The week has ended in a typically UWCEA action packed fashion. PYP classes had their Sharing Assembly first thing on Friday and it was good to see all the different types of learning going on in the PYP. There was plenty of singing, a live science experiment, dancing language presentations and many more. To all the PYP students – Great Work.
Then the Sports Weekend kicked off. Due to conditions around the work we had a more sedate affair this year with just Moshi and Arusha campuses, but we extended the age groups to include U13 and U11. Staff also had teams, so we have few sore people around right now. There are far too many people to thank individually, so let me just thank the PE department led by Robin Marsh for their great planning, preparation and execution. The services departments for keeping us fed, clean and getting us where we needed to go. Also, to all the volunteers who gave up part of their weekend to make this happen.
Next weekend we will have a writeup with details and pictures of the weekend’s activities.
Parents, please note that the break and reports are just around the corner. Look for emails from me and others concerning flight details, COVID tests and conferences.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Upcoming
Ben’s Corner
As the spotlight is very much fixed on sports this weekend, I wanted to draw your gaze elsewhere to a wonderful moment of shared learning in the P5 classroom last Friday. Peter Makuei is one of our D2 students. He comes from South Sudan but has been living in a refugee settlement in Uganda since he was 10 years old.
Our P5 students are currently exploring the Central Idea that “Human migration is a response to challenges, risks and opportunities.” Many of them know Peter and had heard a little bit about his story and, so, invited him into the class to share his experience.
Such unique opportunities are one of the many benefits of living and learning in a “through school.” I can not think of a shared experience that encapsulates the Mission, Vision and Values of what it means to be a UWC more than this. Part of our Guiding Statements references our our own definition of International Mindedness. Among other things, we believe that Internationally Minded People:
Are curious about the world and different cultures.
Strive to learn about the values, beliefs and practices of their own culture so that they can better understand those found in their host country and elsewhere.
Seek to understand how personal values, beliefs and practices impact one’s own and other’s contexts for learning and interacting in a variety of settings.
Are influenced by, but not confined to, the cultures of their upbringing.
Recognise that many values, beliefs and practices are in fact universal.
Recognise and reflect on their place in an increasingly interdependent, globalised and connected world.
Recognise and critically engage with multiple perspectives.
Bridge cultures and act to create a more peaceful and sustainable world.
Peter was open, honest, understanding and candid in his responses to the many, many questions from the room. What’s more, the questions showed that the P5 students had spent a lot of time during their unit inquiring into the history and geography of migration, the reasons why people migrate and, most pertinently, the effects of migration on communities, cultures and individuals. Thank you to the P5 team and to Peter for letting me be part of this very special morning.
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
From the PTA
Dear Parents,
We are looking to engage more international parents in the PTA and working on ways to do this. If you are interested in being part of it, or would like to join the PTA WhatsApp group, please send an email with your phone number to nat.neil@virgin.net.
Diploma News
This weekend campus is a very different place, as we have the Sports Weekend taking place. While it may seem to new students that campus is very busy, it is much quieter than past sports weekends with only us and Arusha campus participating. It is good to see so many Diploma students taking part in a wide array of sports and supporting their peers.
The normal November push of Internal Assessments continues for D2, although some are now able to tick off some final submissions which allows them to move forward to preparation for the mock examinations in January and the final examinations in May. We do not know what will happen in May but we are at the moment assuming examinations will go forward as planned. Next week they will start with the TOK essay. We have small workshops planned where students will unpack two titles with teachers. If you would like to find out more about TOK, then please see here for a link to information about a recent presentation about TOK for parents from an outside organisation.
A group of D1 students returned slightly later than expected on Tuesday from Mount Hanang having got stuck in the mud. It was something that seems to have added to the experience. The lead up to reports, to be issued on 10th December means that there are assessments planned for the next few weeks. Students should plan their time wisely and make sure they get enough sleep.
Margaret Brunt – Diploma Coordinator
From the Counselor
I Like to Move It, Move It With all of the excitement regarding Sports Weekend gripping both campuses, it is a perfect time to reinforce the importance of exercise on our mental health and well-being. In this May 2020 article from About Kids Health the author hones in on some of the key benefits of exercise that go well beyond the physical. From alleviating stress, to building healthy relationships through developing teamwork skills, finding ways to stay physically active can make a tremendous difference in the quality of our lives. We hope that after sports weekend we will see students, and their parents, engaged in lots of different ways to keep those bodies and minds moving in a healthy way.
In addition, we continue to find that some students are having a difficult time balancing their high levels of activity, and the rest needed to recharge each night. This is a message that requires reinforcement as we know that many of our young people have a difficult time getting an appropriate amount of rest each night. The mental health benefits of proper rest are well documented. A recent article in Harvard Health highlights the impact of Sleep and mental health. The author highlights the fact that sleep provides benefits that include boosting the immune system to increasing memory and learning capabilities. Oh the wonders of a good night’s sleep. Try one after a busy weekend, and see if your new week starts off with a refreshed and renewed attitude to deal with whatever comes your way.
Moving over to the college and university side, after a week of excellent presentations from institutions as part of our Study in Canada Week, we are approaching our last week of scheduled virtual visits. To conclude Apply Month, we will have a truly international week of presentations. Please see the list of scheduled events starting with tomorrow’s Study in Ireland sessions, and then continent hopping with a final presentation by the African Leadership University here on the continent. Although we can’t travel like we would like to, next week’s schedule gives everyone a chance to imagine the possibilities around the globe. Don’t miss your chance to learn more about the remaining visits by exploring the schedule on this link.
Wishing you an active start and restful end to this weekend.
Asante sana na wekiendi njema,
UWCEA School Counseling Team
MYP News
What a fun and exciting SPORTS WEEKEND. Well done students, parents and teachers.
A few important dates for MYP families and students to remember:
Tuesday 24th – Friday 27th MYP pool party tickets on sale during the break in the breezeway
Wednesday December 2nd Evening of the arts and Market- MYP 1-3 drama performing 4-6pm
Friday December 4th MYP POOL PARTY! 2-6 pm with BBQ dinner provided at 5.
As the term comes to a close let us remember that we are a community that helps and supports each other. Students, teachers and parents are faced with many challenges and can forget to remember they are not alone. A kind word or thoughtful gesture goes a long way, lets pay it forward and encourage one another.
Keep an eye on the calendar for important school wide dates in addition to what I have placed here. Make sure your child gets the rest and support they need to end the term strong.
Jeanne Aman
Outdoor Pursuits
Flatlands Level 2
The Flatlands Level 2 OP trip was such a lovely experience. From seeing the zebras from so close up to going to the phosphate factory. and then going on a canoe trip with such a stunning view was the cherry on top. The hiking was calm and gave you time to appreciate the view and talk to the other campus kids. Overall I loved the flatland trip and would definitely recommend and do it all over again. Amy M3
Mt Hanang
Last weekend a group of mostly D1 students climbed Mt Hanang in slightly wet conditions! This did not seem to dampen their spirts however and neither did the unexpected delay returning after the transport got stuck in the mud.
The Hanang Path
Our students at the top
PYP News
We all had an amazing weekend of sports. The sportsmanship shown by our PYP students was wonderful. Thank you to all who came to support them and cheer them on.
Thank you to all who attended our PYP sharing assembly. Your presence created a positive atmosphere and the students enjoyed sharing their work with you.
This coming week, remember to send your child/children to school with trainers not only for P.E. lessons but also for break time if they wish to play on the field. Hats are also essential as we expect active play during this time.
Our adventure with pets continues. This week, we will be visiting one more home to meet some new animals. The children are enjoying our visits and becoming more confident as they meet and talk to new people in our community.
Our classroom was dismantled to make it ready to house children during sports weekend, so reading books will be issued on Tuesday. If you haven’t done so already, please send these in on that day.
Monday will be a normal day but we will begin with P.E. Mr. Thaddeus will take the children through some games while we return our classroom to the way it was.
“If you could have any kind of pet, which one would you like to have?” This is a question we would be asking ourselves this week. I am looking forward to hearing the children’s thoughts.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
This week in P 2/3 we’ve started working on a project about a home from the past. There are wonderful drawings coming out of the classroom of different houses over time. We’ve had lots of conversations about 3D printed houses and how they benefit lower income families. We’ve looked at the different homes people have based on their socioeconomic level. We’ve also been looking at identifying and extending number patterns. We diligently practiced for our Sharing Gathering and I am proud to say these little guys were superstars!
Thank you to all the parents who came out to support their children during Friday’s Sharing Gathering.
Elisha Jaffer
P4 Class
The P4 have continued with their Unit Of Inquiry on states of matter this week. They carried out baking soda and vinegar investigations in class and also demonstrated their understanding of the scientific process by carrying out an experiment in the PYP sharing assembly. The other PYP children were very impressed to see elephants’ toothpaste in action. They have also explored shapes whilst working with tangrams, listened to stories and and worked on multiplication facts. Well done P4 for working so well in Ms. Kacey’s absence. She will be delighted to hear how busy and productive you have been when she returns next week.
P5 Class
The children have been researching country facts and using them to make a poster – they will continue with this next week. They have also started writing up their interview with Peter from D2 – our learning focus for this writing was using paragraphs. The photo shows Peter sharing photos on his laptop. In maths they have been converting measurements (e.g. cm to mm) by multiplying and dividing. We read a story called Grandfather Tang and used tangrams to recreate the animals in the story. The vocabulary focus was congruent, incongruent and similar. The children shared some of their learning about refugees in our PYP assembly and I was very proud of them. This weekend many of the P5 children will be participating in Sports Weekend with children from Arusha campus and I wish them a happy and successful tournament. The children will be sharing their cultural presentations on Monday and we are looking forward to Josephine rejoining the class.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
The P6 were excellent today on stage sharing their plant unit presentation. They shared about their art and experiments that were completed throughout this unit. Also, this week they started their personal summatives making posters of the scientific method to illustrate what took place during their cress seed experiment. Many items were uploaded onto Seesaw today, so please enjoy a look at their current work in class.
Next week they will finish their posters and complete their group summatives about the lines of inquiry for the unit. Due to internet issues, they are learning how to use other programs on the computer to complete their group summative. They will share both of these summatives on Wednesday, and parents are invited to come from 8:00-9:30. On Thursday we will celebrate my favorite American holiday of Thanksgiving, and the end of the plant unit with a plant-based feast. We thought of dishes to cook today during our meeting, and everyone took home a short list of items to bring in. I am looking forward to cooking with them, and eating a delicious meal!