PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING
Aaron Wise, Principal
I had the pleasure of speaking to MSS parents about mobile phone and social media use earlier this week at our first MSS Coffee Meeting. I believe what I shared is important information for all parents. So, in today’s newsletter, I would like to provide a brief overview of some of the issues related to mobile phone and social media use by children.
The Anxious Generation is a term used to describe the current generation. It is one defined by high levels of anxiety and mental illness. In his book, The Anxious Generation, Professor Jonathan Haidt shows that this rise is due to two factors. The first is the decline in play-based childhoods. The 1980’s saw a decline in children’s access to unsupervised outdoor free play. The loss of free play and the rise of continual adult supervision deprived children of what they needed most to overcome the normal fears and anxieties of childhood: the chance to explore, test and expand their limits, build close friendships through shared adventure, and learn how to judge risks for themselves.
The second factor was the increased use of smartphones and social media. Professor Haidt shows that the research is clear; when adolescents’ social lives moved onto smartphones and social media platforms, anxiety and depression surged among them.
The following statistics are used to highlight just how severely mental health has been affected by the popularisation of smartphones and social media in 2010:
To combat this, many countries around the world are enacting legislation to protect children from the negative effects of smartphones and social media. Just a few examples include:
- The UK is considering banning smartphones for children under the age of 16.
- This week the “Kids Off Social Media” legislation started being debated in the US.
- The South Australian government is discussing whether to ban social media for children.
- The state of Florida banned social media for children under 14 earlier this year.
- India, Brazil and China have all already enacted legislation to protect minors online in regards to social media.
Last week AISM banned students up to Year 11 from using smartphones while at school. Our Bell to Bell NO Cell policy was not popular with all students at first but we saw that it was necessary so that students could focus on their study and on each other. Since then, we are hearing students comment about how much more they talk with each other during breaks and how many (although not all) are enjoying more social interactions and the absence of phones during the day.
We believe that AISM is very much in line with Professor Haidt’s core recommendations and we encourage all parents to consider these in the home as well:
- Children shouldn't have access to mobile phones until they are in Year 9
- Children shouldn't have access to social media until they are 16
- Schools should be mobile phone-free zones to encourage greater social interaction
- Parents should allow their children to have more opportunities for unstructured play
I am passionate about ensuring that our students do not join the “Anxious Generation” and I look forward to facing this challenge with all parents so that together we can ensure the best future for everyone.
AISM Annual Survey 2024
It is that time of the year when we ask for your support in completing our annual survey. Please click on the link below in order to share your feedback on the school experience we are providing. We take your feedback very seriously and will use it to celebrate what we are doing well and develop in areas which need attention.
Annual Parent Survey
The survey will remain open until 10 June 2024. We encourage you to complete it at your earliest convenience to ensure that your voice is heard.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Michelle Chaplin, Head of Junior School
The Junior School has had an incredible week with so much to celebrate and so much that has brought our community together. Learning occurs through many different pathways - in the classroom, on excursions and when we come together to celebrate. We have excursions to the theatre, a wonderful Mother’s Day celebration, a book author - William’s Grandma and many sporting successes. Our students are excelling in the swimming pool, both at their swimming skills but also gaining those key skills of organisation and independence.
Congratulations to our student leaders, who this week held our student parliament where we discussed ideas for the upcoming Care Week in Term 3 and looked at what needs improving and what is working well. A fabulous session run by the Junior School Captains.
Joyful Term 2 in ELC
Manpreet Kaur Puarr and Bianca Chep, ELC Nursery and Preparatory Teacher
Zoo-tastic Adventures
Entering the realm of Term 2, our young explorers stormed back from their holiday break, bubbling over with tales of their thrilling escapades at the zoo! We kicked off our Inquiry journey by igniting our curiosity about zoo animals.
“I brought a bear and a rabbit from my house, and we made different places for different animals in the zoo.”- Maizi.
Learners explored a virtual zoo to gain a deeper understanding of the world of animals. Inspired by their zoo adventure, our creative learners tested their skills by building animal houses. With their imaginations in full swing, they constructed cosy homes for our pretend zoo animals to stay, fostering teamwork and problem-solving skills along the way.
“We made the shark house because the shark will go outside and eat the fish.” - Lumiere.
“Tigers have stripes, lions have a mane. They eat meat.” - Qinger.
“The anteater eats the ant. I went to Australia and saw an anteater, and we made a different animal pattern.” - Lumiere.
We recently had a special visitor in our classroom—Kar Eu's adorable guinea pigs: Jellybean and Chocolate! During our time with this furry friend, we learned about what guinea pigs look like, what they eat, and how to care for them. Looking into the world of this adorable creature was an exhilarating journey of discovery and wonder!
“We learnt about zoo animals. I bring two guinea pigs, Jellybean and Chocolate, to school to share with my friends and teachers. Guinea pigs are herbivores because they eat vegetables.” - Kar Eu.
Learners explored animal diets, discovering varied eating habits and learning about carnivores, herbivores, omnivores, and extinct and endangered species. Through classroom discussions, they actively incorporated these terms into their vocabulary. Additionally, learners have drawn connections between animal diets and their food during mealtimes.
“Extinct means no more; endangered means they are in danger like koalas and pandas.” - Rickson.
We're thrilled to see our learners' enthusiasm and engagement in zoo-themed adventures.
PJ Live Arts Excursion to Watch ‘The Way Back Home’ by Oliver Jeffers
The excursion to PJ Live Arts to watch the theatrical adaptation of Oliver Jeffers's beloved story, ‘The Way Back Home’ was a delightful and educational experience for our young learners from Preparatory to Year 1.
Leading up to the excursion, our children fully engaged with the story of ‘The Way Back Home’. They identified characters, places, and story elements, allowing them to immerse themselves in the narrative. For our EAL learners, this has been a fantastic opportunity to expand their vocabulary and comprehension.
The bus ride itself was the highlight! The children were bubbling with excitement, and we were treated to endless giggles and laughter during our journey to and from PJ Live Arts. These shared moments add to the joy and camaraderie of the entire experience.
Reflecting on their experience, students shared their enthusiasm. "The airplane was so nice," exclaimed Yuto. Medina highlights the humorous antics, "The boy painted the alien's face green and it was so funny!" Hayden said, "I liked the theatre," and on this we all agreed!
For both students and teachers alike, it was a memorable morning filled with laughter, wonder, and shared joy. As they returned to school, the echoes of their enjoyment lingered, marking the event as a cherished highlight of the academic year.
This excursion isn't just about watching a play. It's about fostering independence and self-awareness among our children. They are learning valuable lessons in personal safety and awareness of their surroundings, skills that are essential both inside and outside the classroom.
Click ‘The Way Back Home Excursion’ to watch the video.
We also took a moment to ask the children about their favourite part of the excursion:
What’s Been Happening in The Library?
On Monday, we were so honoured to have a very special author visit at our school - Dr Rosemary Selkirk! Travelling all the way from the very picturesque town of Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia, Dr Rosemary shared her gorgeous book called ‘Are you afraid of Monsters?’
Our learners from Prep and Foundation explored their inner monsters and created some marvellous illustrations of their own - showing those monsters who’s boss. It was great to have our learners harnessing their imagination in a positive way and sharing their thinking with a very talented author. Dr Rosemary, for whom we called ‘Rosie’ has been quoted explaining "My readings of the book have been enthusiastically received; generating imaginative craft and artworks by children and useful discussions around fears", Rosie said. "This year I have even conducted readings in France and Malta generating sales in those countries! The book was also selected for inclusion in The Premiers Reading Challenge List.”
It is awesome that we can now add Malaysia to Rosie’s list of travels. Thank you for visiting us! We are grateful to now have two signed copies of ‘Are you afraid of Monsters?’ in our school library.
Celebrating AISM Success at SASMO 2024
Debora Putri, Head of Diverse Education Needs
We are thrilled to announce AISM enthusiastic participation in the Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO) 2024 competition! This prestigious event has brought together some of the brightest learners in mathematics from across the globe, and we are incredibly proud of our students who rose to the challenge with determination and skill.
It is with immense joy that we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the following students who have demonstrated exceptional mathematical talent and dedication, earning medals in this year's SASMO competition:
Gold Medalists:
- Harvey Yeo, Year 2
Silver Medalists:
- George Shao, Year 2
- Adrian Lee, Year 2
- Rachelle Roy Raja, Year 2
Bronze Medalists:
- Jasper Lin, Year 1
- Ying Ru Yi, Year 1
- Zi Cheng Xu, Year 1
- Tama Hosomi, Year 3
- Jian Zi Neoh, Year 4
- Sara Inagaki, Year 5
Honorable Mention :
- Ziyang Guo, Year 4
- Ryunosoke Hosomi, Year 5
Their remarkable achievements reflect their individual talents and the collective efforts of our dedicated teachers, parents and the supportive learning community here at AISM. We commend these students for their hard work, perseverance, and passion for mathematics.
We are immensely proud of all our students who participated in SASMO 2024, regardless of the outcome. Once again, congratulations to our SASMO 2024 winners!
MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL
Musicians Learning from HSC Examiners
Matthew Fisher, Head of the Arts
Recently, our Year 11 and 12 Musicians had the fantastic opportunity to participate in a live streamed workshop from Australia. The workshop was hosted by Newcastle University Conservatorium of Music and delivered by HSC examiners from across New South Wales. These guest speakers delivered presentations on all the various aspects of the Music HSC and the different options students may take within the course. These workshops included: ‘Maximising Your Outcomes’, ‘Song Writing’, ‘Aural Responses’, ‘Constructing a Viva voce’ and ‘Performance Analysis - masterclass’. Overall the students gained valuable insights into all aspects, with the favourite session being the ‘Performance Analysis’ session. During this session, a selection of Year 12 students performed one of their HSC repertoire pieces for the live and streamed audiences. The HSC examiners then gave feedback on what worked well and what may be improved for greater results. Our students were then able to identify in their own performance pieces areas in which they could improve further.
The students enjoyed the day from the comfort of bean bags and had enough party food to feed several parties over several days. A special thanks to Newcastle University for inviting us to be one of only two international schools involved in the event.
“Let’s Talk about SAX”
Matthew Fisher, Head of the Arts
Yes, sax is back at AISM with the development of our small but awesome saxophone ensemble. With Sayuki on the big, deep baritone driving those funky basslines, Ethan on the tenor, providing the mid to low colours for both melody and accompaniment, and Phillip and myself providing the high cutting melodic sounds on altos, a full, rich sound fills the room. Repertoire from all genres is performed, and the possibility of combining with other ensembles as well, means that the musical directions and possibilities of this group are endless.
If there are any budding saxophonists in AISM who would like to come along and join in, you are more than welcome. We rehearse on Thursdays at lunchtime.
To enquire, see me (Mr Fisher) at any time. (Photos by Mr Keys)
