December 2015
Term 1 edition
Round Square
International
Conference 2015
UN Night and CultuRama
Articulating learning
Platonic
ideals and
Aristotelian
imperatives:
Being a
UWC in
Singapore
By Chris Edwards
Head of College
UWC South East Asia
Many articles in this edition have
expanded content on eDunia
(www.uwcsea.edu.sg/edunia)—
look for the symbol as you
read the magazine and visit
eDunia for more photos, video
and expanded content.
Other stories featured only on eDunia:
Primary School
No-One’s An Island
East Campus delegation attends
YRSC2015 in Tasmania
Grade 2’s Big Bake
Sale for Tabitha
Students fund six wells
in Cambodia
Middle School
Tennis in Brunei
Dover and East students compete in
FOBISIA Tennis Championships
Grade 7 PSE
Workshops develop
skills and qualities in
girls and boys
High School
Super SEASAC
Division II football and volleyball
championships hosted by East Dragons
Dover debaters take the lead
Success at the APU National British
Parliamentary Novice Debate
tournament
Jakarta Street Kids
GC trip
Students learn through
hands-on work with
NGOs
Community
Ball for Nepal
Community support following the
earthquakes in Nepal
Foundation Trustee Kirtida Mekani
recognised with President’s Award
Cover: Round Square International
Conference 2015, see pages 14–15.
Cover photo by: Taylor Malligan
This year, as attendees at my breakfasts will know, I have used Raphael’s famous
image of Aristotle and Plato to illustrate the competing pressures upon UWCSEA.
The painting in question is called The School of Athens, and in it the two titans of
ancient Greek thought stand at its architectural vanishing point.
Aristotle, his palm facing the ground, is saying we must understand our landscape
before we set our goals. From him came analytic empiricism: the scientific method.
Plato, in the painting, is pointing upwards, ignoring the landscape and introducing the
Western world to mystical idealism.
On the face of it, Singapore is more Aristotelian than Platonic. Great play is made
here, for example, of Singapore’s amazing performance in the Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA) tables. The UWC mission, on the other hand,
has a much stronger dose of Plato as it talks of education being a force to unite the
world in peace. Many of you will know that as I write, we have in the College experts
from Research Schools International, which is led by researchers from Harvard
Graduate School of Education. They are exploring how they might best measure
UWCSEA’s impact both on our students, and by extension, on society as a whole.
So, through essentially Aristotelian methodology they hope to better understand a
Platonic ideal. We wish them well.
But let’s stick with Plato for a bit. Over the half-term break, I travelled, in my capacity
as a UWC International Board member, to Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the town of
Mostar. Ravaged by war just over 20 years ago, Mostar is now in a post conflict zone
(though I wonder, is any corner of the Earth not a post conflict zone?). And there, in
the centre of town on the top floor of an old building is one of our siblings: UWC in
Mostar. It is less than one twentieth our size. It is surrounded by bombed buildings
and is just metres from the old front line. No Olympic pools, no grand theatres, no
giant underground car park—not even a lift to the top floor. Just bricks and mortar.
Teachers. Students.
The Head of UWC in Mostar, Valentina Mindoljevic, played a part in that terrible
conflict of the early 90s. Not by firing a gun, but by dressing up as a clown and putting
on shows by the front line. As well as making people laugh, she was pointing out the
tragic absurdity of what was happening. Before the war, people worked together, ate
together and fell in love across religious divides. Then everything changed. And now,
there is a UWC—as Platonic a UWC as you will ever find—symbolically loaded and
strikingly pure in its pursuit of the mission.
To share a service activity involving its students, as I did, is a piercing and salutary
experience. And to hear the staff talk of days they lived through as children or young
adults is moving yet invigorating. This school doesn’t need sympathy or a patronising
pat on the head. It is no waif but a poster child. This is UWC in the raw: purposeful,
authentic and therefore beautiful.
Comparisons with ourselves may at first seem strained, but once one is focused
not on the craters and pock-marked buildings, but on the students, staff and their
work, a refreshing sense of belonging will infuse anyone visiting from a UWC. I am
sometimes asked whether UWCSEA has more in common with the giant international
schools of Asia or the other UWCs around the world. In terms of the size of the roll,
it’s the former of course; but beyond that there are moments when we seem to be
Mostar’s doppelganger, stretched by a hall of geographic, economic and historical
mirrors, surely, but otherwise entirely recognisable as a true and purposeful Hahnian
foundation. Hearts of congruent passion and intent beat in both communities.
We are so very, very lucky to be here: in Singapore and in this incredible College.
Aristotle deserves our thanks. Without him, our glass towers would not stand, our
money would not flow around the world and our technocrats would not be driving
the nation forward to still greater things. But first world easy street is not strewn with
flowers: if you want it all you will never be satisfied, and we must guard against being
trained to be dissatisfied with what we have. Mostar, that small Platonic outpost, was
a compelling and emotional reminder to UWCSEA that we must be careful not to
consume life but to live it.
By Alexander McGregor
Head of High School History
East Campus
There’s a passage in Robert Graves’
classic novel I, Claudius where the
would-be Roman emperor of the title
meets the two most lauded historians
of the day, Livy and Pollio. Playfully
asked to critique the styles of the two,
Claudius concludes that whilst he
enjoys the flamboyant narratives of
Livy, he much prefers Pollio’s greater
commitment to research, accuracy
and truth. Subsequently, Claudius
spends much of his adulthood as a
professional historian in the Pollio
tradition, uncovering the corruption of
his forebears and revealing the injustice
of a system from which he benefits.
When he is unwillingly swept into the
highest office by events beyond his
control, Claudius becomes the wisest,
best informed, most compassionate
emperor ever enjoyed by Rome and one,
moreover, committed to a return to the
democracy of the fallen Republic. The
novel openly claims that it was Claudius’
skills as a historian that enabled him to
transcend the pettiness and avarice that
had consumed his predecessors. History
had made him reflective, analytical,
humble and compassionate.
Of course, it’s just a novel and yet it
is firmly within this context that the
study of History should proceed. Often
mistaken for the simple recording
of the past, History today faces a
question of relevance. But well-trained
historians can write, edit, research, plan,
debate, work both collaboratively and
independently, orate, apply feedback,
manage quantitative data, navigate
qualitative sources and, moreover, they
have acquired a degree of erudition that
might just make them interesting and
interested people to employ.
Perhaps more importantly, the study of
History has the capacity to become an
exploration of identities: the students’
own, the College community’s and of
course the historical identities forming,
clashing or competing in the period
under investigation. A History classroom
has the power to make us pose the
question ‘who am I in relation to those
The mission of History
I study?’ and ‘what is my world in
relation to theirs?’ This is why History
is ultimately about human triumph and
fallibility and not Great Men or Nation
States, though they may well pepper
the story.
It is vital for students to explore
(amongst other topics) Apartheid,
conflict in the Balkans, genocide
in Rwanda and the second Sino-
Japanese war so that they come
face to face with the horror of
hate and humiliation, injustice and
institutionalised murder. It is equally
vital that those same students research
(amongst other topics) the Cuban and
Russian revolutions, the Vietnamese
independence movement and the
Meiji Restoration so as to examine
what people do to improve their
world and the successes and failures
these attempts create, however well
intentioned or misguided. This coming
together of skills and understanding, of
the past and the present, is empowering.
It allows us to make our own decisions
with the benefit of precedent and
collective experience. But, as with
Claudius, it also fosters empathy
and compassion as it simultaneously
slays hubris.
So how do we give the discipline a
further nudge in this direction? Well,
little is as powerful as allowing students
to learn from each other’s diverse
experiences. In an international school
environment this is a relatively simple
task. After all, it is fairly common to find
Koreans sat side by side with Japanese
and Ukrainians sat side by side with
Russians. But if they broadly share the
same ethos, as we do at UWCSEA, then
this may in fact only be the illusion of
great diversity. It may be mere preaching
to the converted.
That’s why we should enable students to
take that vital learning produced inside
the classroom and contextualise it in
other environments. We recently took
our Grade 12 students to Ho Chi Minh
City. There was a tangible power to be
discovered when we crawled 100 metres
of underground guerrilla tunnels. More
impactful still was our visit to the War
Remnants Museum and in particular the
Agent Orange room. I have never been
so proud of our students as when I saw
them process the indignities suffered
by the Vietnamese people. Many held
their heads in their hands. Many took
themselves away for a moment of quiet
reflection. All of them returned keen,
not to utter declarative judgements,
but to ask questions. They asked why
did this happen? They asked how do we
begin to repair this damage? They asked
how do we prevent this from happening
again? In that very moment, through
History, our students were face to face
with the urgency of our mission.
The sum of these elements, and others,
is to help to make History an immersive
experience for students. They also
provide students with a toolkit with
which to process the sheer depth of
historical content. Indeed, this approach
allows students to zoom in upon the
most intimate details of one person’s
past experience, and then to zoom out
to see the awesome waves of a trend,
movement or idea as they roll across
History’s ocean. As such might we avoid
the temptation to reduce History to
simple narratives. It’s an understandable
urge. Like Quantum Physics, History is a
lifetime’s pursuit: there’s so much of it,
there are endless perspectives to explore
and there’s rarely a definitive answer
to be found. The solution is not to
reduce History but to find ways for our
students to make sense of its vastness
and complexity. Doing so will enable
them to participate in the shaping of
their own complex identities
This is the goal we strive towards.
This is History’s contribution to the
UWC mission to unite people, nations
and cultures for peace and a sustainable
future. In a sense, we’re looking to
invert George Orwell’s famous axiom,
wherein those who participate in the
present understand the past; and those
that understand the past may shape
the future.
By Frazer Cairns
Head of Dover Campus
Even though it is difficult not to smile
when you come out of a Physics class
and, tucked away in a corner of the
campus, there are 30 young people
dressed in wellington boots stamping
out a South African gumboot dance in
unison, it is important to question the
basis of UN Night. Yes, all of the work is
choreographed by the students; yes, the
food is magnificent (though my usual
‘buffet breakfast’ approach of anything-
that-looks-nice led to a combination this
year of satay, South African sausages,
scones and kimchi); yes, the rehearsals
are often carried out in the funniest of
places; and yes, the final performances
are an extraordinary explosion of
student talent and enthusiasm. Yet
one of the most well known thinkers
in international education, George
Walker, one time Director General
of the International Baccalaureate
Organisation, was critical of such
things. He often made the point that
international education was not just a
question of ‘the four fs’ – food, festivals,
fashion and flags.
In some ways the question we should
ask about events like UN Night reflects
the debate around the concepts of
‘multiculturalism’ and ‘interculturalism.’
Does UN Night, through the celebration
of difference, merely emphasise that
difference or does it go further and
help people to understand each other’s
cultures, share them and so find
common ground?
The term multiculturalism emerged in
the 1960s and 1970s in countries like
Canada and Australia. It corresponds to
the demand that cultural diversity be
accepted and accommodated. Canadian
Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau,
for example, put forward the idea in
1971 that ‘‘a policy of multiculturalism
… is basically the conscious support of
individual freedom of choice. We are
free to be ourselves.’’ Interculturalism,
in the other hand, describes a situation
where there is an explicit aim to
facilitate dialogue, exchange and
reciprocal understanding between
people of different backgrounds. In
general, being geared toward interaction
and dialogue, interculturalism
aims for something greater than
coexistence. There is an emphasis on
societal cohesion and citizenship and
perhaps most challengingly, whereas
multiculturalism may be relativistic
(‘well that’s just how things are for
people like them’) interculturalism is
more likely to lead to an analysis (and
possible critique) of cultural practices
as part of the process of intercultural
dialogue.
If UN Night happens once a year, if
Indians dance Indian dances, Russians
dance Russian dances and Nigerians
dance Nigerian dances, and if there is
UN NIGHT
On the road to intercultural understanding or cultural isolation?
then little connection to the rest of
our time (and each other) at school,
then UN Night is an excellent example
of multiculturalism in action. We are
demonstrating a belief in tolerance
between cultures and certainly
tolerance is a good thing. But it is not
always the case that multicultural places
are open places. Different cultures can
exist next to each other without much
contact or participative interaction. In
this way groups can become culturally
isolated and isolation can lead to
humiliation, or to being manipulated
to feel humiliated. As Ian Hill (2006)
has noted, with the right inducement,
humiliated people retaliate.
But that is not what happens in UN
Night. Norwegians, Singaporeans and
Ukranians dance to bhangra, and South
Americans dance the Waltz. Before and
after the performances, UN Night acts
as a springboard for discussion. And
though UN Night is a very public display
of cross-cultural engagement it is only
part of the establishment of friendships
and the ‘living in and with’ rather than
‘living alongside’ other cultures through
which young people are challenged to
evaluate the strengths and weaknesses
of their own cultures and ways of life.
What (hopefully) becomes clear is
that, however rich it may be, no culture
embodies all that is valuable in human
life and develops the full range of
human possibilities.
There are, of course, degrees of
intercultural understanding that move
from the cognitive to the affective
domains: from knowledge about
other cultures, including language, to
skills in speaking other languages and
critically analysing the reason behind
certain behaviours, to empathy for
those of another culture (which does
not necessarily mean agreeing with
all that the culture represents). During
their time at UWCSEA our students
plot their own individual journeys
along this path. However, the Lebanese
writer Aamin Maalouf (2002) urged
us to see a ‘multiplicity of allegiances’
each with valid points of view, and UN
Night is a joyous and enjoyable step in
this direction.
Whether considered an example
of multi- or interculturalism,
a combination of scones and
kimchi will always be a bad
idea, however.
Hill, I. (2006) “Do International
Baccalaureate programs internationalise or
globalise?,” International Education Journal,
2006, 7(1), pp. 98-108.
Maalouf, A. (2000). In the Name of Identity:
Violence and the Need to Belong. New York:
Arcade Publishing.
For the last four years the curriculum articulation project has been a vital part of life
at UWCSEA, an intensely focused effort that, when it is complete, will have involved
nearly every educator in the College. In terms of impact on student learning, it is
perhaps the most significant development in the College’s history and is arguably
one of the most ambitious curriculum projects being undertaken in any educational
institution worldwide. And yet, few members of the community beyond the teaching
staff understand the project or what it means for the College and, most importantly,
for our students. What exactly is the project? And what impact does it have on
learning at UWCSEA? To answer these questions, we must go back to the project’s
origins and understand both its purpose and how the current process is transforming
learning at UWCSEA.
In the context of curriculum, articulation refers to the logical progression of learning
from grade level to grade level in order to create a seamless experience for students.
Curriculum at UWCSEA refers not just to the academic subjects, but to all five
elements of the Learning Programme (activities, outdoor education, personal and
social education and service, as well as academics). In each area of the Learning
Programme, and from Kindergarten to the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), our
students develop age-appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding.
The articulation project was initiated by the Board of Governors in 2011, with a
goal of developing a logically sequenced K1 to Grade 12 curriculum, that was firmly
derived from the UWC mission and appropriate for UWCSEA and the Singapore
context. Two staff members, Elizabeth Bray and Nancy Fairburn, were seconded to
lead the collaborative effort that the project would require. As well as conducting
wide research into best educational practice (research that continues today) and
building from other curricula, they also looked inward to best practices in the
College. Out of this work, through research, collaboration and consultation came the
Learning Principles and the Qualities and Skills outlined in the UWCSEA Profile.
Nancy Fairburn remembers the early days of the project, “We are a school that
sets high expectations for ourselves in the pursuit of improving student learning, so
we were not beginning from a deficit model: we were trying to make what we did
even better. Having said that, it became clear very quickly that the quality of the
conversation stimulated by the work would force us to examine all aspects of our
practice. We realised the reach of the project was far beyond a simple writing down
of the curriculum we were already delivering.”
Working with key leaders in each area of the Learning Programme on each campus,
teams collaborated to explore guiding questions. What are the big ideas in each
area of learning that we want students to take with them for life? How can we craft
Articulating
learning at UWCSEA
HOW IS THE UWCSEA
CURRICULUM STRUCTURED?
The curriculum is concept-based.
As a result, each curriculum area
(or discipline) has standards, which
are written as single statements that
include the key concepts for that
area. These standards run from K1 to
Grade 12.
Each standard has essential
understandings, which are
developmentally appropriate
statements of understanding, also
expressed in concepts, that describe
what a student should understand at
each stage of their development. They
build naturally in complexity from K1
to Grade 12.
Because the standards and essential
understandings are conceptual in
nature, ideas transfer across the world.
This supports our students who are
coming from different countries and
educational backgrounds. For example,
while the content of the chosen text
in English or the specific time period
studied in history may vary, the
concepts remain the same.
Benchmarks are attached to
each essential understanding. The
benchmarks describe what a student
should know, understand or be able
to do at each stage of their learning
as the student works toward a
deeper understanding that is outlined
in the Essential Understanding.
these big ideas into age-appropriate conceptual understandings? What knowledge
is essential to access the age-appropriate learning? What skills are needed to apply
this knowledge and understanding? What UWCSEA Profile qualities and skills are
explicit in this learning? How can teachers plan so the students can access the
intended learning?
These are complex questions that gave educators on both campuses the opportunity
to come together to discuss and reflect deeply on both their subject and their
practice, as well as what these look like within the UWC context. The articulation
process also allowed teachers to work in cross-campus teams, sharing best practice,
learning from one another and deepening their understanding of how to support
students in reaching their learning goals.
Out of these conversations, and supporting ongoing collaboration, came a common
K-12 Unit Planner and resulting units that guide individualised teaching plans for
students. A new IT system to underpin planning, teaching, assessing, recording and
reporting to parents is being developed. This system also supports teachers in finding
meaningful connections between all five elements of the programme in a more
intentional way. For example, a Grade 8 student learns mapping skills in Humanities,
which they then apply during orienteering on their trip to Chiang Mai, as they
develop the skills of collaboration and self-management in a real world context.
But what does all this mean to students? In one way, they may not notice the
difference. But now there is an improved continuity between grade levels; students
have clarity about their learning goals; they find stronger connections within and
between the elements of the learning programme; they see how new concepts fit
with what they’ve learned before and therefore the current goals are clearer; they are
more consciously working on developing the qualities and skills of the profile; they
are receiving more timely and specific feedback that is connected to their learning
goals, helping them move to the next stage of their learning. What may seem like
small changes add up to something very significant.
So what’s next for curriculum articulation? In theory, the project will be complete at the
end of the 2016/2017 school year. But the reality is that this process never ends. The
drive to seek new and better ways to respond to both best practice in education and
the changing needs of students in our context will always be the central pursuit of the
College. The curriculum articulation project has consolidated and improved our student
learning across the College immeasurably. Nothing is more important than that.
Details on the Learning Principles, Qualities and Skills and the UWCSEA Profile
can be found at www.uwcsea.edu.sg/about/guiding-statements.
“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different …”
CS Lewis
These benchmarks are what our
teachers assess to ensure that
students are reaching the essential
understandings and are working
towards the standards.
Below is an example of a standard
in English, and the essential
understandings for that standard in
Grades 1 and 7 and IB Diploma.
K1-Grade 12
Standard: Writing expresses selfhood,
creativity and intellect in a medium
shaped by audience and purpose.
Grade 1
Essential Understanding: We create real
or imagined experiences when writing
stories by using characters and setting.
Benchmark: Develop the story through
character, focusing on specific actions.
Grade 7
Essential Understanding: All parts of a
text work together to shape meaning.
Benchmark: Write narratives, using
time and plot deliberately in order to
influence mood and focus attention on
the important moments in a story.
Grade 11 and 12 (IB Diploma)
Essential Understanding: Writers
manipulate structure to convey
meaning effectively.
Benchmark: Sequence and sustain
structure to strengthen and develop the
logic and persuasive impact of a claim.
10
teachers set up provocations and play-
based activities to invite children to
talk, create and think about particular
concepts. At the beginning of the school
year, children’s interests in maps and
geographic features of the world are
evident in Discovery Time activities.
As the year progresses, these learning
engagements change frequently to
reflect the growing thinking of each class.
In addition to listening to students as
they work with others, teachers utilise
student investigation notebooks to take
class inquiries further. These notebooks
document student thinking as well as
develop metacognitive strategies. Each
week, students add to their notebooks
with drawings (and later words) to
describe memorable experiences they
had during Discovery Time. Teachers
analyse these entries to identify areas to
develop in future sessions.
The K1 metaproject puts students at the
heart of the curriculum; their questions
and thoughts drive each individual class
investigation. By introducing children to
the idea of school in this way, students
recognise their ability to be self-directed
learners and develop the qualities and
mindset of a researcher.
Forman, G. and Fyfe, B. (2012) Negotiated
learning through design, documentation
and discourse. In C. Edwards, L. Gandini and
G. Forman (Eds) The Hundred Languages
of Children (Third edn). Santa Barbara,
CA: Praeger.
By Carla Marschall
Assistant Head of Infant School
Dover Campus
At the beginning of the year, K1
students are asked a question: “What
is your world?” This question, both
broad and provocative, gives children
the opportunity to describe what is
meaningful to them as they start their
first year of school at UWCSEA. They
then reflect on this question at home
and at school, collecting evidence of
their understanding using photographs,
drawings and words.
The question launches the Reggio-
inspired metaproject, a year-long study
where children’s interests and questions
guide the year’s learning programme.
Instead of organising the curriculum into
units that all four K1 classes explore at
the same time, the metaproject gives
teachers the ability to be flexible and
responsive to children’s inquiries. Big
ideas emerge from play and tinkering,
allowing students to build curiosity,
research skills and a love of learning.
In the metaproject, the UWCSEA
curriculum and student interests merge
to create a unique study tailored to
each class. Grade level benchmarks and
essential understandings are taught using
student questions as an entry point.
Why does K1 use a metaproject
approach?
When young children encounter new
materials and explore them with their
peers, ideas start flowing. One child’s
thoughts about the world are rapidly
expanded by other children in the
class. Individual sharing soon becomes
collective investigation; a group of friends
decides to find out more and answer
their questions.
The metaproject harnesses this natural
curiosity to engage students in deep,
meaningful learning. By being sensitive to
the ideas children bring to the classroom,
teachers can provide ‘just right’ teaching,
identifying concepts and skills that
are appropriate as next learning steps.
Because next steps emerge from student
questions and comments, students are
motivated and inspired to learn more.
This curricular approach values the
experiences young children bring to the
classroom, giving them an authentic
space to share their voice. At the centre
of this approach is validating each child as
a capable and competent learner.
How do teachers tap into student
ideas for the metaproject?
As Forman and Fyfe (2012) describe the
Reggio Emilia approach, “The curriculum
is child-originated and teacher-framed.”
Within the K1 metaproject, teachers
play a vital role in constructing an
environment that allows student
interests and questions to emerge.
This environment allows teachers to act
as researchers, looking for momentary
learning encounters that can lead to
long-term investigations.
Using children’s initial thoughts from
their “What is your world?” mind maps,
THE K1 METAPROJECT
“WHAT IS YOUR WORLD?”
11
box filled with toiletries, a pair of shoes,
a backpack of supplies or even candy
from Project Sweet Tooth, suddenly
there is something new and unfamiliar
for them—some generosity, some love,
some brotherhood—that makes things
seem somehow different when they
look up and ponder the sky that day. A
slightly brighter sun, a whiff of kindness
in the breeze perhaps that wasn’t there
yesterday—a better world seen through
eyes made recently happier by a child.
So can we change the world? I tell the
students we can. And more importantly,
we do. One world at a time for one
person at a time and many times over.
Not bad for $49.50.
By Brian ÓMaoileoin
Primary School Principal
Dover Campus
Some might call it naïve and unrealistic
that UWCSEA’s educational goal is a
lofty ambition that our students take
responsibility for shaping a better world.
That it is a goal rendered meaningless
by the very fact that it is unachievable.
If this is true, why is it there at all?
A child in Grade 4 some years ago went
home in tears to her Mum, who came to
see me the next day. “There is so much
sadness and hardship in the world,” the
little girl had said. “What is the point in
trying—there is so much to solve and it
never ends. It simply never ends.”
Having calmed her down a little, Mum
managed to glean that her daughter
had collected $49.50 at a bake sale that
day, a sum she had sweated to earn;
the result of a few lost playtimes, a few
hours in the Plaza Tent and more than
a few emails and calls in the lead up
to remind her less enthusiastic helpers
that they had promised to bring in
items to sell. All of which she had been
happy to do—it had been her idea
after all. But in her eyes it ended up
meaning nothing because the enormous
extent and variety of the issues, the
impossible number of needy cases,
meant her earnings might remove a
drop of water from what seemed to
her an uncrossable, seething ocean of
hurt. She felt utterly overwhelmed by
it and despondent. “We can’t change
the world,” she said. “My stupid $49.50,
my stupid bake sale, my stupid good
intentions—if I do it a thousand more
times, it won’t change the world.”
Indeed. We do worry about feeding
into the children’s sense of doom and
gloom—that our efforts to highlight the
value of service to others might leave
them with a feeling that the world is
still headed to hell in a handbasket no
matter what. We are especially sensitive
to this with Primary School children.
There are two ways of looking at
this. It is correct that there is ‘the
world’ which exists whether we exist
or not—mountains, rivers, cities. It
existed before we were born and will
continue when we are gone. One small
Grade 4 person can do little to change
that world.
There is also, however, the world that
exists only in people’s experience of
it—received uniquely and personally
through each person’s eyes and defined
by each person’s context. There are as
many views of that world as there are
people who peer out at it. A child who
is born into abject poverty, whose daily
life is defined by despair, loneliness,
hunger and fear—the world, for that
child, is a cruel, unfeeling one. And
there is no other.
When that child goes one day to
his weekly session, run perhaps by
the Temple Garden Foundation in
Cambodia or by Mumbai Mobile Creche
or by CWIN in Nepal—and receives a
SHAPING A BETTER WORLD,
ONE WORLD AT A TIME
12
By Cathy Jones
High School Vice Principal
East Campus
When two students approached us three years ago about initiating an East Campus
festival celebrating our panorama of cultures, many ideas were floated as to what we
might do, and what students might take from such a festival.
Through planning what became CultuRama, we recognised an opportunity for
students to not only learn about one another and themselves, but also to learn
and develop through the very process of organising and executing a large-scale
community event. As CultuRama has grown over the past three years, so has our
understanding of the many ways in which students learn through the experience.
Having a group of students from many different backgrounds join your dance, and
learning the steps and hearing the music of your country, has given dance leaders an
opportunity to talk about particular and specific traditions. For example, what is the
meaning behind the use of a scarf, or the style of dress?
Sometimes dance leaders have had to learn about a culture other than their own
to ensure that what the dance portrays on stage is both accurate and appropriate.
There are many hours of research through YouTube to check steps and routines, or
appropriate gestures for men and women! Why is it that women cannot participate
in a traditional haka, or men use certain steps? Cultural knowledge is built as
students experience dances from cultures other than their own.
It is difficult to find a skill or quality of the UWCSEA profile that is not addressed
through participating in CultuRama. There are the obvious ones—creativity,
collaboration and communication seem to be intrinsic—but resilience, self awareness
and self management are essential too, when you have many hours of rehearsal
while juggling academics, other activities and service. Empathy and problem solving
are also a part of leading and producing such an event, and dare we say the need to
be principled when the tickets come out on sale!
As an audience member, CultuRama has been an invaluable reminder of the mosaic
of our humanity. The expression of culture through dance often shows us something
of the geography, history and beliefs of peoples across the world. Mauritius followed
by China, New Zealand preceding Georgia—contrasting dances indeed, showing
contrasting cultures. But there were the connections too, showing how we have
influenced each other through migration, colonisation, assimilation and proximity.
In the end, the most valuable aspect of CultuRama has been the learning that
students gain through their efforts to build a unifying community event. With
almost a third of our High School students involved in one way or another, with
teachers, administrative and facilities staff supporting, and with parents participating
by providing food to be shared, it has become a tradition that brings us together
while learning to appreciate each other’s differences.
So what does CultuRama mean to the students who dedicate themselves to
organising and performing it? It means learning new skills, often acquiring
new knowledge, developing deeper understanding and connecting with
our community.
CultuRama’s
learning focus
13
By Lee Tisdall-McPhee
Head of Middle School Music
East Campus
The lights go down. The cacophonous organised chaos of instruments being tuned
fills the concert hall. As the stage lights come up, students wait in anticipation to
see what will transpire in the next 40 minutes. So began ‘An Afternoon with the
High School Orchestra’ at East Campus.
Making meaningful and real connections across the elements of the learning
programme and between age groups has been central to the development of the
Music Department on East Campus. On 24 November, Primary School students
and parents were invited to a showcase featuring the High School Orchestra. This
‘meet the orchestra’ model was introduced as a new way to build connections while
hopefully igniting a passion for music in the young audience.
The interactive performance introduced the instrument families in the orchestra.
The audience were also guided to listen for the intended representations and
meaning in the music. The performance was followed by an animated question and
answer session between the audience and the conductor and musicians.
The showcase opened with a rousing performance of the first movement from
Vivaldi’s Spring. The audience was asked to listen for representations of the sounds
of spring within the music: babbling brooks, birds singing, thunder crashing,
lightning flashing, represented in a virtuosic display of musicianship. Members of
the orchestra highlighted and demonstrated these sections of the music allowing
audience members to ask questions and identify what they heard and felt.
The theme of representation through music continued with a haunting performance
of Saint-Saën’s symphonic poem, Danse Macabre. The musicians introduced the
main themes, tuning techniques and instrumental timbre in their demonstrations
before the piece commenced. The audience was guided through a rollicking dance
of skeletons and spirits in full flight on Halloween night.
Grade 11 student Judy Luo, the soloist in Danse Macabre, reflected on the
experience, “Ever since I was little, sources of inspiration have been important
to my musical endeavours. Recently at an afternoon with the orchestra for the
Primary School, I had the chance to assume this position of role model as the solo
violinist. While I was playing, I could feel the rows of curious eyes fixated upon me.
Immediately, I felt a strong sense of duty knowing that I was potentially kindling
an interest for those children to pursue a life filled with music. It was an experience
that not only affected them, but also helped redefine my own motivation and
reasons for playing the violin.”
Musicians, parents and students alike enjoyed the interactive event and some even
continued to discuss it at home. K1 parent and teacher, Cinders Thomas shared,
“Thank you so much for putting on ‘Meet the Orchestra’ yesterday—it was a
brilliant event! Tristan (in K1) really enjoyed it and came home talking excitedly
about the different instruments ... A great experience for parents and children.”
The shared learning and community experience of this event is a model we hope
will develop to include other ensembles and community members in the future.
An afternoon with
the Orchestra
Photos by Kazry Kas Kazan
14
From October 2–8, the College hosted
656 student and 308 adult delegates
from 128 schools worldwide for the
Round Square International Conference
2015, with a theme of ‘Act Today,
Change Tomorrow’. While there was
much activity on both campuses, in the
homes of host families, at student-led
barazas, with our service partners on
Service Day and throughout Singapore
on Discover Singapore Adventure Day,
it was the serious and thorough thinking
about sustainability that will have a
long-lasting effect on the UWCSEA
community and the school communities
around the world.
The haze certainly focused the
conversation on environmental
concerns, but also provided an
introduction to the complexity of
the issue. As Chris Edwards, Head of
College, noted in his welcome speech,
“We come together in a literal and
metaphorical haze … Welcome to a
very complex reality that feeds straight
into the theme of this conference. We
choke because of multi-layered global
relationships that weave poverty and
extreme wealth; power and desperation;
convenience and challenge; excess
and denial; corporates and individuals;
clever, appeasing local rhetoric and
heartbreaking global reality.”
Keynote speakers such as
environmentalist Tim Jarvis,
humanitarian worker Niddhi Kapur
and human rights advocate Kavita
Ramdas further expanded the delegates’
understanding of the complexity of
sustainability by posing challenging
questions that moved the conversations
beyond the environmental.
One of the central characteristics of a
Round Square conference is that it is
led by students. Over the following five
days delegates discussed the complexity
and challenge of sustainability in small
group baraza sessions led by UWCSEA
students, who had been trained to
facilitate and lead discussions. Saniya
Ramchandani in Grade 11 had this to
say about the training: “We were taught
not only how to be effective leaders,
but also how to be good listeners, and
how to, in our baraza groups, spark a
discussion, and then incorporate all the
fruitful ideas that came as a result, into
one solution that tackled aspects of the
issue at hand that would not have been
considered had there not been such a
diverse range of people to provide such
interesting opinions.”
The UN Sustainable Development Goals
were a focus for discussions and, in the
words of Samay Bansal in Grade 12
“included thoroughly understanding
RSIC 2015: A significant step
15
the nuances of each of the 17 goals,
seeing not only their interdependence,
but also how successfully achieving
one may be detrimental to the success
of others. A quote from one of the
workshops was, ‘Never forget, when
you point one finger at the people you
feel are responsible, there are three
pointing back at yourself.’ This captured
the interdependence and our own
responsibility perfectly.”
The baraza sessions were opportunities
for student delegates to consider the
issues and turn them into action plans,
culminating in a pledge to promote
change in their schools. Discover
Singapore Adventure Day and Service
Day further developed their thinking
about their responsibility to their
local context. The final stage was an
action planning session for school
groups, where they were asked to
apply their new understanding to their
own situation and make a pledge to
promote change in their schools. These
pledges were appropriately varied,
as they depended on individuals and
their context. Elinor Walker, Grade 12,
pledged the following:
“I will not drink from or buy any plastic
PET bottles; I will not throw away
anything that can be donated; I will
only buy vegan school food; I will get to
know the names of five of the UWCSEA
Facilities staff.
I am doing this because I realise that we
consume too much and that at this rate,
the world will not be able to sustain
all of our lives forever. Furthermore,
it is equally important to get to know
and appreciate our local community
as sustainability is not just about the
green but about the overall welfare of
humanity as well.”
The delegates finished the conference
determined to make changes in their
local context on their return home.
Vulthlari Shirindza from Penryn College
in South Africa said, “The conference
was an eyeopener to an unimaginable
connection with international peers
that I didn’t think was possible. It was
an incredible conference that taught us
to challenge the world by thinking of
sustainable solutions to its problems
and it reminded us that these solutions
indeed lie in the hands of the youth.
The conference encouraged us to
actively contribute our share in our
own community and to simply do
more. I am so thankful for
having had the opportunity
to be a part of it.”
towards a sustainable future
16
The student who served as Assistant
Director of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
reflects on the experience of moving
from a performing to a directing role
and the lessons he learned as a result.
By Liam Holohan
Grade 11 IB Theatre student
East Campus
I’ve always had a passion for theatre.
As John Miles sings, “Theatre was
my first love” (or at least he does
in my head), and this year—when
asked—I leapt ecstatically at the
chance to assistant direct the High
School Drama production of Arthur
Miller’s The Crucible. I realised that
my allegiances lay more within the
director’s realm than the actor’s
realm. When I approach works in class,
I prefer to ‘work from the inside in’—
first considering the overall narrative
and having a set idea before starting
with the performers. Hence I took the
chance with great strides and spent the
entire summer reading, watching, and
eating The Crucible until I ran out of
pages in my so-called ‘ideas book.’
Although I tried my best to prepare
during the summer, the first few weeks
of school flooded my to do list with
tasks and the biggest concern of all,
Personal notes from the Assistant Director
from the beginning, was time. From the
outset, Director and High School Drama
Teacher Anna Parr and I were conscious
of the fact that we did not have as
much time as we both agreed would do
the play justice. The Crucible is a very
intense play and we focused primarily
on characterisation, because we both
felt the actors could do with more
time to understand their characters.
Therefore, this play was dependent on
the performers working both efficiently
inside and outside of rehearsals to
understanding their characters as
deeply as possible.
Furthermore, for the first time I needed
to understand all the characters in the
play well so that when cast members
asked me about them I could answer
and assist them in their characterisation
journey. Moreover, I needed to know
and assist with big picture areas such
as the lighting states, the scenes, the
music, and the behind the scenes tasks
needed for the production.
I could not have asked for a better
learning experience. I started knowing
I’d always wanted to focus more
on directing but was sceptical as to
whether I would love it more than
performing. Previously, I’d acted in
nearly every production offered by
the school and had always enjoyed it
immensely. Now to remove myself
from that world entirely? The idea
scared me. However having embraced it
for this production I can safely say that
I will always love directing more than
performing; that is my biggest learning
curve. And the only possible way for
me to have known whether
I liked directing was to step
out of my comfort zone and
attempt it.
The only possible way for
me to have known whether
I liked directing was to step
out of my comfort zone and
attempt it.
The best way to describe my role as
an assistant director is the ‘what-still-
needs-to-be-done’ guy. My tasks were
split into two categories: ‘behind the
scenes’ and ‘not-so-much behind the
scenes.’ The major challenge I faced
was the fact that more than anything
I’ve ever done before, a lot of people
depended on me in both these areas.
17
By Lynne Arrol
Head of Drama and Theatre
Dover Campus
The IB organisation describes its
Theatre subject as a “practical subject
that encourages discovery through
experimentation, the taking of risks and
the presentation of ideas to others …
It emphasises the importance of working
both individually and collaboratively
as part of an ensemble. It offers the
opportunity to engage actively in
the creative process, transforming
ideas into action as inquisitive and
productive artists.”
A key aspect of the IB Theatre course
is that students experience contrasting
artistic perspectives, thereby developing
an appreciation for and understanding
of the diversity of theatre practices
and traditions from around the world.
It was with goal this in mind, that over
70 Grade 11 and 12 Dover IB Theatre
students, five Drama and Theatre
teachers and two guest workshop
leaders attended an intensive residential
curriculum-based weekend in Desaru,
Malaysia in early November.
The weekend gave the Grade 12 students
an opportunity to focus on preparation
and mock delivery of one of their
assessment components, the Research
Presentation. This requires students
in both SL and HL to plan and deliver
an individual, 15-minute presentation
to their peers based on their research
IB Theatre residential workshop
into a theatre tradition they have not
previously studied. The presentation
requires students to physically
demonstrate their chosen topic, and
the weekend workshop was a perfect
opportunity for students to focus on and
refine their presentation ideas.
There were also intensive theatre
workshops for students in both grades,
hosted by visiting specialists: Australian
Butoh and Suzuki practitioner, Mark
Hill and Italian Commedia dell’arte
practitioner, Marco Luly. Both have
previously worked with students on
Dover Campus, but this was their first
experience of leading intensive weekend
workshops, and they were impressed
by the commitment and skill of the
participants. “I thoroughly enjoyed
my group. The students were intently
focused on what they were doing. They
did really well,” said Marco.
Marco has been visiting UWCSEA Dover
for many years, sharing his expertise in
Commedia dell’arte, a form of theatre
characterised by masked ‘types’ and
responsible for the advent of improvised
performances based on sketches or
scenarios. This year he also leant his
expertise to choreographing pieces for
Truth and Lies, the IB Theatre Showcase
performed on 25 November.
In addition to the workshops with
visiting experts, students in the IB
Theatre Showcase took the opportunity
to rehearse scripted pieces with Karen
Balthazaar and Lynne Arrol or a devised
piece with Neil Keating, who is new to
the Drama and Theatre department this
year. Two student-led workshops also
ran—one based on a piece written and
directed by Grade 12 Theatre student
Nicolas Vandenborre and a musical
theatre piece directed by Grade 11
Theatre student Sam Amestoy.
“I feel privileged to be part of this
wonderfully rich and unique programme.
The students have been fantastic,
throwing themselves into every
activity with enthusiasm, courage and
dedication. They certainly embraced
the Japanese concept of IRIMI—to
enter the challenge, with gusto and
a smile. … Congratulations to Lynne
and all the Theatre staff … the Theatre
Department at UWCSEA Dover is one of
the strongest I have had the pleasure of
working with,” said Mark Hill.
The Desaru residential workshop
was an excellent opportunity for the
students to be completely immersed in
a weekend of training and collaboration
that prepared them solidly for their
IB Theatre programme, regardless of
their stage in the course. Both students
and staff remarked on the enormous
value that the weekend presented to
all participants—both in terms of the
learning achieved and in the building of
ensemble and collaborative skills. These
skills are vital both in Theatre, and in life.
18
By Karen Cockburn
Vice Principal Middle School
Dover Campus
Who am I? Who do I want to be? With
these questions, our Grade 8 students
started their Life Skills programme in
August with a focus on understanding
character strengths. The Values-in-
Action Classification of Strengths has
been described as the ‘backbone’ of the
science of positive psychology. Research
by Dr Martin Seligman and Dr Chris
Peterson tells us that character strengths
can be used to enhance relationships,
overcome challenges and are associated
with physical health.
A great deal of research has examined
these strengths and how they can
benefit happiness and wellbeing.
Evidence suggests that when we use
our strengths, we feel authentic and
energised. Seligman suggests that we
should identify our key strengths and
use these regularly in our lives. His work
tells us that it is important to celebrate
all the things that go right instead of
focusing on all of the things that can go
wrong. When we focus on building our
strengths, there is a lasting effect on
happiness and wellbeing.
Part of this unit also helped students
develop the important skill of noticing
things about themselves and others.
Spotting strengths in others strengthens
relationships and the Grade 8 students
were asked to name the person they
admired most in the world and to
identify the character strengths they
admired in these individuals.
We finished the unit by joining in the
international celebration of Character
Day on 18 September. Grade 8 students
and staff came to school dressed as a
character strength. Along with 6,700
classrooms, schools, and organisations
in 41 countries we watched the premier
of The Adaptable Mind, which explores
the skills we need to flourish in the
21st century.
On their return from their two-week
expedition to Chiang Mai, Grade 8
students revisited their character
strengths and spent time thinking about
how these strengths enabled them to
overcome adversity and flourish:
Strength: Perseverance
“I think perseverance is the most
important strength of the trip because it
was needed for everything. The hike, the
rafting, caving, putting up the bivvies
and much more.”
Strength: Curiosity
“Throughout the entire trip, I
demonstrated curiosity by learning
about Northern Thailand’s culture and
by exploring the caves filled with bats.”
Strength: Gratitude
“I saw how others in rural areas lived
and became a lot more grateful for the
lifestyle I have in Singapore.”
Putting Life Skills into practice
Student Maya Lewis Hayre, sums up
her experience:
We learn values in a classroom
everyday. We know that we have
things that make us special and
have strengths that make us who
we are. When we began the Life
Skills unit, we came in thinking it
was going to be exactly what we
always hear. The magnitude of this
unit only hit us afterwards. When
we went to Chiang Mai we trekked,
caved, rafted, and spent three
hours putting up tents only to find
our things infested by ants in the
morning. When we sat down to
eat the pasta we had slaved over,
or reached the end of the cave,
our friends patted us on the back
and we learned to be proud that
we were resilient and that we had
persevered. That was what the unit
was all about. We will still be strong
even if we don’t know it, and the
most valuable lesson you can learn
is to appreciate these strengths
and work at them to make them
even stronger, and that you need to
appreciate others and they need to
appreciate you. This is something
you can’t learn in a classroom, to
learn this you need to hike seven
kilometres, or carry a bag of full
water bottles through a one-
kilometre long cave.
19
Over the past three years, Model United
Nations (MUN) has quickly grown
to be the largest High School club
on East Campus, with approximately
180 students involved this year. The
student-founded MUN@UWCSEA
East conference has attracted growing
numbers of school delegations and
delegates each successive year. In
addition, this year East students have
participated in MUN conferences
hosted by the Overseas Family School
in Singapore and the Interscholastic
Association of Southeast Asia Schools
in Bangkok. The following piece was
written by MUN@UWCSEA East’s 2015
Secretary General in the style of an
MUN committee dialogue.
By Varun Jain
Grade 11
East Campus
CHAIR: House, please come to order.
The floor is once again open for any
speakers wishing to take the floor, are
there any such at this time?
*Delegate of UWCSEA East raises his placard*
CHAIR: Delegate of UWCSEA East you
have been recognised. You have two
minutes to deliver your speech. You
may begin.
DELEGATE OF UWCSEA EAST:
Fellow students, honourable teachers,
beloved parents and esteemed guests
and friends. UWCSEA and MUN have
a lot in common. UWC’s mission is to
make education a force to unite people,
nations and cultures for peace and a
sustainable future while the aim of MUN
is to teach students about methods
to solve the problems of today—and
tomorrow. Both of which also recognise
and agree on one major aspect of the
21st century.
Today, society is supposedly more
connected than ever. Yet in every corner
of our world, we are more disconnected
than we allow ourselves to believe.
Divides are being created, and divides
are being widened. Whether it be the
divide between the rich and the poor
in capitalist economies, or the divide
between two belief systems of the same
religion, we live in a less than united
world, with less than united nations.
However, UWCSEA and MUN look
to educate us, the people who will
inherit positions of power in the world
of tomorrow. UWC wants to bring us
closer to the harsher realities, to allow
us to empathise with others, and to
close those gaps—regardless of age,
status, or ability. MUN seeks to inspire
students to execute constructive
diplomacy, attempting to resolve issues
on both macro and micro scales. So
what happens when you combine the
two?
You get MUN UWCSEA East. You get
an annual commitment to bringing
passionate young minds from all over
the increasingly influential Southeast
Asia together. You get a conference
where today, the quality of debate is
such that it can match some of the best
regional conferences.
It was a seamless fit really. This year,
the East Campus students welcomed
over 300 students from 11 schools
in the region—double the number
of participants from the inaugural
conference two years ago.
When you combine a UWCSEA
student and MUN, you get some of the
strongest delegates, most admirable
chairs, and stellar leadership teams
that are very often the envy of the
country, and sometimes the region.
UWCSEA East delegates have picked
up over 20 awards in the past year, and
are becoming known for their excellent
training, and their constructive and
thoughtful attitudes.
Fellow students, honourable teachers,
beloved parents, and esteemed guests
and friends: when combined, UWCSEA
and MUN can help to deliver our values
and fulfil the UWC mission.
*Delegates begin clapping*
*Chair bangs gavel twice*
CHAIR: House, please come to order.
“House, please come to order”
Photos by Martin Samuelsson (left) and Mohit Arvind (right).
20
T2T is a unique service initiative,
providing curricular and pedagogical
support to teachers at CCF schools.
CCF operates six centres in Phnom
Penh for students from preschool to
university, many of whom used to work
on the Phnom Penh dump site.
The T2T initiative sees UWCSEA
teachers return to the same institutions
and the same teachers every few
months to build relationships, develop
skills and move their practice forward.
Visiting during UWCSEA school holidays
in October, Chinese New Year, March
and June, this ongoing relationship
means that participants from both
sides can work towards meaningful
change over time. The commitment
is considerable but all the UWCSEA
volunteers feel anything less would be
less than effective, resulting in support
that is well-meaning but impractical.
During the visits the teams plan a
syllabus that responds to evolving needs
of three core groups: Early Childhood
Education (ECE), English as an Additional
Language (EAL), and Information and
Communications Technology (ICT)
including digital literacy development
and integration. The eventual goal is
for ICT to be an integrated element
of ECE and EAL. After each visit, the
participants remain in regular contact,
reflecting on the learning from past
visits, planning and preparing for
the next. This allows for an iterative,
collaborative process of improvement.
A benefit of this initiative for the
UWCSEA community has been the
positive impacts on the practice of
UWCSEA teachers. This is summed up
by Head of Grade 7 and Mathematics
Teacher on Dover Campus, Matt
Singer who says, “The T2T programme
has been one of the most significant
professional development experiences
in my teaching career … My teaching
experience has been extended with
every visit ... We have consistently
modelled Assessment for Learning
(AFL) techniques with the teachers.
For the CCF teachers, this has had a
transformational effect on how they
seek feedback from their students.
However, this focus on AFL in the T2T
programme has forced me to consider
each activity carefully and to improve
my own practice. I have benefitted
from ‘teaching’ the concept to other
teachers, as there has been a similar
transformation in my approach to
seeking feedback which has tied in very
well with the focus on AFL at UWCSEA.”
This enhancement of classroom practice
at UWCSEA is echoed by Aaron Kane,
a Middle School English teacher on
Dover Campus. “By putting myself
By Seán McHugh
Digital Literacy Coach
Dover Campus
As the College approached the final
day of Term 3 last academic year, most
teachers and students were anticipating
the prospect of a few weeks of freedom
and fun. However, the ‘Teacher to
Teacher’ (T2T) team were instead
anticipating an intense week of teacher
training in Phnom Penh with teaching
colleagues at the Cambodian Children’s
Fund (CCF). This was to be the group’s
fifth visit in two years.
T2T ready to expand