US Advisory & Counseling Newsletter
1st April, 2022
Hi Students,
- Students began to gain momentum on their Advisory Community Action Projects.
- Seniors deepened their Diversity Awareness and watched their last episode of the "Black in Madrid" series.
- Seniors met with their Grade Level Leader, Mr. Ducharme, to talk about graduation, prize day, the prom, and other end-of-year events.
- Grade 10 students attended Departmental Course Presentations to prepare for their course selection process as they transition to Grade 11.
- College Counselors went to the UK and France to visit different universities and in the process made connections to better serve our students.
- One week of Neurodiversity celebrations extended itself to the rest of the month.
These and more were highlights of the past month.
Do read and enjoy this month's edition!
Tessa John-Guerra
US Counselor
Neurodiversity Awareness in the Upper School
With the help of students in the learner support program, Upper School Learner Support teachers Collin Swanson and Jacki Brick held four teacher workshops to help increase awareness of the barriers faced by neurodivergent thinkers. Also, in mid-March, Mr. Swanson and Ms. Brick sponsored Neurodiversity Week in the Upper School by giving a presentation at a community meeting in order to address the stigma surrounding neurodiverse individuals and to promote awareness, acceptance, and respect.
Neurodiversity awareness is a growing movement that acknowledges the fact that everyone thinks, learns, and sees the world in their own unique way. The awareness campaign exists to encourage acceptance of neurodivergent thinkers and to end the stigma surrounding students who receive support or accommodations at ASM.
Mr. Swanson and Ms. Brick
Learner Support Teachers
Neurodiversity Community Meeting
What Our Students Are Saying About Neurodiversity! 👇🏽
Celebrating Neurodiversity
"In my personal experience, having a stigmatized neurodiversity is often a taboo subject; so the neurodiversity assembly for all high school teachers and students was impactful. The assembly not only demystified what having a stigmatized neurodiversity is, but also how other’s actions reflect on the person with a stigmatized neurodiversity. It is important because it makes others reflect on their reactions towards those who have accommodations. The assembly was another excellent step to building an inclusive and comfortable environment for those who have a stigmatized neurodiversity."
Sofia Politte
Senior
✍🏽
At the assembly last week, I learned that more people than we think are Neurodiverse."
Alfonso Kurtis de Alzaga
Sophomore
✍🏽
"The discussion of neurodiversity is absolutely essential in an academic environment, as neurodiversity tends to affect the ways in which students learn and socialize. It is important for the community to acknowledge and understand that all brains work differently, and that it is perfectly normal for your peers, or for yourself, to work in ways different to others."
Sophomore
✍🏽
"Neurodiversity Helps Reduce Bullying in School. Neurodiversity helps to change this situation by emphasizing (and promoting) the gifts and abilities of students with special needs, thus projecting a more powerful image to potential bullies, and thereby making them less of a target.
I learned that everyone is different and that we should help out everyone. We don't know their situations and how they learn. Be kind to all. Everyone is unique."
Sophomore
✍🏽
"Neurodiversity is important because it celebrates the fact that people are different and think differently.
The Neurodiversity Assembly last week during the community meeting was very valuable as it reminded students of what it means to have neurodiversity."
Junior
I was surprised...!
I learned and was surprised that many celebrities have neurodiverse brains, and I found it very interesting how society has not made it very obvious, and it has been concealed from the public."
Jimena Roces
Junior
Albert Einstein, German-born theoretical physicist!
College Visits: France and the UK
Paris College of Art, Parsons Paris & The American University of Paris
Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 23-25, College Counselor John McCracking visited Paris College of Art, Parsons Paris, and The American University of Paris.
Paris College of Art offers six different Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) majors, including Film Arts in association with Emerson College in Boston. They also have a study abroad program, summer intensive programs, certificate programs, and several Masters of Fine Arts programs.
Parsons Paris (associated with the New School in New York) offers three BFA programs in Art, Media, and Technology, Fashion Design, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Strategic Design and Management. They also offer a Masters in Fashion Studies.
The American University of Paris is a comprehensive liberal arts American style university. This university has a global feel with 103 nationalities represented in the student body, and 21 different nationalities among faculty members. They offer 26 majors, and 39 minors. Average class size is 15 students. This university is a great option for global minded students.
Nine UK Universities
Last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 21-23, College Counselor Marj Southworth visited nine UK universities. They ranged from highly selective, an urban campus, large, small, fairly new to old and historic, rural, less selective and defined verses undefined campuses. In every case, Ms. Southworth was able to have a campus tour and speak to a university admissions representative. It was a lot of schools in three days, but she felt it was really beneficial. If any of these schools are of interest to you and you’d like to talk with Ms. Southworth about her impressions, please let her know. Schools visited were:
University of Bristol
University of West England Bristol
University of Bath
Bath Spa University
Oxford University
Oxford Brooks
University of Reading
Cambridge University
Anglia Ruskin University
Ms. Southworth and Mr. McCracking will use all this information gained from their respective trips to better advise students interested in Universities in France and the UK.
STUDY SKILLS
Making and using concept maps
How to get started:
👇🏽
- Identify a concept.
- Using your memory or notes, focus on how concepts are related to each other.
- Illustrate it as you see fit. You can use your creativity here in many ways!
Your drawing or illustration is your Concept Map and it can be used as a great study tool.
The video below gives you an idea about how to create a Concept Map, in a fun a way!
Try it out with any subject area...
Did you miss any of the Course Presentations given to Grade 10 students during MP time?
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system.
It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, developmental biology, cytology, computer science and mathematical modeling to understand the fundamental and emergent properties of neurons, glia and neural circuits.
The understanding of the biological basis of learning, memory, behavior, perception, and consciousness has been described by Eric Kandel as the "epic challenge" of the biological sciences.
Please watch the 2 videos below to get a better understanding of what all it is about!
Everyone else in Tally's grade seems excited for their class trip... And she knows she is supposed to be too. Ever since her classmates found out she is autistic, Tally has felt more comfortable being herself."
Please find out more about the book below:
DO YOU KNOW ME?
Written by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott
Narrated by Bailey Carr
Book Published by Scholastic Inc
Audio Published by Scholastic Audio
Digital Retail Download ISBN: 978-1-338-76158-0
Digital Library Download ISBN: 978-1-338-76159-7
Click on the Play button below to listen to an excerpt of the Audiobook!
Ms Keating, our Librarian, will be getting the "3 Book Set" so you can enjoy reading it at your own leisure!
You can also get it on Amazon here YOU CAN SEE ME SERIES COLLECTION OF 3 BOOKS SET
By Libby Scott, Rebecca Westcott
Book 1 - Ways to Be Me
Book 2 - Do You Know Me?
Book 3 - Can You See Me?
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE END OF OUR UPPER SCHOOL COUNSELING & ADVISORY NEWSLETTER.
- Please go over the past newsletters where you will find different study strategies under the sub-heading of Study Skills.
- Then go over all the different professions explored under the sub-heading of Career Guidance.
Email: tessajohn@asmadrid.es
Website: asmadrid.org
Location: American School of Madrid, Calle América, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
Phone: 34 917401902