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IB Asia Pacific Newsletter

April - June 2006

Focus on International School Nadi

CAS – a new dimension in learning at ISN

Maria Piaggio stated “CAS is an inside vibration, it is how and not how much”. The phrase makes so much sense to a person who understands the actual meaning within it, however, when it comes to explaining the very concept of CAS; it sometimes becomes difficult to make people understand the full/ deep meaning of it. There is so much meaning hidden in that small sentence, that if understood, means so much and if not understood, then may mean nothing.

ISN is the second school in the Fiji Islands that boasts of offering the three IB programmes. Students come from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds of more than fifteen nations.

ISN as an ISN family believe in educating the whole person and CAS is an excellent platform to provide a complete education to the learners. Our school is a vivid example of family effort over the years. We all, teachers, students and parents have been an integral part of the development of this school. Our students have seen the positive changes within the school and have played an active part in developing it to the present standard. This is a clear indication that our students will become very successful CAS graduates, as they already have the seed planted within them to do service, not by only organising but actually getting up and creating the requirements and as a result, encourage positive progress in their community. This has made our students develop a sense of commitment and belonging and shaped their identity.

ISN has been involved in a variety community service work over the past four years; whether it was the Tsunami of 2004 for the international community; or helping out the poor families with the necessary food items, or collecting books for the needy schools on a local level; they have been very instrumental in attempting the necessary to develop and assist the communities. The CAS programme has given a very different and more meaningful approach to learning, as well as becoming a well-rounded learner. ISN has sixteen CAS students, and now the school encourages even more CAS across the secondary school.

Helping the Displaced Farming Families

The Fijian economy is highly dependent on farming and tourism. Over the years, due to the expiring land leases and non renewal of land leases, the farming community has been relocated to other parts of the country especially in the rural areas. These families have a block of land, big enough to build a house and plant some crops. However, they do not have a regular source of income. ISN has chosen to assist these families in villages and this collaboration has evolved over the years.

The Fiji Red Cross Society, Nadi Branch has various projects on which that they are working. The Society acts as a lynch pin between the school and the communities. Collaboration or consultation with the branch has allowed ISN to have a very close relationship with the branch and also work together to build relationships. The Society also addresses other issues outlined below:

Water and sanitation issues, First Aid, emotional care and support, HIV/AIDS and STIs, including and increasing public awareness on emerging issues and there is a growing concern with the increasing vulnerability of communities in Fiji to the impact of disasters.

The school intends to work with the society on these over time. The students work on Nadi Branch projects and consequently students receive positive exposure and are able to meet new people and work with people in the community. The students mainly work in the Nadi community, which is on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu.

CAS at ISN

We as a school found it amazing when we looked at the task that our students were undertaking. There is a lot of positive energy and positivity within the school community because the students are actually enjoying all the three aspects of the CAS programme. The two new dimensions ‘Creativity and Action’ have boosted the enthusiasm in our students, who enjoy hands-on activities.

Setting up a Library in Vaikaka Village

The Vaikaka Village is located in the Salovi area along the Nadi Back Road. Often students are not able to afford bus fares to go to the Nadi Library and hence setting up a library is an worthwhile project as we believe in the saying that ‘when you educate a child you educate the future of the nation’.

This project will enable the children of the village to do research and allow the mothers, who mostly are home managers, to read during their spare time. This should promote literacy, and develop a healthy and approachable relationship between the villagers and the school. The relationship will be ongoing and develop a sense of responsibility and commitment in the CAS students. This project required students to sort out the books donated by the Nadi Town Library. These books were needed to be taken to the Vaikaka Village where the students arranged them on the library shelves. In this project we were able to encourage the people of the Vaikaka Village to actually construct the shelves themselves. Involving the villagers will encourage them and give them a sense of real commitment and pride which is very important for projects to be successful as one visualizes it. The Fiji Red Cross Society has a close relationship with Vaikaka Village and the project seemed very ideal for a CAS project.

ISN  

Senior students sorting out

books for the library

Building a Home

Rotahomes is a project run by Lautoka Rotary Club (Fiji islands), driven by a very committed member Peter Drysdale who wants passionately to house the homeless in the western side of Fiji. This programme has been running for twenty-one years and has built homes for seven hundred and seventy-one families.  IB World schools have participated in the building of several of these homes and other projects associated with Koropita (such as providing equipment for a Kindergarten). Lauren Cohen, a year 12 student with three other Middle school students helped build a home for a Fijian family in April this year. They felt that they had a great time and got to know other people and the family associated with the project.

It is so true when IB says that ‘CAS extends the students’. As the Community and Service and CAS Coordinator I have seen the development of cultural understanding within students when they are involved in CAS tasks and it actually allows them to extend beyond their social and cultural boundaries by taking risks and they acquire value and attitudes that they allow them to develop further. They become more open minded and more tolerant within their own school environment as well. This is a fantastic achievement for any educator.

Seema Kumar
CAS Coordinator

ISN

skumar@isn.school.fj

 


School Events

Shakespeare's Globe in India

               ..... we cram

Within this wooden 'O' the very casques

That did excite the air of Southwark....

Delhi’s arts scene is about to witness an exciting and original event: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is to be constructed in the grounds of the British School in Chanakyapuri. For eight days in October 2006, our playing fields will be transported to London at the turn of the 17th century.

Five troupes of youngsters from around the world will perform Shakespeare’s plays to packed houses in an authentic setting. It will be a unique opportunity to support the education of future world leaders, promote imaginative and innovative theatre in Delhi, and play a leading role in the cultural life of the city and the nation.

There will be workshops, trips, outreach, refreshments, parties and plays, including our own new production of Othello and a production of Measure for Measure from Kingston Grammar School in the United Kingdom.

We look not for ‘monarchs to behold the swelling scene…’

but for minds and hearts to cheer youth and drama, on the banks of the sacred Yamuna River in India.

We hope you can join us.

Kristina Mowat
IB Co-ordinator

k.mowat@british-school.org