s’arrête jamais... pour que le charme ne soit pas rompu...

S. A. Malak – Middle Schooln

La Francophonie à l’IC

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Questions pour Jeunes Champions

e samedi 28 mars, s’est déroulée la finale de Questions pour Jeunes Champions,

concours organisé par les écoles homologuées, en présence d’un parterre constitué de parents, de professeurs accompagnateurs et d’amis. Les candidats répartis en deux catégories, collège et lycée, représentaient plusieurs écoles notamment le GLFL, le Lycée Lamartine, le Lycée Nahr Ibrahim, le CPF, le Collège des Saints-Cœurs Sioufi, l’IML, le Lycée Habbouche, le Lycée Verdun, le Collège Elite de Bchamoun, le Carmel Saint-Joseph, le Lycée Charlemagne, Champville, Shouf National College, le Collège Montana et bien sûr l’IC dans ses deux branches qui ,en participant au concours et en offrant ses locaux, s’est montré fidèle à sa mission au sein du réseau des écoles homologuées.Makram Bekdache, 6ème C, a remporté avec brio l’édition 2015,

catégorie collège. Il s’est battu avec acharnement contre des adversaires coriaces qui lui ont mené la vie dure mais, avec son esprit combatif et sa rage de vaincre, il a su, à chaque fois, retourner des situations qui étaient parfois délicates. En effet, Makram n’était pas qualifié d’office pour la finale mais il était en ballotage contre un adversaire qu’il a su écarter avant de rejoindre les trois candidats finalistes. Il a remporté ensuite et successivement l’épreuve des neuf points, celle des quatre à la suite puis la finale en douze points. Makram a impressionné par l’étendue de ses connaissances et en a surpris plus d’un par la rapidité de ses réponses. Il semble offrir sa victoire à sa

classe puisque, comme il le confie

« … ils vont me tuer si je ne gagne

pas ! » Bravo à Makram et mabrouk

pour l’IC ! Une belle victoire qui

vient couronner la semaine de la

francophonie !n

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enior Vice President Misha Mojabber Mourani was invited to participate in a panel of experts on the Lebanese Curriculum, in the context of the Lebanese Ministry of ALL FOR EDUCATION

Conference held at the Phoenicia Hotel this month.She presented an overview of 21st century skills, including the NAIS’S five C’s plus one: Character and

Civic Commitment, Critical thinking, Creativity and entrepreneurship, Collaboration, Communication, and Cosmopolitanism. She also discussed Hattie’s research on what affects student achievement, including self and formative assessment, and the centrality of the teacher in terms of credibility and clarity.She concluded by making some recommendations for how the LEBANESE PROGRAM can change to accommodate 21st century imperatives, including performance based and inquiry- based curricula that are expressed in terms of standards, revamping the teaching of the three languages, reforming social studies teaching for meaning and relevance, including social action and engagement, media literacy and the use of using technology and above all providing sustained, research-based professional training and development for teachers, since teachers should model the commitment to learning that we want to see in our students.n

The Inside I.C. Team: Lara Kasparian, Jocelyne Kobeissi, Hanan Loulou Ouri, Mishka M. Mourani, and contributors from the I.C. family.

otre élève Tara Melhem de la classe de CM2 B de l’école élémentaire de Ras Beyrouth a été sélectionnée comme

ambassadrice de paix et participera à la table ronde à l’Unesco à Paris.Cette activité introduite par l’AEFE a commencé en janvier par une sélection à l’intérieur de notre établissement afin de choisir l’équipe qui représentera l’IC à la finale au niveau des établissements du Liban. La compétition a eu lieu à

l’ESA, Tara devait présenter un exposé de 3 minutes en français puis résumer en arabe les principaux arguments de son intervention. La compétition était dure, mais Tara l’a remporté avec brio et voyagera le 10 mai à l’Unesco à Paris. Le thème de la table ronde étant : Être touriste, ça s’apprend ? Découverte, responsabilité et partage.Cette expérience unique pour notre élève lui ouvre d’autres horizons!Bravo Tara!n

he secondary school organized an information session for the parents and students of the middle schools (both campuses) who are moving to grade 10/seconde.

Welcomed by SVP Mishka Mourani and middle school director Wadad Hoss, the full house were introduced to the secondary school by director Mrs. Mufarrij and her team. During the session students and parents were introduced to the secondary school in all its aspects. The four academic programs were explained with their specificity so that students make the proper choices as to the program they wished to follow. They were also introduced to non-academic school life

activities and programs such as the college counselling and career guidance programs and advisory programs who play a critical role in helping students prepare for their next step in life.n

Nous sommes de vrais ambassadeurs de Paix

Welcome to the Secondary School!

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IC SVP to national educators’ conference: Improve the teaching to emphasize the learning!

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