How Does Diversity Benefit Kids?

What started as a day to honor 1,200 students from the University of Prague who died during World War II has since morphed into World Students Day, celebrated each year on July 17.

The rather obscure celebration honors and celebrates multiculturalism and diversity at schools and higher education institutions around the world- and that’s a celebration we can get on board with!

At the British School of Boston, our diversity is of the utmost importance. Our students represent more than 78 different heritages, and along with their families speak more than 25 languages.

But why is this diversity so important? A fantastic article from GreatSchools.org has shed a little light on just how beneficial diversity in schools is to young children and students.

According to the article, students who attend schools with a diverse population can develop an understanding of the perspectives of children from different backgrounds and learn to function in multicultural environments.

“There is a richness that comes from students working side by side with others who are not of the same cookie-cutter mold,” said Jean Snell, a clinical professor of teacher education at the University of Maryland, according to the article.

And preparing children to work with others of diverse backgrounds is only becoming more important. According to the GreatSchools.org article, the U.S. Census Bureau says that by the year 2100, the United States minority population will become the majority.

Today’s job markets also require workers to have a strong understanding of and respect for varied cultural and ethnic backgrounds. As technology improves and expands, and social media works to connect individuals across the globe, students will need to be prepared to collaborate successfully with colleagues from other countries, backgrounds and native languages.

So what can be done to ensure this preparation happens?

According to the article, how schools celebrate their diversity- by recognizing days like World Student Day or through in-school activities- has one of the biggest impacts on children.

The article suggests structuring classroom activities to include both sides to history and cultural lessons, and asking students to share their traditions, holidays and beliefs with their classmates.

At the British School of Boston, this is something we are passionate about. Our students learn about many holidays in their classrooms, inviting students and parents to teach others about their traditions.

Each year we take “heritage photos” of all our students, allowing them to share their cultural and ethnic backgrounds with others in the school community. These photos are proudly displayed in our lobby and are very important to our students.

Our alumni often say they feel better prepared for college because of their experience in our diverse school community, and that their network of friends across the world has helped them as they prepare to find careers.

What makes diversity so important to you? Share your thoughts on diversity in schools in the comment section below!

And happy World Students Day!

A Candy Factory, Ancient Aquaducts, Real Madrid & More– BSB Students Explore France and Spain

BSB students on exchange trips to Arles, France and Madrid, Spain aren’t showing any signs of slowing down as they explore the cities they’re calling home this week.

On Thursday, students in Arles, France visited the Haribo Factory and Museum, learning about the process of making the company’s famous gummy bears and other candy, and tasting some unique flavors. It looks like they had a great time!

Students also got a taste of the historic areas of Arles and the surrounding towns, visiting an ancient aqueduct, which once supplied the water for the area, and walking through some classic provencal alleyways.

On the Madrid exchange trip, students spent a few days exploring the city, after reuniting with the students who visited BSB earlier this spring.

Students studied the city’s Metro system to help get to the various stops along their journey, and got some traditional Spanish foods along the way, from gazpacho and bocadillos de tortilla to delicious pastries!

Ms. Rosales even gave a lesson from the middle of the Plaza Mayor!

But perhaps the most exciting part of their day was a visit to the Bernebeau, the stadium of the Real Madrid futbol team! Students explored the stadium itself, sat in the press conference room and made sure to stock up on Real Madrid gear!

It looks like our students across the world are having some amazing cultural experiences! We can’t wait to hear about their adventures!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Update from the French Exchange Trip

Students visiting Arles, France have been busy soaking up the local culture (and sun!) during their first few days in Provence.

On Tuesday, they visited Domaine Paul Ricard dans la Camargue, the famous wetlands at the mouth of the Rhone river celebrated for salt, rice and its unique culture.

Students toured the marsh lands by mini train, on foot and via bicycle, and even saw a display of Provencal bull running and horse dressage.

Looks like they are having a blast! Check out the trip’s blog for more updates throughout the week and some great photos of their journey so far.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Update from the BSB French Exchange Trip

The students and staff in Arles, France this week seem to be having a great time exploring Provence! They’ve been getting their fill of croissants and pain au chocolate, and even took a bike ride through the countryside today.

Check out more from the French exchange trip at Mr. Fakoury’s blog! They’ve got details on their activities so far, and lots of great pictures from their adventures!

Read the blog here: http://bsbarles2014.blogspot.com/

 

BSB Students Take Their Learning Abroad

While there is plenty of learning still going on in British School of Boston classrooms this week, many of our students have taken their lessons overseas– joining together with other international schools for some week-long cultural experiences.

Students in Years 10 & 12 are visiting Madrid, Spain this week, staying with host families and learning alongside students from our Nord Anglia Education sister school, International College Spain.

Students from the Spanish school visited Boston earlier this spring, and will now be showing our students around Spain’s capital city.

On Monday, BSB teacher Ms. Rosales reported that students had settled in to their host homes and were busy sharing Boston culture with the Spanish school (and vice versa!).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

BSB also has a group of Year 9 students visiting a school in Arles, France this week. Like the Spanish exchange, the French students came to Boston earlier this year and will now be hosting our students.

The group left Boston Saturday and are now enjoying a day with their host families. On Tuesday, students will visit the French school and begin learning about the culture of Provence.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Many of our middle school students are also on trips this week. Year 7 students are visiting Washington, D.C. and our sister school there, and Year 8 students are visiting a school in Montreal.

Stay tuned this week as we continue to share updates and photos from the trips!

British School of Boston Prepares to Graduate the Class of 2014

BOSTON- It’s a graduating class that could be dwarfed by an average English class at a typical Boston school.

But when 12 students walk across the stage Friday to receive their diplomas, it will mark the largest graduating class ever for the British School of Boston.

BSB will recognize its fifth graduating class on Friday, June 6 at a commencement ceremony on the school grounds. For the 12 students who will receive their diplomas, the ceremony will cap off years of hard work and rigorous study.

Many of the graduates began their school careers at BSB in Year 1, and have attended the school throughout all year groups.

During their last two years at the school, the students have completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme- a world-renowned high school program that encourages individualized learning and promotes independence in learners, preparing them for college and careers in the 21st century.

For British School of Boston’s graduating students, their time in the IBDP has paid off. Every student will be heading to college in the fall, to local institutions like Harvard University and Wentworth Technical Institute and international schools like St. Francis Xavier.

And at the graduation ceremony Friday, students will get one last bit of learning before leaving BSB for their futures: life lessons from Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen.

Christensen, the Kim B. Clark Professor of Bsiness Administration, is regarded as one of the world’s top experts on innovation and growth, and his ideas have been widely used in industries and organizations throughout the world.

The author of several best-selling business books, Christensen was named the most influential business thinker in the world in 2011.

Graduation will be held Friday, June 6 at 1 p.m. on the British School of Boston campus, 416 Pond Street, Boston, MA.

In addition to the awarding of high school diplomas, the ceremony will recognize  the transition of Year 9 students into the high school at BSB.

A separate transition ceremony will be held Friday morning for Reception students entering Year 1 and Year 6 students entering the middle school. The ceremony will be held at 9:15 a.m.

BSB Teachers Become the Students: National Curriculum Training

While students were enjoying the first day of Half-Term Break Thursday, teachers and administrators at BSB were doing some learning- becoming the students for a day of professional development!

Staff were visited by Andy Phillips, an educational consultant from England, who trained teachers on changes to the National Curriculum of England for 2014.

For teachers in the middle and high school, training sessions focused on an overview of the recent key changes to the National Curriculum, comparing new programmes of study against the existing ones.

Teachers also worked with Mr. Phillips to see how these changes will affect each subject area, and how they can work together to ensure there is consistency in assessment of student achievement and progress throughout all classrooms.

Maintaining consistency in student assessment was a major theme of the training, among the secondary and primary teachers.

Because BSB teaches children of all age levels, Mr. Phillips said, the school has a unique opportunity to ensure that assessment and curriculum are as consistent as possible throughout a child’s entire education. To achieve that, he said, it requires collaboration and communication among teachers, administrators and parents.

For Early Years and primary teachers, Thursday’s training sessions focused primarily on the aims of the changes to the National Curriculum of England, particularly those changes that affect teaching and learning of English and maths.

Teachers met in a large group for a few training sessions, then broke up into smaller groups to discuss how the curriculum changes will affect their classrooms and how the changes will impact student learning.

It was a great day of learning for our teachers that will help them serve BSB students even better!

Year 5 Heads to Camp Burgess

From s’mores and campfires to scavenger hunts and canoeing, this school week is looking a little different for our Year 5 students and teachers.

Year 5 left Tuesday morning to head to Camp Burgess, located on Cape Cod here in Massachusetts. Through Friday, students will be participating in a variety of outdoor and hands-on learning opportunities, and learning how to work together as a team.

They wasted no time getting to the fun! By Tuesday mid-day the students had an introduction with camp staff, eaten a delicious lunch and were already playing games on the camp grounds. The evening brought a yummy dinner, campfire and time for stories and journals before heading to bed.

Wednesday morning brought more fun for the students, as they donned climbing gear and ropes and practiced climbing up some very tall walls. They took to the water later, canoeing together and learning some important communication and teamwork skills.

Looks like they are having a great time at camp so far! Please check back to the school Facebook page, Twitter account and this blog for additional updates!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

BSB Celebrates STEAM Week!

BSB is celebrating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Week this week, hosting parent visitors, arts and sciences workshops and bringing students out into the community to explore the STEAM fields.

This is a great week to explore the arts and sciences, and learn more about how the two areas intertwine. And in Boston this week, it will be easy for our families to continue this exploration outside of the classroom- with the Cambridge Science Festival!

BSB staff members were at the festival’s Science Carnival on Saturday, and performed some fun science experiments with hundreds of carnival visitors. It was a great day to share the strong science learning we have here at BSB.

The Cambridge Science Festival- one of the top science festivals in the country- continues through Sunday, April 27. Check out the chart below for some festival events recommended by the BSB Science Department and explore science as a family!

Visit the festival’s website for a full schedule of events.

DAY	EVENT	TIME & LOCATION
Tuesday	Vijay Iyer: Embodied Cognition in Music“The idea of embodied cognition comes from the experience of processing sensory information. Vijay Iyer, who holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science of Music from U.C. Berkley was one of several people who brought together the idea of music as a physical experience, so that music is not viewed as an abstraction but as action, as something that we do and that we hear other people doing. Iyer is the recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant for his interrelated work.”	4 – 5:30pm939 Boylston
Wednesday	Science Meets Art“Harvard University undergraduate students will host an assortment of hands-on activities and demonstrations to explore the intersection of art and science. Children of all ages and their families are invited to investigate the chemistry of tie-dye, the physics of light and color, the art of microscopy, and more at this free, interactive event.”	5:30 – 7pmHarvard Allston Education Portal
Thursday	Fab Lounge“Our Fab Lounge is “where magic happens.” You create digital designs using Open Office Draw, GIMP and Inkscape, and fabricate your designs on our laser-cutter and vinyl-cutter. Experienced Fab Stewards will be on hand to mentor you and your ideas.  Fab Lab Boston is the first Digital Fabrication Laboratory in the world established outside of the MIT Media Lab.”	4:00pm – 8:00pmSouth End Technology Center
Friday	Art & Bio Collaborative – Opening Reception for ISLAND LIFE Exhibition“A group of artists and scientists from Cambridge and beyond studied tropical wildlife of the Caribbean during ISLAND LIFE: Tropical Field Studies of Art+Nature in Puerto Rico, a unique travel program offered by the ART+BIO Collaborative. Fusing field biology, artmaking and experimentation, these Field-BioArtists used the natural habitat as a studio/lab to create hybrid art and BioArt installations on-site. This multi-media art+science exhibition focuses on the vast diversity of habitats and wildlife found in the rainforest, coastal, and marine environments of Puerto Rico.”	7 – 9pmVOLTAGE Coffee & Art

Neuroscience and IB: Views from a Harvard Professor

What do neuroscience and the International Baccalaureate programme have in common? More than you might think!

Bruno della Chiesa, an educational neuroscientist and Harvard University professor, discussed the relationship between neuroscience- and the study of how students learn- and the IB in a recent issue of IB World Magazine.

Read the full story, and check out a summary of his thoughts below:

1. Learning other languages.

Language acquisition is an important topic in neuroscience, and one that the IB puts at the heart of its curricula. della Chiesa said he admires the IB because the programme makes educating children in multiple languages a priority.

“Learning a second language…unlocks an individual’s ability to develop cultural (and therefore self) awareness,” he said in the article.

2. Lifelong learning.

Neuroscience has shown that the brain’s plasticity allows an individual to learn long into old age. The IB, meanwhile, makes it its aim to promote lifelong learning.

“It is excellent that the IB is explicitly promoting lifelong learning,” della Chiesa said in the article.

At BSB, our students are not only taught to love learning, our educators and parents continue their learning too! A few times each term, we host Parent Learning Evenings, bringing in speakers to address staff and parents on a variety of educational topics. This year, we’ve had speakers on early learners, cross-culture kids and the teenage brain!

3. Global awareness.

In many ways, the IB is the epitome of global learning. Used in more than 146 countries to teach more than 1 million students, international mindedness is a core component of all IB programmes.

At BSB, IBDP students are encouraged to share their learning, not only with their classmates but with students and educators around the world, using social media, Nord Anglia Education‘s Global Classroom and other forms of technology to spread their knowledge around the globe.

In the IB World article, della Chiesa said this kind of learning is more important than ever.

“What we understand about neuroscience and language learning is at the head of developing that global awareness,” he told the magazine. “The IB provides a space for students to get acquainted with other cultures and develop a multicultural awareness, which some might not have the benefit of at home.”

4. Using the fabulous potential of the human brain.

“The more teachers know about the ‘learning brain,’ the deeper they will be able to reflect on the complexity of learning processes, helping them to better understand their students’ learning,” della Chiesa told IB World.

The IB helps educators do just that by adapting to developments in science and technology, and embracing the use of technology in the classroom.

At BSB, we work hard to ensure that both educators and students understand how they best learn. Students are taught from an early age to identify the learning and studying methods that work best for them, and develop these skills over their time at our school.

Check out the BSB website to learn more about our international curricula and the IBDP!