The Importance of Reading by Kate Hohl

Dear Parents,

When Andrew asked me to write something about the importance of reading for this week's blog, I wondered what I could say to you that you don't know already. For, as parents of children growing up with television, computer, and the myriad other means of entertainment that are available these days, you are only too well aware that reading is under serious challenge, an even more serious challenge than when you were growing up.

Without wanting to reminisce for too long, I can remember a time when parents did not have to 'enforce' reading time, for only the radio competed with books for children's time and attention. I grew up in such an environment, and, even as a young teacher, I needed to do little to encourage my students to read. Those were the days when we did not think about what we might lose if people did not read, for almost everybody did, albeit not the gamut of classical literature that is still regarded as the mark of a liberal arts education by many people.

Undoubtedly, today we have to remind ourselves rather frequently about what we gain from reading both as children and adults. In particular, children who do not read easily and naturally will not know what they are being deprived of without the help of both parents and teachers.
The obvious gains from regular reading are an ability to express one's ideas in clear, precise and varied language. An increase in the vocabulary we have at our disposal makes it easier to say what we mean and argue our case convincingly. This, I believe is a skill that we all need on a regular basis. Logical thought is embodied in and developed by the written language, and helps us in all walks of life and at all times to fulfil our potentail as thinking and creative human beings.

This brings me to what we and our children should be reading. To reduce this to two clichés: a little of what you fancy does you good, but you can have too much of a good thing. We cannot only and always read what immediately takes our fancy; a varied selection of fiction and non-fiction is essential for us and our children if we are to extend our horizons. It is not only on the internet that we can find rubbish and quality reading, and as parents and teachers we need to help our children and young people to choose books and periodicals which will stretch their minds and give them a wide general knowledge.

Good fiction, in particular, develops imagination, an awareness of times and places which we have not visited. A professor of medicine once told me that he had learned more psychology from reading fiction than he had in the courses he had taken in that discipline, and how many of our jobs require us to deal with people from many walks of life and different backgrounds from our own!

My own son is now twenty six, so I am no longer either responsible for, nor able to influence, his reading. I do, however, have the satisfaction of knowing that I did my very best to give him a good start. Not only did I buy him a large and varied number of books, as I know that many of you do, but I read to him in both English and German for many years. The last book that we read together was Dickens' 'Great Expectations' when he was fourteen; by that time he read as well and fluently as I do, and I enjoyed being read to as much if not more than reading.

Here at school, the staff are always ready to offer advice to students---and parents--- for we are most aware that good readers make the best students, even in maths and science, and later, the most able workforce. If you are seen reading by your children, if you read to them regularly, if you have control over when your children watch television or play computer games, and encourage them to read widely, you will give them something invaluable and lasting.

I wish you luck!

Art in College by Matthias Aeberli

Arts in PC1 und 2

eine interessante Entwicklung: aus einer Klasse sind jetzt erstmal drei Gruppen entstanden, jede von ihnen operiert autonom:

1. sweet and style

eine girl group die eine Modelinie samt Verkaufsstelle und Accesoiresvertrieb plant, entwirft und auch berechnet (sales manager)

2. ein Sportlerleben

eine boy group die einen Sportler erfindet, seine Familie designt, seine Haustiere genauso betreut wie sein Sportzubehör

bei diesen zwei Gruppen haben die TeilnehmerInnen jeweils eine Funktion, eine Charge übernommen für welche sie dann auch verantwortlich zeichnen. Einen Boss, eine Chefin gibt es auch, schliesslich wird Hierarchie wieder salonfähig und erleichtert competition.

3. Mensadeko

eine gemischte Gruppe, welche mittels Illustrationen zum Thema Essen, (weitgefasst: vom gierigen Esser bis zu erfundenen, neudesignten Früchten und Lebensmitteln) die Mensa verschönern will.

Noch gibt es ein paar Individualistinnen, welche für sich arbeiten und das ist auch gut so: es soll kein Gruppenzwang ausgeübt werden.

Die zwei Klassen arbeiten wunderbar, viel Freude und sehr viel Dynamik und manchmal auch übermässig Lärm.

Arts in College 2

In einer Klasse bestehend aus vier SchülerInnen ist ein Film geplant: mit sowenig TeilnehmerInnen ergibt es sich fast von selbst, dass jeder, jede verschiedene Funktionen, Rollen übernehmen muss. Die Story ist aussergewöhnlich komplex, soviel sei verraten: Ralph spielt eine Schuldirektorin mit merkwürdigen Neigungen, diese werden ihr dann zum Verhängnis und Michaela spielt einen Hund der wird von einem Auto…, nein es ist zu traurig, ich kann’s nicht sagen. Der Film wird eine krude Mischung zwischen Comic, Selbstdarstellung, Rollentausch werden, natürlich in HD- Qualität und Bezüge zum traurigen, qualvollen SchülerInnenalltag sind selbstverständlich absehbar. Das Arbeitstempo der Klasse ist allerdings ein gemässigtes, meine Rolle im und für den Film ist die des Einpeitschers und bisweilen auch des Weckers, es könnte ein längeres Unterfangen werden.

Why do we have school trips? by Ellie Nicholls

School trips are a positive experience for students of all ages. It allows the students to see and experience nature first hand which is considerably more exciting than what we find in our text books or in classroom lectures.

Not only do these trips teach us about environmental subjects, but we additionally get to know our teachers and pupils from other classes in a way we would not be able to in school. It’s a great bonding experience which always leads to new and lasting friendships.

Also, we are able to have new experiences and adventures while at the same time challenging ourselves in personal ways. In addition, the team-building leads to a greater community spirit in the school.
.
Not being able to rely on our parents makes us more independent which is good for our future as our parents will not always be right by our sides showing us the way.

In my opinion though, the best and most important reason for these school trips is to be able to have incredible experiences and memories which will certainly last a lifetime.

New books for Pre-College 3 and 4 Maths

Dear Pre-college 3 and 4 parents,

This year I purchased a new textbook and practice book for Mathematics called Edexcel GCSE Maths. This is a book which prepares students for the GCSE exam, a test which can be taken at the age of 16 and is available at two different levels. We will use this book for a minimum of two years. Do not worry; I do not plan to finish all these topics within this school year.
The textbook includes a CD which is the electronic version of the whole book. Students must keep the CD at home and the textbook at school. This way they do not have to carry this heavy book almost every day. The practice book is rather skinny so students can bring it to class and back home again. I hope that students in Pre-college 3 and 4 will achieve good skills and knowledge of maths by using these new and ‘student friendly’ books. In addition, I have plenty of additional resources which will accompany the topics.

This year I also bought some books for Extra Maths. These are series of books written by Martin Gardiner to challenge kids with an interest in maths. Both series include many investigations and extensions to normal class mathematics. I hope to get these books within a few days and we can enjoy the challenges.

Welcome!

Dear parents, students and teachers of SIS Basel Pre- and College,

Allow me to welcome you to our (un)official blog / website / information source. We are excited about the additional avenue of communication that this site will provide.

The intention is not to make this into our primary vehicle for Pre- and College information as we will still hold the usual meetings, still send home the important letters and continue to write exciting snippits for the Strompost. It is simply to create an extra platform of communication to highlight some of the day to day 'happenings' of the upper school.

For now we won't publish any schedule for new material to be uploaded but rather run the site on a trial basis to see how excited the College Team gets about posting. Please check back regularly to catch up on news, pictures, stories, examples of student work, etc.

We are very excited about the new 2009/2010 academic year. We have a great teaching team in place and a continuously expanding group of enthusiastic students. Let the blogging begin!