Kind regards,

Malene Sørensen

 

 

 

 

 

This week the pre-IB students have submitted their pre-CAS reflections officially marking the end of their pre-IB year. Congratulations to them for making it through.

 

I hope that they don’t immediately forget their pre-IB experiences as soon as the pre-CAS reflection was submitted. Because while I’m sure they have been looking forward to the end of the pre-IB given that they have had to write and defend a history research project, sit 3 end-of-year tests as well as plan and execute their own pre-CAS project all within the past few weeks, there is much reflection and learning to be done after finishing the year.

 

While the first part of the pre-IB was very much dedicated to the students adjusting to their new school, teachers, and friends, not to mention for some an educational programme taught in English, the students should have felt that the demands and the workload slowly started to increase as the year progressed. How well did they handle the increasing demands in their subjects? How well did they keep up with assignments and deadlines? How much of an effort did they put into the subjects they weren’t too keen on? Were they able to keep up with their afternoon jobs and sporting activities? Where they able to successfully balance their social relationships with their schoolwork – both inside and outside of school? What lessons have they learnt in relation to starting in the IB next year?

 

Because that is exactly what the pre-IB is. A preparatory year for the IB. The year where we ensure that the students are on the platform, ready to catch the IB train – metaphorically speaking. They have been packing their bags all year, and now it’s time to determine whether they have packed the right things.

 

As we send off the pre-IB students with the IB train, we look forward to recharging our batteries so that we are prepared for the next group of pre-IB students. Next year, for the first time in the school’s IB history, we will have 3 pre-IB classes. We are so excited to meet and welcome them all to our IB community.  

 

Best wishes,

Maria Friis Lindinger  

Source: https://medium.com/march-for-public-education/72-days-not-a-teacher-fd93c22e6795

The purpose of pre-CAS is to prepare us for CAS in the IB. As CAS is vital for the Diploma Programme, so is pre-CAS in Pre-IB.
As many of us had attended schools outside the IB programme, especially CAS (and pre-CAS) was new to us. This year we had 2 sessions of Pre-CAS - one focusing on Creativity and Activity and the other on providing Service. We were taught that whatever CAS-experience you were doing, it should always have deeper meaning with learning outcomes for you. Learning outcomes that would benefit you inside the classroom as well as outside.

 

For our Pre-CAS experience we chose to volunteer at the House of Generations Festival. The festival is a gathering that celebrates all generations, and we believe that that is very important cause we would like to support. As the festival is held by adults working at an eldercare home, we as volunteers, have an impact and a voice that represents our generation as well.

Looking back at our CAS-experience, Prokopis and I were really fortunate. We had great cooperation with the other volunteers despite the remarkable age gap, and a mentor that made sure we felt welcomed and appreciated. What I gained from that environment was new and profound collaborative skills, some which weren't required of me before. I learned that even with people to guide us it was our own responsibility to make sure that we were offering the help and support that was expected of us.
As a native Danish speaker, I had a responsibility of including Prokopis in tasks that required some level of speaking the language, but as time passed many adapted and were considerate. Something that wasn’t required of them, and I was touched by the gesture. During the day, we met many of the house’s residents. I believe the encounters with the elders and employers of the nursing home was the ultimate test of our determination. Even though it was at times outside of my comfort zone, I tried my best in engaging with the residents to make this a positive memory for all included. Since it was (to some extent) a vulnerable group of society we were working with, I sometimes questioned my ethics of choices and actions. As an older sister I - unconsciously - approached the residents similar
to my own younger siblings. Of course, we turned on the charms, but I was often nervous for acting condescending rather than being friendly. Most were physically limited, some more than others, but with lifetimes behind them their wisdom was not at all to be compared with a child’s. The challenges that came with our completely different mindsets forced us to compromise and it was fascinating - at times very humorous - in a way that changed my own perspective. It taught me the extreme importance of showing respect to one another without necessarily agreeing.

We should have reconsidered our plan for the day, as we had signed up for two shifts - with a gap of 7 hours. After the first shift, our supervisor was surprised that we intended to proceed. But we were committed - and not only on paper, since it soon became a pleasure to be there. And after the first hours we were looking forward to the next.

The purpose of the festival was to appreciate our different (and contrasting) generations, and to realize that it is something all human on earth share no matter race or gender. I’m grateful and honored to have been part of such a relevant cause.”

 

 

On the 20th of May, my year group participated in the Tilst “Byfestival”. The city festival had a variety of booths, activities, and foods. Some students did experiments, others had cooked dishes from their home country, and others did physical activities for the smaller kids. My year group's work was part of our CAS experience, either as creativity, activity, and service.
At the Byfestival I volunteered to face paint small kids, which was a huge success. Many children wanted to get painted and many of my classmates and friends who were present volunteered to paint because it looked so fun.
It was a fun, creative challenge because I had not seen the catalog with designs the kids could ask to get painted beforehand. Also, since I was painting kids from the smaller grades, their faces were quite small, so I had to consider how to paint them fittingly. It also made it more challenging that many would lose focus or be unable to sit still.
It was fun to figure out how to work together with the kids. When choosing a design, they did not consider what was possible and what was extremely difficult, so sometimes, we had to figure out a compromise.
It was interesting to see that most kids reacted in one out of two ways. Either they were very energetic and wanted to comment on every step of the way and look in the mirror every time I had added a new line or dot. Or they would be shy to the point where it could be difficult to figure out what design they wanted. However, most kids reacted with a happy smile when they saw the result.
Also, once the booth had closed, many of the volunteers stayed for a bit sharing our experiences of the day, which was entertaining and giving.

 

Regine Sandholt Nielsen, IB1 

If you know of any young people getting ready to choose a youth education, or of families relocating to Aarhus, please do share our video. You can also find our new IB brochure a little further up in the newsletter. 

Change is always hard, right? I remember my first day in Pre-IB; I was so scared and nervous because I didn’t know anyone, and that’s totally normal. I bet that almost everyone else also felt the same way. My advice is to try to be patient, it takes time to adjust. You will eventually get used to the school, classmates, and teachers; you just have to be patient.  

Another piece of advice is, don’t cling yourself to one friend group in the beginning, you might learn that you have better chemistry with some other people than the people you started with at the beginning of the year. So, keep yourself open and don’t lock yourself in a friend group immediately.  

Another thing I think is important is that you should try your best to be organized and on top of your schoolwork, especially in the beginning, so you don’t fall behind. And being organized will also be a huge advantage when coming into IB, so you might as well already start being organized in pre-IB.  

An important thing to remember is that you can always reach out if you are struggling with anything. There is always someone you can talk to, your classmates, friends, teachers, school counselors, and of course, family, and I am sure they would love to help you.  

And most importantly, have fun and enjoy yourself; you are only going to be a pre-IB student once (hopefully).

 

Hello Everyone in IB1

You are about to begin IB2; hopefully, this will also be your last year. Sounds awesome, right? But sadly, it is not time to celebrate yet, because while it is the last year of the IBDP, it is also going to be the hardest and most fatiguing period the IBO has offered you yet. Therefore, as recent survivors of this experience and while still recovering, we would like to share some tips and tricks to prepare you more for your final year. We can’t promise it’s not going to be incredibly hard – but these tips can really make your last year more manageable. And remember: to a great extent, all of us did it so that you can do it too! 

Overview

To start with, it is good to have an overview of what is coming and why it is hard. This is important to know so we can deal with it properly. You most likely already know that there is an IA in each of your 6 chosen subjects. Some of them are split up into multiple projects, while others are just one big task. Maybe you have already started some of them, which is great. The rest will come next year. On top of those is the final deadline for the EE. Then both TOK and CAS come to an end, so in 2023 both the TOK essay and the last CAS reflections will come as extra annoyances. Finally, somewhere in February or March 2023, another round of mocks will arrive. 

OK, it seems overwhelming, we know, but remember you have a full year. Most of the tasks can be started already now or in the summer vacation. Which we can really recommend you do.

The advice

Time management is key. The more efficient your time is planned and structured, the better. Organize your time with all the schoolwork, so you know when and what to study and when to take time off. Making a calendar, table, or another type of system will greatly help you. Prioritization is the other key concept. Of course, we want to do everything immediately, but we don’t have enough time in one day. So, plan and prioritize. Most people will at some point have a stressful week or day at school. Here it is essential to prioritize the most important tasks. Here IA’s and the EE are always important because they determine if you get the diploma or not; HW doesn’t.

Prepare for the real exams. One thing that could be a great tip for some people is to make small overviews on all topics in all subjects as you study them and then read them throughout IB2, so previous topics are still somewhat revised throughout the year. You won’t have to start revising everything from the beginning, two weeks before the exams begin in the spring. 

Use Other people if you are in doubt or need help with anything. The school provides a set of great teachers willing to help and supervise you through the IB experience. Like if you are confused of how to structure your time or what to focus on in the study time. 

Work effectively. You have probably heard all this before, so let’s get to some more nuanced tips. It can be individual for each person how they are most effective when working, but studies show that some things generally apply to all human beings. Get sleep, take appropriate breaks, eliminate distractions, and work efficiently. This can be done by finding a suitable place or method: like using a time app, going to the library, or using KF101 (F1). Arguably no one can work at max mental capacity for hours on end, so remember to give your body and brain time to relax, like sometimes just 5 minutes. It can seem impossible in the situation but just remember: the work you do is better if you have given your brain breaks. 

Take care. It can be stressful, and you will have mountains of work at times. Remember to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically. Do not outdo yourself, like doing schoolwork 16-18 hours a day for a whole week. Extended periods with a lot of work require breaks. Breaks where you do something fun, relaxing, or other activities. You can even allocate time in the plan for this very purpose. I did this by having regular weekly training sessions, where I forgot all about school for an hour. See if you can find your break time to give yourself some mental rest each week.

We hope some of this can be of any value to you next year. If you think this wasn’t fulfilling enough or hunger for more tips, then go check out PodCAS. A Podcast made by Nanna and Sameh, who just graduated, where they talk about IB and give more tips and tricks on how to best get through this journey you are voyaging on. The podcast can be found on SoundCloud or through this link: https://soundcloud.com/podcas-nanna-sameh 

As an IB student, TOK is a big part of our school life. And as an IB student, our school life is a big part of our life. I recently did the TOK Exhibition, which was a great learning experience. For people starting out with TOK next year, my main advice is to focus in class, not just on what you're doing, but especially on how your actions are related to and can be explained through TOK terminology.

Understanding the TOK terminology is a big part of the course, and it's something examiners are looking for in your TOK Exhibition. Another important thing examiners love is unique objects (for the exhibition.) A good way to prepare for this is by connecting everything to your own life and trying to apply TOK terminology to everyday things. If you can see the world through the lens of TOK, you're guaranteed to do great. Not just in TOK, but also in your other subjects as they are linked to TOK.

Now that I am done with the TOK Exhibition, I feel I have gained something. Not just my sleeping schedule. I now have a new way of looking at objects around me and their actual impact on the world.

 

It’s a long story, but the short version is that Kim and I were colleagues at an international school in Beijing from ‘04-’08. After that I went back to San Francisco to go to grad school and teach, and in 2013, when Kim had started working here, he mentioned that there was an opening for IB English. I applied, had an interview with Rikke Hupfeld at midnight my time over Skype, got the offer and have been teaching here since 2014.

Things are always changing, and the IB program is still fairly new, so we have a lot of opportunity to shape its direction and make new traditions.

In English, even if I have taught the same work seven times before, there is always something new to discover, and each class brings their own perspective and insight. Like Heraclitus said, you can never step into the same river twice. For TOK, it’s the breadth of the subject, and how I get to bring in these connections from literally anywhere.

My favorite is “Thinker”, since I believe that is really the core of what we are do with this education. We need more contemplation and less reactivity in the world today. The one I struggle with most is staying open minded. The longer you live and the more you think, the more you are likely to become set in your opinions and beliefs. It takes conscious effort to constantly stay flexible in your mindset. TOK is good for that.

Chinese hot pot is my favorite, and it’s something which has to be eaten socially and over a long time. There is a Chinese expression called re nao which translates to “hot and loud” and describes the communal atmosphere of eating together in a crowded place, which I think we could use more of here.

I think TOK is a cool subject because it’s literally about everything that we know. The whole point is to get the students curious, engaged, even angry sometimes, so we get to be creative with our choices. Some students think it’s a philosophy class, which it’s not. On the other hand, they sometimes think that we just sit around and talk about the meaning of life, which is a worthwhile pursuit, but not in the scope of our class. The focus is pretty narrow: How knowledge in various areas is created, verified and transmitted. At the end of the course, the students should have some understanding of how experts in fields such as science, art and history justify their claims, and also how to find common threads between those fields. Hopefully the students will develop a healthy scepticism and critical thinking ability. Not only should they be more aware of poor or manipulative arguments made by others, but also their own biases and heuristics. Sometimes after their exams, some IB2 graduates usually come up and say “I didn’t understand a lot of what we were doing in TOK at the time, but now I get it”  I also hear from other subject teachers that when they get to the more abstract parts of the curriculum, one of the students invariably says ‘Hey, that’s TOK’!

The imageto the left is an illustrations of various ways of knowing. The classroom picture is from our Language unit, where the students had to try to build the tallest tower without verbal communication.

 

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