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In the first issue of 2013, hear from our head of school about what makes RIS unique; a grade 12 student looks at Italy's future; elementary students reflect on the winter concerts; and our secondary ICT teacher analyses the power of social networks.
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RIS report
Rome International School
Inspiring Ambition
Issue 19, February 2013 - www.romeinternationalschool.it
Our shining stars:Highlights from Decemberʼs Drama Production and the Winter Concerts
A lesson to remember:IB students hear from a very special guest!
Social media:Reflecting on the power of social networks
early a year has passed since we started looking into the need to work on the Rome International School brand. Redefining a brand is something more complex
than a mere cosmetic intervention on the logo or finding an effective pay-off. The close connection of a brand with identity and with those who are, and will be, related to it in some way, calls for specific attention to what is changing both in the subject identified by the brand and in those who refer to the brand as users. We have concrete and convincing evidence - both with regard to what Rome International School has become over the years, and with regards to who the students and families of our school are and what they want today. How these two realities are connected by a circular bond which nurtures and strengthens them in a virtuous loop. The key word here is “ambition”.
We have ambitious students and we are an ambitious school. Our students show their desire to focus on challenging goals with increasing clarity and determination, and our school helps them in every way to achieve their plans by constantly innovating models, tools and programmes. We are a school with ambitious projects, and our students focus on prestigious goals.
There are a great many examples of this, starting from the statistics on the admission of our students in Higher Education Institutions (HEI): 100% pass rates into HEI in British, US, Canadian and Australian Universities for our DP students who graduated in May 2012. Or from the data on the results from the GCSE or middle-school leaving examinations, which are clearly higher than average compared to pupils of
British and Italian middle schools. Or the compliments received by our primary school pupils during the IB authorisation visit, following which RIS became a PYP authorised school. Or the positive remarks received by our students and staff just over two months ago, during the Cambridge authorisation visit which preceded the conferment of their authorisation to offer the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). This is a standard of excellence within the programmes for the first two years of high school. The newly enrolled Grade 10 students from September 2013 will obtain the IGCSE, replacing the GCSE, which is a source of great satisfaction for us.
We are convinced that an ambitious school must have premises in-line with its standing, and in a few weeksʼ time the class representatives, groups of students and staff will have the chance to visit the site of our modern campus, immersed in greenery, that is being built for us.
We have an increasingly committed PTA that is very able, not only in carrying out, but also in focusing charity actions on specific targets. We have evident ties and relations with prestigious educational institutions. We also have a strict academic policy with regard to admissions (last year, 45% of those who took the admission test for one of the middle and high school classes were considered unsuitable).
It is all these things which make RIS a unique school. And it is this very uniqueness that our brand must show. We shall come back to this topic in the pages of this magazine, but also in meetings which you are all invited to take part in.
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Our new brochure
Driving Ambition Together BY
IVANO BORAGINEHEAD OF SCHOOL
Model of new campus
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Learning from the best!
BYALESSANDRO RUSSO PROFILI
GRADE 12
Successful Italian comedian Mr Rosario Fiorello gave a surprise appearance to speak with RIS IB students in the run up to the Winter Fair. He spoke to
students about the value of commitment, hard work and passion, both when helping out at school events and in life.
Joining in the fun at the 2012 RIS Winter Fair
iorello started his career as a comedian in resorts. Since then, his prolific portfolio includes
working on Italian radio and TV, always achieving successful ratings. For example, in 2011 the final episode of his program “Il più grande spettacolo dopo il weekend” received ratings higher than 50%!
He spoke to us about his youth and the summer months he spent selling vegetables at the market in Sicily. Each seller knew they were selling the same product as everyone else, the only difference was in how they were selling it. That was exactly his job. He would find customers and he would convince them that buying his vegetables was the best choice. He used his personal experiences and anecdotes to explain to us how we could successfully manage and help out at the stalls the IB CAS students were helping with at the Winter Fair. The first thing we should do, he said, was to understand what items the stall would be selling. We should ask about the items, and find out their unique
characteristics. Moreover, we should be the ones addressing the customers first, not the other way around.
He went on to explain that it was important to always greet the customer with the biggest smile, and to be happy to communicate information about the products we were selling. He told us that when he was selling himself, what always helped him was the smile and the happiness he conveyed to his customers. An important message conveyed to us was a reminder to always perform a task to the best of our ability. After-all, learning to make an effort always pays off!
Last but not least, we were reminded about the ethics of selling. Even when promoting the product to the best of your ability, you should never lie to make it more attractive, but always sell the product for what it actually is.
This was a wonderful opportunity for Grades 12 and 13. We learnt a lot while having fun and it was a great treat before the Winter holidays!
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Global education matters
We recently had a visit from a group of student teachers on a study trip from Greenland. It was a great opportunity to share aspects of Rome Interna;onal School and to learn about life on ‘the largest island in the world’. One startling fact about Greenland is its popula;on, generally quoted at around 56,000. This seems incredible to us living in a city like Rome. The students commented on how many people there were here, the huge amount of traffic and just how warm it was! Life in Greenland can be hard, with temperatures regularly dropping below -‐ 20 degrees and long hours of darkness in winter. Yet when we started to talk about educa;on we started to see more similari;es than differences. For example, a shared interest in e-‐learning, lifelong leaning strategies, educa;on with a global outlook and a tri-‐lingual approach (see ‘Educa;on for All’, Greenland Ministry of Educa;on and R e s e a r c h , A p r i l 2 0 1 2 , <uk.nanoq.gl/...educa;on>). The educa;on system in Greenland has gone through drama;c changes. They have focused, for example, on mother tongue languages, the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems and on incorpora;ng mul;ple learning styles. Of par;cular interest was the strategy followed when developing the curriculum – a ‘cross-‐party’ process involving parents, teachers, poli;cians and students. The aim was to reach a consensus on what really ma\ers in educa;on and agree how it could be accessible and rewarding for all. Although the rela;vely low popula;on makes such a community approach possible, it is an interes;ng model of the poten;al for mutual coopera;on. The students ended the session by singing a tradi;onal song from Greenland, in excellent voices which seemed prac;ced in achieving harmony. As the above report men;oned states, ‘For the individual and for society as a whole, it is a natural desire that everybody contributes to the community.’ At certain ;mes it really is possible to see the idea of ‘community’ stretching beyond our immediate confines and even our na;onal ones. ‘There's no place on Earth that's changing faster – and no place where that change ma\ers more – than Greenland.’ (Bill McKibben, Rolling Stone, August 16). When we think of the environmental issues affec;ng the northern hemisphere, this sense of a world community and the importance of a global educa;on becomes even more pressing and important.
William IrelandPrincipal, Middle and High School
ome Interna;onal School is pleased to be in posi;on to offer the Interna;onal General Cer;ficate of Educa;on from Cambridge University. Teaching of this new course will begin with our
current cohort of grade 9 as they move into grade 10 in September 2013. As a school already part of the world renowned IB family it is exci;ng to also be part of the equally globally respected C.I.E. This ini;a;ve will allow our students to access a programme designed specifically for them; interna;onal students. Not only is the IGCSE well suited to our student body but the transi;on from GCSE will also result in the introduc;on of a wider range of subject choices and will increase the flexibility of the subject packages.
In addi;on to the current art and design examina;on, we will be offering the possibility to study drama and music to exam level. This will be a welcome opportunity for many students, to further con;nue their crea;ve journey in these subjects. Within languages, Chinese instead of being at cer;ficate level will now be available as a full IGCSE. Perhaps however, the most innova;ve is the introduc;on of the IGCSE Global Perspec;ves. This course concentrates on developing cri;cal thinking
skills and mo;vates students to develop their awareness of global issues both of which are important founda;ons for future studies in the Interna;onal Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. In par;cular Global Perspec;ves will be an excellent grounding for those hoping to study Philosophy and for all students in the Theory of Knowledge.
Students will, in the following months, have the opportunity to discuss their subject choices with the IGCSE Coordinator; they will then, in consulta;on with their families, arrive at a subject package best suited to their needs and plans for future study. It is of note that the interna;onal perspec;ve of the IGCSE is not only widely acknowledged as one of the more effec;ve pre IB courses but it is also the preferred programme for 14-‐16 year students in many state and private schools within the UK itself.
Our teachers now have online access to all the many teaching and support materials provided by Cambridge Interna;onal Educa;on and we are currently preparing and looking forward to the launch of the programme in September of this year.
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coming soon to RIS!
R
BYKATE IRELAND
I/GCSE COORDINATOR
In November 2012 RIS received official authorisation to offer the IGCSE developed by Cambridge University. The new programme covering the first two years of High School will be implemented from September 2013.
he Financial Times recently published an article (ʻImmigrants abandoning recession-hit Italyʼ, 6 January 2013, FT online) regarding the high number of immigrants
leaving Italy over the last year, a period which has been plagued by recession and political confusion.
The article describes this trend as a combination of factors: the lack of supportive policies for the inclusion for immigrants; a growing xenophobia; and the longest economic crisis since the Second World War. The journalist talks about the Chinese community leaving Rome, quoting some Italians favourable to this mass departure, because they apparently regard Chinese communities as synonymous with organised crime and the black-market economy.
Additionally it also quotes Romanus Nwaereka, a Nigerian trade union activist stationed in Rome, who says that this exodus is inevitable as “...racist attacks are on the rise …” Isnʼt this situation all too ironic for Italy?
The Italian population has historically migrated to many different countries in search of a better future, continuing to contribute to their growth even when faced with unjustified prejudices. So why are some Italians forgetting this important part of their working tradition and history? Currently the only Italian population on the increase is the one within the 70-80 age range, whilst immigrants, having become over the last few years the only spur to
demographic growth, have recently began falling in numbers. This is important because, as the article highlights, there can not be economic growth in a country without an increase in birth-rates and a working population.
As dramatic as this editorial is, it does not touch another crucial trend, the exodus of talented Italians from the country: from doctors to university researchers, from scientists to intellectuals and artists, it seems as if a whole generation is either leaving or thinking about it. This is a new wave of Italian migrants with academic credentials, ready to accept more humble positions in order to find a job abroad, learn a new language and wait until things improve in Italy (ʻItalian Law pits older workers against younger onesʼ, 4 April 2012, ʻNPR.org).
Adding up all of these factors, what is left might look dispiriting: both immigrants and young Italians leaving; talents and enthusiastic minds working in other countries and the elderly population staying behind. A country or an ʻold folkʼs homeʼ?This may be the question unless, of course, a new social policy is implemented to promote integration and tolerance, together with a culture that welcomes national and foreign talents in order to further create a modern country, with deep roots in its past, but equally proud of its present and, most importantly, with a future ahead of it.
Comment
TLooking to Italy’s future
BYENRICO DAL CIN
GRADE 13
Comment Comment Comment Comment Comment
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Drama is not merely a means of entertainment. It can be defined as a play to be performed or the produc;on of a play.In December I was one of the few lucky people who were able to watch all the Winter musical concerts and plays held at LUISS University starring our Transi;on to Grade 6 students. Whilst the big stage, the unaccustomed environment and adoring audience were a li\le too much for some of our very youngest performers and led to stage-‐fright and tears, the benefits of being given the opportunity to perform in public became obvious as we progressed throughout the school.Communica;on is at the center of all drama;c ac;vi;es. In today's increasingly informa;on-‐centered world, Drama provides training in public speaking, encourages students to be more persuasive in their communica;ons, and develops their crea;vity and self-‐ confidence. Today’s world is increasingly team o r i en ted and D rama i s a t r u l y collabora;ve exercise. Students must learn to cooperate, take turns and work together to find the best way for each individual to contribute to the group produc;on.Drama;c arts can reinforce the school’s Literacy curriculum. One important func;on of Drama is to enhance the students' vocabulary proficiency, which is crucial to literacy development. When students act out stories, they learn to connect events in an organised way. They learn to iden;fy characters, situa;ons and sekngs. This is the start of understanding the plot of a narra;ve, with a beginning, middle and an end, along with empathy, conflict and resolu;on.Our music teacher, Miss Jones, worked hard to ensure that each performance reflected aktudes and a\ributes from our interna;onal PYP programme. Apprecia;on of tradi;ons from different cultures, the importance of giving, caring, learning from our mistakes and how we need to work together to benefit from each others’ strengths.By encouraging drama both at school and in the home, you are giving your child some enormous personal benefits that will stay with them long into adulthood.
Patricia Mar<n-‐SmithPrincipal, Early Years & Elementary
When we entered in the hall where we performed, I felt enthusiastic because we had to sing, move and speak to all the parents. I appreciated that Miss Jones helped us perform this wonderful concert.(Paolo 5P)
When we went on stage I was really excited because my family was there and I was happy. When I went to my parents at the end they said I was great and made me really happy. I think I was a good communicator because not only was I communicating by speaking but I even used expression and my body to talk. (Olimpia 5P)
The Grade 5 and 6 performance: ʻFive gold ringsʼ
The Winter concert was exciting and beautiful. My favourite song was 'Run, run run away'. Miss Jones did a wonderful job, she worked a lot for the concert. Thank you Miss Jones. (Emma T. 3T)
The Grade 3 and 4 performance: ʻThe selfish giantʼ
When I started I was a bit anxious because I was shy to speak. I enjoyed it a lot because the show had funny parts. I was master of the rings and I needed to dress with cool trendy clothes with sunglasses. When I said my parts I was happy because then it meant I could relax. (Edoardo, 5P)
I learnt that you don't need to be scared and just do it! (Filippo 5M)
I liked singing the' Trespassers song' because the children and the giants team were singing against each other. (Gaia 4R)
I learnt that I can remember things. I thought that I would never remember all that writing. Now I can talk in front of everybody without being afraid! (Maria 4P)
I think we got better and better! (David 2T)
The Grade 2 performance:
I learnt that it is a really bad thing to be selfish because you wont have any friends. (Aurora 4P)
All the worldʼs a stage (W. Shakespeare)
After hours of singing, acting, rehearsing recorders, co-ordinating stick routines, rock and roll dances and even perfecting French accents, the big day came and what a show our Elementary students delivered! As promised, we gave our absolute best and this is what some of our pupils had to say about the seven concerts delivered by the Elementary School!
- Ms Jones, Music Coordinator
Winter Concerts 2012ʻWe did it!ʼ
It was nice doing this concert because we did it altogether. I became more confident. (Daniel 5M)
When we went on the stage we felt a bit scared, but we were great risk takers. In the middle Grade 5M did scene with Grade 4 and it was really funny as there were the three French hens, Giuditta, Fillippo and Thomas. We really enjoyed all the scenes. Big thanks to Miss Jones. (Aizhar 5P)
I thought I would never be courageous and now I 'm sure of myself. (Claudia 6B)
I was surprised because there were a lot of people. (Francesco 2T)
I like telling stories, so the narrator was the perfect thing for me. (Rufo 4R)
My favourite part was the children because it was fun to jump around with my friends. (Ludovika 4R)
n December 17, drama students from the High School and Grade 9 gave a wonderful performance at the theatre in Piazza Euclide. The programme of the
evening was varied: Grade 11 students performed two short Commedia dell’Arte plays in masks with some spectacular costumes. Pupils from Grades 10, 12 and 13 turned Roald Dhal’s Revol0ng Rhymes into amusing pantomime, style scenes with larger than life characters, turning the classic children’s stories upside down.
Grade 9 performed a play specially wri\en for them with confidence, style and enthusiasm and once again there were some superb costumes and some great song and dance numbers.
A special men;on should go to Amanda in Grade 11 who only had three weeks to get to grips with her second role as Arlechino in “Pantalone goes a’wooing”. She put in an excellent performance and brought great sense of spontaneity and comedy to the ensemble.
Gaia from Grade 9 in her role as the wicked Cruella Devil gave a very slick and sophis;cated performance and seemed completely at ease on the stage whether singing, dancing or ac;ng.
There is a very special feeling of community and coopera;on amongst students when they work together for a performance. Adrenalin runs high, stage fright can literally make actors turn to jelly, wigs and beards fall off, quick costume changes can create a frenzy backstage and missing props can cause havoc. However, everything turned out very well.
Students from four different grades worked together to produce something which they were all involved in, something which they all wanted to work well and this gave a great sense of group achievement which is why I believe produc;ons of this kind are so valuable!
To all the actors, stage managers, make-‐up crew, the band and the people behind the scenes: thank you and very well done!
BY VICTORIA CHAPMAN
DRAMA TEACHER
Photos by Darren McDonald
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Our Shining StarsPupils from the Middle and High School treated the school community to a variety of performances before the Winter
Break. RIS families, friends and staff enjoyed the colourful costumes and the energetic and fun performances!
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he main aim of The Girl Effect project is to help adolescent girls to end poverty for
themselves and the world, offering them other op<ons to live their lives as every young girl should. But, these girls can’t do it alone, they need the world to listen and to support them!
Who sustains this project?This important campaign is created and sponsored by the Nike Founda;on in collabora;on with NoVo Founda;on and united with United Na;ons Founda;on. It is followed and supported by thousands of people who recognize these girls’ poten;al.
How exactly does the Girl Effect address poverty?This project focuses on adolescent girls living in poverty in developing countries in Central America, Asia and the Middle East and Africa. You can become part of the movement in several ways, for example through dona;ons. Dona;ons to the Girl Effect online are collected through the Girl Effect Fund. Your dona;ons will be dispersed equally among a select group of girl-‐focused projects. Or you could choose to donate to specific projects which include a girls’ school in Kenya, a soccer programme in Nicaragua, job training in Sri Lanka and health services for girls in Afghansitan.
How are WE sustaining this project?At Rome Interna;onal School, three students from Grade 13, Vi\oria, Bianca and Massimilla, signed up to be a part of this campaign through the IB CAS (Crea;vity, Ac;on, Service) Programme. Ini;ally, we had the aim of raising €115 to help provide a specific surgerical opera;on for girls living in Nairobi, Kenya, who have been vic;ms of abuse. Our first step was to organise and par;cipate in events which could benefit the project. For example, a dona;ons box was placed at the venue of the Middle and High School drama produc;on in December 2012. By doing this, a healthy sum of €194 was collected, achieving the ini;al goal of €115!
As we weren’t expec;ng to collect this large amount of money through one ac;vity, we will con;nue to par;cipate in the Girl Effect movement by providing as many services as possible for these girls. In addi;on through this project, we developed many skills such as commitment, organisa;on, and we became more responsible and open-‐minded. We hope to complete this task by sponsoring projects in more countries such as Uganda, Cambodia, Zimbabwe, Thailand and the Dominican Republic.
The next steps of our project will be to organise informa;ve school assemblies, and to sell bracelets in order to sponsor more projects in support of the campaign. Look out for more details in the school’s weekly newsle\er! If you would like to get involved, visit the c a m p a i g n w e b s i t e f o r m o r e i n f o r m a ; o n : www.girleffect.org.
600 million adolescent girls live in poverty and are the most powerful
force for change on the planet!*
*(www.thegirleffect.org)
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ʻGive a little, help a lot!”
BYBIANCA DI SIMONE
GRADE 13
Have you heard about
The Girl Effect?
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RIS report is a monthly publication by Rome International School.
RIS report
s the 21st century enters its difficult teenage years it seems as good a time as any to look back on the last
twelve years and try to ascertain the biggest global development. It can be reasonably argued that the greatest change in the global dynamic of the world is the emergence of social media and social networks. The popularity and perhaps surprising longevity of websites such as MySpace, Bebo, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have dramatically altered us as a global society in the first decade of the 21st century. These sites have in some cases not just become powerful institutions economically but also socially. Some would argue that left unchecked these sites may be harmful and dangerous to society whereas others believe they have become a significant platform for free speech. It is debated as to how much impact social networks had in the Arab Spring of 2011. There is also some dispute regarding the uploading to YouTube of a film depicting corrupt Egyptian police officers in action by a young man named Khaled Said. Said was la ter bru ta l ly k i l led dur ing a po l ice interrogation. What cannot be disputed is the importance of an online platform for people to vent their anger and dismay at another case of police brutality ending in the death of Said. A Facebook group in support of Said - ‘We Are Khaled Said’ - was set up resulting in a membership of nearly half a million. All this in a country where protests, usually numbered in their dozens, lasted for less than an hour before being broken up by police. The Arab Spring demonstrates how the vast majority of people can now be heard and unite regardless of their location, economic standpoint or beliefs. Though the discontent and desire for change in a country like Egypt means that a revolution of sorts may have occurred regardless of this freedom in online communication, it is very unlikely it would have occurred as swiftly or to the extent that it did in Egypt in the early months of 2011 when the ruling powers fell from power after a 30 year grip on the country. Though there has been some talk in recent months of measures being taken to limit this freedom in Egypt, a quick glance online will show that this would surely now be impossible. In an act to cause confusion and end the protest that was focused in central Cairo, the
Egyptian authorities pulled the plug on the internet, severing online communication in a move that was heavi ly cr i t ic ised by governments worldwide, including that of Britain. However the following summer saw Britain face a situation in which talk was rife that the government was contemplating taking such action itself. The English riots of 2011 saw millions of pounds worth of damage inflicted on the country by groups of looters whose coordinated efforts, via platforms such as Blackberry Messenger and Twitter, baffled police and left authorities contemplating drastic measures such as shutting these services down. This was something that deeply divided the British public. Was this an attack on free speech or a reaction of common sense? Young people involved in the looting spoke of being swept up in the momentum generated by social networks. Surely ‘turning them off’ was the right thing to do?There have been various laws proposed to control what is and is not permitted to be shared online but this is a very controversial subject. Governments have to tread carefully between policing an area which at times feels out of their control and not infringing on the rights of individuals and the right to freedom of speech. There certainly should be some concern as through socia l networks advertisers and other groups have an ability to influence young people in a targeted way like never before. Perhaps the answer lies in education. If we are to tread carefully with checks on this software then it is imperative that students learn not only how to be open minded but to challenge the information that is presented to them. To be able to verify sources, expose inaccurate evidence and develop opinions of their own. This is something that is increasingly shaping education world wide as we look to arm young people with a refined skill set that will protect them from being misled whilst allowing them to shape their own views by selecting relevant and correct information. If we succeed in doing this then maybe we will not have to be so fearful of the power of social networks and indeed embrace them as a tool which allows citizens of the world to communicate regardless of location, race, religion or government. Something to be applauded indeed.
ARegistrationRegistrazione n. 476 del 31/12/10
Dirretore ResponsabileMaria Corbi
Editor-in-ChiefTania [email protected]
Graphic designTania Gobena
PhotographyDarren McDonaldFront cover: worldprints.com
Rome International SchoolVia Panama 2500198, Rome+39 06 84482650/[email protected]
Students in grade 9 have been analysing the power of social networks and debating whether governments should have some level of control over their content.
Social networks: Force for good or bad?
BYSEAN WEBBER
ICT TEACHER & MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADER