Professional Documents
Culture Documents
KIS Today
International Language Teachers Unite: EARCOS at KIS
Last month, on August 22nd and 23rd, KIS hosted and EARCOS Weekend Workshop (EARCOS stands for
the East Asia Regional Council Of Schools). Both founders of the Creative Language Class, Kara Parker and
Megan Smith, lead the conference. It was very inspiring to hear from teachers from five other countries, as
well as six international schools in Korea, all working together in five languages!
The first day included a session on reworking traditional unit topics. We focused on culture as a means of
providing purpose for language-usage and exploring global perspectives. Teachers learned to break down
big, full-course goals into daily Can Do objectives. Later on that day, teachers discussed performancebased assessments. The aim here: allowing students to show their proficiency-growth in real-life situations.
Our second day started with the topic of improving cultural units. Using authentic resources, students can:
acquire necessary vocabulary; improve interpretive skills; and gain another perspective on the world. For
our finale session, teachers collaborated on effective assignments and projects. We focused on combining
language production with cultural experiences. We infused this topic with the critical incorporation of 21st
Century skills, including: voice and choice; technology; and problem solving for authentic practice.
One attendee enthused, after the workshop concluded, This workshop is one of the best I have ever attended! The presenters taught us in a way that they want us to teach our students. Outstanding demonstration!
Another teacher shared, Their workshop was practical, relevant, and interesting. My colleagues and I are
excited to move forward in transforming our teaching and student learning!
We believe our weekend was a great success for all involved. Our thanks also extend to EARCOS: for supporting us in making this workshop possible at KIS.
Traci Osterhagen
Director of
Teaching and Learning
School Spotlight
Experience bustling cities, the great Moroccan outdoors, and rural life in the Atlas Mountains on this French
language and cultural adventure program. Visit the largest mosque in Africa in Casablanca and in Marrakech. Wander the UNESCO-acclaimed, 1,000-year-old market where you can watch snake charmers entrance
their cobras and vendors hawk their wares. See everything from whale vertebrae and acrobats, to ostrich
eggs and orange juice stands! Make new Moroccan friends while engaging in community service, bond with
your classmates, wander and wonder in the great Sahara desert. You can sandboard, hike, scavenger-hunt,
bargain in the souks, eat delicious authentic cuisine, dive into Moroccan culture and history, and have the
time of your lifeall while fine-tuning your French skills!
As a former French colony, Morocco holds a rich French heritage. French is still the main language spoken in government, commerce, education, and medicine. More than 50% of the
population fluently communicates in both French and Darija (Moroccan) Arabic. Experience
the wonders of this breathtaking country, while absorbing the French language. This is sure
to be the French immersion experience of a lifetime!
Nordine Tebti
Morocco | Mar 26th to Apr 2nd | $1,795 + Airfare | 24 Students | Contact Mr. Tebti to register. HS French
Seoul Campus
Elementary School
All of the Kindergarten friends from the Pangyo and Seoul Campuses ventured out to Yongin to Nongodwon Dairy Farm and attended
Milk School! We learned that the dairy products we all enjoy, such
as ice cream and cheese, come from milkwhich comes from
wonderful cows! We even learned how to milk a cow, and learned
that the milk comes from its udders. We had a great adventure, experiencing first-hand what it takes to be a dairy farmer, by: milking a
cow named Elsa, bottle-feeding calves, and feeding hay to several
pregnant cows. Thank you, cows and dairy farmers, for providing
us with such delicious dairy products and wonderful memories too!
Mark Yu
Kindergarten
Jamie Koch
Grade 3 Teacher
Highlights
Pangyo Campus
Elementary School
Highlights
Pangyo Campus
Experiential Education
Middle School
Highlights
KIS Middle School will be embarking on an amazing Experiential Education (EE) event on Thursday, October
8th.
As with all EE learning at KIS, students will experience goal-oriented activities in a very carefully researched,
safe environment. All of the activities that the students engage in were pretested by KIS teachers themselves, on a previous day before the students participate. Our success with Middle School EE last schoolyear, and already this autumn with KIS High School, motivates us to provide the best EE for our students,
teachers, and staff. In small, predesignated groups, each student will be accompanied and monitored by an
advisory teacher, as well as asite-specific specialist-instructor, who will cooperatively facilitate the activities
of a very-well-planned EE day.
But, you might be asking, why should students do EE? Cant this be done in the classroom?
Good question.
Outside the four walls of a classroom, there is a lot to learn too. Both settings of learning can be complementary and mutually enhancing.
It has been proven again and again that during EE, students improve their real-world, practical skills and
abilities. These skills and abilities include: inclusive leadership, effective team-building, appropriate communication, calm and rational problem-solving, and the fulfilling attainment of new-experience success. These
benefits greatly improve students academic success at KIS. They provide personable, applicable connections to cross-curricular learning on our Seoul and Pangyo campuses. But, and perhaps more importantly,
each of these skill and abilities will benefit each student for the rest of their lives.
EE has consistently proven to improve academic improvement and outcomes at KIS. It also improves our
students for the rest of their adult lives.
EE, in short, is a doorway to greater experience, potential, and success in life.
EE permission slips are due before (or on the day of) Thursday, September 24th.
Next months Book Talk Cafe is on Friday, October 16th. Be on the lookout all year for
Wild Readers at KIS!
Easing Transitions
Most children like routine. Adjusting to a new school, new child care, new friends, or a change in the family
can be difficult. All children, like all adults, react differently to change. How your child adapts to change will
depend on his/her temperament, personality, and your familys circumstances. During times of change your
child may be clingy, moody or irritable, angry, sad, anxious, afraid, or less sociable than usual.
When discussing change with children, discuss both the pros and cons. Certainly focus on the pros, but
dont deny the cons. Otherwise youll lose childrens trust, something they desperately need to cling to during change.
Acknowledge the childs feelings. This gives the child the permission to say shes not comfortable with the
change. Gradually they learn that change is not something to be avoided, but a challenge to be responded
to with thoughtfulness and understanding.
Change can make us all feel insecure and helpless. During change, let children make as
many of their own decisions as possible. Autonomy offsets anxious feelings. It gives life
balance, and it reminds kids that they have control over some things in life... just not all
things.
Dr. Elethia Rhoden Change in life is inevitable. It happens to all of us in our lives. Understanding how to
MS Counsellor
deal with and cope with change can be challenging. But, keeping a positive outlook,
and having the support of friends and family, can help make transitions in life go more
smoothly.
Pangyo Campus
High School
Highlights
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Tamara Turnbeaugh
Senior Advisor
September 9th, 10th and 11th was this years Senior Retreat. Unlike the quick trips of
the past, the class of 2016 got to embark upon three days of Experiential Education
(or EE). EE focuses on pushing personal boundaries, working as a team, and learning
to meet a variety of challenges in a variety of circumstances. Its life, and life always
includes the unexpected.
The first day of the trip started with a grueling 7.6 km hike up Seoraksans UlsanBawi. It was steep, with lots of stairs and big boulders, but the view at the top was
worth it. Seniors learned the value of pushing individual limits, encouraging each other, and offering a helping hand.
On Thursday, our second day, we began with white water rafting. The water was cold, but the smiles were
warm. Boats of eight learned to work together while navigating level-appropriate rapids and obstacles.
There was also time to swim, jump off of rocks, and splash other boats. What a beautiful fall morning on the
water!
Thursday afternoon brought a variety of adventures to choose from: a thrilling rock climb up a cliff face; a
death-defying sky drop; or a heart-thumping skywalk around a Plexiglas walkway in the clouds. Students
overcame fears to conquer these challenges with gusto! Strong teamwork was also demonstrated as groups
challenged one another at laser tag.
The fun didnt stop when the sun set. Tired from a long day of escapades, the seniors came together around
a warm campfire to bond further. Sausages and marshmallows were roasted over the hot coals as the
class of 2016 strengthened their sense of community. After these delicious treats, it was time to relax with
friendsboth new and old. Outdoor seating areas filled-up, with students star-gazing, sharing stories, and
laughing freely.
Friday was our third and final day. We played some games on the beach, before having some time for individual reflection. We had conquered mountains, rivers, and personal fears; and now the beach was a calm
and quiet setting for the class of 2016 to ponder the future. Seniors wrote thoughtful letters to themselves
for their 2016 graduation. Indeed, many of the skills learned on this trip will help students conquer the challenges ahead as they prepare for college. What a perfect way to wrap up a memorable trip full of laughter,
friends, and adventure!
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Phoenix Athletics
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