BPS Newsletter
Issue 4 - 11th September 2020
Flourishing through Responsibility
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we complete the third week back from the Summer Vacation, it is pleasing to see that many of the successful initiatives from last year, and the new ones which have been introduced this academic year, are already making a positive difference!
Firstly, on Tuesday, our Student Mediators received training which will benefit the entire student body who attend the European Primary Campus. Not only will they be supporting our children during break and lunchtimes with the distribution and support of our playground equipment, but will also play an active role in ensuring that low level friendship issues are resolved using a peer to peer philosophy of support and shared resolution.
The introduction of Sports Leaders is new to the BPS. These students will actively engage with our community to promote a healthy and active lifestyle, as well as support with activities and games designed to get the 'heart pumping' during lunchtimes. Further information regarding our Sports Leaders will be shared in due course.
I would like to congratulate the Eco Committee for a successful first meeting. I am confident that the renewed passion for ensuring that we are as carbon neutral as possible, promoting sustainable education, and various other initiatives such as our vegetable beds, will ensure we attain the Eco Green Flag!
It goes without saying that the election of the first ever Head Boy and Girl was a great success. It was tremendous to see the large interest and video promotions to support the application process, and following a rigorous campaign, I am pleased to announce Julian and Amber as our inaugural electives! This is such an important role, and I will be watching with interest as they flourish into outstanding representatives of the British Primary Section.
Finally, I would like to thank all who attended the EPC PSC New Parent Coffee morning on Wednesday and the PTA meeting on Thursday. Without the support of our parents, the British Primary Section would not be in the strong position it currently is!
Best wishes
Luke Chaeter
Early Years Workshop: The Importance of Play - by Mrs Jennie Bonnalie
Please join Jennie Bonnalie for an online workshop.
Date: 15th September
Time: 8:15 am - 9:00
Join Zoom Meeting: https://tes-tp.zoom.us/j/3890197073
Meeting ID: 389 019 7073
This workshop will aim to look at:
- What is play?
- How do we foster play in a school environment and achieve learning outcomes?
- How can you support play in your home?
- How do you know when to intervene?
- Questions and Discussion
This workshop would suit any parents with young children or parents who interested in Early Childhood.
Mrs Jennie Bonnalie
Head of Nursery
EAL Parent Workshop Tuesday, 15th September at 8:15 - 9:15am - by Mr Peter Collier
I would like to invite parents to attend this term’s Introduction to EAL workshop where you have the opportunity to find out more about the English as an Additional Language programme offered at TES.
The workshop will examine what it means to be an EAL learner, some of the unique challenges faced by students, and ways that we can all work together to help new learners of English achieve their full potential as they become confident speakers, readers and writers.
A focus at TES is the integration of language learning into all aspects of the curriculum and the EAL team is at the heart of supporting each language learner as an individual, both in the classroom and in targeted pull-out sessions through a carefully designed, supportive curriculum.
You can join the meeting via Zoom at the link below. I look forward to seeing you soon and sharing the excellent practice at TES.
EAL Parent Online Workshop
Date: Tuesday, 15th September
Time: 8:15am - 9:15am
Join Zoom Meeting: https://tes-tp.zoom.us/j/91354107893
Meeting ID: 913 5410 7893
Peter Collier
Head of EAL (BPS)
Student learning goals - action needed for your Parent Teacher Consultation meeting - by Mr Aidan Stallwood
In preparation for this year's first Parent Teacher Consultation we will need you to download your child's Student Learning Goals. These are created individually by the children at the beginning of each term and reviewed throughout the year. The first one will be available this Monday 14th September at 9:00am. For those who may be new to downloading reports from TESmile please see the guidance from our IT department below.
We hope that you find both the learning goals and consultation productive as a means to finding out how your child has settled into the new year. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact either your class teacher or me (aidan.stallwood@tes.tp.edu.tw).
Announcement of New Head Boy & Head Girl - by Mr Thomas Myerscough
This week, a new head boy and head girl have been announced at the British Primary School. Firstly, I would like to congratulate all the students that were risk-takers and put themselves forward to be part of the student leadership team.
Students were asked to create a short one to a two-minute video which showcased their experiences and talents for the role. The top videos were then shared with the rest of the school during an assembly where students cast votes on who they wanted to be the student voice of the British Primary School.
The democratically elected Head Boy and Head Girl were Amber and Julian, both in 6.1. Here are a few words from them both.
Both students are thoroughly looking forward to the year ahead and I’m sure you’ll hear from them again before too long in the Newsletter.
Eco committee gets going! - by Mr Aidan Stallwood
It was a great start, but we need everyone's voice. If you have any ideas for the committee can we please ask you to leave them on this padlet (https://padlet.com/aidan_stallwood1/me6etmzrdkppm2vg) and we will discuss them at the next meeting. Alternatively feel to contact our parent representative, Ms. Parkinson, or me: aidan.stallwood@tes.tp.edu.tw
Girls Football - by Mr Peter Poulton
The PE and sport provision is continually being evaluated and developed to ensure we are always working to capacity and providing multiple opportunities. I have many aims and objectives that are being implemented as we progress and one of these aims is to increase the participation of girls in football. During discussions with the girls, it seems the biggest barrier to their participation in football is the fact that they need to play with the boys. Although the girls are very happy to compete with and against the boys in almost all other sports, in football the gap in technical ability is too great and as such, they do not enjoy the sport.
As teachers, it is our job to provide opportunities in a range of sports but also to inspire the students and guide them to discover particular areas they enjoy and/or are talented in. Although we have many girls participating in various sports, I would like to see more girls playing team sports. Football is a mainstream sport and a great way for children to learn about teamwork, group dynamics, develop social skills, improve self-confidence and build new friendships. There are also multiple studies that demonstrate a link between team sports and improved academic performance as well, of course, there are the health and fitness benefits.
As such, I would like to invite girls from years 3 to 6 to join a Saturday programme for football development. This will be a girls-only session and from this, we hope to form a TES Bears girls team.
If your daughter is interested in this opportunity, please contact the CCA office and complete the related google form.
Sports Leaders - by Mr George Demetriou
This year, the PE Department, are developing a group of Year 6 students on a Sports Leadership program. The program will see the students learn the following:
- Improve confidence through role play in leadership scenarios.
- Develop communication skills, whilst leading activities to small groups.
- Develop organizational and planning skills on how to lead an activity.
- Problem solve as an individual or as a team member.
- Assist the PE team with hosting sports events at TES.
- Lead a small sporting activity to the lower school.
Due to the huge interest in these positions, there will be two groups of Sports Leaders over Semester 1 and 2. All our Sports Leaders will receive their very own branded t-shirt, cap and bracelet, which will be worn during their leadership sessions or events.
Our Semester 1 Sports Leaders are:
Mia, Maisy, Abigail, Aya, Amber, Jaden, Ian, Kyle and Joseph.
Our Sports Leaders for Semester 2 will be:
Martina, Francesca, Sophie, Jenna, Rodrigo, Leoni, Kai and Dannis.
At TES we value student agency highly and we always try to offer opportunities to our students to thrive. I look forward to working with all the students on this unique program.
Can we build it? Yes we can! - by Mrs Nicky Robinson
This week in Nursery, the children had their first opportunity to try their hand at woodwork.
Woodwork is a great continuous activity for both girls and boys. Benefits include developing hand-eye coordination, improving spatial thinking abilities, building confidence and self-esteem, encouraging creativity and communication skills.
As the children learn how to use the tools and become more confident, they will begin to use their creativity to simply decorate their piece of wood, or work to make something more specific, such as a car, boat, or Christmas decoration.
Student Mediators Hit the Playground - by Mr Thomas Myerscough
On Tuesday 8th September, the Student Mediators had their official training session. This was led by Mr Myerscough and Mr Stallwood. During the training session, the student mediators had a chance to discuss their role, the skills they would gain through their year-long commitment, and a chance to re-enact some playground situations. The students came up with the following list of what they would be responsible for.
Student Mediators are responsible for:
Ensuring that playground equipment is used respectfully
Ensuring that playground equipment is packed away
Supporting students that don’t have anyone to play with on the playground
Supporting students that have had minor arguments on the playground
Helping everyone get in on time for lessons
Warning staff on duty of potential issues
When the students were discussing what qualities a good Student Mediator should have, they came up with the following:
Stays neutral (that is, doesn’t take sides)
Treats people with respect
Treats problems with respect
Doesn’t give advice (tell them what to do).
One area discussed during the session was restorative justice. Restorative justice is an alternative to punishing children for doing wrong. It encourages children to take responsibility for their own mistakes. This helps children to learn from their mistakes, causing less of them to make repeat offences. The Student Mediators will be responsible for helping students to solve their problems themselves by using a range of key questions that they will be carrying on an orange keychain.
Jeff and Martina, two of the student mediators from Year 6, have shared some of their thoughts from the training session. Jeff said that he learned that being a Student Mediator is a big responsibility and that he can’t wait to help other people on the playground. Martina especially enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of the training when she looked at the different potential problems she might be faced in the playground. She is looking forward to making everyone happy and safe on the playground. Please come and speak to the Student Mediators on duty and help them to get to know you!
Bilingual Article in Centered on Taipei - by Ms Gillian Smith
We are excited to share the most recent edition of Centered on Taipei. On page 8 you will find an article ‘Bilingual is Better’ written by Eowyn Crisfield, a consultant that works closely with TES. This article is valuable reading as she challenges a number of language myths. While Eowyn’s article gives you the reasons to embark on a dual language journey for your child, below you will find the unique BPS dual language journey.
English and Chinese Language Development - A Dual Language Approach
Within the British Primary Section (BPS), we have a strong commitment to language development and this will be strengthened as we plan for a Dual Language Programme. This programme will not replace the British Section but will be a one-class stream within it, beginning in Year 2 in 2021-2022.
The story so far...
In 2019-2020, Mr. Gately together with a BPS team introduced an enrichment approach to Chinese language development in Reception. Ms. Chou, a Chinese Enrichment Teacher, was added to the Reception team, bringing the teaching team total to five. This shift to an integrated approach had the aim of developing Chinese Language in a more developmentally appropriate way. It also allowed for a more authentic development of Chinese, as children’s Chinese was developed alongside the English curriculum. This allowed children to bridge their understanding in Chinese to new learning in English. It also supported children new to Chinese and exposed them to stories, songs, and simple vocabulary.
In 2020-2021 this enrichment model is being continued in Reception and extended into Year 1. Both the Reception and Year 1 teaching teams consist of four class teachers and one Chinese Enrichment Teacher. In addition, students in Year 1 will also take part in daily Chinese Language and Culture lessons.
What’s happening next?
We are currently in an exciting place as we are planning a BPS Dual Language Programme. The programme will be launched in 2021-2022 at the Year 2 level. Although we are still in the planning phase, we do want to share some of the details with you.
The Dual Language programme will be an option within the BPS. Entry to the programme will be a collaborative process between home and school but based on parent choice. Currently, we have four English medium classes in Year 2. In 2021-22 we plan to have three English Medium classrooms and one Dual Language Classroom. The teaching and learning will be grounded in the National Curriculum for England and Wales and the content will be delivered in both English and Chinese, but not repeated.
We are also looking to bring the dual language choice to parents at the admissions level.
During the 2022-23 school year, the programme will be rolled out to Year 3 and this process will continue until students reach Year 6. Once children reach British Secondary and High School classes will continue in English.
Throughout this journey, the BPS has been supported by language expert Eowyn Crisfield. Eowyn is a researcher, author, consultant, and Senior Lecturer in TESOL at Oxford Brookes University. She has been working with TES since 2018, developing and improving language provisions across the British Sections.
We will continue to share details with you as we move through this exciting journey.
很高興能夠在此分享最近一期 「Centered on Taipei」 雜誌中的報導。在第8頁中刊登了由Eowyn Crisfield (與台北歐洲學校的密切合作的雙語教學顧問) 所撰寫的 「Bilingual is Better」。在這篇文章裡面,Eowyn Crisfield針對語言學習的迷思作出一些反思,非常值得大家一讀。在文章中Eowyn提出了雙向語言發展對孩子成長的影響,因此,邀請您一起看看,目前英國小學部對雙向語言課程的計畫沿革與發展。
英文和中文的發展 - 雙向語言課程的計劃
英國小學部對於語言發展有強大的使命,因此我們推出了雙向語言課程。這課程並非取代英國部現有的課程。目前計畫將於2021-22學年度的二年級開始,並在該年級的其中一班開始進行。
課程的發展可追溯到2019-2020學年度,Mr. Gately在英國小學部的Reception推出第一個中文增益教學課程,並聘請周老師加入Reception的團隊,為第一位Chinese Enrichment Teacher,讓以中文為母語的孩子,有更多的機會發展自己的母語。在課堂中,對於母語為中文的孩子,中文就像一個橋樑,可以協助孩子們理解與學習;同時,在課程中,對於剛接觸中文的孩子,也利用許多故事、唱遊和簡單的日常對話,幫助他們學習中文。
2020-2021年,中文增益教學課程從Reception延續至一年級。這兩個年級皆有四位班導師及一位Chinese Enrichment Teacher。除此之外,一年級每天也多增加了半小時的中文課程。
有關接下來的課程
我們正緊鑼密鼓的規劃英國小學部的雙向語言課程。這課程將於2021-2022年度的二年級開始實行。雖然目前還在規劃階段,我們仍想先行與大家說明一些初步規畫事宜。
英國小學部的雙向語言課程是可選課程。學校將與家長溝通,孩子是否適合此課程,至於是否參與此課程,將由家長選擇。目前二年級以全英語為主要上課語言的有四班。我們計劃將於2021-2022年度改為三班以全英語上課及一班為雙向語言課程。這一班的課程大綱與其他班級一樣,根據英國的課程,以英語和中文教授,但教授的內容不重複。
到2022-2023此課程會繼續推廣至三年級,接著每年往上推一個年級,直至六年級。此課程只會持續到小學六年級,中學部仍維持以全英語上課。
我們非常感激Eowyn Crisfield協助英國小學部的雙向語言課程,使其發展至目前的階段。Eowyn是一位研究員、作家、顧問和Oxford Brookes University的TESOL課程資深講師。從2018年開始與台北歐洲學校合作,發展及改善英國部的語言課程規劃。
未來將有更多雙向語言課程的資訊,我們將再與大家分享。
Important Reminder by Mr Luke Chaeter
Mask Update
Digital Learning Day - Monday 5th October
Footwear
Sun Hats
Late after 8!
Up-coming events of The Community Services Center
To support The Community Services Center in Tienmu, we would like to introduce the Center events below. If you have any questions about their events, please do not hesitate to contact The Community Services Center directly via email on pia@communitycenter.org.tw
Lost and Found Items
Please remind your child to check regularly on their items and encourage them to find their lost items.
As restrictions on access makes it difficult for parents to go the the Lost & Found area themselves, next Wednesday 16 September from 2:45 - 3:15pm we will bring the things outside the school gate for you to pick up.
Finally, please remember to label, label, label; and we recommend including your child’s last name (or at least initials) on the labels.
Any questions, please contact Jessica Wang Simula, Line ID: jwangsimula
Yukari Wainwright
Taipei European School British Primary Section
Website: https://taipeieuropeanschool.com/index.php?id=120
Location: No. 99, Fuguo Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111
Phone: +886-2-8145-9007
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/British-Primary-Section-Taipei-European-School-1781787432102978/