The Chronicle - Colegio Internacional de Caracas

Colegio Internacional de Caracas
Spring 2016
The Chronicle
Professional Learning Communities at CIC
By Dr. Kelly Kramer
formally trained in the implementation of PLC’s. Ms. Lisbet
Rodriguez, CIC’s former ESL teacher, was sent to a formal PLC
training in the US.
Upon return in August of 2015, Ms. Lisbet then presented
and trained all staff on the main premise of PLC’s—working
together as a team to improve student learning. From there, all
teachers and assistants chose topics to research. These topics
were aligned to CIC’s school wide goals. The areas of study
were the following: Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol
(SIOP), Positive Behaviour Intervention, Using Data to Improve
Instruction, Visible Learning, Building a Positive Culture,
Fostering Grit, and Working with Students with Learning Needs.
The teacher teams each had access to two Kindle books on their
specific topic, as well as the ability to use research available on
the internet and scholarly material.
In October of 2014, the AdvancED re accreditation
team recommended that CIC cultivate and implement
a professional learning community (PLC) to foster
collaborative learning and a shared vision amongst all
stakeholder groups.
While this recommendation seemed rather innocuous at
the time, the creation of professional learning communities
has taken much more effort than just putting our teachers
and staff members together in groups.
The first step in creating PLC’s was to determine a shared
definition of the term professional learning community.
CIC staff agreed that PLC’s involve a continuous, jobembedded, collaborative learning process, where by
teachers, administrators, and staff research instructional
methodologies or view data to inform and improve learning.
Ultimately, the sole purpose of a PLC is to improve student
learning. Implementation of PLC’s, however, is a process.
The first step in the process of creating PLC’s was to make
sure everyone understood this concept. In order to do this,
administration felt it was essential that a staff member be
An important part of the PLC is that time is given for staff
to learn, discuss, use, and reflect on their learning. Thus, each
Wednesday afternoon, after students were dismissed early,
teachers met in their PLC teams to collaborate and share
information on their topics. The group decided their focus,
discussed data, as well as the issues related to the topic of the
team.
Currently, the teams are creating presentations to give to the
rest of the staff, so that we all can gain a basic understanding
of the seven content areas studied. Each team, along with
their informational presentation, will make recommendations
to administration on potential new initiatives that CIC could
implement to best serve our students.
The PLC process is one that takes time and commitment from
all stakeholder groups at CIC. Teachers and staff collaborate and
support one another in their own professional development.
Administration and parents provide not only the resources
necessary for this professional learning to take place, but most
importantly the time to do it. For PLC’s to be successful it takes a
school wide effort. And since improving CIC students’ learning
is the core of the process, then PLC’s are definitely worth the
collective effort!
The International Baccalaureate
Diploma Program at CIC
By Mr. Josh Centra
The IBDP at CIC is an internationally accredited program, which recognizes graduating seniors with an international high school diploma or course certificates. Students who successfull complete the IBDP are eligible
for application to prestigious Universities
all over the world. Over their 11th and
12th grade years, CIC seniors will
have completed rigorous academic
coursework, a year-long research
and writing task, as well as at
least 150 hours of additional
work involving their own creativity, action, and service to
the community. Additional Exam Review – A2 block during the month
of April - Replacing the soon to be completed Theory of
Knowledge course, seniors will be receiving targeted review and lesson time with their instructors.
In early May, seniors will
begin their course examinations. Exams represent a culmination of all their hard work and
the final challenge to CIC students
before graduation. As students prepare for exams, CIC strives to provide as
much preparation as possible. Parents and
students should note the following upcoming initiatives and important dates:
In other IB news, all parents should note that CIC
will be conducting its “Introduction to the IBDP” evening in mid-April. Led by our
IB Coordinator (Mr. East), we will
be meeting with parents and students
to explain the expectations of the IBDP as
well as answer any questions. A specific date will
follow in a future e-mail.
IB Mock Exams - March 2-9 - Authentically replicating
the IB Exam experience, seniors will take practice tests created by their instructors. Practice exams are drawn from
previous class work and based on IB Exams from years
past. IB Mock Exams additionally serve as semester exam
grades for second semester.
If you have further questions related to any aspect of
the IBDP, please contact Mr. Mike East, IB Coordinator at
[email protected] or the academic office.
IB Exams - May 4-20 - The IB Exams are the final assessment for
our graduating seniors. Over a
three-week period, students test
will sit approximately two exams per day. Exam schedules
have already been made public and can be made available
upon request.
CAS INTEGRATION
PROJECTS SNAPSHOT!!
By Ms. Onalis Velasquez
CAS Integration projects are shortterm activities in which the CIC Senior
and Junior classes develop their personal
talents or skills by designing projects to
work with the environment, to expand
their own knowledge in a pragmatic way or to work with people in need.
Besides including the three components of the CAS program: creativity, activity and service, the students plan their
activities based on the 8 CIC citizenship
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objectives and the IB learner profile. They
have learned about teamwork, how their
decisions affect other people’s thoughts
and how to overcome challenges.
Over the past 8 years, most of the
projects have been developed to help
the children from Rincon Infantil San
Edmundo. These little kids come to
our school every Wednesday for five
weeks to participate in the activities designed by our students. These activities
have included sports, dancing skills,
art design and handicraft, Taekwondo and developing teamwork in Soccer.
This year, we have also included
projects such as the Butterfly Garden, teaching games to MS students
and raising funds for a local hospital.
Here are some examples of learning
moments our students have written to
share with our CIC community.
Looking
ahead in sports
By Ms. Maria E. Giusti
“Children make your life important, you can learn
many things from them, such as knowing how much
patience you have. Children are great imitators. so
give them something great to imitate.”
Nancy Aboultaif, Isabel Garcia & Dina Kruglyakova
“It is not easy for these kids. They are living in harsh conditions with scarcity too.
We keep on complaining about our lives
but we don’t seem to realize that we are
blessed, and that we have everything we
could imagine. This is not the case for the
kids in San Edmundo. Even though, life
is hard for them, Rodrigo and I always
saw them coming smiling and filled with
joy to our activity. This activity taught
me how to appreciate everything I have
and to think about others and not myself
all the time.” Nicolas Mejia and Rodrigo
Rosales
“These are some of the things that I experienced in
the CAS activity with my partner and the kids. We
made shapes using clay with the kids. They were so
happy and excited to use clay and make different types
of shapes; We taught the kids how to make triangles,
squares, circles and when we finish we’re going to
make an animated story with the clay shapes that they
created. Overall CIP was a great, new and challenging
experiences.” Dalia Altaha and Alejandro Mavares
“Increase in perseverance, enjoyment
of teamwork, and working with people
I wouldn’t normally work with are just a
few of the things that I have gained from
working in my CAS project. With the help
of Mr. Efrain, I have been able to create a
project that will soon be unveiled to the
community with the goal of helping our
school community”Stephanie Rojas
“Throughout these 5 weeks, the C.A.S integration
project has allowed me to explore areas of myself that
I didn’t know existed. It allowed me to experience the
stress of having a classroom and preparing a class for a
younger group of children.” Alejandro Castro
VANAS
sports season
3 will start
on Monday,
Feb 29th. Students
in both MS and
HS will
have the chance
to practice 2 sports: Bas- ketball
for girls and soccer for boys.
We have put together an excellent group of coaches who
are enthusiastic, filled with energy and ready to start season
3! They are Ms. Daniela Salazar (HS Girls basketball), Mr.
Howard Gonzalez (MS girls
basketball), Mr. Alison Guerrero (HS boys soccer) and Mr. Peter Sherrell (MS boys soccer).
The Athletics Department
would like to invite all secondary school students to come to
practices, and go for theopportunity to be part of the teams
that will participate in the VANAS tournaments. Come and
join us!! GO BEARS!
“Working in the butterfly garden enabled me to give back to
my school community.”
Julius Raebel
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Sixth Grade Avila Paintings
By Ms. Brett Albin
This month our sixth graders art
students have been hard at work. In
addition to their contributions to the
International Week art show and their
interactive cardboard cutout “photo
friends,” they’ve painted their renditions
of Caracas’s beloved Avila, which are on
display in the library.
The class looked at several images of
the Avila as depicted by various painters,
photographers and other artists before
they were asked to try it themselves.
As is apparent from their final products,
they were encouraged to consider time
of day, and express something beyond
just how the Avila looks through the use
of non-traditional colors. Even though
everyone in the class was looking at
the same photograph of the Avila for
inspiration, each work of art has its own
distinct character, because of the artist’s
color choices and technique. I am very
proud of them!
Exciting things continue to happen
in the art room as usual, including the
eighth grade’s completion of their glass
mosaics, which are on display near the
Canteen, and the start of Creativity Club
this semester. Stay tuned for more news
on CIC’s creative minds!
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On Friday February 19, twelve
Grade 4 students proudly represented different world leaders as a culminating activity for the Government
Inquiry Unit. Amazingly we were
visited by monarchs, presidents, and
a dictator. Each student prepared a
dossier including the most important facts on the leader’s life, past and
present, and proudly spoke to a small,
yet enthusiastic audience composed
of 5th Graders and proud parents.
This activity allowed Fourth Graders to research and to present their
work. Without a doubt, each student
did their very best to exhibit their
public speaking skills elegantly and
proudly. Their effort was unique and
appreciated by the audience who
proudly clapped. Needless to say
the class of 2024 is ready to lead the
world.
World
Leaders
Visit Fourth Grade
By Ms. Sandra Campos
Abraham Lincoln chosen
by Sebastian Urdaneta
Cleopatra chosen by
Martina Villegas
King Felipe VI chosen
by Diego Armas
Goodluck Jonathan chosen
by Chihosirim Amadi
Hilary Clinton chosen
by Samanta Mendez
Adolf Hitler chosen
by Rodrigo Naharros
King Ferdinand of Spain
chosen by Daniel Armas
Lyndon Jhonson chosen
by Alejandro Perez
Barack Obama by
Chaojing Cen
Queen Rania of Jordan
chosen by Nicole Breisacher
Princess Victoria chosen
by Doaa Idris
Simon Bolivar chosen
by Otto Carvajal
The Chronicle
5
Poems
for Valentine’s Day
By Grade 5 students
“Oranges are orange
Violets are blue
I know we’ve just met
But I’m in love with you”
“Carrots are orange
Violets are blue
The biggest love story
Has in it us two”
“Roses are red
Sunflowers are yellow
You’re as sweet
As a fluffy marshmallow”
“Roses are red
Violets are blue
You look very pretty
and I really love you”
“Eggplant is purple
Lettuce is green
Your heart will shine
Like a light on a screen”
“Lilies are white
A house plant is green
If you steal a girl
Her boyfriend will be mean”
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“Red for a rose
White for a Daisy
Stop watching TV
Cause you’re turning lazy”
“Violets are purple
Carnations are pink
If you be friendly
I’ll give you a wink”
By Ms. Karen Massieu
A finales del mes de Enero de este ano,
el MS Spanish Drama presento una obra
interesantísima, del famoso dramaturgo
argentino Agustin Cuzanni; “Sempronio”.
Sempronio, jubilado, vive feliz en el
seno de su familia y posee energía radioactiva de la que el Estado quiere sacar
provecho. Sempronio es secuestrado y
declarado como artefacto. Pero su energía
no se activa ya que el Estado quiere utilizarla para fines bélicos. De regreso en
el seno de su familia recobra su energía
para el provecho de sus vecinos, amigos
y familia, ya que a diferencia del Estado,
el amor al prójimo y propósitos pacíficos
son la fuente de energía. El representante
del Estado huye ante la palabra amor con
la que se le abuchea al final de la obra.
Los alumnos disfrutaron muchísimo
se este montaje que fue un éxito, gracias
al trabajo en equipo y la dedicación que
todos realizaron. Lo más importante fue
A
Greek Drama
By Mr. Stephen Schuler
After we came back from the Christmas
holiday, grade five students began their
study of Ancient Greece with a short play
called “Atalanta and the Golden Apples”.
The students did a good job and had a fun
time putting on the play. Below are some
quotes from the students in the play.
“My experience in the play was awesome.
I loved my character Aphrodite. The story
was really pretty and lovely. I also like that
we didn’t need to take a script and practice; it just went out of our head. It was my
favorite play.”
“I had fun acting in this play. This helped
me be closer to my friends. I had a good
time and I had lots of fun. I’m glad you
enjoyed it.”
que todo este esfuerzo no fue en vano,
pues el dinero recolectado fue donado a la
Fundación Ríos de Amistad, quienes están haciendo una labor tremenda con las
comunidades indígenas.
Me siento muy orgullosa de haber dirigido a este grupo de talentosos artistas,
quienes lo dieron todo en las tablas. Felicitaciones!!
“It was exciting to be in the play, but I was
also nervous. It was fun to see the other
people act. I got to become a king, which
was the best part. I liked being in this
play.”
We also read the book “The Lion, The
Witch and the Wardrobe” during and
then we made dioramas to show a scene
of the story. Enclosed are pictures of some
scenes from the book: Edmund and the
White Witch meeting for the first time;
the inside of Mr. Tumnus’ cave; the first
meeting of Lucy and Mr. Tumnus near the
lamppost; Susan and Lucy by the broken
Stone Table as Aslan comes back from the
dead; and the Pevensie house in London
being bombed during the Second World
War.
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AYA SPONSERS
SAN EDMUNDO
& SPANISH DRAMA
By Ms. Elise Barret
and Irma Oñate
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