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Grades and Middle School Students

by Dennis Harter, MS Principal
dennish@isb.ac.th

As we approach the mid-way point of the semester, we celebrate that students have experienced significant learning growth this year. Parents were able to see and hear their children describe what and how they’ve learned over the course of this school year. Through educational research we know that students who are empowered and can articulate about their learning tend to perform better at school.

School performance can be a tricky topic when it comes to measures. Schools assign grades to provide feedback to students and parents about how students are performing relative to grade level standards and expectations. Those grades are personal feedback directly to the student and teacher about their performance. Grades are not intended to be compared to another student. ISB MS does not do class ranking, nor do we think it’s appropriate or meaningful to compare one student’s grade to another’s.

Parents have shared with us that some students are sharing their grades with other students causing stress and, at times, anxiety as students compare themselves. Students should be comparing themselves only to themselves and grade level expectations (meeting standard), not to other students. 

We encourage parents to speak with their children at home about keeping their grade information to themselves and their family and not sharing them around. It’s not helpful or meaningful to foster a school community that is comparing grades constantly. Additionally, if your child is feeling anxious due to others sharing grades with them, please support the message that grades are only feedback for the student themselves. It’s not helpful or appropriate to compare yourself to another student’s grades.

We want grades and teacher feedback to support learning growth for each individual student. If students are feeling stress because of other students’ grades, then our feedback is not serving its purpose. Just as it would not be appropriate for people to share and compare the details and records of their own medical check ups (“I’m healthier than you!”) we think of grades and reports as personal information and feedback, not to be shared in public.

A community in which students are the owners of their own feedback and grades is one in which students also are empowered to reach their own potential and see feedback as providing positive impact on their lives, not causing stress.

Thank you for your support at home in ensuring students use and interact with grades in the positive ways they are intended.

Grade 8 Moving On Ceremony – Hold the Date

As our grade 8 students complete their middle school years, ISB celebrates this event with our Moving On Ceremony. The Moving On Ceremony recognizes the accomplishment of this important milestone as students head into the next phase of their schooling: high school.

The Moving On Ceremony will take place in the morning of June 16th – the Thursday before the last day of school for the year. 

Typically the ceremony starts at 8:00 AM, however the past few years we have had to run it virtually and it has started a bit later. We are excited to be planning for a live ceremony again and will communicate more information in the months to come. If we are able to host the ceremony in-person on campus with parents in attendance, we will live stream the event for family to watch overseas, as well.

For now, please hold the date if you hope to be part of the celebration.
 

MS Schedule next week

Next week ISB will celebrate Spirit Week with themed dress days. Also Wednesday is an Early Dismissal Day, when students are dismissed at 1:10 PM. Here’s the schedule and Spirit themed days for the week:

• Monday, Day 5 – Rock Your Socks Day (recognizing World Down Syndrome Day)
• Tuesday, Day 6 – Intercultural Day
• Wednesday, Day 7, Early Release Day – Jersey Day
• Thursday, Day 8 – Dress like a teacher Day
• Friday, Day 1 – Black & Gold ISB Spirit Day

MS Athletics News

Upcoming events 

Saturday 26th March: BMAC JV Badminton @ NIST

Saturday 26th March: BMAC JV Softball @ BPS

Saturday 26th March: BMAC U12/U14 Track @ ISB

Saturday 26th March: BMAC U11 Track @ BPS 

Enjoy the Art!

Now that campus is open weekday afternoons from 3:45 and weekends, please visit the elementary, middle, and high school visual arts exhibits (locations listed here)  to see the amazing creations of our student artists, and how they have responded to the challenge of bringing their ideas to life in a variety of media, colors, and forms. Open now through the end of March. Enjoy the Art!

Invention Center Saturdays Start March 19th. Check it out!!!

“This Saturday, come to the Invention Center from 10am-12pm and make a wooden decoration in honor of Ramadan and EID. Choose a design 

we have selected or make your own design and then learn how to use the Laser Cutters to cut out your art. This project is free and open to any middle or high school students. Contact Travis Dynes at travisd@isb.ac.th to sign up. We will have space and materials available for the first 10 students that sign up.”

Repeat Announcement: ISB Summer School 2022 – Registration is now open!