Ryan Haynes
ryanh@isb.ac.th
Grade 9
This week, our Freshmen created an “About Me” Portfolio. This is an electronic portfolio (Google website) for sharing activities completed in Freshman Seminar. This will be a great resource for students to share with their teachers and others especially, when they first meet the student and get to know them as a learner / individual. The portfolio will include complete information about the student on personal strengths, guiding values, their definition of success, SMART Goals, personal learning styles, academic planning, time management.
A reminder: Students are encouraged to seek out their teachers during flex time if they are in need of any extra assistance or clarification in a course. This takes place from 2:10 – 3:05 – Monday through Thursday.
Grade 10
Sophomores – Monday, September 14th was our first Sophomore Seminar. This year, the 10th graders are exploring their strengths, assessing what they are good at, and finding out what people who share their strengths and likes do for a living. It’s a good way to think about what a person might want to study in order to pursue a happy, productive career and life! On Monday, we completed the Via Character Strengths Survey to find each student’s top character strengths. You can read more about it (and take the survey yourself if you’d like) at https://www.viacharacter.org/www/ Be sure to ask your son or daughter what their top five character strengths are. Are you surprised?
With school in full swing now, there is a sort of frenetic rhythm that the students adjust to, to a greater or lesser degree. Students (and sometimes their parents) put a lot of stress on themselves. Talk with your son or daughter to make sure that they don’t have too much on their plate. Being stressed and anxious about school indicates that students are overloaded and need to re-think their number of obligations. The counselor is always available to have a quiet chat about this.
Grade 11
Junior Seminar #1 took place on Thursday, September 10 during Flex. During the seminar, students were given surveys that provided them with information regarding the type of learners that they are and other personal characteristics that can provide them with insight when they begin researching colleges/universities. If students did not complete the surveys during the seminar, they were supposed to complete and submit them to the High School Counseling Office by Wednesday, September 16.
Grade 12
We continue to be proud of students taking advantage of the many university representative visits to ISB. Great work, and great questions. These will continue (close to 60 from the US, Netherlands, UK, and Canada) in the next 3 weeks. Remember parents; you are welcome to attend as well.
Seniors will have another Senior Seminar with their counselor next Thursday, September 24 after school. We’ll discuss how/when to seek help, self-compassion, preparing for transition to university, and review some timely reminders in preparation for university applications.
Articles of Interest
This week’s good reads:
Why kids care more about achievement than helping others: A new study suggest parents and teachers may be sending the wrong message
What parents should know about Snapchat
Upcoming College/University Visits
- Tuesday, September 22
University of California, Davis (3-203) - Thursday, September 24
AEO Tour (15+ U.S. universities and colleges) – (Cafeteria) - Saturday, September 26
Brandeis University (2:00pm in the MPB)
New York University
University of Rochester
Emory University
Case Western Reserve University