|
From the Director: 40th anniversary
As you know, we will soon be celebrating the school’s 40th anniversary with a BBQ for the community on May 12th. In addition, our PTO has designed and printed a commemorative pagne. Please check your inbox for details on how you can order tickets and pagne for the event.
AISB was proud to inaugurate its new Profile of Graduates Achievement Celebration for grade 6-12. This celebration is the culmination of three years’ discussion, in the search for better ways to honor student achievement. You can read about our student recognitions and the celebration below.
Student-Led Conferences: see article below! Later in this newsletter you’ll find an article on this year’s Student Led Conferences for Kinder-Grade 8 students, which will be held on May 11, here at school. SLCs are recognized as one of the most effective ways to improve learning and empower student learners, and we encourage parents to take this excellent opportunity to sit with your child and celebrate the many ways she or he has learned and grown this year. Parent-teacher conferences for students in PreK and HS will take place on the same day and sign up instructions will be emailed to parents.
Good neighbours make good roads
You will have noticed that work has begun once again on the road leading into school. The road was initially built by AISB, back in 2010. The initial two-thirds of this year’s paving, and all the drainage, was undertaken and paid for by one of our good neighbours, who has invested substantially. Now, a neighbourhood organization has been formed to undertake the road’s completion. As one of the road’s main users, AISB is part of this neighbourhood organization; and having the road properly sealed and drained has already made a big difference to the students, parents and teachers who travel it every day.
You can help! AISB is pleased to be part of this shared work with our neighbours. We would like to invite parents to pledge a small contribution toward the costs of completing the road. If you would like to contribute, please contact me. Given that I drive back and forth on that road every day, I am offering to personally match any parent contributions up to a total of 500,000CFA!
AISB Annual General Meeting
Tuesday 6:30pm
AISB will hold its Annual General Meeting this coming Tuesday May 8, beginning at 6:30pm. in the Library. At the meeting our new Board Trustees will introduce themselves, and we will hear reports from the Chair on the work of the Board, from the Treasurer of the Board on the financial state of the school, and from the Director about the growth of the school and its academic program. We hope to see you there.
All parents and faculty of AISB are members of the Association, and are invited to attend. Refreshments will be provided.
We hope to see you there!
|
|
|
ES & MS Student-Led Conferences: May 11th
Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) will be held on Friday, May 11th, here at school. SLCs empower students to take responsibility for their own learning, and encourage students to reflect upon their work and their growth. And SLCs provide wonderful insights for parents and teachers about how children see themselves as learners.
The role of students in SLCs Our ES and MS students began preparing for the SLCs by setting goals in the first quarter, collecting evidence, and reflecting on their learning and growth. From the moment you enter the classroom, your child will be in charge of leading you through the student-led conference. It is important that you follow your child’s lead: students have a check-off list to guide the conference, and have given considerable thought to how best to share their learning. Your children have practiced how to share reflections of their work and share their growth in various subjects, and might even demonstrate new skills they have learned.
The role of parents As soon as you and your child enter the classroom, your child becomes the teacher and you become the student. Your role is to learn about your child’s perspectives on his or her learning, help your child to celebrate all she or he has accomplished, and appreciate the new learning challenges that lie ahead. There is a lot for you to see on this special day, so please ensure your child has your full attention. Ask your child questions!
The role of teachers During the student-led conference, your child’s teacher will be in the classroom to provide students with support and assist them as needed. Teachers do not lead the conferences, however, and do not normally take part in the discussions between students and their parents. Of course parents are always welcome to schedule a face to face meeting with their child’s teachers at any time. Contact your child's teacher directly, or call Ms. Oumou to set up a meeting.
What you will see and hear (and do) Once you arrive, your child will lead you through the conference. You will see and hear about what your child has learned in Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science and overall goals. You’ll examine pieces of work that your child has selected to share with you, to demonstrate his or her progress, strengths, and challenges. You may play a game to demonstrate learning or problem-solving, or listen to your child read. You will likely see happy smiles and hear many positive comments about your child’s learning!
Helpful Questions for Parents at Student-Led Conferences Questions like the ones below will help encourage your child to share more about their learning during the conference.
- Can you explain this to me?
- How did you come up with this idea?
- How have you grown in this area?
- What are your next challenges in this area?
- What was important to you about this?
- Why does this piece of work make your proud?
- What did you learn from completing this piece of work?
- What was most challenging about completing this work?
- If you could do this work over, what might you change?
- What goals do you have as a learner?
- How can we help you at home?
Scheduling SLCs
There will be no regular classes on Student-Led Conference day. The conferences will be held from 7:30am until 3:30pm on May 11.
Elementary Sign-up You should have received information from your child’s teacher about how to sign up (online) for Elementary SLCs. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have questions.
Middle School drop-in To make coordinating conferences easier for parents with students in more than one division, Middle School SLCs will be held as a drop-in event. That is, parents will choose whatever time that suits them best, and simply come to the library with their Middle School child, at that time. You might want to discuss with your children to choose the hour that is most agreeable to you all.
Middle School parents can help us keep things organized by letting us know approximately what time you plan to come, on this (very short) survey. We look forward to seeing you on May 11.
High School Parent-Teacher Conferences will also be held May 11. You should receive the booking link shortly. |
|
|
Accreditation Update: Almost time to celebrate!
AISB’s process toward re-accreditation is moving ahead smoothly. The Action Plans, which will guide our work for the next seven years, are now essentially complete; and our three Objectives have passed MSA’s initial technical review with flying colours. The initial draft of the Self-Study report will be ready for review by the Accreditation Planning Team in time for its meeting of May 15, and the final draft will be ready for submission to MSA early in the new school year. We look forward to welcoming MSA’s Visiting Team here at AISB in October or November.
Check out AISB’s re-accreditation timeline for an overview of the entire process.
We congratulate all the hardworking, dedicated people who have contributed to AISB’s Self-Study process: the parents, students and educators who sit on committees, who join in focus groups, who patiently fill in surveys and participate in discussions and debates: who give of their time, energy and expertise to help AISB set its path for the future.
|
|
Advanced Placement, Online Learning and College Counseling Information Night May 17: all welcome
Thursday, May 17 parents and students are invited to an information night in which we will share information about AP courses, online learning at AISB, and the College Counselling program. All are welcome; students considering enrolling in their first AP class, and their parents, are particularly encouraged to come, from 6pm until 7pm. We’ll share a brief presentation, and teachers will be present to discuss their courses with students and parents.
About AP Courses Advanced Placement courses are university-level courses offered for high school students. APs offer rewarding academic and intellectual challenges, allowing interested students to explore their academic strengths in greater depth. AP courses prepare students for the challenge of university-level studies, and can strengthen their college applications.
At AISB, Advanced Placement courses are offered to students in grades 10, 11 and 12. Students wishing to take an AP course require approval from the Director, course teacher and College Counselor. Grade 10s have the option of taking AP Human Geography and/or AP French.
Who should take an AP course? There are three important indicators associated with student success in Advanced Placement courses. A student who has experienced prior success in a related field understands what she’s getting into: she knows what kind of thinking is involved, what kind of time commitment will be required, and how much she will enjoy and/or benefit from immersing herself deeply in the learning experiences. A student who has a particular interest in the academic area is more likely to have the motivation required for success, as is a student who has a specific need for advanced studies in a particular discipline—for example, in order to enter his field of choice.
Some important things to know about Advanced Placement Courses: Students need a balanced, reasonably challenging schedule that includes time for rest and recreation, as well as time for study. It is generally recommended that students take no more than two AP courses in their junior year and three in their senior year. AP courses are time-intensive and intellectually demanding, and require not only added study time for students but added “processing time,” if deep and enduring learning is to occur.
Students enrolling in an AP course are encouraged, although not required, to write the College Board exam in May.
|
|
Standards-based in AISB Middle School
As you know, this year AISB inaugurated a standards-based approach to grading and reporting, in Grades 6 and 7: the most recent step in a multi-year process of implementing a standards-based approach for Middle School. In a standards-based approach, student learning in the various subject areas is evaluated in detail for each of the subject’s grade-level standards. In this system, students, parents and teachers receive more detailed information about exactly what students have learned, and with what degree of proficiency. So parents are better informed about their child’s learning, teachers know exactly where students need help, and students themselves are empowered to recognize their achievements and focus their learning efforts where they need it most.
The standards-based approach is not new to AISB. Our elementary school has always used a standards-based approach, and students in middle school have been using standards to focus their learning for several years. This year, we took some steps forward with the program:
- Projects, quizzes and tests identified for students what standards specifically were the target of each particular assessment
- Students reflected on their mastery of the standards, and conducted ongoing self-evaluations based on those standards
- Students were able to identify areas in which they needed growth, using their understanding of the standards, their self-evaluations, and teacher feedback as points of reference
- Report cards provided individual grades for each of the key “target” standards taught and assessed in each quarter. In this way, parents and students gained clear and detailed understandings of exactly what students know, understand and are able to do -- so far.
- Report card comments addressed the standards explicitly and provided achievement -level indicator grades of Proficient, Progressing, or Needs X, along with comments about students’ particular strengths, and the habits and behaviors that support their learning.
Student feedback When asked how standards based reporting helps them, students responded positively, with comments such as:
- “It gives you a clearer view of your understanding.”
- “It helps me by letting me know if I need to progress a lot or not as much.”
- “It helps me know if I do a great job in school, or need help.”
- “Using the standards makes it simpler to understand.”
Next year This year’s grade 6 and 7 students will continue with the standards-based approach, into grades 7 and 8. Grade 5 students entering grade 6, who are already familiar with a standards-based approach, will experience a smooth transition to new grade-level standards.
High School students also use the standards to understand and improve their learning; teachers’ narrative comments in the high school address the standards explicitly.
More information For a fuller discussion of standards and standards-based approaches please check out this article, from the February newsletter. A discussion of high school grades and the standards-based grading process in High School may be found here. A discussion of the middle school performance descriptors may be found here.
Questions? We are always happy to discuss your child’s learning. If you have questions about standards, or your child’s learning, or anything about AISB’s curriculum of teaching and learning, please be in touch! We love to hear from you.
|
|
The Nurse’s Office and First Aid Response: caring for student health at AISB
In general, AISB students are a pretty healthy crew. But of course children have allergies, asthma and other health-related conditions that sometimes require attention; and inevitably, from time to time we find kids at school with with colds, sore throats and fevers, upset stomachs, headaches or just needing to lie down for a bit. There are the inevitable scrapes, bruises and bumps, bee stings and the mysterious sore spot that “sort of hurts when I touch it” associated with any active group of children; we also have the occasional more serious injury amongst the older students, who play hard: bigger bumps, and the occasional sprain, fracture or dislocation. And then there are the bad headaches, the suspected cases of malaria, or other serious concerns. So what happens at AISB when a child needs attention for illness or injury?
Responses from our recent annual parent survey suggested that some AISB parents are not familiar with the range of “Nurse’s Office” services provided by AISB. So we’d like to provide a quick overview of some of the things we do to support children’s health here at AISB.
When children don’t feel well or have a small hurt... A child who isn’t feeling well is brought to the office for a quick consultation with Miss Oumou, who dispenses ice-packs and band-aids, lozenges, glasses of water and sympathy throughout the day.
Children simply needing to rest for a while may lie down in the Nurse’s office, which has a bed, a comfy chair, and its own bathroom.
And if it’s worse than that? A student with what may be a significant injury or illness is referred to one of the school’s First Responders (see below), and parents are contacted by phone.
AISB maintains a complete record of parent consent forms, which list those medications children may and may not be given at school; however children in middle and elementary school are never given any medication without a confirmation phone call home, except in case of life-threatening emergency.
Parents are contacted whenever a child has a bumped head or neck or any injury to the eye, however apparently minor. In general, we prefer to err on the side of notifying parents too often, rather than not often enough.
And what if it’s really serious? When a child has a serious injury or illness that will require medical treatment, parents are contacted immediately. AISB maintains a close relationship with Cliniques Pasteur and Aly Guindo, and notifies the clinic of parents’ choice to expect the child’s immediate arrival. Injured children are transported to the clinic, if necessary, in a school van. Both clinics are prepared to send a fully-equipped ambulance with doctor and nurse to the school if necessary.
AISB Nurse’s Office and Emergency Medical Equipment The Nurse’s office (which students call “The Nursery”) is equipped with basic medical supplies for dealing with everyday cuts, sprains, fevers and headaches. It is also well stocked with first aid supplies for dealing with serious injuries and other medical emergencies. The school also has a wheelchair (which we have needed to use on several occasions!) and crutches.
The school maintains two fully automated, state-of-the-art Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs): one in the main foyer and one at the pool. Backboards with head immobilizers are located in the Nurse’s office and the pool office. In addition, the school’s safe haven retreat is fully equipped with medical supplies to treat life-threatening traumas.
Stocking and maintaining the Nurse’s Office is the responsibility of AISB’s Emergency Response Team.
Staff Preparation
Nearly all AISB staff hold current certifications in AED/CPR and First Aid Response. AISB has hosted two full-scale first-aid AED/CPR trainings this year, one provided by MINUSMA and the second, held only this past week, provided by the Regional Medical Office of the US Embassy. For most staff these were“refresher” courses, but we were pleased to see some first-time certifications as well. In addition to the standard first-aid/lifesaving training, our staff trainings have included basic health care for school aged children, and preparation for dealing with local risks such as snake bite, malaria and dengue, sun and heat prostration and dehydration.
AISB is in regular consultation with the American Embassy’s Regional Medical Office who, in addition to providing trainings, advise us regarding such matters as local health risks and our emergency response procedures.
We thank these organizations sincerely, for helping to keep AISB children safe and well.
First Responders AISB also maintains a team of First Responders who have advanced certifications and qualifications in Emergency First Aid and trauma response. Five of our First Responders have completed Emergency Trauma/MARCH training provided by the US Embassy’s specialist team in emergency trauma response, and are equipped to deal with serious injuries and physical traumas.
These are the people who are alerted immediately when a student is injured or seems very unwell. Names and contact information for the First Responders are posted around school on the “What to do in a Medical Emergency” information sheet. This team will be receiving refresher training from the US Embassy RMO early in the new school year.
First Aid Kits Classrooms and school vans are equipped with basic first aid kits. All groups on field trips carry with them a fully-stocked first-aid kit that includes such supplies as bandaging and wound dressings, instant cold packs, EpiPen, cervical neck collars, SAM splints, and first aid care for scrapes, cuts and insect bites.
Allergy Awareness The school shares an up-to-date list of student food allergies with classroom teachers and the school’s food service provider. The lists are also posted in the kitchen and eating areas.
Please be sure to notify the school immediately, if your child is diagnosed with a new food allergy or food intolerance.
Help us help your child Please ensure that your child’s health information is up to date. When you have new information, please don’t forget to inform the school.
And… Parents must be accessible: if your child is sick or hurt we need to be able to contact you. Please ensure that you have provided us with your current cell number and alternate numbers, and that one parent is always reachable during school hours.
|
|
Profile of Graduates Achievement Celebration
To commit to growth-- whether academic, intellectual, emotional, social or physical-- takes courage and strength.
AISB is an academic institution: a learning community in which academic achievement is honored and recognized formally throughout the school year. But the AISB community also recognizes that there are many kinds of challenge involved in school and in life, whose achievement is less easily quantified than academic success but essential for life-long success.
AISB’s Profile of Graduates recognizes some of these challenges, and establishes their achievement as a goal for all students.
A Vision of the AISB Graduate In 2011, faculty, parents and students came together to draft the Profile of AISB Graduates. The Profile offers a vision of the whole student, and describes the set of skills, understandings and attributes the community desires for its young people, that go beyond content knowledge. The Profile represents the ultimate goal of our curriculum and, along with our Vision, Mission and Beliefs statements, guides all of AISB’s policies and practices.
In demonstrating the qualities and skills of the Profile of Graduates, AISB students not only demonstrate essential personal growth, but also make important contributions to the community of learners. Showing intellectual courage, starting something new for the school, being a good friend in tough times, being unafraid to keep trying, having a kind word for everyone or standing up for what you believe in: these take strength, courage and practice, we believe that they merit recognition within the community.
Recognizing Achievement of the AISB Profile of Graduates On Friday, April 27, the AISB community gathered to celebrate our students’ achievements in the areas of the Profile of Graduates. This public recognition has been established to honor the many ways that AISB students learn and grow, and the many different kinds of contribution it takes to build and support a strong learning community. This year’s celebration was a lively, heartfelt event, and a great success. You’ll find photos on AISB’s Facebook page.
About the PoG achievement celebration: Any student or teacher can nominate a member of the community who, by their actions, makes an extraordinary contribution to the community, in any of the areas described by the AISB Profile of Graduates. Anyone who wishes to recognize a student (including themselves) for his or her achievement must write a short nomination explaining what the student did or does, and how this exemplifies one or more aspects of the Profile of Graduates. The nominations are read out to the community by the nominator or an appointee, in a formal ceremony near the end of the school year. Nominees receive a gift and a certificate, as acknowledgements of their achievements and recognition of their contributions to the learning community.
The Profile of AISB Graduates, in summary: AISB recognizes that the education of students is much broader than the academic content of the planned curriculum. The students of AISB will be prepared to make meaningful contributions to society, as well as continue their lifelong journey of personal growth and learning. AISB students will demonstrate this through:
Intellectual Growth: AISB Students will:
- Develop strong abilities to think critically and creatively
- Be engaged, curious learners
- Possess usable knowledgeable across disciplines
- Understand how they learn best and take charge of their own learning
- Put all these skills to work by making and acting on decisions that matter
Cultural Growth: AISB Students will be open-minded and able to act as ethical global citizens. Physical Growth: AISB Students will balance their intellectual growth with their physical and mental well-being. Social Growth: AISB Students will be empathetic and work effectively in collaboration with others.
You will find the complete Profile of Graduates on the school website, and in the Secondary Handbook.
|
|
AISB and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
This month, new data protection legislation called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) commences in the European Union. As an organization that manages data about EU citizens, AISB is committed to meeting these requirements.
Schools gather, store and use different types of information about their students, families and staff. Some of this information is personal data, which is any information about a person that could be used directly or indirectly to identify them. The information can be electronic or paper records. We need this information as part of our work to deliver a quality education experience.
The requirements of the GDPR reflect best practice in the handling of personal information. We have started work to review and when necessary update our policies and procedures about how we handle personal information, and ensure that as a school we:
- Collect personal data in a fair and lawful way
- Explain why the data is being collected, how it will be used, and how long we will keep it
- Collect only the information we need to be able to deliver our services
- Make sure that the data is up-to-date and accurate
- Have a process for updating the information each year, asking people to confirm that the details are correct
- Have a process for securely removing data when it is no longer required, is requested we do so by the individual, or has met our data retention timelines
- Keep all personal data secure
- Disclose personal data only to authorized agents
- Inform you as soon as possible when your personal data has been accessed without permission
Under the new GDPR, you continue to have the right to know:
- What information we hold and process
- How to gain access to your personal data
- How we keep the data up-to-date
- What our policies and procedures regarding the collection, storage and use of your personal data are
If you have any questions about how we manage your personal data, or about the GDPR, please contact Marcus Tanner (itcoordinator@aisbmali.org).
|
|
IT Purchase Guide - Which type of laptop should I get?
AISB is a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) school for students in Grades 6 to 12. This means that families provide a laptop for their secondary-aged children to bring to school every day.
The advantage of a BYOD program is that when students use a device that they are completely familiar with and control, they become “masters” of it: they can set it up exactly the way they like, and are more likely to experiment productively in how they use it for learning. In other words, with BYOD students have more opportunities for choice about how, when and where learning can happen.
When choosing a laptop for your child, please follow these broad guidelines:
- Each student in Grades 6 - 12 should be provided with a personal laptop
- The laptop should be no more than three years old
- Chromebooks, netbooks, tablets or smartphones are not suitable alternatives
- Either Apple macOS or Microsoft Windows are the preferred operating systems
The minimum technical specifications for new devices are:
- 13” screen
- Intel i5 / 1.6GHz processor (or AMD equivalent)
- 4Gb of RAM (8GB is better)
- 100Gb of available storage
- Camera and microphone
- Battery with at least 5 - 6 hours life
- Windows (8.1 or 10) or macOS (Sierra or High Sierra); English version is preferred
- A productivity suite (Microsoft Office is preferred)
- Internet security software (eg Kaspersky, Bit Defender, F-Secure)
Other accessories to consider:
- Portable hard disk drive, for backing up and archiving files
- Sturdy case for transporting the laptop to school, and between classes
- Extra power adapter
- Wireless mouse
- A way to personalise the laptop and make it easier to identify; for example, protective skins, keyboard covers, decals.
A downloadable summary is here, with a more detailed explanation of our recommendations here.
Some examples of laptops that meet our minimum requirements are shown below; this is not an endorsement for any particular model. The prices listed were taken from CDW (www.cdw.com) on May 1, 2018. It is certainly worth considering devices that exceed our minimum requirements, as they are more likely to be able to keep up with changing demands of operating systems and software for a longer period of time. If you would like advice about a specific model of laptop, please feel free to contact the Technology Department.

|
|
Making History Come Alive!
Students in 20th Century History are currently learning about independence movements in Africa and Asia. Students demonstrated the relationship between newly independent states and their former colonizers by producing art. They also used ThingLink, an interactive online "bulletin board", to share knowledge and information with their classmates.



|
|
AISB Quebec Trip
AISB Quebec Trip, by Clara Saiel
This spring break was unlike the others. We had the exceptional opportunity to go on a trip with the school to Quebec, Canada. This trip was the occasion to reinforce our French and to learn about the Quebec culture. We had a great time starting March 23rd when we were at the airport to March 31st when we came back. Every part of the trip was perfect. We did many enjoyable activities that taught us many things. We started our trip in Montreal and then went to Quebec City. We were accompanied by two guides who stayed with us the whole trip Mary and Wendy. From all the activities we did, there were some strong moments that marked me more than others. The snow sledding, the Sugar Shack, and the poetry night were for me the strongest moments in our trip. Even though we weren’t always all together and close, in those moments the group wasn’t divided we were all together sharing the experience.
The snow sledding was magical. For some of us it was the first time seeing snow. Having the opportunity to touch and feel it was unforgettable. We spent the whole day in an amusement park just sledding down the snowy hills and screaming of fright with our friends. Although we were intimidated by the first and easiest hill, we managed to reach the Everest ride. The most terrifying of all the rides. You had to go up a set of slippery stairs to reach the Everest which was built on a wooden structure. As we sled down the Everest, we could feel our stomachs drop. We felt the adrenaline. Some of us had an overdose of snow, we tried the white powdery snow. After sledding until late afternoon, we visited the ice hotel which was in the same site as the sledding park. This hotel was amazing. It was all built from ice. It had to be destroyed and rebuilt every year. The hotel had a theme every year. This year it was the circus. The walls were full of carvings and sculptures of acrobats and lions. Inside the hotel it was -5 degrees Celsius. It was even colder than outside. Ice is a good insulator and keeps the cold inside. This is necessary to keep the hotel from melting. We finished our visit in the bar of the hotel having a drink out of a cup made from ice. This experience was memorable.
The Sugar shack was another part of the trip that I really enjoyed. Canada is well known for their production of maple syrup. We went to the sugar shack, a place were maple syrup and maple syrup goods are produced. There, the owner of the sugar shack explained the origins of maple syrup and how it was used by the natives. He also told us about the process to make maple syrup. First, you make a hole in a maple tree. Second, you put a pipe into the hole that is attached to a bucket. Next, you let the sugar water drip into the bucket until it’s full. Finally, you collect that water and boil it into maple syrup. After this explanation, we had the opportunity to buy maple syrup goods. We bought maple butter, maple tea, maple popcorn, maple cookies, maple candy, and many other maple products. After a visit of the sugar shack ,we had a traditional dinner in the sugar shack. We were encouraged to add maple syrup in everything we ate even the soup. After an excellent meal came the best part, the dancing. Our guide Mary taught us a traditional dance that we all learned and enjoyed doing. This moment was my favourite of the trip. Everyone was close and danced together we were one united group. We tasted one last maple syrup good before leaving. We went outside and stood in front of a wooden tube that held snow. Maple syrup was poured into the snow we had to wait 15 seconds. Then we could wrap the sticky maple syrup around our sticks. It was delicious. This was one of those days you never forget.
In Quebec, we stayed in a hostel that was part of a school. This hostel receives groups from all around the world like us. On our last night in the hostel, we had the privilege to meet some of the students in that school for a poetry night. A very reputed Quebec poet also assisted. The poems we shared were about identity. We shared a part of us in those poems. We gave the students there a glimpse of who we were and how we felt. In order to show them a part of the Malian culture, we brought some Malian tea with us and served it to them. They were delighted and liked it very much. This night was the opportunity to exchange with those students and meet people from other cultures. I’m very thankful for having such an opportunity.
This trip to Quebec was also a French immersion trip. It was to reinforce our French skills. Their French there is absolutely not like ours. They have many funny expressions and they invent some words sometimes. I’m personally not a fan of their accent and wouldn’t want to speak like them. There are some expressions that I particularly found funny. For example “C’est Correc’ “ is their way of saying something is good in our French we say, “c’est correct”. Quebec French also takes many words from English due to the fact that they were colonized by the British. For example they call yogurt “yogurt” like in English when we say “yaourt” in French. Even though their accent is special it’s a part of their culture and it’s what makes them who they are.
This was my first school trip and I had a very positive experience that I would repeat without hesitation. Not only did we learn, but we bonded with each other. I highly recommend Quebec as a destination to anyone. This trip took a long time to be organized and waiting for it was endless, but worth it. I’m very thankful to Mr. Yattara and Mrs. Laliya who gave us their time and effort. I look forward to other trips and opportunities like this one.
Le Voyage Scolaire d’AISB au Québec, by Malika Keita
Le voyage au Canada était une expérience extraordinaire. Nous étions 23 élèves que représentait le Mali, et nos autres nationalités. C’était un long voyage, nous sommes partis du Mali à minuit trente pour un voyage de sept heures du Mali en Turquie. Après nous avons pris l’avion d’Istanbul à Montréal, ce qui a pris dix heures de vol considérées très longues pour la plupart d’entre nous. À notre arrivée personne ne pouvait cacher son enthousiasme. Nous avons rencontré nos animatrices Marie et Wendy à l’aéroport. Elles étaient tellement contentes de pouvoir enfin nous rencontrer, nous qui venons de si loin. Nous avons dormi dans une auberge de jeunesse et le lendemain nous sommes partis en bus pour le Québec. Au Québec, nous logions dans une auberge, qui était aussi une école, l’Auberge du Mont.
Tout le long de la semaine les activités s'enchaînaient. Nous avons fait en une semaine ce que des personnes font en deux ou trois semaines. Une des activités préférées des élèves était la glissade sur neige. Cette activité se passait au Village Vacances Valcartier. Nous avions des bouées que nous transportions partout pour glisser sur des pistes de neige. La neige était quelque chose que la plupart d’entre nous n’avions jamais vue. Il y avait tellement de neige au Village Vacances Valcartier que c'était l'occasion pour s'amuser dans la neige, faire des bonhommes de neige et des batailles de boule de neige. Il y avait des pistes de tous les niveaux et c’était définitivement une des activités phares de ce voyage.
Nous sommes allés également à la Cabane à Sucre où l’on produit le sirop d’érable. Nous en avons profité pour faire des achats de sirop d’érable et d’autres produits. Le même soir nous sommes allés manger au restaurant de la Cabane à Sucre, c'était une soirée très agréable parce que nous avons appris une danse traditionnelle du Québec avec notre animatrice Marie. Ce qui a marqué ce moment c’est que nous avons pu être un groupe uni. Tout le monde est venu danser et a fait de ce moment un moment unique.
En outre, nous avons passé un après-midi au Cirque du Soleil. Là-bas nous avons fait des groupes et nous avions tous un coach qui nous faisait naviguer et essayer les différents types d’activités que le cirque avait à nous offrir. Nous avons pu faire des acrobaties, du monocycle, du trapèze, du trampoline, de la jonglerie et encore plus. Il y avait aussi une soirée poésie où sept élèves ont pu partager un poème sur l’identité avec des élèves de l’école où nous logions. C’était une expérience assez forte en émotion, et nous avons rendu nos accompagnateurs très fiers.
Ce voyage nous a apporté beaucoup de choses en tant que personnes. Il nous a appris à être plus matures, parce que quelquefois les animateurs ne pouvaient pas s’occuper de tout le monde en même temps. En ces moments là, on apprend à se contrôler et essayer d’aider. Nous avons aussi appris à s’adapter par rapport à la culture des Québécois. Quelquefois leurs étaient différentes de ce que à quoi on est habitués au Mali. Nous nous sommes adaptés et nous avons appris plus sur leur culture et leur histoire. Une grande partie du Canada c’est leur accent français et la façon dont ils changent les mots. Pour certains d’entre nous, leurs accents étaient insupportables mais encore une fois, nous avons fait des efforts pour s’y adapter. Cette expérience nous a permis de renforcer nos liens entre amis et accompagnateurs. En vivant ensemble pendant une semaine les gens autour de toi apprennent à te connaître mieux et des amitiés encore plus fortes se construisent. Je voudrais remercier Mr Yattara et Mme Ba pour nous avoir accompagné et rendu ce voyage inoubliable.



Watch a video of the AISB Quebec trip
|
|
Jazz at AISB
This week AISB’s HS Project Class enjoyed a visit from international Jazz musician Sulaiman Hakim, who hosted a lively discussion on African music, its role in shaping historical and contemporary musical genres, and its impacts on today’s world music scene. The discussion was followed by an informal jam session.
AISB First Graders Reflect on Writing
In Grade 1, students learned about procedural and informational writing by writing All About chapter books on a chosen topic that teaches readers facts and includes nonfiction text features. ICT was integrated when students researched images related to their selected topics and created cover pages for their books. When the books were completed, students celebrated their writing and reflected on the process including ICT. 
6 students wrote, "My favorite part about writing my book was ...
- doing the title because it was fun.
- the title because it was fun and because I did it on the computer.
- when choosing the picture because it was so cute.
- the ICT because I can choose a picture.
Additionally, 10 of 11 students reported they got better at ICT when writing their books .
5 students also reported, "The hardest thing for me was..."
- doing my picture.
- I needed to wait to do my picture all day.
- choosing a front cover picture because they were all so cute and ...
- looking for the picture and ...
- making my title because they were so many kinds of owls.
Working together to integrate writing and ICT was fantastic. The students enjoyed it and learned a lot relating to ICT.

|
|