Dunia April 2017

April 2017

UWC

REFUGEE

INITIATIVE

page 19

BUILDING

BRIDGES WITH

BOARDERS

page 6

ALUMNI

REEF

DEFENDERS

page 26

I was born and raised in a refugee camp in the end of the world,

in a forgotten and impossible to reach corner of the great African

desert. Yet, UWC put the time and the effort to reach that part

of the world, and now here I am.”

Bachir

UWC Costa Rica alumnus (2011–2013) from the Smara refugee

camp, now studying at Brown University

Read more on page 19

Dunia is published three times a year by UWC South East Asia. Reproduction in any manner

in English or any other language is prohibited without written consent. Please send feedback

to dunia@uwcsea.edu.sg.

Editors: Courtney Carlson, Sinéad Collins, Molly Fassbender and Kate Woodford

Design: Nandita Gupta

Photography: Sabrina Lone and members of the UWCSEA community

UWCSEA Dover is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)

CPE Registration No. 197000825H | CPE Registration Period 18 July 2011–17 July 2017 | Charity Registration No. 00142

UWCSEA East is registered by the Committee for Private Education (CPE), part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)

CPE Registration No. 200801795N | CPE Registration Period 10 March 2017–9 March 2023 | Charity Registration No. 002104

Printed on 100% recycled paper with environmentally friendly inks | MCI (P) 113/03/2017 | 064COM-1617

ENDURING

MISSION IN

CHANGING

TIMES

Chris Edwards on

leadership transitions

at UWCSEA

SUSTAINABILITY

AND SYSTEMS

THINKING

Enacting our mission

through Grade 7

Humanities

BUILDING

BRIDGES WITH

BOARDERS

UWC NC students

connecting with the

Primary community

ANNUAL REPORT

Top-line highlights

from the 2015/2016

Annual Report

1+5+7=PROJECT

WEEK

A critical part of the

IB Diploma

CHANGING

THE GAME

Sports presenter

John O’Sullivan

visits UWCSEA

SEASAC

ROUND-UP

Sporting success

beyond results

INFANT INDOOR

PLAYGROUND

Introducing the newly

renovated space on

East Campus

MISSION

ALIGNED

ADMISSIONS

How UWCSEA

recruits High School

students

SPOTLIGHT

Home Language Week

MISSION IN

ACTION: UWC

REFUGEE

INITIATIVE

UWC’s commitment

to refugees

THE COMMUNITY

OF THEATRE

Collaboration creates

a unique bond

TRANSFORMING

PRECONCEPTIONS

The true value of the

Daraja GC trip

COLLABORATIVE

TECHNOLOGY

IMPROVING

WRITING

COMMUNITY

FAIR AND FAMILY

FESTIVAL

Wrap-ups of two

Parents’ Association

events

ALUMNI REEF

DEFENDERS

Creating sustainable

solutions to blast

fishing

EXTENDING

THEIR

INFLUENCE:

TAKING ACTION

IN THE INFANT

SCHOOL

A new activity raises

awareness

COVER IMAGES

Front: Infant School

discovery time, Dover

Campus

Back: Grade 1 Arts

Festival, East Campus

April 2017

Stories, opinion, photos, videos and more

https://perspectives.uwcsea.edu.sg

Enduring

Mission in

changing times

By Chris Edwards

Head of College

UWC South East Asia

Over a period of, say twenty years, a

football team will almost certainly lose

every single original player, most likely

replace its manager and quite possibly

change its stadium. But the fans will

stay loyal and chant the same name

they chanted twenty years earlier. An

orchestra undergoes a similar cycle.

Over an admittedly longer period than

it takes for a football team to change

all its personnel, an orchestra will see

all the original musicians leave, its

conductors retire and its concert hall

rebuilt and relocated, and yet The Berlin

Philharmonic continues as an entity

everyone understands. Corporations

and countries are bigger examples of

the same things. People might mutter

something about values or belief

systems holding things together, but

is that really true? A modern, pacifist,

French woman may take immense pride

in being ‘French’ just as an executioner

at a guillotine may have felt wonderfully

‘French’ two hundred and forty years

ago. Being French is, perhaps, no more

than a convenient, malleable story

around which we rally in our loneliness.

France can’t feel or laugh or cry. Neither

can Google, nor Real Madrid, nor the

Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

What about a school? Does it make

any sense for somebody who was at

UWCSEA nearly forty-five years ago to

stay loyal to the College today? None

of the people that former student knew

remain. The buildings are virtually all

new. And—say it quietly—the mission

statement did not exist. However

high blown the rhetoric, is a school

in any way different to the examples

cited above?

Well, we can take a look at an

interesting snapshot right now.

On both UWCSEA campuses we will

soon be undergoing some senior

personnel changes—just like an

orchestra or football team—but I

guess the main difference is that

whereas the crowd or audience at the

match or concert has little personal

interaction with the players, a good

school is founded upon relationships,

and seeing a much loved teacher leave

is different to watching the second

bassoon play her last concert. The

intensity, frequency and significance

of interactions at school are markedly

different, and when one factors in the

trust and dependency of the students,

the ambition and love of the parents

as well as the care and passion of the

teachers, it is little wonder that we are

startled when the complex weave of

school relationships is unpicked, even

if the unpicking is really only thread by

thread. We do not always immediately

notice the new bright strand that has

2 | Dunia April 2017

OPINION

been added, usually because it does not

lie in exactly the same place. Eventually,

every strand on the tapestry will be

replaced. But the image endures.

More prosaically, it’s worth noting that

we are very fortunate at UWCSEA. On

average, a teacher stays nearly nine

years on Dover; and on East, where

the campus has only just reached

capacity, the average is already four

and a half years. As with our student

body, turnover is very low for an

international school. Yet some people

find it surprising that teachers ‘leave’

at all. Just as I used to think as a child

that all teachers wore ties and tweed

jackets when at home (and to be honest

it took me some time to get used to the

idea that teachers existed at all out of

school), so there are those who feel a

sense of betrayal when a teacher moves

on. Questions are asked of schools that

would never be asked of banks, trading

houses or consultancy firms. Teachers

are traditionally supposed to be driven

by vocation, and the longer and more

geographically static the vocation the

better. Something is ‘wrong’ when a

teacher leaves in a way that it is not

‘wrong’ for an executive to switch firms.

“I do not regard this as a promotion”

wrote a disappointed parent after we

announced one of our colleagues was

departing after many years of service

for a major headship. I think they meant

“Please, don’t leave us.” (It may shock

some parents to know that the average

tenure for an international school Head

is two and a half years. I am due a

carriage clock.)

Back to the question. When does

UWCSEA stop being UWCSEA? For me,

our identity crumbles at the moment

we decide to educate people for a hard

stop at eighteen (which some schools

do very well). The certificate you

clutch when you leave school counts

for nothing if the hands that clutch it

are going to grasp and grab from that

day on. The whole of life is a process

of learning, and so long as we recruit

teachers who believe and can inspire

children to believe that, we will be

recognisably UWCSEA. Who those

teachers will be, I cannot say, but if they

share ideas of unity, tolerance, kindness

and empathy, they will be welcome—

and necessary.

So like the orchestras and sports teams,

companies and nations, we will honour

our name while our people and our

buildings come and go. The students,

parents and teachers who gave us

the opening day of UWCSEA are now

treasured, sun-worn pictures on our

walls. Soon, we too will be echoes.

April 2017 Dunia | 3

By Mark Porter

Head of Middle School Humanities

and Jo Wallace

Teacher of Middle School Humanities

Dover Campus

Throughout the curriculum articulation process, the Middle

School Humanities team have reviewed and created units

of study in order to provide meaningful opportunities for

students to develop their conceptual understanding within

the discipline. One such example was the newly created unit

for Grade 7: ‘Sustainability and Systems Thinking’1.

The creation of this unit has allowed the team to place

Humanities at the heart of our College’s mission. Beyond

‘systems thinking’ and ‘geographical understanding’ the

unit establishes strong links to our UWC values, in that the

planned learning experiences encourage students to minimise

their harmful impact on the environment. Furthermore,

the unit connects to the qualities and skills of the UWCSEA

Learner Profile, with ‘commitment to care’ and ‘critical

thinking’ being at the core of the unit.

In recent years, the role of sustainability, both the concept

and the movement, has shifted to become a more central

theme within the discipline of geography, rather than an

isolated idea or the basis of an ‘add on’ discussion. As a

result, many educators now champion the way in which

sustainability has given their subjects a new focus and status

in the 21st century. Here at UWCSEA, with sustainability

as our mission, and the world as our logo, it has been an

easy and important choice to connect sustainability to the

Humanities. Within the UWCSEA curriculum, the unit serves

as a developmental stepping stone, which builds towards the

K–12 standard: Sustainable development requires people to

participate in decision-making and to take informed action. This

is one of nine standards in Humanities that students return to

in spiral learning from age 4 to 18.

However, there is always a challenge! When creating this

unit, it was important to recognise the wealth of experience,

understanding and opinions that our Grade 7s have already

accumulated and developed. Their work through service

projects, outdoor education, classroom learning and the

Grade 5 Expo alone, informed us that many of our students

are already convinced of the importance of sustainability.

In fact, many of them are already turning their beliefs and

values into action within our community and beyond. It was

therefore important to plan a new perspective and experience

as part of extending the learning offered through the unit.

The idea of ‘systems thinking’, traditionally bound to the IB

years and beyond, brought this new perspective.

The unit aims to develop students’ ability to understand and

apply ‘systems thinking’ to investigate sustainable issues

and evaluate solutions in the world today. By studying the

interrelated nature of our planet, and seeing our world and its

problems as ‘systems’, human-created solutions to complex

issues will (hopefully) become more effective. Using examples

of successful circular systems from the natural world, such as

ecosystems and the water cycle, students are able to adopt

a ‘big picture’ view of interconnectedness, and reflect on the

role, importance and value of each part of a system.

Their knowledge and understanding of sustainability is developed

using the Compass Thinking2 tool which guides students through

four crucial considerations to sustainability: Nature, Economy,

Society and Wellbeing. The ‘economy system’ provides the main

case study for the unit, and students identify the causes and

consequences of this linear system, whilst exploring effective

solutions currently being enacted in order to resolve issues

of resource depletion and waste. Students then use these

FEATURE

1 “Systems thinking describes habits of thinking about how systems work and how actions taken can impact results seen over time. They encompass a

spectrum of thinking strategies that foster problem-solving and encourage questioning.” - Waters Foundation, http://watersfoundation.org/

2 Compass Education, http://www.compasseducation.org/

Sustainability and systems thinking

4 | Dunia April 2017

dimensions as the criteria from which to assess and evaluate

their chosen solution. As geographers, the case studies are drawn

across the world, allowing students to build their own ‘world

view’ regarding the varying ways in which humans value and

interact with their environments and natural resources.

Learning in their own environment

Students start their learning journey in their immediate

surroundings, with a tour of (and as a result, an appreciation

of) the sustainable features and behaviours of the Dover

Campus and its community. Created by Gordon Hirons and

the Environmental Stewardship Council, the tour highlights

the ‘geography in action’ at play within the campus, as part of

the Service programme.

Building on the ‘out-of-the-classroom’ experience, the

Humanities team also organise a sustainability field trip, this year

held on UWC day, during which all Grade 7 students visit Marina

Barrage and Gardens by the Bay. This provides an opportunity for

students to better understand how the two sites work towards

the four dimensions of sustainability, whilst also becoming better

acquainted with their home (or home for now) Singapore. By

exploring sustainability within Singapore, students are able to

develop an important ‘sense of place’ and connection and care

towards their environment, whilst deepening their understanding

and respect towards the UWC movement and mission.

So what do the students think of the new learning brought

about by curriculum articulation? Students in Grade 7 had

the following comments on the Sustainability and Systems

Thinking unit field trip:

“I really loved the trip, and I find that my understanding of

systems in general has developed quite a lot. This is especially

true for natural systems, as we learnt how natural systems

never have any wastage whatsoever. Though we had already

learnt this in class, it was great to see it in action.”

“One of UWC’s greatest values is being sustainable so the unit

helped us learn about it.” – Diya Narayanan

“I think that the opportunity to go to Marina Barrage helped

enhance our previous learning on sustainability and it was

also a great introduction to our new unit. I feel it is important

for us to educate ourselves about the environment so we can

minimise our impacts and teach others.” – Anoush van der Kam

The big picture

Nathan Hunt, UWCSEA’s Director of Sustainability reflects

on how this type of work builds on the UWC mission,

“Articulating the curriculum has been absolutely vital to

furthering our aim to enable students to comprehend and

take action to shape a better world. Having a curriculum

that carries our students from K–12 is not merely ensuring a

continuation of the learning from year to year, and developing

a consistency of language and approaches, it is an essential

part of how Sustainable Development is enacted through

education. In their 2015 Agenda for Sustainable Development

that launched the new Global Goals, the United Nations

declared that ‘the interlinkages and integrated nature of the

Sustainable Development Goals are of crucial importance in

ensuring that the purpose of the new Agenda is realised.’3

Articulating our curriculum is a process of ensuring that

these interlinkages are made both conceptually, through

shared understandings within Humanities and across other

disciplines and practically, by allowing teachers to integrate

their teaching with other areas of the Learning Programme

such as Service and Outdoor Education. This ‘joining-up’ is

exactly the intellectual and strategic thinking that is needed

to ensure we achieve our mission.”

3 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/

April 2017 Dunia | 5

By Andrea McDonald

Grade 5 Teacher and Boarding Assistant Houseparent

East Campus

Every few weeks, Grade 12 student Blen Menghesha makes

her way to the Infant Block. Despite her rigorous IB Diploma

Programme schedule, Blen takes time to visit some of the

College’s youngest students, her adopted K1 buddy class. She

has been dropping in over the course of the school year, to

the great delight of her younger peers. Blen and K1 teacher

Imogen Piccilli were partnered together last school year, and

have built an even stronger bond this year.

Imogen recounts Blen’s involvement with her class, “Blen

has been sharing stories about her family and home life in

Ethiopia. The K1s have been learning about the life of a boarder

and what life is like in her home country. She loves interacting

with the 4- and 5-year-olds, and playing alongside the children

in the classroom. She is very much like a big sister!”

This same scene is mirrored across the Primary School. This year

more than 40 UWC National Committee (NC) students1 in the

East High School have been ‘adopted’ by a Primary School class.

These senior students commit to engaging with their respective

class several times over the year, but many go beyond that and

spend time with their buddy class weekly. Not only does the

‘Adopt a Boarder’ programme strengthen community bonds

between students of different ages, it celebrates the diversity

of the College. High School students are exposed to leadership

opportunities and, as a result, become much-loved role models

to the younger students. Families resident in Singapore also

have the chance to gain insight into new cultures, by welcoming

their child’s boarding buddy for a home-cooked meal or outing.

These connections can lead to long-term relationships—even

after students have graduated.

Community bonds and home away from home

One of the many positive aspects of the Adopt a Boarder

programme is that students new to UWCSEA are quickly

connected with the wider school community. With 2,500

students on campus and 160 in Tampines House, older and

younger students alike can find the scale intimidating. In

addition, many of the NC students are abroad for the first

time, having left younger siblings and a strong family structure.

The chance to integrate in a small class environment, with a

rapt and receptive audience of young students, can transform

a student’s experience and provide a sense of commmunity.

Nanakwame (Nana) Nyarko-Ansong has benefitted from his

connection with Kim Duffy’s Grade 3 class: “I feel [the younger

students’] excitement in getting to know me and it touches me

the way they share their interests and day-to-day adventures.

They often call my name and run up to me shouting, ‘We

miss you Nana from Ghana!’ When I am stressed out and

wandering in a sea of students … having these Grade 3

students call my name inspires me and makes me happy!”

Teachers will often request a NC student from their home

country or who speak a shared home language, giving

both of them the opportunity to speak their language and

helping ease the student’s transition. Primary teachers

Isabel Valenzuela and Arlene Van Staden typify this. Isabel

enthusiastically welcomes Chilean students into her class,

whilst Arlene’s bond with Dutch student Goya Van Den Berg

has provided them with the chance to catch up regularly on

news from their homeland.

Leadership skills and role models

Sten Leinasaar, in his first year at UWCSEA, goes into his

adopted Grade 4 class each week and seizes any opportunity

he can to meet with the children. He and his buddy teacher,

Paul Baird, communicate early in the week and plan activities

for the last hour of class on Friday. In a recent session, Sten

planned and taught the students some traditional Estonian

games. He has formed a strong bond with the students while

also developing his leadership skills. Sten has learned a lot

too, “Never would I have guessed that these kids could teach

FEATURE

1 NC students have been awarded a scholarship by the UWC National Committee in their home country. There are currently 156 UWC National Committees

around the world.

Building bridges with boarders

6 | Dunia April 2017

me more than I can teach them. But that is exactly what

has happened.”

The magic inherent in having older students visit a class, is

in their ability to teach their younger peers and to be a role

model for different qualities and skills valued at UWCSEA.

NC students will share topical discussions ranging from issues

they advocate for, to the value and method of taking notes

with their Primary School buddies. The older students have

a tremendous impact on their younger peers; lessons and

skills being taught are suddenly validated by the more senior

students. Luiza Britton, a Grade 5 student, recalls learning

notetaking from Sena Kpodzro, her Grade 12 buddy: “Sena

showed us her notes and talked about using bullet points to

summarise key information. We saw that the skills we are

learning in our workshops get used right through High School.

Her Chemistry notes looked very complicated but precise.”

Similarly, Grade 11 student Djordje Petrovic helps his buddies

in Grade 3 class with their writing skills every Thursday

after lunch. Head of Grade Julie Day sings Djordje’s praises,

“He engages the students in talking about their writing and

supports them with their next steps. He models writing for

them and gives them feedback.” Recently he has been helping

students understand the different components of fairytales.

Cultural exchange

UWC’s mission to make education a force to unite people,

nations and cultures is living and breathing in the Adopt a

Boarder programme. Boarders are welcomed into their buddy

class and encouraged to share their cultural customs. Some

well-timed geography lessons and map skills are developed

by the younger students as they eagerly look for where their

boarding buddy is from. For many this is a first chance to

learn about their buddy’s home country.

Although the Primary students are enthralled with their new

understanding of their buddy’s culture; as is often the case,

learning goes both ways. For many NC students, who arrive

with limited English, the time spent with their buddy class

provides a platform to practise speaking English in a safe,

positive and encouraging environment. Savaira Drau has been

paired with Mary Newbigin’s Grade 1 class for two years now.

Her English skills have vastly improved since first moving from

Fiji in 2015. Mary’s enthusiasm for her adopted boarder has

not only provided opportunities for Savaira to interact with

her Grade 1 students, but also to develop her confidence in

speaking, and even practise giving presentations.

Family connections

Adopted boarders often form bonds with families they

initially met through their buddy class. Once introduced,

families are often keen to build relationships with boarders

from their home country—or even, as in the case of the Joshi

family, their home continent. Kuntal and Sheetal Joshi hail

from Tanzania and have sons in Grades 8 and 10. When their

younger son was in Grade 5, they began hosting NC students

from Africa.

The students were thrilled when the Joshi family invited

them for dinner with the tempting dish of Ugali—a maize-

based porridge renowned in many countries in Africa. Word

spread—across campuses—and the dinner parties have grown

to become regular calendar events: dinner with the Joshis,

weekends at the Joshis, and students’ visiting families are

even welcomed into the Joshi home.

Kuntal explains, “As a family, we welcome NC scholars from

Africa and around the world to open our minds and hearts

and share experiences about the world at large. We otherwise

live in our comfortable cocoons and really don’t see the world

in its true sense. Our family has gained a tremendous amount

through these personal and group interactions … We find

this interaction with African scholars very welcoming and

we, together with our boys, find it heartening. We are truly

enriching our lives … and this interaction and sharing really

enables us to be global citizens.”

Photo courtesy of the Joshi family

April 2017 Dunia | 7

Community 5,525

Students on

both campuses 3,725

Families on

both campuses 99 Nationalities

The UWCSEA Annual Report 2015/2016 was published in January 2017,

providing up-to-date statistics on the College learning programme and

operations. In a new introduction from Chris Edwards, Head of College, he

pointed out that it’s difficult to enjoy an Annual Report, as “it’s like reading

a history book full of accessions, battles and grain harvest reports but

without the overarching emotional narrative that explains why the year

was so special, happy and successful.” However, the Annual Report provides

much information about the College’s “reach and accomplishments”, and

gives a very transparent view of our activity to our whole community.

Included in the report are sections on student achievement in each element

of the learning programme; information about the College community,

including results of the annual parent survey; the business report

incorporating Human Resources, Admissions and the financial statements

for the College; and a summary of the activity in College Advancement.

The report includes a large number of statistics that describe the breadth

and depth of our activity. A selection of these statistics is below.

Read the full report online at www.uwcsea.edu.sg/AnnualReport. If

you would like a printed copy of the report, please contact Farhani Alias,

Communications and Marketing Officer (farhani.alias@uwcsea.edu.sg).

Financials

Educational resources 4%

Boarding salary and benefits 1%

Administration salary

and benefits 6%

Boarding exp 2%

Depreciation 5%

Central admin 1%

Maintenance and

operations 5%

65% Teachers

salary and benefits

Educational support salary

and benefits 10%

Marketing and Communications 1%

Dover Campus

Expenditure

Boarding fees 4%

Other contributions 1%

Tuition fees 90%

Sundries and other fees 5%

Dover Campus

Income

Educational resources 4%

Boarding salary and benefits 1%

Administration salary

and benefits 5%

Boarding exp 3%

Depreciation 4%

Central admin 1%

Maintenance and

operations 7%

65% Teachers

salary and benefits

Educational support salary

and benefits 9%

Marketing and Communications 1%

East Campus

Expenditure

Boarding fees 5%

Other contributions 1%

Tuition fees 89%

Sundries and other fees 5%

East Campus

Income

FEATURE

8 | Dunia April 2017

500

Students

Class of 2016 IB Diploma results

Average IB Diploma Score

30.0

Worldwide

36.4

UWCSEA

IB Diploma score comparison

UWCSEA

Worldwide (2015)

36.0%

19.3%

35–39

25.4%

28.3%

30–34

8.4%

25.8%

24–29

0.6%

19.2%

<24

29.6%

40–45

7.4%

(I)GCSE results June 2016

%A*–C ISC

%A*–C UWCSEA

%A*–A ISC

%A*–A UWCSEA

%A* ISC†

%A* UWCSEA

90.8

96.8

61.9

66.6

34.5

33.2

Dover Campus

†ISC = Independent Schools Council

%A*–C ISC

%A*–C UWCSEA

%A*–A ISC

%A*–A UWCSEA

%A* ISC†

%A* UWCSEA

90.8

97.1

61.9

62.2

34.5

29.9

East Campus

Activities participation

The average number of activities that students in each grade took throughout the year.

G10

FIB

G11

G12

Activities at East Campus

G10

FIB

G11

G12

Activities at Dover Campus

Outdoor Education

769,176+

Student hours spent overseas

Human Resources

3,165

Applications received

Posts advertised

Service

166

Number of

Global Concerns

100

Number of

College Services

111

Number of Local

Service partners

$1,354,205

Money raised by students through the UWCSEA

Service programme

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

50%

from parents

April 2017 Dunia | 9

By Kate Lewis (Dover Campus) and

Viki Cole (East Campus)

Project Week Coordinators

Project Week is the highlight of High

School for many UWCSEA students,

representing a chance to travel outside

Singapore with a group of like-minded

peers to work on a worthwhile project.

In this article, we will discuss how the

three core elements of one week, five

stages and seven learning outcomes,

come together to create an incredible

learning journey that culminates in

Project Week.

One week

All Grade 11 students are taken off their

regular timetable for one week in order

to complete a Project Week trip. The

trip is not a holiday, in fact it is quite far

from it as students only gain approval

for a project with a worthwhile purpose

that helps fulfil the official International

Baccalaureate Diploma Creativity,

Activity and Service (CAS) requirements.

Project Week is also the culmination

of the Outdoor Education programme,

providing an opportunity for students

to pull together and implement prior

learning from their Outdoor Education

trips in earlier grades, into one, practical

week. Experiential trips are planned

to give students skills they need for a

successful and safe Project Week. It

is also a rite of passage and a coming

of age experience that demonstrates

the faith and trust our community

has in the abilities of our students.

Independent travel for teenagers is not

undertaken without significant trip

preparation and protocols.

Five stages

Months before Project Week, students

begin working on the five stages of

CAS requirements of the IB Diploma.

Grade 11s start with the Investigation

stage where they identify their personal

interests and how they might use their

skills for a meaningful CAS experience.

Students share Project Week dreams

and ideas.

Next comes the more arduous

Preparation stage. Students form

groups of three to five, and take on

different responsibilities to ensure

they plan a safe and worthwhile trip.

They follow a checklist and clarify their

roles to ensure sound trip planning

procedures such as budgeting, First

Aid, considering the impacts of

‘voluntourism’, and, most importantly,

risk mitigation.

After multiple checks by the group’s

teacher supervisor, Outdoor Education

staff and Project Week coordinators,

the students are ready for the Action

stage. After months of meetings,

assemblies, iPAL uploads, ID cards and

form checks, the students are finally

free to travel, without parents or

staff, to their chosen destination and

project. They implement their plan

and become the decision makers and

problem solvers.

Throughout the process students are

encouraged to consider the Reflection

stage, to focus on what they have

learned, not just about trip planning, but

about themselves as individuals and their

ability to work in groups, especially when

challenges arise. They might reflect on

how they have changed as they become

more mature and empowered.

FEATURE

1 + 5 + 7 = PROJECT WEEK

One week, five stages, and seven learning outcomes

From left to right: Reforestation project in Kep, Cambodia; students volunteering with an elephant conservation project with PAW GC.

10 | Dunia April 2017

When the the trip is completed,

the Grade 11s enter the stage of

Demonstration; they consolidate their

learning by explicitly stating in their

CAS portfolios, what, and how, they

learned and what they achieved. This

brings the formal assessment to a close.

In addition, they informally share their

accomplishments with their peers,

friends and family. So what exactly do

they learn?

Seven learning outcomes

For students to successfully graduate

with an IB Diploma they must complete

seven learning outcomes. Through

Project Week students are able to

demonstrate all seven learning areas and

that they have:

1. Increased their awareness of

their own strengths and areas

for growth 

They are able to see themselves as

individuals with various skills and

abilities, some more developed than

others, and understand that they

can make choices about how they

wish to move forward.

2. Undertaken new challenges

and develop new skills 

A new challenge may be an unfamiliar

activity, or an extension to an existing

one. As with new challenges, new

skills may be shown in activities

the student has not previously

undertaken, or in increased expertise

in an established area.

3. Planned and initiated activities 

Planning and initiation will often

be in collaboration with others. It

can be shown in activities that are

part of larger projects, for example

ongoing school activities in the

local community, as well as in small

student-led activities.

4. Worked collaboratively with others 

Collaboration can be shown in many

different activities, such as team

sports, playing music in a band, or

helping in kindergarten.

5. Shown perseverance and

commitment to their activities 

At minimum, this implies attending

regularly and accepting a share of

the responsibility for dealing with

problems that arise.

6. Engaged with issues of global

importance 

Students may be involved in

international projects but there

are many global issues that can be

acted upon locally or nationally.

7. Considered the ethical

implications of their actions 

Ethical decisions arise in almost

any CAS activity (for example,

on the sports field, in musical

compositions, in personal

relationships). Evidence of thinking

about ethical issues can be shown

in various ways, including journal

entries and conversations with

CAS advisers.

The reality however, is that Project Week

is not about the numbers. It’s about the

development of skills—independence;

initiative; communication; collaboration;

conflict resolution; cultural awareness;

community action; leadership and

responsibility. The numbers 1, 5, 7

represent the logistics that help to

create empowered individuals who are

better prepared for the transition to life

beyond UWCSEA.

From left to right: Teaching English in Cambodia; learning to surf for an active project in Bali.

April 2017 Dunia | 11

By Ian Deeth, Head of Primary School Activities

and Nick Dunn, Chair of Activities

East Campus

“We have a chance to teach our children and our athletes the

awesome joy of being a warrior. Of seeking challenge, battling

for personal excellence, of striving to be a better person each

day, and living and playing with a purpose and embedded in

values … We make this choice to create warriors not winners

and we may not fill our mantle with trophies, but we will fill the

world with happy, resilient, purposeful people who will make an

impact beyond the game.” – John O’Sullivan

With students participating in multiple sports across age-

groups, UWCSEA’s sports programme has seen extensive

expansion in the past five years. Many of our students train hard

in their quest to push their performances to their optimum.

However, we believe it is important that our community has

an opportunity to reflect on what is required for our student

athletes to develop their skills individually even as they strive

to be the best that they can be. As a result, the College recently

invited John O’Sullivan to share his inspiring messages on

children and sports through a series of keynote presentations

and workshops with three key groups: our student athletes,

parents and coaches.

With a wealth of practical knowledge, garnered through years

of hands-on work with young sports people, their coaches

and their families, John presented his tailored sessions and

then invited questions from each group. While the focus was

slightly different for each group, the messages highlighted the

importance of why we love sport; quite simply, because it is fun!

His message was also a warning that the passion and the love

for the sport that a child starts out with can be lost in a quest

for achievement, recognition and winning at all costs.

A small number of our students aim to be professional athletes.

The majority of our students play for the love of sport, and they

put in the work and time to get better because they want to.

That’s what being a part of our sports teams teaches you—to

give your all for the intrinsic satisfaction, as well as the benefits

that come from regular physical activity and the social and

emotional boosts this provides.

The qualities of resilience and self-awareness, as well as the

skills of collaboration and self-management are now at the

forefront of UWCSEA’s sports programme and our vision is to

align these with our motivated and purpose-driven student

athletes who will develop positive, lasting memories of playing

sport at UWCSEA.

The College has set objectives for each age group and is

working with research on Long Term Athlete Development

(LTAD) in order to develop a healthy attitude to sports and high

performance athleticism. Feedback from students, parents,

coaches and sports specialists in the Singapore community, who

were also invited to attend John’s presentations, makes it clear

that his positive messages are aligned with our own. We look

forward to working with our community to further implement

our athlete development programme.

John O’Sullivan

John launched the Changing the Game Project in 2012 after

two decades as a soccer (football) player and coach at all

levels in the USA. He is the author of well-known books that

seek to ‘return youth sports to our children’: Changing the

Game: The Parents’ Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing

Athletes – Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids and Is it Wise

to Specialize? He is a widely sought-after public speaker and

has presented in schools, universities and sports academies

around the world.

John’s writing has also been featured in many publications

including The Huffington Post and Soccer America. He is

widely known for his engaging TEDx Talk Changing the Game

in Youth Sports.

Changing the Game

COMMUNITY NEWS

12 | Dunia April 2017

East Dragons 2016/2017 SEASAC results

Division 1 unless stated

Sport

Girls

Boys

Badminton

2nd (Division 2)

2nd

Basketball

5th

Champions

Cross Country

Champions

Football

Champions (Division 2)

Champions

Golf

6th

Gymnastics

Level 7 – 2nd

Level 6 – Champions

Level 5 – Champions

Level 3 – 3rd

Softball

7th

Champions

Swimming

2nd

Champions

Tennis

6th

Champions (Division 2)

Touch/Rugby

4th

3rd

Volleyball

Champions (Division 2)

4th

By Gavin Dinsdale, Head of High School Activities

East Campus

2016/2017 has been a very successful year in sport, with an

impressive 19 SEASAC Championship trophies across the

College. This success is the cumulative effect of several years

of sports development, not just a single season. We strive for a

sporting culture in which learning from failure as well as success

is central. Students take responsibility for their learning in sport,

both individually and as teams. They take an active part in

answering “How do we continually improve?”, and teams work

toward building resilience and mastery where high performance

becomes a habit.

While this year’s record results provide one way to quantify

sporting success, it is certainly not the only measure we use.

East athletes Hugh Goovaerts (Rugby) and Lachlan Elliott

(Swimming) each received the Sportsmanship Award at the

SEASAC championships for outstanding contributions to fairplay.

Hundreds of student athletes gain from personal development,

friendship and enjoyment, which offer a range of success stories.

Many students will have fond memories of championship wins

this year, but far more will recall other highlights and reflect back

on their own success and development. Going forward, we will

keep asking “How do we continually improve?” across all sports

and measure successes both small and large.

Sporting success

extends beyond record

SEASAC results

Dover Phoenix 2016/2017 SEASAC results

Division 1 unless stated

Sport

Girls

Boys

Badminton

3rd

5th

Basketball

Champions

3rd

Cross Country

2nd

Football

2nd

4th

Golf

3rd

2nd

Gymnastics

Level 8 – Champions

Level 7 – Champions

Level 6 – 2nd

Level 5 – 3rd

Level 5 – Champions

Softball

2nd

3rd

Swimming

Champions

2nd

Tennis

Champions

3rd

Touch/Rugby

Champions

2nd

Volleyball

4th

Champions (Division 2)

COMMUNITY NEWS

April 2017 Dunia | 13

INNOVATIVE SPACES

Construction

zone

Large blocks allow

students to build

any variety of

structures.

Model-making area

and testing ramp

Budding engineers can

design their own vehicles

and then test their

roadworthiness on the

giant ramp.

‘Big behaviours’

play zones

(not pictured)

Students can also engage

in physical activity and gross

motor development in

designated areas by playing

football, running, or riding

tricycles or scooters.

The re-developed undercover East Infant School

playground provides intentional, provocative and

inviting learning spaces. These include a model-

making area and testing ramp, a construction

zone, a creative reuse centre (‘The Remakery’),

a large role-play area, and a ‘Pop-up Playground’.

The Remakery, inspired by Remida (a cultural

project associated with Reggio Emilia in Italy),

was established thanks to gifts to the UWCSEA

Foundation and is organised and stocked with

reclaimed materials by the Junior School LEAP

College Service group. Similarly, the Pop-up

Playground utilises larger reusable materials for

students to create their own play space.

To learn more or to support The Remakery

or Pop-up Playground, please contact

infantschooleast@uwcsea.edu.sg.

The Remakery

Students’ imaginations

are unleashed as they

invent new objects with

a variety of reclaimed

materials in this creative

reuse centre.

Role-play area

The child-sized

houses and furniture

along with dress-up

materials allow for

imaginative role-

playing.

Pop-up Playground

(not pictured)

Students have access to larger

reusable materials such as

cardboard boxes, crates and

tyres for creative play and

construction.

Infant indoor

playground

United World Colleges are unique educational institutions, standing apart

from other schools with their singular mission: to make education a force to

unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. In pursuit

of that mission and corresponding values, UWCs are thus obligated to select

prospective students with not only excellent approaches to learning, but the

highest potential to embrace and embody the mission.

Starting in 2015, Jonathan Carter, Director of Admissions for UWCSEA, began

transforming the High School Admissions process; moving away from a series

of four lengthy academic tests and a brief interview with the leadership team,

to incorporate a new Assessment Day—an interactive and immersive experience

designed to give prospective students a real feel for the College and an

opportunity to show their true potential to live the mission. Jonathan explains,

“We recognised that we were receiving accurate information about academic

proficiency from the applicants’ schools, so there was no reason to test them

again. We looked to create an Assessment Day that would be an invaluable

experience and opportunity for both the College and the applicant—to give

them a chance to showcase their true selves in a series of different tasks and

exercises in relation to the mission.” Jonathan also took inspiration from the

selection process for the UWC national committee scholars, who often undergo

a series of interviews, activities and tests over a period of months designed to

drill down to their core strengths and abilities and to distil their commitment to

the UWC mission and their skills and assets as a community member.

The Assessment Day is an active and immersive experience; prospective

students leave their ties and blazer at home and come dressed in sneakers and

jeans, ready to get moving. This is a day that challenges the students’ ideas,

perspectives and puts them in front of current staff and students. The day starts

with an introduction and welcome for families—parents and applicants—before

the parents are given a tour of the College and the applicants participate in an

interactive session about the UWC movement and the nature of education.

Rather than a typical slide show presentation about the College, Jonathan sets

a series of questions for the group, designed to challenge and explore their ideas

about education, meaningful diversity and where in their hearts the College can

help shape a better world. Jonathan emphasises to families that this day is not

only about the College getting information about them, but that they should

also be evaluating and trying to get a deeper understanding of the College; this

is a day for mutual learning and commitment.

The

UWCSEA

High

School

Admissions

process

FEATURE

16 | Dunia April 2017

aligned

with

the

mission

After the education session, students then have individual interviews with the

members of the High School Leadership team. A pizza lunch is provided and

UWCSEA students join in for informal socialising. Applicants are then taken on

a student-guided tour of the College. The applicants then move into the Games

session—a series of exercises designed to look at social interaction skills, and

the willingness to take on challenges, to participate and to be present (and

not looking at their phones). The day culminates with a 60-minute forum; led

by UWCSEA student facilitators, in which the group discusses an open-ended

question such as “Should the death penalty be banned?” or “Should rich people

be obligated to help poor people?” UWCSEA students who participate in the

Assessment Day are volunteers who go through two training sessions in advance

in order to adequately prepare for the experience.

Detailed reflection takes place after the Assessment Day, giving weight not only

to the feedback from Admissions and leadership staff, but also from current

UWCSEA students who were involved in the lunch, tours and forum. Jonathan

says, “The new process has empowered our current students to take the mission

into their hands. They are encouraged to deeply reflect on the prospective

applicants and their potential contributions to UWCSEA. The process is also

very uniquely ‘UWC’ as it gives our students a real voice, which creates a sense

of responsibility and engagement. Our students are very astute and pick up on

behaviours or skill sets demonstrated through social situations that might not

have come through otherwise.”

Radu Lunggu, a UWCSEA Grade 11 student facilitator volunteer, reflects on his

experience, “Leading the forum was a real chance to help the school to choose

the suitable students who will represent the UWC movement in the best way …

As the main leader and facilitator, I was challenged by the participants as they

were quiet and not engaged in the discussions. I had to show initiative and ask

them challenging questions, thus persuading them to debate and talk more.”

The UWCSEA High School Admissions is an example of how changing processes

can have an impact across the College that truly reflects the UWC mission and

ethos. There are few things more important for the College than the people who

make up its community, and a community that is united in common purpose

from the start brings us a few steps closer to fulfilling our unique mission.

April 2017 Dunia | 17

Home Language Week

Coinciding with International Mother Language Day on 21 February, Home Language Week at Dover Campus was a

week-long recognition and celebration of the diversity of language that exists within our community. During this week,

there was a variety of activities across the campus both within and outside of the classrooms for Grades 2–12. As a

final culminating celebration, Friday, 24 February was an ‘own clothes’ day where students came to school dressed in

clothes that represent the language(s) they speak.

SPOTLIGHT