Middle School is a formative time of mistake making and learning
by Dennis Harter
dennish@isb.ac.th
Middle School is an important time of change and development for adolescents. As parents, you know that your middle school aged-child is changing physically on the outside, but also beginning to behave differently too. This is due to chemical changes, also happening on the inside. The human brain undergoes a great transformation during these years, second only to the brain development of newborns and toddlers. As this chemistry changes, our middle school children begin to care more about their peers and independence as they distance slightly from their parents. This is a natural development, but it doesn’t mean that parents don’t play an important role.
Through this time, it’s important for parents to share expectations, boundaries and values, while at the same time allowing their children to handle their own problems, try solutions, and experience disappointment along with success. Middle school years are formative years for young people, as they learn how to self-manage and behave in socially intelligent and value-driven ways. They make mistakes and learn about who they want to become in the process.
A recent piece in the US newspaper, The Washington Post describes how middle school is a “dress-rehearsal” for life. Written by a middle school parent and drama teacher, it shares some parenting thoughts about letting children navigate their world, guiding them through with support, but not over-protecting them or solving their problems, if they fall within normal middle school life experiences. It’s a good read. As a parent of an MS student myself (with another one coming in a year), the article has provided me with things to think about as we balance shelter against experience.
Throughout the year, in MS, we will look at what we know about tweens and early teens and the best ways we can support them as adults in these formative years.
Attainment Ratings were recently updated
by Cindy Plantecoste, MS Dean of Academics
PowerSchool is an important component of our communication system, and it allows you to be aware of and involved in supporting your child’s progress.
Recently, MS teachers updated PowerSchool to include any recent assessment data.
In order to learn how to make the most of this communication tool, please click on the attached link to see how you can access the most accurate picture of your child’s strengths and areas for growth.
Call for Middle School Questions, Concerns and Comments
The first MS Principal Forum will take place Tuesday, November 6 at 9 am in MPR 3. This is an opportunity to voice your questions, comments, suggestions or concerns, and for Mr. Harter and the middle school administration to respond to them.
We are currently accepting written comments, questions and concerns that will be summarized by the MS parent counsel and then put forward to the middle school administration. MS parents who would like to submit comments should email them to mscoord@isb.ac.th before the deadline of Friday, October 12. They will then be summarized and presented to the administration for response on November 6.
Please note that comments not related to middle school will be forwarded to the related department and/or discussed in the PTA board meeting. All questions and comments will be anonymous in the report.
Submitted by PTA Middle School Coordinators
Kelly Kabat and Ferda Seyhan
Bangkok International String Festival – September 28-29, 2018
By Anthony Giles
ISB will be hosting the annual Bangkok International String Festival September 28 and 29 with five other schools from around the region. This year’s festival will include over 100 string players working under the baton of renowned guest conductor, Soo Han. We are thrilled that he is able to join us in Bangkok and share his love of music with us.
Repeat Announcement: No School on September 20-21
ISB students do not have school on September 20th and 21st.
On Thursday, September 20th, teachers and staff will be engaged in professional development throughout the day. For this reason the campus is closed completely from 7:00 AM until 12:30 PM on Thursday.
On Friday, September 21st, we have an ISB Holiday. The weekend is Activity-Free so that families may enjoy the time together and students have a break from their busy schedules.
Repeat Announcement: Special Parent Info Session – Considering Boarding School Readiness
For some of our parents, boarding schools may be a consideration for their child in the future. In many cases, this consideration has an impact on family life, school preparation, and social emotional development. Obviously, we think staying at ISB is a great option for students, but we work with families to determine what’s best for their individual child.
To talk more about what parents should consider as they think about boarding schools, we will be hosting a special parent information session on September 25th, at 9:00 AM in MPB 2. We will also share the ISB process for supporting students and parents who do apply.
Repeat Announcement: MS Parent Coffee – Keeping your MS Child safe in Bangkok
As parents of middle school students, we find ourselves in the complicated social years of development during which we see our children often value social time with their friends more than with their parents. As these our children become older, parents often allow for more independence, while also becoming more fearful of the dangers or difficult choices that might present themselves.
Some of the structures we put in place as parents during these tween and early teen years can have very positive effects (or a lack thereof, conversely negative) on choices, motivations, and behaviors of our children as older teens.
On Wednesday, October 17th, at 9:00 AM in MPB 3, Middle School Counselors will host a session on Keeping your MS child safe in Bangkok. They will share strategies for being clear with your child about your expectations, how to encourage open dialogue, and ways to help your child make good choices.
To help with the session, we ask that MS parents complete a short anonymous survey to give us actual ISB parent data to share about the “freedom” or “control” that parents afford their children. At times our children say things like “everyone is going to … ” or “no one else’s parent calls … “. Please fill out this short survey to help us share what the reality is for our students. We will share the data with you at the session.
Repeat Announcement: Art Studio Saturdays
Art Studio Saturdays are designed to enrich the ISB community through the intellectual and creative thoughts and actions of its participants.
The format of Art Studio Saturday is structured so that participants are involved in one of three focus workshops in which they will learn specific skills, have the opportunity for individual exploration, and participate in creative challenges. As the day progresses, participants will be invited to visit other workshops and to engage in collaborative works.
Guest Artist: Jeff Ross, screen printer
Focus: Interplay of layers, light and color
All participants, regardless of workshop, will explore working with various layers and colors through mixed media including: print, collage, plexi glass, stenciling, adhesives, spray paint, mark making, fiber arts, and paint.
Participants will be working towards collaborative pieces as well as individual works. These explorations will be both 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional.
Saturday, 29 September 2018
10:00-2:00
Art Quad
Art Studio Saturday is free and includes a light lunch.
Spaces are limited and will be based on a diversity of ages and experiences.
Please register by Friday, 14 September here.
Confirmation emails will be sent on Monday, 17 September.
This studio session is hosted by the ISB Visual Art Department with support from the ISB Boosters.
For more information please email: kylieh@isb.ac.th, johannan@isb.ac.th or tristam@isb.ac.th.
Repeat Announcement: Parent Technology Training- Tuesday September 25, 7:45am-9:15am, MPB1
Your PTA is organizing a parent tech training to familiarize parents with online systems we use at ISB, as well being prepared to support your child with laptops at home. We welcome suggestions for each session. If you have some ideas or topics you would like covered please let us know when you fill out the registration form. In general, the session will mainly focus on PowerSchool, PowerLearning, Campus Card, Parent Controls, and some applications to help students’ use of the laptop. All sessions will be in MPB 1.
To register for the session, visit: Parent Tech Training Registration
Requirements for the session:
- Fill out the registration from at the link above.
- A laptop (and charger, just in case). If you are unable to bring a laptop please indicate this in the registration form and we will plan in advance to provide some spare laptops for the session.
- Parent PowerSchool login. If you do not have this, please indicate on the registration form.
- Parents need to register their laptop with EdTech for wireless access. Please do this in advance so you are connected to wifi . This allows us to make the best us of the session, and have more time to talk and answer questions.
Should you have any questions please contact Mike Rutherford via email miker@isb.ac.th.
