ISP Wellbeing Tribune June 2013

VOLUME 22 – SPRING 2013

Wellbeing is an integral part of ISP’s

spirit. A few years back we asked parents

an open question about what makes the

school special, and one of the most

frequent replies was that ISP is friendly

and welcoming. The long tradition of

caring about one another is also evident

in the many testimonials that our

alumni write.

Recently, the spirit of wellbeing has

been enhanced with structure. At ISP,

wellbeing is much more than a value

statement, and we have a very practical,

hands-on and preventive approach to

these – sometimes delicate – issues.

Our goal is to ensure that each and

every student’s wellbeing needs are met

in the best possible way, while taking

into account the safety and interests of

the school community. This is a diffi cult

task, but thanks to the new structures,

increased training and growing expertise

in this area, ISP continues to strike the

wellbeing balance.

From the Head of School ............................ 2

Admissions Team ............................................. 2

Wellbeing Structures at ISP ........................ 4

Questions for the School Counselor ...... 5

Primary School Wellbeing ........................... 6

The School Nurse ............................................. 6

Moving Up to the Big School ..................... 7

PSE in the Secondary School .................... 8

iPSE – Empowering the Individual ....... 10

PSPE in the PYP Curriculum ..................... 11

Parent Testimonial ...................................12

the tribuneThe Journal of the International School of Paris

Wellbeing at ISP – Caring for One and All

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Volume 22 – Spring 2013 1

In my previous professional

life, I had the privilege of working

in family therapy. Later on, I

worked as a School Counselor,

and was also tasked with teaching

a ‘Social Skills’ program. Already

then, being aware of potential

personal issues and their dynam-

ics was an important part of

personal development. In this

sense, the world has not changed.

What has changed, however, is

the diversity of issues and forums

in which they can arise, especially

via the internet and social media.

I am very proud of the consider-

able time and resources we have

focused at ISP to help students

develop good life choices,

because these are essential for

the future, as well as at school.

ISP used to be small enough for

a natural ‘high touch’ focus on

student needs. As we have grown,

we have formalized support

structures, and named Vice-

Principals of Wellbeing in both

Primary and Secondary Schools

who have teams that both gather

information, and make sure that

the right people are there to

support students appropriately

and in a timely fashion.

Just yesterday one of our

graduating students came to me

spontaneously, to tell me how

wonderfully ISP had supported

her over the past seven years. To

me, that is a sure sign that our

support systems and, indeed, all

our staff , are working well.

From the Head of SchoolAudrey Peverelli

As the fi rst point of contact at

the school, the ISP Admissions

Team (Catherine Hard, James

Cooper and Courtney Knight)

gives students and families their

fi rst experience of the school’s

wellbeing support systems. As

Catherine says: ‘Opening a new fi le

and meeting a family for the fi rst

time is like embarking on a new

and exciting adventure. There are

always new discoveries to be made,

most of them positive and each

one unique. Families, especially

students, are often nervous at fi rst,

which is why empathy and the abil-

ity to put people at ease are crucial

skills for an admissions offi cer.’

As with any new relation-

ship, the one between a pro-

spective family and ISP begins

with getting acquainted. ‘It is a

wonderful opportunity for us to

be introduced to so many amaz-

ing and talented students with

interesting backgrounds and great

potential,’ Catherine explains.

The Admissions Team can become

quite intimately involved with

the lives of incoming families and

what they are going through at

that particular moment. The emo-

tional and relational dynamics of

a family are always complex, and

these can be magnifi ed in a period

of transition.

‘It is our job to distinguish

between the immediate, short-

term turbulence that the family

might be experiencing and any

long-term issues or well-being

needs that have to be considered.’

The team achieves this through a

thorough and rigorous application

process. ‘It is our task to make sure

that each student we admit will

be able to access support he or

she needs, while always remaining

mindful of the wellbeing of

the ISP community as a whole,’

says James.

The application review process

often involves reading between

the lines, which is where the

Admissions Team’s combined

experience of more than 20 years

comes in. The fi nal decision on any

application is made after close

consultations with a number of

other ISP colleagues and a dialogue

with the candidate’s parents and

previous school. In doing this, it is

usually possible to identify any rel-

evant individual wellbeing issues,

and to make sure that the school is

well-informed and has strategies

and resources available to success-

fully support the student.

James continues: ‘Supporting

the wellbeing of prospective

students and parents is a key part

of the story. However, it is also

important to do everything we

can to safeguard the wellbeing

of the existing ISP community.

While we do not exclusively look

for students who are academic

superstars, we are very careful to

admit candidates who have the

potential to bring something spe-

cial to the community. We review

each application in depth, so that

Admissions Team:Custodians of Wellbeing Interview by Tuija Wallgren, Offi ce of External Aff airs

2 the tribune — The Journal of the International School of Paris — www.isparis.eduThe Journal of the International School of Paris — www.isparis.edu

we can develop an accurate idea

of how that student’s presence in

the community is likely to infl u-

ence its other members. In cases

where we feel the infl uence on

the school community would be

primarily negative, we may not feel

able to off er a place to the appli-

cant in question.’ Sometimes it also

appears that ISP is not the best fi t

for a family for other reasons, or

there simply is no space available

for the children. In those cases the

team often assists the family in

fi nding an alternative school.

James and Catherine are very

grateful for the support they

receive from their colleagues.

‘We get strong support from the

wellbeing team and other col-

leagues. Everyone takes admis-

sions decisions very seriously.

Also, we feel that Ms. Peverelli, our

Head of School, truly understands

and values the importance of our

work, which may not be the case in

all schools. At ISP, we have a true

collaboration.’

Once a student is accepted, it is

time for the Admissions Team to

let go, and follow the results from

the sidelines. ‘We often become

very attached to the families

during the sometimes lengthy

admissions process. It is great to

meet the parents again at the New

Parent Gathering, to see that for

the vast majority of them the anxi-

eties have disappeared. Parents

are generally happy and surprised

at how easy the transition has

proven to be’, Catherine says. ‘Our

teachers and supporting staff are

truly caring, and the atmosphere

at ISP is warm and welcoming.

The best part is to witness how

the children blossom. During my

many admissions tours I often see

recently admitted students in their

new environment, surrounded by

their new friends. Getting that big

smile from a previously shy and

insecure student is the most

gratifying moment of this job!’

Admissions

Coordinators

Catherine Hard

and James Cooper

with their Assistant,

Courtney Knight

(center).

Catherine Hard gives

a tour of the Primary

School campus to a

prospective student

and his family.


The raison d’être of schools

is to facilitate learning. Every

school’s institutional structures

and expectations mirror the diff er-

ent kinds of learning they value.

Like all schools, we at ISP value

the learning of diff erent academic

literacies and their accompanying

skill sets, and this is clearly visible

in our daily routines, interactions

between students and teachers,

as well as in our investment in

resources. However, we also nur-

ture each child’s personal, social

and emotional development. The

personal nature of this practice

may make it less obvious, but it

is evident across our school. Both

sections of the school have their

own Vice Principals of Wellbeing.

Their task is to ensure that we can

provide a safe, healthy and har-

monious learning environment for

each and every individual student.

The Primary School Wellbeing

Team consists of classroom teach-

ers, Grade Level Coordinators,

School Counselor and Vice-

Principal of Wellbeing. The

Secondary School has a bit larger

Wellbeing Team – in addition to the

homeroom staff , Heads of Grades,

School Counselor and Secondary

School Vice-Principal of Wellbeing,

it includes PSE teachers and men-

tors. Considerable investment is

made in supporting each student’s

personal, social and emotional

learning journey.

Our Wellbeing Teams are guided

by an understanding of the space

that can divide the demands of

institutional education and the

emotional needs of our students.

Our young people are learning

about how ‘to be in the world,’

both as scholars and as individu-

als, and there are demands that are

sometimes challenging to recon-

cile. The Human Givens Institute

outlines a number of emotional

needs that we all have in order to

remain healthy. These are:

• Security — a safe environment

which allows us to develop

• Attention (to give and receive it)

• Sense of autonomy and control to

make responsible choices

• Emotional intimacy — to know

that at least one other person

accepts us totally for who we are

• Feeling part of a wider community

• Privacy to refl ect and consolidate

experience

• Sense of status within social

groupings

• Sense of competence and

achievement

• Meaning and purpose — which

come from being stretched in what

we do and think.

— www.hgi.org.uk

We know that as teenagers

begin to defi ne their identity they

seek autonomy, privacy and status

outside the home and outside

school. However, students cannot

always be autonomous in a school

day almost entirely directed by

others. It might also be diffi cult to

have a sense of status, or a sense of

competence or achievement, espe-

cially if academics are not really

where the student excels. Schools

are not private places – students

achieve (or not) in public, including

the publication of diploma exami-

nation results – so they might get

attention, but not always in the

way they need. This may sound like

a recipe for rebellion – but at ISP

this is not the case.

ISP acknowledges the emotional

needs of our students. We do not

regulate against them. Our teach-

ers do a great job because they

know that learning about the self

is the hardest thing any of us ever

do. Sometimes traditional aca-

demic structures do not meet the

emotional needs of students, and

it takes careful support strategies,

patience, courage and consider-

able personal skill to assist and

advocate for students who may

be in the space between what

school off ers and what they need

emotionally. Our Wellbeing Team

bridges that space, and off ers a

secure framework for students to

learn about themselves, providing

what may be the most valuable

learning experience that happens

at ISP.

Wellbeing Structures at ISP by Barry Mansfi eld, Secondary School Principal

4 the tribune — The Journal of the International School of Paris — www.isparis.edu

Seven Questions for ISP’s Counselor, Régine Leclerc Interview by Tuija Wallgren, Offi ce of External Aff airs

What are your qualifi cations and background?

I am a counseling psychologist with 22 years of

teaching experience, and I am currently preparing

a doctorate in education, focusing on relationships

between home and school.

How long have you been at ISP?

I have been here for seven years. Initially, I worked

together with a specifi c anti-bullying committee to

create ISP’s anti-bullying policy and I also introduced

the PSE curriculum. The main long-term work has been

to develop a ‘counseling space’ for students.

What does a school counselor do?

Being a school counselor is a very versatile and varied

job. In addition to off ering support and guidance, a school

counselor acts as a link between the support structures

within the school and external agencies. The counse-

lor plays a key role in identifying possible wellbeing

issues, informing and working with families and giving

referrals to external specialists if necessary. Students

may walk in at any time, or be sent by the wellbeing

team or a teacher. I also work closely with families.

Why is it important to have a counselor in school?

A big benefi t is the availability of immediate support,

and quicker and more effi cient crisis intervention. Early

interventions and therapeutic support are essential when

dealing with school phobia, cultural adjustment, identity

issues, eating disorders, and so forth. A trained coun-

selor seeks to read situations in a clinical way. A coun-

selor is available for immediate consulting, short-term

to longer-term support and guidance, and can refer to

external agencies if necessary. A counselor on campus

can provide instant and accessible emotional support

for everyone at the school, whether they need advice,

guidance or just a safe space in which to be heard.

What kind of help can students get from you?

My role is to respond to immediate and longer-term

learning, developmental, socio-emotional and psychologi-

cal needs of students. It can be done, for example, through

individual or group counseling, coaching, support and

guidance to families. It is important for any adolescent

to know that an adult can listen to them without being

judgmental. Sometimes just one hour of discussion is

enough to help. On the other hand, it is helpful for the

students to know that there is continuity in the support.

I also help the students in an indirect way by providing

guidance to other ISP staff members in situations where

their student may be going through a diffi cult period.

What is your role in the wellbeing team?

The counselor is one element of the team, and I

am informed of all wellbeing situations, whether I am

directly involved or not. My role is to bring in my coun-

seling perspective, and to be available for guidance on

behavior management, discipline, confl ict resolution,

support and so forth. As a whole school counselor, I am

also a link between the Primary and Secondary School

wellbeing actors. In Primary, I act more as a counseling

consultant to teachers, parents and the wellbeing team,

rather than someone who delivers actual counseling to

the students (although this also occasionally happens).

One diff erence between the counselor and the other

wellbeing staff is confi dentiality. I give my counseling

sessions in confi dentiality, with only few exceptions, in

which cases I have a ‘duty to warn’ others (parents and

administration). These exceptions are when students

are in danger of hurting themselves or being hurt

by someone else, or if they are about to hurt others.

Another diff erence is that a counselor uses therapeutic

tools, and specifi c counseling skills.

What is your approach to counseling?

My counseling approach is existential/relational and

psycho-educational. The relationship between a coun-

selor and student is crucial to the process. Counseling

is about creating links, and I believe that the counse-

lor’s role is to help a person repair and maintain those

links through relational role-modeling. Counseling is

also about helping the student to create meaning for

their life, which in turn creates personal fulfi llment

and motivation for personal growth. Having meaning in

one’s life makes people happy, and happy children and

adolescents come to school!


As a class teacher at ISP, I think

that my most important role is to

ensure that the students in my care

feel happy and comfortable in their

classes. Happy students are the key

to eff ective learning. Class teachers

have a special role to play as they

are responsible for their students

for most of the school day. Through

discussions, class teachers help

children to understand the school

rules and routines, making sure

that students are able to follow

these. Class teachers are there for

the children if they have any dif-

fi culty, if they are feeling unwell or

if they need help to resolve confl ict

with a classmate.

Through units of inquiry or by

dealing with issues as they arise,

class teachers help students gain

a sense of identity and support

them in developing healthy and

happy interactions and relation-

ships through Personal and Social

Education (PSE, see article about

PSPE in the Primary School on

page 11). This can be in the form

of circle time sessions, whole class

discussions, role play or reading

related books aloud in the class.

Class teachers are also responsible

for communicating any concerns

to parents so that we can work as a

team to help the children. If neces-

sary, class teachers will liaise with

the person in charge of wellbeing

to ensure children or families have

the required support.

The Grade Level Coordinators

work closely with the PYP

Coordinator and all teachers and

assistants within their grade level

to ensure consistency and con-

tinuation of learning between the

diff erent Grades within the school.

This includes helping teachers

develop scope and sequence docu-

ments, which ensure that children

build on their learning from one

year to the next without any of

the basic skills being missed. This

ensures a smooth transition as chil-

dren move from one Grade to the

next (including the important tran-

sition from Primary to Secondary

School).

Within Grades and Grade levels,

we also work very hard at the end

of each year and over the summer

At fi rst glance, the school nurse

is present to deal with the inevi-

table cuts and bruises that come

up on a daily basis. While this is

undoubtedly part of the role, in

reality our nurses do much more.

When students go to the infi rmary,

they fi nd a sympathetic ear, a place

where they won’t be judged, and

one where they can talk about

choices they might be considering,

or ones that they have made. They

can talk freely and are able to get

the advice of a healthcare profes-

sional, who is not a member of the

teaching team and has a role a little

apart from the others in school.

The school nurse also works

within the wellbeing team to make

sure that any discussion regarding

students takes into account their

broader medical needs. She is an

essential member of our team,

organising and coordinating our

students’ medical information,

ensuring that their vaccinations are

up to date, writing up Individual

Health Plans for students with par-

ticular needs, and communicating

essential information to members

of staff in a way that respects the

students’ confi dentiality. The nurse

is bound by medical ethics and

legal constraints, and also ensures

student safety. In addition, the

nurse conducts sight and hearing

tests for younger students, contacts

parents when accidents happen,

and is usually the person who

would get in contact with emer-

gency services, in those rare cases

where they are needed, either for

advice by telephone as recom-

mended by SAMU (Service d’aide

médicale urgente), or in person at

school.

Sometimes, when the nurse isn’t

doing all of these things, and when

My Thoughts on Wellbeing by Fiona Symons, Primary School Teacher & Grade Level Coordinator

The School Nurseby Damian Kerr, Secondary School Vice Principal for Student Wellbeing

ISP’s school nurse

Bénédicte Wetzel

attending a confer-

ence on anorexia and

bulimia to broaden

her knowledge on

these topics.


she knows that the fi rst aid kits

are up to date, that crutches bor-

rowed have been returned, parents

have collected sick children, the

sécurité civile has been organised

for Sports Day, the First Aid Trained

list has been updated from the

last training session, and the last

batch of sick letters from doctors

have been fi led away, she might

have fi ve free minutes for a cup

of coff ee. But that’s when a staff

member, or even a parent, might

drop in because they have ‘a little

problem’ they’d like to talk about...

Nursing at ISP – it never ends.

to decide on class lists for the

following year, in order to ensure

that all classes are as balanced

as possible. Teachers pay specifi c

attention to having a balance of

genders, native English speakers,

children learning English as an

additional language, French speak-

ers and diff erent ability levels.

Whenever possible, we also con-

sider friendships so that children

feel comfortable in their new class,

and try to place students who are

learning English in a class where

there is another child who speaks

their mother tongue, so that they

have somebody with whom they

can initially communicate. This is

important in building children’s

confi dence.

Every student in the Secondary School has a

homeroom teacher who is the point of contact for

parents who need to pass on information, ask ques-

tions, or simply check in on how their child is doing

at any given time in the school year. The homeroom

teachers – there are 23 homeroom groups this year –

work in diff erent grade level teams. They ensure that

student concerns are passed on and make teachers

aware of any diffi culties that an individual student

may be going through, seeking extra support if and

when it is needed. They make themselves available

to parents and are involved in discussions about the

needs of the students in their groups, always look-

ing to be an advocate for their classes and the indi-

viduals in them. They lead assemblies about healthy

eating, subject choices, community and service, man-

aging stress, the extended essay or the personal pro-

ject, organising workload ... The list is endless.

For the last two years, we have had Heads of

Grades in the Secondary School to support the work

that we all, especially the homeroom teachers, do

with and for the students. Loretta Fox (Grades 6 –

8), Raj Bolla (Grades 9 & 10), and Céline Babulaud

(Grades 11 & 12) have become very important mem-

bers of the wellbeing team, fulfi lling vital roles in the

school. They work with Homeroom Teachers, Heads

of Department and Curriculum Coordinators to make

sure that the expectations of students and the sup-

port for them are clear, coordinated and consistent.

The Heads of Grades lead their respective homeroom

teams, and are the homeroom teachers’ points of

reference with regard to all of the diff erent aspects

of student life, all the while teaching an almost full

timetable in their respective subjects. The Heads of

Grades get to know all of the students in their grades

and are involved in discussions about students within

the wellbeing team, making sure that the whole

school context is known when decisions are taken or

plans are developed.

Homeroom teachers have a genuine and special

interest in the students in their homeroom classes.

This relationship goes beyond the one that typically

builds up between subject teachers and students.

Although they usually spend only 15 minutes with

their group each day, the homeroom teachers actively

seek out the students in their class during breaks,

congratulating them when they achieve something

special or giving them encouragement when needed.

They may even raise an eyebrow when they notice

that a student is not achieving to the level they nor-

mally do, or if someone has stepped out of line. It is a

delicate balance, but it is one which the students and

homeroom teachers understand and respect.

Mr. Kerr often takes

the opportunity to

chat with individual

students around the

campus.

Fiona Symons makes

her students comfort-

able in class, to ensure

eff ective learning.

Moving Up to the Big School

by Damian Kerr, Secondary School Vice Principal of

Student Wellbeing

Volume 22 – Spring 2013 7 7

When Toby Cann came to ISP in 2008 to

teach PSE, he was convinced that his work

would be easier at ISP than it had been at

the rough-end schools in England. He was

wrong. ‘The way students speak and behave

at school may be diff erent, but young peo-

ple face similar issues and problems all over

the world.’ At that time, ISP had recently

included PSE in its curriculum, and Toby was

the fi rst teacher who was hired to exclusively

teach the subject. The program had just been

started and it has evolved a lot since then.

The PSE curriculum that we have today is

specifi cally written for the ISP community,

more or less by Toby.

ISP is one of the few international schools

that have a PSE program. ‘It takes courage for

a school to have this program. It’s so much

easier for the school to claim that they don’t

have any of the problems and, therefore,

there is no need to discuss the issues with

the kids. The truth is that all schools have

drugs, bullying and risky behaviour among

the student body. The diff erence is whether

the administrators are doing something

about it or burying their heads in the sand.’

Toby has been in schools all his life. His

father was a headmaster of a private school

in Britain, and Toby himself began teaching

right after fi nishing his studies. ‘I’ve realized

that I do need to work with young people.

They give me energy and I feel that I’m doing

something important. ISP students are amaz-

ing! They are incredible, tolerant and open-

minded, and I feel that I’m working with kids

who will grow up to make a diff erence in this

world. It is truly rewarding.’

PSE is a very diff erent class compared to

the other subjects. It is not part of the MYP.

Students are not given grades, and instead of

looking at diff erent phenomena in the world

around them, the students are looking at their

own lives. The goal is to give students facts

and information, evoke discussion and debate

among them and give support to them during

this phase of enormous emotional and physi-

ological change. Students make their own

decisions based on the information they get

from school and the values, morals and cul-

ture that they have learned from their family.

‘This is not about what I did 20 years ago,

or what the students’ parents want them to

be doing 20 years from now. This is about the

students’ lives right here and now. There is a

Personal and Social Education – Honestly, Here and Nowby Tuija Wallgren, Offi ce ofExternal Aff airs

What is PSE?• Personal and Social Education

• Taught in Grades 6 to 10

• One lesson per week, Grade 9

three lessons per two weeks

• Curriculum is specifi cally writ-

ten for the ISP community

• Includes topics that support

students in making informed

choices

The nine areas of focus are:

• Community

• How to obtain privacy

• Control over one’s own life

• Status

• How to give and receive

attention

• Achievement

• Connection to others

• The dynamics of meaning and

purpose

• Sense of security

Toby Cann gives

Grade 12 students

advice on how to

cope with the pres-

sure during revision

and exam period.

Everything you wished you

could’ve talked about in school,

but didn’t. PSE: a sharing of

practical, supportive information

about age-appropriate life skills.

—Thomas Ryan, Learning Support, PSE and Grade 6Homeroom Teacher

PSE gives students the knowledge

and confi dence to cope with situ-

ations. It allows students to grow

together as a group and discuss

their opinions in a safe environ-

ment. —Raj Bolla, English, Theatre and PSE Teacher, Grade Level Coordinator for Grades 9 and 10

8 the tribune — The Journal of the International School of Paris — www.isparis.eduThe Journal of the International School of Paris — www.isparis.eduThe Journal of the International School of Paris — www.isparis.edu

part of the curriculum where we go through

choices in life, and talk about things like

tobacco, drugs, alcohol and sex. I remember a

student who, at the end of one of my weekly

PSE lessons, came up and asked me if I had

been spying on him, as he had been dealing

with exactly those topics in his immediate

life,’ Toby explains.

PSE is about the kids, not the teacher. A

PSE teacher cannot talk about himself. The

most important skill is to be able to listen and

understand. There needs to be an element of

trust in the class before discussions on these

topics, many of which are sensitive, become

meaningful to the students. A PSE teacher

often hears things that other adults are not

told, and like in all wellbeing issues, the

teacher will need to strike a balance between

institutional and individual needs. ‘Luckily,

we have a fabulous wellbeing team at ISP, and

everyone is always ready to be a supportive

sounding board to others,’ Toby says.

While making informed choices is a big

part of discussions in PSE classes, that’s far

from being all. The issues vary from social

psychology and community patterns to

learning how to meditate and concentrate

better. Says Toby: ‘These young people have

a full life ahead of them, and while we all

wish them well, we know that everyone will

meet hardships and challenges as well. We

have made the messed-up world, and now

we need to prepare the kids to survive in it.

And they will.’

From the left:

Mr. Willson, Ms. Bolla,

Mr. James, Mr. Cann,

Ms. Hindson and

Mr. Ryan. Ms. Burton

is missing from the

photo.

PSE is the most important of

subjects. We do not all need to

learn about quantum physics

but we all need to learn about

life. —Paul Willson, Physics and PSE Teacher

I asked the students about what they think PSE is, and these are some

of the aspects they came up with: ‘PSE allows students to examine

what is signifi cant in their lives, gets the important facts out in the

open and gives them a safe place to share their opinions and discuss

the burning issues.’ I could not have said it better myself!

—Jackie Hindson, Theatre, Music and PSE Teacher

I heard a student say “I love com-

ing to PSE- we talk about life

and there is no stress” and I knew

how precious this time with our

students is. —Christina Burton, Geography, Humanities and PSE Teacher

Perhaps you can’t teach people

how to be happy, but you can

certainly give it a good try.

—Jonathan James, Approaches to Learning Coordinator, English, French, PSE and Grade 10 Homeroom Teacher


Jonathan James wears

many hats at ISP, and sev-

eral of those are closely

related to wellbeing.

Jonathan is a language and

PSE teacher, a homeroom

teacher, MYP Approaches to

Learning Coordinator and

Personal Project coordina-

tor. He is also part of ISP’s

Individualized Personal and

Social Education (iPSE) pro-

gram as a mentor.

The iPSE program pro-

vides individualized support

to selected students who

might require extra help in

reaching their full poten-

tial. These students meet

regularly with an adult, who

can help them in identifying

the things that might reduce

their chances of being

successful. The aim is to

empower the young person

and help him or her make

informed decisions. The

mentors are all ISP teachers,

and have received specifi c

iPSE training.

‘The benefi ts of the

mentoring program are

manifold,’ Jonathan explains.

‘It gives the student an

opportunity to discuss his

or her learning with an

adult. This important time

for refl ection can help the

student to fi nd better revi-

sion and homework strate-

gies, clarify the importance

of good choices in activi-

ties outside of the school

environment, or reveal

some of the root causes of

under achievement. While

the nature of iPSE support

varies enormously between

individual students, the com-

mon thread is the listening.

The students should feel

that someone in the school

is clearly on their team.’

In its fourth year, about

30 ISP Secondary School

students are involved with

iPSE, and with ISP’s increas-

ing commitment to wellbeing

in general, the mentoring

program continues to grow.

More and more staff mem-

bers are being trained for the

program, making it possible

for us to off er the support

to more students each year.

‘The students’ needs are the

same as before. We are just

better equipped to meet

those needs with the mentor-

ing program,’ Jonathan

points out.

iPSE is important for the

school community as well.

Having a mentoring program

has raised the overall achieve-

ment level of the school.

It has improved students’

attendance and punctuality,

and made them generally bet-

ter at handing in their work by

the deadline. The results are

acknowledged by everyone,

illustrated by enhanced

school spirit and close

student-teacher relations.

The mentors work closely

with curriculum coordinators,

making sure that they are

aware of any special needs of

individual students as well.

Jonathan explains,

‘Mentoring is an important

tool for inclusion. The sup-

port can be incremental for

a new student, who might be

coming from another school

system with completely

diff erent expectations and

methods of studying. It is

also a good way of bringing

in kids who are at a risk of

being marginalised. If a child

does not fi t the mould, we

can support them in becom-

ing successful members of

the community. In some

cases we can even help

them think about the way

iPSE - Empowering the Individualby Tuija Wallgren, Offi ce of External Aff airs

Having an individual

mentoring program

is benefi cial for the

whole school, not

only for the indi-

vidual student, Mr.

James says.


they interact with teachers

and their own peers, getting

them to treat everyone at

school in a way that actu-

ally makes them welcome

and supported by the

community.’

There is no confi dential-

ity element in the mentor-

ing program, and while the

relationship is student-

centered, the goal is to keep

everyone involved informed

about the student’s situa-

tion. Parents are a natural

part of support structure,

and the mentor contacts

them weekly or fortnightly

to report about the student’s

progress. The mentor also

keeps the other teachers

abreast of any important

developments concerning

the student. ‘Like the name

tells us, the individualized

PSE program is diff erent for

each child and mentor. While

it is important to inform the

parents, teachers and other

support people about the

specifi c needs or strengths

that students might have,

the most important goal is

to empower the students

themselves. It is fabulous to

witness that happen!’

In the Primary School, PSPE

(Personal, Social and Physical

Education) is actually a part of

our IB curriculum, Primary Years

Programme (PYP). There are six

subject areas within the PYP:

Language, Mathematics, Science,

Social Studies, Arts and PSPE.

The two areas of PSPE (Personal

& Social Education and Physical

Education) have many connec-

tions and are used to help stu-

dents inquire into identity, active

living and interactions. Much of

the PSE curriculum is embedded

into the daily routines and special

events at the school, which are

part of what makes ISP have such

a strong sense of community. This

includes the way we acknowledge

and celebrate diversity among our

students, arrange for all classes to

have buddy classes to work with

students of diff erent ages, share

learning in assemblies and estab-

lish expectations for how we play

collaboratively, behave at lunch

and respect ideas that may be dif-

ferent than our own. All of this goes

a long way in creating a culture of

trust among students and teachers,

within which students feel safe to

express themselves, take risks in

their learning and develop impor-

tant social skills through coopera-

tive activities.

PSE is also an integral part to

the units of inquiry explored in

each grade level. Many units allow

students to make personal con-

nections and consider big ideas

from diff erent cultural perspectives.

Units allow students to inquire into

a range of concepts such as beliefs

and values, relationships and per-

sonal and cultural identities. In

doing so, they refl ect on them-

selves as individuals and learn to

respect and appreciate similarities

and diff erences between them-

selves and others. Through inter-

actions with others, they learn

important skills in compromise,

reaching consensus, negotiation

and resolving confl ict.

As with other curriculum areas,

PSE allows the school to model and

foster attributes of the learner pro-

fi le so that our students become

principled, caring, open-minded and

balanced, not only as learners but

as human beings.

Wellbeing in the PYPby PYP Coordinator, Sean Walker

In his role as the PYP

Coordinator, Sean

visits the classes

and gets to know the

students he does

not have in his own

classroom.


ISP - Secondary School - 6, rue Beethoven, 75016 Paris - Tel: 01 42 24 09 54 - Fax: 01 45 27 15 93ISP - Primary School - 96 bis, rue du Ranelagh, 75016 Paris - Tel: 01 42 24 43 40 - Fax: 01 42 24 69 14www.isparis.edu - [email protected] - [email protected]

Head of School: Audrey Peverelli Editors: Tuija Wallgren and Tasia AsakawaPhotos except page 2 top and page 6 bottom: Des Harris ([email protected])Design: A. Tunick (www.atunick.com)

ISP had a great deal of infl uence at a very diffi cult time in my daughter’s

life. She recalls all the times a teacher pulled her aside and took the time

to talk to her. Now that she is older, she realizes just how supportive ISP

has been, and she is aware of the good infl uence it has had in her life.

Today, she is a year away from University in one of the best schools in

our area. She was lucky to be admitted there, and she works very hard and

has her priorities straight. She loves music and loves to go dancing. She

has a very good group of friends. She is turning out to be a fi ne young

woman, and has quite strong opinions about drugs and alcohol. I think this

might have been the infl uence of the wellbeing program at ISP. She is very

outspoken about the subject, and rarely drinks and does not touch drugs.

At the school we transferred to when we left Paris, I was surprised

to fi nd that there was no wellbeing program like the one at ISP. In many

schools, there are a number of drug and alcohol related problems, but

their policy is more based on immediate expulsion than prevention. It

seems that nobody wants to deal with such problems, as the administra-

tion is afraid it might aff ect the reputation of the school.

However, as you know, these problems exist everywhere. In most cor-

ners of the world, kids try drugs and abuse alcohol. I think that ISP is very

progressive in addressing these issues head on. There is a lot of focus on

prevention, and parents who are willing to participate have an opportunity

to really get involved in their children’s lives. ISP gives second chances to

the students who commit to solving their problems. It is not all or nothing.

The school also has the tools to help teenagers in diffi culty: Class discus-

sions, individual therapy and meetings with wellbeing professionals or

Head of School.

The wellbeing program has been able to build a relationship of trust

with the child while, at the same time, remaining very informative to par-

ents. Overall, the wellbeing system at ISP has been a very positive infl u-

ence on my children’s lives. It especially provided the best of support for

my daughter at a very turbulent time in her life. We will always remember

the support ISP gave us during our time in Paris.

Wellbeing beyond ISP A testimonial from a former parent highlights the importance of wellbeing structures in a school

Top: A thank you card

from a student to a

teacher.

Bottom: Grade 5

students getting a

little fresh air.


Documents

ISP Wellbeing Tribune June 2013