NUMBER 11NOVEMBER

2009

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Remember-ance Day

VLE Moode Trip to the Isle of Wight

Message from the Head of Secondary

NewsletterSECONDARY

The British School of Alicante Monthly Update

Human Rights; Human ResponsibilitiesRecently President Obama paid an historic visit to China. Although the main reasons for his visit revolved around trade and regional security, President Obama took the opportunity to speak with young students at University to promote the importance of Universal Human Rights.

Without these basic rights, society and the future for our young people would be much more challenging and in some instances, impossible to overcome. When we think of young people growing up in countries around the world, such as Somalia, North Korea and Iran we realise how fortunate our own children are to grow up in a society which respects the rights of young people.

Schools play a very important role in helping to promote individual and collective rights through activities inside and outside the classroom. With rights comes responsibility; this is as true for world leaders as it is for young people in schools. At the BSA, we work very hard to promote a responsible attitude towards others and also a respect for others in pursuit of individual achievement.

As teachers, we treat our pupils with respect and afford them the rights to which they are entitled and we ask nothing less from them in return. I am very happy that the vast majority of our pupils acknowledge the rights of others and also accept the responsibility which come with these rights. It is important to work with parents to ensure that our young people grow into responsible and tolerant people; capable of making a positive contribution to the world around them.

Derek LaidlawHead of Secondary School.

Article 2. Do not discriminate. These rights belong to everybody, whatever our differences.

Article 24. The right to play. We all have the right to rest from work and relax.

Article 29. Our responsibilities. We have a duty to support other people, and we should protect their rights.

Article 36. The right to Education. Going to school and learning is a basic human right.

THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Eleanor Roosevelt, 1948

Remembrance SundayAt the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in many places around the world people stop what they are doing to remember the sacrifices made by soldiers, sailors and airmen in times of war. The BSA Student Council organised a special assembly. We did it because we felt it was important to commemorate all the people that have been affected by war throughout the world. During our assembly we showed some images of war that were quite shocking and sad but we wanted to show the reality of war and move people away from the glorified ‘Hollywood’ view of conflict. We also wanted pupils and teachers to empathise with the victims of war. Members of the Student Council read out poems and speeches that were related to World War I and the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Student Council worked hard to present this assembly and the effort was well worth it. It is extremely important to show respect for those that have paid the very highest price for our freedom and security.

Verana O. Y10W

Short Story Competition Winner

LUIGI’S COMPETITIONBy Irene, Year 7

Not so long ago there was a Little boy called Luigi Brown. He had a slight problem. He only ever played computer games. One day Luigi’s best friend, Paul, came to his house to sleep, because his parents had to decorate his new baby sister’s bedroom. That morning Luigi was checking the post when he dropped all the letters so Paul helped him to pick them up and found at the bottom of the pile a postcard addressed to Luigi. Luigi ran upstairs to tell his parents the exciting news … he was going to take part in a computer competition. The next day, Luigi’s parents took him to the place where the competition was held. He was asked to choose a computer and he began. At the end of the competition Luigi was told very kindly that although he had done very well he had not won. Luigi was cross and told his parents who were not happy

either. At school the next day he told his best friend Paul the news and Paul was sad for his friend. A week later Luigi received another postcard and to his surprise it was from his friend Paul. The postcard said : ‘Dear Luigi, come to Emina’s house today. Love from Paul.’ At school everyone was talking about the competition which made Luigi very uncomfortable. After school, Luigi went Emina’s house and knocked loudly on the door. Emina opened the door and behind her a gang of Luigi’s friends shouted “Surprise!” They had cakes and sweets with them and congratulated Luigi on doing so well in entering the competition. Luigi nearly fell on the floor from the surprise. The moral is that you don’t need a prize to know that you are good at something and that you are loved. You know because you can feel it.

D’abord, on est monté dans le bus. Le trajet a duré une heure cinq. Apres être descendu du bus, on a marché un peu. Prêt du château, il y avait trois monitrices, et c’est les monitrices qui nous ont divisés en trois groupes. D’abord on est allé au château de Biar. Un groupe est monté. Mon groupe est monté d’abord. Le toit était comme en forme de rond avec une étoile dehors. Dans le mur il y avait des fenêtres qui paraissaient grandes quand on était dans le château mais qui était petites vues de dehors. Dans le mur, il y avait aussi de trous. La raison pour laquelle il y a des trous c’est que la il y avait des planches de bois. Après un autre groupe est passé, puis une autre. On est monté dans le bus et un peut prêt d’un quart d’heure apres on est arrivé au segond château, le château de Villena.

Le chateau de Villena etait different. Il etait beaucoup plus grand que ce lui de Biar. Il avait un mur très, très

Visite aux châteauxhaut et n´etait pas sur une montagne. Là bas, il y avait un Monsieur deguisé en soldat, qui nous atendait. Ce Monsieur nous a montré un peu tout du chateau, et nous a fait une piece de théâtre avec des volontaires. Toutes les partie du château etait plus grande, et il ne faisait pas froid parce qu´il était 12:00.

Enfin, on est allé manger. Il y avait des sandwiches au jambon blanc et au chocolat. C’était vraiment délicieux. On est revenu à l’école. Cette excursion était vraiment cool.

Ecrit par Hugo et Alec Barcenilla

English Version

Virtual Learning EnvironmentsThe BSA is proud to be an innovator in the use of ICT in the classroom. Over the years the school has made significant investment in computers, projectors and interactive white boards. Teachers are given training in how to use classroom technology to best effect.

The latest innovation that is just starting to make an impact on pupils and teachers around the world is called “Moodle”. It is simply a website that has been specifically designed to provide a secure educational information exchange between pupils and teachers. Technically it is called a “Virtual Learning Enviroment” (VLE)or a “Course Management System”.

Moodle is actually the name of the software package which powers a website. It allows teachers to publish course outlines, lesson plans and class activities so that pupils can review and revise work as well as catch up with classes missed through illness. It also has the potential to personalise the learning for each pupil through a range of different kinds of interaction. The Moodle we use is just out of the experimental stage. Ovet the next months and years pupils will be able to access games, quizzes and educational activities as well as resources used in lessons - such as presentations of the lessons and videos. Pupils will be encouraged to contribute to communal learning activities such as developing a school specific ‘wiki’ and join in school focused discussions in a forum.

In addition, it will help to organise a pupil’s work by building an electronic portfolio so that their course work can be accessed through any computer that is connected to the internet. Guidance and support can be requested from teachers via the private email messaging service.

“Virtual Learning Environments” (VLE) offer a glimpse of the future of education. Universities and colleges around

www.bsamoodle.com

www.bsamoodle.com

moodle

the word are adopting them. Like the BSA, The Open Universty in the UK has also decided to use Moodle. In the future VLEs will become more common in every school and business that train their staff. They work best as a complement to high quality lessons given by high quality teachers. Our site is being developed by our teachers for our pupils, in fact, some of it is being designed by the pupils themselves. By its nature, it will always be a ‘work in progress’ as it will be constantly revised and updated to reflect the demands of our current pupils and the exams they are working towards.

Top Ten Moodle FAQs1. The site is owned and managed by King's College.2. "Moodle" is the name of the free software that

powers the website; it is not the name of a company.3. Apart from a few introductory pages www.bsamoodle.

com is private. Only registered pupils and teachers can log-on to make changes.

4. The site is protected from hackers and spammers by a firewall.

5. There is no advertising on the site.6. Every change is recorded and can be tracked.7. Teachers can post information about classes,

homework and set simple quizzes and tests.8. Pupils can revise topics covered in class, read

homework assignments, follow links suggested by teachers and download extra information.

9. Teachers and pupils can discuss different aspects of the curriculum in general and specific classes in particular

10. Our Moodle is still a "baby" Moodle. It will take time for it to develop into a central information resource for the whole school community.

Did you know?Parents can request a password to access secure areas of the site. We welcome your feedback and ideas on how to improve things.

Login Screen

Topic Outline Page

Pupils ForumPractical Exercises

Laurence in 9M, has recently been selected to play Rugby Union for the Valencia Region with the possibility of national and international competition. Laurence is pictured here (left) with Ellis also from Year 9, both of whom play for La Vila Rugby Club at Villajoyosa.

Like many of our students Laurence and Ellis combine academic study with sporting commitment, managing to fit a rigorous training and a fitness programme around homework and other out-of-school activities. Ellis has only recently started to play the game but already he is a regular for the La Vila Infantiles team.

Other pupils who play rugby include Takuma who is a member of Elche Rugby Club along with Jack and Joe. Lucas plays rugby for Akra Borboce.

Rugby is a physical but disciplined game which promotes fitness for players of all different physical statures and helps build team spirit and respect for fair play. It is a well-developed sport in Spain with excellent coaching available for players of all abilities.

Like all sports, rugby is encouraged at BSA to help students to become confident well-rounded individuals. Healthy sport can complement and even enhance academic performance – we hope Laurence and all our other sportsmen and women continue to play up to the best of their ability.

Breaking news: Lawrence has been selected to play Rugby for Valencia against Madrid in the Spanish Infantiles competition.

Drive, Chip, PuttKirstie SaltielI started playing golf at El Plantío Golf Club just over a year ago with a handicap of 36. I have won quite a few trophies so far. At first it was just a hobby but then it became more serious. Now I have a handicap of 19.6 and I am determined to lower it as much as I can.

I really want to make my game as good as it can possibly be. I know that it takes hard work and dedication but when the hard work pays off, the feeling and sense of achievement is great. At the moment I complete in local tournaments regularly so I can get used to playing under pressure and lower my handicap so that in the future, I can enter bigger tournaments. I am ranked 19th in the under 17 (cadetes) category in the Comunidad Valenciana.

In The Frame

Scrum, Kick, Pass, TryLawrence, Ellis & Takuma

WINTER UNIFORMNow that it is getting cold and the days are shorter, please make sure that your child is dressed in the correct winter uniform. In particular, please note that coats should be navy blue or black. Casual tops with zips and hoods do not conform to the school’s uniform regulations. Coats and scarves should not to be worn inside the school building. If your child walks home please make sure they have something light-reflective so that car drivers can see them easily.

Remember too that boys are required to wear ties at all times (except during sports lessons) and all pupils should wear a white shirt with a collar; polo shirts are not allowed at this time of year.

GIVING TREEThis year we are collecting toys and clothes for less fortunate children in Alicante. Last year we received a large number of very generous donations; we hope that we can match or even surpass that this year. It is a simple and very effective way to show in a practical way the amazing generosity found at the heart of the whole school community.

If you would like to donate clothes or a toy please wrap them and put a label on it indicating the age range and sex of the child that would most appreciate it and leave at under the tree in front of the school office before Wednesday 16th December. Do make sure that second hand toys and clothes are clean and in good working order. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERTThe annual Carol Concert will be held on Thursday 17th December from 5pm – 6.15pm in the Sports Hall, The program includes choirs, instrumentalists, the drama group, readings and congregational carol singing. Christmas refreshments will be served. Please enter into the Christmas Spirit and make the effort to come and make it a truly memorable event.

Trip to the

Isle of WightGeography Field Trip 2009

Expedition to the Isle of WightGeography, like most academic subjects, only really comes to life when it is combined with direct, first hand experience and exploration.

The IGCSE and A Level exams demand a certain amount of field work to demonstrate understanding of practical environmental investigation. The primary objectives of the field trip to the Isle of Wight were to collect primary data, get some practical geographic field work done and to work on the case studies that are used in exams. We wanted to visit the places that pupils had only previously studied on maps and seen on the internet.

The Isle of Wight is a geographically rich area. This makes it the perfect place for a field trip. The southern coast is being eroded by two metres every year, while the northern coast is collecting silt from the rivers that feed the Hamble estuary. This constantly changing environment demands a range of sustainable coastline management techniques that need to be understood for IGCSE and A Level Geography. In particular the demands of beach replenishment and the the need to "rebrand" sea-side resorts like Ventnor.

The Isle of Wight has some fascinating rock formations, including the biggest land slip structure in Europe and the strange beauty of the multi-coloured sands in Alum Bay.

Getting thereEasyJet sold us a set of super-budget tickets which took us to Gatwick. Then we took the bus to Southampton where we caught a ferry to the Isle of Wight. The field trip allowed y12 pupils to actually see the land use that they had previously studied on a map in the classroom. We stayed in the Medina Valley Centre a purpose build field studies centre, right next to the estuary.

Happy memories• The Big Breakfasts: traditional English breakfasts - sausages,

beans, bacon, toast. And tea.• The wind. We got blown about by some of the strongest gales

in living memory. Winds over 60km/hour were recorded. Several clip boards got caught by the wind flew up the cliff.

• Misty (Ms Turton´s dog) thought Toby and Liam wanted her to catch the stones they were throwing into the sea. Misty jumped in to join in the game and almost got drowned.

• Ms Turton and Rocque got caught by the rising tides (not something that happens on the meditarranian) and tried to run for it.

• Mrs Turton's home made cakes.

The pupils also had the opportunity to visit Medina High School -Y12 dis some excellent presentations on the Alicante coastline and the Medina pupils told us about the rebranding of Newport.

Football also played a part in our trip. On the way home we saw Manchester United beat Portsmough 4-1. Other sporting activities included Verena's down hill mud-skiing, Orienteering and Fussball championships.

ResultsY12 are in the process of writing up their case studies. Now they can draw on experiences of the real places - not just some vague ideas in their imaginations.

Y10 learned techniques that will enable them to do their coursework at the end of the year. Over the next few months they will build a strong theoretical understanding on top of first hand experience from the Isle of Wight.

Dates for your Diary

Tuesday 1st December – Wednesday 16th December : Xmas Giving Tree at the Office

Thursday 3rd December : Non Uniform Day (2 Euros for Charity)

Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th December : School Closed

Thursday 17th: Carole Concert 5:00pm

Friday 18th Last Day of Term

Swine Flu

The Swine flu symptoms include: temperature higher than 38 degrees, coughing, sore throat, headache, runny nose, muscle pain, general feeling unwell, occasionally vomiting / diarrhea and respiratory distress.

Visit the www.bsalicante.com for a complete and up-to-date calendar.

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Email: info@bsalicante.com

Maths Puzzle…. Place a standard mathematical symbol between 4 and 5 to get a number greater than 4 and less than 5. First person to explain the solution to Mr Panter gets 3 merits!

Congratulations to Alex in 7F who earned 3 merits for proving that the next perfect number after 6 is 28.

Triangles SolutionThe shape on top is not the triangle that it appears to be. The "hypotenuse" is not a straight line at all, but is instead two lines connected at a very slight angle. This causes a slight depresion in the shape. When the smaller shapes are rearranged, we get a bulge in the "hypotenuse." Since it is taking up extra space on top, we now have a "hole" someplace else.